Johannesburg – A man was arrested in connection with the murder of a nine-year-old girl in Knysna, Western Cape police said on Sunday.

Spokesperson Bernadine Steyn said the man, 32, was arrested shortly after the little girl’s body was found on Saturday night.

“The deceased… was playing with her friends… [on Saturday] morning when the suspect approached them on foot.

“He offered to walk with [her] through the bushes to a nearby shop to buy chips, but he was seen coming back from the shop alone,” said Steyn.

The girl’s family reported her missing in the afternoon.

Police and community members began searching for her and her body was found on Saturday evening.

“She had an open wound in her neck,” said Steyn.

Police were investigating whether she had also been raped.

The man was arrested and charged with murder. 

He will appear in court soon.

SAPA

Pretoria – Communication among the different alliance partners was of paramount importance to ensure an effective working relationship between its different parts, SA Communist Party general secretary Jeremy Cronin said on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters following the conclusion of the alliance summit in Centurion, Cronin said there was a communication gap between the alliance partners which needed to be closed.

“As we go to the elections, [we need] to communicate among ourselves and [with] South Africans,” he said.

“We need to deepen the relationship and effectiveness of the alliance…working together.”

ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe said an alliance task team would be set up, comprising members of each organisation, which would create a capacity of the alliance secretariat to follow up on alliance resolutions.

Cronin said the task team was not set up with the coming elections in mind as it was not “some short term sprint” but rather a body which would take the long view on alliance policy and resolutions.

He said there were no topics within the alliance that could not be discussed.

“We must not fall into some kind of narrow, mechanical conformity. That should not be confused with chronic oppositions.”

Mantashe said the major emphasis of the summit was on economic issues, with the National Development Plan (NDP) discussed among other topics.

“Its about taking a leap forward on what we have been doing over the last 20 years,” said Mantashe.

He said the summit was not a symbolic gesture, given the alliance partners met all the time and discussed serious matters.

SAPA

Johannesburg – Four drivers were arrested for speeding with two clocking over 200km/h on the N12 eastbound near Voortrekker turnoff on Sunday, Ekurhuleni Metro police (EMPD) said.

The road has a speed limit of 120km/h.

A 32-year-old man driving a BMW M3 was caught doing 208km/h, EMPD spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wilfred Kgasago said in a statement.

The driver claimed there was a robbery in progress at his business in Primrose.

He was escorted and it turned out he was lying, said Kgasago.

“He was immediately arrested and charged with reckless and negligent driving.”

A 24-year-old motorcyclist was caught doing 204km/h on the same road.

He claimed he was late for work.

Two other drivers were also arrested for driving at speeds of 164km/h and 169km/h.

They were all expected to appear in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court soon.

On Saturday, eight speedsters were arrested in Brakpan and Benoni.

The highest was travelling in 158km/h on the R23 near Mans road in Brakpan.

He said he was late for work.

Five were caught travelling at speeds between 142km/h and 153 km/h on the same road.

Two others were arrested in Benoni for allegedly driving at over 107km/h on Main Reef and Garysteel which are 70km/h zone, said Kgasago.

SAPA

Johannesburg – KwaZulu-Natal Transport Minister Willies Mchunu instigated an investigation on Sunday following a deadly bus crash in Melmoth that left at least 10 people dead.

The bus was carrying people returning from the Reed Dance ceremony which took place at the Nyokeni Royal Palace in Nongoma.

Earlier reports said that eight people had died and 62 others had been injured, but the African National Congress Women’s League said meanwhile it was saddened by reports of the untimely death of nine young women.

Mchunu said in a statement: “I have instructed the [law enforcers] investigation to assess the cause of the accident; the state of the driver and the roadworthiness of the bus.

“We are all shocked at the spate of accidents especially in the last three months, which show a dramatic increase in road fatalities. 

“The other worrying trend is that many of these accidents involve the loss of young lives.

“In this instance, these children had gone to participate in a cultural ceremony that promotes the wellbeing and dignified growth of young girls through to adult life,” he said.

Ceremony

Netcare911 paramedics reported that eight people [two women and six men] had died and 62 others were injured when the bus overturned, slid down the road and smashed into [steel] barriers.

“Paramedics… arrived at the scene and found that the barriers had pierced through the front of the bus,” said Netcare911 spokesperson Chris Botha.

Mchunu extended his condolences to the families of those killed.

“On behalf of the provincial government, I would like to send my deepest condolences to families and friends of the young girls who have lost their lives.

