Pretoria – North West deputy police commissioner William Mpembe did not think striking mineworkers at Marikana posed a threat to him and other police officers, when they confronted them on 13 August 2012, the Farlam Commission of Inquiry heard on Tuesday.

This was despite allegations that a group of mineworkers were responsible for the deaths of two security guards killed at Lonmin’s platinum mining operations at Marikana, near Rustenburg in the North West the previous day.

The guards were set alight in their vehicle.

“I did not know who the destabilisers were,” said Mpembe, who was the overall commander of the police operation.

Mpembe and the officers confronted the armed miners near a railway line and requested that they leave their weapons.

The miners refused, saying they would disarm once they reached the hill where other miners had gathered.

Police escorted the miners to the hill but when an officer fired teargas in their direction, the miners turned on police.

Two police officers were killed and another was injured during the attack.

Threat analysis

Louis Gumbi, for the family of slain officer Sello Leepaku, and for Lieutenant Shitumo Solomon Baloyi who was stabbed, questioned why Mpembe had not done a threat analysis prior to confronting the miners.

“Before you approached the miners, you had the employer’s [Lonmin] and the police’s view on how miners had behaved previously… You had also seen video evidence,” said Gumbi.

“You had enough information to know that you were not dealing with ordinary strikers but people who had rituals performed on them, and who had killed two security guards the day before,” said Gumbi.

In earlier proceedings, it was revealed that a sangoma had performed rituals on some of the miners. The ritual made miners believe they were invincible.

Mpembe said: “It did not come to my attention that this was the same group [who could have killed the security guards].”

The commission, which is sitting in Pretoria, is investigating the deaths of 44 people killed during strike-related unrest in Marikana last year.

Thirty-four people – almost all striking mineworkers – were killed on 16 August 2012, when police fired on them while trying to disperse and disarm them.

Ten people, including two police officers and two security guards, were killed in the preceding week.

– SAPA

Cape Town – The City of Joburg has come under fire for a security flaw that may have compromised ratepayer information, a report says.

According to a report on MyBroadband, the online services system reveals names, addresses, account numbers, PIN codes and financial details to anyone with an internet connection.

“I honestly tried to report it to the COJ, but their call centre could not assist. I then sent them an e-mail but I don’t anticipate that something will happen quickly there,” an anonymous user who discovered the flaw reported.

The flaw concerns the viewing of invoices online, but it is claimed that the service is not password protected.

According to an Ekurhuleni resident the same vulnerability exists in the Ekurhuleni Municipality’s online system, but it requires a user to log in before being able to access the invoices.

– News24

By TDN
Mahikeng-Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Lechesa Tshenoli and North West Premier Thandi Modise have expressed optimism that the Section 154 intervention in Madibeng Local Municipality has registered significant progress that will also be intensified and accelerated in the next few weeks.
According to the assessment meeting that Minister Tshenoli, Premier Modise and MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Manketse Tlhape held with the Executive Mayor of Madibeng Local Municipality, Councillor Poppy Magongwa and members of her Mayoral Committee in Brits on Monday, the municipality has reduced its historic debt and is dealing effectively with its current debt.
Meanwhile, The Provincial government and South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) Bojanala Platinum Regional Structure agreed to engage further after SANCO has consulted with it’s branches in Madibeng on the draft response to their Memorandum that was consolidated by the Office of the Premier and presented by Premier Modise as feedback on Monday afternoon.
“We appreciated the mature and constructive engagement that SANCO has demonstrated and commit to further investigate new allegations of corruption and maladministration raised in the memorandum. If we set the rules, they must apply to all of us. When it comes to corruption, we must forget gender, colour or political affiliation and focus on the problem and leave no stone unturned.” Said Premier Modise.
Modise said that the interest of the provincial government is to see Madibeng being a functional and corrupt free municipality that delivers quality services to its communities.-TDN
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By Obakeng Maje
Kimberley-The SAPS welcomes the murder sentencing which was passed on the 19 August 2013 in the Kimberley High Court. Johusha Ponde(20) was sentenced to an effective 14 years imprisonment after he murdered 30 year old female, known as Rebecca Kafuna in Platfontein near Kimberley on 17 July 2012.
All this came after Detective Warrant Officer Desmond Markgraaf of the Kimberley Detectives ensured that he brought water-tight case to the Court of Law. This evidence softly persuaded the accused to plead guilty on the murder charge.
The occurrence of the mentioned incident is as follows:
“On 17 July 2012 at approximately 09:00am the deceased walked her child to school in Platfontein. The deceased was 36 weeks pregnant at the time she was murdered. Rebecca Kafuna(30) never returned home and her half-naked body was discovered in a dumping site in Platfontein on the following day” lieutenant Sergio Kock said. Police said the accused was arrested soon after the incident.
“It was later detected that the victim died because of multiple head injuries (inflicted with a sharp and blunt object) and strangulation. She also sustained vaginal injuries as well as brutal injuries to her body” he said.
The accused, Johusha Ponde (20), was found guilty on murder but acquitted on the rape charge in the Kimberley High Court and sentenced an effective 14 years imprisonment on 19 August 2013.
“The Kimberley Cluster Commander, Major General Jean Abrahams lauds Detective Warrant Officer Desmond Markgraaf (Investigation Officer) for a job well done and also thanks the community for their assistance as witnesses in court”.
“The SAPS is committed to creating a safe and secure environment for all people and this can only be achieved if individuals and communities cooperate with police and bring forth information on criminals and their activities. We are currently celebrating Women’s Month and the community should know that crimes against women and children are deemed very serious and remains a priority to the police.” Police concludes.-TDN
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Pretoria – Arms deal activist Terry Crawford-Browne read a letter to the Seriti Commission of Inquiry on Tuesday in which he lodged some complaints.

