Johannesburg – Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) leader Alton Mphethi will lead a voter registration campaign in Ermelo, Mpumalanga, on Saturday, the party said.

“On Saturday we will be embarking on a campaign to tell the people why they must vote for the PAC, because to do so will be the first step to replace a government that is not responsive to the needs of communities,” Mphethi said on Wednesday.

Mphethi, who was sworn in as the party’s sole MP in Parliament two weeks ago, replaced expelled former leader, Letlapa Mphahlele.

He said the PAC would launch a “serious election campaign” as a first step to realising the objective of winning at least 10 parliamentary seats in next year’s elections.

The PAC, which has been rocked by leadership battles, performed dismally in past elections since 1994, and now has only one seat in Parliament.

Earlier this month, a faction of the divided PAC criticised National Assembly Speaker Max Sisulu for swearing in Mpheti to replace Mphahlele.

Mphahlele was expelled as party president at the end of May after a meeting of its national disciplinary committee.

Mphahlele’s backers then applied for a court interdict to stop Parliament from replacing him.

The faction vowed that legal action would follow.

SAPA

Johannesburg – The salary dispute at the Walter Sisulu University (WSU) will have a detrimental effect on the future of the students, the ANC Youth League said on Wednesday.

“There has been no learning and teaching for over three months now, which means effectively no academic activity has taken place in the second semester of 2013,” said spokesperson Bandile Masuku.

He said the department of higher education and university management had failed to resolve the salary dispute, which was currently in the labour court.

“WSU, like many historically disadvantaged universities, even post mergers, have been plunged into a permanent state of paralysis and crises, most being run by university administrators.”

The university was closed indefinitely on Tuesday following labour problems.

Masuku said the ANCYL called on the parties involved to speedily resolve the dispute as it was not in the best interest of the students.

SAPA

Bloemfontein – A Free State man was jailed for 18 years by the Vierfontein Regional Court on Wednesday for raping a teenager, police said.

Moepeng David Mahloko, 36, was arrested in 2012 for raping a 14-year-old girl in Vierfontein, said Captain Stephen Thakeng.

“He invited the girl to his house and raped her,” he said. The girl reported the matter to the police the same day.

SAPA

Johannesburg – Gavin Hunt has bagged his first league win as Wits coach when his side recorded a 1-0 win over Lamontville Golden Arrows in their PSL clash at the Bidvest Stadium on Wednesday night.

Robin Ngalande got the all-important goal for the Clever Boys in a pulsating encounter. 

The home side should have taken the lead as early as the second minute of the match. 

After some fancy footwork from Sibusiso Vilakazi to eliminate some Arrows defenders, the Wits captain laid the ball through to Benjani and with the keeper to beat, the former Manchester City striker could only tap his attempt wide of goal.

Wits were struck a huge blow in the 26th minute when winger Denver Mukamba had to come off because of a head injury. 

His replacement Bongolwethu Jayiya did not waste any time as he made an impact eight minutes later.

The speedster found some space on the right wing and with the Arrows defence at sea and facing their own goal in attempt to reposition themselves, he sent in a sweet cross into the box from which Ngalande scored with a diving header in the 34th minute to give the Clever Boys the lead.  

Benjani had a chance to increase the Clever Boys’ lead in the 50th minute when he was the recipient of a cross from Jayiya but he could only head wide of goal with the keeper wrong footed. 

Two minutes later the 34-year-old Benjani benefitted from a through ball and again with the keeper at his mercy he unleashed a bullet of a shot that went wide of goal.

Scores:

Wits: (1) 1 (Ngalande 34’)

Golden Arrows: 0

Teams:

Wits: Josephs, Pule, Gumede, Kofi, Bilankulu, Pattison, Faty, Mukamba (Jayiya 26’), Vilakazi, Ngalande (Langwe 66’), Benjani (Chapman 82’)

Arrows: Mngoma, Tom, S Zwane, Ntombiyithethi, Mngwengwe, Mndunge (Shange 46’), Polelo, Nene, D Zwane, Ntuli, Wadwaba (Hleleni 68’)

PSL results from Wednesday night:

Free State Stars 2-0 Maritzburg United

Wits 1-0 Golden Arrows

Mamelodi Sundowns 1-1 Platinum Stars

Polokwane City 2-3 Bloemfontein Celtic

University Of Pretoria 0-1 Supersport United

Tuesday’s results:

AmaZulu 1-2 Black Aces    

Kaizer Chiefs 1-1 Moroka Swallows

Sport24

Pietermaritzburg – An alleged drug kingpin’s four properties and car were declared forfeit to the State by the KZN High Court in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday.

