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Monthly Archives: June 2014
Mahumapelo to tackle socio-economic issues
North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo is to outline priorities of his administration and programme of action for radical socio-economic transformation in his State of the Province Address (SOPA) to be delivered as from 9:00 from the Mmabatho Convention Centre in Mahikeng on Friday.
“We are encouraged by the enthusiasm of citizens and the suggestions they have made towards SOPA which point to great expectations and the partnership that the we can count on in accelerating the speed and quality of service delivery and implementing programmes to tackle unemployment, inequality and poverty,” said an upbeat Premier Mahumapelo ahead of his inaugural SOPA to be delivered under the theme “Together to move the North West Forward”
The programme of action to be announced by the Premier is among others also expected to reflect on changing the image of the province, putting citizens at the centre of development and de-conventionalisation to speed up the provision of quality services and infrastructure development.
-TDN
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One nabbed after attempted rape and theft
By Obakeng Maje
Wolmaransstad- One suspect has been arrested for attempted rape and theft, says North West police.
Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said a 22 year-old girl was allegedly walking home on Saturday along with her boyfriend.
Police said two men pounced on them and threatened a boyfriend.
“The perpetrators allegedly ordered a boyfriend to flee for his life and forcefully took his girlfriend to the nearby stream” Mokgwabone said.
The argument erupted between both men as who will go first. The police said both men argued and fought and their will-be-victim asked help from her knees.
“An 18-year-old boy was arrested on Sunday after the cellphone allegedly belonging to the girl found in his possession. He was also on a bail for another rape case and remanded in custody” police said.
Police investigations continue.-TDN
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North West man sanctioned to 18 years for rape
By Obakeng Maje
The Wolmaransstad Regional Court convicted and sentenced a 24-year-old Amos Thamsanqa Mgaolane of Kgakala Section near Leeudoringstad to 18 years imprisonment for rape and assault on Friday.
The accused was arrested and later found guilty of assaulting and raping a 25-year-old victim on Sunday, 31 March 2013.
“The convict was walking the victim home as it was late, but along the way he demanded sex from her and she refused. The convict grabbed, beats her with fists and picked a stone nearby and repeatedly assaulted the victim with and ultimately raped her” colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said.
-TDN
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Miners back at work as more labour strife looms
Marikana – Thousands of mineworkers returned to the Marikana operations of platinum producer Lonmin [JSE:LON] on Wednesday after wage deals were signed on Tuesday to end a five-month strike, the longest and most damaging in the country’s history.
The workers, some wrapped in blankets to ward off the chill of the winter morning, lined up outside the gates of Marikana’s process division. They are to undergo medical and other checks before they descend the shafts to reboot production.
Workers also returned to mines operated by Anglo American Platinum [JSE:AMS], which were affected as well by the strike by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), a shop steward with the union told Reuters.
They were also expected to come back to mines run by Impala Platinum [JSE:IMP].
“We are back to work, it’s good,” said one miner as he walked up a gravel road to take his place in the growing line.
It will take months to get back to full production as the process of bringing the mines back to life, which will include extensive safety checks, will take some time after the prolonged stoppage, which cost the companies over R24bn in lost revenue.
The end of South Africa’s longest strike will provide respite for its troubled platinum sector, but the stranglehold unions have over a flatlining economy has not loosened and more industrial action is looming.
Amcu signed a wage deal on Tuesday with Amplats, Implats and Lonmin to end a five-month stoppage that dragged the economy into contraction.
Although this cleared the way for about 70 000 strikers to return to mines that account for 40% of global platinum output, production could take years to reach pre-strike levels. Some shafts are unlikely to reopen and job losses are inevitable.
Lonmin, the smallest of the three producers, said restructuring was “inevitable” to ensure its business remained afloat, setting the scene for more labour turmoil.
Amcu is also pushing for a strike in the gold sector although a labour court has so far blocked those attempts.
“There is little sense of relief among investors or the public since the propensity for strikes will continue,” said labour economist Loane Sharp at Johannesburg consultancy Adcorp. “The long-term prospects for the mining sector are bleak.”
The strike has cost platinum producers R24bn in lost revenues and miners R10bn in unpaid salaries, according to the firms.
“It’s inevitable that the producers’ margins will shrink on the back of this, unless we see a strong platinum price reaction, which has been muted to date,” said Investec analyst Marc Elliott.
