By Obakeng Maje
The Democratic Alliance has resumed control of Tlokwe municipality and this came after the failure of former Mayor Maphetle Maphetle to deal with damning forensic audit findings of corruption.
The DA commissioned the forensic audit as part of the party’s campaign against corruption during their recent period in charge of the municipality.
Today 29 councillors from all parties including the ANC voted unanimously to return the DA’s Annette Combrink to the position of Mayor.
The DA welcomes this united front against corruption in the municipality.
“The DA is the only political force that can bring stability to the municipality given the severe divisions within the ANC. We will now act immediately to deal with key delivery issues such as housing which is being affected by unsafe dolomite rocks beneath the surface threatening to collapse and endanger residents” DA Chris Hattingh said.
“We will also continue the project of making communities safer through a 24 hour safety service” Hattingh said.
Importantly, we will fill all vacant positions with officials committed to delivery in Tlokwe said Democratic Alliance said.
DA said a mayoral committee was appointed within minutes by Mayor Combrink, something the ANC failed to do in 3 months of office.
They said we will also act to deal with corruption given that the forensic audit commissioned by the DA found that –
• Former Mayor Maphetle fraudulently siphoned R300 000 from the municipality’s Poverty Relief Fund to sponsor a jazz festival.
• Fraudulent transactions took place involving more than R3,2million tax payers funds relating to shares in the Mooiriver Mall.
• Abuse of the Disaster Management Fund by Mayor Maphetle
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BY Obakeng Maje
The Democratic Alliance will make a formal appeal to Premier Thandi Modise to reverse her decision to appoint Manketsi Tlhape as Cooperative Governance MEC.
A crisis of basic service delivery exists in the North West, with many towns going without water and only 1% of informal settlements having access to proper sanitation.
“MEC Tlhape cannot be fit to turn local government around given that she presided over the collapse of Tswaing Municipality. During her time there as mayor, Tswaing was put under a Section 139 administration” DA Chris Hattingh said.
Democratic Alliance said the delivery of basic services dried up the withholding of rates and taxes became common in the municipality.
A Hawks investigation was also launched into corruption and maladministration.
“Tlhape was then tagged by the ANC to become the Ngaka Modiri Molema Municipality’s Executive Mayor, but because of her unsuitability for public office, ANC councillors defied that decision for more than two years” said Hattingh.
However ANC in the province said they are very happy regarding Tlhape’s appointment and shrugged off criticism of Manketsi Tlhape’s appointment as MEC for local government and traditional affairs.
“All these changes have never been discussed at the deployment committee (level), of which all provincial secretaries of the alliance are part. Sanco is not supporting the work done by the (provincial leadership) of the ANC, and will not fold arms and keep quiet when the organisation is being misled by a small clique of people who are in a consistent mode of faction-based politics,” said Sanco provincial secretary Packet Seaketso.
The DA urges the Premier to put politics aside and appoint an MEC who has the skills to stop the suffering of North West residents by turning local government around.
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North West – The ANC in North West has shrugged off criticism of Manketsi Tlhape’s appointment as MEC for local government and traditional affairs.

The ruling party’s endorsement of Tlhape came amid widespread criticism of her performance as mayor of the Tswaing local municipality, where she had apparently failed to display effective leadership.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Because of clubs withdrawing their players, Gordon Igesund has named an altered Bafana Bafana squad for the Cosafa Cup.

Kaizer Chiefs withdrew their players from the squad because of “fatigue”, while SuperSport United withdrew Kermit Erasmus and Ronwen Williams because of their match against English Premier League side Manchester City.

Out: Ronwen Williams, Thabo Nthethe, Tefu Mashamaite, Mulomowandau Mathoho, Tebogo Langerman, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Bernard Parker, Kermit Erasmus

In: Siyabonga Mpontshane, Buhle Mkhwanazi, Sibusiso Khumalo, Musa Bilankulu, Lehlohonolo Nonyane, Lance Davids, Sibusiso Msomi, Lerato Chabangu, Siyabonga Thwala

Updated Bafana squad

Goalkeepers: Wayne Sandilands (Mamelodi Sundowns), Siyabonga Mpontshane (Platinum Stars)

Defenders: Sibusiso Khumalo, Bevan Fransman (SuperSport United), Buhle Mkhwanazi (Chippa United), Musa Bilankulu (Bidvest Wits), Thulani Hlatshwayo (Ajax Cape Town), Lehlohonolo Nonyane (Jomo Cosmos), Tshepo Gumede (Platinum Stars)

Midfielders: Sibusiso Msomi (Platinum Stars), Lerato Chabangu (Moroka Swallows), Jabulani Shongwe, Hlompho Kekana (both Mamelodi Sundowns), Luyolo Nomandela (Free State Stars), Ruzaigh Gamaldien (Bloemfontein Celtic), Lance Davids, Lebogang Manyana (both Ajax Cape Town)

Forwards: Katlego Mashego (Moroka Swallows), Siyabonga Thwala (AmaZulu), and Thabani Mthembu (Platinum Stars)
For more http://www.kickoff.com

“We will get through this even though it is taking everything in me not to close down Fuse Academy permanently. I love SA but this is too much,” tweets DJ Zinhle.

