Lawyers for Oscar Pistorius have filed an appeal in a South African court against bail restrictions imposed on the Olympian, who is charged with murdering his girlfriend, according to papers released by the Pistorius family on Monday.

“The conditions appealed against are unwarranted and not substantiated by the facts,” said the appeal, which was filed Friday in Pretoria, the South African capital.

The appeal reflected the robust defence strategy of lawyers for Pistorius, who has been staying at his uncle Arnold’s home in a Pretoria suburb since he was released on bail on Feb. 22.

It is a delicate balance because the Pistorius family has also sought to keep a low profile, expressing sorrow for the death of Reeva Steenkamp on Feb. 14. Pistorius says he mistakenly shot Steenkamp, thinking she was an intruder in his home. Prosecutors believe he killed her intentionally after an argument.

The Associated Press received a copy of the court papers by email from representatives of the Pistorius family. The appeal was prepared by Ramsay Webber, a legal firm based in Johannesburg.

In the papers, lawyers for the double-amputee athlete argued against the requirement that he surrender all passports and travel documents, and refrain from applying for such documents pending the end of his case.

The lawyers said evidence presented at the athlete’s bail hearing showed he is not a flight risk and should have the option of travelling outside South Africa as long as he has official permission.

For more details go to www.cbc.ca

BY Obakeng Maje

Kuruman- Police are investigating a case of malicious damage to property after a Standard Bank ATM was blasted this morning at 02:30 at Kuruman in Livingston Street next to the BP garage.

Police said that suspects allegedly used explosives to bomb the ATM.

“A white Inyati minibus were spotted prior to the explosion with two African males inside in the fraternity where the crime scene happened” Lieutenant Andrea Cloete said.

“No money was stolen from the ATM and the Forensic Investigators as well as the Explosive Unit attended the crime scene” Cloete said.

No suspects were arrested yet and the police investigation continues.

Anybody with information can contact the Kuruman Police Station at the following number 053-712 9831.

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews

BY Obakeng Maje

Cape Town-Tickets for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ Qualifier between South Africa and the Central African Republic (CAR) are already on sale.

The match will take place on Saturday, 23 March 2013 at the Cape Town Stadium.

Kickoff is at 20h15.

Tickets are on sale for R100 for the West and East lower stand, and R50 for the North and South stands.

They can be purchased at Computicket outlets and Shoprite, Checkers and Shoprite/Checkers stores countrywide.

Johannesburg – Nelson Mandela, who spent a night in hospital at the weekend for a medical checkup, is doing well but has memory lapses, a close friend said on Monday.

Renowned human rights lawyer George Bizos, who defended Mandela during his 1960s treason trial, said that while the 94-year-old is aware of currents political events, he forgets at times that his fellow anti-apartheid activists are dead.

“Unfortunately he sometimes forgets that one or two of them had passed on and has a blank face when you tell him that Walter Sisulu and some others are no longer with us,” Bizos told Eyewitness News in an interview published on Monday.

Sisulu, the former leader of the ANC who was Mandela’s political mentor, died nearly a decade ago.

Bizos, who has been friends with Mandela since the 1940s, paid a visit to the Nobel Peace Prize winner at his Johannesburg home just over a week ago.

“I saw him about 10 days ago. He looked okay,” said Bizos.

Mandela was on Saturday admitted into hospital for “a scheduled medical check-up to manage the existing conditions in line with his age”, the presidency said.

The hospitalisation came less than three months after he was treated for a lung infection and gallstones.

Bizos represented Mandela and other leading anti-apartheid activists including Sisulu and Govan Mbeki, during the infamous 1960s Rivonia Trial that saw Mandela sentenced to life in prison. – Sapa-AFP

Orlando Pirates midfielder Thulasizwe Mbuyane is likely to join Sifiso Myeni and Rooi Mahamutsa on the sidelines for a lengthy spell after getting injured in the Soweto Derby on Saturday.

Pretoria – Lawyers for Oscar Pistorius have filed an appeal in court against bail restrictions imposed on the Olympian, who is charged with murdering his girlfriend, according to papers released by the Pistorius family on Monday.

“The conditions appealed against are unwarranted and not substantiated by the facts,” said the appeal, which was filed on Friday.

The appeal reflected the robust defense strategy of lawyers for Pistorius, who has been staying at his uncle Arnold’s home in Pretoria since he was released on bail on February 22.

It is a delicate balance because the Pistorius family has also sought to keep a low profile, expressing sorrow for the death of Reeva Steenkamp on February 14. Pistorius says he mistakenly shot Steenkamp, thinking she was an intruder in his home. Prosecutors believe he killed her intentionally after an argument.

The appeal was prepared by Ramsay Webber, a legal firm based in Johannesburg.

In the papers, lawyers for the double-amputee athlete argued against the requirement that he surrender all passports and travel documents, and refrain from applying for such documents pending the end of his case.

The lawyers said evidence presented at the athlete’s bail hearing showed he is not a flight risk and should have the option of traveling outside South Africa as long as he has official permission.

