Pretoria – The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is on the verge of a “new dawn”, newly-appointed national director of public prosecutions Mxolisi Nxasana said on Friday.

Addressing the National Press Club in Pretoria on his vision for the NPA, Nxasana conceded that public perception of the NPA was generally negative.

“In my view, what is at the heart of the problems of the NPA at present, is those few so-called high profile cases.

“Obviously, there is a perception that has been created that the NPA is somehow trying to protect some high-ranking people,” he said.

“I will be looking into those [cases] with the help of my deputies and try to improve the integrity and credibility of the NPA.

“Where harsh decisions have to be made, they will be made with a view to improve the image of the organisation.”

Nxasana said he was up to the task of leading the organisation and would need communities’ help to combat runaway crime levels.

“I would want to assure all members of society, especially those who have been victims of crime, that this is a new dawn for the NPA,” he said.

“I pledge my commitment to prosecute all cases, where there is sufficient and admissible evidence, without fear, favour or prejudice.”

Appeal against Mdluli

Nxasana said the NPA was going ahead with its appeal against high court Judge John Murphy’s ruling on controversial former police crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli.

“At [the] NPA we hold the view that if this judgment is left unchallenged, it will have serious legal and practical consequences for the NPA.

“We appeal to clarify the parameters of the courts’ inherent jurisdiction to review prosecutorial decisions and the discretionary powers of the NPA to institute and conduct criminal proceedings as contemplated in the NPA Act.”

Nxasana denied that the appeal was an attempt to protect Mdluli.

The NPA had lodged the appeal with a “clear conscience” to preserve its principle of taking decisions independently and impartially, he said.

“I plead with the public to have confidence and trust in our word that our intentions are pure. I will work tirelessly to change the negative perceptions about the integrity and credibility of the NPA,” Nxasana said.

“It is indeed unfortunate that the excellent work of many dedicated prosecutors is overshadowed by the few cases that have occupied the media space recently.”

Charges withdrawn

In September, Murphy overturned an NPA decision to withdraw fraud and corruption charges against Mdluli.

The former spy boss allegedly used state coffers to pay for his private BMW. He allegedly registered his relatives, girlfriends, and their families as covert intelligence operatives and paid them as such.

Murphy also criticised the decision by the director of public prosecutions for south Gauteng, Andrew Chauke, to withdraw murder charges against Mdluli.

The court censured Chauke’s decision to send the matter of Oupa Ramogibe’s death for an inquest, instead of a prosecution.

Ramogibe died in February 1999 after marrying Tshidi Buthelezi, the mother of Mdluli’s child.

The Ramogibe family has accused Mdluli of killing him.

However, Mdluli claimed there was a plot to implicate him in the crime and that the Ramogibe family was working with the police.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – The alleged mastermind of a deadly satanic ritual expected Satan to appear after calling on him in a chant, the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, sitting in Palm Ridge, heard on Friday.

“I expected something to happen,” said Linden Wagner, who wrote the poem that he and his accomplices chanted after he assaulted and set alight his friend Kirsty Theologo, 18, and throttled her 14-year-old friend.

“In American films, people who sold their souls died physically and then came back to life,” he said.

On Wednesday, Wagner testified that he had wanted to sell his soul so he could gain power.

“When you sell your soul, you gain something. You can gain money, power and fame,” he said.

The attack on Theologo and her friend occurred at a hill in Linmeyer, in Johannesburg south, in October 2011.

Theologo died of her injuries a week later, but her friend survived.

Wagner, Courtney Daniels, Harvey Isha, and Robin Harwood are currently on trial for the murder and attempted murder. All have pleaded not guilty.

Two other accused, Jeremy King and Lester Moody, confessed to the crime and were each sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment, five of them suspended.

