The ANC reprimanded its North West executive on Friday for “callous” remarks it made about the Marikana commemoration.

“These remarks do not reflect the views of the African National Congress as a whole and are extremely unfortunate given the still very painful memory of the suffering of the victims, families, and community of Marikana,” said national spokesman Jackson Mthembu.

“The ANC respects the right of anyone to organise and participate in any gathering that seeks to soothe and heal the wounds that were caused by the Marikana tragedy.”

North West ANC spokesman Kenny Morolong said in a statement on Thursday night the provincial branch would not attend Friday’s commemoration of the Marikana violence in which 44 people were killed.

“The commemoration is organised by an illegitimate team called ‘Marikana Support Group’ — a group which the African National Congress does not recognise,” he said.

Morolong said the ANC would only participate in a commemoration organised by government, as agreed with families, Lonmin Platinum, and labour unions.

“The ANC finds it immoral and totally unacceptable that such a traumatic incident could be turned into a political playground by some political parties who seek to enhance their political ambitions and interests,” he said.

Friday marks the first anniversary of the shootings at Lonmin’s Marikana mine, near Rustenburg in the North West.

On August 16 last year, 34 striking mineworkers were killed when police fired on them while trying to disperse and disarm them.

Ten people, including two policemen and two security guards, were killed in strike-related violence in the preceding week.

Mthembu said no person should ever seek to determine or direct how people mourned nor contest ownership of the right to mourn.

“The pain of the people of Marikana must never be turned into a popularity contest with all vying for attention and making a mockery of the real agony suffered by our people.”

He said the party would seek an urgent meeting with the North West provincial executive committee to “correct” them on their views.

Asked if any ANC leaders were at the commemoration, ANC communications head Keith Khoza said he did not know who had been assigned to attend.
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Deputy general secretary Karl Cloete said the intelligence services were involved in the ongoing tussles at the Congress of SA Trade Unions.

“We are more certain that state apparatus, particularly the intelligence community, is centrally involved and used in the battles in Cosatu,” he said.
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Cosatu secretary general Zwelinzima Vavi says an “intelligence report”, which describes him as a US agent, was circulated among senior ANC members to discredit him. Here are key claims from the report:

» Some judges of the Constitutional Court are on the payroll of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and their funds are deposited in the Cayman Islands.

» A Rwandan general is setting up military bases in South Africa. His forces are recruiting in South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

» This is a joint effort by Africans and the US. The National Endowment for Democracy (NED), among others, allegedly fund a covert project that funds the general’s activities.

» The report claims Vavi is among those who will form the advisory board for Agang. It suggests that the NED had approved R500 million funding for the party.

» It claims the NED worked with the team that prosecuted Jacob Zuma. It suggests that the organisation is involved in Marikana, service delivery protests and xenophobic violence.

» The report features a transcript of an alleged conversation between Vavi and the NED Africa division head. He tells Vavi that he needs to build organisation structures before the elections. But Vavi says he wants Cosatu to find him guilty and he will resign (from Cosatu) so that he can have a bigger following.

Karl Beck, who is mentioned in the report as a representative of the NED, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Agang’s Mamphela Ramphele previously denied that the party had received funding from the US.
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Fifa’s decision to switch the crucial World Cup qualifying game between Ethiopia and Central African Republic (CAR) from the CAR’s stronghold in Bangui to neutral Brazzaville in the Republic of Congo is a major blow for South Africa, said Gordon Igesund.

The Bafana coach said they were relying on Ethiopia either drawing or losing for South Africa to remain in the running for next year’s tournament in Brazil.

“Unfortunately, we are not the masters of our own fate going into our last game – with Ethiopia holding a two-point advantage over us right now,” Igesund said.

“The switch in venue works strongly in their favour.”

The change in venue was a major boost for Ethiopia, who would ensure entry into the final stage of the African World Cup qualifying by beating the CAR.

At the same time, it would prove a death knell for Bafana’s prospects no matter what the result in their final group qualifying game against Botswana, played simultaneously in Durban on September 7.

The ongoing uncertainty surrounding the political unrest in the CAR forced Fifa to switch the venue as they did when Bafana played the CAR away.

