Leaders of Cosatu unions held a meeting this week to determine who would chair the disciplinary process against embattled general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.

Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven refused to be drawn into details yesterday, saying it was an internal matter.

Sdumo Dlamini, the union federation’s president, said the meeting did not discuss who would chair the disciplinary process into Vavi’s sex scandal.

He said an announcement would be made “as soon as possible”.

Vavi was suspended recently after admitting he had sex in an office with a married junior employee at Cosatu’s headquarters in Johannesburg. This has created division, with some supporting and some against Vavi.

Vavi, who has since apologised, took to Twitter on Saturday, posting: “At the centre of the divisions are these issues – the state of the revolution not the mistake I committed.”

Following his suspension, Vavi lashed out at Dlamini and accused him of circulating an intelligence report to discredit him.

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe warned against the developing “personality cult” within Cosatu, saying it would destroy the labour federation.

Sources have said there are moves afoot to heal the divisions.

Meanwhile, Craven said Cosatu would be part of the tripartite alliance summit starting on Friday.
Source: http://www.thenewage.co.za

The North West High Court sentenced a 35-year-old man to an effective 18-year jail term after he was convicted of the murder of his girlfriend.

Acting judge Tebogo Djadje, who delivered the sentence against Thapelo Mmolawa in Mahikeng on Friday, said the harsh sentence was expected, considering the outcry caused by the callous murder.

Mmolawa was also convicted on two additional counts of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. He was sentenced to five years and three years respectively for these crimes, which will run concurrently with the main sentence.

The court heard that Mmolawa fatally shot his girlfriend, Keneilwe Nakedi, 30, on July 19 last year in Zeerust. He accused her of seeing another man.

Mmolawa pleaded guilty to the murder charge and apologised to Nakedi’s family.

On that fateful day, Mmolawa went to the deceased’s workplace carrying a 9mm gun, looking for her. After realising that she had not yet arrived he left, only to return an hour later.

It is said that when Nakedi arrived at her workplace, she was talking on her cellphone and had to go outside to finish the conversation.

She returned running and screaming into the building saying that someone was shooting at her outside.

She locked the door behind her.

However, Mmolawa shot through the glass door, then entered the building and fatally shot Keneilwe in the chest.

Arguing in mitigation of sentence, advocate Isaac Phetoe, who represented Mmolawa, said his client loved the deceased very much and was not happy about her conduct, hence the emotions that pushed him to commit the crime.

“My client is a first offender, no pending cases against him and a responsible father.

“He pleaded guilty, showed remorse and apologised to the family.

“The court must consider this and give him a minimum sentence as he must come back and apologise to the community.

“It is my submission that he had no right to take someone’s life. He was confused and angered by the conduct of the deceased,” Phetoe said.

“In passing sentence, Djadje said: “Murder is a very serious offence and time in jail cannot bring a life back.

“The family lost a loved one. The deceased was young and had a good future ahead of her. She was killed in a brutal manner, judging by the photos submitted.

“There is a huge outcry about unlicensed firearms, therefore the sentence must be just and fair. In murder cases there is always the expectation of harsh sentences.”

Keneilwe’s sister Kefilwe Nakedi said the family expected a stiffer penalty because Mmolawa had admitted to the crime.

“We still miss Keneilwe, she did not deserve to die like that. We are not happy with the court verdict. A stiffer sentence was needed since the accused admitted that he committed murder. As for the said apology, we don’t accept it at all.

“We are still battling to come to terms with the untimely departure of my younger sister,” she said.
For more http://www.thenewage.co.za

Senior management at the provincial education department is trying to create a post that does not appear on their organogram in a bid to appease an official who successfully challenged the appointment of a human resources director at the department.

The appointment of Ompile Motang last year caused a lot of grumbling, not only among those who had applied for the post and other staff members, but among the political leadership of the province.

Now a new post is being created for him after his irregular appointment was challenged.

Apparently, the incumbent did not have the qualifications or necessary experience related to human resources management or administration as required by the advertisement for the post.

The only excuse the department had for the appointment was that Motang had briefly acted in the post. However, many believe the offer had deliberately been made to act as caveat for him to finally get appointed when he did not have a clue of what the post required.

One of the applicants who felt short-changed, Kealeboga Moepedi, decided to challenge the appointment through the bargaining council and in a ruling delivered in May this year, he won the case. Moepedi has more than 10 years experience and a relevant tertiary qualification.

Part of the ruling reads: “It is submitted two factors illustrate the irrational choice of Motang instead of Moepedi by the interviewing panel. The first is that Moepedi has 17 years experience in human resources, nine of which are in middle management, whereas all the experience Motang had at the time of the interviews was a mere four months.

The second is that Motang had failed an assessment test whereas Moepedi had passed.”

The bargaining council further pointed out that the department had committed an unfair labour practice in appointing Motang at the expense of Moepedi. The department was then ordered to place Moepedi on salary level 13 starting from January 1 this year and give him all the benefits that go with the position.

