Potchefstroom – Tensions were simmering on Wednesday in Tlokwe’s wards 26 and 18, where the ANC was facing off with two of its former councillors in by-elections.

“The tension is understandable,” African National Congress spokesperson Jackson Mthembu said outside a voting station at St Augustine’s Anglican Church in ward 26.

“We’re going for the same constituency. We going for the same people who voted for them in 2011 when they were ANC members,” he said.

A police Nyala and a police van were parked outside the voting station.

The ward is being contested by ANC candidate Oupa Mogoshane and independent candidate Butiki “Stone” Mahlabe, who was an ANC councillor in the area for 12 years.

Expulsions overturned

Mahlabe was one of 14 councillors expelled by the ANC in July after its provincial disciplinary committee found them guilty on four counts of misconduct for participating in a motion of no confidence in Tlokwe mayor Maphetle Maphetle.

Maphetle was replaced by Democratic Alliance councillor Annette Combrink.

The ANC’s national disciplinary committee later overturned the expulsions.

Despite this, eight of the councillors registered as independent candidates for the by-elections.

Mthembu said the ANC was not threatened by Mahlabe and was confident residents would vote for the party.

“The people of Tlokwe know in their hearts what the ANC has done for them. We come with a track record of having improved their lives.”

He said the independent candidates wanted to “grab this electorate” for themselves, but they would not succeed.

Jesus on the donkey

Mthembu made reference to the story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. The roads were beautifully decorated, but when the donkey returned alone the roads were not decorated and it was beaten.

“We hope the same will happen here,” he said.

Residents supporting Mahlabe walked around in red T-shirts with his photo printed on them.

Resident Philemon Alwin said the community had decided to group itself and elect Mahlabe as its leader to take its grievances to the Tlokwe council.

“We are taking him back because when he was councillor he would give us feedback and we were happy with the work he was doing,” Alwin said, speaking in Setswana.

“We were not happy when he was kicked out [of the ANC] because it was not what we wanted.”

‘ANC only does things when it is elections’

He said he would go back to the ANC only once it had sorted out issues affecting the party.

“The ANC only does things for people when it is elections,” said Alwin.

Ward 26 is the biggest area being contested, with 5 677 registered voters.

By-elections were meant to be held in nine Tlokwe wards, but the Electoral Court in Bloemfontein ordered on Tuesday night that five of the by-elections 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.

– SAPA

Cape Town – A Namibian man, who killed two police constables in Cape Town, has shown no remorse and must be sentenced to life in prison, the Western Cape High Court heard on Wednesday.

Samantha Raphaels, for the State, said Fabianus Fillipus had not shown the court any reason to deviate from the minimum sentence of life prescribed for killing a police officer on or off duty.

“What makes this case unusual is that nothing was taken from the officers, no firearms or nothing,” she told the court in argument in aggravation of sentence.

“It is clear that the accused was purely there to shoot and kill. There was a direct intention to kill those officers.”

She asked the court to impose two life sentences for the murders, and five-year sentences for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Fillipus, 29, was convicted last week of murdering constables Pindiwe Nikani, 26, and Mandisi Nduku, 27.

The constables were shot dead while on duty at Imizamo Yethu, in Hout Bay, last October.

Nikani died on the scene and Nduku, who was seriously wounded, died later in hospital.

Raphaels said both officers were killed “execution style”, and submitted that this was an aggravating factor.

“From July [2013] ’til today, seven police officers have been killed in the Western Cape alone… it has become almost an epidemic where criminals seek to take out those who are meant to protect the community,” she said.

Accused was ‘emotionless’

Relatives of the policemen and off-duty police officers packed the courtroom.

Fillipus, sporting an ivory cross with a striped jersey and jeans, was emotionless and stared straight ahead of him.

Nikani’s husband Simon Mkwani testified in aggravation of sentence.

He told the court his mother was looking after their 2-year-old daughter, even though she was in poor health.

He thanked the police for securing a conviction, but said this would not bring back his old life.

“I’m left alone with no woman because of one man who took her life and her colleague’s life as well,” he said.

Fillipus’s lawyer Rael Kassel said the killings were not premeditated.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – Residents of Bekkersdal, in the Westonaria municipality, have taken to the streets in demand of better service delivery, police said on Wednesday.

Eighteen people were arrested on Tuesday when some residents forced others to join in the protest, police spokesperson Evelyn Matabane said.

Eleven were arrested for public violence and seven for looting shops belonging to foreigners.

Protesters blockaded major roads within the township with rocks and burning tyres.

They called for the resignation of some councillors and employees of the municipality.

“People are still protesting today [Wednesday]; they want officials from the municipality to come address them and hand over their memorandum of grievances,” said Matabane.