Judge Rishi Seegobin accepted that Joyce Komane had acquired the properties by drug dealing.

Some of the properties were registered in the names of other people to give the impression that Komane had not bought them.

Komane claimed that she had earned money from a boutique and a coffee shop, and that she had also received money when her husband sold a garage in Greytown.

Seegobin accepted that Komane was at the top level of a syndicate. She allegedly supplied drugs to dealers, who in turn supplied them to runners, who sold to the public.

Evidence was given that she became agitated when the police took her to a Pietermaritzburg flat where 10 000 Mandrax tablets had been found.

She tried to resist going into the flat with them, lending credence to the allegation that she knew the tablets were in the flat.

SAPA

Absa Premiership

Full Time: University of Pretoria 0-1 SuperSport United

Date: 28 August 2013

Venue:  Tuks Stadium

A single first half goal from George Maluleka was enough to hand SuperSport United a 1-0 win over the University of Pretoria in an Absa Premiership match at the Tuks Stadium on Wednesday night.

The home side started like a house on fire and were bitterly unlucky not to take the lead as early as the fourth minute when Mpho Maruping met a cross from the left and saw his eight-yard header crash against the crossbar.

Two minutes later and Maruping had another attempt at goal, but this time he saw Ronwen Williams produce a superb save as he tipped his 22-yard pile-driver over the bar.

Slowly SuperSport worked their way into the game and began controlling the possession stakes, and they made their dominance pay in the 26th minute.

George Maluleka showed his pace to latch onto a good through ball and proceeded to drive into the right side of the box before firing the ball past Washington Arubi at his near post from an acute angle from 14-yards out, 1-0.

Tuks almost equalised three minutes later, but Williams was on hand again, this time denying Obidiah Tarumbwa from only a couple yards out with a reflex save.

The half ended 1-0 in favour of SuperSport.

The second 45 saw both sides really unable to create any decent chances on goal as both teams squandered possession in the middle of the park due to some wasteful passing.

In the 59th minute Tuks did manage to fashion an opening, but Tarumbwa fired just over the crossbar from 20-yards out.

Chances were certainly few and far between, and the next attempt on goal came in the 79th minute as substitute ThaboMosadi let rip with a low shot from 22-yards out, but Williams produce another good save.

The match ended 1-0 in favour of SuperSport who picked up their second league win of the season and top the standings.

Source: http://www.soccerladuma.com

ABSA Premiership

Result: Sundowns 1-1 P Stars

Date: 28 August 2013

Venue: Loftus Versveld

The new-look Mamelodi Sundowns struggled to get their game going as they were held to a 1-1 draw against Platinum Stars at Loftus Versveld on Wednesday.

The Brazilians, fielding a much-changed side compared to last season, controlled possession for long periods but Dikwena always looked alert on attack and were rewarded with a point.

Khama Billiat, who recently joined Sundowns from Ajax Cape Town, started for his new side for the first time and the Brazilians probed for an early goal.

Four minutes in though, Stars showed their potential as Lindokuhle Mbatha burst free of his defender and slid a perfect square ball for Siphelele Mthembu who side-footed his shot against the angle.

Sundowns had a chance at the other end through Dove Wome who lashed a shot just wide from the edge of the area, while Cuthbert Malajila should have done better with some headed chances. One of those chances saw him meet the ball before the on-rushing goalkeeper but he had no control as the ball ballooned well over.

The first-half continued along the same trend – with Sundowns settling and looking for a way through the organised Stars defence while Dikwena burst forward on the counter at every chance.

The deadlock remained at half-time but Sundowns thought they had finally found a way through when Bongani Zungu hit the back of the net – only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.

The breakthrough would arrive in the 58th minute though, with Wome finding a way past Siyabonga Mpotshane at his near post.

Sundowns were looking for a second to put the game to bed and saw Tebogo Langerman go close on two occasions – misses that the Brazilians would soon rue.

Henrico Botes went close before Robert Ng’ambi hit the target with nine minutes to go after Sundowns failed to deal with a corner, which Mthembu had guided against the crossbar.

Kennedy Mweene then came to the rescue for Sundowns late in the game when he kept out Botes’ header, though the Namibia international was unable to get the required power on his effort.

Sundowns: Kennedy Mweene, Tebogo Langerman, Alje Schut, Bryce Moon, Rashid Sumaila, Dove Wome, Kekana, Teko Modise, Bongani Zungu, Khama Billiat, Cuthbert Malajila.