Fifa moved the game to neutral Yaounde, in the Cameroon, and Bafana won the match 3-0 instead of confronting the CAR in Bangui where the home side had not been beaten in years.

In addition, Fifa had decided the final African World Cup qualifying round, in which 10 group winners would compete on a home-and-away basis for five places in Brazil, would be based on a seeding system.

Based on their current world ranking of 67th, Bafana would not receive one of the five seedings even if they overcame the Ethiopian hurdle, with their potential opponents in the final showdown quite likely coming from formidable teams like Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Tunisia and Algeria.

“World Cup qualification has always been an uphill battle.” said Igesund.

“Right from the time I took over, after Bafana had already dropped four points they should have amassed from the home draw against Ethiopia and a second draw against Botswana.

“Despite two of our last three qualifying games being staged away from home, we’ve done well to claim six more points.

“Now all we can do is concentrate on earning three more points against Botswana at Moses Mabhida Stadium – and hold thumbs that the switch to Brazzaville does not help Ethiopia to a win over CAR.”

– Sapa

>North West – The word “Marikana” means nothing but death and brutality to Warrant Officer Tsietsi Monene’s family.

The violent Lonmin wage strike did not only claim their brother’s life, it “killed our entire family”. Monene, 47, and his colleague, Warrant Officer Sello Lepaku, 45, were hacked to death in a fierce confrontation with striking miners on August 13 last year.

Elizabeth Maubane, also a public-order police officer like her late brother, received a frantic call from her boss that day. “I’m sorry about your brother’s death,” he said.
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Marikana – Platinum giant Lonmin and President Jacob Zuma were behind the killing of mineworkers at Marikana, Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema claimed on Friday.

“You got blood on your hands, innocent blood,” he said to applause at a commemoration rally in Marikana, North West.

“Zuma sent the police to kill protesting workers on August 16 (last year).”

He said if Lonmin had agreed to meet workers, the miners would not have been killed.

“Lonmin, you remain the enemy until you pay workers R12 500 (a month). “Down with Zuma,” Malema chanted.

The crowd responded by clapping hands.

Malema refused to sit down when his three minutes of allocated time expired.

“I am a politician. If you invite me I will speak politics. I am not going to speak for three minutes,” he told Dali Mpofu who directed the programme.

Friday’s event marked a year since 44 people were killed during a wage-related strike at Lonmin’s Marikana operations.

Thirty-four mineworkers were killed when police fired on them on August 16 while attempting to disperse and disarm them.

The workers – armed with spears, pangas, iron rods and knobkerries – had gathered on top of a hill. They demanded a monthly salary of R12 500.

Ten people, including two policemen, were killed in strike-related violence in the week before the shooting.

Malema was given a hero’s welcome when he arrived at the rally earlier on Friday.

The crowd clapped, whistled, and raised hands when he arrived. Guests in a VIP tent rose when he entered.

Malema wore a red EFF beret, a black shirt, and dark sunglasses.

Malema arranged for lawyers to represent 270 mineworkers arrested after the shooting. At the time he was suspended as leader of the ANC Youth League. He was later expelled from the ANC.

Sapa

Johannesburg – National police commissioner Gen Riah Phiyega on Friday applauded all role-players involved in the Marikana commemoration for an incident-free occasion.

“In the spirit of healing and reconciliation, all parties present behaved in a manner indicative of the respect being paid to all those who passed away over this period in 2012,” Phiyega said in a statement.

She said police had been conducting operations in the area since Monday with a view to remove dangerous weapons from circulation and establish a stable and peaceful environment.

“From the early hours of this morning, police maintained a highly visible but low-key presence throughout the day,” she said.

She attributed the day’s success to the functioning of the Mine Crime Combating Forum (MCCF) which was launched on Wednesday.

Together with police, the mines and the union ensured that dangerous weapons were not carried during the commemoration service.

“The 14 mines belonging to the North West MCCF monitored buses leaving the hostels and informed the police when dangerous weapons were observed,” said Phiyega.

Police then searched the buses and removed the weapons.

