Animal rights groups have lashed out at the elephant-back safari industry after a handler was trampled to death last week.

Last Monday, an experienced handler at the Elephant Sanctuary in the North West Province was killed by two elephants. According to reports, the handler fell off one of the animals while conducting a morning exercise session and was trampled.

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Rustenburg – Police numbers in Marikana had been declining in the week that 34 striking mineworkers were shot dead, the Farlam Commission heard  on Monday.

There were around 550 officers in Marikana on August 13 last year. The number increased to around 750 by the 15th, but decreased  to around 600 on August 16 Ä the day of the shooting, SA Police Service Maj-Gen Charl Annandale said.

Officers brought in from other provinces during the course of the week had returned to their posts prior to the main shooting.

Annandale was under cross-examination by Ishmael Semenya, for the SAPS.

He said though he had attended to big operations before, he never attended to one that needed such extensive crowd control where most of the crowd was armed.

Annandale was heading the police special tactical operations team during the Marikana unrest.

The Farlam Commission of Inquiry is holding public hearings in Rustenburg, North West, as part of an investigation into the deaths  of 34 miners shot dead in a wage-related strike at Lonmin’s Marikana platinum mine on August 16.

Another 10 people were killed in the preceding week. 

The hearings continue. – Sapa

Rustenburg – A police informant was killed in Marikana, North West, amid the wage-related unrest in August last year, the Farlam Commission heard on Monday.

Maj-Gen Charl Annandale said the victim was a security guard at Lonmin’s platinum mine.

The guard was one of 10 people killed in the week before August 16, when police shot dead 34 striking miners.

Annandale, who headed the police special tactical operations team during the Marikana unrest, told the commission police had brought in negotiators prior to the shooting.

Five representatives for the protesters spoke to the negotiators  and informed them they only wanted to speak to mine management.

Lonmin said it would hold talks with workers only once they returned to their jobs.

Annandale said police held talks with the heads of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction (Amcu) and asked that they go and address their striking members.

After the meeting with police, the union leaders refused to travel together with the police to the koppie where the workers had  camped for several days.

It appeared there was no trust between the two sides and they did not want to be seen together, said Annandale.

The NUM delegation returned and said the crowd had jeered them and they had been unable to speak to them.

Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa was able to speak to workers and  told police the armed workers would lay down their weapons the next  morning.

“He mentioned that he had good feeling about this and that we will all be smiling the next day,” Annandale said.

The commission heard about a body found close to the koppie on August 14.

In his evidence-in-chief Annandale said police spokesman Captain  Dennis Adriao informed him that journalists had told him about the body.

“His report indicated that the deceased was lying on his back and that he had a huge open wound on his face and head and that he had stab wounds on his body and leg,” said Annandale.

“A skeleton of an animal head was left on his chest,” he said.

Annandale told the commission the plan police attempted to execute on August 16 was a collective one. It had been put together  several days before the shooting.

Testifying before the Farlam Commission in Rustenburg several weeks ago, national police commissioner Riah Phiyega said the plan was disrupted and that there had been an unprecedented outcome.

Earlier Annandale said police numbers in Marikana declined between August 15 and 16.

There were about 550 officers deployed to Marikana on August 13.  The number increased to around 750 by the 15th, but decreased to around 600 on August 16 Ä the day of the shooting.

This was because officers brought in from other provinces during  the course of the week had returned to their posts prior to the main shooting and were attending to other matters.

Annandale said he had attended to big operations before, but never one that needed such extensive crowd control where most of the crowd was armed.

The hearings continue. – Sapa

By Obakeng Maje

Taung-Yesterday community of Taung were up in arms when more than 200 marchers handed over their memorandum of grievances to the Justice System at Taung Magistrate Court.

This came about after the residents of Taung showed their unhappiness regarding justice system in the area.

They say police and court does not take them serious as it is norm to see criminals roaming the streets after being released without being charged.

“We arrived here today to hand over a memorandum to the Justice system as there are many loopholes in the system” community spokesperson Peggy Molatlhegi told sabc.

According to residents, the criminals are being released without appearing before magistrate and the are other cases that has been struck off the roll without any explanations.

The case that made headlines is of Benjamin Monnahela(sangoma) who was subsequently arrested in connection of Mosetsanagape Seopi’s murder.

Seopi’s mutilated body was found floating in the river at Mokgareng village,near Taung.

However, NPA spokesperson said the case of Monnahela will be reinstated.

“The case of Monnahela wa provisional removed,but I can attest that the case has been reinstated. Monnahela will appear before Vryburg Magistrate Court soon” he told sabc.

Those who took part in the march were K-Pako Anti-Crime Organisation, North West Anti-Crime Organisation(NWACO) and residents at large.

The Justice System accepted the memorandum and were give seven working days to respond.

“We gave them seven working days to respond to our grievances, then if we do not get answers we will engage in another mass march! But I do not think it will be peacefully like today” Molatlhegi said.

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Polokwane – Former African National Congress Youth League leader Julius Malema is expected to appear in the Polokwane High Court on Tuesday, Limpopo police said.

Police would be stationed at Landdros Mare and Thabo Mbeki streets near the court, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said on Monday.

“We are deploying sufficient police, but we don’t foresee any threat,” he said.

Malema would be making his second appearance on charges of fraud, corruption, money-laundering, and racketeering.

He and four others will appear in the high court building as the magistrate’s court was gutted by fire last year, nearly a month after their first appearance.

Malema is accused of having made nearly R4-million from corrupt activities. He is out on R10 000 bail.

His business associates Kagisho Dichabe, Lesiba Gwangwa, Helen Moreroa and Makgetsi Manthata were granted bail of R40 000 each on September 25 last year.

All four proclaimed their innocence on charges including fraud, corruption and money-laundering.

