Johannesburg – Cosatu and the Young Communist League of SA (YCLSA) expressed support on Tuesday for the government’s policy on Israel.

The Cosatu said it had always encouraged and supported a stronger position regarding South Africa’s relations with Israel.
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Cape Town – A two-pronged probe into allegations of torture at Mangaung prison will be completed in the next two weeks, MPs heard on Tuesday.

Two investigations were running concurrently, acting correctional services director general Nontsikelelo Jolingana told Parliament’s correctional services portfolio committee.

Under investigation were allegations that inmates at the privately-run maximum security centre were forcibly injected with anti-psychotic medication and electro-shocked to subdue and control them.

“We are having an investigation that is looking at healthcare issues, and we are also having an investigation that is looking at security issues,” Jolingana said.

The probe into healthcare issues would cover the alleged torture of inmates.

“We are expecting the healthcare investigation report to be submitted to us on the eighth of this month, and the one that is covering broader security issues to be submitted to us on 15 November,” she said.

Private security company G4S, which operated the prison, and has denied the torture claims.

G4S has a 20% stake in the Bloemfontein Corrections Consortium, which was awarded a 25-year contract to run the prison from 2000 to 2025.

On 9 October, prior to the torture allegations surfacing, the correctional services department took over the running of the facility, Correctional Services Minister Sibusiso Ndebele, who was also present at the briefing, told MPs.

In terms of the Correctional Services Act, the department could appoint one of its senior officials to run a public-private partnership (PPP) centre if the contractor had lost, or was likely to lose, control of such a facility.

This was, at present, only a temporary arrangement. The facility had been plagued by controversy following prison riots, stabbings, and a hostage situation.

“This PPP experiment seems to be showing that the desired results are not being realised, and [the department] will continue to engage all affected parties,” Ndebele said.

DA MP James Selfe questioned department officials on why they did not have a handle on the situation before taking over the running of the centre.

“The [Correctional Services] Act makes provision for a controller, a person from [the department], who is… supposed to maintain oversight over the way the prison is run on behalf of the department.

“I want to know what this controller was doing, because these things were happening in the prison [and] nobody in [the department] apparently knew about it,” Selfe said.

Jolingana confirmed that the department’s controller was under investigation.

“Indeed, the controller was supposed to inform the department, and as these incidents are coming to the fore we realised there are things the controller was supposed to do that were not done,” she said.

Treatment of inmates

African National Congress MP Miriam Phaliso expressed disgust at the treatment of inmates at both Mangaung and the country’s other privately-run facility, Kutama Sinthumula prison in Limpopo.

Phaliso said there was a disturbing incident MPs encountered while visiting prisons in Limpopo, and to which the department had not responded.

“What was the outcome of that investigation of an inmate that was pulled with his private parts like a dog you pull with a rope on the neck? How will you rehabilitate this person if you are pulling him with his private parts?”

The department had no response to the incident.

Phaliso said the visit to Mangaung prior to the department taking control of the facility was equally disturbing, because of the attitude of a G4S manager who was apparently against MPs conducting an oversight visit.

“He made even made us understand this is our space, it’s not in Parliament. He said that to us,” Phaliso said.

She said MPs would not back down from oversight visits, because the privately-run prisons were funded with taxpayers’ money.

Phaliso said the PPPs posed a huge risk.

Money was being spent on the private prisons, which could have been spent on improving appalling conditions at other jails in the country.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – A clinic has been set on fire by people pretending to be protesters in the Zenzele informal settlement, Randfontein on the West Rand, the Gauteng health department said on Tuesday.

The clinic with four consulting rooms services was torched on Monday, said spokesperson Simon Zwane.

The facility which is in Ward 12 reached more than 1 300 patients per month.

“The clinic was housed in four containers of which three of these have been burnt down completely by criminals masquerading as service delivery protesters.”

Medication, patients’ files and equipment including a computer were damaged.

Zwane said the staff would be temporarily allocated to different facilities within Randfontein.

Community members were urged to use other nearby clinics.