Earlier, Zululand mayor Zanele KaMagwaza Msibi said she was shocked and saddened by the incident.

“When parents released their children to participate in the ceremony, little did they know that they were saying their last goodbyes to their children who perished during the accident,” said KaMagwaza Msibi.

SAPA

Johannesburg – Former president Nelson Mandela is back at his Johannesburg home after almost three months in hospital, but his condition remains critical and difficult days lie ahead.

While life for Mandela will be more comfortable at his home, he is not out of danger.

The presidency, announcing his discharge from hospital, said he remains in a “critical” and “at times unstable” condition.

At home the former president will receive essentially the same intensive medical care as he did in hospital.

He will be treated by “a large medical team from the military, academia, private sector and other public health spheres,” the government said.

His home has been reconfigured for the treatment.

“We can now provide the same level of care in homes,” said Paris-based pulmonary specialist Bertrand Dautzenberg, citing advances in devices like respirators.

Palliative care

Often the decision to send a patient home is made because of a clinical improvement. But the aim can also be to make a still-struggling patient more comfortable.

“When a condition lasts a long time, sometimes physicians decide to send a patient home, even if he has not been stabilised, with the aim of encouraging healing, to provide palliative care, to make them more comfortable,” Dautzenberg said.

Mandela has at times seemed to be in a dire condition since being admitted on 8 June.

He was rushed to hospital in the middle of the night with what the government described as a lung infection, but which may well have been pneumonia.

In late June visitors reported he was on life support, unable to breathe for himself and had not opened his eyes for days.

Court documents filed by his family’s lawyers went as far as to say that he was in a vegetative state and that doctors recommended his life support machine be turned off.

A close friend said that suggestion had been rejected by doctors, unless there was massive organ failure.

They were vindicated. The once spry boxer appeared to have at least one more fight left in him.

Condition not worsening

By early August, the government was reporting that Mandela was responding to treatment and his condition was steadily improving.

Since then he has at times been unstable, but medical interventions have stopped any further worsening of his condition.

The lung infection appeared to have been contained, although doctors were still draining fluid from the lungs.

This procedure may well have been linked to a plural effusion – a build up of infected fluid around the lungs.

A large build-up, while sustaining infection, also makes it difficult to breathe.

Mandela now has a long history of pulmonary illness to overcome, and his advanced years will make that recovery even more difficult.

In 1988, while serving his 27-year prison term, Mandela was diagnosed with early stage tuberculosis.

Two litres of fluid were drained from his chest and he spent six weeks recuperating in hospital.

Four months later he had recovered and for more than a decade there was little sign of trouble, but in January 2011 a string of infections began.

Since then he has been hospitalised five times, treated for acute respiratory infections, gallstones, pneumonia, and once to receive a thorough check up.

May be admitted to hospital again 

Even amid the joy of his latest release, a sixth hospitalisation cannot be ruled out.

“If there are health conditions that warrant another admission to hospital in future, this will be done,” the presidency said.

Doctors may simply have decided that come what may, Mandela would be happier at home and may stand a better chance of recovery.

“The fact of being in a somewhat normal environment is always positive for the patient,” said Dautzenberg.

AFP

By Obakeng Maje

Mahikeng-North West police are investigating a case of culpable homicide after a man was allegedly knocked down by a car on Saturday.

“It is alleged that a group of youngsters were allegedly walking along University road in the early hours of the morning” sergeant Kelebogile Moiloa said.

Moiloa said a 32 year-old driver allegedly tried to control his car to avoid crashing into the group! But failed.

“He plagued on a 19 year-old man and he was certified dead on the scene” she said.

Police are investigations continue.-TDN

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Mahikeng – Three people were set alight during a business robbery in Mahikeng on Sunday, North West police said.

A shop owner, his sister, and his sister in law were burned in the shop Carrot King after they were robbed of money and cellphones, said Sergeant Kelebogile Moiloa.

Apparently, three men entered the Chinese-owned shop and demanded money from the owner.

Despite receiving the money, they poured petrol on the three people and set them alight.

They were taken to Bophelong hospital where they were fighting for their lives, said Moiloa.

Police were searching for the men.

SAPA

Johannesburg – Roger De Sa’s quest for 10 points will have to wait a bit longer as his Orlando Pirates side went down 2-1 to Zamalek in their CAF Champions league group A match in El Gouna in Egypt on Sunday.

