Pretoria – A pair of large, scuffed running shoes that police say they found hidden in a kennel at the home of alleged axeman Joseph Ntshongwana took centre stage at his trial on Tuesday when a police expert insisted that a toecap, found near one of his alleged victims, was a “perfect match” for the right shoe.

Major Ze-Ev Krein, the chief forensic analyst at the police forensic science laboratory, was adamant that his “physical match” of the shoe and the toecap was an “exact science” and, in fact, it trumped any other scientific proof.

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South African officials Daniel Bennett together with assistant referees Enock Molefe and Zakhele Siwela will take charge of a key last 16 Orange CAF Champions League 2013 match between Cotton Sport of Cameroon and Stade Malien of Mali this weekend.

Tinyiko Victor will be the fourth official.

The match will be played between 19 and 21 April 2013.

SAFA’s head of referees, Adeel Carelse said the three officials continue to fly the South African flag high.

“We are happy for the three officials. They have shown great consistency and their hard work has duly been recognised by CAF,” said Carelse.

By Obakeng Maje

Mahikeng-North West police are investigating a case of inquest after a helicopter crushed into Modimolle dam in Mmabatho yesterday.

Police said the motive behind the crush is unknown and how many people occupied the helicopter.

“Police search will resume today after it was adjourned because of darkness” Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said.

The helicopter allegedly plunged into a dam late at around 17:30 yesterday.

Police divers were brought from Klerksdorp to help and rescue victims.

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Black Leopards got a crucial three points in their battle against relegation following a dramatic 2-1 win against fellow strugglers Ajax Cape Town in Polokwane.

The Urban Warriors had led through Abia Nale’s 19-minute goal and dominated the entire half, but Lidoda Duvha equalised through Michael Nkambule’s first touch, before captain Rodney Ramagalela netted a dramatic winner in stoppage-time.

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Nebo, Limpopo – Two of five people accused of assaulting a woman and filming it were granted bail by the Nebo Magistrate’s Court, Limpopo police said on Tuesday.

Matthew Makofane, Maria Mahlaela, Gladys Maphanga, Refilwe Mzimba and Thabang Makuwa appeared in court on Monday, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said

The group, all employees at a clothing shop in Jane Furse, allegedly assaulted 49-year-old Ester Mankge after accusing her of stealing a packet of underwear.

Makofane and Mahlaela received R500 bail each. Maphanga, Mzimba and Makuwa would remain in custody because of previous assault allegations.

“Further investigations revealed that three of the employees committed a similar crime involving young children,” Mulaudzi said.

“The employees allegedly beat children with sjamboks last year after allegedly stealing from the shop. Following a tip-off we found a video of a woman being beaten with a rubber hammer. We located the victim and opened a case against the five employees,” Mulaudzi said.

The two men in the group allegedly beat the woman with various objects while filming it. The Daily Sun uploaded the video to their YouTube account on Monday.

“The incident happened October last year but the woman never opened a case until someone notified the police of the video,” Mulaudzi said.

A case was opened on April 8. All five were arrested last week.

The group was expected to appear in the Nebo Magistrate’s Court on April 22 on charges of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. – Sapa

A provisional order for the preservation of Julius Malema’s assets was made final in the High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday.

Judge Jody Kollapen instructed that the provisional order granted on March 5 be made final.

The SA Revenue Service (Sars) applied for a preservation order last month. Malema had until Tuesday (April 16) to argue why the order brought by Sars should not be made final.

Malema owes Sars R16 million. Last month, he reportedly missed a deadline to challenge Sars’s application for the sequestration of his estate to cover his tax bill.

The Asset Forfeiture Unit then seized his Limpopo farm.

Sars would not comment on the matter.

“This is part of due legal processes that must be allowed to take its course,” Sars spokesman Adrian Lackay said.

The application for the order was brought after the sheriff of the court attempted to remove assets from Malema’s Flora Park, Polokwane home, and some of them were no longer there. The remaining assets were auctioned off in February for R54,810.

In January, sheriffs seized Malema’s homes in Sandton, Johannesburg, and Polokwane. Sars rejected a R4m settlement offer and auctioned Malema’s assets in the Sandton and Polokwane homes in February.

