Pretoria – There will still be space for press freedom even when the protection of state information bill becomes law, former press ombudsman and director of the Press Council Joe Thloloe said on Wednesday.

“Is the protection of state information bill a threat, or does it mean the end of media freedom as we know it now? The answer is, no. We have a Constitution that protects us,” he said in Pretoria while delivering the third annual Percy Qoboza memorial lecture.

“It is a Constitution agreed on by all South Africans in 1997. In this one round in Parliament we still have lots of fighting space until we get to the Constitutional Court.”

Public interest clause

He said media industry roleplayers, and many South Africans, merely wanted a public interest defence clause included in the bill.

“We are asking for one small item in the bill, that there should be a public interest defence built into the bill. We believe that the onus to prove the public interest will be on the person claiming that he did whatever he did because of the public interest.

“That decision, on whether it is in the public interest, should be taken by the courts, not by politicians, not by bureaucrats. That is all we are asking for and we find it difficult to understand why that wasn’t inserted when the bill was sent back to Parliament,” said Thloloe.

Earlier this month, lobby groups said Parliament’s plan to review the bill in two days made a mockery of its duty to correct the highly contentious draft law.

Unconstitutional

The Right2Know campaign said President Jacob Zuma had rightly referred the bill back to the National Assembly on advice that it was unconstitutional.

Opposition parties and activists said the wording of Zuma’s letter to Parliament, outlining what changes he wanted made, was too vague. They had urged him to say whether MPs had the authority to undertake a comprehensive redraft or merely focus on two sections.

The president failed to respond to a written request by the Democratic Alliance for clarity.

Critics’ hopes for a comprehensive overhaul dimmed last week when Parliament scheduled the ad hoc committee handling the review to meet on Wednesday, and to finalise its report on the bill on Thursday.

Critics say it still creates the spectre of excessive state secrecy reminiscent of the apartheid era.

The two clauses Zuma mentioned when he announced his decision contain technical errors that, if corrected this week, were unlikely to alter the bill’s content and allay those concerns.

The Qoboza memorial lecture is held in conjunction with the University of South Africa. Qoboza was a South African journalist, author, and outspoken critic of the apartheid government.

SAPA

Durban – One of the VIP bodyguards arrested for a last week’s N3 highway “blue light” shooting incident was a key player in the assassination of KwaZulu-Natal warlord Sifiso Nkabinde, it has emerged.

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Johannesburg – National police commissioner Riah Phiyega on Wednesday expressed sadness at the kidnapping and murder of two small girls in Diepsloot.

“I am very sad about what is happening in Diepsloot. We need a South Africa and an environment where our children can play in the street and not be afraid of people,” she said on the sidelines of the Consumer Goods Council of SA conference in Johannesburg.

“I am happy that a few suspects have been picked up and that the police are working around the clock to ensure that those who are responsible are found and brought to book.”

Phiyega said three people were taken in for questioning, but the number could increase. She appealed to Diepsloot residents to not take the law into their own hands and to let the police do their work.

She called on people to contact police with any information about the crime.

“Any information that would help the police identify those ill-doers we would appreciate,” said Phiyega.

The body of a five-year-old girl was found in the same area in September.

On Wednesday, Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant-Col Lungelo Dlamini said police were searching for a fourth person. He said although police suspected that the two girls, two-year-old Yonelisa, and three-year-old Zandile Mali were strangled, they would wait for the post mortem results to confirm how they died.

Dlamini said the area was calm following protests by residents on Tuesday. They blocked roads in the township.

The two little girls were reported missing at the weekend. A resident found their bodies in a toilet cubicle on Tuesday around 05:00. A team of detectives has been appointed to investigate the murders, said Dlamini.

SAPA

North West MEC for Social Development Collen Maine says the observance of the annual International Day for the Eradication of Poverty will tomorrow presents social cluster departments an opportunity to expose rural communities to a variety of poverty eradication initiatives.

Maine said his department together with other social cluster departments in the province, have made remarkable strides in changing the lives of the poor.

“Tomorrow when we commemorate this day we will also be showcasing our successes in the war against poverty,” Maine said, adding that many households have benefited from poverty eradication projects coordinated by his department.

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty has been observed every year since 1993, when the United Nations General Assembly took a resolution to designate the 17th October as day to promote awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution in all countries.

The commemoration of International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Maine said will culminate into the Provincial Socio-Economic Indaba scheduled for November this year.

Details of the commemoration are as follows:-

Date : 17 October 2013

Venue: Kanana, Extention 11 – Playing Ground

Time : 10h00

“Social cluster departments, SASSA, National Development Agency, North West Planning Commission, Executive Mayor of Matlosana and change agents will attend the commemoration of International Day for the Eradication of Poverty” MEC Maine said.-TDN

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By Obakeng Maje
Mahikeng-The Speaker of the North West
Provincial Legislature, Hon. Supra Mahumapelo will be appearing before
the Standing Committee on Provincial Public Accounts (SCOPA) to account for the Legislature’s financial statements and newspaper reports that alleged that Hon. Mahumapelo misused the Legislature’s credit card.