Documents seen by The New Age show that some allowances amounting to more than R70000 have been paid to Moepedi and indications are that he could soon be paid the level 13 salary.

Departmental spokesperson Brian Setswambung said it was unlikely that Motang’s appointment would be reversed but a new post would be created for him (Motang).

“The official has been appointed but the department is still in talks and looking for a suitable alternative post for (Motang),” he said.

One department official who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “We are sick and tired of the labour practices at the department. Most of the people are hugely demotivated because unqualified and inexperienced officials are foisted upon them.

“We want the appointment of Motang reversed because it has created hell for officials in that directorate.”

The official added that if a qualifications audit was performed at the department, the public would be shocked at the flawed labour practices afflicting the department.
For more http://www.thenewage.co.za

The mining industry is reluctant to adapt to change, the National Union of Mineworkers (Num) said on Tuesday.

“Simple things, such as providing clothing to female workers, is a problem. The industry is used to providing a one-piece overall to male workers… female workers need a two-piece,” general secretary Frans Baleni said at a mining lekgotla in Johannesburg.

Baleni said the industry had to adapt to changes and transform if was to be competitive.

“Cutting corners in skilling workers is working against being competitive.”

Mining companies should ensure that workers were healthy.

“Health is important; it reduces the rate of absenteeism.”

The remuneration of workers should take into consideration the risks to which they were exposed.

“It should reflect the danger they are exposed to every time they go underground, the high temperature they face and dusty environment they are exposed to.”

The Num is preparing to go on strike in the gold mines after wage negotiations deadlocked last week.

The union is demanding R7000 a month for surface workers and R8000 a month for underground workers.

Gold producers have offered a 6% increase.
For more http://www.sabc.co.za

About 200 police reservists have handed over a memorandum of grievances to the office of the President at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
For more http://www.sabc.co.za

They want full time employment. Reservist Jeffrey Mohlala described the working conditions as difficult. He says permanent members of the SAPS have got psychologist who are counseling them but no one organizes that for the reservists.

“We have sacrificed for our country but the SAPS does not acknowledge that. When there are posts they don’t employ the majority of the reservists,” he added.

Spokesperson for the Minister of Police Zweli Mnisi says not every reservist can expect to be permanently employed.

He says being a reservist is about volunteerism to assist the police in the fight against crime. “This does not mean that once you are a reservist you will automatically come into the SAPS. If you want to become a police officer the is a process where by you have to go to college. So its unfortunate that they resorted to a march in order to communicate this. But from our side we have always been clear the process has always been transparent. And we believe in goodwill we try and accommodate all those who qualify but it cannot be a mass recruitment it should be based on each persons assessment.”

Johannesburg – All participants in the mining sector have a role to play in bringing about stability, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe said on Tuesday.

“Each role-player must engage in building a relationship based on trust…; each partner bring in a unique contribution to ensure stability,” he said at a three-day mining lekgotla in Johannesburg.

Motlanthe recently brokered a framework agreement with mining companies and trade unions aimed at restoring peace and stability in the mining sector.

All trade unions except the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) signed the agreement, which was reached after 44 people died at Marikana last year in violence in the Rustenburg platinum belt in North West.

Thirty-four mineworkers died when police fired on them on 16 August.

Another 10 people, including two security guards and two policemen, died in the preceding week.

Motlanthe said everyone had to work together to bring peace and stability to the mining sector.

Mining companies had a responsibility to ensure workers were accommodated in proper housing.

He said the core of workers were cheap, migrant labourers.

“To move forward, the industry must break with its undesirable past by making workers feel valued for their contribution as wholesome human beings, that must have decent jobs and sustainable livelihoods, including proper housing, recreation and time with families.”

Rewarding workers

He said the democratic conditions under which the industry was now operating required that it re-skill the labour force and rewarded workers commensurate with their contribution.

“The industry must therefore transform itself by focusing on ideas to improve productivity through innovation, human resource development and training.”

Mining companies and workers had a collective responsibility to work together to tackle problems.

“In this regard, government’s primary responsibility is to create an enabling environment.”

Motlanthe said government had no intention of micro-managing mining companies.

“Save for the ever-present room for improvement, our legislative framework is sufficient for regulating the environment within which the industry operates.”

A group of people protested outside the Sandton Convention Centre, where the lekgotla was held. The group, from villages near mining operations, claimed it had not been included in the lekgotla.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – The SACP on Tuesday condemned violent protests at the Germiston Civic Centre in Ekurhuleni by a group claiming to be military veterans.

“While the SACP fully understands and supports the legitimate demands of our ex-combatants, we condemn the use of violence against organs of the democratic state, that were a product of selfless sacrifices by the gallant forces and martyrs of our entire liberation movement,” said SA Communist Party (SACP) Gauteng spokesperson Lucian Segami.

