Johannesburg – As many 72 000 workers at South Africa’s petrol stations and car dealerships will go on strike for higher wages from next week, the country’s leading manufacturing union said on Tuesday.

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa said in a statement that workers will go on strike from Monday “in demand of a living wage and improved conditions of employment and service”.

South Africa’s headline consumer inflation breached the ceiling of the central bank’s target band in July, overshooting market expectations as higher fuel prices weighed on consumer prices.

Headline inflation in July hit 6.3% year-on-year, accelerating from 5.5% in June, data from Statistics South Africa showed.

This adds to a wave of strikes in already impacting the South African economy, from the mining industry to construction.-Reuters

By Obakeng Maje

Klerksdorp-North West police arrested a 26 year-old inmate after he allegedly bludgeoned another inmate to death on Monday.

Police said a fight broke between inmates yesterday at Klerksdorp Correctional Services and close to eight inmates were involved.

Sergeant Kelebogile Moiloa said police received a call from a prison warder who informed them about the fight.

“Almost eight inmates were allegedly involved in a fight and this resulted to a murder of a 25 year-old inmate” Moiloa said.

Police could not confirm what was the fight all about and all injured inmates were taken to Tshepong Hospital for medical check.

A 25 year-old man died on arrival after he was bludgeoned with a sharp object.

“Police arrested a 26 year-old inmate and charged him with murder” she said.

He will appear before Klerksdorp Magistrate Court soon for murder and police investigations continue.-TDN

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Johannesburg – Bafana Bafana will play Zimbabwe in an international friendly on September 10 at a venue yet to be confirmed.

According to the supersport.com website, the match will be played three days after the crucial 2014 FIFA Soccer World Cup against Botswana scheduled for Durban on September 7.

While the venue for the Zimbabwe game is yet to be confirmed, it is likely to be taken to Polokwane.

Johannesburg – Gordon Igesund has named his 23-man squad for next month’s crucial FIFA World Cup qualifier against Botswana.

According to the Soccer-Laduma website, Bafana need to claim victory over their opponents and hope that Ethiopia drop points against the Central African Republic, if South Africa are to keep their hopes of making it to Brazil 2014 alive.

A number of international-based players such as Bongani Khumalo, Kagisho Dikgacoi, Thulani Serero and Kamohelo Mokotjo have made the cut, despite a number of months out of Igesund’s squad.

Meanwhile, Andile Jali has once again been given the nod by Igesund, as has Kermit Erasmus, following his impressive start to life with Orlando Pirates.

KV Kortrijk goalkeeper, Darren Keet, has been called up to the squad for the fixture, although will only train with the team and won’t feature in the game. However, Keet will remain in the squad for the friendly against Zimbabwe three days later.

Goalkeepers:
Itumeleng Khune, Senzo Meyiwa, Wayne Sandilands.

Defenders:
Anele Ngcongca, Tsepo Masilela, Thabo Matlaba, Bongani Khumalo, Thabo Nthethe, Siyanda Xulu, Buhle Mkhwanazi

Midfielders:
Thulani Serero, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Dean Furman, Kagisho Dikgacoi, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Andile Jali, Oupa Manyisa, Bongani Zungu, Daine Klate, Kamohelo Mokotjo

Forwards:
Bernard Parker, Tokelo Rantie, Kermit Erasmus
For more http://www.news24.com

Johannesburg – The Constitutional Court on Tuesday dismissed the Democratic Alliance’s application on whether a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma should be debated in Parliament.

DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko, supported by seven other opposition parties, tabled the motion on 8 November, but National Assembly Speaker Max Sisulu later adjourned a programming committee meeting without the debate being scheduled.

This was because no consensus had been reached.

The DA took the matter to the Western Cape High Court where it was dismissed by Judge Dennis Davis.

But the Constitutional Court also found that the rules of the National Assembly must allow for a vote of no confidence to be debated in reasonable time.

The court gave the National Assembly six months to correct its rules.

– News24

Johannesburg – Two serial rapists who appealed against their prison sentences of 20 years, have been given life sentences, Beeld reported on Tuesday.

The North Gauteng High Court ruled that sentences handed down by a magistrate had been too lenient.

In the appeal judgement, Acting Judge Jan Hiemstra said he got the impression that the magistrate had treated the matter as just another ordinary case.

Samuel Lucky Msimanga, Samkele Welcome Sibeko and two other accused had been convicted in the Springs Regional Court of raping a 24-year-old woman.

Msimanga and Sibeko pleaded guilty and appealed against their sentences.

The magistrate gave them each 20 years in prison after finding that there were factors that justified a lighter sentence.

These factors were that the two had pleaded guilty and that they had consumed alcohol, although they were not drunk when they committed the crime.

Hiemstra said the two had only pleaded guilty because they realised their case was hopeless because of conclusive DNA results.

