By Obakeng Maje
Kimberley-Police are investigating an inquest into the death of an unknown man after his body found hanging from a tree with a nylon rope around his neck. The man was discovered by a passer-by on last week at approximately 09:20am in a veld.
“The open field used tobe a public park, situated between Brennan and Armstrong Street in Verwoerd Park, Kimberley. The deceased is slender, dark in complexion, medium length curly hair and approximately 1.6m tall” lieutenant Sergio Kock said.
Police said the deceased could be between the age of 20 and 30 years old and was wearing a green cotton jacket, blue jeans and black construction boots.
The police request that the public assist with the identification of this unknown male and all information about the incident can be forwarded to Detective Warrant Officer Patrick Dibebe at 082 331 4712 or 053 838 4100.
The police suspect no foul play at this stage. The investigation continues.-TDN
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By Obakeng Maje
Potchefstroom-The ridiculous statements of Social Development Minister for Social Development, Bathabile Dlamini, that over 19 000 children are suffering from malnutrition and that there more than 17 000 child-headed households in Potchefstroom, most of whom do not receive social assistance”, is indicative to which level the ANC will stoop in its desperate attempts to regain control over the Tlokwe Municipality in Potchefstroom DA Chris Hattingh reiterates.
“If these statistics were remotely accurate and trustworthy is would almost have been criminal not to declare a state of emergency in the municipality. It would also have been a serious indictment against her Department for allowing such a disaster to unfold without any intervention during the last 20 years:” Chris Hattingh said.
DA said the truth however lies in the deliberate abuse of state resources in the ANC’s attempt to win Ward 9 in Potchefstroom during Wednesday’s by-election. The Minister’s deployment of officials, including community development workers and social workers only into Ward 9, even handing out food parcels from the ANC candidate’s house, places her statement that this is done in the normal day to day run of Departmental business into context – even staunch ANC supporters sniggered sheepishly.
“It has very little to do with community-care and all with electioneering. Future Dlamini statements should be consumed in this context” said DA.
“The reality is that the ANC, in once again blurring the lines between party and state and will stop at nothing to mislead the community in the days before an important election. The deplorable abuse of state resources and then to pretend that the ANC is a caring and delivering government by preying on the emotions of impoverished voters in squatter areas has apparently become standard practice” He yields.
However the one promise that Dlamini made that can be trusted is the one that she will return to Potchefstroom in one month’s time – that will be before the next round of by-elections in this municipality where more truckloads of state-funded food parcels and blankets will be handed out said DA.
The Potchefstroom community demanded action from the ANC about the allegations of fraud and corruption as confirmed in forensic investigative reports which finally lead to the expulsion of 14 ANC whistle-blowing councillors.
“The ANC responded with the delivery of food parcels and blankets days before the ward 9 by-election. How the electorate will respond to the ANC’s smoke and mirrors strategy in lieu of action and delivery will become clear on Wednesday” concludes Hattingh.-TDN
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TUESDAY was a normal day for Joburg social worker 

Annah Mokgethi.

That was until she started receiving death threat messages on her cellphone!

The messages to Annah, from Snake Park near Dobsonville in Soweto, threatened to kill her two children, her niece, her niece’s 10-month-old daughter, and her mum.

For more http://www.dailysun.mobi

By TDN

North West MEC for Social Development, Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Collen Maine will tomorrow embark on ‘Operation Dignity’ to raise awareness on the rights of elderly people in Matlosana Local Municipality, departmental spokesperson Vuyisile Ngesi said on Monday.

Ngesi said the operation will include community work involving various stakeholders and trained youth who will volunteer their skills to improve the living condition of the eldest granny, Johanna Mazibuko aged 119 years at Jourbeton.

“As part of the activities earmarked to honour and celebrate the life of Mme Mazibuko, the MEC Maine together with the stakeholders will paint, clean the house, put the tiles, erect a fence and further re-arrange electric wiring in the house, Ngesi said. Ngesi adds that 100 older people aged 70 years and above have been invited to have a lunch with Mazibuko at Brazil Stadium at 12h00.

“Afterwards MEC Maine will also convene a meeting with faith based organisations including the departamental management and staff members in Dr Kenneth Kaunda District as part of his 100 days programme in office” he said. 