P Stars: Siyabonga Mpontshane, Vuyo Mere, Tshepo Gumede, Benson Mhlongo, Luvolwethu Mpeta, Sibusiso Msomi, Robert Ng’ambi, Mogakolodi Ngele, Tintswalo Tshabalala, Lindokuhle Mbatha, Siphelele Mthembu.

A Limpopo man was jailed for life by the Naphuno Regional Court on Wednesday for raping his niece, police said.

The 9-year-old girl was watching television at her home in Mohlatlareng village on 12 June when the man called her to his room, overpowered her and raped her, said police spokesperson Ronel Otto.

The 44-year-old man, whose name was being withheld to protect the girl’s identity, would be placed on the national register of sex offenders, she said.

He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.

SAPA

Johannesburg – Watching television is among the top three favourite pastimes of South Africans, a Statistics SA report revealed on Wednesday.

The two other favourites relate to activities people are likely to get paid for, and to what is labelled “personal care”.

“Personal care” include relaxing, sleeping, eating, bathing and visiting the doctor’s rooms.

The report based on a recent survey was presented to the media in Pretoria by Kefiloe Masiteng, the deputy director general of population and social statistics.

It revealed that men spent more time on work-related activities than women, while women spent more time than men on household maintenance and caring for their children and other household members.

Children, however, were spending more time on leisure activities than on educational activities.

Boys aged between 10 and 19 years spent around 362 minutes a day on leisure, while only 219 minutes were spent on learning activities outside school hours.

Girls dedicated around 309 minutes a day to leisure activities while 216 were spent on educational activities outside school.

The top three leisure activities for people across all age groups in the country was watching television, socialising and engaging in social and cultural activities respectively. This included the use of social networking sites.

Gautengers work harder

Men of all ages spent more time in front of the television than women, with boys aged between 10 and 17 topping the list of tv time at around 134 minutes a day.

Girls of the same age spent around 129 minutes of their day in front of the television set.

Masiteng said men spent around 417 minutes per day engaging in activities that contributed to the GDP (gross domestic product).

Women, on the other hand, spent around 325 minutes engaging in such activities. Activities that contributed to the GDP included waged employment, domestic working and looking for employment.

The survey revealed that more people in Gauteng spent time on GDP contributing activities than in other provinces.

The Western Cape was second, and Northern Cape was third.

People in the Eastern Cape invested the least time to GDP enhancing projects.

The survey revealed that women spent a larger amount of time contributing to non-economy building activities such as maintaining their homes and shopping. Other activities they engaged in included looking after children, the sick, elderly and disabled.

Women spent around 249 minutes a day engaged in such activities, compared to men, who spent around 131 minutes a day.

The survey revealed that people over 10 years old spent around 122 minutes a day waiting to access government services.

Masiteng explained that this included services such as waiting in line to get grants, or waiting in a queue to collect parcels from the local post office.

StatsSA indicated that data for the survey was collected nationally in 2010.

Due to limited capacity in terms of analysing time use data, the report was only ready for publishing in 2013.

SAPA

Pretoria – The SA Air Force (SAAF) performs its duties solely in the interests of the nation, the Seriti Commission of Inquiry into the arms deal heard on Wednesday.

Deputy Chief of the SAAF, Major General Gerald Malinga, was being led in submitting evidence before the inquiry by evidence leader Matshego Ramagaga.

Malinga said the armed forces were not swayed by party politics.

“We serve only for national interests, not for partisan politics or other interests. Contained in the code of conduct for members of the SA National Defence Force [SANDF] is a line that says: ‘I will not harm or advance the interests of any political party.'”

Ramagaga asked whether that independence extended to the military’s force designs.

“When you say the defence force serves solely in the national interests, would that also apply in execution of the mandate relating to the development of force designs?” Ramagaga asked.

Malinga responded: “It is my understanding and my belief that every bit of business that we do on a daily basis has nothing to do with any other thing than the mandate of the SANDF in defence of national interests.”

Ramagaga told the commission Malinga had stated in his affidavit that he was not directly involved in the controversial arms deal procurement.

On Wednesday, the commission spent considerable time on Malinga’s CV, touching on his medals and decorations.

The SAAF and Armscor are scheduled to address the commission about the use of the military equipment.

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

President Jacob Zuma appointed the commission, led by Judge Willie Seriti, in 2011 to investigate alleged corruption in the 1999 multi-billion rand arms deal.

SAPA