PRETORIA: The Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Lulu Xingwana, met SAFA President, Kirsten Nematandani, this morning (11 April 2013) as part of government’s commitment to mobilise different sectors of society in the fight against the scourge of violence against women and children in our country.There is an acknowledgement that despite South Africa’s constitutional and legislative protection, violence based on gender remains unacceptably high. A concerted effort is therefore required to help eliminate this scourge. The two noted that the current spate of gender-based violence and the brutality with which it is carried out is a matter of grave concern to all South Africans and a painful reminder of the disregard for human life and the rights of women.

Both SAFA and the department agreed in principle to work on joint programmes that will seek to raise public awareness through various SAFA platforms.

“We are delighted to have SAFA as our ambassadors in our campaign. Football is a powerful communication tool that speaks all languages and reaches every South African. We applaud SAFA for being part of this initiative and urge other organisations to emulate this noble example”, said Lulu Xingwana, Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities.

Kirsten Nematandani said: “To win the war against gender-based violence requires the active involvement of all South Africans. As SAFA, we are privileged to be part of a campaign that seeks to create a society free of violence against women. We want to use soccer, as a number one sport in the country and with its mass appeal, to spread the word”.

The details of the partnership will be announced in the next two weeks in a joint press conference.  Through this partnership, members of the community and the football fraternity will be mobilised to join in the national effort to create a safe and secure environment for women and children.

Murder accused Oscar Pistorius and his family have bemoaned the tone of social media comments on his relationship with his deceased girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

“The disregard that is being shown by some – specifically those commenting via social media – for the profound pain that Reeva’s family and friends are going through is very troubling,” the family said in a statement.

“There is not a moment in the day that Oscar does not mourn for his girlfriend and Reeva’s family, and all those who were close to her are in his thoughts constantly.”

Paralympic star Pistorius has been charged with murder after Steenkamp was shot dead in his Pretoria home on February 14. He was released on bail on February 22 under conditions which included a ban on international travel.

He successfully challenged the conditions in the Pretoria High Court and several were relaxed, including the travel ban.

Pistorius family spokesperson Anneliese Burgess, said: “Reeva’s family, and everyone who loved her, are constantly in their (the Pistorius family’s) prayers.

“Although their relationship was young, she had become an intimate member of the Pistorius family.”

Burgess said that in the short time the pair were together, Pistorius did not have an opportunity to meet Steenkamp’s family, whom she had spoken of with great love.

“She touched all of us with her generosity of spirit and constant affection and will always remain in our hearts.”

Burgess said that over the past few weeks, Pistorius had spent time with many people Steenkamp was close to, sharing memories of her.

“Just as the Pistorius family struggle on a daily basis with the loss of Reeva, they are deeply aware that everyone whose lives she touched is grieving too, and that everyone is doing this in their own way,” she said.

“For Oscar, the process is incredibly overwhelming as he struggles not only to deal with manner in which he lost his girlfriend, but also his role in it.” – Sapa

Taung-Dryharts residents lambasted their ward councillor Lekoko Mahura in a meeting held at Dryharts primary school,near Taung.

The meeting held was to brief community and those who suffered a loss during torential rains that hit the area last year.

The residents accused ward councillor regarding RDP houses that are allocated to those who were victims of disaster Vaaltar FM news reported.

According to some friction within the community, Lekoko Mahura is allegedly selling or building those houses to his pals.

This came to light after the residents questioned the criteria used and alleged that there is someone from Modimong village who benefited from the programme even though the latter’s house was not affected.

According to Vaaltar FM, Mahura refused to commend on allegations metered against him and said he will seek advice from those in power before he can commend.

He also outlined that the deadline was today for those who wanted to register.

According to reports,208 houses has been built since aftermath and 24 houses are still in the pipeline.

For more http://www.vaaltar.co.za and Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews

South Africa has lost its sense of self-worth, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu said on Thursday.

“The world was thrilled when freedom came to our land and we pray that SA will recover its own sense of worth of every single human being,” he said at a ceremony in Cape Town to celebrate winning the Templeton prize.

“[I pray] we will recover our ‘ubuntu’ and become a generous, gentle, caring, and compassionate society.”

He said South Africa became the “flavour of the month” when apartheid was abolished in 1994, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was set up, and citizens were riding on the victory at the Rugby World Cup.

“We can’t pretend we have remained at the same heights and that’s why I say please, for goodness sake, recover the spirit that made us great.”

When asked where exactly the country was failing, Tutu focused on violence and inequality.

“Very simply, we are aware we’ve become one of the most violent societies. It’s not what we were, even under apartheid,” he said.

Rape, murder, and the high number of road accidents, especially over the holiday season, were worrisome.

One did not have to look at statistics to see that South Africa was one of the most unequal societies in the world, and the problem was underpinned by a lack of spirituality.

“This is why we ought to be saying it is utterly blasphemous that we should still have people who live in shacks. It’s not politics, it’s religion.”

–Sapa

Bafana Bafana’s 2-0 victory over the Central African Republic (CAR) last month was not enough to earn them points in the latest Fifa world rankings.

