Durban – Eleven men have been arrested by the Hawks over the past week in connection with a series of ATM bombings in KwaZulu-Natal.

A group of ten men were arrested near the Mozambique border after being found with explosives and firearms. The eleventh suspect was arrested earlier in the week.

Over the previous week local media reported that a gang of white men with military training were behind the series of ATM bombings in and around the Durban area.

However Hawks spokesperson Paul Ramaloko rubbished the claims and announced further arrests were imminent.

“We are confident that we managed to close the net for this syndicate, and it is not a white syndicate at all.

“We are confident that we arrested most of them and expect to arrest not more than five more.” Ramaloko said.

The gang is set to appear in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

For me details go to sabreakingnews.co.za

A local football magazine has been informed that Ghanaian defender Mohammed Awal has agreed to join Orlando Pirates, but the deal hinges on whether his current club Maritzburg United will agree to release him.

Awal, who is in Ghana’s Africa Cup of Nations squad, has agreed a three-year deal with Bucs according to our informant.

“It is now up to the two clubs [Pirates and Maritzburg United] to agree terms,” a source reveals.

Maritzburg boss Farook Kadodia couldn’t be reached for comment.

For more details go to http://www.kickoff.com

Cape Town – An SABC car was stoned by striking farmworkers in De Doorns in the Western Cape on Monday, the public broadcaster reported.

SABC radio news reported that its team was interviewing striking workers at Stofland informal settlement when stones were hurled at the vehicle.

A picture of the car, showing a shattered back window screen, was posted on Twitter.

No injury was reported.

Last week, another journalist’s vehicle was torched during protest action. The car, which belonged to an Independent Newspapers journalist, was overturned in De Doorns and set alight on Wednesday.

Police patrol attacked

Earlier, police said one of its foot patrols was attacked in De Doorns on Monday morning.

Warrant Officer November Filander said the officers were attacked around 03:00 while patrolling an informal settlement in the Western Cape town.

“I was informed that the officers used a stun grenade and not rubber bullets to disperse the group,” he said.

The three were arrested for public violence. One was allegedly found in possession of dagga.

“The affected farm striking areas are quiet at this stage. Police are still monitoring these areas.”

Farmworkers in De Doorns want their minimum R69 daily wage increased to R150.

The strike began on August 27 last year, and was called off on December 4 and resumed on Wednesday.

Since the strike resumed on Wednesday, De Doorns has been the epicentre of violent clashes between protesters and police.

On Thursday, police used a water cannon, fired rubber bullets and stun grenades in an attempt to disperse thousands of strikers who pelted them with stones.

A truck was hijacked and set alight on Saturday morning.

CCMA offers to intervene

A total of 125 people were arrested between Wednesday and Sunday in connection with the strikes, mostly for public violence.

The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) offered to intervene in the strike on Saturday saying it had the authority and the skills and experience to mediate a solution.

“We have offered our services – which we are empowered to do in matters of public interest – and trust that the parties will respond positively to our offer,” executive director Nerine Kahn said in a statement.

The CCMA said they were in a position to mediate a binding short-term agreement while the parties wait for a sectoral wage determination by the labour department.

By Obakeng Maje

Police cannot hunt with the hounds and run with the hares-NWest Premier Thandi Modise

The arrest of two policemen for their alleged criminal activities over the weekend is commendable and should sent a unequivocal message to rogue policemen that “they cannot hunt with hounds and run with the hares”, North West Premier Thandi Modise said on Monday.

In expressing appreciation that the arrest was a result of a tip-off from members of the public, Premier reiterated her earlier comment that the involvement of police in crime undermines the confidence that the public has on law enforcement therefore everything should be done to uproot elements within the police service involved in crime.

“We call on our communities to support efforts to rid the police service of criminal elements. There should be no place in the police service for officials who have a link with criminals and or involved in crime.” stressed Modise.

According to police, the two Gauteng policemen and two other men were arrested in Bakerville, near Lichtenburg on Saturday afternoon. They had purportedly bought two “diamonds” for R7 000, and on finding they were fakes, returned to confront the two sellers.

The suspects allegedly threatened and intimidated the house owner with death when 

 they could not find the sellers at the house where the deal was struck.

Captain Pelononi Makau confirmed that two police service pistols were seized when the four were arrested.

The four are expected to appear in the Lichtenburg Magistrate’s Court today on charges of kidnapping and intimidation.

Eastern Cape – An Eastern Cape woman wrestled with a suspected armed robber who shot her husband at their shop in Mqanduli, according to a report on Monday.

The Dispatch Online reported that two men, dressed in black, entered the shop on Thursday night while Nolungile Wiwi was serving customers.

“They walked in. They looked smart. One of them took out a R20 note and asked for cigarettes. He immediately withdrew his hand and reached towards his waist and took out a gun,” she told the Dispatch Online.

“In shock, I pounced on him and grabbed his (gun) hand and told my husband to duck. While I was holding onto his hand he pulled the trigger, hitting my husband in his upper back.”