MEC visits to district offices will be undertaken to Ngaka Modiri Molema, Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati and Bojanala before the end of August this year.-TDN

(Edited by Obakeng Maje)

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Johannesburg – Thirty-two children were injured when their bus veered off the road in Douglasdale, northern Johannesburg, on Monday, paramedics said.

The school bus was carrying 100 children aged 10 years and younger, ER24 said.

It crashed into a ditch on the corner of Witkoppen and Waterford roads.

All the children managed to climb from the wreckage. The injured 32 were taken to nearby hospitals.

The cause of the accident was still unclear.

SAPA

Former Chairperson of the National Press Club, Patrick Hlahla was a modest unifier who enriched and touched the lives of many in a special way, the North West Provincial Communicators Forum (PCF) agreed in its monthly meeting held in Mahikeng on Monday.“We wish to convey our condolences to the Hlahla family, relatives, friends, colleagues that served with him on the National Press Club and Pretoria News. Bra Pat was an inspiration to many upcoming journalists and colleagues alike. He was a progressive, principled, assertive yet humble journalist who pursued truth and strove at all times to present all sides to a story,” said Provincial Spokesperson Lesiba Kgwele on behalf of the PCF.

Kgwele said that the premature death of Hlahla has robbed the country and the media fraternity of an independent, versatile, experienced and dynamic journalist who was highly respected within the media industry hence he led the National Press Club for three consecutive terms.

“His intellect seethed with talent and ideas. He was professional through and through and was a pleasure to work with,” he concluded.-TDN

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By Obakeng Maje

Taung-North West police arrested two gang members who terrorised the community in Magogong village, near Taung.

According to our source, six members escaped from custody and allegedly terrorised community in the area.

“The community launched a man-hunt after six gang members assaulted and robbed people in the area. One of them was allegedly found in Modutung village” said our source.

However police could not confirm the incident and arrested as North West police spokesperson sergeant Kelebogile Moiloa said she will confirm the incident and come back to us, but she haven’t at the time of going to print.

“We haven’t received that incident report, but I will check on it and come back to you” Moiloa said.

Two of six members only known as Majanja and Zoro from Diplankeng area were allegedly arrested by Taung police yesterday after they intervene.

“The community is gatvol with crimes taking place in the area and they launched a man-hunt. Police were called after the community mull to take the law into their own hands” he said.

Our crew tried to call Taung Police Station for further details, but our attempt proved futile as their phone rang unanswered.-TDN

Are you around the area and could share more details regarding the issue?

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_ 

By Obakeng Maje

Ottosdal-North West police are investigating a case of murder and rape after a teenanger found allegedly murdered and thrown in a hole.

“A body of a 16 year-old girl was allegedly found naked,raped and murdered in Ottosdal by community member” sergeant Kelebogile Moiloa said.

Police said no one has been arrested regarding the incident and investigations continue.

“Any one with information that could lead to any arrest of perpetrator/s of this atrocity can call Ottosdal police station or 10111” Moiloa said.-TDN

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Cape Town – Zimbabwean MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s plans to take his poll challenge to SADC received a major knock yesterday after the regional bloc’s mediator on Zimbabwe, South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma endorsed President Robert Mugabe’s victory, News Day reported on Monday.

Tsvangirai and his party lost dismally to Zanu-PF and Mugabe in the general elections held last week.

Tsvangirai has since dismissed the election outcome as a “huge farce” and said he was in the process of compiling a dossier on how Mugabe stole the elections to be handed over to SADC and the African Union.

SADC brokered the Global Political Agreement (GPA) that culminated in the formation of an inclusive government between Mugabe and Tsvangirai following a disputed election in 2008.

Tsvangirai wants SADC and the AU to push for fresh polls, but Zuma yesterday issued a congratulatory statement to Mugabe after he controversially secured his seventh term in office.

In a statement released by South Africa’s Foreign Ministry, Zuma extended his “profound congratulations” to Mugabe for winning a seventh term in a “successful vote”.

Part of the statement reads: “President Zuma urges all political parties in Zimbabwe to accept the outcome of the elections as election observers reported it to be an expression of the will of the people.”

According to the report, MDC spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora said: “Well, maybe Sadc and other blocs maybe naturally tired of the Zimbabwean story. President Zuma may have issued the statement without the benefit of the evidence which we have on how the elections were stolen.

