Rescue efforts are under way to save a dog after it fell into Kimberley’s Big Hole, according to reports.

Die Burger reported on Friday that the dog has been stuck in the hole since last Friday.

ER24 has teamed up with the SAPS, De Beers and the Sol Plaatjies fire department to save the dog.

ER24 spokesperson Christo Venter told News24 that initial attempts to rescue the dog had failed, because the area around the hole was unstable and the ropes they had were too short.

“It is about a 200m drop to the water and we are not sure how the dog landed in the water.”
For more http://www.news24.com

Pretoria – A large group of naked miners performed rituals behind a koppie the day before the Marikana shooting, the Farlam Commission of Inquiry heard on Friday.

Police Brigadier Adriaan Calitz testified that a white Toyota bakkie off-loaded buckets at a koppie near the Nkaneng informal settlement in Marikana, near Rustenburg in North West on 15 August last year.

“A group of strikers went to the bakkie and surrounded it. I reported to the JOC [joint operations committee] that it was suggested to us by some members that the buckets contained muti,” he said.

After 16:00, a police helicopter patrolling the scene reported that about 800 naked strikers were behind the koppie “and a traditional healer was busy with them”.

The following day, 34 people, mostly striking miners, were shot dead in a clash with police. Seventy eight were wounded when trying to disperse and disarm them near the Lonmin platinum mine in Marikana.

The Farlam commission was appointed later that month to investigate the circumstances around the shooting, as well as the deaths of 10 other people, including two policemen and two security guards, during the preceding week.

Calitz, one of the police commanders assigned to the Marikana operation during the labour unrest, was testifying in the commission’s public hearings in Centurion on Friday.

He said the white Toyota bakkie was seen bringing substances in buckets.

“The chopper reported that the 800 or so naked strikers were performing rituals.”

Calitz said one of the protest leaders, identified as Noki, had repeatedly told the police that they should leave the koppie.

“Mr Noki came forward and said that they were not going to speak to the SAPS [SA Police Service] anymore and that they wanted to speak to mine management through their attorney, Shapiro. He then walked back to the group,” said Calitz.

“A short while later, a group of approximately 300 men changed their mood, showed greater aggression by banging their weapons together, and started singing and moving up and down in a tight unit.”

Sangoma killed

In March, the commission heard that the sangoma believed to have performed rituals on the protesting mineworkers had been shot dead.

Advocate Ishmael Semenya, for the police, announced the sangoma’s death at the public hearings.

At the time, he said police had been trying to bring the 69-year-old sangoma Alton “Ndzabe” Zikhuthele Joja to testify as a witness before the commission.

In June, the National Prosecuting Authority said Lindelani Mkhize, 28, accused of killing the sangoma, appeared in the Bizana Magistrate’s Court.

Mkhize was arrested in his hometown of KwaMaphumulo, KwaZulu-Natal.

Joja was to have testified before the Farlam Commission about his role, and that of his sons, in rituals performed on striking miners.

The rituals were apparently supposed to make the miners believe they were invisible in the face of gunfire.

Five armed men shot Joja when he walked up to their vehicle, parked at his home, to ask them what they were looking for.

The gunmen fled. Their car was later found abandoned and burnt out with a rifle inside.

Joja died on arrival at a local hospital.

The public hearings resume on Monday.

– SAPA

The MEC for Human Settlements, Public Safety and Liaison Nono Maloyi has called on motorist to exercise caution on stray animals’ roaming the main roads of the province. MEC Maloyi was reacting to the number of road accidents that happened in the province in the past recent period caused by stray animals especially in rural areas of the province.

The appeal comes as part of the arrive alive campaign messages sent out to motorist to be extra careful on provincial roads during the festive period. According to Maloyi stray animals contributes to a large number of road crushed and fatalities on our roads, more especially during the festive season.

“These animals are a serious hazardous to motorist and government has for years brought caution to people to take care of thier live stock . This time around we are going to impound them in ensuring that we save lives on our roads”, said Maloyi.

