Johannesburg – The mother of two toddlers found dead in the veld near Zonkizizwe, Katlehong, on the East Rand, was discharged from hospital on Thursday, police said.

“She will be charged with double murder when she appears at the Heidelberg Magistrate’s Court [on Friday],” police spokesperson Lungelo Dlamini said.

Earlier, he said the woman was under police guard at the Natalspruit Hospital after investigations linked her to the children’s deaths. Residents found the children dead on Wednesday.

The woman initially told police her husband left her and the children in the veld on Tuesday, while on their way from Witbank to Johannesburg.

She claimed they slept in a small, abandoned house overnight and that her husband left them with cooldrink, which they drank on Tuesday night.

She said she found the children dead when she woke on Wednesday morning.

“It has been established that an initial statement submitted by her to the police was false,” Dlamini said.

“Police interviewed several witnesses who confirmed that she had not been in Witbank and her family is in Zonkizizwe,” he said.

“The father of the two little children was traced and submitted a statement to the police. It is suspected that the girls died of poisoning.”

The woman was taken to hospital on Wednesday in a critical, but stable condition.

The motive for the killing was thought to relate to domestic issues between the father and the mother.

Post mortems were conducted on Thursday, but the results were not yet available, Dlamini said.

– SAPA

The Eastern Cape government has spent over R87m on catering, with certain departments spending more on catering than staff development, the DA said on Thursday.

DA spokesperson Bobby Stevenson said in a statement the provincial government spent R87.2m on catering in the 2012/13 financial year.

“In contrast, the amount spent on staff development was R95.9m, according to a DA analysis of the latest annual reports of departments,” he said.

“In a province where departments consistently blame capacity problems for poor service delivery, it is scandalous that almost the same amount is spent on catering as on staff development… We should be developing minds, not stomachs.”

Premier Noxolo Kiviet’s office was not immediately available for comment.

Less spent of staff development

Stevenson said certain departments spent more on catering than on staff development. These included local government (R3.3m on catering versus R1.8m on staff development), social development (R7m versus R3.5m), the premier’s office (R4.9m versus R1.1m), and the provincial legislature (R6.9m versus R1.4m).

“The department of education spent a whopping R39.4m on catering and R40.2m on staff development,” he said.

“All these figures illustrate that provincial departments have got their priorities wrong. This province requires a highly capacitated civil service that can deliver quality services.”

Stevenson said he would ask the departments follow-up questions to establish the nature of their catering spending.

The DA would also ask how much money the Eastern Cape spent at franchised fast food outlets and restaurants.

This followed reports that Northern Cape Premier Sylvia Lucas used her official credit card to spend R53,159 on fast food during her first 10 weeks in office.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – Legal action is being considered against Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) over an alleged scam, Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini said on Thursday.

“We are going to meet the lawyers and see what other possible means we can use to ensure that we move forward,” she told SABC radio news.

CPS was allegedly deducting money from grant beneficiaries illegally. The legal action included possibly terminating the multi-billion rand grants distribution contract.

Some of the deductions left pensioners receiving only a few rand at the end of each month.

On 29 August, Dlamini said there was nothing corrupt about the SA Social Security Agency’s R10bn grants tender to CPS.

The tender would stand despite a ruling on 28 August, by the Gauteng South High Court in Johannesburg, that the awarding of the contract was illegal and invalid. The court, however, did not set aside the tender to provide grants to 10 million South Africans.

Dlamini said irregularities identified in the awarding of the tender were technical and administrative in nature.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – The Democratic Alliance plans to capitalise on the “ever-evident” signs of paralysis showing within the African National Congress, DA leader Helen Zille announced on Thursday.

The DA leader and premier of the Western Cape said her party was on the lookout for a series of “catalytic moments” currently in the political landscape that would contribute to the fundamental realignment of politics in the country.

She predicted that in the months leading up to the general elections in the next year would present the most notable of these moments.

“There have been many catalytic moments for the ANC even though they haven’t noticed them,” she said.

The departure from the ruling party of United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa, she believed, was one event the ANC had disregarded.

She said Holomisa’s appearance in Marikana during the Economic Freedom Fighters’ launch was telling of many moments to come.

“The birth of Cope [Congress of the People] was a big moment, could it have turned out differently.”

“The start of [Julius] Malema’s party, the EFF, because it has made the ‘verkramptes’ [ANC] uncomfortable because they are worried about their support base. They know they have to stick in there, but the terrain has become more difficult.”

‘ANC a dying party’

She said the future of suspended Congress of SA Trade Union general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, as a massive catalytic moment.

“And we know that Sdumo Dlamini and [President] Jacob Zuma’s allies… are mobilising very hard [against Vavi].”

