The South African National Defence Force says Rooivalk attack helicopters are being deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Wednesday.

Defence Force spokesperson Xolani Mabanga says a United Nations (UN) request for the helicopters to be deployed to the DRC is being handled by the South African government and the UN.

The UN has approved a 3000 strong intervention brigade to support DRC government forces in the fight to dislodge M23 rebels from strategic positions. He says South Africa has over a 1000 soldiers in that country.

“We are aware of that request as the SANDF as well as the processes that are currently underway in terms of making that equipment available to the UN. As well as the UN is aware of the processes that are going on between the UN and the SANDF, that is the UN department of Peace Keeping Operations,” says Mabanga.

The SANDF recently declined to confirm a claim by the SA National Defence Union (SANDU) that UN-deployed South African snipers have killed six M23 rebels in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mabanga has confirmed that South African forces have engaged the rebels, but said he could not comment on the sniper reports. The South African soldiers who are part of a UN intervention brigade, which has an unprecedented mandate to use lethal force against Congolese rebels.
Source: http://www.sabc.co.za

Durban – Despite the major challenges facing Addington Hospital, its new chief executive, Dr Mthetheleli Ndlangisa, is confident he can turn the problem-plagued institution into a world-class health facility.

He said his long-term plan was to ensure the hospital offered all services under one roof.

In an interview with the Daily News on Monday, Ndlangisa said Addington Hospital was a challenge worth taking on.
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Durban – The metro policeman at the centre of a sex scandal involving prostitutes has been suspended from his post pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

Three of his colleagues who have been identified as possible accomplices, have been stripped of their police powers and given desk jobs out of the city.
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Durban – A woman was caught driving at a speed of 205km/h on the N2 in Fairbreeze, near Gingindlovu, on Wednesday morning, the KwaZulu-Natal transport department said.

“She was driving a silver BMW car at a speed of 205km/h in a zone of 120 km/h,” said spokesman Kwanele Ncalane.

Earlier the department said the driver was a man

The woman was released on R1000 bail and was expected to appear in the Gingindlovu Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday afternoon.

Transport MEC Willies Mchunu condemned the motorist’s behaviour.

“It is such reckless actions that are costing innocent people’s lives,” he said.

“Just last weekend alone we lost 25 people in various accidents across the province.

“Surely this is alarming and requires all of us as road users to change our mindset and respect the rules,” he said. – Sapa

Pretoria – After working at one of the biggest vehicle manufactures for 25 years, Enoch Masina still cannot afford a car.

Masina, who works for Ford Motor Company in Silverton, was one of the hundreds of National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa members who marched to the National Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa offices in Pretoria on Tuesday, demanding higher wages.
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Mbombela – An Mpumalanga man pleaded not guilty to murder in the Nelspruit Regional Court on Wednesday.

Mandla Dube, a self-proclaimed pastor, is accused of beating to death Sabelo Mlombo, 27, with a broomstick in 2011 for stealing a watertank from his yard.

“I always preach in my church that it is wrong to take the law into your own hands,” Dube said.

He admitted assaulting Mlombo at his house after he denied stealing the watertank.

“I gave him a small hiding, only four times. He refused to disclose where he had sold the tank. I only wanted information,” Dube testified.

He said he said he had hired Mlombo to pack bricks at his yard.

Dube was a technical manager for community projects in Mpumalanga’s department of co-operative governance and traditional affairs.

He was arrested on September 11, 2011, in connection with Mlombo’s death.

The court heard on Wednesday that Mlombo was attacked with a pick-axe handle and a broomstick.

Magistrate Willie Wilkens told Dube a post mortem found that Mlombo’s knees were fractured in the assault.

“His forearm also got a fracture. Evidence revealed in court stated the broomstick even broke while you beat him up,” Wilkens said.

The court heard that Mlombo’s neck was also broken.

Constable Docus Ngomane, from the Hazyview police station, testified that Dube and three other men took Mlombo to the police station.

“The deceased was tied up with something like a wire or rope, from his legs up to his chest. His hands were also tied up and he was unable to walk,” Ngomane said.

“They left him outside the police station building and called us.”

Ngomane said Mlombo had blood on his head and on his T-shirt.

“We called an ambulance, which took him to hospital,” Ngomane testified.

Dube’s friend Michael Madondo told the court he was with him during the entire incident.

“I watched when Dube beat the deceased with the broomstick. He only beat him twice, but slightly on the back of his legs, below the knees,” he told the court.

“The deceased sustained the injuries after he fell into the donga. He hit a rock with his head.”

Madondo said Mlombo had been walking “very well” when they took him to the police station.

“We made a statement and left him there with the police. Dube did not beat him with a pick handle. He only used the broomstick and it was already broken,” Madondo testified.