For more details go to www.iol.co.za

Kimberley, Griquatown – A 16-year-old boy accused of murdering the Steenkamp family on their farm pleaded not guilty to three murder charges in the Kimberley High Court on Monday.

Prosecutor Hannes Cloete put five charges to the boy one by one.

The boy pleaded not guilty to all. They include a charge of rape and one of defeating the ends of justice.

The State confirmed that a Child Court was in session, which was confirmed by the boy’s lawyer, Willem Coetzee. He submitted there was no plea explanation.

Earlier, Northern Cape Judge President Frans Kgomo allowed journalists from Media 24, Independent Newspapers, Central Media Group, SABC, and Sapa to be in court during the proceedings.

Cases involving minors are usually held in camera. The boy’s trial was expected to start on Monday. He may not be identified.

The teenager was arrested for the murders of Northern Cape farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christelle, 43, and daughter Marthella, 14. They were shot on their farm Naauwhoek, near Griquatown, on April 6, 2012. – Sapa

The government has confirmed that South Africa’s consul-general in Shanghai has been recalled “for health reasons”, following reports that he was found walking naked in a street near his office in China’s commercial capital about three months ago.

The appointment of Lassy Chiwayo – a former mayor of Mbombela in Mpumalanga – had been terminated and he was back in South Africa receiving treatment, Clayson Monyela, a spokesman for the Department of International Relations and Co-operation, said on Sunday.

The Sunday World newspaper reported that Chiwayo had been recalled because he had “tainted South Africa’s reputation” by walking naked through the Shanghai streets near the consulate-general offices and assaulting South Africa’s ambassador to China, Bheki Langa, at a reception in Beijing.

The paper quoted Chiwayo as strongly denying these allegations and insisting that he had merely been reassigned to duties back in South Africa in the normal course of events.

But Monyela was adamant that Chiwayo’s posting in Shanghai had been terminated and he was in South Africa receiving treatment for “health-related challenges”.

For more details go to www.iol.co.za

The ANC in the province is happy with the results of Thursday’s by-election in Warrenton, where it achieved a 58.14% victory.

The DA came second with 38.82%, which the party was excited with as they said the percentage signalled the DA’s growth and influence, and that they were looking forward to the 2014 national elections.

“That is where even more people will show their dissatisfaction with the ANC,” the DA in a statement saidw.

The ANC declined from 62.21% of 2011 and the DA increased their margin from 27.44% of the same year.

ANC provincial secretary Zamani Saul said the victory showed they were further strengthening and consolidating their gains in the area of Magareng.

The by-election in the Magareng local municipality’s Ward 4 was held after the death of an ANC counsellor. The election was contested by ANC, DA, Cope and Azapo.

“The people have expressed their confidence and support to the ANC because of the leadership role it provides and its non-compromising attitude to address the challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment in that community,” Saul said.

He said the ruling party would build on the campaign work done in the ward, to ensure that it consolidated its support and increases in the national and provincial elections in 2014 to 70%.

“The electorate showed they will not be fooled by opportunistic political parties that do not have their interest at heart but are more concerned with making newspaper headlines and staging melodramatic walkouts.”

DA spokesperson Clivé Burger said they created an amazing atmosphere in Warrenton on Thursday.

“The ‘Blue Machine’ was revved up and ready to go. The DA left its footprints in Ward 4. Our voter numbers have grown by 41.47%. We are very excited about this percentage and are looking forward to the 2014 national elections where even more people will show their dissatisfaction with the ANC,” Burger said.

“It is clear if you look at the decline in the percentage of people voting for the ANC, that they are no longer satisfied with the ANC government.

“The DA’s growth in strong ANC wards reflects that people are changing their minds and would rather vote for the DA which has shown an excellent track record regarding service delivery.

“The DA is ready to take over the Northern Cape.”

Oscar Pistorius is “on the verge of suicide” as he is forced to sell off his belongings to fight a charge of premeditated murder, a friend of the Paralympic star has said.

Mr Pistorius, 26, is accused of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp after she was shot dead at his home last month.

The Olympian claims he shot her through a bathroom door thinking she was an intruder.

Mike Azzie, a close friend who Mr Pistorius refers to as Uncle Mike, said the sportsman was a “broken man” after he was tasked with selling his racehorses to raise money to pay for spiralling legal fees.

Speaking in a BBC3 documentary, Oscar Pistorius: What Really Happened?, Mr Azzie said Mr Pistorius regularly talks about Ms Steenkamp as he awaits his next court appearance on 4 June. He said: “He just always seems to mention Reeva and to ask us to pray for her…

“I would say that he is a broken man and I would go as far to say that he would be on the verge of suicide. It really worries me.”

According to the documentary makers, Mentorn Media, police in Johannesburg said they have requested all records of phone calls and messages between Mr Pistorius and Ms Steenkamp on the day she was killed.

For more details go to http://www.independent.co.uk