“We also know that sexual indiscretions will not get Vavi ousted. But that is the reason, I believe, they are running the forensic audits so that it is not possible for him to be reinstated and to continue leading the union movement.”

Zille predicted that although Vavi was working very hard to push for a special congress within the congress, it would unlikely happen before the elections.

She said the National Union of Metalworkers (Numsa), which was at the forefront of Vavi’s defence, was a powerful entity.

“If Vavi is not reinstated it will lead to a massive catalytic moment. Numsa is extremely powerful and many people within Numsa are pushing hard to start a new labour party.”

She quoted from unnamed research that if a new labour party was formed, 67% of Cosatu shop stewards across the board would vote for it.

Zille described the ANC as a dying party with a lot of tension and divergence within its leadership structures.

“The ANC is a dying party. A wounded animal is always the most dangerous. In the next 10 years we’ll see just how vicious it can be.”

The Western Cape premier anticipated that the political realignment was closer than expected and would most likely happen in Gauteng.

“The DA will be at the centre of this realignment, and the DA will do well in South Africa,” she said.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – Kirsty Theologo was aware that her friends wanted to sell their souls and wanted to sell hers too, the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, sitting in Palm Ridge, heard on Thursday.

Linden Wagner, the alleged mastermind behind the soul-selling ritual, testified that Theologo was present when he and the other accused spoke about what they wanted to do.

“She wanted to be part of it and I said no because I cared about her,” he told the court.

“There were things she wanted in life and selling her soul would have taken it away from her.”

This was because she would have lost all emotion after selling her soul, Wagner said.

He had hoped to gain power from selling his soul. He told the court that, days before the ritual, Theologo offered herself to be burnt, her flesh to be eaten and her blood to be drunk.

His co-accused had believed she was the prostitute who needed to be sacrificed to resurrect the beast spoken of in the book of Revelations in the Bible. Theologo had denied that she was a prostitute.

“Kirsty came in with a big smile on her face and said she wanted to be burnt with fire and her flesh could be eaten,” said Wagner.

He told the court that Theologo had perhaps not believed them capable of doing so.

“I don’t think she believed we were capable of doing that to her… She trusted us,” said Wagner.

Theologo was assaulted and set alight in a ritual at the top of a hill in Linmeyer, Johannesburg, on Friday, 21 October 2011.

She died of her injuries in hospital the following Friday. Her 14-year-old friend survived the attack.

Wagner told the court he agreed to allow Courtney Daniels, the only female accused, to be part of the ritual.

He said this was because he had heard from his brother, who was dating Daniels at the time, that she knew of things from the dark side.

Wagner and three of his co-accused, Daniels, Harvey Isha, and Robin Harwood have pleaded not guilty to killing Theologo and the attempted murder of her friend.

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

The trial continues.

– SAPA

The North West Provincial Government is concerned that an earlier agreement reached on reduction of the toll fee at the Swartruggens Toll gate on the N4 Bakwena Platinum Highway from R71 to R58 has not been honoured and that instead the fee has increased to R75.

The Executive Council (Exco) in its meeting held on Wednesday resolved that its dissatisfaction regarding non-implementation of the agreement should be pursued with the Minister of Transport.

Exco also expressed a concern regarding rebates for locals which seemed not to have been implemented.

The provincial government had facilitated an engagement with Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), the Department of Transport, South African National Roads Agency Limited(SANRAL), Kgetleng Rivier Local Municipality and Bakwena Toll to resolve an impasse between Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and Bakwena Toll on the price of the toll fee charged at the Swartruggens Tollgate.

The intervention had followed two memorandums which were presented to the MEC for Public Works, Roads & Transport, MEC Raymond Elisha by COSATU alleging that the toll fee charged at the tollgate were exorbitant, added an additional financial burden carried by the impoverished in the area and perpetuates exclusion as no alternative routes are provided for those who cannot afford it.

Fast tracking construction of alternative routes, continuous and consistent maintenance of the toll road and accountability for contribution of Bakwena’s Corporate Social Investment programme were some of the issues that the provincial government had taken up with the key stakeholders before agreement was reached to reduce the toll fees.-TDN
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Johannesburg – Nelson Mandela’s daughters have dropped a court battle to wrest control of two companies set up to manage proceeds from his iconic handprints, lawyers said Thursday.

Makaziwe and Zenani Mandela-Dlamini’s application to remove four directors appointed by their ailing father had been “unconditionally withdrawn” and costs paid, law firm Norton Rose Fulbright said in a statement.

“This ill-considered and misguided application had the effect of causing reputational harm not only to the respondents as directors and trustees, but also to the Trust and the image of the founder, Mr Nelson Mandela himself,” said the statement from the lawyers, who are representing the directors.

Mandela’s daughters had argued the trustees were not properly appointed to Harmonieux Investment Holdings and Magnifique Investment Holdings.

