Monthly Archives: March 2014

All we know is he’s a murderer- State on Griekwastad killer


Kimberley – All the court knows about a 17-year-old boy who killed the Steenkamp family is that he is a murderer, Northern Cape prosecutor Hannes Cloete said on Thursday.

“We have arrived at a time where his rights must be curbed,” Cloete submitted to the court.

Northern Cape Judge President Frans Kgomo was hearing argument in an application for an extension of the boy’s bail until sentencing at the time.

Earlier, Kgomo indicated that he did not really know the boy accept for the evidence that was before the court.

Cloete replied that it was now known that the boy was a cold-blooded murderer who wiped out a family.

He agreed if the court looked at the reasons why the murders were done, it did not paint a good picture.

“It would not be in the interest of justice that he gets bail again,” submitted Cloete.

The boy’s defence team suggested that strict bail conditions would be acceptable.

The boy’s guardian testified in support, but the court was shown a picture where the boy had access to a firearm during an hunting excursion on the guardian’s farm.

Creepy

Kgomo replied that this fact made him feel creepy.

He refused bail and ordered that the boy be held at the Kimberley prison until the next hearing for sentencing procedures on 13 May.

Earlier in the day, Kgoma convicted the boy on three counts of murder.

Kgomo also found the boy guilty on a rape charge and a charge of defeating ends of justice.

“I am satisfied that the minor accused committed all the offences.”

Kgomo said the State had proved the charges beyond reasonable doubt.

“The murders were premeditated.”

Northern Cape farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christelle, 43, and daughter Marthella, 14, were shot on their farm Naauwhoek, near Griekwastad, on 6 April 2012.

Kgomo held the teenager also raped the girl and lied to the police.

The judge said the girl was tortured before her parents were killed execution style.

Kgomo said he wanted to refrain from saying anything of the boy’s demeanour in the witness stand, but remarked the boy did not show any emotion in the stand.

He testified with a strong voice and did not even become flustered when the State painted him into an corner, the judge said.

SAPA

Amcu calls for mass mines strike


Johannesburg The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) wants to expand the platinum sector strike.
“We have filed an application with Nedlac [National Economic Development and Labour Council] in Rosebank,” Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa said on Thursday.
“We want our workers in the gold and coal sectors to join us,” he told hundreds of Amcu members gathered outside Impala Platinum’s head office in Johannesburg.
The workers had marched from a park in Dunkeld West to deliver a memorandum to Implats.
Amcu-affiliated mineworkers in the platinum sector have been on strike for over two months.
Mathunjwa said marches would expand to Lonmin next week and be followed by a march to Parliament after the Easter holidays if the union’s demands were not met.
“It doesn’t matter if it takes us 10 days to get there,” said Mathunjwa.
He was addressing hundreds of striking mineworkers who had marched to Impala Platinum’s head office in Illovo, Johannesburg, to hand a memorandum to the company.
Amcu-affiliated members working in the platinum mining sector have been on strike for over two months, demanding a minimum wage of R12 500 a month.
Mathunjwa said Amcu gave Amplats until April 5 to respond to the demands.
Amplats official Johan Theron promised to respond to Mathunjwa by the deadline.

SAPA

ANC wants retraction on Zuma, God article


Johannesburg – The Northern Cape ANC has disputed an article about President Jacob Zuma and God published by the Diamond Fields Advertiser (DFA) and The Star on Thursday.
“We reject this malicious and deliberate distortion by the DFA [and Independent Newspapers],” the party’s provincial secretary Zamani Saul said in a statement.

“This attempt [was] to present the ANC as a blasphemous organisation, which disrespects Christianity and God.”

The DFA falls under Independent Newspapers, and the same article was published in both newspapers. It quoted ANC Northern Cape chair John Block as saying that walking with Zuma is like walking with God.

“[Zuma] you are the only candidate we have for the elections. We are already talking about the future [beyond 7 May] because we are not walking this path alone, sihamba nomfundisi [we are walking with a priest],” Block was quoted as saying.

“Xa uhamba nomfundisi kufana nokuthi uhamba noThixo [when you are walking with a priest, it is like you are walking with God].”

Block was speaking at the Jim Summers Hall in Kimberley on Wednesday where Zuma was visiting. Saul said Block never said that.

“… In his [Block’s] introductory remarks he made reference to the pastors and priests that graced the event, saying ‘we are happy that we have you, as religious leaders in our midst… When we walk with you, it is like we are walking with God, because you are God’s representatives’.”

Saul said no reference was made to Zuma.

“We demand a retraction and correction of that article,” he said.