– SAPA

By Obakeng Maje
Mahikeng- It is almost comical to watch Mahikeng Municipality’s Acting Executive Mayor, Cllr Pontsho Tabane, attempts to spin himself out of the Nando’s scandal, says DA Chris Hattingh.
According to DA, initially during the SCOPA public hearing on Tuesday, Mr Tabane had no explanation for the R132 585 of public money spent on buying food from Nandos over 35 days between March 15 and April 18 this year.
“The Mayor has now attempted to justify it by saying that Nando’s meals were bought for 2,700 children who volunteered to clean up the city. If this is true, we are perplexed as to why the municipality is using children to do the work that public officials are paid to do” said Hattingh.
DA said they challenge Mr Tabane to come up with auditable evidence of what really happened. The absence of audit documentation is one of the main reasons why the Mahikeng municipality received its 4th consecutive Disclaimer from the Auditor General.
“Mr Tabane has now accused me of stealing municipal documents containing evidence of the money spent at Nando’s. He has also threatened to lay a charge against me for “spying” said Hattingh.
DA said this is absurd because the irregular Nandos expenditure is contained in a public document that was tabled at a Mahikeng Council meeting.
“It was at that meeting that the Council was requested to condone this expenditure with long lists of other irregular, unauthorized, fruitless and wasteful expenditure”.
Mr Tabane has allegedly admitted that Mahikeng municipality was unable to provide a paper trail for auditing purposes, that the municipal bank account was hacked, that an undisclosed amount of money was stolen and that the council is investigating about R38million of wasteful expenditure.
The sad state of the municipality can only be corrected by an independent skills audit and a turn-around plan.
“We will continue to push for this so that we can ensure service delivery to all the people of Mahikeng” concludes DA Hattingh.-TDN
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Mmabatho- Collaborative and communicative planning is at the centre of sustainable development and good governance. North West Premier Modise said in her address during the Leadership Conference organised by the Provincial Planning Commission at the Mmabatho Convention Centre, in Mmabatho, Mahikeng on Thursday.
Convened under the theme “Achieving NDP objectives through collective responsibility to enhance growth and development in the North West Province” the conference brought together stakeholders from government, business, traditional authorities and civil society to assess, among others, the level of preparedness of government and other sectors to roll out the National Development Plan.
Premier Modise said collective effort was critical for the successful implementation of the NDP. “This conference must therefore restore our collective confidence to shape a future that works for our people – a future devoid of contest and competition over development issues.
“We are a generation that has a unique opportunity to build a better and prosperous future. Our forefathers gave us liberty and freedom. We must at the same time ensure that we fight corruption because it affects the ability of government to deliver services, it discourages investments and prevents growth and development,” warned Premier Modise.
“Our capacity to improve economic planning, physical planning and public service and policy implementation must be the hallmark of the next twenty years. We will achieve this through our collective effort to implement the NDP and advance the priorities of our Provincial Development Plan,” reiterated the Premier.
The rising unemployment rate is the contributor to poverty and inequality in the province, and if insufficient cognizance is given to the challenge, it is likely to impact adversely on the NPD’s vision of creating 11 million jobs in 20 years,”she cited.
Premier Modise emphasised that through the participation of everyone in the implementation of the plan, the North West province can be a better place come 2030.
Making Presentation on how provinces must respond to the NDP and vision 2030, Pascal Moloi from the National Planning Commission also agreed with the Premier that all South African must take part in the implementation of the NDP.
He emphasized that leaders in the province must make sure that all the citizens understand and own the plan.
Commissioner Moloi further outlined economic proposals contained in the country’s National Development Plan (NDP), which seeks to change the lives of the people in the country.
He stressed to delegates, that the NDP is the only plan that can deliver faster economic growth as well as inclusive growth by 2030.
Deputy Chairperson of the North West House of Traditional Leaders Kgosi Moshe Mabe who attended the one-day conference welcomed the initiative as a step in the right direction.
“We are pleased with the development here at this conference because we have always been convinced that collaborative efforts are critical in bringing about development, infrastructures, employment and sustainable livelihood for our people. The cooperation of civil society, business local, municipal, provincial and even national government will ensure that unnecessary barriers towards development, especially in rural areas where the majority of our people based, are removed,” said Kgosi Mabe.
In their statement of intent at the end of the conference, participants affirmed their support for the National Development Plan declared their collective support for the Provincial Development Plan (PDP).
“We agree to work collectively and conscientiously to ensure the implementation of the NDP provincial priority areas to improve the living standards of the residents of the province. We remain steadfast to focus our energy on the rural economy in all the significant dimensions of its potential to create substantial employment for our people,” said conference participants in their statement of intent.
North West Planning Commission Chairperson, Darkie Afrika said his office will ensure that organised businesses, labour, communities and the province at large support the goals and the objectives of the NDP.
Among those in attendance were North West Finance MEC Paul Sebegoe, MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs Manketse Tlhape and MEC for Economic Development, Conservation, Environment and Tourism Motlalepula Rosho.-TDN
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The launch of Early Childhood Development (ECD) massification campaign in Ngaka Modiri Molema is one amongst a series of campaigns that will unfold, throughout October Social Development month, in other districts of the province to tackle the challenges facing the early childhood centres, North West MEC for Social Development Collen Maine said yesterday.