The two companies were set up to channel money from the sale of Mandela’s famous handprints for his family’s benefit.

The four directors included human rights lawyer and Mandela’s personal friend George Bizos, former cabinet minister Tokyo Sexwale and his ex-lawyer Bally Chuene.

“The unfounded allegations made by the applicants cast doubt upon the legitimacy of the appointment of these directors, which had been upon the express instructions of Mr Mandela,” they said through their lawyers.

“This was unfortunate and regrettable.”

Earlier this year, lawyer Ismail Ayob – who himself has a chequered past with Mandela and was representing the daughters – withdrew from the case.

Ayob was himself removed from Mandela’s trust after selling fake artwork and pocketing millions of dollars.

He paid back nearly R980 000 in a court settlement in 2007.

AFP

Johannesburg – A man wanted for murdering the two toddlers found dead in Diepsloot could be of any nationality, Gauteng police said on Thursday.

“Only after we arrest the man can we establish his true nationality,” said police spokesperson Neville Malila.

Police released an identikit of the man, who was initially thought to be Mozambican.

“We have conducted several interviews with members of the [Diepsloot] community and possible witnesses, since it was thought the man was Mozambican.

“The information we have gathered leans more to the suspect being from Swaziland or from KwaZulu-Natal, but at this stage he could be from anywhere,” Malila said.

Reward

Police were offering a R100 000 reward for information leading to his arrest and successful prosecution.

“The suspect is in his early 30s, not older than 34, [of] slight build, 1.7m tall, light in complexion, and was wearing a wool hat,” spokesperson Lungelo Dlamini said.

“It is believed that he has different colour wool hats. He has a cut on the lower lip and a red ring on his left hand.”

Four foreigners had been taken in for questioning.

The bodies of 2-year-old Yonelisa Mali and her cousin Zandile Mali, 3, were found in a public toilet cubicle in Diepsloot at 05:00 on Tuesday by a resident.

They were reported missing at the weekend.

Residents went on the rampage after the bodies were discovered.

Police said a team of detectives had been appointed to investigate the murders.

SAPA

By Obakeng Maje

Rustenburg-The North West South African Police Service, Corporate Communication will host the very first North West SAPS, Communicators Awards ceremony on Friday at Rustenburg Civic Centre. 

The ceremony will be attended by all 82, Communication Officials at Stations, Provincial Communication Office and Journalists from different media houses.

“The SAPS has over the years, received support from different journalists and Media Houses in the efforts to fight crime in the Province. The Provincial Commissioner has seen it fit to recognise and appreciate the efforts of many journalists, radio stations, television, and newspapers” brigadier Thulani Ngubane said. 

Ngubane said the important factor in this gesture is to ensure that as the province they improve their relationship with Media. 

“The fight against crime is what is common in all our efforts, especially on crimes committed against the vulnerable our women and children. The continued support of working with the police to issue crime prevention messages is greatly acknowledged” Ngubane said. 

The police can never win the fight against crime without all these key stakeholders, said police. 

“There is a need to applaud Media Houses, individual journalists and SAPS communication officials for their hard work. Their efforts contribute in the building of SAPS image and help improve community relations between SAPS and all our stakeholders” Ngubane outlines.

The Theme of these Awards is: “Working together in the fight against crime”

“You company as an award finalist is cordially invited to the SAPS North West Provincial Corporate Communication Award Ceremony on the following details” said North West Police.

Date: Friday, 18 October 2013

Venue: Rustenburg Civic Centre

Time: 17:30 for 18:00

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The South African Football Association (SAFA) has been informed by the Directorate of Priority Crimes Investigation (The Hawks) that they have arrested a member of the SAFA Panel of Referees. 

SAFA is pleased with the arrest of the match official who cannot be named until he appears in court. 

The Association suspended him after it was discovered during the trial of Mr. Philemon Setshedi that he was implicated as one of the persons allegedly involved in an attempt to manipulate the outcome of a match during the 2011 2 nd Division Play-offs, which took place in Cape Town. 

Mr Setshedi was sentenced in February 2013 to eight years (five years suspended) for his role in the matter and is currently serving his sentence.

“The arrest of the match official is an outcome of ongoing collaboration between SAFA and the Directorate of Priority Crimes Investigation (The Hawks) which is aimed at pursuing all other persons of interest in the said case. We would like to reiterate that we will leave no stone unturned until all the implicated persons are brought to book,” said SAFA CEO Dennis Mumble.

SAFA and the Hawks are continuing with investigations into other suspected illegal and corrupt activities in football.

“In the interest of protecting the integrity of such investigations, we will not release any further details at this stage. We do however commit to act swiftly, effectively and without fear or favour should we receive evidence of wrongdoing,” concluded Mumble.‬-TDN

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