Pretoria – A Mamelodi father was convicted on Monday of killing his wife and two young daughters, despite claiming that his wife had been a witch-turned-snake who attacked them.

Judge George Webster rejected Evans Mpanyane’s plea that he strangled his pregnant wife Cornelia in self-defence.

He claimed she poisoned and strangled their daughters Joy, 6, and Priscilla, 7, then turned into a snake-like creature and tried to kill him.

“This evidence of a metamorphosis of his wife into a beast or snake is reminiscent of the fables, which used to be narrated to young children.

“The evidence against the accused is overwhelming,” Webster said.

The half-naked body of Cornelia Mpanyane, 30, was discovered by passers-by under a tree in the veld in Kameelfontein, north of Pretoria.

Police found her daughters’ bodies in their father’s car, which was parked nearby with him still in the driver’s seat.

Webster said photographs of the girls’ bodies, dressed in identical pink and white polka dot dresses, left a lasting impression.

At first glance, the girls appeared to be sleeping, but close-ups showed the marks around their necks where they had been strangled with a rope.

The rope, that was according to medical evidence probably also used to strangle their mother, was found in Mpanyane’s car.

‘Suicide notes’

The court accepted the evidence of a handwriting expert that the “suicide notes” stuck in the back of Mrs Mpanyane’s bra were written not by her, but by her husband.

In the notes, Mrs Mpanyane allegedly admitted that her husband was not the father of the children, and that she had practised witchcraft.

Webster also accepted the evidence of two passers-by, who testified that they saw Mpanyane’s car slowly passing by with the girls playing on the back seat.

When they returned, they found Mrs Mpanyane’s body lying in the veld under a tree.

Although defence counsel argued that the girls might have been poisoned with an unknown traditional African toxin, Webster said it was clear from the medical evidence that all three victims had been strangled with a ligature.

Mpanyane claimed his wife strangled the children because she did not want to share his benefit pay-out with them, but Webster said on his version she did not even know that he had lost his job at that point.

Mpanyane was also the one who had invited his wife and children to meet him that day.

Human form

Other bizarre features of his evidence included that the “beast” turned back into human form after being strangled, and that the children, who were supposedly already dead, were seen playing in the car.

“The accused was there when his wife and children lost their lives,” Webster found.

“The cause of death of the children had nothing to do with witchcraft.

“It is difficult for the court to believe that the accused would have stood idly by while his children were being strangled.

“The court is no expert on human conduct, but it has difficulty in understanding how a mother-to-be would strangle these two innocent young children in front of their father,” Webster said.

He postponed the trial to 27 January for a pre-sentencing report.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – Almost one in five young South Africans are undecided voters, according to a survey released on Monday.

Conducted by Pondering Panda, the study found that 18% of 2 212 people questioned said they had not yet made a decision on who to vote for in the 2014 election.

Fifty-six percent said they had made up their mind and 26% said they were not planning on voting.

The respondents were aged between 18 and 34, and were interviewed on their cellphones across South Africa.

Among the race groups, 21% of coloured people questioned said they were undecided. In comparison, 18% of blacks and 17% of whites gave the same answer.

Pondering Panda spokesperson Shirley Wakefield said the figures meant there was an important group of voters who had not yet been swayed by any political party.

“For the party that can inspire undecided voters and convince apathetic younger people to get out and vote, there could be big gains in 2014.”

– SAPA

Mbombela – Most senior Mpumalanga municipal officials do not comply with the minimum requirements to hold their positions, the DA said on Monday.

“Not one Mpumalanga municipality has both a municipal manager (MM) and chief financial officer (CFO) who complies with minimum competency guidelines as set down by National Treasury,” Democratic Alliance Member of the Provincial Legislature James Masango said.

“[This is] despite threats by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan that all non-compliant personnel would have been removed more than 10 months ago.”

Masango said the incompetence was revealed in a written response by co-operative governance MEC Simon Skhosana.

“Skhosana stated that only Mbombela’s MM complied with treasury’s minimum competency requirements for municipal managers, while only the CFOs of Chief Albert Luthuli and Lekwa complied as set down for those,” Masango said.

All the Mpumalanga municipalities, except Mbombela, had applied for an extension to get their compliance in order.

Masango said the incompetence within the municipalities had contributed to poor service delivery. He alleged corruption and a lack of accountability was common in most of the municipalities.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – National police commissioner Riah Phiyega expressed concern on Monday at the number of robberies in Gauteng, allegedly committed by people wearing police uniform or using cars with blue lights.

“Thus far, there are about 250 dockets which are being followed up,” Phiyega said in a statement.

“These robberies, the modus operandi in particular, is of huge concern for me and I have set up a multi-disciplinary team comprising members from detectives, visible [uniform] policing, and crime intelligence, as well as a retired detective.”

The team would be led by divisional commissioner of detectives Lieutenant General Vineshkumar Moonoo.

Phiyega said the trend resurfaced in the province over recent months with instances of business people being robbed on their way to or from the bank.