MEC Maloyi added that this year, the law enforcement officers are not going to rest as they will be visible for 24 hours on both national and provincial roads. He said that traffic officers have teamed up with other law enforcement agencies just to make sure that all road users and all other citizens of the province are safe on the roads.

� MEC Maloyi was also reacting to two separate accidents that happened on Thursday night in Mahikeng where one vehicle hit a cow and another one hit a donkey in a distance of less than 500 meters apart. “Such incidents will make the province to experience more accidents. Impounding will then ensure that owners become part of the campaign to ensure that our roads are safe to travel on without any disturbances. Road safety is our mandate and we will not compromise on that”, he said.-TDN
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North West-The MEC for Human Settlements, Public Safety and Liaison Nono Maloyi has called on motorist to exercise caution on stray animals’ roaming the main roads of the province. 

MEC Maloyi was reacting to the number of road accidents that happened in the province in the past recent period caused by stray animals especially in rural areas of the province.

The appeal comes as part of the arrive alive campaign messages sent out to motorist to be extra careful on provincial roads during the festive period. 

According to Maloyi stray animals contributes to a large number of road crushed and fatalities on our roads, more especially during the festive season.

“These animals are a serious hazardous to motorist and government has for years brought caution to people to take care of thier live stock. This time around we are going to  impound them in ensuring that we save lives on our roads”, said Maloyi.

MEC Maloyi added that this year, the law enforcement officers are not going to rest as they will be visible for 24 hours on both national and provincial roads. He said that traffic officers have teamed up with other law enforcement agencies just to make sure that all road users and all other citizens of the province are safe on the roads.

MEC Maloyi was also reacting to two separate accidents that happened on Thursday night in Mahikeng where one vehicle hit a cow and another one hit a donkey in a distance of less than 500 meters apart. 

“Such incidents will make the province to experience more accidents. Impounding will then ensure that owners become part of the campaign to ensure that our roads are safe to travel on without any disturbances. Road safety is our mandate and we will not compromise on that”, he said.-TDN

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By Kgatliso Ramose

The ABSA premiership defending champions Kaizer Chiefs are out to restore their dignity at the expense of the North West Pride, Platinum Stars on the Telkom knockout “Ringa More” semi final on Saturday night at Soccer City.

Amakhosi has a shaky start this season as compared to their consistence display they had last season which saw them win double. 

Dikwena on the other hand was a force to be reckon last season with their impressive display that saw them finishing on 3rd position.

This season is no different for Rustenburg based team. They won 10 out of 13 games in all competition with Chiefs won only 6 games out of 14 in all official competitions.

When these two teams meet, fireworks are guranteed and this time it will be even more fierce as Kaizer Chiefs already defeated Stars on the league match, and they are one step to the final. 

Stars have a better ‘head to head’ against Chiefs on the cup competitions. Dikwena will be looking to add more trophy to their cabinet after winning MTN 8.

To make it this far, Chiefs past the newly promoted Polokwane City and Free State Stars while Stars walked past the on-form Mamelodi Sundowns. 

Dikwena Coach Alaan Freese believe that his team will beat Amakhosi even though they will be enter Chiefs’ den “It is something that we have learnt to do well,” he said. 

“Travelling away is part of the game and although we know that the crowd will largely be on their side, we have nothing to fear.

Stars coach said it is 11 players against 11 and that is what matters. 

“We have a lot of players with good mental strength in this group and that always helps when your back is against the wall” he told the club website.-TDN

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By Obakeng Maje

Taung-North West police Divers resumed their work this morning in search of the body of a 46 year-old man who was allegedly washed away along with his two friend while fishing.

Sergeant Kelebogile Moiloa said police managed to retrieve two bodies since Monday and they are searching for the last body.

“Police managed to bring two bodies to the surface belonging to Mogomotsi Tshotela,25 and Kagiso Matabogo,18 respectively” she said.

The incident took place on Sunday at Mammutla village, near Taung where five men went on fishing.