Maine was addressing more than 200 Early Childhood Development Practitioners at the launch of ECD campaign held in Mmabatho.

The aim of the campaigns, Maine said is to promote the registration of early childhood development centres and partial care facilities in the province.

“Furthermore these campaigns serve as a platform for ECD practitioners to voice their concerns and collectively with our stakeholders devise meticulous plans to resolve the challenges encountered by practitioners on their day to day operations in their respective centres,” Maine said.

He said his department would improve the state of ECD centres in the province by introducing prototype models of centres in the next three financial years.

“While we take into account your daily frustrations ranging from stipends to infrastructure we, equally urge our practitioners to exercise patience and devise innovations to resolve some challenges they face.”

One of the ECD practitioners from Tswaing, Elizabeth Tlholatlung said the child subsidy of R15 per child is not enough to cater for the daily operation or smooth running of their facility given high costs of electricity, cleaning services and the provision of food to children.

“It is time ECD practitioners have a monthly salary like any other government employees and have adequate buildings to serve as centres for children,” Tlholatung said.

Meanwhile Home Affairs Moapei Mosadi urged practitioners and parents to work in partnership with her department to eradicate late registration of birth by registering newly born babies with 30 days of birth to avoid problems.

“The challenges facing us as a department responsible for administering child births is that parents leave hospital or clinic without registering their children citing that they had to go home first and decide about the names of the children before they can register them. They take time until they fall into the trap of late registration of birth,” Mosadi said, adding that parents should legalise their marriages so that their children should not have two surnames which would cause problems with Home Affairs when both parents have passed on.

Maine presented support material in the form of indoor and out-door playing equipment, computers, printers and fire extinguishers to ECD practitioners, citing their his department would take the campaigns of similar nature to Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, Bojanala and Dr Kenneth Kaunda districts during this month.

More than 800 Early Childhood Development Centres in province are registered with the Department of Social Development while 922 are unregistered though they still receive services from the department. –TDN
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By Obakeng Maje
Mmabatho- Police are investigating a case of murder after a body of a 43-year- old man was exhumed from a shallow grave in Letlhogoring village, near Mmabatho in the early hours of this morning.
The exhumation came after a community member reported to the police that he allegedly saw a hand protruding from the shallow grave. No visible injuries were found on the deceased’s body.
“It is alleged that the deceased was reported missing on Sunday in Taung Police Station. The victim’s car was found at Danville in Mahikeng, on Wednesday, and the suspect (35) who said was the owner was arrested for possession of suspected stolen property” sergeant Kealeboga Molale said.
The suspect appears at the Mmabatho Magistrates’ Court on Friday. Further investigations continue.-TDN
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Cape Town – Agang SA will ensure clean governance in the public and private sector if put in charge of the country, party leader Mamphela Ramphele said on Friday.

“We urgently need a competitive economy led by accountable leadership,” she told business leaders at the Accelerate Cape Town Thought Leaders’ breakfast.

“We will unveil detailed economic plans at the end of this month but let me give you some indicators.”

Corruption

For the public sector, penalties would be put in place for corruption and performance agreements signed to ensure accountability.

Public servants found guilty of corruption would receive a minimum jail term of 15 years, regardless of the amount of money involved. The same sentence would be imposed on a member of the public found to have bribed or corrupted a public servant.

“We will establish a register where if you have been found guilty of corruption as a public servant, that’s it. Tickets. One strike, you’re out forever,” she said.

“No [to] this thing of Madam red shoe ending up from being a corrupt minister of communications to [becoming] an MP. What is she going to do in Parliament?

She was referring to former communications minister Dina Pule, who was reprimanded and suspended by Parliament in August for the scandal that saw her boyfriend benefit from state funding.

Ramphele said ministers would have to work for their salaries. Salary increases would be linked to achievable goals, in terms of economic growth and job creation, to avoid fruitless expenditure.

The party also hoped to root out corruption in the private sector and the abuse of consumers through unfair business practices.

Competition

Ramphele said the Competition Commission was “weak” and needed to be given “teeth” to scare businesses into complying with fair practice.

Investigations took too long to complete. It allowed businesses to earn interest off money unfairly gained, with only a slap on the wrist waiting for them after a few years.