Commission chairperson Willie Seriti told the commission he received the letter from Crawford-Browne on Monday. He asked Crawford-Browne to read it into the record.

Crawford-Browne said there were 23 points in the letter. He objected that Monday’s pre-hearing conference was a closed session.

“[The minister] said the commission would be an open and transparent process,” Crawford-Browne said.

However, evidence leader Moss Mphaga SC, said Crawford-Browne was in the pre-hearing conference.

The first witness was expected to testify in the commission on Tuesday.

Rear Admiral Alan Green was expected to shed light on the SA National Defence Force’s mandate and its functions and policies which culminated in the decision to purchase arms.

– SAPA

Pretoria – Lawyers for a policeman who was wounded and another who was killed during the unrest in Marikana last year are no longer being funded, the Farlam Commission of Inquiry heard on Tuesday.

Louis Gumbi, for the family of slain police officer Sello Leepaku, and for Lieutenant Shitumo Solomon Baloyi who was stabbed by striking mineworkers during the unrest, said the funding they had received had ceased in May.

The funding had come from the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union.

Baloyi filed an urgent court application in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria several days ago in a bid to have the SA Police Service pay his legal costs.

National police commissioner Riah Phiyega opposed the application, saying Baloyi could use the services of the lawyers representing the police.

Baloyi rejected this, saying there was a conflict of interest between himself and the police’s legal team.

He wanted police to fund any lawyer he chose to use.

The high court dismissed his application.

On Tuesday, Gumbi said he and his team would continue representing Baloyi and the Leepaku family, despite the lack of funds.

Meanwhile, the lawyers for miners who were arrested and wounded during the unrest were still waiting for a potential donor to decide whether to fund them.

The decision was expected to be made later on Tuesday.

On Monday the Constitutional Court rejected their application to have the State fund them. This came after the North Gauteng High Court also dismissed their application.

Dali Mpofu, for the miners, indicated they would return to the high court to contest its decision to dismiss the application.

On Tuesday, Gumbi continued his cross-examination of North West deputy police commissioner William Mpembe.

Mpembe was present when Leepaku and another officer, Tsietsi Monene, were stabbed, hacked, and shot to death.

Baloyi was severely stabbed in the incident.

The commission, sitting in Centurion, is investigating the circumstances that led to the deaths of 44 people during the strike-related unrest at Lonmin’s platinum mining operations at Marikana, near Rustenburg in the North West.

Thirty-four striking mine workers were killed on 16 August 2012 when police fired on them while trying to disperse and disarm them. Ten people, including two police officers and security guards, were killed in the preceding week.

– SAPA

Pretoria – Max Boqwana, representing former president Thabo Mbeki and his former Cabinet ministers at the Seriti Commission of Inquiry, withdrew on Tuesday.

Boqwana asked the commission to allow him to withdraw, saying there were issues which needed to be resolved before representing Mbeki and others.

Evidence leader Tshepo Sibeko, SC, confirmed that there had been engagements with Boqwana.

“We have no objection to his withdrawal,” Sibeko said.

Commission chairperson Judge Willie Seriti said the legal representation of witnesses fell outside the commission’s ambit.

Witnesses could have their own legal representation at their own cost.

President Jacob Zuma appointed the commission in 2011 to investigate alleged corruption in the 1999 multi-billion rand arms deal.

– SAPA

The 2013/14 MTN8 semi-finals take place this coming weekend with Kaizer Chiefs to host Orlando Pirates in the first leg of the opening encounter at FNB Stadium on Saturday, August 24. In the second semi-final, Platinum Stars have home advantage first up when they play Bidvest Wits at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Sunday, August 25.

Here PSL.co.za takes a look at some important MTN8 semi-final numbers.

0 – The number of times Platinum Stars and Bidvest Wits have met in a Cup contest. Surprisingly, the two fast-rising clubs of South African football have never locked horns in a knockout game.