The State alleges the four misrepresented themselves to the Limpopo Department of Roads and Transport, leading to a R52-million contract being awarded to one of the accused.

According to court papers, Malema had clear business ties with Gwangwa, the director of On-Point Engineering. Malema’s Ratanang Family Trust was an indirect shareholder in On-Point.

The department paid the company R43-million. According to the charge sheet, Malema substantially benefited from this payment, using it to buy a farm worth R3.9-million and a R382 655 Mercedes-Benz.

Malema allegedly did this while knowing that the money formed part of the proceeds of crime. – Sapa

National Council of Provinces (NCOP) members who visited the North West for a week-long provincial service delivery inspection programme expressed concern over the slow pace of services in areas around Moretele local municipality.

The delegation decried the lack of commitment it said was demonstrated by the provincial government and the municipality towards delivering quality services in the areas of housing, water and maintenance of roads.

Parliament communications officer Faith Kwaza said some recently completed housing projects exposed a lack of adequate inspection by authorities.

“In Mogogelo village, the delegation was shocked to discover that only 80 units of a 1000-unit RDP development project were completed since 1999 while the rest were blocked due to structural defects. The delegation was informed that the human settlements department was busy with financial audits, compilation of Geo Tech reports and beneficiary lists and the projects would be unblocked in the financial year,” she said.

Water shortages in some parts of the municipality were noted and it emerged there was an inadequate supply from the Themba Water Treatment Plant. The 60-mega litre plant supplies parts of the province as well as the entire Tshwane municipality.

“The delegation condemned the Bojanala district municipality for initiating projects and not seeing them to completion. The council visited Serodumo sa-Rona Brick Project in Moeka village, a project which was never completed.

The delegation believes this is a waste of public funds and vowed to follow up the issue,” Kwaza said.

The only positive development the NCOP acknowledged was the rehabilitation of a 12km road between Swartdam and Makapanstad. Work on this road is expected to be completed next February.

Kwaza said the delegation, led by Collen Maine, interacted with Premier Thandi Modise, finance MEC Paul Sebegoe, Moretele local municipality mayor, Jonas Lehari, and municipal leaders.

Municipalities recently put under administration had a chance to meet the council in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda district but details of the meeting were not available at the time of going to press.

Unions, the local government portfolio committee and SA Local Government Association expressed concern over the provincial executive council’s decision to invoke Section 139 (1) (b) on Ditsobotla, Makwassie Hills and Matlosana local municipalities.

For more http://www.thenewage.co.za

Twelve photographers are ready to demonstrate the skills they acquired from a workshop conducted by legendary lens-lady Neo Ntsoma in Mahikeng.

The documentary photography three-day workshop, held at the Mmabana Arts, Culture and Sports Foundation last week, attracted both amateur and aspiring photographers.

For more http://www.thenewage.co.za

Members of the public have been asked to come to the rescue of the education of a four-year-old hearing-impaired girl – Phatsimo Ntlhane – who is on the brink of missing out on classes and a chance to speak, if her mother fails to raise R21000 to pay part of her tuition fees.

For more http://www.thenewage.co.za

By Obakeng Maje

Taung-North West police arrested two men after masquerading as soldiers.

Two men were arrested after a tip-off from concerned community members in Kgatlheng village, near Taung on Sunday.

According to police, two men in full SANDF attaire made a roadblock in the area.

Even though police captain Aafje had lesser information about two suspects whether they are part of SANDF or how they obtain police uniform,confirmed the arrest.

“Two men will appear today at Taung Magistrate Court for being in possession of police uniform and hijacking” police said.

According to statement received, two men tried to hijack a car in the area and they have been harrassing community members.

Police investigations continue.

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Premier Modise leads trade missions to showcase tourism, music and art

North West Premier Thandi Modise is leading a provincial delegation that is departing on missions to Ireland and Thailand to participate in the South Africa Week Celebration and explore trade, tourism and cultural activities in both countries. The business delegation that includes tour operators and 27 music performers and an artist is flying-off tomorrow Tuesday.

Premier Modise says that the objective of the visits to the two countries is aimed at understanding the Irish and the Thai markets, to get to know how South Africa is perceived by both countries and to learn the cultural, trade, tourism and investment best practices.

The delegation for Ireland includes MEC for Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism, Motlalepula Rosho and tour operators will as part of its visit market and profile trade and investment opportunities in the province at the Southern African Provincial Economic, Trade and Tourism Fair to be held as from Wednesday to Friday in Dublin and Limerick.

The delegation to Thailand that includes MEC for Sport,Arts and Culture, Tebogo Modise will be part an Investment Seminar to be held in Bangkok on Wednesday and the tour guides seminar to be held on Thursday.

The group that includes representatives of Tlhako ya Pele Heritage and Culture Institute will strive to learn more about the Thai market and to introduce North West market and opportunities as part of South Africa’s celebration of 20 years of diplomatic relations with Thailand.

Both delegations will regroup on Saturday for the South Africa’s National Day celebrations and Fashion Show to be hosted by His Excellency Mr. Jerry Ndou South Africa Ambassador to Ireland. The celebration is aimed at promoting South Africa through the provinces with South African food, wine, music, fashion and dance.

D-voted opera group, South African Traditional Music Awards winners and nominees Traditional music and dance groups Dithaga Tsa Ga-Mma Halenyane from Sekhing village in Taung, Thaga Moso from Wilbedacht township in Zeerust will enjoy International exposure and showcase their musical talent and creativity on the 

 programmes for the missions.

Pedro Serasengwe from Ga-Khunwana village will also be taking his paintings depicting rural life for display with other artworks from Bokone-Bophirima Craft Development Initiative that the delegations supported by Investment North West and 

 North West Parks and Tourism Board are taking along on the missions.