Monthly Archives: March 2014

Roux more popular than Nel- Survey


Johannesburg – Oscar Pistorius’s lawyer Barry Roux is being mentioned three times more than prosecutor Gerrie Nel, reveal figures from media monitoring group Data Driven Insight (DDI).

“If you plot the coverage about the legal representation in the trial, the conversation and reporting around Roux hit 74.86%, compared to the 25.14% of Nel, said DDI spokesperson Tonya Khoury on Friday.

This was in regards to conversation and media coverage.

Media coverage during the past 24 hours mentioning the word “blood”, in relation to former police officer Colonel Schoombie van Rensburg’s testimony was 48.03%, said Khoury.

Van Rensburg, a former commander of Boschkop, Pretoria, police station, began his testimony in the murder trial on Thursday.

The data from the survey also showed that media interest in the trial had dropped by about 50% from the first week.

Media coverage of the trial was still, however, higher than coverage of the elections, Marikana and Johannesburg rain and flooding.

Khoury said the trial had generated more interest from abroad.

“The US, Germany, UK and Australia are covering the story more than South African media,” she said.

The data was compiled from 6.2 million social media platforms including blogs, forums, social networks and commentary, 60 000 global online newspapers, 2 000 South African print publications, and 66 radio and television stations.

SAPA

Pupil killed in a crash


Johannesburg – A pupil was killed and six others injured when a car overturned in Pietermaritzburg on Friday, paramedics said.
The car veered out of control and rolled down a small embankment on Joubert Street, said ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring.

The pupils were pulled out of the wreckage by residents who had witnessed the accident.

The injured were treated on the scene before being taken to various hospitals, Meiring said.

SAPA

No Disasters Declared Over Floods


Pretoria – None of the nine provinces has declared a disaster caused by floods, Co-operative Governance Minister Lechesa Tsenoli said on Friday.
“The latest report was saying provinces and municipalities are reporting that so far they are coping with some of those instances,” Tsenoli told journalists in Pretoria.

He said assessments by government to establish the cost of damage caused by the natural disasters had not been concluded.

“We know that the speed [with] which we are able to do assessments that give us the costs is an area which requires huge improvement and we are working on that,” the minister said.

“It is early days to determine those costs. We don’t have them yet,” said Tsenoli.

On the employment of suitably qualified staff to administer municipalities across the country, Tsenoli said regulations were being tightened.

Policies governing the appointment of senior managers were aimed at preventing the rehiring of “unsuitable managers” who might have been dismissed elsewhere or were facing disciplinary processes.

“We have agreed with Treasury that, for example, in the area of financial management we are giving people [already employed by municipalities but lacking skills] 18 months to acquire the specific qualifications,” Tsenoli said.

He said those who didn’t have the skills after that period would have to “look for jobs”.

New regulations also required municipal managers to declare their financial interests on a regular basis, and prohibited management from holding positions in political parties, the minister said.

SAPA

Satan kille Reeva- Pastor


Pretoria – Murder accused Paralympian Oscar Pistorius was not to blame for the death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp and needs prayer, a pastor said on Friday.
“Oscar did not kill her [Steenkamp], Satan made him do it. I pray to God to help him,” Reverend Isaac Malaza said.

“I came today to pray for Oscar. He shouldn’t do something like this again that breaks the hearts of his family.”

He said Steenkamp’s parents and family were also left heartbroken.

Malaza was waiting outside the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria where Pistorius is currently on trial for the murder of Steenkamp.

Dressed in his green and white attire, Malaza stood at the exit door and waited for Pistorius so he could pray for him.

Pistorius should not ruin his family and other families but Satan is the one to blame, Malaza said.

“We hope God will help him so that he doesn’t do something like this again,” he said.

“It’s not just Oscar, a lot of men kill women. So I want God to stay in the hearts of men so they can like their women and not kill them.”

Pistorius and his entourage were trying to get away from all the reporters and people gathered outside waiting for him.

Reporters with cameras and people with phones formed a “human shield” from the entrance of courtroom GD all through to outside the exit of the building.

