Monthly Archives: March 2014

Five nabbed for public violence in Majakaneng


By Obakeng Maje
Majakaneng-Brits police arrested 5 suspects on Tuesday at around 12:00 at Majakaneng village near Mooinooi for Arson, Malicious damage to property, Intimidation, Assault Common and Public Violence, colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said.

The arrest follows intensive investigation on cases that were registered during Majakaneng community protests on 27 and 28 February 2014.

“Out of five suspects, 1 is facing a charge of Public Violence, another one is charged with Arson while the other 3 is facing charges of Arson, Malicious damage to property, Intimidation, Assault Common” colonel Sabata Mokwabone said.    

The arrested suspects ages range between 23 and 28.

“They will all appear in Brits Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Investigations regarding the matter continue.-TDN
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Mining, poverty, unemployment to be focus point of NWest round-table discussion


Rustenburg-The North West Provincial Planning Commission in the Office of the Premier will be hosting a one-day Research and Policy Round Table with stakeholders on key priority areas impacting on implementation of the National Development Plan (NDP) in the Province.

The aim of the round table, which is to be held in Rustenburg on Monday next week, is to gather inputs to inform strategies for the implementation of the NDP priority areas in the North West.

Premier Thandi Modise, who is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the event, said she is confident that the range of high profile speakers invited will be able to offer perceptive insights that will help the province to address the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality.

“We are a province that is supposed to have low levels of unemployment given the mineral resources we are endowed with. Beneficiation, sustainable community development, enterprise and skills development, local procurement, social investment initiatives and greater involvement of communities in the determination of Social Labour Plans are but some of the opportunities that we need to exploit fully because though there are currently challenges in the mining sector, we need to reposition ourselves for an upswing that will put us on a higher development trajectory,” Modise said ahead of the round table discussion.  

Speakers on the programme will among others include Joel Netshitenzhe from the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA), who will discuss the future of the platinum industry and the challenges of growth and development, Prof Ojakoruti of the North West University who will make a presentation on the impact of mining on host communities, Prof Julian May from the University of the Western Cape who will preset the statistical overview of poverty, among others. 

The event is scheduled to be held as follows:
Venue : Kedar Country Lodge, Rustenburg
Date : Monday 31 March 2014
Time : 8H00
-TDN
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Goats stolen, killed and put in a hearse near Taung


By Obakeng Maje
Vryburg-The fight against stock theft gained success when 3 male suspects aged 41, 31 and 30 were arrested at approximately 01:00 on Tuesday in Vryburg, says colonel Sabata Mokgwabone.  

The members were on routine crime prevention patrol when they noticed a suspicious vehicle in Vryburg.  

“The police allegedly followed it, but the driver ultimately increased the speed when he realised that police were following them” Mokgwabone said.

The police eventually stopped the vehicle, which was a hearse from a funeral parlour in Huhudi near Vryburg.

“Upon searching the hearse, the police found four slaughtered goat carcasses. The suspects were interviewed and that led police to Taung-Vryburg National road where the suspects dumped the skins and heads of one sheep and four goats on the grass along the road” he said. 

It was then established that the goats and a sheep were stolen and slaughtered in Tshoseng village near Pudimoe.

The meat and skins were confiscated by the police.

All three suspects will appear in Vryburg Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.-TDN
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Two nabbed for suspected stolen laptops, video camera and cellphones


By Obakeng Maje
Kathu-The Northern Cape police have made a breakthrough in the housebreaking cases when two suspects were arrested over the weekend.

“It is alleged that during the early hours of Friday morning at about 03:00, a resident of Bestwood was asleep when intruders entered his house” colonel Priscilla Naidu said.

A TV set, a laptop, personal documents and a cellphone was taken. Entry was gained through an unlocked door.

Police followed up on information received and their investigation led them to a house in Maputeng. Four TV’s, 3 laptops, 2 video cameras, an ipod, 73 mandrax tablets, 2 cameras, 16 sealed bags of tik crystals, 7 cellphones and a packet containing an unknown powder(suspected cocaine) was confiscated from this house.

“A 35 year-old man was arrested in Kathu on Saturday while the second suspect, aged 23 years old was arrested on Sunday, also in Kathu” Naidu said.