In other instances people were being followed and then robbed while travelling from the airport. Investigations established that some groups colluded with hotel staff, metered taxi drivers, and in certain cases, police.

“The role of police officers is found to be either direct physical involvement or the supply of items such as uniforms, blue lights or firearms,” she said.

“Over the past couple of weeks, detectives have been interacting with victims and further analysing the cases to get a better understanding of the modus operandi as well as the people possibly involved. Indications so far are that these crimes are opportunistic in nature.”

The police urged people, who were stopped by a private car fitted with blue lights, to slow down and continue driving to a well-lit area or to the nearest police station.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – Two policemen have been arrested for allegedly assaulting a man in custody, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) said on Monday.

They were taken into custody on Sunday after an IPID investigation, spokesperson Moses Dlamini said.

The alleged assault took place on 11 October at 19:40, after the man was arrested for being in possession of housebreaking tools and taken to the Sunnyside police station.

“It is alleged that the assault by the two policemen started soon after the victim’s arrival at the station for detention,” said Dlamini.

“The victim was apparently assaulted in the cells until he lost consciousness. Thereafter, the policemen allegedly poured water on the victim to resuscitate him.”

They apparently continued to assault the man until a senior policeman, who heard a person screaming went to see what was happening.

He found the policemen assaulting the man.

The officers allegedly ignored his orders to stop.

The man was admitted to Tshwane District Hospital for six days.

The two officers were expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court later on Monday.

– SAPA

Durban – Ethekwini metro Mayor James Nxumalo called for calm on Monday after two men were killed in a clash over illegal electricity connections.

They were shot dead on Saturday, apparently by security guards, as municipal officials were trying to disconnect and illegal electricity connection at the New Germany informal settlement in Reservoir Hills, Durban.

Seven people were injured.

The municipality said Nxumalo visited the settlement on Sunday and asked the residents to remain calm.

The informal settlement would be receiving electricity.

“It is important to note that illegal connections and the theft of electricity is unacceptable, dangerous and will not be tolerated,” the municipality said.

“People put their lives and others at risk and also affect residents in the area as power outages occur.”

Nine security guards, who accompanied the municipal officials were arrested, relieved of their weapons and charged with murder and attempted murder.

The officials had, according to the municipality, responded to a call from customers who suffered a power outage as a result of the illegal connections.

– SAPA

The SA Communist Party (SACP) on Monday expressed shock at the killing of NUM members in Rustenburg, North West.

“NUM leaders, members and workers supporting the union are being systematically targeted, brutalised and killed, sometimes for wearing red T-shirts,” spokesperson Alex Mashilo said in a statement.

He said the murders were part of attempts to “liquidate” the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).

A man was shot eight times and killed at the Marikana hill, near Lonmin’s platinum mine, on Thursday.

North West police spokesperson Thulani Ngubane said he was shot once while driving.

When he got out of his car another seven bullets were fired at him.

He died on the scene.

There have been several murders of union officials in the area recently, apparently linked to rivalry between the NUM and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu).

NUM spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka said the victim was the union’s branch chairperson at Lonmin’s Western Platinum mine near Rustenburg.

The SACP condemned the killing and sent its condolences to the man’s family.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – A man accused of raping and killing 17-year-old Anene Booysen was aware of his rights when he pointed out the crime scene, the Swellendam Circuit Court heard on Monday.

SABC news reported that the court was hearing closing arguments in a trial-within-a-trial to determine the admissibility of evidence, after the defence argued that Johannes Kana was not made aware of his rights at the time.

Kana is on trial for allegedly raping and disembowelling Booysen in Bredasdorp, Western Cape, in February.

Booysen died in Tygerberg Hospital on the afternoon of Saturday, 2 February.

He has admitted leaving a Bredasdorp pub with Booysen, hitting and raping her, but denied killing her.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – Mpumalanga municipalities were warned on Monday of possible flooding as rainfall continued in the province.

“[We] have instructed all municipalities to activate their local joint operations committees, be on full alert and on standby,” the co-operative government department said.

“The rains can result in an increase of dam and river levels, thus making small streams and rivers very dangerous.”

People in low-lying areas were advised to move away from river banks and to avoid crossing full rivers and flooded bridges.

The department and the water affairs department were monitoring river flows and dam levels, which were currently stable.

“All road users are urged to be extremely cautious… as they [roads] will be wet and rocks might have fallen in some areas,” the department said.

“Motorists are also urged not to drive through flowing water. All disaster role players and stakeholders are on high alert and standby.”

– SAPA

Johannesburg – A man was jailed for 12 years by the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court for raping a 10-year-old girl, KwaZulu-Natal police said on Monday.

The 25-year-old man was sentenced on Thursday, said police spokesperson Thulani Zwane.

He raped the girl in September 2006 while she was home alone in the Imbali area.

KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner Mmamonnye Ngobeni said the sentence would send a strong message to criminals that the police would not tolerate criminal activity.

– SAPA