Daily Archives: March 11, 2014

Oscar’s trial bigger than World Cup


Johannesburg – Oscar Pistorius’s murder trial is bigger than the Fifa World Cup, according to figures by media monitoring group Data Driven Insight (DDI).

“Unbelievable, worldwide the Oscar trial is bigger in media than the Fifa 2014 World Cup,” said DDI spokeswoman Tonya Khoury on Tuesday.

DDI said despite restrictions on reporting, media coverage of the paralympian’s trial skyrocketed.

The social media platform Twitter added to the Pistorius news coverage of the trial in the High Court in Pretoria, DDI said.

On Monday, Judge Thokozile Masipa banned blogging and tweeting of graphic evidence by pathologist Gert Saayman. She reversed this decision on Tuesday morning.

DDI said this temporary restriction prompted about 2500 articles.

In the past 24 hours, news and social media hit over 106 000 unique inserts relating to the Pistorius trial, Khoury said.

Pistorius having retched in court was carried in 2300 news articles.

“The press in nine days hit the 750,000 mark,” she said.

“In a remarkable media frenzy, DDI has seen the media interest rise from an astonishing 8800 articles an hour (on day one) to 9200 in the 3pm hour on Friday. Seems the media , despite the critics, is on the rise.”

DDI also measured South Africa’s news headlines against the Pistorius trial and found that “nothing can move the media attention from Oscar”.

The data was compiled from 6.2 million social media platforms including blogs, forums, social networks and commentary, 60 000 global online newspapers, 2000 South African print publications, and 66 radio and television stations.

Sapa

Floods claim four victims


Johannesburg – Eleven people drowned in Mpumalanga in the past week because of heavy rains and 12 were rescued, police said on Tuesday.

Persistent rain and flooding had hit large parts of the province, including in Tonga, Nelspruit, Greylingstad, Piet Retief, and Badplaas, said police spokesperson Leonard Hlathi.

Three children, aged between 2 and 11 years old, were among those who had drowned from last Tuesday.

“The 2-year-old boy from Piet Retief fell into a hole that was dug for erecting a pit toilet,” said Hlathi.

Several people drowned when they attempted to cross flooded rivers in the area.

Two of the bodies had not been retrieved because of the dangerous condition of the rivers.

The 12 people, including motorists whose vehicles were swept away in flood water while they attempted to cross flooded bridges, were rescued by the Inland Water Police and Diving Service, said Hlathi.

Mpumalanga Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Simon Skhosana had handed over relief supplies to residents affected by flooding in the Nkomazi local municipality near Badplaas.

Skhosana, accompanied by Nkomazi Mayor Thulisile Khoza, handed over food parcels and blankets to the 38 affected families on Monday, department spokesperson George Mthethwa said in a statement.

“The provision forms part of the government’s relief effort for the affected families,” Mthethwa said.

Skhosana also visited several bridges in Mzinti, Tonga and Mlumati, to determine the extent of the damage caused by heavy rain and flooding in the area.

He said the department was co-ordinating reconstruction of the damaged bridges and the matter had been discussed with sector departments.

Motorists in the area were urged to avoid flooded rivers, bridges or dams.

“Parents are also urged to look after their children and discourage them from playing around rivers and dams because of the inherent dangers,” said provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Thulani Ntobela.

SAPA

Corruption worse under Zuma- DA


Johannesburg – Progress made since South Africa’s first democratic elections has been reversed under the leadership of President Jacob Zuma, the DA said on Tuesday.
“It is clear that the nation’s current leaders are not able to provide the leadership required to continue that progress,” the DA leader Helen Zille said in a statement.

Zuma released the country’s 20-year review document in Pretoria earlier in the day.

Zille said he highlighted progress made since 1994 under the leadership of former president Nelson Mandela and former president Thabo Mbeki, but failed to show what he himself had achieved.

“[He] disingenuously bracketed his term in office with that of his predecessors because he knows that the Jacob Zuma presidency is not a good story to tell,” said Zille.

She said the country’s political economy was now marred by corruption and declining accountability.

Unemployment and corruption became worse since Zuma took office and the gross domestic product had shown a decline, Zille said.

“The problem is not South Africa – the nation is strong, but the government is weak.”

Zille said her party had the ability to turn things around.

SAPA

Maritzburg United finally beats Stars


Pietermaritzburg – Maritzburg United have registered their first ever PSL win over Free State Stars when they defeated them 3-2 at the Harry Gwala Stadium on Tuesday night.
 