She said loopholes needed to be closed to prevent “easy” money being made off struggling consumers.

“When I think of what we pay in bank charges, IT charges, cellphone charges, it’s criminal. You and I know that but we are very tolerant of unbecoming behaviour,” she said.

“We need to create a business environment in South Africa that is more conducive to creating economic growth and attracting both domestic and foreign investment.”

Ramphele warned that if voters re-elected the ANC into power, their tax money would disappear through corruption, along with their democratic freedom.

“As the governing party becomes more and more insecure, democratic space is being squeezed.”

“We have be to very careful. There is a process of Zanu-fication in South Africa and if we don’t wake up as citizens… we have only ourselves to blame.”

She was referring to President Robert Mugabe’s rule in Zimbabwe through the Zanu-PF party, which has repeatedly won elections there.

– SAPA

Port Elizabeth – A man has died after a shark attack at Jeffreys Bay in the Eastern Cape, the National Sea Rescue Institute said on Friday.

“At approximately 11:30 NSRI Jeffreys Bay volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated following reports of a shark incident at Lower Point, next to Albatros Beach, Jeffreys Bay,” the NSRI said.

A body, believed to be an adult male, was recovered from the water and handed to police and forensic pathology services.

According to Algoa FM, the man was believed to have been snorkelling when he was attacked.

There were reports that two sharks were involved, but this was apparently due to the large size of the shark involved in the attack, which was estimated to be four metres long.

The beaches in the area have reportedly been closed.

Witnesses took to social media to describe the situation.

Surfer Carel Olivier tweeted: “Just saw NSRI carry the body of a shark attack victim in bag. Hectic man. No surfing today.”
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Cape Town – The ANC’s alliance with trade unions has created a culture of impunity that is wreaking havoc in the public sector, Agang SA leader Mamphela Ramphele said on Friday.

“The government cannot regulate trade unions because they use them as voting fodder,” she told business leaders at the Accelerate Cape Town Thought Leaders’ breakfast.

“That’s why our education system is a mess, because the biggest unions are public sector trade unions, the teacher unions.”

Education system

She was referring to the African National Congress’s alliance with the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu), which has as an affiliate the largest teachers’ union, the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu).

“Teachers are professionals, not factory workers. Yes, they have rights but what about the rights of those children?

“Our government is in bed with Sadtu and not willing to challenge that…”

Ramphele said the ANC’s biggest failure was the education system. She proposed measures her party would put in place if elected into power.

She said 15 000 more teachers would be hired from a pool of unemployed graduates with bachelor’s degrees. Allowances would be given to those teaching in rural areas.

Pupils achieving above 70% averages would be rewarded with additional social grants.

Seta system ‘ineffective’

The “wasteful, ineffective” Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta) system would be abolished because it was creating bottlenecks in the economy.

“It absorbs, every year, R5bn to R6bn. Many of you have given up trying to get any rebate for the training you do.

“We need to remove that middle layer, because all that money is going into the pockets of the politically-connected who are heading all these Seta’s with zero return.”

Agang SA would make teacher training a priority by implementing specific subject competency tests.

“When you are a pilot, every three months or so you get your competency test. Why are we not testing the competencies of people who are flying the most precious cargo, our kids?”

– SAPA

Johannesburg – A satanist teenage girl who confessed to killing her friend was sentenced to in effect eight years in juvenile prison by the South Gauteng High Court, sitting in Palm Ridge, on Friday.

Judge Geraldine Borchers imposed a sentence of 10 years, two of them suspended, and ordered that it be served in the juvenile section of the Leeuwkop prison.

In a statement, the teenager confessed to killing Keamogetswe Sefularo on 1 March, near Randfontein, after Sefularo decided to leave a cult.

The girl stabbed Sefularo in the chest, neck and stomach, egged on by her 19-year-old boyfriend.

“The deceased was touching her, pleading with her and asking her why she was doing this,” Borchers said in her judgment.

Sefularo later died of her injuries in hospital.

Financial gain

The court heard that the girl had hoped to gain financially from satanism.

She believed her spirit would be able to get into key holes and into a bank where she could steal money, said Borchers.

It was horrific that such a young person could be lured into satanism because of a desire for money, she said.

She said nothing suggested that the girl was not in control of her actions when she killed her friend.

“Had the accused been 10 years older, I would have imposed life imprisonment,” said Borchers.

Outside court, Sefularo’s family wept. One woman collapsed in the corridor and wailed on the floor.

– SAPA