Bafana dropped two places to 62nd in the rankings, which were released earlier today.

They have also been elbowed out of the top 10 in the CAF list by Cameroon, who gained 19 points as a result of beating Togo in the World Cup qualifiers last month.

Bafana, who are now 11th on the continent, will next play the CAR in June before taking on Ethiopia a week later in the qualifiers for next year’s Fifa World Cup in Brazil.

Ivory Coast are still perched at the top of the African standings, while the leading trio of world and European champions Spain, Germany and Argentina remain unchanged at the top of the world rankings.

Meanwhile, Brazil dropped to 19th.

The next Fifa rankings will be released on May 9.

For more www.citypress.co.za

News reaching the Siya crew is that NFD side Dynamos are considering on abandoning all of their remaining league games for the 2012/13 NFD campaign, in protest of refereeing decisions that have gone against them.

Dynamos’ league game against Polokwane City on Wednesday afternoon, April 10, was abandoned after the team decided to walk off the field before the final whistle. The crew has been informed that the club’s boss, Patrick Malabela, was furious at some of the decisions that went against his side during the game.

It is alleged that Malabela entered the field and advised his players to stop playing. The incident took place with City in the lead, winning 1-0 at the time. Dynamos’ management have indicated that they have had too many decisions go against them, and are considering taking further action in an attempt to rectify the situation.

“We didn’t finish our game against Polokwane City because of dubious refereeing. Referees are killing us. We scored and our goal was ruled out for offside. Our opponents were awarded a controversial penalty, and they scored it. Pat (Malabela) was unhappy with that. He came to the field and had a go at the match officials. We didn’t finish the game,” a source in the Dynamos camp revealed.

It is believed that Malabela is aiming to address his frustrations with the league, and allegedly threatening to abandon their remaining league games. However, with the league’s rules set in place and all legal matters involved, it remains to be seen if the Limpopo-based outfit will be able to follow through with any form of threat.

“The Premier Soccer League (PSL) will await a full report from the match commissioner and the referee before deciding on the next step,” the league’s statement on the matter read.

Dynamos are rooted at the bottom of the NFD log with only one win from 19 games in the current 2012/13 campaign.

For more www.soccerladuma.com

With five league outings of the 2012/13 Absa Premiership season left to go, Kaizer Chiefs look set to clinch the PSL title. However, Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane believes that the league title has not yet been decided.

The Amakhosi lead Orlando Pirates and Platinum Stars, who are sat in third and second place respectively, by seven points after 25 rounds of league action, although Bucs and Dikwena have both got a game in hand – see full league table here.

Mosimane says that the run-in to the end of the campaign will depend on how Chiefs perform, and that Pirates could still defend their league title.

“Anything can happen in football. I was watching a UEFA Champions League game and two goals were scored in four minutes and here we are talking about five games. If Chiefs want to win the league, they have to win all the remaining games which I don’t think they will.

“Pirates still have chances to win the league title and I am not writing them off at this time. If a team can score two goals in four minutes, why not win six or five games and win the league?” Mosimane questioned.

For more http://www.soccerladuma.com

South African Communist Party deputy general secretary Jeremy Cronin has defended Minister in the Presidency Trevor Manuel over his comments that the government could no longer blame apartheid for its failures, SABC radio reported on Thursday.

Cronin said Manuel’s comments were taken out of context and that it had been a media ambush.

“Let’s see what (the) comrade was actually saying, some more which weren’t on the banner headlines – we need a strong and effective government, we will not be able to reverse the effects of apartheid on the opportunities available to all South Africans,” quoted Cronin, who was speaking in Cape Town on Wednesday evening.

Manuel’s remarks were intended to encourage civil servants to be proactive in delivering services, said Cronin.

Last week Manuel reportedly said it was time for the government to take responsibility for its actions.

“We (government) should no longer say it’s apartheid’s fault. We should get up every morning and recognise we have responsibility. There is no longer the Botha regime looking over our shoulder, we are responsible ourselves.”

On Wednesday, President Jacob Zuma said it was impossible to see complete change in just 20 years. The damage done by apartheid would be with the country for some time, he said.

“To suggest we cannot blame apartheid for what is happening in our country now, I think is a mistake to say the least,” Zuma said at the 20th anniversary of SACP leader Chris Hani’s assassination.

“We don’t need to indicate what it is apartheid did. The fact that the country is two in one, you go to any city there is a beautiful part and squatters on the other side. This is not the making of democracy and we can’t stop blaming those who caused it,” said Zuma. – Sapa

Read Trevor Manuel’s

An eyewitness has come forward to describe the massacre of four Pakistani men in Mitchells Plain last month.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Voice, the woman told how she came face-to-face with one of the gunmen before he blasted the four men to death.

For more www.iol.co.za

Shocking evidence has emerged of high school learners being forced to eat out of buckets with their hands as a result of a shortage of bowls at the Boresetse High School in Barkly West.

The inhumane treatment of learners at the school came to light during a visit by Childline in the Northern Cape to the school recently.

For more www.iol.co.za