Mamelodi Sundowns and Bloemfontein Celtics have booked themselves places in the Sasol League National Championship semi-finals set for Matlosana Stadium on Friday, 29 November.

Sundowns Ladies defeated championship hosts, Al’s Puk Tawana 3-1 in an intense battle for the penultimate stage.

Two goals in each half from captain of the Mozambican women’s national team, Maria Mutola and one from Alochia Thokobela assisted the Chloorkop based team secure a spot in the championship semis.

Sundowns were first on the scoresheet when former 800 track champion, Mutola scored the first goal for Downs to go to the break leading 1-0. The big Mozambican made it 2-0 ten minutes after the break.

Mathapelo Mokgeti scored Tawana’s consolation goal to make it 2-1 nineteen minutes later but Sundowns sealed the match with three minutes before the end of the match.

Bloemfontein Celtics downed Durban Ladies 3-1 in the third quarter-final of the day to book a semi-final spot against Ma-Indies on Friday, 29 November.

Two first half goals from Zenhle Chabaku and Shiwe Nogwana set the win for Celtics. Though the Durban Ladies found a goal late in the second half through Cleopatra Zulu, Celtics scored in the referee’s optional time to book a berth in the semis.

Cape Town Roses will join the last four after giving Empumalanga Ladies a 7-3 drubbing.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews OR @IceT_

The process to convert the maintenance payment system from manual to direct electronic payments from employers to beneficiaries should be sped up to eliminate fraud, North West Premier Thandi Modise said on Thursday.

Premier Modise was reacting to the alleged theft of R500 000 by three officials who were employed by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development who were arrested on Wednesday and Thursday.

“Beneficiaries most of whom are in dire need of money to raise their children should not be disadvantaged by heartless and greedy officials,” Premier Modise underscored in commenting the department for dismissing the trio who were stationed at Swartruggens and are now facing criminal charges in a court of law.

Senior Legal Officer for the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, Advocate Bonolo Madiba confirmed that parallel investigation processes were followed towards the conclusion of departmental cases which led to the dismissal of the trio.

Madiba said that appeal cases by the three officials ran their course and were also dismissed.

According to police,the trio and two alleged accomplicies were released on bail of R1000 each when they appeared in the Zeerust Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. Their case was postponed until February 14.

Spokesperson for the North West Police, Brigadier Thulane Ngubane said that Precious Lerato Moitlobo, Isaac Mabaso, Denis Ntshole, Lerato Ikutlweng and a fifth person, whose name he could not provide allegedly worked together to steal maintenance payments amounting to R500 000 from the department during 2010 and 2011.

He said the three officials were assigned to maintenance payments. One of their alleged accomplices worked for the health department as an emergency vehicle driver.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung-DailyNews or @IceT_

Johannesburg – A 24-year-old Kagiso man accused of statutory rape appeared in the Krugersdorp Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, police said.

The matter was postponed for further investigation and to allow him to apply for bail, Warrant officer Solomon Sibiya said.

The man was arrested on Tuesday for the statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl, Sibiya said.

The teenager’s sister reported her missing on Tuesday after she failed to return home since Friday.

After opening a missing persons docket, the teenager’s sister received a phone call from a neighbour who claimed he knew where the teenager was.

She was then found at a house in Riverside, Kagiso with the 24-year-old man.

“The teenager allegedly told the police that she had been sleeping with the suspect,” Sibiya said.

Sapa

Cape Town – Cape Town is bracing itself for an illegal march in the city on Friday, Western Cape police said.

“There will be heavy police deployments in the CBD as well as areas of congregation for the marchers,” police spokesman Tembinkosi Kinana said on Thursday.

“The deployment will comprise members of public order policing (POP), metro police, traffic officials, law enforcement and emergency officials.”

Police on horseback would monitor the protest as well.

“Members of railway police will also be on high alert and deployed in and around train station precincts,” said Kinana.

“The City of Cape Town’s traffic officials with the SAPS Flying Squad will be deployed on the city’s highways and byways.”

Kinana said air support would be deplored if required.

He warned that protesters breaking the law would be arrested.

On Wednesday, Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille said the city had filed for a court order to try to stop the protest.

“A golden triangle meeting, which incorporates the SA Police Service, did not approve their application due to credible evidence received under oath indicating that such a gathering could result in a serious disruption to vehicular and pedestrian traffic; injury to persons; and possible damage to property,” she said on Wednesday.

“Law enforcement authorities have also established there are serious threats of unprecedented levels of violence erupting in the event that the march takes place.”

De Lille said she did not want to see a repetition of disorder last month when protesters claiming to be part of a service delivery demonstration looted shops and vendors’ stalls, and damaged property in central Cape Town.

Sapa

Standerton – Six teachers at the Gugulabasha Primary School in Sakhile near Standerton have been arrested for allegedly stealing food, Mpumalanga police said on Thursday.

The teachers, between the ages 40 and 45, were taken into custody on Wednesday for allegedly taking food meant for the school’s feeding scheme, Colonel Leonard Hlathi said.

Police found the groceries in their cars. Hlathi said the school had been declared a non-fee school because most parents were unemployed.

The teachers were expected to appear in the Standerton Magistrate’s Court on December 3.

Sapa

Johannesburg – A Congolese couple arrested for alleged possession of explosives and detonators worth about R1.5 million appeared in the Springs Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, the Hawks said.

The case was postponed until December 5 for a formal bail application, Hawks spokesman Paul Ramaloko said.

The couple was arrested in Springs, on the East Rand, on Tuesday.

Police seized devices usually used in ATM bombings and illegal mining, gold concentrates, platinum concentrates, pyrobor chemicals and mercury and smelting apparatus, Ramaloko said.

Sapa

Durban – Durban freelance photographer Geoff Brink, who was stabbed in an attempted hijacking while on assignment on Wednesday, may have to thank that “protective layer of fat” around his waist for saving his life.

Brink, 41, was in Ntuzuma with Sunday Tribune journalist Ayanda Mhlanga when they stopped at an intersection to get directions.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Durban – Charges of intimidation and pointing a firearm were laid at the Melmoth police station after a mayor’s bodyguard allegedly attacked community members at a public meeting.

A fracas ensued, during which the bodyguard was attacked by members of the community. Mayor Maureen Ndlangamandla and her two bodyguards fled the hall and the meeting was disbanded.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Cape Town – The City of Cape Town obtained a court interdict on Thursday preventing the city’s informal settlements’ organisation from holding a march, said mayor Patricia de Lille.

The march was scheduled to take place on Friday.

“I appeal to the organisers of the illegal protest to respect the court interdict,” said De Lille.

She said the order was obtained as a last resort, as she did not want to see a repetition of the disorder last month, when protesters claiming to be part of a service delivery demonstration looted shops and vendors’ stalls, and damaged property in central Cape Town.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Zeerust – Three justice department employees appeared on a theft charge in the Zeerust Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, police said.

They and two alleged accomplices, who appeared on the same charge, were released on bail of R1000 each, said Brigadier Thulani Ngubane.

The case was postponed until February 14.

Ngubane said Precious Lerato Moitlobo, Isaac Mabaso, Denis Ntshole, Lerato Ikutlweng and a fifth person, whose name he could not provide, were arrested on Wednesday and Thursday. He could not say who the officials were.

The five allegedly worked together to steal R500 000 in child support grants from the department during 2010 and 2011.

He said the three officials were assigned to pay child support. One of their alleged accomplices worked for the health department as an emergency vehicle driver.

Sapa