The new sentences were backdated to 17 October 2012.
– SAPA

Johannesburg – Former chief justice Pius Langa had ensured prosecutorial independence from the executive, acting NPA head Nomgcobo Jiba said on Tuesday.

“As the leader of that institution [National Prosecuting Authority] I can confirm… that it discharges its functions without any interference by the executive, contrary to media reports,” she said at a special sitting of the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg to pay tribute to Langa.

“The Constitution that the late chief justice fashioned required that we discharge our functions without fear, favour or prejudice.”

She said the NPA remained “true” to this constitutional imperative.

“It is unfortunate that some uninformed media houses… sometimes make unfounded statements that seek to undermine and erode public confidence in such an important institution,” said Jiba.

“I am sure that those comments do not serve to deepen the ideals that the former chief justice would have liked to see.”

A gentle giant

Jiba said the NPA would always treat each person fairly and equally, regardless of whether they were rich or poor, a politician or not.

“Any attempts to pressurise the NPA into taking decisions… will not succeed.”

National Assembly Speaker Max Sisulu said Langa was a gentle giant, brilliant jurist, and a principled and modest man.

“I personally got to know him as a person with a sharp and brilliant mind and a keen sense of humour,” said Sisulu.

“He made such a significant contribution to our country that it is not surprising that so much praise has been attributed to Pius.”

Sisulu regarded Langa as his older brother, through a friendship with Langa’s younger brothers.

He said Langa was a great listener, who chose his words carefully.

“Pius lived up to his name. He was Pius by name, but also truly pious in life.”

Great love

Langa had exhibited great love for his people and used law to make his greatest contribution to uplift and protect the oppressed.

“During the apartheid era, his legal practice reflected his deep-seated conviction to protect the oppressed from a brutal system that used the law as a sword to cut down the rights and freedom of its people.

“Again during the transition to democracy, Pius played a key role in shaping our constitutional dispensation,” Sisulu said.

Langa died on 24 July at the age of 74 after a month-long hospital stay due to a long illness.

Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng thanked the Langa family for sharing him with the world.

“You had a precious gift. Thank you for sharing that with the world… even in circumstances where his health was fading.”

Mogoeng said the judiciary would never betray Langa’s legacy, and was working on communicating more effectively with South Africans, possibly through social networking sites.
– SAPA

Johannesburg – Nelson Mandela remains in a critical but stable condition, President Jacob Zuma said Tuesday, more than two months after the former president was hospitalised with a recurring lung infection.

“Former president Mandela is still in hospital receiving treatment and remains in a critical but stable condition,” Zuma said.

Mandela, 95, has been receiving treatment for a recurring respiratory illness at a private hospital in Pretoria since 8 June.

He was previously said to be on life support, but his condition has been lately described as serious but improving.

Early this month, his former wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela told Sky News that he was “now breathing normally” and that doctors had kept draining fluid from his lungs.

Award

Zuma gave the latest health update during a visit to Malaysia, where he received an award on Mandela’s behalf.

The southeast Asian nation honoured the ailing statesman with the inaugural Mahathir Global Peace Award, named after the country’s former prime minister.

Zuma said South Africans were humbled to share South Africa’s revered peace icon with the world.

“While wishing him good health, we also have to celebrate his legacy and learn from it, in order to build a better world.”

Mandela has been in and out of hospital since last year, with lung related complications.

In December, he spent nearly three weeks in hospital where he was treated for a lung infection and gall stones. This is his longest hospitalisation since he was released from jail in 1990.

Political leaders from across the world and the South African public have been sending Mandela messages of support since his admission.

– AFP

Pretoria – Police were not adequately briefed on how to deal with armed protesters during the strike-related unrest at Marikana last year, the Farlam Commission of Inquiry heard on Tuesday.

“The SA Human Rights Commission submits that the fact that more than 400 statements before this commission by members of the SA Police Service are silent on how to deal with the small, armed militant group demonstrates that there was not enough briefing about the plan,” said Michelle le Roux, for the SAHRC.

North West deputy police commissioner William Mpembe testified that the plan was to disperse the 3 000 protesters, isolate and disarm them, and carry out arrests.

Le Roux argued that none of the officers knew how they would deal with the group that stayed behind and would not disperse.

Vuyani Ngalwana, for the police, said Mpembe and Major General Charl Annandale, who headed the police tactical response team, had already testified before the commission about the plan.

“Annandale also dealt with this extensively, and he discussed detailed dispersal, disarming, and arrest tactics,” Ngalwana said.

Mpembe said all section commanders were thoroughly briefed, and they in turn had briefed police officers under their command.

The commission is investigating the deaths of 44 people killed during strike-related unrest at Lonmin’s platinum mining operations at Marikana, near Rustenburg in North West in August last year.
– SAPA