Organisers of the event had signed conditions of agreement and, when shown people carrying traditional weapons on the koppie contrary to the conditions, Bishop Sakhumzi Qiqimana appealed for them to be surrendered.

“The SA Police Service would like to thank all persons and groups involved in arranging, co-ordinating and attending this commemoration for the calm and mature manner in which the event was conducted.

“We were all well aware of the sensitivity of the occasion and the emotional state of many of the attendees,” Phiyega said.

Sapa

Marikana – Political parties have to put aside their differences and support residents of Marikana, Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi said on Friday.

“IFP stands with you. We remember with you,” he said.

He was speaking at the commemoration marking the first year after 44 people were killed at the Nkaneng informal settlement near Marikana.

They were killed during a wage-related strike at Lonmin’s Marikana operation in August last year.

Thirty four mineworkers were killed when police fired them on August 16, while trying to disperse and disarm them.

The workers had gathered on top of a hill armed with knobkerries, pangas, iron rod and sticks, vowing not to leave unless the mine agreed to pay them a monthly salary of R12 500.

Ten others, including policemen Hendrick Tsietsie Monene and Sello Ronnie Lepaaku, two security guards Hassan Fundi and Frans Matlhomola Mabelane, were killed in the preceding week.

“The Marikana mine massacre was a watershed moment in the history of our young democracy. No one thought it could happen. No one believed it could be true. When we saw the images and heard the news, SA stood still.”

He said political leaders had done all they could do to hold the government accountable.

“We have sought answers on your behalf… How could this happen and how could we stop it from happening again?”

United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa called for an economic indaba that would address the skewed distribution of resources which had benefited “a selected few and only some regions”.

“If we had strong civil society, after government’s botched handling of this situation, we would have had a plan of action in place, with specified deadlines, that insured that this community received the care and services they need to have an acceptable standard of living, and the disputed funding of legal representatives would not be an issue.”

He said a year had passed and residents still had a long way to find healing.

“You still have much heartache, frustration and disappointment to process, because of not only what happened on that fateful day, but also what happened thereafter.”

Buthelezi said the tragedy of Marikana could not be forgotten.

“We will never forget what happened here, but I am sure we can all agree that some good must come from this tragedy. Things must change for the better.”

Sapa

Nelspruit – One of the men accused of murdering an 86-year-old farmer in Mpumalanga told the Nelspruit circuit of the High Court in Pretoria on Friday that he was tortured into confessing.

Aaron Majawodwa Nkosi, 30, who is facing murder, robbery and kidnapping charges along with his co-accused Thomas Johannes Nyathi, 30, was testifying during a trial within a trial, a Sapa correspondent reported.

The two are accused of robbing and kidnapping Güdryn Schoeman, 67, and murdering her husband Johannes Hendrik Tolstoi Schoeman, 86, at their home at Vygeboom Farm on December 17, 2010.

“After I heard from Constable Sekgobela from Badplaas… that police were looking for me, I went there and handed myself at the police station on December 21,” Nkosi said.

“On arrival, I met Constable Sekgobela, who asked me if I knew anything about the incident at Vygeboom Farm. After I told him I knew nothing about it, he took me to the detectives’ offices where four police officers assaulted me with open hands on my face.”

Nkosi said Sekgobela did not read him his rights when he placed him under arrest.

“He never read my rights and only gave me a certain paper to sign. Inside the detective’s office, Constable Sekgobela handcuffed me and covered my head and face with a plastic bag,” he said.

“They kept assaulting me and 1/8then 3/8 stopped, forcing me to confess to the crime. It lasted for 30 minutes but I never sustained any injuries during the assault. I also did not tell other police members or the prisoners awaiting trial that I had been assaulted because I was afraid.”

He told the court that on December 22, he was handed over to Warrant Officer Joel Zulu.

“Warrant Officer Zulu also did not read me my rights. He spoke in Afrikaans to another police captain known as Roussou, and translated what Roussou said in siSwati,” Nkosi said.

“They… gave me another paper, which I signed.”

He said Zulu and Roussou drove with him to Vygeboom Farm.

“At the farm, I was told where to stand and my photos were taken by a white police officer,” he said.

