Durban – The father of a Durban bank trainee, who died when a concrete slab thrown from a bridge smashed into her face, said the 10-year sentence imposed on his daughter’s killers was no consolation.

As the trio were hearing their fate in the Durban Regional Court, on Monday – their anguished families in tears – Vukile Zuma spent the day at his daughter, Siphesihle Zola Zuma’s, grave.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Cape Town – A policeman in Diep River, Cape Town, grabbed a Nigerian man’s car keys and demanded money for their return, the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crime Court heard on Tuesday.

Three policemen, Constable Nkosinathi Mdiya, Warrant Officer Mogamat Meniers, and Sergeant Heinrich Gordon, all based at the Diep River police station, are in the dock.

Mdiya is charged with two counts of theft, two of robbery and one of extortion (blackmail); Meniers is charged with one count of theft and one of corruption; and Gordon is charged with three counts of theft, two of corruption, two of extortion, and two of robbery.

On an extortion charge, Nigerian Daniel Animalu told the court he was driving in the Diep River area on the night of February 26

last year when he heard a police siren approaching from behind. At first he ignored it, but when the police vehicle started flashing its headlights at him, he stopped.

He said the police vehicle stopped behind him, and Gordon approached him. Gordon reached into his car, snatched the ignition keys, gave him a cellphone number to call, and drove off.

Animalu said when he called the number, Gordon told him he would have to pay R500 for the return of his keys.

Animalu said he reported the incident to the Wynberg police, who said he should call Gordon again, from the charge office, and demand that Gordon bring the keys to the Wynberg police charge office.

He did so, but Gordon had switched off his cellphone. Animalu tried a second time, got through, and demanded that the keys be returned to him at the police station.

Soon afterwards, Gordon called and said he had placed the keys on the bonnet of Animalu’s car. Animalu said the Wynberg police insisted Gordon return the keys to him at the Wynberg police station, which Gordon did.

On one of the theft charges, drug addict and pedlar Anton Pillay alleged that the three broke down the door of his shack in an informal settlement on the night of February 20. He said they confiscated money and drugs, and took him to the Diep River police station.

There, they demanded R200 each for his release, which he paid. When they returned the confiscated money, he noticed some of it was missing. No charges were pressed against him, he said.

Pillay was cross-examined by defence counsel Yvette Isaacs, representing Gordon. He admitted being confused in his main testimony about the payment of money to Gordon, to share between them to secure his release.

Asked if he had lied when he said he had given the money to Gordon, he said he was not sure to whom he had given the money.

Isaacs asked if the court could accept that he had not in fact given any money to Gordon. Pillay replied: “Yes.”

The trial continues on November 7.

Sapa

Cape Town -The government is dedicated to rooting out corruption, its senior counsel told the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday.

Renata Williams SC, for the justice department and the government, was arguing in a challenge of the SA Police Service Amendment Act by businessman Hugh Glenister and the Helen Suzman Foundation.

The amendment act, which was passed in Parliament last year, sets out the way in which the Scorpions’ successor, the Hawks, should operate and function.

It was drafted last year in response to a previous Constitutional Court victory by Glenister, in which the executive was ordered to change the legislation to provide the Hawks with independence from political interference.

Glenister brought his case following the dissolution in 2008 of the Scorpions, which was an investigative unit under the jurisdiction of the National Prosecuting Authority.

Following the amendments in 2012, he said he was not convinced the Hawks was sufficiently insulated from undue influence.

On Tuesday, Williams said the government was well aware that corruption existed and was “endemic”.

“We have the government’s commitment in dealing with corruption. It’s been there for two decades,” she said.

At this point, Judge Siraj Desai lifted his head and questioned the statement that corruption had been present in only the past two decades.

“I don’t think the previous government was not guilty of corruption,” Desai said, before allowing Williams to continue.

Williams said the Constitutional Court found it permissible for the Hawks to fall under the police, and that its location did not pose a threat to its independence.

Earlier in the day, Michael Donen SC, for Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, suggested there had been no convincing argument that the Hawks unit would not be autonomous.

“The directorate (Hawks) constitutes a cocooned, autonomous group,” Donen submitted.

Donen contended that the amendment act met all the requirements of establishing an independent crime-fighting unit focusing on, among others, corruption.

Because the appointment of the Hawks’ head was led by Mthethwa, this did not mean it would be unduly politically influenced.

“The appointment by the minister of the head cannot be described as a political appointee,” Donen said.