Both suspects were charged with housebreaking and theft and appeared in the Kathu magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Lloyd,35 and Johan Holthauze,23 were denied bail and will appear in court again on the 14 April 2014.

Police are appealing to the public to contact them to identify the recovered items. D/Sgt Karlin Grobler of SAPS Kathu may be contacted on 0836028607.

“Police are also warning the public not to buy stolen items from suspected criminals. If found in possession of stolen property, they will be charged and their property confiscated by the police. Instead police is appealing to the public to report criminal behaviour to them” she said.-TDN
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The final arguments in Griekwastad case


Kimberley – Final arguments in the triple murder Griekwastad farm murder case started in the Northern Cape High Court on Tuesday.

A 17-year-old youth is accused of shooting dead farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christel, 43, and their daughter Marthella, 14, on 6 April 2012.

He faces an additional charge of raping Marthella and of lying to the police.

Riaan Bode, for the youth, started proceedings with his final arguments in the defence’s case.

He told Northern Cape Judge President Frans Kgomo that in relation to the rape charge, witnesses were not fully convinced that a rape took place.

Quoting from the court record, Bode submitted there was an indication that the red mark on the girl’s genitals could also be self-inflicted or due to other reasons.

The boy has denied the charges, and has told the court someone else must have been in the Steenkamp house on the day of the murders.

However, the State has claimed his evidence was in the realm of the impossible.

The boy has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The case continues.
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Only 4 messages show argument- Roux


Pretoria – A police data analyst found four messages out of 1 709 between murder-accused Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp which could show an argument, the North Gauteng High Court heard on Tuesday.

“Out of that more than 1 700 you found four [relevant to an argument]?” asked Roux of data analyst Captain Francois Moller.

“That’s correct,” said Moller.

The State alleges Pistorius shot dead his girlfriend Steenkamp during a row in the early hours of 14 February last year. It disputes his version that he thought he was shooting an intruder in the bathroom of his Pretoria house.

Roux asked whether, during analysis of a WhatsApp message relating to the discharge of a firearm at Tasha’s in Melrose Arch, Pistorius had said he had asked his friend Darren Fresco to take the blame.

“No,” said Moller.

Message a ‘reflection of the deceased’

A message from Pistorius to Steenkamp read: “Angel, please don’t say anything to anyone. Darren told everyone it was his fault. I can’t afford for that to come out. The guys promised not to say a thing.”

Roux said it showed his concern over the media but did not say he asked Fresco to take the blame.

“That’s correct,” said Moller.

Roux skipped one message, saying it was a “reflection on the deceased” which would be dealt with later.

Pistorius has been charged with the premeditated murder of Steenkamp and of contravening the Firearms Control Act.

He allegedly fired a shot from a Glock pistol under a table at a Johannesburg restaurant in January 2013.

On 30 September 2012 he allegedly shot through the open sunroof of a car with his 9mm pistol while driving with friends in Modderfontein.

He pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
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UCDP members realign to the DA


By Obakeng Maje
Mahikeng-The realignment of the South African political parties has sped-up this weekend with 100 UCDP members from Ward 11 in Mahikeng Local Municipality signing-up DA membership and putting on DA t-shirts on Human Rights Day, Friday the 21st of March.

The event included discussing the DA’s 2014 Election Manifesto for jobs and listening to the residents’ concerns regarding service delivery around Mahikeng.

“The Democratic Alliance welcomes all South Africans who subscribe to the Constitution of South-Africa & the Federal Constitution of the Democratic Alliance to join us in building a New working Government” DA spokesperson Tiaan Kotze said.-TDN
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Dinokana Water reticulation project to alleviate water shortage for rural communities-Premier Modise 


Dinokana-A twenty-two million water reticulation project that is to alleviate water shortage and provide portable drinking water to over 23 000 households in Dinokana village outside Zeerust was launched by North West Premier Thandi Modise on Monday.

“We are bringing water to you to restore your dignity and ensure that every household has access to clean water. Water is a very important commodity, but is also a very scarce resource that must be preserved,” said Premier Modise in her keynote address that also paid tribute to the community for the role it has played in the liberation struggle.
 

