Johannesburg – One of the men who defaced a controversial painting of President Jacob Zuma, was convicted in the Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court of malicious damage to property on Friday, the SABC reported.

According to SABC news, the court found that Louis Mabokela, a Limpopo taxi driver, intended to damage the painting at the Goodman Gallery in Rosebank in May last year.

Mabokela reportedly maintained his innocence saying he saw nothing wrong with what he did.

He said he was merely protecting the image of the president.

The painting depicted Zuma with his genitals exposed.

The second defacer, Barend la Grange, has paid a R1 000 fine after admitting guilt.

The painting was said to be worth about R100 000 and gained value after it was defaced, the SABC reported.

– SAPA

– Oscar Pistorius’s ex-girlfriend has reportedly turned State witness and has told police about an incident in which the athlete allegedly fired shots through an open car sunroof.

City Press reported on Friday that Samantha Taylor, who dated Pistorius before he started dating Reeva Steenkamp, told police that Pistorius “stood up and fired shots through the sunroof” while she was driving along a highway.

It emerged on Friday that Pistorius could face two counts of recklessly discharging a firearm in public. The other charge relates to an incident in a Johannesburg restaurant in January when he accidentally fired a gun while sitting at a table.

Pistorius is due to appear in court on Monday to face murder charges after fatally shooting Steenkamp at his Pretoria home in February.

City Press previously reported on Taylor’s break-up with Pistorius after a year-and-a-half relationship. She told the newspaper that “Oscar is certainly not what people think he is”.
For more http://www.news24.com

Marikana – Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema was given a hero’s welcome at a commemoration rally in Marikana, North West, 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.

Friday’s event marks a year since 44 people were killed during a wage-related strike at Lonmin’s Marikana mine. Thirty-four mineworkers were killed when police fired on them on 16 August 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 were demanding a monthly salary of R12 500.

Malema arranged for lawyers to represent the 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.

Men dressed in green Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) clothing sang union songs at the large white tent where families of the deceased mineworkers were seated. Men carried umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun and clapped in unison with their fellow workers.

Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa said a year later mineworkers were still paid a “slave wage”.

“Nothing has changed. Workers are still not benefiting from the economy of the country,” he said.

SAPA

By Obakeng Maje
Kimberley- Northern Cape police attended an accident scene in Barkly Road near Kimberley where four vehicles collided. The vehicles involved in a fatal accident are a White Toyota Tazz, a Black Opel Vivaro, a Red Isuzu Bakkie, and a Grey Chevrolet Captiva.
The accident happened on F riday at around 10:55 am.
“It is alleged that the White Toyota Tazz was travelling from the Northern direction towards the Southern direction of town whilst the other three vehicles were going on the opposite direction. Two occupants from the Opel Vivaro as well as one from the Isuzu bakkie were seriously injured and they were taken to hospital” Lieutenant Donald Mdhluli said.
Two other occupants were treated for shock.
“At this stage the cause of the accident is yet to be discovered and Police have opened a case of reckless and negligent driving”.
The investigation continues.
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

By Obakeng Maje
Madibeng-The DA is concerned about the increasingly extravagant lifestyle of the Executive Mayor and fellow inner circle comrades.
DA said the Madibeng municipality does not have money for essential maintenance of the infrastructure, but official does not hesitate to lavishly entertain themselves at the ratepayer’s expense.
“The Executive Mayor and eleven of her cadres have arranged for themselves a luxurious break-away from 25 to 30 August at the Umfula Game Lodge at cost of R75 000. This is on top of the R19 000 that they recently spent on a relaxing outing to the Hartbeespoort Dam Cableway” Tiaan Kotze said.
The opposition party said Umfula Lodge outing will be another fruitless and wasteful demonstration of the Mayor and her committee’s disrespect for the ratepayer’s money.
“Their lack of financial discipline is costing the municipality dearly and is a clear display of their inability to manage competently and responsibly”.
“It has become imperative that the Mayor be stopped or preferably be removed from office. I reiterate that a DA led Madibeng, will be a Clean accountable Madibeng” Kotze concludes.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

By Obakeng Maje

Rustenburg-Today the Commemoration Service to honour those who died in Marikana during August last year is taking place in Marikana.

The organisers, the South African Council of Churches and AMCU, applied for and were granted permission to hold the gathering.

Mourners are gradually converging on the commemoration venue and the atmosphere is sombre but calm.