Police would remain on high alert until the situation calmed down.

Those arrested were expected to appear in court soon.

– SAPA

Potchefstroom – The DA is confident it will win the Ward Six by-election in Tlokwe on Wednesday.

“Under the previous councillor, which was an ANC member, very little was done, little public meetings and public participation,” Democratic Alliance candidate for the ward Johann Coetzee said outside a voting station at the North West health department.

“We believe the people of this ward deserve better and we can give them that.”

Coetzee said the previous councillor, Lorraine Phakedi, had failed the community when it came to basic services such as road markings and addressing the people’s needs.

14 councillors expelled

The only time she had stood up and done something, by trying to fight corruption, she was fired, he said.

Phakedi was one of 14 councillors expelled by the ANC in July after its provincial disciplinary committee found them guilty on four counts of misconduct for participating in a motion of no confidence against the then Tlokwe mayor Maphetle Maphetle.

Maphetle was replaced by DA councillor Annette Combrink.

The ANC’s national disciplinary committee later overturned the expulsions.

Despite this, eight of the councillors have registered as independent candidates for the by-elections.

No independent candidate is contesting Ward Six.

The ward is being contested by Coetzee for the DA, Japhta Monaisa for the ANC and Lesego Malepe for the Azanian People’s Organisation.

Some by-elections postponed

Coetzee said the DA had worked hard campaigning and doing door-to-door visits in the area ahead of the elections.

“People on the ground want a government that can speak to them and we believe we are in the best position to do that.”

By-elections were to have been held in nine Tlokwe wards on Wednesday, however the Electoral Court in Bloemfontein ordered on Tuesday evening that five of them be postponed.

This followed 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.

SAPA

Cape Town – The number of strikes last year in South Africa hit a five-year high, the labour department said on Wednesday.

A total of 99 strikes were recorded in 2012, close to half of them unprotected or illegal strikes, and many of them characterised by violence, labour director general Nkosinathi Nhleko told journalists in Cape Town.

Tabling the latest Industrial Action Report, which covers the 2012 calendar year, he said strikes over the period involved 241 391 workers, cost the economy 3.3 million working days, and resulted in workers losing R6.6bn in wages.

The trend was continuing into this year.

“From what we can all see, there is a continuation of the trend we experienced in 2012,” Nhleko said.

However, no figures were yet available for the current calendar year.

Asked why so many strikes involved violence, he suggested this had to do with leadership.

“The issue of how parties in the dispute have got to conduct themselves… hinges largely around the issue of exercise of leadership.

“And when we cite leadership as a factor… it is also informed by the mere fact that when these things begin to happen, it is something that wants to suggest that at a level of exercise of leadership, there is something that has not been handled properly and… accordingly.”

This, Nhleko said, was a “worrying point”.

He said “social partners” needed to tackle the issue of how to prevent violence during strikes.

According to the report, 99 “strike incidents” were recorded in 2012, compared to 67 in 2011; 74 in 2010; 51 in 2009; and, 57 in 2008.

“South Africa experienced violent, bloody and deadly industrial actions in the mining, transport and agricultural industries…. Out of 99 strikes processed within the department, 45 strikes were unprotected.”

The document finds most of the working days lost by industry were in the mining sector (82.4%).

“Wages, bonuses and other compensation issues still remain the main reasons for work stoppages in South Africa during 2012.”

Further, most workers involved in last year’s labour unrest were members of the National Union of Mineworkers.

Among the provinces, Gauteng – South Africa’s economic heartland – had the most work stoppages.

“Gauteng experienced 42 strikes in 2012, up from 33 in 2011, an increase of 27.3%.”

According to the report, workers still had confidence in the Labour Relations Act, the legislation governing bargaining processes and associated legislation, “[but] most of them believe that the cost of living is too high”.

Among its conclusions are that “government needs to take control of the situation and solidify practice and protocol with regard to wage negotiations before the nation’s mining sector becomes un-investable [sic] as a result of the strikes…”. 

Johannesburg – Lolly Jackson’s alleged killer George Louka has been granted 40 days to appeal against his extradition to South Africa, The Star reported on Wednesday.

Louka’s lawyer Loukis Loucaides would seek to invalidate Justice Minister Jeff Radebe’s application that compelled his client to be extradited, it reported.

According to the newspaper, the Supreme Court of Appeal in Cyprus ruled on Tuesday that Louka would be in mortal danger if he returned to South Africa. Loucaides reportedly argued that his client would be assassinated upon his return to the country.

The court believed South African authorities would not be able to protect Louka.

Loucaides reportedly said he would not hesitate to approach the European Court of Human Rights, should the extradition be ordered again.