Rheece Evans netted a brace and Bongolwethu Jayiya scored the third for the Team of Choice, before Ea Lla Koto fought back late through a deflected strike from Danny Venter and an own goal from Ruben Cloete.
 
United broke the deadlock in the 6th minute when Evans volleyed home at the far post after Frank Sarfo-Gyamfi’s corner was flicked into his path.
 
Henyekane had a chance to equalise for the visitors in the 14th minute when he got behind the United defence, only to be denied by a brilliant stop from Shu-aib Walters.
 
Evans then grabbed his brace in the 21st minute, making a late run into the far post to head past Tshepo Motsoeneng, connecting with a corner from Bongolwethu Jayiya.
 
Henyekane had another golden opportunity in the 27th minute when he found himself one-on-one with Walters, but this time he dragged his shot narrowly wide of the post.
 
The Free State Stars forward did get another effort on target in the 35th minute, but his dipping freekick was superbly kept out by Walters.
 
Daniel Cardoso then redeemed himself well in the 44th minute when he cleared Jayiya’s goalbound effort of the line after he had been guilty of losing possession to Orlando Smeekes on the left.
 
Ea Lla Koto tried to pull a goal back early in the second half but Salmaan King drew a routine save from Walters in the 54th minute, before Angelo Kerspuy missed the target two minutes later.
 
Six minutes later Sarfo-Gyamfi had a great chance to extend the lead when a long ball was headed into his path on the right side of the box, only to rush his shot effort wide.
 
Smeekes used good pace and skill to skip past his marker on the left in the 64th minute before drilling a low shot which was gathered comfortably by Motsoeneng.
 
However, the Stars goalkeeper was left rooted on his line in the 73rd minute as Jayiya curled his freekick into the top right corner for Maritzburg’s third goal of the match.
 
Venter then had an effort saved by Walters in the 79th minute but six minutes later he did find the back of the net after his shot ricocheted off Robyn Johannes.
 
There was more drama in added time when Stars reduced the deficit through a headed own goal from Cloete, but it was too little too late as United held on for maximum points.

Scorers:

Maritzburg United: (2) 3 (Evans 6’ 21’, Jayiya 71’)
Free State Stars: (0) 2 (Venter 85’, Cloete o.g. 94’)
 
Teams:
Maritzburg United: Walters, Cloete, Johannes, Evans, Smeekes (Mandaza 66’), Booysen D, Sarfo-Gyamfi (Zulu 74’), De Jongh, Jayiya, Sekotlong (Hartog 82’), Morton
 
Free State Stars: Motsoeneng, Masehe, Ouro-Akoriko, Cardoso, Thlone, Kerspuy, Abraw (Basit 56’), King (Venter 59’), Basie, Yende (Nomandela 73’), Henyekane
Backpagemedia

Malema takes on Judge, Tlakula and IEC


Pretoria – Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema said his party would not allow the 7 May elections to be presided over by people with “questionable credentials”.
Malema was addressing supporters on his party’s failed bid for an interdict relating to the payment of financial deposits to the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC).

“This is the beginning of many battles to start,” he said.

The North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria dismissed the EFF’s application with costs earlier in the day.

Political parties are required to pay a deposit of more than R600 000 – R45 000 per province, and R200 000 to contest the polls nationally.

The EFF was seeking to have this requirement removed or greatly reduced.

Malema said his party would seek to have a forensic report said to be implicating IEC chair Pansy Tlakula released without delay.

The EFF would approach courts to compel the IEC to issue the report.

“What if after the elections the report confirms that indeed there was corruption and the chairperson of the IEC was involved?” he asked.

“We don’t want our elections to be presided over by people who have a credibility crisis.”

Forensic investigation

A forensic investigation commissioned by the IEC reportedly found that Tlakula and IEC commissioners did not act with due diligence when they secured a lease for the IEC headquarters in Pretoria.

This followed a probe by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela, who came to similar conclusions.

Malema said Tuesday’s decision by Judge Joseph Raulinga confirmed his long-held assertion that courts are there to rubber-stamp decisions of capitalists.

“We told you that the role of the courts is to reinforce capitalism. The court has just confirmed that. The court says elections are only for the rich… they must be ashamed, and shame on the justice system of South Africa,” he said.

Raulinga said his full judgment would be ready on Wednesday.

“Costs in this case include the costs attended in the payment of two counsels [for the IEC]. The judgment is ready but I still have to cross the Ts and dot the Is,” he said.