Last week, the application by the curators of Malema’s estate to have him declared in contempt of court for failing to declare his assets was taken off the court roll to allow for further investigation.

If found guilty, Malema could face a R500,000 fine, a jail term or a suspended sentence.

The former ANC Youth League leader also faces charges of fraud and racketeering related to the irregular awarding of a R52m tender to On-Point Engineering in Limpopo.

-Sapa

Johannesburg – Former Springbok captain John Smit has been appointed CEO of the Sharks rugby franchise.

The Durban union said on Tuesday that Smit, 35, would start his new job on July 1, replacing incumbent CEO Brian van Zyl, who had opted to retire after 20 years in charge.

“We look forward to welcoming the favourite son of South African rugby to his new role as CEO,” said Sharks chairman Stephen Saad.

“We pledge our support and commitment to him and have every confidence that he will embrace his new role with the same leadership, spirit, and vigour that he displayed as the most capped Springbok captain and player of all time.”

Sharks coach John Plumtree was pleased that Smit, who played most of his professional career for the Durban team, would be leading the organisation.

“On behalf of team management and the players, I extend our congratulations to John on his appointment,” Plumtree said.

“Over the years, many of us have shared special memories with John and we look forward to working with and supporting him in his new capacity.”

Smit, who is currently playing for English side Saracens, was capped 111 times for the Springboks in a 12-year international career.

He represented South Africa at three World Cups, leading the Boks to victory in 2007, and captained the national side in 83

Tests. – Sapa

By Obakeng Maje

Mokopong-Police with the help of their counterparts in Vostershoop arrested six male suspects on Monday in Makopong village.  “The suspects allegedly entered a shop in Botswana at the Makopong Border on Sunday and stabbed a worker with a knife” captain Aafja Botma said. 

They allegedly took cigarettes to the amount of 28 000 pula’s and fled the scene in a cream Toyota Corolla back to South Africa through the Makopong Port Entry. 

The owner of the shop called Makopong Police immediately after the incident and informed them about the robbery police said.

The police managed to trace the suspects on Monday whereby a shooting ensued between the police and the suspects” Botma said.

According to police, one of the suspects sustained an injury on his upper left shoulder. 

He was taken to Ganyesa Hospital for medical treatment. The stolen cigarettes as well as a magazine with seven bullets were recovered in the Toyota Corolla.  

The suspects, aged between 28 and 39 were charged with possession of suspected stolen goods and ammunition.

“They will appear in Vryburg Magistrate’s Court tomorrow, Wednesday” said police.

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By Obakeng Maje

CAPE TOWN–Police suicide rates have decreased and more officers are voluntarily seeking Employee Health Wellness (EHW) interventions for the challenges they face, both at home and in the workplace.

“It is a matter of fact that policing remains a very difficult and challenging duty. Our officers are continually exposed to traumatic and stressful events” Nathi Mthethwa said. 

“In many instances such members are not emotionally and psychologically-equipped to handle those stressful situations which frequently lead to catastrophic impact on their mental wellness with unfortunate outcomes” Mthethwa said.

This was revealed by the Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa in a Parliamentary reply on whether he has found reasons for the recent high number of fatal encounters at the hands of members of the SA Police Service (SAPS), with specific reference to their general welfare, psychological state and the nature of and availability of consultation processes.

He stated that the general welfare and the psychological state of police officers indicate a police service that is fit and well except for few individual cases which get referred to the Disease Risk Management programme for further handling and support.  

These welfare and psychological reports were supplied by POLMED and the Health Risk Manager, Alexander-Forbes.

“I have already through a number of different forums emphasised the need to have a concerted focus on the psychological welfare of SAPS officials and we have begun engaging external role players with a view to assisting us in this regard” Minister said.  

However, the violent nature of crime in South Africa and advanced criminal activities and more research needs to be done in addressing police psychological needs in this regard he said.

The Minister further outlined the nature of the consultation process and availability within SAPS.  

He said SAPS uses an integrated approach to EHW, serviced by qualified, experienced and registered psychologists, social workers and chaplains. 

