Kimberley – A large sum of money apparently went missing from the home of the Steenkamp family after they were murdered on their farm Naauwhoek, near Griquatown, in April last year.
The bodies of Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christel, 43, and their daughter Marthella, 14, were found lying face down in their living room after they were shot several times.
For more details go to http://www.iol.co.za
By Obakeng Maje
Mahikeng-The workshop between Provincial Legislature and councillors has commerced well according to Provincial Legislature speaker Supra Mahumapelo.
North West provincial government called all councillors in the province to a two day workshop where they outlined some few regulations and to get a way forward on how to deal with challenges bein experienced by councillors.
“The aim of the workshop is to oversee things that our councillors are mandated to achieve” Supra Mahumapelo said.
“We want to see a good relationship between our municipalities and its communities they serve. We normal meet every quarter to discuss way forward and oversee things that our councillors are mandated to achieve” Obakeng Mahumapelo continues.
Mahumapelo outlines that they will make sure the municipalities are reporting back to the communities and things run with more delicacy.
“The are few challenges we encountered. There is a emblezzling of funds in some of our municipality. Some of municipalities are failed to submit their financial reports as only Rustenburg and Moses Kotane municipality submit their financial reports” Mahumapelo said.
The provincial legislature executive said would like to see that relationship between councillors and the communities improve.
He said it is crestfallen that ANC has been in power for more than 18 years and there is still a confusion and service delivery is one of burning issues in the country.
“It will be gratifying if our people are served with respect they deserved and to those councillors who are incompetent and serve people ineptly will be dealt with” said Mahumapelo.
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews
RECENT threats against North West Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) chairman Hlomane Chauke have sprung the legislature into action.
Dan Delebano, a man who describes himself as a “close friend” of North West social development MEC Mosetsa-nagape Mokomele-Mothibi, was heard on an audio recording talking about a need to “stop” Chauke.
This was after Chauke recommended that Mokomele-Mothibi should pay back the R174000 used by the department on a trip to Bloemfontein last December.
Mongezi Tsenca, spokesman for legislature speaker Supra Mahumapelo said security measures had been put in place to thwart the alleged threats. “… the police have been requested to investigate the threats and make a security risk assessment of [Scopa] members,” Tsenca said.
However, Scopa member and DA leader in North West, Chris Hattingh, said security arrangements had not changed.
For more details go to www.sowetanlive.co.za
More than 2000 provincial and municipal officials in Gauteng were prosecuted for fraudulently benefiting from government housing
programmes in the 2010/11 and 2011/12 financial years, the DA said on Tuesday.
“None of the officials were suspended or sacked for their fraudulent activity,” Democratic Alliance MPL Janet Semple said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Instead [they were] entering into acknowledgement of debt (AOD) agreements with the Gauteng local government and housing department to repay the R11.7 million lost.”
The figures were provided by Gauteng local government MEC Ntombi Mekgwe in response to questions in the legislature. It emerged that 1630 officials in provincial government departments and 382 municipal officials were involved.
Local government and housing spokesman Motsamai Motlhaolwa could not immediately be reached for comment.
The DA in Gauteng said it was not satisfied with how the department dealt with the officials.
“The DA believes that offending officials must, at the very least, be dismissed from public office where appropriate following disciplinary and civil or criminal investigations,” Semple said.
“The MEC must explain why her department entered into AOD agreements instead of suspending or dismissing officials. The DA will question the MEC on the criteria and reasoning behind this dubious decision and approach to dealing with fraud.”
-Sapa
Johannesburg – Rebels in the Central African Republic (CAR) regretted the action that led to the death of 13 SA National Defence Force soldiers, the SANDF said on Tuesday.
“On Sunday morning the leaders of the rebels came to the base, and discussed what happened on the ground, and they regretted exchanging fire with SANDF soldiers,” said Brigadier General Xolani Mabanga.
“Since then there hasn’t been any threatening situation against the SANDF. We are not taking anything lightly and are taking all precautionary measures to ensure SANDF members are safe on the ground.”
Mabanga said they had not received any instructions regarding troop movements and the current death toll from Saturday had not changed.
“The current figures as mentioned yesterday (Monday), to the best of our knowledge, are accurate,” said Mabanga.
Apart from the 13 killed, 27 soldiers were wounded and one was missing in action. Mabanga could not comment on media reports alleging what happened on the ground.
“We cannot comment on reports by the media based on allegations,” he said.
The Beeld newspaper reported on Tuesday that beyond the official toll of those injured, killed and missing, six special forces operators were also killed in the fighting.
The newspaper reported that the SANDF had become a target for reportedly helping CAR President Francois Bozize flee the country into the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
According to the report, top structures were warned by senior SANDF officers last week that the CAR mission amounted to “suicide”.