“We will follow all the necessary channels to have this gross misrepresentation corrected.”

– SAPA

SAFA embarks on massive referees training


Johannesburg-The South African Football Association (SAFA) has embarked on a nationwide drive to improve the standard of refereeing in the lower leagues across the country, starting with the Northern Cape.

The first course will take place in Kuruman on Friday, 28-31 March 2014.

The same venture moves to Kimberley from 1 – 5 April 2014.

SAFA has set a target of training 75 regional league referees in the province of Northern Cape. The same referees will then be earmarked for gradual promotion in the process.

Part of the two venues’ training schedule include fitness tests  and will be conducted under the guidance of instructors Dumisani Nonkenke, Vusi Mdluli, Tenda Masikhwa and

Khatija Bahdur.

”There is a need to improve the standard of refereeing across the country and the starting point is the Northern Cape. We are looking at trainining referees who will officiate in the SAFA Second Division League,” said Ace Kika, Safa’s Acting Head of Referees.

“Both in Kuruman and Kimberley, we will train both male and female referees officiating at regional league level. We hope that by 5 April, we shall have trained around 75 referees. We have just completed the training of referees’ instructors and will soon be having training for match commissioners.”-TDN
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BRICS Countries future growth point of the world economy- Premier Modise


BRICS Countries, i.e .Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are recognised as the future growth engines of the world economy, Premier Thandi Modise said on Thursday.

Premier Modise reminded delegates in her opening keynote address to the 2nd Annual North West BRICS Expo and International and Tourism Conference that the economies of BRICS is expected to account for 50% of the global domestic product (GDP) by 2020.

“BRICS countries share 25% of the global GDP, 30% of global land area and 43% of the global population. They share of its world export has grown substantially since the start of the 21st century, from a mere 8% in 2001 to 14 % in 2008 in 2008, and to 17% by 2012,” Premier Modise highlighted.

Deputy Minister of Tourism, Tokozile Xasa in her address said that over the next 20 years, international tourist arrivals in emerging-economy destinations are expected to grow at double the pace (4%) of advanced-economy destinations (projected at 2%).  As a result, arrivals in emerging economies will likely surpass those in advanced economies by 2015. 

“My message to the BRICS partners is that South Africa is indeed a unique and varied destination which offers tourist experiences that suit every taste and budget.  Visitors to South Africa stand in awe of how much this country has to offer, which includes the variety of experiences, the value for money, our world-class tourism infrastructure, and of course our culturally-diverse people.,” Deputy Minister Xasa said.  
“There is nothing stopping us from using this Expo to take our tourism efforts with the BRICS countries to the next level. It is an opportunity to find common ground, to find areas where all our tourism industries can gain and grow from working together,” she stressed.

Premier Modise said that South Africa’s comparative advantage within BRICS pertains to the country’s considerable non-energy in situ mineral wealth with North West sectors such as metals, chemicals, food ,tobacco and automotive components showing massive potential.

“The North West Province presents exciting trade, investment and tourism opportunities because its position in respect of the country and the African market renders it attractive to investors from both national and continental perspectives,” Modise asserted.

The Premier said that in addition to the 38 754 jobs that were created as at 31 December 2013 in the province through tourism, agro processing, manufacturing, green economy, retail, service and the social economy sectors, the good story to tell is that the province offers easily available skills and distribution channels imperative for commercial ventures into Africa and is well located to be used as a shared services hub for the companies’ African operations, especially for Sub-Saharan countries.

“This conference is an opportunity once more to proclaim that the province is open for business and economic development. Those who grab it will certainly realise the rewards in the future,” she added.

 

 In outlining the purpose of the Expo and Conference, MEC for Economic Development, Conservation and Tourism, Motlalepula Rosho said that the Expo gives her department to tell a good economic story, a good tourism story ,a good environmental story and a good trade and investment story, not only through international exposure but also through helping  SMME’s and cooperatives with finance, grants and other supportive mechanism in order to create jobs and grow the economy. 

The four day conference which ends on Saturday has attracted international, national and local businesses across all the sectors including small, medium and micro enterprises, national and provincial government departments, investment promotion agencies, tourism agencies, companies in transportation, financial institutions, academia and the media.-TDN
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MEC MALOYI TO HAND OVER 570 HOUSES IN RUSTENBURG  


Rustenburg-MEC for Human Settlements Public Safety and Liaison Nono Maloyi will on Friday hand over about 570 houses to the Rustenburg families living in rural villages of the local municipality.

The Houses are part of the 8000 houses that are expected to be handed over between February and March.