2 – This is the number of teams that are making their MTN8 semi-final debut. Platinum Stars and Bidvest Wits have never made the last four of the competition and they face each other in the second game on Sunday. The winner will also be guaranteed a maiden MTN8 final appearance in 2013/14.

3 – Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates have met three times in MTN8 semi-finals. Amakhosi have not won any of the three meetings, with the Buccaneers winning two games and the other ending in a draw. They first met in the 2010/11 semi-finals with the first leg drawn 1-1 and the second going to Pirates 1-0. Then in the 2011/12 final, Oupa Manyisa grabbed the only goal as the Orlando side won 1-0.

5 – The number of times Chiefs have appeared in the semi-finals of the season-opening competition. Amakhosi have reached the last four in every edition since the competition became known as the MTN8, apart from last season when they were beaten in the quarter-finals by Mamelodi Sundowns.

12 – This is the number of goals have been scored to date in the 2013/14 competition. There were three each in the four quarter-finals. However, this is still off the record from the previous five MTN8 competitions, with 15 scored in the opening round of 2008.

14 – The record number of time a team has won the Top Eight Cup since its inception in 1972. There’s no guessing who the most successful team is, it is Kaizer Chiefs with 14 titles, followed by Orlando Pirates with nine.

19 – Chiefs and Pirates have met in 19 previous Cup matches over the years. Amakhosi have a slight edge with eight wins compared to the Buccaneers’ six. Five matches have been draws with two of those settle on penalty shootouts, both won by Chiefs.

Cape Town – With over 500 rhino killed in South Africa this year, the point is nearing where the population will begin to decline, a conservation organisation has said.

“Things are looking pretty depressing right now, I think everyone would agree. We’re also getting ever closer to the point where the numbers actually do start declining,” Dr Jo Shaw, Rhino Co-ordinator for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-SA) told News24.

According to the department of environmental affairs (DEA), 553 rhino have been poached in SA so far this year. This is on course to nearly double the 668 total of 2012, which was also significantly higher than the 448 poached in 2011.

Nearly half, or 345 rhino, were poached in the Kruger National Park, according to the DEA.

Despite the public outcry and several military-style operations by rangers to arrest poachers, the impact has not resulted in a significant reduction in poaching.

Poaching chain

“I don’t think there’s any one simple solution, and I don’t think there’s any one simple problem,” said Shaw.

The DEA said that 148 poachers have been arrested in 2013, compared to 267 last year, and 232 in 2011, but the WWF said that the focus should be pointed to Asia while continuing to target local poachers.

“I absolutely agree Asia is the root of the problem – obviously in South Africa we must do as much as we can to protect the rhino, but that’s not going to solve the problem. I think that’s a key point,” Shaw argued.

She said that the criminals operating higher up the poaching chain needed to be targeted.

“I would like to be seeing more arrests higher up the trade chain in this country. We do need to see, even at a national level, more significant arrests further up. That is something that could make an impact in the shorter term.”

Shaw echoed the sentiment that poaching syndicates had evolved into organised criminal gangs that operated across national borders.

“These are organised criminal syndicates who are involved in many black market products and they’re not necessarily sitting in Vietnam – for example, there are known individuals in Thailand and elsewhere,” she said.

Corruption

According to Cites (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), poachers are heavily armed in their determination to kill rhino.

“AK47 assault rifles and 303 calibre rifles have been the most commonly used weapons but, recently, heavier calibre arms (eg .375s and .458s) are now being used,” Cites said.

The reality of corruption was illustrated in Mozambique with allegations that rangers turned on the rhino they were meant to protect.

“It is tragic beyond tears that we learn game rangers have now become the enemy in the fight to protect rhino from being poached for their horns,” said Kelvin Alie, director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s Wildlife Crime and Consumer Awareness programme.

Rhino are virtually extinct in Mozambique and it is likely that poachers will move to exploit South Africa’s rhino as demand drives up the price of the horn, which is made of the same material as hair and fingernails.

Shaw said that anti-poaching should be focused on intermediaries who provide direct or indirect support to poachers.

“Yes, there are serious challenges in Vietnam around law enforcement and if you look along the trade chain, there are also serious challenges in transit countries like Mozambique.”

For more http://www.news24.com

Pretoria – A Pretoria East woman who admitted to having sex with dogs will spend the next year under correctional supervision, a court has ruled. 

Jana Smit’s sentence handed down by the Pretoria Regional Court last week included 192 hours of cleaning city institutions and must attend several rehabilitation programmes, the Pretoria News reported. 

Smit had previously told the court she performed the acts to please her then lover Morne Fourie.

She was also sentenced for the procurement of a child to produce pornography. 

Her name will also be placed on the national sexual offenders register. 

Smit said in her explanation of plea that Fourie gradually indoctrinated her during their two-year relationship. 

She indicated she had known her actions were wrong and that she would be punished if caught. 

News24