Gauteng health MEC Hope Papo condemned the burning of the clinic.

“We cannot allow a situation where the lives of the sick are endangered and essential services such as medical care are disrupted as the result of such a criminal acts.”

Papo called on the community to expose those responsible so they would face the consequences for their actions.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – A complaint about a Jonathan “Zapiro” Shapiro cartoon in the Sunday Times depicting the Hindu god of success, Lord Ganesha, was dismissed on Tuesday.

Press Ombudsman Johan Retief gave the newspaper the benefit of the doubt for exercising its right to freedom of expression.
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Johannesburg – A Meyerton police reservist was arrested on Tuesday in connection with business robberies, said Gauteng police.

“He is one of the seven suspects who were arrested for six business robberies,” said police spokesperson Lungelo Dlamini.

Robbers had targeted U-Save businesses in Evaton West and Evaton Central, near Vereeniging, from June this year, he said.

The seven were arrested during a raid in Drieziek, Orange Farm, on Tuesday, in which police also seized an R5, a pistol, a toy gun, and a police uniform.

They would appear in the Sebokeng Magistrate’s Court within 48-hours.

– SAPA

Cape Town – Parliament’s portfolio committee on rural development and land reform is to hold a nationwide public consultation process about the restitution of land rights amendment bill.

The process would begin on Thursday, the committee said.

The bill seeks to amend the cut-off date for lodging claims for restitution, to provide for the advertisement of claims and to regulate the appointment of Land Claims Court judges.

It will launch a second phase of land claims and restitution, and allow those who missed the December 1998 deadline for the first lodgement phase to lodge their claims through the Land Claims Commission.

The first, three-week round of public hearings will take place from Thursday (7 November) to 22 November the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

The rest of the provinces will be visited at the beginning of 2014, the committee said.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – A policeman and prosecutor appeared in the Evander Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday accused of corruption, Mpumalanga police said.

Constable Justice Maleka, 37, and Tumelo Malesa, 32, were each released on R1 500 bail and expected back in court on 13 January, said Colonel Leonard Hlathi.

Maleka was stationed at Embalenhle, while Malesa worked in the Evander Magistrate’s Court.

“It is alleged that the suspects worked in cahoots to solicit money from a house breaking suspect arrested in October whose case had been withdrawn as the court did not find sufficient grounds to prosecute,” said Hlathi.

“Maleka misrepresented information about the case by telling the suspect, who is complainant in this case, that he ‘will make the docket disappear’ in exchange for cash.”

The man made arrangements to hand over the money, while tipping off police.

Police then conducted an operation on Monday.

Maleka drove to the man’s work to collect the money in a marked police car. The man allegedly gave Maleka R2 000 and after the transaction, Maleka left, driving in the direction of Evander.

“The police stopped him, searched the vehicle, found R2 000 and arrested him. The police went to [the] Evander Magistrate’s Court to arrest Malesa,” said Hlathi.

Provincial commissioner Lt-Gen Thulani Ntobela congratulated the police for the arrests.

“No one is above the law and it is also disturbing when officials who are tasked with the responsibility to uphold the law, are the ones who are breaking it.”

Ntobela hoped the arrests would send a clear message to other civil servants guilty of questionable conduct.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – An independent probe has cleared Johannesburg City Power of corruption in the awarding of a R1.25bn tender for smart electricity meters, it said on Tuesday.

“The independent investigation… has found no evidence of fraud or corruption in City Power’s tender process for the procurement of smart meters,” City Power board chair Frank Chikane told reporters.

“The City Power managing director [Sicelo Xulu]… has been cleared of all allegations of impropriety in the tender process.”

In January, the Mail & Guardian reported that the tender process had been manipulated to favour businessman Vivian Reddy’s Edison Power Group.

The tender was awarded to the company in September last year.

Reddy helped President Jacob Zuma with the first stage of upgrades at his Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal.

The newspaper reported that Xulu was “friends with Zuma”.

It also reported that an initial technical evaluation score-sheet was amended to improve Edison Power’s result, and that a letter informing Edison it had won the tender was dated before City Power supply chain management received the bid recommendation.