“You were patient and did not advance entitlement for providing a safe route for many of our freedom fighters who passed through your village and the heroic pass revolt of the Bahurutshe women to demand services which you rightfully deserve,” highlighted Modise.

She said the first phase of the water reticulation project involves piping of 48 kilometers will also empower local communities through job creation and skills transfer.

The entire project to eradicate water shortage in Dinokana be rolled out in phases requires R140 million.

The Premier said that Setlagole and Maquassi are to also benefit from her legacy projects interventions allocated R150 million in the current budget to address water and sanitation challenges they are facing.In his remarks, Kgosi Keobusitse Israel Moiloa of the Bahurutshe Ba Ga Moiloa Boo Ramotshere Traditional Authority said that it was gratifying to see government responding to the issues he had raised during his inauguration.

He said that the project should assist resuscitate the agriculture projects which had collapsed due to lack of water and also open opportunities for mining and other development projects.

Sixty-two year-old Martha Lepele said the provision of water is a very important step which will bring much relieve to the communities because they had been relying on tanks which were not always reliable.

Voicing his appreciation, 92 year- old Jonas Molefi said he was very happy with government’s effort and commitment to deliver services to people especially those people in rural areas such as Dinokana.

In supporting the project, Mayor of Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality, Councillor Afrika Thale urged communities to look after the water infrastructure and to assist monitor that there are no illegal connections.

The event attended by close to a thousand people was part of the celebration of the National Water Week aimed at raising the importance, awareness and understanding of water issues and challenges.-TDN
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Public losing interest in Oscar


Johannesburg – As the Oscar Pistorius’s murder trial entered its third week, media coverage and public interaction about the court proceedings had dwindled, a data report revealed on Monday.
According to media monitoring company Data Driven Insight (DDI), President Jacob Zuma and his Nkandla homestead had dominated the headlines in the last 24 hours, ending at 16:00 on Monday, with the Paralympic athlete’s trial taking the third place.

In the first week of the trial, Pistorius’s trial dominated 43.12% of the media coverage, 35.99% in the second week but was down to 20.89% in the third week.

Pistorius is on trial for the murder of his law graduate and model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

He shot her dead through a locked bathroom door at his Pretoria home on Valentine’s Day last year. He alleged to have mistaken her for an intruder.

DDI’s report stated that witnesses Michelle Burger and Darren Fresco’s testimony generated the most conversation online and in the news.

Burger, who was the first witness to testify in the trial, had dominated coverage with 12.95%.

She lived in the complex next to Pistorius’s and testified about how she was woken up by screams followed by the gunshots coming from Pistorius’s home.

Fresco, who was a friend of Pistorius, had taken 10.21% coverage of the trial.

He testified about how he had taken the blame for Pistorius after the athlete fired a gun under a table in a packed Melrose Arch restaurant in January last year, grazing the foot of another friend of theirs. Pistorius claimed it was an accident.

Fresco also testified about how Pistorius had fired a gun through an open sunroof of a car as they travelled with Pistorius’s ex-girlfriend, Samantha Taylor.

This was shortly after the trio had been stopped by a police officer for speeding. Upon searching the car, the officer reprimanded Pistorius for leaving his loaded gun on the car seat.

While scores of South African media houses have been closely following the trial, DDI claimed that the United States, Germany, United Kingdom and Australia were covering the story more than local media.

The data was compiled from 6.2 million social media platforms which included blogs, forums, social networks and commentary.

It also included data from 60 000 global online newspapers, 2 000 South African print publications and 66 radio and television stations.

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Lucky lotto winner could score R40m


Johannesburg – A R40m jackpot is up for grabs for lotto players, the National Lottery said on Monday.
One lucky player could win the multi-million jackpot on Saturday, said Duduzile Ndendwa, spokesperson for Gidani, the company that operates the lotto.

She said since the beginning of March R30m jackpots had already been won.

A KwaZulu-Natal winner walked away with R12.1m on 5 March and on 19 March a player from Gauteng won R21m.

The lotto had turned 14 on 1 March, and to celebrate its birthday, some R70m was offered in jackpots this month.

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