Marikana – The ANC will defend the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), the party said on Sunday.

“We are not just defending the NUM, we are defending our hard fought gains,” said ANC Bojanala region deputy chairperson Buti Makhongela.

“Rise and defend the NUM. Go into the informal settlements to recruit for NUM and the ANC,” he told workers at a rally in Marikana on Sunday.

The NUM is on a recruitment drive after losing its majority union status to the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) at Lonmin’s Marikana operations.

Forty-four people were killed in Marikana last August during strike-related violence at Lonmin. Thirty four of them were shot dead by the police on August 16. Ten people, including two policemen and two security guards, were killed in the preceding week.

Makhongela said an attack on the NUM was an attack on the ANC.

“We cannot be intimidated. We have defeated apartheid. This [Amcu] is a small cockroach that needs a mild spray to solve it,” he said.

The NUM has referred a dispute to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration about the interpretation and implementation of the recognition agreement.

Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) North West secretary Solly Phetoe said the NUM would reclaim its dignity.

“Our rally is part of our listening campaign, as we have been doing in the entire workers’ movement that belongs to the Cosatu affiliates, but it is also our programme to make sure that workers can join the union of their choice without any intimidation or threats from anyone.”

Phetoe said the ANC had to fight corruption or be prepared to hand over power to the enemy.

“We condemned what happened in Tlokwe. The ANC must take action [against the] councillors who helped the [Democratic Alliance] to remove the mayor.”

He said the ANC should also investigate corruption allegation against ousted Tlokwe mayor Maphetle Maphetle.

“We do not want Maphetle. We want an ANC mayor.”

Phetoe said Cosatu would fight for the NUM until its offices at Lonmin were re-opened.

“We have managed to open NUM offices at Anglo American Platinum. We are going to make sure that NUM offices at Lonmin and Impala are opened.”

A man heading to the rally was stabbed and beaten up at Nkaneng on Sunday.

Armed police guarded the paramedics who attended to the man, who was wearing a NUM T-shirt

He had blood on his chin and cheeks from a stab wound in the neck.

Paramedics put an oxygen mask on him and took him to hospital at speed.

Earlier in the day, NUM official Eric Gclitshana told the rally people were being killed for wearing NUM T-shirts.

By Obakeng Maje

Zeerust-North West police are looking for unknown suspect who allegedly robbed the ATM at Zeerust on Friday.

Police said a bank official and a security company were allegedly loading cash into a machine.

“A security personnel was on her way back to the ATM from their security vehicle when allegedly approached by suspect” captain Pelonomi Makau said.

A security woman went to called the safe keys in the car and afterwards she entered the ATM room.

She allegedly found a suspect in the ATM room who pushed her in and locked her up.

“The suspect allegedly ordered the two to habd over the cash and load it in a black plastic bag. He allegedly cut-off the telephone line before fleeing the scene” said Makau.

Police appeals to the community members to assist them to arrest the suspect by calling them on (018) 642 8020 or 082 384 9416, or alternatively Crime Stop number, 08600 10111

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Zeerust-North West police are looking for unknown suspect who allegedly robbed the ATM at Zeerust on Friday.

Police said a bank official and a security company were allegedly loading cash into a machine.

“A security personnel was on her way back to the ATM from their security vehicle when allegedly approached by suspect” captain Pelonomi Makau said.

A security woman went to called the safe keys in the car and afterwards she entered the ATM room.

She allegedly found a suspect in the ATM room who pushed her in and locked her up.

“The suspect allegedly ordered the two to habd over the cash and load it in a black plastic bag. He allegedly cut-off the telephone line before fleeing the scene” said Makau.

Police appeals to the community members to assist them to arrest the suspect by calling them on (018) 642 8020 or 082 384 9416, or alternatively Crime Stop number, 08600 10111

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Gauteng Sport, Arts, Culture and ­Recreation MEC Lebogang Maile allegedly hit a wealthy Free State businessman over the head with a bottle of Johnnie Walker Gold Label whisky.

For more http://www.citypress.co.za

Johannesburg – The man entrusted to run a R900m food-security project on behalf of government, is not paying his bills.

City Press revealed on Sunday that Deebo Mzobe, President Jacob Zuma’s cousin who manages the Masibambisane rural-development initiative NGO that Zuma chairs, has six default judgments against him for the nonpayment of school fees, loans and personal debt.

For more http://www.citypress.co.za

By Obakeng Maje 

Klerksdorp-Four suspects have been arrested for alleged robbery in Klerksdorp.

North West police in conjuction with their Gauteng counterparts allegedly managed to put four suspects behind bars on Friday.

A congolese, three Somalians and a South African were allegedly arrested at Nigel, in the East of Johannesburg after a tip-off.

“A member of community called police after allegedly saw four suspects off-loading goods at a certain house” Pelonomi Makau said.

Police said the goods were allegedly stolen from a courier company in Klerksdorp.

Two suspects allegedly approached two employees of the company and pointed them with a firearm.

Two victims were heading home after work when approached.

They allegedly ordered them into a vehicle and head back to the company where robbery took place.

“The suspects were joined in by their accompliace and allegedly fled the scene with a company car that was found abandoned on Stilfontein road” police said.

Four suspects will appear at Klerksdorp Magistrate Court on robbery charges.

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Johannesburg – A man has been arrested for allegedly running over a Mpumalanga traffic officer, the provincial community safety department said on Saturday.

“The resultant accident happened [on Friday night] when one of the traffic officers, manning a routine operation, attempted to stop a Sedan which failed to stop,” spokesperson Joseph Mabuza said in a statement.

“The driver, who sped off immediately after the incident, was pursued by one of the traffic officers who brought him back to the scene.”

The incident happened on the R23 between Standerton and Val.

The officer was airlifted to Milpark hospital in Johannesburg.

The man was arrested within 1km from the scene.

He was charged with attempted murder, and reckless and negligent driving.

Another traffic officer suffered minor injuries due to the man allegedly resisting arrest.

The man was expected to appear in the Standerton Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

SAPA

Johannesburg – A woman drowned when her truck plunged into the harbour in Durban on Saturday, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said.

Transnet National Ports Authority contacted the NSRI around 11:30 after a container truck had driven off pier 102, NSRI Durban deputy station commander Andre Fletcher said.

Police and emergency services were already on-scene when the NSRI arrived.

After the truck had gone into the water two men believed to be port authority staff jumped into the water, said Fletcher.

The two men recovered the body of a 25-year-old woman, the only occupant of the container truck.

The woman was declared dead on the scene by paramedics and her body handed over to police forensic pathology services.

Police have opened an inquest docket.

SAPA

Cape Town – Defeat, in itself, being inevitable for even the mightiest of limited-overs sides at times, the manner of surrender is often a more pertinent talking point.

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