Labour reforms
The stoppage may also have emboldened other labour organisations.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), the country’s biggest union with more than 200 000 members, is threatening to down tools from July 1, a move that would hobble the vital auto industry.
A halt to car manufacturing would hit exports, hammering an economy that contracted in the first quarter for the first time since a 2009 recession, while a weak rand pushed inflation above the top end of the central bank’s 3-6% target band.
“The key thing to watch is what happens with Numsa. That would have a very negative impact on the economy,” said Peter Leon, a mining analyst at law firm Webber Wentzel.
Mining Minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi, who played an important mediation, role said he wants to overhaul union-friendly labour laws to avoid another prolonged and nationally damaging stalemate.
“What we’re proposing is restructuring of the labour relations regime,” he told Reuters. “It’s not something that will happen quickly. That is a big deal and we do need everyone to buy into that.”
Mooted proposals include more government involvement, limiting the length of strikes or implementing pre-strike ballots, making it harder for union leaders to go on strike and reducing the intimidation that currently prevails.-Reuters
Griekwastad trial adjourns for sentencing
Bloemfontein – The trial of a 17-year-old boy accused of the Steenkamp family murders in 2012 was postponed on Tuesday to August for sentencing, the Volksblad newspaper reported.
Northern Cape Judge President Frans Kgomo listened to final arguments in the sentencing procedures in the Northern Cape High Court in Kimberley on Tuesday.
He postponed the matter to 13 August 2014 for sentencing, the newspaper reported.
On 27 March, the court found the boy guilty of the murders of Griekwastad farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christel, 43, and their daughter Marthella, 14.
They were shot dead on their farm Naauwhoek on 6 April 2012.
The boy was also found guilty on a charge of rape of the girl and lying to the police.
Prosecutor Hannes Cloete submitted the boy’s ability to manipulate others was his danger to society, the report said.
Cloete urged the court to look at the crimes in earnest and the injuries caused to the victims and others.
The State further urged the court to look at the merits of the case.
The boy’s legal counsel Riaan Bode asked the court to consider the boy’s young age, the report said.
Bode submitted that every child was unique and the boy could still make a positive contribution to society.
He asked that Kgomo also consider running the sentences concurrently.
SAPA
Battle for R12 500 not over, says Mathunjwa
Johannesburg – No platinum worker will earn less than R8 000 as a basic salary, Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) president Joseph Mathunjwa said in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
“No worker in the platinum sector will earn less than R8 000 as a basic salary which is a breakthrough… Back pay will be paid in seven days,” he told reporters.
Mathunjwa said Amcu would continue the fight for R12 500 which it believed each member would earn by 2017.
“[This] is the highest wage increase achieved, with entry-level workers receiving up to 18% increase.
“Amcu is committed to make sure R12 500 minimum wage is reached by 2017.”
When asked how he felt about being called a communist by some, Mathunjwa said: “As long as it brings food on the table, that is what is important”.
Workers were expected to return to work on Wednesday at Anglo Platinum (Amplats) [JSE:AMS], Impala Platinum (Implats) [JSE:IMP] and Lonmin [JSE:LON].
“The platinum sector workers have fought a good fight. It has transformed the sector to be worker-driven [and] has improved the socio-economic conditions of our members.”
Mathunjwa said no workers would be retrenched and the union would not strike on any of the matters included in the three agreements.
“[The companies] cannot embark on a restructuring process because they need to bring the mine [back] into productivity.”
He said the union had not received anything from the companies about restructuring.
All workers who had been dismissed would be reinstated, including 235 essential services workers Lonmin fired in May.
A task team would be set up to address all issues not concluded during negotiations.
On January 23, Amcu members at Lonmin, Amplats, and Implats downed tools, demanding a monthly basic salary of R12 500.
Amcu announced on Monday that the platinum strike was officially over. It signed a wage agreement on Tuesday.
SAPA
Strikers killed cops during confrontation – Mr X
Pretoria – Two policemen were killed and one was injured during a confrontation with strikers in Marikana in the North West during a platinum miners’ strike, the Farlam Commission of Inquiry heard on Tuesday.
Police fired rubber bullets after the strikers refused to leave their weapons, a witness identified as “Mr X” said.