Dube said he had hit Mlombo on his knees to stop him from fleeing.

“I never caused the injuries. I do not know what happened after we left him with the police,” he said.

The case was postponed to September 17 to allow Dube’s new lawyer, Wonder Nkosi, time to have access to previous court records in the case. – Sapa

Durban – A Durban woman is at her wits’ end trying get rid of an unwanted first “husband” – a Pakistani national whom she has been married to for 10 years, but has never even met.

Kubashni Chetty, 31, of Silverglen, Chatsworth, said the marriage, the result of an apparent fraud committed without her knowledge, had brought her life to a near-standstill and made something as simple as opening a bank account impossible.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Six United Christian Democratic Party (UCDP) candidates in the Tlokwe by-election have joined the ANC, spokesman Kenny Morolong said on Wednesday.

“They have already resigned their candidature for the by-elections in Tlokwe,” he said.

He said the African National Congress had also welcomed seven members from the Congress of the People.

“The new members will undergo a compulsory political school induction.”

The new members from the UCDP were Collen Mabaso, Ntswaki Bokaba, Moeketsi Phakedi, Shadrack Dinko, Kgomotso Kgomongwe and Disebo Nhlapo.

Those from Cope were Evelyn Booysen, Elsie Mulligan, Sarah Slambert, Michelle Beukes, Hillary Visagie, Wynton Louw and Aubrey Fransman.

UCDP leader Simon Mfundisi said he was not aware of UCDP candidates joining the ANC.

“I do not know anything about this,” he said.

A by-election is being held in Tlokwe on September 18. – Sapa

Johannesburg – Government on Wednesday welcomed the 25 life sentences handed to Eastern Cape serial killer Bulelani Mabhayi.

“This sentencing shows that the wheels of justice have turned,” said acting government spokesperson Phumla Williams.

She commended the efforts of the SAPS and the judicial authorities.

“Government will continue in its endeavour to fight crime. However, this can only be achieved through the co-operation of all sectors of communities.”

She urged people to report crime so that perpetrators could be prosecuted.

Mabhayi, 39, was sentenced in the Eastern Cape High Court, sitting in Butterworth, on Tuesday.

He had pleaded guilty to 20 charges of murder, six of rape, and 10 of housebreaking, dating back to 2007.

The court sentenced him to 20 life terms for each of the murders, five life terms for five of the rapes, and 10 years for the sixth, Williams said.

He was also sentenced to 10 years on each charge of housebreaking.

The sentences, amounting to over 600 years, would run concurrently.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – University of the Witwatersrand vice-chancellor Adam Habib took full responsibility on Wednesday for the abuses committed on its campuses.

“I want to apologise to all those individuals who experienced sexual harassment,” he said.

“Wits should be a safe space and we will ensure that it is,” Habib said during the release of a report on sexual harassment.

Habib welcomed the report for its rigour and constructive recommendations.

He said parents whose children had been harassed were “truly angry”.

“If it had been my kids I would [also] be outraged.”

The university accepted the report’s critiques.

“[The report] critically highlights the inadequacy of the university’s systems to address rumours and allegations decisively, or to support those affected by predatory sexual behaviour.”

He said a task team would be put together which would include members of the vice-chancellor’s office, experts in various fields, including gender and psychology, as well as student representatives.

In April, the university appointed a legal firm to investigate sexual harassment claims following an article in the Sunday Times newspaper, which claimed that a lecturer in the university’s drama department had harassed a number of his students.

“It had been an exhaustive investigation,” Habib said.

Four staff members were investigated.

Harassment cases

In July, the university fired two staff members for sexual harassment after disciplinary hearings, which were chaired by Habib.

“The third case will be determined soon and the fourth is yet to begin,” Habib said.

The director of the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (Cals) at the university, Professor Bonita Meyersfeld, said drafting the report was a challenge.

“The report has been one of the most difficult for the whole team because you are dealing with one’s own university,” Meyersfeld said.

Students and staff members were initially reluctant to come forward when the inquiry began in February.

But in the final two months of the inquiry, more people started coming forward.

The team in charge of drafting the report comprised three lawyers from Norton Rose Fulbright SA and two members, including Meyersfeld, from Cals.

The inquiry was completed on 15 August.

One of the report’s findings was that the university had a “vague” policy on sexual harassment which made it difficult for people to come forward.

The report recommended that the university create a very clear and broad definition of sexual harassment in order to explain the range of activity that constitutes it.

“A number of our staff and students feel the university has not done enough, we need to prove ourselves to them,” said Habib.

“What we will do is acknowledge and craft a plan to comprehensively address the challenge. You don’t run from it.”

– SAPA