As Pistorius walked out, people shouted, “it’s him” and many tried to take a picture of him as a drone flew over taking aerial shots.

Friday was day 10 of the Paralympian’s murder trial. Pistorius is accused of having murdered Steenkamp when he shot her dead through a locked bathroom door in his Pretoria home on 14 February last year.

He has denied guilt, saying he mistook her for an intruder.

SAPA

Two children missing, bridges washed away in NWest floods  


Matlosana-Two children whose ages have not been confirmed are reportedly missing after they were swept by floods as a result of heavy rains experienced in Mogwase Township near Sun City outside Rustenburg on Thursday afternoon.

The Bojanala Platinum Disaster Management, Moses Kotane Fire & Emergency, a  Search & rescue team and police are at the scene.

“Relief efforts have also been mobilised to assist 500 learners residing at boarding residences at Orbit College and Holy Family School in Mabele-a –Podi villagewho were also affected by flooding.Premier Thandi Modise who has expressed concern about the missing children is scheduled to visit the scenes on Saturday morning” Lesiba Kgwele said.

More flooding incidents were reported in Madibeng Local Municipality.

Six bridges were also washed away in Klipgat (4) and one in Maboloka and Jericho respectively.

“Flooding was also experienced in Letlhabile Block I and G due to lack of storm water drainage” Kgwele said.

Roads in Segwaelane village which was also flooded were also muddy and slippery.
One hundred and fifty households in Segwaelane, Majakaneng, Mothotlung,Oukasie, Maboloka, Bapong, Letlhabile, Mmakau and Primendia in the municipality were last week affected by the floodsRelief efforts that included  counselling, tents, blankets, food parcels and Social Relief of Distress grants were rolled out to the said communities.The Provincial Disaster Management Centre which has earlier in the week issued an early flood warning to all municipalities reported that the Department of Water Affairs is regulating the outflow of water from Hartbeespoort Dam which is full.

“It also reiterated its appeal to motorists and pedestrians crossing flooding rivers to exercise extreme caution and not to underestimate flood currents” he said.

Tlokwe, Matlosana, Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality and Lekwa Teemane municipalities are monitoring the Vaal River level.-TDN
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NWest motorist dies, two rescued in floods  


Rustenburg-One fatality was reported due to a head on collision accident that occurred on the Mogwase-Sun City road, The North West Provincial Disaster Management Centre reported on Friday.

Poor visibility as a result of heavy rains is suspected to have caused the crash that occurred on Thursday afternoon.

“Two motorists whose vehicles were swept away by floods on the Mogwase-Northam road on Thursday evening were rescued at around 5:45 this morning by divers and the Search and Rescue team from the South African Police Service” Premier’s Office spokesperson Lesiba Kgwele said.

The pair, one of whom is a local doctor was allegedly found hanging on trees.  

Many trucks are reported to be stuck between Rustenburg and Northam as a result of the flooding Kgetleng Rivier.

“An impact assessment will be carried out later this morning to assess the extent of the damage caused by the floods” Kgwele said.

Meanwhile, the search for the two children who were reported missing after they were swept by floods in Mogwase on Thursday afternoon will continue this morning.-TDN
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Christiana man arrested in connection of murder


By Obakeng Maje
The Northern Cape HAWKS made a breakthrough during the early hours of Thursday morning in connection with the armed robbery and murder of Casper Adriaan Labuschagne(29).

Mr Labuschagne was gunned down on the 27 February 2014 while working at a mine in Holpan, Windsorton.

“At about 00:20, three suspects were arrested in Windsorton and one in Christiana. The suspects aged between, 24 and 43 years old will appear in the Barkly West magistrates’ court on Monday on charges of murder and armed robbery” lieutenant Sergio Kock said.

The Hawks were assisted by Kimberley Tactical response Team (TRT).-TDN
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Premier Modise hand over R33m road


The North West Province has a good story to tell because for the first time in many years, it’s Department of Public Roads and Transport will not be surrendering any cent to Treasury as the budget allocated to it towards road infrastructure development has been expended, Premier Thandi Modise reported on Thursday.