“The purpose of the protest was apparently to highlight and bring to the attention of the city the plight of ex-combatants,” Segami said.

On Monday, the Ekurhuleni municipality said a group of people calling themselves military veterans arrived at the Germiston Civic Centre.

Ekurhuleni mayoral spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said around 100 people trashed and looted the centre, which accommodates the executive mayor, speaker, chief whip, staff and political parties.

They damaged furniture, fridges and computers and stole items.

Several staff members were injured in the unrest, and others had to receive counselling.

Around 60 people were arrested and charged with theft, vandalism, trespassing and assault. They would appear in court soon.

Dlamini did not believe the attackers were military veterans.

“We had a bunch of people masquerading as former MK [Umkhonto we Sizwe] members,” he said.

“Surprisingly, some of them were in their mid-20s. They were not even born during times of the struggle.”

He said it was not clear what the group wanted, as it did not communicate any demands to officials.

On Monday, the military veterans’ department condemned the violent protests.

“We urgently call on those involved to immediately desist from violent action lest they face the full might of the law,” said director general Tsepe Motumi.

“While military veterans, like any other citizens, have a right to peaceful protest, violent protests are totally unacceptable,” he said.

The SACP called on ex-combatants to use the existing platforms to channel their demands and concerns.

– SAPA

Cape Town – Police officers with criminal records cannot be summarily dismissed, national police commissioner Riah Phiyega told the Western Cape legislature on Tuesday.

Mark Wiley, chairperson of the standing committee on community safety, had asked Phiyega about a recent audit up to January 2010, which found 1 448 officers had criminal records.

Parliament heard in August that most of the officers were convicted after joining the service, and that none of them had been dismissed yet.

“The non-disclosure of a criminal record in most organisations would result in a summary dismissal. Why is it not the case with the SA Police Service [SAPS]?” Wiley asked.

Phiyega said labour law had to be followed.

“You’ll agree with me that we are like most organisations. In terms of our agreement with labour and other people, we will use all the labour laws that are at hand to ensure we respect the rights of everybody.”

She said dismissing officers without following the correct procedure would result in many days spent in court defending those actions.

“Okay, I think you’re being very soft on them… The many organisations I know, it’s a straight walk,” Wiley replied.

Phiyega said the fact that the audit had been done showed the commitment there was to ensuring the police service was cleaned up.

Last month, SAPS acting deputy national commissioner for human resource development Nkrumah Mazibuko addressed MPs about the audit.

“These people are subjected to disciplinary process and then they take the matter up on appeal, and we get an order to reinstate the person,” Mazibuko said.

Police members convicted and jailed were automatically fired.

“If that person appeals the sentence… and he gets the sentence reduced, maybe to a suspended one, by a criminal court, then in terms of our own [police] act, such a person is entitled to apply for reinstatement.”

– SAPA

By Obakeng Maje
Letlhabile-A 28-year-old suspect was arrested by Letlhabile police for the murder of Marriam Seaposa (24) on Monday, at about20:00 in Letlhabile near Brits.
“It is alleged that the suspect and victim were an item and were staying together. It is further alleged that the couple had an argument and the suspect strangle the victim to death” sergeant Kelebogile Moiloam said.
The police were called to the scene and arrested the suspect.
“The suspect is expected to appear before Brits Magistrate Court tomorrow on charges of murder” Moiloa said.
Investigation Continues.-TDN
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By TDN
Lehurutshe-In recognition and honour of the women who led the women’s revolt in Lehurutse in 1957 against the Anti-pass laws, which later spread to other villages in Zeerust, such as Dinokana, Lekgopung, Motswedi, Moshana and Gopane, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture saw it fit to host a Women in Dialogue to be held on the 29th August 2013 at Gopane Village, Tribal Offices in Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality.
As August marks a significant and symbolic month to pay homage to the bravery of South African Women who played a vital role in the liberation of our country as a whole, of which these women from Lehurutshe also played a huge role in. It is therefore the main aim of the Department to honour and celebrate the mammoth task these women had to go through during those times.
“We salute all women for their resilience against pass laws, severe repression they endured during the oppressive regime”, said MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture Mme Tebogo Modise.
“Wathinti abafazi, wathinti imbokodo (you strike a woman you strike a rock) this was a song that these women sang during the struggle and which these women have shown courage and determination the previous year” said MEC Modise.
She further said that it is for this reason that they will not cease in encouraging, and educating our young people about our history.
“This event will be a dialogue between the heroines and the young women of today with regards the events of the past and to also educate young women of today through this dialogue in order to pave a way for Women empowerment and gender equality”.
“It is our mission and vision of the Department to preserve the history of this province with regards the liberation of this country” she said.
The event will be celebrated under the theme of “A centenary of Working together towards sustainable Women empowerment and gender equality”

The dialogue will be held as follows:
Venue: Gopane Village Tribal Offices
Date: 29th August 2013
Time: 10h00
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