Pretoria – The State intends calling 107 witnesses to testify during the trial of paralympian Oscar Pistorius, according to an indictment served on the murder-accused in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

Among the witnesses were Pistorius’s sister Aimee, his uncle Arnold, former police investigator Hilton Botha, and residents of the Silver Woods Country Estate in Pretoria, where he lived.

Medical experts, paramedics, ballistic and forensic experts were among those expected to be called in the 3 to 20 March trial, which was moved from the magistrate’s court to the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.

The double-amputee is charged with the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp who was shot dead in his home on 14 February.

Members of the Myers family were also due to testify. This was the family Steenkamp lived with in Johannesburg. Their daughter Gina was Steenkamp’s best friend.

Along with murder, Pistorius was also charged with contravening the Firearms Control Act, the National Prosecuting Authority said. The charges were not read out in court.

After the brief appearance in the magistrate’s court, Pistorius was embraced by his family before they were escorted out of the courthouse by about 20 police officers.

Earlier in morning, Pistorius prayed in court with his brother Carl and Aimee, who were seen wiping away tears.

– SAPA

Pretoria – Several government entities will make presentations in the initial phase of the Seriti Commission of Inquiry into the arms deal, evidence leader Matshego Ramagaga said on Monday.

“The evidence to be presented during this first phase will be limited to the terms of reference [of the commission] which deals with the rationale, utilisation, and the offsets, including jobs [from the arms deal],” she said in Pretoria.

“The commission intends to lead the evidence of government departments and entities in the first part of the first phase and also the evidence of those witnesses who criticised the armaments acquisition in the second part of the first phase.”

Ramagaga said the defence and military veterans department, arms procurement parastatal Armscor, and the National Treasury would make presentations on the rationale behind the armaments acquisition.

The SA Navy, SA Air Force, and Armscor would address the commission on the utilisation or non-utilisation of the equipment.

The trade and industry department would give evidence on the “realisation of job opportunities and the offsets anticipated to flow” from the arms deal.

Second phase

Earlier, another evidence leader Tayob Aboobaker, SC, outlined the commission’s processes, saying the second phase would start after January next year.

He said at this stage people could just speculate on what the findings of the commission would be.

“The first phase of the commission deals with the executive justification for the strategic defence procurement package and the second phase is, inter alia, with the attack of critics of this justification.

“The scope of the second phase is potentially much wider.”

Some of the witnesses expected to testify during that phase were Cape Town mayor Patricia De Lille, Democratic Alliance MP David Maynier, former ANC public accounts committee (Scopa) member Andrew Feinstein, former Scopa chairperson Gavin Woods, and anti-arms deal campaigner Terry Crawford-Browne.

Aboobaker said the commission had a colossal task in scrutinising the SDPP.

“It [the inquiry] is a process where those responsible for the SDPP, those who participated in its finalisation, are called to account for their actions. It is not a process by which they are brought to book, that would be part of a separate process in which the NPA may be called upon to take such action,” he said.

“That process could well result in the prosecution of those individuals who the NPA in its wisdom finds that a proper case has been laid out for prosecution. Our mandate is to present all relevant information at our disposal.”

The first witness from the defence and military veterans department would start testifying on Tuesday.

Declassifying documents

The commission was postponed on 5 August after it was decided that time was needed to decide how to proceed with declassifying documents relevant to the inquiry.

In a statement the commission said the main reason for the adjournment was the resignation of one of the commissioners, Judge Francis Legodi.

This resulted in the remaining two commissioners, Judge Willie Seriti and Free State Judge President Thekiso Musi, not being properly constituted.

President Jacob Zuma had since decided that the commission would continue with just two commissioners.

Seriti on Monday made it clear that the commission was properly constituted.

– SAPA

Pretoria – Just moments after appearing in court to support his brother, a tweet appeared in Carl Pistorius’s account with a message for Reeva Steenkamp.

“Remembered like yesterday. My life was impacted by u @reevasteenkamp & the lady u were! Always close to our hearts [sic],” said a tweet from Carl Pistorius’s account.

This came after Oscar Pistorius appeared in court for Steenkamp’s murder.

His trial has been set for 3 to 20 March 2014 in the North Gauteng High Court.

The paralympian is accused of the pre-meditated murder of the model, who would have turned 30 on Monday.

The athlete was seen in court praying with his siblings and crying.

Steenkamp’s best friend Gina Myers was at court as well to represent Steenkamp’s loved ones.

– News24

By Obakeng Maje

Taung-North West police are looking for four suspects who escaped from Taung police station holding cells on Sunday at around 18:00-19:00.

Tshepo Ntshanyana(26) from Magogong village was arrested by Taung police in conjuction with Hartswater police in the early hours of Monday.

Five suspects allegedly escaped at Taung police station after cutting cells buglars using jigsaw.

“Five suspects escaped at Taung police holding cells on Sunday at around 19:00. Tshepo Ntshanyana(Magogong), Adrew Lebese(Mothanthanyaneng),Patrick Maraje(Magogong), Jafta Kenosi(Magogong) and Micheal Nthapeleng(Matolong) allegedly escaped from holding cells” captain Pelonomi Makau said.

The police arrested one suspect in this morning and appeal to the community to help with any information that could lead to the arrest of others.

“Please call police on 0539949200 for any information as police believe suspects are still around Taung area” Makau concludes.

Follo us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

By TDN

North West Provincial Government and the North-West University will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Tuesday to lay a framework for cooperation on diverse areas of interest.

Premier Thandi Modise, who will sign the MoU with North-West University Vice-Chancellor Professor Theuns Elloff, says the partnership will enable her administration to draw valuable knowledge and capacity in various areas of cooperation which include research and development, socio-economic planning, poverty alleviation projects, agricultural development, engineering, indigenous knowledge systems, among others.

“This is part of our efforts to foster partnerships with strategic institutions to achieve our objectives as outlined in the National Development Plan. We are confident that the collaboration with our university will, among others, enable us to fast-track service delivery, improve on issues of social cohesion and empower our citizens to participate meaningfully in the mainstream economy,” said Premier Modise ahead of the signing of the MoU.

The event is scheduled to be held on Tuesday 20 August at 17h30, Mmabatho Hotel School in Mmabatho, Mahikeng.

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Mbombela – Bureaucratic bungling and unauthorised changes to work done are the reasons patients are sleeping in freezing corridors and overcrowded wards at one of Mpumalanga’s biggest hospitals.

Even patients with contagious Xtreme Drug Resistant TB are sharing wards with uninfected patients.

The situation at Rob Ferreira Hospital led to premier David Mabuza calling an urgent meeting with MECs in various departments including health and social development, public works, roads and transport and finance.

For more http://www.news24.com