South African Police Service members and officials of the Rustenburg traffic department have been on duty since the early hours of this morning to regulate traffic and ensure that the proceedings take place in a safe environment.

“Various joint operations are underway to ensure that peace prevails and that the mourners adhere to our call to not carry or be in possession of any form of dangerous weapon at the venue.  This plea was made to allow us to ensure that the service is held in a dignified manner which shows respect to those who passed and is concluded peacefully” Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said.

Vehicles entering the venue are being stopped and searched to ensure that the conditions of the authority to hold the gathering are being complied with.

“At this stage, people on a bus which was en route from the Impala Platinum mine were found to be in possession of approximately 100 traditional weapons which were confiscated.  Groups of people entering the venue carrying weapons were also stopped and asked to hand the weapons over to the police” Ngubane said.  

Ngubane said the SAPS will continue to monitor the situation and, again, call for calm from all parties and participants.

“We once again appeal to those still on their way to the venue, to refrain from taking any form of dangerous weapon as they will most definitely be seized, as with any major event secured by South Africa’s law enforcement agencies” he said.-TDN

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Pretoria – “General Phiyega se p**s.” These were allegedly the words of six rogue police officers from the Katlegong TRT unit, while they harassed a Mountain View couple along the R21 towards Pretoria on Sunday evening.

According to Emile Jansen van Rensburg, he and his wife Belinda were travelling back from OR Tambo International Airport when six fully uniformed police officers in a marked police vehicle pointed R5 rifles at them, ran them off the road and inappropriately searched them to get their cellphones.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Durban – A man was killed and three others injured after a car hit a tree in Phoenix near Durban on Friday, KwaZulu-Natal paramedics said.

Netcare 911 spokesperson Chris Botha said it was unclear how the accident happened.

When they arrived on the scene, paramedics found that a man had died and some people were trapped in the wreckage, Botha said.

“[A] critically injured man was placed on a ventilator at the scene and …transported to the Nkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital for specialised care that he required,” Botha said in a statement.

Two seriously injured patients were stabilised before taken to a nearby hospital.

Botha said police would investigate the cause of the accident.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has been ordered to hand over the so-called Zuma spy tapes to the DA within five days.

City Press reported on Friday that Judge Rami Mathopo said the transcripts must be handed to DA attorneys with alleged confidential parts marked.

DA attorneys are not allowed to disclose the confidential parts of memos.

The judge also ruled that the NPA had “misconstrued” its position but was not in contempt of court for failing to hand over the tapes to the DA earlier.

The spy tapes are recordings of intercepted phone conversations which could shed light on why fraud and corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma were dropped in 2009.
For more http://www.news24.com

Mahikeng – The boycotting of the Marikana shooting commemoration by the ANC and the NUM was deeply worrisome, the Azanian People’s Organisation (Azapo) said on Friday.

“In our view as Azapo, participation by NUM and ANC would go a long way in trying to bridge the gap between NUM and Amcu mineworkers – perhaps ease the tension in and around the mine,” spokesperson Funani KaNtontela said in a statement.

“Attending the commemoration would allow them an opportunity to apologise to families who would be present.”

KaNtontela said some of the men killed last year were members of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). He called the union’s decision heartless.

Concerns

On Thursday, the African National Congress in the North West said it would not take part in the event.

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

The NUM voiced similar concerns.

The Federation of Unions of SA said it was concerned that the inquiry into the event was still not concluded.

“We bemoan the fact that these families have not seen justice being done to the persons responsible for the death of their beloved fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons.

“The commission of inquiry must finalise its work so that the wounds can heal and we can move on,” general secretary Dennis George said.

George said Marikana was a lesson in how collective bargaining could go wrong. He said workers, employers, and government should work together to make collective bargaining a constructive form of social dialogue.

“This is the only fair and sustainable solution. History has taught us that any other approach will lead to chaos and unnecessary suffering by all involved,” George said.

On 10 August last year, rock drillers at platinum miner Lonmin embarked on an unprotected strike for a monthly salary of R12 500. More workers joined the strike and the protesters gathered at a hill near the Nkaneng informal settlement, some carrying weapons such as pangas, spears, knobkerries, and iron rods.

On 16 August police trying to disperse and disarm them opened fire and 34 people were killed. Ten people, including two policemen and two security guards, were killed in strike-related violence the preceding week.

President Jacob Zuma established the commission to probe the deaths.

Commemorations are planned for Friday at the site of the shooting.
SAPA