It is alleged that the boat that they were using was washed away by waves after torrential rains.

Police said two men out of initial five escaped unharmed.

Three bodies were sunk deep in the water and police divers were informed.

Sergeant Moiloa said the search resumes today.

A case of inquuest was opened and police investigations continue.-TDN

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Johannesburg – A man was arrested following the death of a teenager in Hillbrow, Gauteng police said on Wednesday.

“The man is expected to appear in [the Johannesburg Magistrate’s] Court within 48 hours,” Constable Carol Mulamu said.

He was arrested after 16-year-old Nyasha Johwa fell from the sixth floor of a flat in Hillbrow. The Star newspaper reported that Johwa was found naked in bed with the man’s wife.

The newspaper reported that the husband walked in and found the pair together. A flatmate was quoted as having heard the husband screaming “S’febe uyajola! [whore, you’re cheating on me]”.

Mulamu said police were still not sure if the teenager jumped from the window or if he was pushed.

The husband is facing charges of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He apparently beat up his wife during the fight.

SAPA

Durban – The eThekwini Metro municipality is considering trying to force a developer to demolish the illegal shopping mall that partially collapsed in Tongaat, north of Durban, killing a woman and injuring 29 people.

“Council is now looking at options not only of bringing an action for [a] contempt of court decision, but also the possibility of an order for the owner to demolish the collapsed structure,” eThekwini metro municipal manager Sibusiso Sithole said on Thursday.

Mayor James Nxumalo revealed on Wednesday that the property’s developer and owner, Rectangle Property Investments, had not obtained planning permission to build the mall.

In fact, it was ordered by the Durban High Court on 14 November to stop construction until planning permission had been obtained.

Despite the court order, Gralio Construction continued to build the mall, and on Tuesday evening, a football field sized portion of it collapsed.

At the time, it was not known how many people were on the poorly-fenced construction site, and 50 people were initially feared trapped.

Officially, only one person remains unaccounted for, according to KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Lieutenant Mandy Govender.

However, the police could not rule out the possibility that others were buried beneath the slab that collapsed.

“We are not ruling out that there were other people on site, but only one contractor has told us that they are missing an employee,” Govender said.

A crane was removing rubble on the site on Thursday, as members of the police search and rescue unit watched. Three workers planted poles for a fence around the mall.

Scent picked up

Lieutenant Jack Haskins of the Pietermaritzburg K9 search and rescue unit said on Thursday afternoon that the dogs had picked up one scent.

“But it’s coming from under the slab. It could be 20m away. We don’t know, but we will have to clear more rubble before we can send in the dogs to find out what it is.”

The scent could come from a body or from an item with blood on it that was left behind by one of the rescued workers taken to hospital.

Gralio Construction, some of whose workers were among the injured, could not be reached for comment.

A receptionist said: “I have just been asked to take messages and someone will get back to you.” No one did.

KwaZulu-Natal chief labour inspector Abey Raspae confirmed that no other bodies had been found.

He said the department had not been told how many people were not accounted for.

Govender said a culpable homicide docket had been opened. She said this was standard procedure in the event of a death, and it was too early to say who would be charged.

Cheap electioneering

Labour department spokesperson Nhlanhla Khumalo said activities at the site had been stopped for the day and would resume on Friday.

The mall was scheduled to open in March.

On Thursday afternoon, the Democratic Alliance accused the city of handing Gralio a R101m tender for a low cost housing development, despite the Tongaat mall collapse.

Sithole denied this and said the R101m Cornubia housing project the DA was referring to was in fact an old contract awarded in 2011.

He said he rejected the awarding of the tender, but was overruled by the municipality’s appeals authority and the courts, and that the process was finalised only in October.

“After exhausting all the options for a non-award, it was considered prudent to proceed with Gralio,” said Sithole, who accused the DA of cheap electioneering tactics.

SAPA

Johannesburg – The Daily Sun must publish a front page apology for the publication of two graphic photographs of corpses, Press Ombudsman Johan Retief has ruled.