The benefiting families are mostly those that have been living in mud houses and shacks. In this housing project the department prioritized families headed by the elderly, child and people living with disability.

“The handover is part of celebrating twenty years (20yrs) of freedom, and also in line with the Outcome 8 of the National Development Plan vision 2030 which is intended to improve the quality of people’s lives and bring back dignity to the marginalised communities across the province during this Human Rights Month.  The hand over programme is also part of the department’s service delivery initiative and reduction of housing backlog in the province” departmental spokesperson Ben Bole said.

The handover will take place as follows:

Date: 28 March 2014

Time: 10H00

Venue: Maile Diepkuil
-TDN
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MEC Maloyi brings licensing services closer to the Hartbeespoort communities


Harbeespoort-North West MEC for Human Settlements, Public Safety and Liaison, Nono Maloyi will be officially opening the Hartbeespoort motor vehicle Registering Authority offices to the Madibeng Local Municipality on Friday.

The Hartbeespoort Registering Authority offices is expected to generate more revenue into to the province as most of the motorists living in the area have been registering and renewing their vehicles in Gauteng.

“MEC said the Registering Authority will speed-up motor vehicle registering services to the communities” departmental spokesperson Ben Bole said.

Among other services includes the renewal of motor vehicle licenses, registration of new vehicles, application of traffic register certificate, and notification of changes in respect of vehicle particulars and de-registration of stolen and recovered vehicles.

The event to be held as follows:

Date:Friday 28 March 2014

Time:08H30

Venue:Hartbeespoort Registering Authority offices.-TDN
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SA referees to officiate in Caf games


Johannesburg-South African match officials will be flying the country’s flag high when they officiate in various club matches over the weekend. 

Daniel Bennett will travel to Egypt where he will be in charge of the second leg of the CAF Orange Champions League encounter between Egyptian giants and defending champions Al Ahly and Al Ahli Bengazi of Libya.

The match will be played at the Alexandria Stadium on Saturday, 29 March.

Bennett will be assisted by Range Marwa of Kenya and Zakhele Siwela (South Africa), while Lwandile Mfiki has been appointed as the fourth official.

“Victor Gomes will blow the whistle in the second leg clash between Atletico Petrolleos de Luanda of Angola and Ismaily of Egypt in the CAF Confederations Cup” Safa spokesperson Dominic Chimhavi.

The encounter will take place at the Estadio 11 de Novembro in Luanda, Angola at the weekend.

“Stevens Khumalo and Johannes Moshidi will run the lines while Victor Hlungwani will sit in as the fourth official” Chimhavi said.-TDN
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Shops looted, burned by protestors in Orkney


By Obakeng Maje
Orkney-Police in Kanana near Orkney arrested 35 community protestors on Thursday for public violence, arson and malicious damage to property, says colonel Sabata Mokgwabone.

“It is alleged that protestors partially burnt the local municipality offices and pelted windows with stones” colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said.

The protestors allegedly barricaded roads with burning tyres and looted several shops belonging to foreign nationals.  It is further alleged that one shop and a bottle store were also burnt down.

“According to the information, protestors damaged two police vehicles by breaking their windscreens. The protestors allegedly went to schools in the township in the morning, disrupted classes and forced learners to join the protests” he said. 

Police are currently monitoring the situation.

The suspects, 13 females and 22 males, with ages ranging between 15 and 39 are expected to appear in Klerksdorp Magistrates’ Court soon.

Two of the suspects are allegedly minors aged 15 each.   

“We would like to issue a stern warning to the protestors that criminal activities and gangsterism  will not be tolerated and the police will deal effectively with those who take advantage of community protest to commit crime”, said Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone.  

The community is advised to consult with relevant authorities in case of any dissatisfaction on any matter affecting them. “It is advisable that the rule of law is respected at all times and that proper procedures are adhered to when raising complaints”.-TDN
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SAFA and FIFA to host Football Seminar


Johannesburg-The South African Football Association(SAFA) together with world controlling soccer body, FIFA, will host a seminar which will provide an update in a number of areas such as technical and general relationships between CAF and FIFA. 

“The event will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre from 2-4 April, 2014 and will be attended by the Presidents, Secretary Generals and Technical Directors of the various member countries” Safa spokesperson Dominic Chimhavi.
 
More than 27 Member Association Presidents, General Secretaries and Technical Directors have been invited and most are mainly from the English speaking African countries.

Among the areas that will be discussed during the three day seminar are: 

.FIFA governance reforms

.New regulations governing development programmes
.FIFA Development programmes and services for MAs
.CAF Development programmes (Club Licensing)
.Cooperation between FIFA and CAF
-TDN
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