Speaking at the official handover of the rehabilitated D114 Boshoek to Pella via Lindleyspoort road towards which the provincial government spend over R33 million, Premier Modise highlighted that 14 roads projects are currently being rolled out in the Bojanala Platinum District  at a budget of over R475 million.

“These projects should improve safety on our roads and lay the foundation for electrification, housing projects and serve as a link for clinics and hospitals for our rural communities to access quality health care envisaged by the National Health Insurance,” said Premier Modise.

She encouraged young people to seize study opportunities that government is making available for them to prepare themselves as future leaders.

MEC for Public Works, Roads and Transport, Raymond Elisha said that the 39 projects some of which are being implemented with the assistance of South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) were identified following a consultative process that started with District Roads Summits and culminated into the Provincial Roads Summit that was held last year.

“The department is indeed committed to working together with our Chiefs, Municipalities and general North West populace to ensure that all these projects become successful and thereby ensuring that, together we move our province and South Africa Forward,” stressed MEC Elisha.

In expressing the appreciation of the community, Mayor of Moses Kotane, Councillor Fetsang Mokati-Thebe appealed to the community not to burn tyres on the road to express their dissatisfaction with services but to engage constructively.
She highlighted that foot prints of the ANC-led government delivered in Tlokweng include funding of Tsholofelo Disability Project, Lesedi Home Based Care, Street lights, Housing Development Projects, Toilets, Sports Park, library and internal road project.
The Queen mother, Dikolo Motsatsi said that the handover of the first phase of the project has created much needed job opportunities for the unemployed Batlokwa and that she is hopeful after listening to the Premier that more developments will reach the area.

The R35 million second phase of the project that has commenced to reseal and fogspray the road from Pella to Lindlyespoort is part of the projects that are being rolled out.
Other projects that are part of the R475 million projects that are under construction in the district include the rehabilitation of the P54/1 from Matooster to Ruighoek, R101 Maubane to Carousel in Moretele Local Municipality, the reseal and fogspray of the D1382 Letlhabile to Brits, D618 and D619 from Brits to Makau and the D 2726 from N4 through Brits to Ga-Rankuwa.-TDN
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Police need help to locate missing Visser


By Obakeng Maje
Strydenburg Police sought after 77-year-old Rosie Visser. Her next of kin reported her missing on Saturday, 08 March 2014.

“She was last seen somewhere around the sports ground in Strydenburg, wearing a white blouse, checked shirt, red head dress and yellow shoes” lieutenant Olebogeng Tawana said.

Rosie Visser was residing at 65 Bree Street, Deetlefsville in Strydenburg

“We appeal the assistance of the public, to work closer with the police to trace and reunite Rosie Visser with her family” Tawana said.

Any information that may lead to reunite her with her family, can be communicated to Strydenburg police / Captain Visagie on 082 4955 059 or 053 6831 000.-TDN
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Three bodies recovered in NWest floods


Marikana-The bodies of three people who were swept by floods were recovered by rescue teams in Marikana and Mogwase bringing to four the number of
people who drowned during floods in the past two weeks, the North West
Provincial Disaster Management Centre confirmed on Friday.

Two bodies of two male adults were recovered in Marikana while that of
a boy was recovered in Mogwase.

The search for the second missing child has been called off after the
centre realised that the Mogwase incident involved only one child and
that the earlier reports were as result of double reporting of the
same incident.

In convening condolences to the families that lost their loved ones in the flooding, Premier Thandi Modise appealed to motorists and
pedestrians crossing flooding rivers to exercise extreme caution and
not to underestimate flood currents.

“We appeal to people not to ignore flood warning signs and advise to
use alternative routes. Parents should warn children against swimming in streams,” Premier Modise said.

Modise expressed her gratitude to Disaster Management Centres,
municipalities, law enforcement officers, rescue teams for going the
extra-mile to ensure that relief efforts reach those affected by the
floods and that social relief of distress grants were processed to
deserving families.

She said that a comprehensive impact assessment report will inform
where intervention and additional support is required.

Seven bridges which were washed away have already been identified for
repair and or reconstruction. Over 600 hundred people across the
province were temporarily displaced by the floods in the past few
days.-TDN
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