The ruling comes after the Government Communication and Information System, the co-operative governance department, and others complained about the front page photographs published above the fold on 29 October and 6 November.

The colour photos were of the corpses of people killed in mob justice attacks.

Insensitive, dehumanising

According to the complainants, the pictures were insensitive, dehumanising, inconsiderate, caused discomfort to society, and lacked compassion.

There were also concerns that the pictures exposed society, including children, to extreme violence and desensitised people to violent crimes.

“Some complainants add that such graphic pictures, if they have to be published, should not be exhibited on the front page,” Retief said.

One of the photographs was captioned: “This picture shows the burning body of sangoma James Magagula, who was killed by Khutsong residents on Sunday. The people’s paper is publishing the picture to show what happens in communities where there is no rule of law and justice is just a word.”

The publisher, Jeremy Gordin argued: “We felt that an ‘example’ should be made of the horror that happens when people lose faith in the country’s justice system…”

Section nine of the Press Code reads: “Due care and responsibility shall be exercised by the press with regard to the presentation of brutality, violence, and suffering.”

Public interest

Gordin said a meeting of senior staff debated the use of the images and the consensus was that the pictures were in the public interest, and that the Daily Sun had adhered to section nine of the code.

Retief said the fact that a meeting was held was “commendable, and should be general practice”, but did not guarantee a sound ethical outcome.

“The basic principle in this instance is that the more well-known a person is the more leeway the press has of publishing explicit pictures.”

He cited the example of media coverage of the 1966 assassination of prime minister Hendrik Verwoerd, where most newspapers published colour photographs of his bloody body on their front pages.

“The public interest was so overriding that this was deemed to be acceptable,” he said.

“However, this would not have been the case when a largely unknown person was murdered.”

There was no doubt the Daily Sun should have covered the stories relating to the disputed images, but the manner in which it was presented was questionable.

‘Gross details’

Retief believed the newspaper should not have identified the bodies and should have avoided causing unnecessary harm to the victims’ loved ones by adequately blocking out the faces of the corpses.

Also, the paper should not have published “gross details of wounds”. The photographs, if used at all, should have been in black and white, small, and not on the front page.

It should also have carried a front page warning for sensitive readers.

“The pictures were both unacceptable, caused people unnecessary harm, and shifted the borders of ethical journalism beyond appropriate standards,” Retief found.

According to the complaints procedures, the Daily Sun has seven working days to appeal the ruling.

SAPA

Johannesburg – An Mpumalanga man, accused of killing his epileptic seven-year-old daughter and having sex with her corpse, claimed on Thursday he had been forced to admit guilt.

He told the Nelspruit Circuit of the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria that his lawyer forced him to plead guilty to the charges.

The accused, from Boschfontein village, outside Malelane, near the Swaziland border, is suspected of murdering his daughter, who had epilepsy.

On Thursday, his defence submitted a statement in which he pleaded guilty to murder and violating a corpse. But he distanced himself from the contents of the statement, saying he was not satisfied with his lawyer’s services.

According to the confession, he fetched his daughter who lived with her mother so she could visit him at his house on 15 August last year.

After playing for a while, the girl went to sleep in another room.

The next morning he woke to his daughter’s cries and found her having a seizure. Believing she was suffering and in pain, he decided to put her out her misery. He grabbed her, and beat her until she died.

According to the statement, he violated the corpse repeatedly, left the body in the room and went to sleep next to a nearby dam.

When Justice Nomsa Khumalo asked the accused if he was satisfied with the contents of the plea, he said: “No, I am not satisfied.”

He said he met this lawyer in court on Wednesday.

“He showed me photographs of the body of my deceased daughter, saying I am the one responsible for her death,” said the father.

“He also showed me papers and asked me to sign. He made me plead to the crime. I am not satisfied with his services.”

The lawyer decided to withdraw from the case and asked the court to excuse him.

Khumalo postponed the matter to 10 February next year for the accused to get another lawyer.

He is out on R1000 bail.

SAPA