South Africa’s queen of house music, Zinhle Jiyane, popularly known as DJ Zinhle lashed out on twitter following a break into her music school Fuse Academy.

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

The strides that the provincial government will make in the coming months will show its resolve to shift gear for faster delivery, North West Premier Thandi Modise said in dismissing criticism levelled by Provincial Democratic Alliance Leader Chris Hattingh against the cabinet reshuffle announced last week.  

Hattingh’s criticisms are a desperate attempt to distort and exaggerate the reasons that necessitated the changes in the Executive Council (Exco), 

the North West Provincial Government said in a statement issued on Monday.In reaction to the criticisms, Premier Modise said that though it was expected that Hattingh would as a reactionary who opposes everything for the sake of opposing, the extent to which he stoops low for political mileage is pathetic.

“Political expediency and driving a wedge among ruling party members matter more to Hattingh than good governance and service delivery hence he is dead silent while we wage war against corruption syndicates. The people of our province do not have short memories and are not ignorant of the challenges we are facing as Hattingh thinks they do.

They and not Hattingh will hold us accountable to our commitment that where public funds are found to have been misappropriated, steps would be taken to recoup every cent.” emphasised Modise.She said that eliminating hang ups that the DA wanted unresolved for it to use as ammunition in the coming elections has frustrated Hattingh’s party hence it is clutching for straws and targeting Exco members with speculative and untested allegations to remain relevant.

Premier Modise reiterated that the appointment of three new members to the Executive Councilshould not be misinterpreted to suggest that the recalled members were found guilty of any wrongdoing as matters they were allegedly involved in have not been concluded.She stressed that all of them executed their tasks with distinction and that none of the allegations against them have been proved or disproved.

The South African Football Association (SAFA) has recently been inundated with inquiries from the public on how to become a football agent. For this reason, the Association has put together a guide that will help aspiring agents realise their dreams.

This guideline will also help media houses that have also been flooded with questions around this issue.

So how does one become an agent? Anyone who meets the set criteria can become an agent.

First there is an application form that must be filled, and then the applicant must also apply for a personal tax clearance from SARS and police clearance from the SAPS. The application must be accompanied by two identity photographs.

The applicant then needs to submit those documents (personal tax clearance and SAPS clearance) along with the application form to SAFA with an amount of R5 000.00 payable to the SAFA account.

“We have two exams in a year, in March and September. Anyone aspiring to become an agent must thoroughly learn and comprehend SAFA Regulations, FIFA statutes, FIFA Players Agent Regulations and FIFA Regulations on the status and transfer of players,” said Pinky Lehoko, SAFA’s director of International Affairs.

Cape Town – The nine men accused of dumping human waste at Cape Town International Airport last month believe their actions were not illegal as they were “merely highlighting the plight” of their communities, the Bellville Magistrate’s Court heard on Monday in a bail application.

Legal Brief states investigating officers told the court that the faeces dumped at the airport terminal delayed flights for 10 hours, resulting in a R500 000 loss in revenue. 

The accused include ANC councillor Loyiso Nkohla and former councillor Andile Lili  and they are being charged under the Aviation Act. The accused are asking to be released on R500 bail each. 

Six of the other nine accused were out on warning for a similar offense when they allegedly dumped the waste in protest against the city’s sanitation services. 

On Tuesday, the attorney for the accused siad his clients were the breadwinners in their families, there was “no real damage to property”, they did not pose a threat to society and should be released. 

The bail application continues today.

For more http://www.news24.com

Johannesburg – The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) violated the constitutional and labour rights of prosecutor Glynnis Breytenbach, the Labour Court in Johannesburg heard on Tuesday.

Breytenbach’s lawyer Andrew Ridding said the NPA acted outside the law by not reinstating Breytenbach to her position.

“It is a constitutional violation. It is a breach of constitutional imperative. Secondly, it is a breach of her employment contract. By transferring her to a position which is not the same as the one she held before, her contract of employment has been breached,” said Ridding.

It was clear the NPA had not restored Breytenbach to her job to keep her from dealing with a particular case, he said.

Breytenbach is making an urgent application to be given back her old job as regional head of the NPA’s specialised commercial crime unit in Pretoria.

Disciplinary hearing

In April 2012 Breytenbach was suspended and later faced a lengthy disciplinary hearing on 15 charges. These included that she had not acted impartially when investigating a mining rights dispute involving Kumba Iron Ore, Kumba’s Sishen mine in the Northern Cape, and Imperial Crown Trading. She was accused of “improper relations” with Sishen’s lawyer Mike Hellens.

On 27 May a NPA disciplinary hearing cleared her of all charges. The following day, the NPA announced it would bring a court challenge against the ruling because it considered the findings “factually incorrect and legally unsustainable”.

Breytenbach was allowed to return to work, but after her return she found the NPA intended sending her to a different office.

She claimed that her suspension was related to her opposition to a decision to withdraw fraud and corruption charges against police crime intelligence head Richard Mdluli.

SAPA

The bail application of the nine people arrested for throwing faeces at the Cape Town International airport will continue in the Bellville Magistrate Court on Tuesday.

The nine face charges under the contravention of the Civil Aviation Act. If convicted, they could be sentenced to an unlimited fine and up to 30 years in jail, or both.
For more http://www.sabc.co.za