Review panel

On 18 January, City Power appointed an independent review panel consisting of three advocates to look at the entire tender.

“They had access to any staff, they even accessed people who already left the company,” Chikane said.

“They requested the media to assist them… Unfortunately, the media did not bring information to them, and so they worked on those who brought information to them.”

He said City Power was pleased Xulu had been cleared of wrongdoing.

“This was… almost like an attempt to destabilise the system, because if you attack the MD you are attacking the head of an organisation.”

A smart meter allows City Power to remotely see a consumer’s electricity use.

It allows it to track and monitor usage in real time.

– SAPA

Tickets for the much-anticipated star-studded game of the year, Bafana Bafana versus Spain, are on sale.

Under the theme “THE CHAMPIONS ARE COMING,” the World and European champions meet South Africa on Tuesday, 19 November 2013 at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg – the same venue where Siphiwe Tshabalala scored the opening goal of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and Andres Iniesta scored the winning goal that secured the first ever World Cup trophy for Spain.

Iniesta is expected to be part of the Spanish team that will play Bafana Bafana alongside superstars Sergio Ramos, David Villa, Iker Casillas, Xavi, David Silva and Cesc Fabregas.

President of the South African Football Association (SAFA) Dr Danny Jordaan personally liaised with the Spanish team to persuade them to return to South Africa before they travel to Brazil next year to defend their trophy. The Spanish team is generally regarded as one of the best the world has ever seen. “It is studded with superstars at the peak of their powers. I can promise a feast of football on a night of champions,” said Dr Jordaan.

His words were echoed by Bafana Bafana captain Itumeleng Khune, who was part of the squad that played against Spain in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. South Africa lost 3-2 in extra time.

“It is every player’s dream to play against the best, and they don’t come bigger than Spain. This is the kind of game that fans have to be there to fully appreciate. Watching it on television is no substitute for seeing Cesc Fabregas, Xavi or Shabba and Dean Furman attacking the goal you are standing behind. So I appeal to all the fans to go out there and get their tickets so they can witness this expected great spectacle,” said Khune.

Jordaan said that although demand for tickets is going to be high, SAFA has managed to keep some tickets available at the lowest price and are as follows:
•R50 (Fifty rand) for the top tier (Level 5);
•R100 (Hundred rand) for the lower level and
•R200 (Two-hundred-rand) for the middle tier (Level 2)
•The hospitality package is R1 650

All tickets are reserved so make sure when you purchase you pick where you want to sit. There will be ushers to help fans to their seats.

Tickets can be purchased from all Computicket outlets, Shoprite, Checkers and Shoprite/Checkers stores throughout the country.

The match kicks off at 21h00.-TDN
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By Obakeng Maje

Rustenburg-A 33 year-old man arrested for murder and attempted murder after he shot his wife and her colleague, North West police said.

The monstrosity allegedly took place on Monday at Mahlatsi Marwana Section, near Lefaragatlhe village in Rustenburg.

Captain Pelonomi Makau said a suspect,33 allegedly phoned his wife to ask her to pick him up after work, but his wife phone was allegedly answered by her male colleague.

“A man was left woebegone by turns of event and went home. He allegedly found his wife already home and asked her where she has been. The wife allegedly told him that she was at work with her male colleague” captain Makau said.

Police said that led to an argument and a man became belligerent.

“He allegedly ordered his wife to take him to a questionable colleague of hers. Both men became unco-operative and agressive to each other amid the conversation” Makau said.

The couple left the alleged colleague and went back home where the argument ensued again.

“A suspect drew a gun and shot his wife few times on a thigh and she ran for her life. The suspect looked for her, but lamentably could not locate her” she said.

North West police said a man allegedly went back to the wife’s colleague and pumped his with bullets.

A man allegedly died on the scene after he sustained bullets on his head and lower body.

An enraged man allegedly handed himself to police and was charged with murder and attempted murder.

“He will appear before Bafokeng Magistrate Court on Wednesday and investigations continue” said Makau.-TDN
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