“Thereafter they drove with me to an ATM in Belfast and another place at Carolina where they claimed the accident happened. Photos of me pointing out the two places were also taken.”

Captain Martinus Roussou, from the Hawks in Middelburg, testified that Colonel Britz, also from Middelburg, requested him to conduct the pointing out of the crime crimes.

“When I met the accused on December 22 at Badplaas police station, no injuries of assault were visible. I then conducted an interview with him with Warrant Officer Zulu as my interpreter,” Roussou said.

“He had a scratch on his neck which he said he sustained during an accident. He told me and… Zulu that the driver of the vehicle involved was Johannes Nyathi.”

He told the court Nkosi also had other injuries on his body, including one on his leg, which he claimed were sustained during a car accident.

“The accused agreed to do the pointing out voluntarily and he was not assaulted in my presence. He also did not report he had been assaulted.”

Zulu testified that when he first saw Nkosi, he had no bruises and no swelling on his face and body.

“I only observed a scratch on his neck which looked old. The injuries were recorded in the occurrence book in the charge office when he was booked in,” he said.

“The suspect had a right to say if he had been assaulted as the member doing the recording was not with us all the time.”

Judge Mmonoa Teffo asked Zulu if he had seen Nkosi being assaulted on December 22.

“Not at all… It was Nkosi himself who did the pointing out at all the scenes, not me as he claimed,” Zulu said.

Prosecutor Advocate S Ntuli said Nkosi could have told the Carolina Magistrate’s Court’s presiding officer about the torture during his first appearance.

“He said he was assaulted by four strong police officers but was never swollen or bleeding. He never told anyone and even never went to see a doctor while on bail.”

Teffo said after the cross-examining of the witness by the State and defence, it was proven beyond reasonable doubt that no assault took place.

“The State has accepted that no assault took place on the accused, and the matter of the pointing is also admissible.”

The case was postponed to September 2.

Sapa

Cape Town – The DA has slammed the spending of R2.6m on holiday breaks for President Jacob Zuma and Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, saying that the airforce is in danger of “being reduced to an airborne taxi service for VIPs”.

Democratic Alliance MP David Maynier issued a statement on Thursday saying it was wrong to be spending millions of rands on VIP flights when there were so many poor people in South Africa.

He noted that between 12 June last year and 30 June this year, Defense Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula had spent a total of R13m on 61 flights.

This was at a time when the SA Air Force’s (SAAF) operating budget had been “stripped to the bone”, and 29 of its Gripen fighter jets and 30 Agusta helicopters “have effectively been grounded”.

Maynier said the airforce “seems to be in danger of being reduced to an airborne taxi service for VIPs”.

Mapisa-Nqakula revealed that Zuma’s holiday break in Mozambique earlier this year cost taxpayers over R1.6m.

In a written reply to a parliamentary question, she said the holiday, reportedly taken over a weekend on the Mozambican resort island of Bazaruto, included the use of an SAAF Falcon 900 aircraft and two Oryx helicopters.

According to the reply, the “Falcon 900 [made a] total of eight flights and [the] Oryx helicopters [a] total of 22 flights” with the president.

The Falcon made a further “ferry” flight, and the helicopters a total of five such ferry flights.

“Total costs were R1,623,862.75,” Mapisa-Nqakula said.

Christmas break

The reply also spells out the cost of transporting Motlanthe to and from a Christmas break in the Seychelles at the end of last year.

Motlanthe visited the Indian Ocean archipelago between 23 December 2012 and 4 January 2013.

According to Mapisa-Nqakula, this cost over R1m for two flights on a Falcon 900 aircraft, plus associated costs.

“The total cost was R1,022,939.72,” she said.

In March this year, Motlanthe, responding to a question in the National Assembly by Maynier, defended the spending, saying it was in line with government policy.

He said that in terms of government policy, transport for the deputy president, whether for official or private purposes, was the responsibility of the state.

“The state also has a duty to provide security for the deputy president at all times, whether he is engaged in official duties, or while he is on leave.”

This policy had been re-affirmed by Cabinet on 20 March 2007, Motlanthe said.

– SAPA