The meeting will be held at Committee Room 2 in the Legislature Building.

“This forms part of a series of meetings that SCOPA will be having with all departments and government entities in the North West Province to
account on their financial statements” departmental spokesperson said.

The meeting will also be attended by the management of the North West
Provincial Legislature and the Auditor General’s office.-TDN
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The 20-year-old missing woman who has been identified as a University of Johannesburg student ceased to be a student in July, the institution said yesterday.

Following media reports about her disappearance, the university released a statement saying she was no longer enrolled at the university at the time of her disappearance.

Nombuso Mlandu, 20, was reported missing by her parents when she failed to arrive home three weeks ago.

Mlandu’s mother Phindi said she had been missing for over three weeks.

University spokesperson Herman Esterhuizen said: “The University of Johannesburg can confirm that the 20 –year- old female, who has been reported missing, enrolled at the University in January 2013. She was no longer registered at the UJ from July onwards. Since she was not registered at the university at the time of the alleged disappearance and it occurred off the UJ campus, the matter was not brought to the attention of the university”.

“Upon receiving information linking her name to UJ, the university immediately verified its records and confirmed her status. The UJ engaged with her parent, who in turn informed the university that when they realised she wasn’t returning home, they opened a missing person docket with the police.”

Esterhuizen said the university was concerned about her disappearance and would offer her parents support.

Mlandu’s disappearance comes nearly two months after Palesa Madiba went missing. Madiba also, 20, was last seen on August 12 after she visited a friend in Soweto. She has not yet been found.
For more http://www.thenewage.co.za

Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter says the youngsters who got a chance in the Macufe Cup can only take courage from their performance.

Amakhosi were beaten 1-0 by Celtic but Baxter had only good things to say about players such as Philani Cele, Brilliant Khuzwayo and debutante, 21-year-old Ivan Bukenya.

“I thought it was a good game against Celtic. The teams tried to make it more than a friendly for the supporters and I think both teams succeeded in doing that,” he said.

With their national team stars returning from national team duty where they helped Bafana Bafana record an encouraging 1-1 draw Morocco, Baxter will have enough players to choose from when he prepares for their upcoming Telkom Knockout clash with Free State Stars on Sunday.

Chiefs also have something to ponder as their former playmaker, Mthokosizi Yende, is now back to full training at Stars and if given a chance to play, could make his Ea Lla Koto debut against his first PSL side.

Baxter said Amakhosi were only concerned with booking their place in the semifinals and not concerned with individual players who might have revenge on their minds.

“I think it is important for us to have a good plan that will get us the desired results on Sunday. Stars are a strong side and if we can add something to what we produced against Celtic we will stand a good chance of winning the match,” he said.
For more http://www.thenewage.co.za

Siphiwe Tshabalala will resume full training on Thursday as Kaizer Chiefs prepare for this weekend’s Telkom Knockout Cup clash against Free State Stars.

But while ‘Shabba’ has recovered from his abductor muscle injury and the Bafana Bafana quartet of Bernard Parker, Itumeleng Khune, Reneilwe Letsholonyane and Tsepo Masilela have returned, there is less good news on two strikers.

“The Bafana Bafana players are a bit tired, but are fine. They should be ready to play on Sunday,” Chiefs physio Dave Milner tells the club’s official website.

“Lehlohonolo Majoro is still battling with his foot injury (Infection) and we will continue to monitor his progress this week. Kaizer Motaung Jnr is also struggling with a knee injury and is under observation.”
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Ghana hammered Egypt 6-1 in the first-leg of their 2014 World Cup qualification play-off on Tuesday evening.

The hosts took the lead inside five minutes through captain Asamoah Gyan.

Wael Gomaa’s own goal doubled the lead, before Mohamed Aboutrika’s penalty four minutes before the interval gave the Pharaohs hope.

Yet that hope was extinguished almost immediately as Majeed Waris made it 3-1, while a second for Gyan, a Sulley Muntari penalty and a wonderful late Christian Atsu strike wrapped up the scoring in the second period.

The return leg takes place in Egypt on November 19.
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New Maritzburg United coach Clinton Larsen says his goal is to qualify for a Top 8 finish at the end of the season.

Larsen was officially appointed head coach for United after Ernst Middendorp resigned from the team to join Bloemfontein Celtic. Ironically, Larsen joined the People’s Choice after leaving Siwelele.

The former Manning Rangers midfielder says he is excited to be back in his home province and is looking forward to achieve success with his new team.

“I am really looking forward to the challenge. I am KZN person and Maritzburg (United) are a KZN team and I think I returned at the right time to put back into my home province,” says.

“I am looking forward to make Maritzburg a strong force like I did with Celtic in the last few seasons.

“I know they have not been in Top 8 position so I am up for the challenge and my ambition is to qualify the team in the Top 8 at the end of the season,” he adds.
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