Johannesburg – The South Gauteng High Court has not granted a protection order for the ANC against an alleged threat by the DA who are marching in Johannesburg’s CBD on Wednesday.

The ANC filed the urgent application because it said it had a “duty to protect our headquarters, protect our member, and protect our assets”.

“We are not saying they should not march, but if they pose a threat to our headquarters, what do we do?” ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu said earlier on Wednesday morning.

He said this was necessary as the Democratic Alliance had secured the services of a security firm “armed to the teeth” with batons, helmets, and shields.

Mthembu said the ANC was confident of winning the application.

Cameron Arendse, spokesperson for DA leader Helen Zille, said the party would have representatives at the court, and would fight for their democratic right to march.

In a statement on Tuesday, Arendse said the DA had repeatedly said it would hold a peaceful march in downtown Johannesburg for “real jobs”.

“Any security precautions we are taking are defensive, not offensive.

“These precautions are based on a responsible assessment of the risk to our own members and activists,” he said.

“We are all too mindful of the inability of the SA Police Service and the Johannesburg metro police department to protect our members.”

He said the application by the ruling party was a last ditch attempt to stop the march, as the ANC was afraid that the DA would show how the ruling party had failed unemployed South Africans.

– Sapa and News24

Johannesburg – Oscar Pistorius has reportedly reached an out-of-court settlement with a woman who accused him of assault following an incident during a party at his house in 2009.

Eyewitness News reported on Wednesday that Pistorius was involved in a four-year legal battle with Pretoria blogger Cassidy Taylor-Memmory.

She attended a party at Pistorius’s house in September 2009, while he was dating a friend of hers.

Pistorius was arrested after allegedly punching a door, which resulted in her leg being hurt. She claimed his behaviour was aggressive and unreasonable, while he accused her of being drunk and aggressive – which she denied. Pistorius launched a R2.2m counter claim against her.

Taylor-Memmory told EWN that her lawyers had reached a settlement with Pistorius’s legal team in December, which included him paying her legal fees. She said she did not receive an apology, but agreed to the settlement because she wanted to put the incident behind her. She did not give further details of the settlement.

Pistorius’s lawyer, Brian Webber, confirmed to Sapa that the matter was settled last year, but declined to give details of the settlement.

Meanwhile, Pistorius’s legal team is believed to still be in talks with the parents of his late girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, regarding an out-of-court settlement following her death.

Media reports in January indicated that Pistorius could pay in the region of R2m to Steenkamp’s family.

Pistorius shot and killed Steenkamp in his Pretoria home on 14 February last year. His murder trial is due to start on 3 March.-News24

Johannesburg – The ANCYL and the YCLSA will form a human chain around Luthuli House on Wednesday ahead of a march by the Democratic Alliance for “real jobs”.

“[We] regard the planned DA march to the ANC headquarters as an act of provocation,” said Mzwandile Masina, national convenor of the African National Congress Youth League. “[The] ANCYL… will be out in full force to form a human chain and defend Luthuli House.”

The Young Communist League of SA said the ANC had done a lot in the past 20 years to better the lives of South Africans.

The DA said it would march for “real” jobs. It initially planned to march to Luthuli House but it was thwarted by metro police.

The party would instead march to Beyers Naude Square, a block away from Luthuli House.

In a statement on Tuesday, Arendse said the DA had repeatedly said it would hold a peaceful march in downtown Johannesburg.

“Any security precautions we are taking are defensive, not offensive.

“These precautions are based on a responsible assessment of the risk to our own members and activists,” he said.

“We are all too mindful of the inability of the SA Police Service and the Johannesburg metro police department to protect our members.”

The ANC filed an urgent application in the South Gauteng High Court for a protection order against the DA. It lost the application.
– SAPA

In an effort to encourage learners to perform with excellence and to assess the schools readiness for the start the new academic year, MEC for Finance, Paul Sebegoe, visited schools in Madikwe where he was deployed for back to school campaign. This was to ensure that learning and teaching takes place on the first day of the schools calendar year and that no time is lost.