Pirates created enough chances to get something out of the game, but problems in defence plunged The Buccaneers into disarray at key moments in the clash.

While the loss will come as a blow to Pirates who have shown red-hot form in the competition, they still maintain their first position in Group A with seven points from four matches. Al Ahly have joined Pirates on the same number of points, but the South African team boast a positive five goal difference, six better than their Egyptian counterparts.

The Buccanneers started badly and gave away a penalty early in the game. Lucky Lekgwathi brought down a Zamalek player in the box, and Ahmed Eid converted from the spot to give his side a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute.

In the 33rd minute, Lennox Bacela made a surging run down the left and from the edge of the area unleashed a powerful shot which left Zamalek keeper Abdel Sayed routed to the spot as Pirates made it 1-1.

As was the fierce nature of the encounter, Tlou Segolela received a yellow card just after the half hour mark for a late tackle on Abdel-Shafy.

The next caution for Pirates came in the 49th minute as Thabo Matlaba was cautioned for a reckless tackle on Omar Gabe.

After the break, Zamalek regained their lead. Salah Soliman scored as he was allowed space inside the Pirates box as the ball was whipped in from a corner, and his header was deposited into the open goal to make it 2-1 in the 51st minute.

On the hour mark Pirates were close to going further behind. Ahmed Gaffar eased his way into the area, leaving a number of Bucs players in his wake, but the shot was just wide as the Soweto side were let off the hook.

The third yellow card for Pirates came in the 65th minute as Andile Jali was cautioned by the referee.

Sifiso Myeni tried in vain to inject some life into the Pirates attack. The former Wits player delivered a strong cross into the area in the 69th minute, but the Zamalek defence ensured the ball was cleared before it found a Pirates player.

Ultimately, Pirates could not find a second and will be looking over the shoulder in the remaining games.

SAPA

Cape Town – The e-tolling bill has been sitting on President Jacob Zuma’s desk for over three months now and signing it has been delayed yet again.

EWN reported on Sunday that Zuma was advised by his attorneys not to sign the transport laws and related matters amendment bill because of procedural flaws. 

The bill was passed by the National Council of Provinces in May and provides for the electronic and cross-border collection of toll fees.

Democratic Alliance (DA) caucus leader Jack Bloom said it’s not too late for the government to reconsider electronic tolling.

“The whole idea is unworkable, it’s a military complex,” the broadcaster quoted him as saying.

Elections headache

However, the delay over signing the bill into law is speculated to be related to the upcoming elections.

“To e-toll or not to e-toll? That is the question?” political analyst Shadrack Gutto was quoted as saying, according to eNCA.

“He is trying to weigh whether signing this and implementing this will impact negatively on the elections next year”.

Tolling was supposed to begin in April 2011, but at least three proposed start dates have failed to materialise.

Tariffs have also been cut thrice since legal battles about the issue started.

E-tolling has been widely criticised by various quarters in society, including ANC alliance partner Cosatu and religious organisations.

 – Fin24

Johannesburg – The ANC’s elections machine will target the black vote and hopes to canvass 9 million unregistered voters, City Press reports. 

ANC canvassers will campaign to get black voters to the ballot box in next year’s general elections instead of wasting their time trying to convince white voters to vote for the liberation movement.

The governing party’s elections machine has gradually edged into gear over the past two months.

The ANC and its alliance partners – labour federation Cosatu and the SA Communist Party – have spent this weekend thrashing out economic policy stances ahead of the ANC’s election manifesto launch, which is expected early next year.

Next month, canvassers will begin door-to-door visits to speak to voters.

The paper quoted an ANC NEC member as saying the party’s own polls showed that registration and voter turnout in the so-called white wards were high – but these wards were dominated by the DA.

In the ANC’s stronghold in traditionally black wards, very few people were registered and only a fraction of these people turned out to vote, said the NEC source.

“It is almost impossible to convince white people [who haven’t been voting for the party] to vote for the ANC, so we will probably not waste time canvassing them,” he said.

In Western Cape, the ANC is targeting blacks.

Documents leaked to City Press ahead of this weekend’s alliance summit, show a commitment by the party to firm up agrarian and land reform policies, and to bolster the economy to create jobs.

There will also be a push to give title deeds to people in government-built township houses, because many still do not have them.

The various pieces of land reform and development legislation are expected to be passed before the end of the year to make implementation easier after the elections.

But ANC insiders have said the term after next year – which culminates in the 2019 elections – was the one the party saw as make or break.

City Press