Louka was implicated in the death of Jackson who was shot dead in May 2010. He fled to Cyprus soon after.

Louka had vowed to the Star that he would “never open his mouth” even if he were to be extradited. He had claimed “important people” would be brought down if he had to tell the full story of Jackson’s murder.

Only a witness

Eyewitness News reported on Wednesday that Louka claimed he was only a witness to Jackson’s murder, and had tried to report the crime, not confess to it.

He allegedly phoned former Gauteng crime intelligence head Joey Mabasa on the night that Jackson was shot dead, and then left the country.

Louka’s said his client believed the alleged murderer was in a corrupt relationship with a top policeman, and he feared for his life.

SAPA

Cape Town – The Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) will still be implemented this year, but the commencement date for e-tolling has yet to be determined, according to Transport Minister Dipuo Peters.

In written reply to a parliamentary question, she said the transport department was awaiting the promulgation of the Transport Laws and Related Matters Amendment Bill.

The bill was with President Jacob Zuma, who still had to sign it into law, she said.

On September 5, the presidency said Zuma was still considering the bill.

“Once he has made a decision, the president will inform Parliament and the public,” presidency spokesperson Mac Maharaj said in a statement at the time.

The e-tolls have been challenged by several political parties, the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu), and the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa).

In April this year, the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) said it would begin e-tolling on Gauteng’s roads within two months.

The previous April, the High Court in Pretoria granted Outa an interdict approving a full judicial review before electronic tolling could be put into effect.

The interdict prevented Sanral from levying or collecting e-tolls, pending the outcome of a review. Sanral and the National Treasury appealed the court order.

In September last year, the Constitutional Court set aside the interim order, and, in December, the High Court in Pretoria dismissed Outa’s application to scrap e-tolling.

The court granted Outa leave on January 25 this year to take the matter to the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein. The appeal is expected to be heard this month.

– SAPA

By Obakeng Maje

Taung-North West police are investigating a case of inquest after a man allegedly hanged himself at Taung Distrct Hospital.

The atrocity took place on Monday when Ntsime Dikwejane who was a patient at the local hospital, found hanged in the toilet.

Dikwejane was admitted at the hospital after he tried to burnt himself last week.

He allegedly tried to set a house on fire last week while he was inside and was rescued by neighbours.

Mogopela-born man was allegedly taken to hospital and was found dead in the Monday morning.-TDN

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Potchefstroom – Three wards in Tlokwe will be contested in Wednesday’s by-elections with the ANC confident of clinching victory.

At least 13 000 voters are expected to turn up for the elections. This despite the Electoral Court in Bloemfontein ordering 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.

Late on Tuesday, ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe told party volunteers they should not be discouraged by the postponement as it afforded them the opportunity to focus all their energy on the three wards, six, 18 and 26.

“Go to every family and encourage them to vote for the ANC,” he said.

In July, the ANC expelled 14 councillors after its provincial disciplinary committee found them guilty on four counts of misconduct for participating in a motion of no confidence against Tlokwe mayor Maphetle Maphetle.

Maphetle was replaced as mayor by Democratic Alliance councillor Annette Combrink.

However, the ANC’s national disciplinary committee overturned the expulsions.

Despite this, eight of the councillors registered as independent candidates for the by-elections.

Voting stations are expected to open 09:00.

SAPA

WHEN 13-year-old Mthokozisi led the people and cops to a human skeleton, it was not the first time he had made the strange discovery of a person’s corpse.

Mthokozisi Mkhonza, from Nancefield Hostel in Soweto, was only seven years old when he found a baby’s body in a rubbish bin not far from the hostel.

And on Sunday he came across a human skull, with the rest of the body still covered with soil.

Fikile Gumede, the boy’s mum, told Daily Sun on Sunday that her son and other boys went to hunt birds at a space across the road from the hostel.

“When he came back he looked a little bit strange, as if he was in a dream,” said his mum.

“I didn’t think much of it because that is the sort of thing that happens with children.

“I never thought he might have seen something scary.”

Fikile said Mthokozisi did not sleep well that night.

“He was jumpy and he told me he was having nightmares, but never said what the problem was.

“On Monday he went to school, but he was not concentrating.”

Fikile said the teacher asked him what was wrong.

That was when Mthokozisi disclosed his secret.

His mum said: “Then I could see that the child was traumatised and I went to the community leader and the cops and Mthokozisi took us to the skeleton.”

Fikile said she was reminded of that time six years ago when her child took them to the baby’s body.

She said the baby was dead, but the boy told them it was still breathing when he found it.

Cops said an inquest docket was opened and they are investigating.

Constable Sibusiso Chauke said: “We are calling on all families who are looking for missing relatives to come forward.”

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