“We are going to give him [Zuma] and other leaders the detailed evidence of how the election was stolen and we hope they will use that to ensure Zimbabweans get the electoral justice they deserve.”

For more http://www.news24.com

Harare – International unease mounted on Sunday over the re-election of Africa’s oldest leader, Robert Mugabe, in polls denounced by Zimbabwe’s opposition as “stolen”.

Mugabe, 89, in power since 1980, trounced his long-standing rival Morgan Tsvangirai in Wednesday’s polls with 61% of the presidential vote while his party swept to a crushing parliamentary majority.

But 61-year-old Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) who has unsuccessfully tried to unseat Mugabe three times, condemned the vote as “fraudulent and stolen” and has vowed to challenge it.

Western powers, barred from sending full observer teams, voiced serious doubts about the polls following concerns over irregularities.

On Sunday, Germany said the election “casts a big shadow on the political and economic future of Zimbabwe”, while Australia called for new polls.

“Given our doubts about the results, Australia calls for a re-run of the elections based on a verified and agreed voters roll,” Foreign Minister Bob Carr said in a statement.

US Secretary of State John Kerry had on Saturday described the election as “deeply flawed” and said Washington “does not believe that the results …today represent a credible expression of the will of the Zimbabwean people”.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague added his own “grave concerns” over the conduct of the vote in the former colony.

Voters roll

African and local observers raised concerns over the voters roll, the printing of extra ballot papers, and the turning away of voters at polling stations.

But with gentler assessments from the continent despite noting the flaws, President Jacob Zuma offered his “profound congratulations” to Mugabe on Sunday.

“President Zuma urges all political parties in Zimbabwe to accept the outcome of the elections as election observers reported it to be an expression of the will of the people,” a foreign ministry statement said.

The reaction in Zimbabwe’s Sunday press was starkly divided, with state-controlled newspaper The Herald proclaiming “President Mugabe romps to victory”, while the independent Daily News headlined, “It’s a Crisis”.

The vote marks the end of Mugabe and Tsvangirai’s tense compromise government, forced by bloodstained 2008 polls, that helped steer the isolated nation out of a protracted crisis.

In Harare’s oldest township Mbare on Sunday, several hundred Mugabe supporters carried a white coffin draped in an MDC flag, with a red knotted scarf placed on top with the inscription “RIP Morgan”.

“People are elated,” said one of the marchers, Tatenda Savanhu, 26, an economist.

“It’s really a moment of joy that the GNU [coalition government] is now gone that we are going into an era of Zanu-PF”.

Smoking gun

Tsvangirai vowed to challenge the result in court and said the MDC would boycott government institutions.

“The fraudulent and stolen election has plunged Zimbabwe into a constitutional, political and economic crisis.”

Tsvangirai defended his 2008 decision to enter the uneasy pact with Mugabe, who has had him arrested, beaten and charged with treason, saying it had “rescued” Zimbabwe after years of meltdown.

But Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party says there is no need for the MDC in the new government.

“We have received over 60% of the vote, we have two-thirds majority, why would we want to bring someone else on board?” State Security Minister Sydney Sekeramayi told AFP.

The MDC now has until Saturday to present evidence of fraud to the constitutional court, but finding a smoking gun may prove difficult. The inauguration is expected within 48 hours of the court’s decision.

Tsvangirai said he would submit a dossier of “all irregularities and all the illegalities” to the influential 15-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) and called for an urgent summit.

The European Union, which had been moving toward easing long-standing sanctions, has also expressed concern.

Game-changer

But Emmerson Mnangagwa, defence minister and a key Mugabe lieutenant, argued that the result was a game-changer.

“The West will now have to climb down, they must find a ladder and climb down… A democratic election has taken place in Zimbabwe,” he told AFP.

The SADC, which engineered the power-sharing government, said the vote was “free and peaceful”.

But top SADC election observer Bernard Membe noted: “We did not say it was fair … we didn’t want to jump to a conclusion.”

The poll’s credibility was further tarnished by the resignation of one of the nine official electoral commissioners over “the manner” in which the polls “were proclaimed and conducted”.

But Harare based political analyst Blessing Vava said Western concerns meant little with African guarantors having given the polls the nod.

“The issue of Zimbabwe is over and done with,” Vava said.

The criticism will also be of little concern to Mugabe, he said.

“He will not care much with what the West will say, this is the reason why they were not invited to observe elections in the first place.”

AFP