One of the police officers was hit with a gun on his forehead and the other was chopped on the back of his head with a panga.
Mr X may not be identified to protect his identity, and is testifying via video link from an undisclosed location.
One of the police officers was still alive when the strikers left him.
Mr X said he chased a third police officer who ran towards a car and hit him on his left leg.
He was testifying about a confrontation the strikers had with the police on 13 August 2012.
The strikers were asked by police to leave their weapons but they refused. The strikers were armed with spears, firearms and pangas.
Police fired rubber bullets and used teargas on the strikers.
Mr X said the police’s firearms, cellphones and a radio were taken by the strikers after they were attacked. He said when the strikers met the police they were going to an informal settlement to kill people.
When the strikers were walking towards the informal settlement they were singing, ululating, hitting their weapons and were in a crouching position to make the muti work faster.
Mr X said they were singing, “tighten your balls young man, otherwise you won’t come right”.
He said the strikers knew that police could not harm them.
After the police were attacked, the strikers went back to the mountain where they were told to join the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu).
They were told to destroy red T-shirts because they didn’t want to be associated with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).
“I was forced to join Amcu, otherwise I was going to be injured,” he said.
Mr X said the strikers were told to fill in a form to join Amcu.
When Mr X was testifying a video of the strikers’ encounter with the police was shown.
Mob attack
Earlier, the inquiry heard that Julius Langa was killed because he was going to work.
“We stabbed the man. I also took part in it. I used my panga to strike him,” Mr X said.
Langa was killed around 04:00 on 13 August 2012 near a railway line in Marikana, near Rustenburg in the North West.
He was stabbed 18 times, his post-mortem showed.
The inquiry is investigating the deaths of 44 people during strike-related violence at Lonmin’s platinum mining operations at Marikana.
Thirty-four people, mostly striking mineworkers, were shot dead in a clash with police, over 70 were wounded, and another 250 arrested on 16 August 2012.
Police were apparently trying to disarm and disperse them.
In the preceding week, 10 people, including two policemen and two security guards, were killed.
The commission was postponed early on Tuesday because Mr X was feeling tired.
SAPA
SA U17 goes into camp to prepare for AYC qualifiers
The South African Men’s Under-17 National Team (Amajimbos) will face Tanzania in a 2015 African Youth Championship (AYC) qualifier on Friday, 18 July 2014.
The match will take place at the 7 000-capacity Azam Stadium (which is an artificial pitch) in the capital Dar es Salaam.
Kick-off is at 16h00 local time in Tanzania (15h00 SA time).
The second leg takes place two weeks later in South Africa.
Amajimbos coach Molefi Ntseki has put together a squad of 22 players to start preparations for that match, and they go into camp on Thursday, 26 June in Johannesburg.
He has already held two training camps where he identified his future players to feature in the campaign
The African Youth Championships tournament will be played from 12 – 30 April 2015 in Niger.
To prepare for the clash against Tanzania, Amajimbos will travel to Botswana on Tuesday, 1 July to play two international friendly matches on 3 and 6 July 2014.
Upon return from Botswana, they travel to Lesotho for two more international friendly matches. These will take place on Thursday, 10 July and on Sunday, 13 July.
Amajimbos will then return home on Monday, 14 July in preparation for travel to Tanzania the next day.
They will be back in South Africa on Saturday, 19 July.
South Africa received a bye in the first round.
Egypt defeated Sudan 4-2 in the first round (14 June 2014) and will face Congo in the second round – this encounter will determine the opponents for South Africa or Tanzania in the third and final round of qualification which are scheduled for September this year.
SA U17 confirmed Fixtures:
Thursday, 3 July vs Botswana (away) (friendly)
Sunday, 6 July vs Botswana (away) (friendly)
Thursday, 10 July vs Lesotho (away) (friendly)
Sunday, 13 July vs Lesotho (away) (friendly)
Friday, 18 July vs Tanzania (away) (qualifier, 1st leg)
Sat/Sun, 1/2 August vs Tanzania (home) (qualifier, 2nd leg)
-TDN
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SABC To Get A New CEO In Three Months
By Obakeng Maje
Johannesburg- The South African Broadcasting Corporation ordered to hire a new chief executive officer within three months, Communications Mininster, Faith Muthambi said.
More details to follow
-TDN
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The Guardian 