Cape Town – Egyptian authorities released South African cameraman and photojournalist Adil Bradlow, the government confirmed on Sunday.

“It has happened.

“He’s on his way to [Cairo] airport as we speak,” department of international relations and co-operation spokesperson Clayson Monyela told Sapa.

Bradlow would fly out of Egypt to the United Kingdom.

“He’s on his way to the UK; he entered Egypt on a British passport and he’ll then find his way back [to South Africa],” Monyela said.

He declined to give any further details around the release.

Bradlow was covering events in Cairo for Al Jazeera when he was detained, along with three colleagues, on Thursday last week.

SAPA

Pretoria – Magistrates around the country are under fire for breaking the law – with four having been kicked out this year alone – as the credibility of courts suffers.

The Sunday Times reported that some magistrates have been suspended and, in some instances, removed from office for offences including sexual harassment, drunken driving, assault, gambling, fraud, theft and even murder.

According to the report, the seriousness of some of the cases has raised doubts about the magistrates’ ability to mete out justice. Statistics provided by the Magistrates’ Commission last week show that 258 complaints were made against magistrates last year, whereas 222 complaints have been received this year so far. These have resulted in 28 formal investigations.

Four magistrates have been removed from office this year, and one has been suspended. One magistrate was suspended last year. Some magistrates have also been accused of serious misconduct and in some cases they were found guilty.

Reports to parliament reveal numerous delays in finalising investigations against magistrates. In 2011, parliament’s justice portfolio committee complained of delays in the case of Mxolisi Matereke, a magistrate convicted of murder and assault. It took the commission more than three years after his first court appearance to charge him with misconduct.  

For more http://www.news24.com

By Lesedi Setlhodi

Bloemfontein – It becomes greater, finer and draws thousands of crowds annually. This year the Mangaung African Cultural Festival (Macufe) celebrates 16 years of existence from the 4th – 13th October. This annual festival caters for performances of music, theatre, dance, live art and so much more.  

The festival has become one of the biggest events in the arts carnival and on countless South African’s calendars.

The city that is regarded as the heart of South Africa, last year alone attracted 160 000 festivity lovers from all over the country. This year’s lineup with no doubt will raise the bar again as international artists R&B Veteran Anthony Hamilton and R&B and pop singer Keri Hilson from the United States of America (USA) will be serenading their fans.

Macufe roisterers will also get to see live performances from their very own South African icons, Zonke, Lira, Thandiswa Mazwai, Judith Sephuma, Hugh Masikela, Peter Thwala and Jimmy Dludlu. The list does not leave out other entertainers, Khaya, Thoko, Maleh, Sipho Mabuse and Dj What What. 

Astounding shows that have made a permanent feature during the Macufe include the indoor jazz, macufe comedy, macufe gospel concert, Divas concert and of course the Main Music festival which takes place on Saturday. To wrap it all up on Sunday all routes lead to the Free State Stadium also known as Vodacom Park to witness the annual clash feature between Kaizer Chiefs (Glamour boys) and the club that has the most patriotic fans in the country, Bloemfontein Celtic (Siwelele). 

Over 16 000 fans filled up the stadia last year and this year the organisers are expecting the numbers of supporters to escalate. 

The MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation in the Free State, Dan Kgothule pointed out that his department is always in support of this festival and that it strongly promotes arts and culture in South Africa. 

“The vision of the Department of Arts and Culture is to develop and preserve South African culture to ensure social cohesion and nation building, develop and promote arts and culture” said Kgothule.-TDN

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JOHANNESBURG-Anti-apartheid leader and former South African President Nelson Mandela was discharged from hospital and returned home on Sunday after being treated for a recurring lung infection, the government said in a statement.

“Madiba’s condition remains critical and is at times unstable,” the presidency said, referring to the 95-year-old by his clan name.

“His team of doctors are convinced that he will receive the same level of intensive care at his Houghton home that he received in Pretoria,” the statement said.-Reuters

Pretoria – The man who bought the Sandton mansion that belonged to former ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema has forfeited his R1m deposit after failing to come up with the balance of R5.9m that he had promised at the auction four months ago.

According to the Sunday Independent, Gauteng businessman Norman Tloubatla has been forced to cancel the bid for the half-built house.

Sars spokesperson Adrian Lackay on Saturday confirmed that the bid for the property was cancelled and that the house will go on sale again later this year.

Malema’s lawyer Tumi Mokwena said that he had not been informed of the problem. The R5.9m sale would have resulted in a massive reduction of the R16m tax bill that Malema owes Sars.

In May, Tloubatla outbid several fellow bidders at the auction and successfully put in a R5.9m bid for the property, which Malema purchased for R3.6m three years earlier. The property has an estimated value of R7.1m.

For more http://www.news24.com

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

By Obakeng Maje

Kimberley-A bakkie travelling on the Modderiver/Jacobsdal road in Kimberley overturned last night at around 9pm leaving one man dead and another five seriously injured.

Kimberley paramedics arrived at the scene to find that the bakkie had overturned for some unknown reason. 

“They assessed the six men suspected to have been travelling in the bakkie and found that one of them had already succumbed to his injuries and was declared dead” Er24 spokesperson Vanessa Jackson said. 

Jackson said nothing more could be done to save the man’s life as his injuries were too severe.

The five other occupants of the vehicle had suffered serious injuries and paramedics initiated their treatment. 

“Fortunately the men, ranging in age between their 20′s and 40′s, remained in a stable condition en route to the local provincial hospital by ambulance” she said.

The cause of the fatal accident will remain under investigation by local authorities.-TDN

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Pretoria – South African soldiers have been at the forefront of attacks on rebels in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and were instrumental, along with a UN force, in repelling the M23 rebels as they rained rockets on the town of Goma.

The Sunday Times reported that a visit to the front line at Kibumba on Saturday, made it possible to piece together the events of last week. South African National Defence Force commander Colonel Patrick Dube also confirmed that his troops played a leading role in repelling the rebels.  

Congolese troops said support from South African troops had been invaluable. “We fought with the South Africans yesterday and today,” said one soldier near the frontline on Thursday.

Local commanders said the number of South African soldiers wounded had risen to five, but SANDF spokesperson Brigadier General Xolani Mabanga said yesterday the official figure remained at three.

After a lull of almost a month, fresh fighting broke out recently when the rebels attacked Congolese army positions outside Goma. The battle erupted in earnest on Wednesday when the rebels launched another bid to take Goma. Throughout Wednesday, Russian Hind attack helicopters, supported by South African Oryx helicopters, flew sorties over the enemy positions.

The air attacks were supported by Tanzanian artillery and South African mortar and reconnaissance teams. South African snipers reportedly killed six rebel commanders. Later in the day, a South African C130 Hercules transport aircraft landed at Goma, bringing in more ammunition.

The region is reportedly on a knife-edge, which is threatening to escalate into an all-out war.  

Source: http://www.news24.com

Polokwane – A Limpopo man has been arrested in Burgersfort, Polokwane for allegedly raping his step-daughter repeatedly for six years, police said on Saturday.

“The suspect allegedly sexually abused the woman several times starting when she was 17 years-old,” Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said.

“The woman [now 23] has two children and is allegedly expecting a third child from him.”

The 46-year-old man was arrested on Friday after the woman reported him to the police.

“He allegedly threatened to kill his stepdaughter and her children if she reported the matter to the police,” Mulaudzi said.

The man would appear in the Lydenburg Regional Court on Monday on charges of rape and abuse.

SAPA