The IEC has set a deadline of 17:00 on 12 March for the submission of parties’ candidate lists and the payment of the deposits required to contest the elections.

Malema said his party would submit its candidates’ list on Wednesday.

– SAPA

Motlanthe bids tearful farewell to Parliament


Cape Town – A visibly emotional Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe bid farewell to MPs in the National Assembly on Tuesday.
Motlanthe wiped tears from his face with a white handkerchief at the end of his farewell speech which saw MPs giving the deputy president a standing ovation.

“After six years of history, I am running the whole gamut of human emotions… from melancholy to elation. Humanity is conditioned to experience emotions attuned to the peculiarities of the moment,” he told MPs.

Motlanthe will be retiring from government and Parliament this year after serving as deputy president of the country from 2009.

He was promoted to president of the country in 2008, just months after being appointed minister without portfolio in the presidency.

“For one thing, I am disconsolate for parting ways with members of the party I come from, the African National Congress,” Motlanthe said as he thanked MPs on his side of the house.

“You will know that my presence in this House is attributable to the ANC, which has, for all this time, been my extended family.”

Motlanthe reflected on his rise to the presidency, which preceded an uncertain period in post-democratic South Africa.

“No sooner had we disarmed Afro-pessimists with a smooth transition to democracy than this difficult historical period emerged, seen in some quarters as sounding a death knell to our nation,” he said.

“In the event, we proved the doomsayers wrong.”

A calm Motlanthe

Over the almost six years of observing heated debates and loud heckling in the National Assembly, Motlanthe mostly sat calmly watching the discourse.

Speaking about the nature of politics inside the chamber, Motlanthe said: “While bare-knuckle engagements were par for the course, with bruising exchanges that went beyond the pale not uncommon, I have found this House to be an epicentre of rational and level-headed discourse that left many bloodied but unbowed.

“I dare say, at the end, we are all the richer for it.”

While he was sad to be leaving Parliament and government, Motlanthe indicated it was time to hand over the reins to younger hands and minds.

“The truth is our nation is replete with luminous talent,” he said.

“Not only that, at some point serving leadership must give way, so that new blood, fired up with life-changing ideas, can take society to a higher level of development.”

Prior to taking the podium, MPs from across the political divide paid glowing tribute to Motlanthe and his contribution to the country.

Political school

Motlanthe is set to head up the political school of the ANC.

“I can think of no better leader for the ANC political school,” Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor said.

Pandor reflected on Motlanthe’s dedication to the liberation movement as a member of Umkhonto we Sizwe, and later to the union movement.

Motlanthe is a former general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers.

“That is why he continues to work today to create stability in the mining sector and is trusted by workers in it as an honest broker,” Pandor said.

“We are proud of this servant of the nation.”

Rivonia trialist and ANC stalwart Andrew Mlangeni revealed a secret to Motlanthe and those in the house.

“What you don’t know is that the late Walter Sisulu had always wanted you to be the president of this country. When you became the president I’m sure his dreams were fulfilled,” Mlangeni said.

Motlanthe was imprisoned on Robben Island for 10 years from 1977.

“The honourable deputy president helped turn the lemon that was the harsh conditions of Robben Island into the lemonade of political… and intellectual development,” said Mlangeni who is also a former island inmate.

“He was instrumental [in ensuring] that newcomers especially the young that came to Robben Island were welcomed and put through an appropriate political education.”

Tributes

DA MP Wilmot James, who first met Motlanthe during his union days, said Motlanthe’s example should be emulated.

“He exemplifies the qualities of personality that are rare in the world of politics such as honour…,” James said.

The way Motlanthe carried himself reminded James of the Nelson Mandela presidency, not the “self-serving, crass materialism of today”.

It was Motlanthe’s contribution to ending the denialist approach to the HIV pandemic that was singled out by most MPs.

“The role you played in championing the supply of anti-retrovirals… yielded positive results for the country,” said Cope MP Thozamile Botha.

United Democratic Movement MP Stanley Ntapane described Motlanthe as a “true gentleman”, while Freedom Front Plus MP Corné Mulder said the deputy president reminded him of the word dignity.

SAPA

Bronx murder accused takes ill


Cape Town – The illness of one of three accused in the murder of gay night club owner Bruno Bronn delayed proceedings in the Western Cape High Court in Cape Town on Tuesday.
Defence lawyer Arno Nell told the court that his client, Fareez Allie, was ill and at his request the case was postponed to Wednesday.