Sebegoe shared a word of encouragement with the learners in Thebeyatlhajwa Secondary School in Koffiekraal and told them that the class of 2013 has raised the bar for them in terms of matric pass rate and they have to ensure that they put everything in their studies to surpass the current provincial pass rate.

He encouraged particularly the matriculants to work harder and emulate the 2013 class, which exceeded the target percentage set by the provincial education department. North West is the second best performing province after Free State.

“You are in the spotlight currently and a lot of pressure will be placed on you, from the society at large, family members and the school itself, so start planning now to avoid finding yourselves falling in the trap of being anxious and not able to give much attention to your studies” he said.

Thebeyatlhajwa Secondary School obtained a pass rate of 92% in 2013, an improvement of 5% pass from 2012. Learners were urged to work hard and achieve a 100% pass rate which can be accomplished with much discipline and dedication from both learners and educators.

He emphasized the importance of prioritizing one’s school work in order to start developing your career, “be interested in what you want to achieve and be passionate about your dreams.”
He said although North West is predominantly rural, the level of commitment displayed by the class of 2013 showed that you do not necessarily have to be in urban areas to achieve great things.

“Do not find yourself doing things out of compliance reasons, but let it be a matter of passion for learning and wanting to make something of yourself,” he said.

“In producing good results at the end of the year, your chances of receiving a bursary to further your studies are much higher, that will result in a much brighter future for yourself. It all starts with you and much dedication.” said MEC.

Sebegoe told them that the provincial government will do everything in its power to ensure that 2014 becomes yet another year to be proud of in terms of supporting learners and teachers to produce the best result at the end of the yeAR.-TDN
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The North West Provincial Government has noted with dismay a media article published in The New Age of Tuesday 21 January 2014 that suggested that teaching and learning were interrupted as school children in some schools around Zeerust were allegedly being sent home as an alleged ploy to highlight water shortages in the area.

It is especially disappointing that this iniquitous action comes just days after the Office of the Premier had publicly announced over R2 billion reprioritised project intervention implementation plan to address water challenges in all areas experiencing water challenges across the province and a memorandum of understanding was signed off by Premier Modise and Minister of Water Affairs and Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa.

It is not only irresponsible but also unlawful to use children in this manner, it absolutely against the Children’s Act. Our children are not inanimate objects.

The provincial government sympathises with the plight of communities facing water shortage particularly in the heat wave being experienced across most parts of our province and has raised the matter with Ngaka Modiri Molema District as the Water Service Authority which has since met with School Governing Bodies and extended water supply to schools and clinics in the area.

A direct engagement with the Water Service Authority instead of resorting to exploitation of children would have averted the inconvenience of interruption to learning and teaching.

It is not justifiable for any individual, institution or organization to use children to advance their cause. The welfare of children and their education should be placed above all other interests.

Using children in any form of protest or to advance narrow political agendas is not only immoral but also tantamount to abuse, which is against the Constitution and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.-TDN
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North West Premier Thandi Modise is saddened by the deaths of seven people who drowned due to flooding as a result of the heavy rains experienced in Dr Ruth Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District.

“We wish to convey our condolences to the families that have lost their loved ones in these tragic incidents and also wish the 97 who were injured when their mud houses collapsed across the province a speedy recovery. Our hearts and prayers are with the three families who are still waiting for the bodies of their loved ones to be recovered,” Premier Modise said.

Modise said that those displaced after their mud houses collapsed will be considered for social emergency housing and those in need will be assisted to access social relief of distress grants after Social workers and SASSA officials have concluded needs assessments.

The District Disaster Management Centre is distributing blankets, food parcels, cottage tents and arranging temporary shelter to those who are displaced. Four bridges are reported to have been washed away affecting about 26 villages.

BonaBona, Morokwenf and Pomfret were inaccessible on Friday due to flooding.

A joint Operating Centre has been activated to operate 24 hours.

The Premier has called on members of the public to exercise extreme caution when they cross flooding rivers and streams and for those in low lying areas to take precautionary measures and to keep authorities informed of threatening conditions for early intervention.

Emergency relief efforts are being coordinated to support over 700 families affected by flooding reported in several areas across the province due to heavy rains experienced over the past few days.-TDN
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