There is a clearly outlined referral process between the different professionals and between EHW and medical schemes, guided by the needs of the employees and their immediate families.

“Members also attend pro-active programmes presented by EHW practitioners based on identified needs prioritised from recurring themes and trends. There is also a Psycho-Social Network of external providers that offer psycho-social interventions to members and their immediate families.” Nathi Mthethwa emphasis.

He added that members have access to a 24 hour call centre services where one-on-one telephone counselling and individual trauma debriefing is done. 

Call centre staff are also available and attend to face-to-face walk-in cases, offer standby telephone services 24/7 and facilitate referrals based on employee needs.

“Groups are dealt with through group trauma debriefing, team building interventions and organisational diagnosis processes. But it is my view that we need to look at how we can enhance this programme,” stated the Minister.

As the Ministry of Police we want to highlight this reality to all South Africans so that as they criticize police, they should do so having a comprehensible understanding of environments within which police operate.

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Pretoria – The so-called “Modimolle monster” Johan Kotze tearfully read out a note to the High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday describing how his now ex-wife ruined his life.

“Ina (Bonnette) ruined my life. I am finished, finished, finished,” he read, all the while crying and wiping his eyes.

He is accused of assaulting Bonnette, killing her son, and forcing his workers to gang-rape her.

Kotze said he recognised his handwriting, but did not remember writing the note.

“I must have written it when I got back home.”

He testified that he threw his daughter’s kitten from his bed the night he saw his wife with another man.

“I did something I never do…. I very aggressively threw (the kitten) away from me.”

Kotze testified that he saw Bonnette with another man at a dance on New Year’s Eve in 2011.

“I was terribly upset. I froze,” he said, taking long pauses and looking at his feet.

Judge Bert Bam asked Kotze if he needed to take a break but he declined.

Kotze said he saw Bonnette hugging and kissing a man with whom she left the dance hall. He followed them.

“It was clear they wanted a relatively dark place where they could be their normal selves. I don’t know what went through my head. I was probably powerless.”

He said he later left and went to his house, then went to Bonnette’s house.

He described watching them being affectionate with each other.

“He lifted up her shirt and I saw his hands on her breasts.”

Kotze said he waited and watched them until Ina, the man, and their children left the house again. He went home afterwards.

“It was one of my most difficult nights. I didn’t sleep.”

A friend told him to end the relationship. He tried to trace the man’s car licence plate number.

Kotze said he phoned Bonnette on January 1, 2012. She told him she had not got home late, and had fallen asleep in front of the television.

He said he saw her in town that day and said they needed to talk about what happened on New Year’s Eve.

Bonnette attended court proceedings on Tuesday morning. She often shook her head during Kotze’s testimony.

Earlier, Kotze told the court he and Bonnette respected each other.

“It was a happy marriage. The problems we had came from outside.”

Kotze wore a beige jacket and jeans. He often took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. His lawyer Piet Greyling asked the court if he could have some water.

“We had respect for each other,” Kotze testified.

However, he said they broke up several times before getting back together again.

He obtained a protection order against Bonnette after their second break-up, but went back to Modimolle on November 19 to try to reconcile.

The couple discussed the possibility of renting a house together, he said. He rented the house on his own in Modimolle.

“We decided to see each other in secret. To keep the relationship from her parents for the time being…. Our focus was Christmas and New Year, when it is family time. Then she would reintroduce me to her family.”

Kotze, Andries Sithole, Pieta Mohlane, and Frans Mphaka are accused of murdering Kotze’s 19-year-old stepson Conrad Bonnette at Kotze’s house in Modimolle on January 3.

They are also accused of kidnapping, assaulting, repeatedly raping, and attempting to murder Bonnette that day.

A plea of not guilty was noted on Kotze’s behalf after he refused to enter a plea, and claimed his accountability and ability to follow and contribute to court proceedings were in question.

His three co-accused all pleaded not guilty to the charges. They claimed Kotze forced them to take part in the attack on Bonnette and said they had only pretended to rape her.

Bonnette testified Kotze tortured her with various objects before instructing the other three to rape her.

She told the court she listened to her son pleading for his life before he was shot in the head and heart. – Sapa