His arguments were in line with those of President Jacob Zuma’s counsel, Kemp J Kemp SC, who earlier said the police minister’s discretion took effect only when deciding who he wanted to appoint as Hawks chief from those who met the objective criteria as set out by the act.

The case was postponed to October 14 for further arguments.

Sapa

Mbombela – The police did not assault three men accused of killing an Mpumalanga mine worker three years ago, the Nelspruit Circuit of the High Court in Pretoria ruled on Tuesday.

Judge Mmonoa Teffo made the judgment in a trial-within-trial on Tuesday, a Sapa correspondent reported.

“After listening to all the submissions regarding this matter, the court is satisfied with the State’s evidence.

“All the statements from the accused and the pointing out at the crime scene were made freely and voluntarily, without any undue prejudice,” Teffo found.

Isaac Sebokuboku Phala, 29, Calvin Tjatjie, 24, and Tshepo Seloane, 24, are accused of murdering Madingwana Max Matlou, 43, and robbing him of his Samsung cellphone in Mashishing on August 22, 2010.

The cellphone was later sold to Cash Crusaders in Emalahleni.

Phala, Tjatjie and Seloane have pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, armed robbery with aggravating circumstances and possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

They told the court the police had tortured them to confess to the crime and forced them to do the pointing out at the scene.

Teffo ruled that all the confession statements, the pointing out of the crime scene, and albums of the photos taken during the process were admissible as evidence.

The defence team accepted the judge’s ruling.

Teffo postponed the case to Thursday for trial.

Sapa

Potchefstroom – The African National Congress is combat ready for the Tlokwe by-elections in the North West, the party said on Tuesday.

“We will utilise this opportunity to place resources at our disposal and our energies in winning the three ward by-elections we are contesting tomorrow,” spokesman Jackson Mthembu said in a statement.

“The ruling of the court today is neither a victory, setback nor a loss for the ANC.

The Electoral Court in Bloemfontein ordered on Tuesday evening that five out of the nine by-elections in Tlokwe be postponed.

This was after the court heard an application by five independent candidates who were disqualified from taking part in the by-elections by the Independent Electoral Commission.

A sixth by-election, in Ward 13, was earlier postponed after an out-of-court settlement.

ANC leaders campaigned in Tlokwe on Tuesday.

Sport Minister Fikile Mbalula and ANC Youth League convenor Mzwandile Masina were among those campaigning.

ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe was scheduled to address party volunteers in Potchefstroom on Tuesday evening.

Sapa

Johannesburg – Four men have been arrested for possession of unlicensed firearms in KwaMashu, KwaZulu-Natal police said on Tuesday.

They were caught in bushes after a police chase on Monday, said police spokesperson Jay Naicker.

He said the police gave chase to a white bakkie that drove through a red traffic light in KwaMashu.

“When they tried to stop the vehicle, the driver turned to Nkonjane Road at K Section where the vehicle crashed and came to standstill.”

The men, aged between 35 and 48, jumped out and ran towards bushes while shooting at the police.

“Dogs were released to give chase and the men were found in possession of firearms and ammunition,” said Naicker.

Police confiscated a .38 special Taurus revolver with six rounds of ammunition, a 9mm pistol with 15 rounds of ammunition, a 7.65 pistol, a .38 Taurus revolver and an AK-47 assault rifle with 30 rounds.

Six cellphones, an identity document and five rubber gloves were also seized.

Naicker said the firearms would be sent for ballistics tests to determine whether they had been used in any other crimes in the province.

The men would appear soon in the Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court, said Naicker.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has condemned the looting of foreign-owned shops and related violence in the city.

The attacks on Somalians had put the people of Port Elizabeth to shame, the municipality said in a statement on Tuesday.

It said a suspected act of criminality by a Somalian could never justify the looting and attacking of innocent people.

“We want to put it straight and clear, these incidents are criminal, cowardly, irresponsible and inexcusable to say the least.

“We condemn these acts in the strongest possible terms. We call upon the law enforcement agencies to act strongly to those found to be responsible for this chaos.”

The municipality extended its condolences to the family of a man who was shot dead by a foreign shop owner on Saturday in New Brighton.

It said it would visit the man’s family and the Somalians affected in various areas of the city.

70 arrested

Earlier on Tuesday, Eastern Cape police said 70 people had been arrested for looting and public violence.

Police spokesperson Marinda Mills said the situation was “tense but stable” on Tuesday morning after sporadic looting of shops owned by immigrants on Monday night.

Looting was reported in Kwadwesi, Missionvale, Swartkops, New Brighton, and Motherwell.