Tuesday’s proceedings, before Judge President John Hlophe and assessor Jaco van Reenen, lasted only a few minutes.

With Allie in the dock are Frederick Willem John Coetzer and Achmat Toffa.

All have pleaded not guilty to a main count of premeditated murder, and another of robbery with aggravating circumstances.

If found guilty, the men face life sentences for the murder and 15 years for the robbery.

The trial continues on Wednesday.

SAPA

Proteas upbeat despite the rain


Durban – The Proteas remain confident their preparation for the ICC World Twenty20 is on track, despite rain disrupting the T20 International series against Australia.

The first match in Port Elizabeth was abandoned without a ball bowled, and rain could also affect the remaining two fixtures before the Proteas jet off to Bangladesh on Saturday.

The Proteas, however, have the reassurance of two warm-up matches in Dhaka, before their opening match against Sri Lanka in Chittagong on March 22.

“We have two warm-up matches, one against Pakistan and the other against Bangladesh A,”captain, Faf du Plessis said from a gloomy Kingsmead on Tuesday.

“That’s great for us because it will be played in sub-continental conditions.

“I’ve said before that I think as a team we are ready to head to the World Cup right now in terms of the form we have, but the important part of these games against Australia is guys getting time in the middle and for the guys to get more used to the white ball.”

The Proteas’ last T20I was a drawn series against Pakistan at home in November. The series completed an impressive run for Du Plessis’s squad in 2013, where they managed to win two away series against strong Sri Lankan and Pakistani sides.

“For me the biggest key for us as a team is our reflection points,” Du Plessis said.

“We beat Sri Lanka after getting hammered in the ODI’s; mentally we were nowhere but managed to pick ourselves up to win the series 2-1.

“We went to Dubai and beat Pakistan 2-0 which is why I feel that we are ready for the World Cup.  

“Fourteen months ago we gave ourselves the goal of being number one or two and we have done that, we were number six when we started the process,” he continued.

“We have had a great build-up to the World Cup, everything is running according to plan and now it’s a matter of getting some game time against Australia.”
Sport24

Witness quizzed about a gun handed to Oscar


Pretoria – Oscar Pistorius’s lawyer asked a State witness why he did not tell the Paralympic athlete that there was a magazine in the gun he had passed to him in a crowded restaurant, the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria heard on Tuesday.
“Being someone I thought is competent with a weapon I thought he would have checked if the magazine was still in the weapon,” Darren Fresco said while being cross-examined by Barry Roux.

Pistorius sat in the dock, facing Fresco, at times taking notes. A bright green bucket was at his feet. He vomited in court on Monday.

As Roux circled the question of the magazine, Fresco repeated his statement three times.

At one point Fresco asked Roux: “Why would I walk around with a gun with no magazine in it?”

Roux put it to Fresco that Pistorius was upset because Fresco failed to tell him there was a magazine in the gun.

“If the roles were reversed I would have checked to make sure the magazine was in,” Fresco said.

Fresco handed Pistorius his Glock pistol under a table at Tasha’s restaurant in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, in 2013. Moments after Pistorius took it, a shot went off.

The bullet went into the tiled floor under the table.

Fresco risks prosecution on ammunition and firearms-related charges.

Judge Thokozile Masipa, however, told him earlier that if he answered questions put to him by the defence or prosecution frankly and honestly, he would be discharged from prosecution.

Pistorius is accused of the murder of model and law graduate Steenkamp on 14 February last year.

He is also charged with illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, and two counts of discharging a firearm in public.

SAPA

Amcu man found guilty


By Obakeng Maje
Rustenburg-A 44-year-old Mvuyane Ndwandwe was found guilty and ordered to pay R500 admission of guilty fine on Friday, says North West police. 

Brigadier Thulane Ngubane said the accused was part of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) members who were protesting when the ongoing strike began in January this year. 

“The accused was arrested when the police removed and dispersed a group of approximately thirty strikers who were sitting in the middle of the road, blocking the free flow of traffic as well as preventing non-striking workers to go to work” Brigadier Thulane Ngubane said.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, 29 January 2014 at approximately 06:00 at Nkaneng, near Khuseleka shaft.  

He was charged with possession of dangerous weapons; when he was found to be in possession of a knife and a knobkerrie.

“This is an indication that police will deal effectively with those who are disregarding the laws of the country, particularly during various gatherings including protected strikes”, said Brigadier Ngubane.-TDN
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