Johannesburg – A 59-year-old British woman who owned a game lodge near Thabazimbi has been murdered, Limpopo police said on Wednesday.

Christine Robinson’s body was found by her staff in her bedroom around 07:30, police spokesperson Ronel Otto said.

“It seems she was stabbed in her neck… money she withdrew to pay salaries seems to be missing,” Otto said.

AfriForum spokesperson Ian Cameron appealed to government to prioritise farm murders.

“This is another horrific murder in South Africa. The slow rate at which government responds to crime sends a distorted image of our country to the rest of the world,” Cameron said.

No arrests have been made.

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Cape Town – Just under 5 500 new land claims have been lodged around the country, but most of the claimants want money, not land, the rural development and land reform department said on Wednesday.

“[A total of] 5 495 claims have been received at lodgement sites across the country. The majority of these have been lodged in the Western Cape [1 363 claims] followed by Gauteng [956 claims],” it said in a statement.

The new five-year period for lodging land claims – which opened at the beginning of the month – ends in June 2019.

“We have noted that the majority of those who have lodged claims since the re-opening of the lodgement of land claims have opted for financial compensation,” chief land claims commissioner Nomfundo Gobodo said in the statement.

He urged claimants to opt for land restoration rather than money, which would help address unequal land ownership patterns in South Africa.

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Cape Town – A series of national hearings on transformation at the country’s universities are set to start on Thursday, the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) said on Wednesday.

The decision followed “racial incidences” at various universities, suggesting a need to re-examine transformation issues, the commission said in a statement.

It referred to the recent assault of a black student at the University of the Free State, allegedly by two white students, and the humiliation of cleaners in a mock initiation ceremony at the institution by the “Reitz four” in 2008.

The commission had also been asked to probe a complaint about the drowning of first-year student Thabang Mokhoang in a campus swimming pool during an “orientation programme” at the North West University in January 2012.

“The SAHRC notes that a subsequent investigation into the incident concluded that Mr Mokhoang’s death was an accident and that all proper precautions were in place to ensure that the events forming part of the orientation programme occurred safely,” the commission said.

The commission had, however, been asked by the higher education department to determine what role discrimination on the basis of race and language played in Mokhoang’s death.

This week’s hearings would include submissions by the higher education and training department, the vice chancellor, and student representatives.

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Johannesburg – Raymond Buys was a problem child and used “many tricks” to avoid completing his work at a military-style camp, murder accused Alex de Koker told the Vereeniging Regional Court on Wednesday.

“He sat the whole day and did nothing, he was full of tricks,” the 49-year-old camp owner said under cross-examination by prosecutor Kobus Jacobs.

“Raymond has lied before and has been caught out. You weren’t there to see his tricks… That boy pulled a lot of tricks on me. His mom said he was a problem.”

De Koker and his co-accused Michael Erasmus are charged with murder, child abuse, and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, relating to the death of Buys, 15, at the Echo Wild Game Rangers camp in 2011. The camp was designed to “turn boys into men”.

The court heard that De Koker only made a character profile on Buys and not on the other children that went to his school, because he gave a lot of trouble.

He admitted to the court that despite Buy’s complaints of a sore body and swollen hands, he was told to continue with his work.

He also told the boy that his body was sore because “it was too thin” and that his body did not have enough strength.

The court heard that Buys had not eaten and De Koker said he should have forced the teenager to eat.

He said Buys purposely injured himself to avoid doing work at the camp.

As De Koker spoke, Erasmus sat in the dock biting his nails.

Jacobs questioned De Koker about transcripts of recordings he made of conversations with Buys.

“You have marks on your body because of your own stupidity,” De Koker told Buys, according to the transcripts read out by Jacobs.

However, he said he never witnessed Buys ever hitting himself.

Using violence

Jacobs said De Koker assaulted the boy when he did not do what he was told.

“If things didn’t go right, the way you wanted, you used violence,” Jacobs said.

“That’s your opinion,” De Koker responded.

However, in a recording De Koker told Buys there were only two ways of doing things at the camp – one where everyone worked well together and the other where he would discipline them physically.

He also told the court that Buys lied when he said other people at the camp assaulted him.

“You assumed he lied, you didn’t find out if someone hit him,” said Jacobs.

De Koker denied this and said Jacobs was not there to witness the incident. Buys had told him that someone kept hitting him with a yellow pipe.

“Why didn’t you ask who hit him? Why didn’t you investigate?” Jacobs asked.

“I will tell you why you didn’t, because then we would know what really happened.”

He said Buys’s body language and a lack of injuries was the reason he did not investigate.

However, he did admit to the court that he was negligent.

“Yes, I was negligent. There are a lot of things I neglected to do,” De Koker said.

Jacobs said the post mortem revealed that five of Buys’s ribs were broken two to three weeks before he died.

Case postponed

Magistrate Retha Willemse postponed the case to 17 September to give De Koker a chance to consult his lawyer and to decide if they would close their case.

During Jacob’s cross-examination, De Koker indicated he wanted to submit photos and to call a new witness.

Willemse said the trial would provisionally be set down for 1 to 4 December.

According to NGO Women and Men Against Child Abuse, Buys was severely emaciated, dehydrated, had brain damage, skull fractures, a broken arm, and bruises and cigarette burns all over his body, allegedly as a result of De Koker’s actions and orders.