According to the report, the bullet hit the counter first and then entered Tefayo Wiwi’s shoulder before entering his spine.

The men calmly walked out of the shop as she screamed for help.

“So far we are following a few leads, but we do not know exactly who was involved,” Police spokesman Major Zamukulungisa Jozana told the Dispatch Online. – Sapa

By Obakeng Maje

Taung-South Africa has again capture the headlines across the world. 

This time South Africa is making waves for all wrong reasons. The world has doped beloved “Mzansi” as the “World’s Capital of Rape” after spate of rapes experienced in the country.

According to statistics one out of four women in SA has been raped and the figures might be sky-high as there are unreported rapes.

South Africa has dethrone other African counterpart,Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC).

This past weekend, a 43 year-old man was arrested for raping his 10 month old niece in Orkney,near Klerksdorp.

Many dignitaries and NGOs organisations alike condemn the deeds and encourage every woman to go and report any sexually assaults.

“I believe those who are caught being at the wrong side of the law,they need to be disciplined” NW premier Thandi Modise said last year.

She also proposed that if they were caught their genitals must be removed.

South Africa is a democratic country,but so far some NGOs believe the country has not done enough to protect women.

The rape is scourge and need to be dealt with.

South African president,Jacob Zuma was once accused of rape.

Zuma was accused of raping an HIV positive woman bacl then and was acquitted by court.

The court did not find Zuma guilty and instead said sexually intercourse was consensual.

To those who found guilty,a harsh sentence need to be imposed on them to send a strong message.

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Mpumalanga – Seven people were killed near Balfour on Monday morning when a mini-bus taxi overturned, the Mpumalanga safety and security department said.

Spokesman Moeti Mmusi said nine seriously injured people were taken to hospital in Balfour and Heidelberg.

It is believed that a tyre burst on the vehicle, which had been travelling on the R23 close to the provincial border with Gauteng. – Sapa

The North West Province is ready for the Afcon tournament following a briefing, and an assessment of the Royal Bafokeng stadium, including the preparedness of law enforcement officers.

North West MEC for Human Settlement, Public Safety and Liaison, Nono Maloyi has announced that 1 700 law enforcement officers will be deployed in Rustenburg, to ensure the smooth running of the tournament in the province.

Public Safety MEC Nono Maloyi says: “We are more than ready, all the systems are in place, all the teams are on the ground and structures are set up.” Rustenburg will host a group of Death , Togo  ,Algeria, Tunisia and Cote’ Dvoire matches. 

Tickets sales have also picked up impressively. The local organising committee is optimistic, that, at least, between 80 and 90 000 tickets will be sold, before the tournament kicks off.

Happy Matlapeng of the North West Organizing Committee says: “The sale of tickets has increased drastically in Rustenburg. The number is expected to increase more after consulting the miners.”

The current security in Rustenburg will be beefed up until the end of next month.

For more details go to http://www.sabc.co.za

A stand-off between rival unions National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the Association Mineworkers and Construction Unions (AMCU) is looming at Impala Platinum in Rustenburg. AMCU is now the majority union, but NUM disputes this and has called for an independent audit.

Implats has given NUM a thirty day notice, to increase its membership, or its recognition agreement with the mine will expire.  

AMCU is demanding NUM vacates its offices, because it is no longer the majority union. AMCU chairperson, Mnqabulo Sayinyova says: “NUM’s time is over, Zokwana’s time is over, AMCU is in control of almost all the shafts here. AMCU is the one dominating in all these shafts we say viva to AMCU.”

But NUM disputes AMCU’s figures. It wants an independent verification of membership. The union claims it’s unable to recruit due to intimidation.  NUM regional secretary, Sidwell Dolokwane, says:  “We will continue to stay at Impala until verification is done by an independent body recognised as well like the CCMA.”

During the two month mine workers strike at Implats, early last year, many NUM members defected to AMCU. Since then, there’s been a dispute over which of the unions is the dominant one.

 Implats however has confirmed that AMCU has the larger membership. It has given the NUM 30 days to increase its membership. Unless it does this, NUM’s recognition agreement with Implats will be rendered null and void.

For more details go to http://www.sabc.co.za

By Obakeng Maje

Pampierstad-Another initiation school horror took place barely a month after another graduate was allegedly beaten to death in Pampierstad.

Kabelo Mokgweetse was viciously attacked after he ran away from an initiation school.

He was allegedly taken back to the initiation school and beaten until he suffered third degree attack.

“I was beaten by the teachers at initiation school after I ran away. We were not given food and water for days and that affected me” Mogweetse told Sabc.

The traditional organisations condemn the attack on children who attending the initiative and say they degrade a culture.

“We are really against those who practice this illegally and want them to be arrested. Those who want to run initiation school need to follow correct procedure” Pule Moreki told Sabc.

“They need to request a permission from their local leaders and obtain a letter of permission” He said.

Last year a 22 year-old girl was beaten to death after she ran away from initiation school.

The suspect will appear tomorrow for grievious bodily harm and kidnapping at Pampierstad.

They were granted a R500 bail each and will appear again tomorrow.