“During our interaction with affected communities, it was clear that the motive for the attacks on foreign-owned spaza shops [was] not xenophobic in nature, but a criminal element that has seized an opportunity,” Mills said.

Looting was considered public violence, which was a schedule one offence under the Criminal Procedure Act.

It was difficult for the police to prevent looting, as it was hard to predict when and where it would occur.

“Most of the foreign shop owners have been assisted to relocate their property to safer locations,” said Mills.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – The SA National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) on Tuesday condemned the actions of a municipal spokesperson who allegedly threatened a reporter seeking information in Grahamstown.

“Sanef condemns the efforts of Makana municipality spokesperson Mncedisi Boma to prevent Grocott’s Mail municipal affairs reporter Awuwile Diko, from gathering information about a financial package that the Makana municipality is considering offering the municipal manager.

“Boma is also alleged to have issued what is interpreted as a death threat against Diko,” Sanef said in a statement.

Diko said when she asked Boma where the money would be found for the package, he told her: “Awuwile, you must stop digging. People who continue to dig don’t last forever. You will hear people saying that you were wearing a black jacket and you were going there to dig.”

Sanef said the conversation was in Xhosa and his words were interpreted by Diko as a death threat. She reported the matter to police.

Sanef said attempts to “stifle the public’s right to know” were unacceptable and subverted the country’s constitutional values.

Sanef was alarmed by Boma’s refusal to supply information of public importance when asked for it.

“His conduct is another example of the ever-increasing trend by government and civic officials to attempt to censor or maintain secrecy over information that should be in the public domain.”

Sanef called on the municipal authorities to act against Boma for failing in his role as spokesperson and to investigate the alleged threat against the reporter.

Violence against journalists was becoming a matter of serious concern after the arson attack on Sasolburg radio station Karabo FM.

On 7 September, two masked men stormed into the building at 21:00 and ordered a radio presenter, two studio guests, and a female security guard out of the building.

They poured petrol in and around the station and set it on fire.

– SAPA

Cape Town – The DA claims that the ANC members of the portfolio committee on communications recommended to President Jacob Zuma for appointment to the SABC board was on the basis of party political loyalties.

On Tuesday Parliament released the names of 12 people recommended to President Jacob Zuma for appointment to the SABC board.

The list includes the current interim chairperson of the board, Ellen Tshabalala, her deputy Noluthando Gosa and a past member of the broadcaster’s board, Vusumuzi Mavuso.

The others are Ronnie Lubisi, Thembinkosi Bonakele, Rachel Kalidass, Nomvuyo Mhlakaza, Bongani Khumalo, Mbulaheni Obert Maguvhe, Krish Naidoo, Aaron Tshidzumba and Hope Zinde.

In a statement, DA MP Marian Shinn said Parliament had had the opportunity to select a new board to steer the SABC into calm waters.

“Instead, ANC members of the portfolio committee on communications chose to select candidates on the basis of party political loyalties and not proficiency for the task at hand.”

The 12 board members proposed and accepted by the ANC were rejected by the DA and other political parties.

They felt the proposed board deviated from the draft agreed on by the committee task team last week, and said the ANC was not prepared to negotiate about the proposed board.

“The DA will oppose the ANC in Parliament’s list of SABC board candidates when it is tabled for a vote on Thursday.

“It is disappointing that the ANC in Parliament refused to select a capable and effective board to fix it,” Shinn said.

– SAPA

Potchefstroom – About 1 000 people in Tlokwe were given the title deeds to their homes on Tuesday, on the eve of crucial municipal by-elections, but any link was flatly denied.

The human settlements department denied that the handing-over ceremony had anything to do with electioneering.

“This is part of MEC Nono Maloyi’s ongoing project which started [in 2010] to deliver services,” spokesperson Ben Bole said.

He said with or without elections, service delivery efforts would continue.

Another 50 people were given houses during the event, which was held next to the Ipeleng Community Library voting station.

Children queued for the free food being handed out.

Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini recently came under fire for handing out food parcels ahead of by-elections in Tlokwe.

She was accused of using her ministerial position to garner votes for the ANC.

DA spokesperson Mmusi Maimane described what the ANC was doing as appalling.

“The ANC seems to think that people should only eat and get houses every five years. The mandate should be such that we provide for the poor every day,” he said.

Bole said the handover had been planned long before the IEC decided on a date for the elections.

The houses were completed last December, and Tuesday was just the issuing of the title deeds.

“The MEC is very consistent in saying going forward immediately after houses are completed we need to issue a title deed,” he said.

Bole said the government should be applauded for the manner in which it handed out houses quickly, unlike the apartheid government.

– SAPA