Buys had allegedly been forced to eat his own faeces.

Buys died in hospital in 2011 shortly after attending the camp.

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Johannesburg – Three men have been arrested in connection with illegally dealing in precious metals in Kanana near Rustenburg, North West police said on Wednesday.

The men were allegedly caught on Tuesday smelting platinum with an estimated street value of R50 000, said Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone.

“The arrest came after police received a tip-off that there was suspicious platinum smelting activity taking place at a certain house in Kanana.”

The men aged between 19 and 30 failed to tell police where they got the platinum.

Mokgwabone said they would appear on Thursday in the Bafokeng Magistrate’s Court on charges relating to contravention of the Precious Metals Act.

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By Obakeng Maje
Zeerust K9 unit arrested a 51-year-old suspect in the early hours of Wednesday, North West police said.

Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said the arrest came after police received a tip-off from Customs officials about a suspected truck that passed through Skilpadshek port of entry at about 22:00 on Tuesday.

“The truck was eventually stopped along the N4 road near Lehurutshe and escorted to the police station where it was searched with the assistance of customs officials” Ngubane said.

The police found 480 boxes of Illicit cigarettes estimated to the value of  R3m packed in the truck. The suspect was allegedly transporting the cigarettes from Windhoek in Namibia to Johannesburg.

“He is expected to appear soon in Lehurutshe Magistrate’s  Court for possession of illegal cigarettes” he concludes.
-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

By Obakeng Maje
Upington- Northern Cape police welcomed the double murder and two counts of assault with the intention of committing grievous bodily(GBH) sentencing of a 25 year-old Onseepkans man.

Lieutenant Sergio Kock said the accused, Wessel Kock appeared in the Gariep Periodical Court in Upington on Tuesday.

“He was sentenced to 28 years imprisonment for the heinous crime. He was handed down 14 years imprisonment for the murder of his mother, Agnes Kock,43, 10 years imprisonment for the murder of his grandmother’s boyfriend, Isak Brandt,50, 2 years imprisonment for GBH assault on his grandmother, Katrina Kock,72, and 2 years imprisonment for the assault GBH on his uncle, Gert Kock,48” Kock said.

On Friday, 6 September 2013 at about 22:05, Agnes Kock (43) was asleep in her bedroom when her son Wessel Kock entered the house and bludgeoned her with a tree branch. Katrina Kock (72), the accused’s grandmother and her boyfriend, Isak Brandt (50) were also asleep in a separate bedroom and were also beaten severely by the accused.

The accused’s uncle, Gert Kock tried to come to their assistance but he too was assaulted. The accused ran away but was arrested by the police the following day.

“A nurse was brought to the scene to assist with medical aid. Agnes Kock was already dead. While paramedics were treating the other injured victims, Isak Brandt passed away. The other two injured were taken to hospital and were treated and discharged the following day” he said.

The Pofadder Cluster Commander, Lt Col Nico Beukes commended Detective Constable Ronald Strauss for excellent investigative work which led to the superb sentences.
-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Johannesburg- Amajimbos striker Khanyiso Mayo and defender Keanu Cupido said only complacency can stop the Under-17 from qualifying for the final round of the CAF African Youth Championships.

Molefi Ntseki’s charges take on Tanzania in the return leg of the African Youth Championships qualifier having drawn 0-0 in the first leg in Dar es Salaam two weeks ago. The match will be played at Dobsonville Stadium on Saturday and will kick off at 15h00.

“We have trained hard, have remained focused and we just want to make the country happy,” said striker Mayo, who is the son of former Bush Bucks and Kaizer Chiefs striker Patrick Mayo.

The young Mayo said while it was heartening for people to ask about his father whenever his name is mentioned, he is quick to point out he is his own man.

“I have my own journey to travel although most of the direction is from my father. I believe however, that I would not like to remain in the shadow of my father. He played his part and has now passed on the baton. It is now up to me to make my own history and that history should start by me helping Amajimbos defeat Tanzania.

“It would be nice to qualify for Niger next year. It will open doors for most of us,” added Mayo.

His sentiments were echoed by defender Cupido, who said the Tanzania encounter was big.

“We can’t wait to take on to the field and square up against Tanzania. We believe we missed an opportunity to finish them off in their backyard but victory before our own supporters would be sweet,” said Cupido.

Victory for Amajimbos against Tanzania will see them play the winner between Egypt and Congo/Brazzaville.

The African Youth Championships finals will take place in Niger next March/April and the top four teams will qualify for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Chile next year.
-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Johannesburg – The government on Wednesday condemned the “terrorist attack” in Xinjiang, China, in which nearly 100 people were killed.

“We believe that terrorism in any form and from whichever quarter cannot be condoned,” international relations department spokesperson Clayson Monyela said in a statement.

“The South African government sends it deepest condolences to the government and the people of… China, and in particular to the families of the deceased, and wishes the injured speedy recoveries.”

AFP reported that dozens of civilians and assailants were killed and injured in the attack by a gang armed with knives and axes on Tuesday.

The violence was described as a “terror attack” that killed or wounded dozens of Uighur and Han civilians.

Xinjiang is home to China’s mostly Muslim Uighur minority.

The Han are China’s largest ethnic group, whose members have migrated in large numbers to Xinjiang in recent decades.

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