SA Air Force aircraft were also put on standby on Monday night, though due to financial constraints the Gripens were not armed with weapons with an attack capacity.
SANDF soldiers reportedly struggled on the ground due to lack of logistics and air support.
Soldiers had to ask French parachutists for essential equipment, with only one doctor present with a backpack for medical support.
The report also stated that renewed fighting broke out on Monday between SANDF soldiers and rebels.
The Democratic Alliance said on Tuesday that new reports on the “disaster” in CAR showed the need for a parliamentary inquiry.
“The SANDF soldiers evidently equipped themselves well under fire, in circumstances where they were vastly outnumbered by rebel forces,” said DA defence spokesman David Maynier in a statement.
“But in the end they appear to have been left dangling, without the necessary military support. We need to get to the bottom of why the SANDF was deployed in the CAR, effectively to support President Francois Bozize.”
He said it also needed to be known how the 13 soldiers died in the CAR.
The DA had written to the speaker of the National Assembly Max Sisulu, requesting the establishment of a multi-party ad hoc committee to conduct an inquiry in the SANDF’s deployment in CAR.
“In the end, President Jacob Zuma’s decision to deploy the SANDF in the CAR – effectively to support President Francois Bozize – has been a complete disaster,” said Maynier. – Sapa
Johannesburg – A former Limpopo MEC was arrested on Tuesday morning, the Hawks said.
The woman and one of her business associates were charged with fraud, Captain Paul Ramaloko said.
“Another businessman was expected to hand himself over to Polokwane police soon,” he said.
The group allegedly participated in tender fraud worth around R15 million.
The woman also sits on the African National Congress’s national executive council. She and her co-accused were expected to appear in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court later on Tuesday.
The arrest follows Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s report that stated she displayed improper conduct during her tenure as MEC. The investigation was prompted by a complaint lodged with Madonsela’s office in June 2010, relating to the procurement of services for a Limpopo government department.
“(The woman) acted in a manner that is inconsistent with the position that she occupied and that was not in the best interests of the department,” Madonsela said in February. – Sapa
Johannesburg – Around R50 million meant for 2010 World Cup legacy projects in the Eastern Cape has gone missing, The Times reported on Tuesday.
Parliament’s sport portfolio committee was investigating the matter. Committee chairman Richard Mdakane said the discovery of the missing funds was made in June last year.
“There was a problem about the legacy project when we visited Buffalo City and an allegation was made there is R50 million that is unaccounted for,” Mdakane was quoted as saying.
The Buffalo City municipality includes East London, Bhisho and King William’s Town.
“We requested the department of sport in the Eastern Cape to deal with the matter [but it has] not really come back to us.”
Mdakane said they were consulting with the portfolio committee on safety and security and sport director general Alec Meomi on the matter.
The municipality’s spokesman Keith Ngesi denied there was any money missing.
He told The Times that around R21 million had gone into upgrading the Buffalo City Stadium and that there had been delays in other projects.
“The metro is aware of the work that has not been done and responsible units are putting together a report, including paid invoices with a portfolio of evidence of work done,” he said. – Sapa
Johannesburg – It seems implausible: one family falling victim to three horrifying, separate crimes – all on the same day.
Trevor O’Callaghan, from Randburg, still can’t believe that his son, Joshua, was nearly killed last Friday, March 23, and he is desperate to track down the driver of a dark grey Mercedes-Benz that left the 11-year-old child for dead in the middle of the N12.
“We are not victims. We were attacked three times, but all I can say right now is how grateful I am. I am grateful my son is alive, grateful my father-in-law is alive and grateful me and my wife were not shot,” said the father.
Joshua and his grandfather, Leigh Acar, went fishing on Friday morning at a lake in Benoni. He was staying at his grandparents while his parents attended a wedding in Cape Town.
For more details go to www.iol.co.za
Johannesburg – A range of political parties and the ANC’s alliance partner, Cosatu, have asked hard questions about South Africa’s military involvement in the Central African Republic (CAR) in the wake of the news that 13 SA National Defence Force soldiers were killed and 27 were wounded in clashes with the Seleka rebels who have seized the capital Bangui.
Some have called for the remaining troops to be brought home as soon as possible – a move that President Jacob Zuma ruled out on Monday.
For more details go to www.iol.co.za
BY Obakeng Maje
Pampierstad- Northern Cape police arrested a suspect after he allegedly raped a 17 year-old teenager.
The ordeal took place at Pampierstad township and the police said a suspect in well-known within the community.
“It is alleged that a 17 year-old teen was heading home from a local tarvern alone when a suspect pounced on her. The age of a suspect is between 24-25 and will appear before Pampierstad Magistrate Court soon” Warrant Officer Thuso Setumiso said.
The Pampierstad police arrested a suspect shortly after the incident and a victim was taken to a local clinic for medical attention.
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews
The Guardian 