Johannesburg – Slain SACP leader Chris Hani’s daughter, Vanessa, has terminated her Cope membership, the Sowetan reported on Tuesday.

She left the ruling African National Congress last June to join Mamphela Ramphele’s new party, Agang SA, saying the ANC had betrayed her father’s legacy.

But at the beginning of this year, Vanessa Hani left Agang SA, citing “a toxic nature of politics” in the party, according to reports at the time.

Then she joined former ANC stalwart Mosiuoa Lekota’s breakaway party, the Congress of the People.

Now she has written a letter to Cope saying she wanted to terminate her membership to focus on her “growing recruitment business” and her studies.

SA Communist Party leader Chris Hani was assassinated in Boksburg, on the East Rand, in April 1993.
SAPA

Pretoria – Reeva Steenkamp’s mother, June, has told a British magazine that she has forgiven Oscar Pistorius, who is on trial for the murder of her daughter.

On Monday Hello! magazine published an interview with June Steenkamp.

“I don’t hate Oscar,” she told the magazine.

“I’ve forgiven him. I have to – that’s my religion. But I am determined to face him and re-claim my daughter. It’s important for him to know that I’m there, that Reeva’s mother who gave birth to her and loved her, is there for her.”

Justice

She added that she feels Reeva’s presence with her all the time, and believes she will only rest in peace when the trial is over.

“I trust that God will prevail and justice will be done. All we want is the truth,” she said.

Pistorius has been charged with murdering Steenkamp early on the morning of 14 February 2013.

The sprinter claims he mistakenly shot the 29-year-old model and law graduate through a locked door, believing she was an intruder in his upmarket Pretoria home.

If found guilty of premeditated murder, he faces up to 25 years in jail and an abrupt end to his glittering sports career.

Video footage

In the North Gauteng High Court on Monday, prosecutors sought to show Pistorius’s sports doctor overstated his immobility without prostheses.

State prosecutor Gerrie Nel took Wayne Derman to task about his claim the athlete was mentally vulnerable and had limited mobility on his stumps.

Pistorius’s defence team say both factors led the Olympian to shoot Steenkamp out of fear that she was an intruder.

Nel’s tough questioning comes after a haunting video of the 27-year-old star sprinter was aired by The Seven Network, an Australian television network.

In the video, Pistorius, wearing a blue tank top and tight black shorts, is walking on his bare stumps with his arm outstretched and hand clenched as if aiming a pistol.

In another clip, Pistorius walks backwards on his stumps, appearing to cast doubt on the defence claim the runner has limited mobility without wearing his prosthesis.

“Can I just ask you then was it ever demonstrated to you that Mr Pistorius was able to walk backwards on his stumps?” said Nel.

“It was never demonstrated to me,” said Derman.

Nel worked to show that Pistorius wilfully moved towards the bathroom to shoot Steenkamp four times with a pistol.

“There was at least an option for the accused to flee, even walk out of the room, am I right?” said Nel, suggesting that Pistorius was criminally negligent by choosing to shoot instead of leaving his bedroom.

Leak

The leaked video was made by the Evidence Room, a US company that specialises in forensic animation, and lawyers for the athlete said it was commissioned by his defence team and obtained illegally by the TV station.

But the Australian television network defended its decision to run the footage on Monday, insisting it was not obtained unlawfully.

“We would not have run the footage if we thought we had obtained it illegally,” said Mark Llewellyn, executive producer of the Sunday Night programme.

“The story was run in Australia only and not made available to any other territory.”

Pistorius’s team warned against any other media rebroadcasting the clip.

“Any reproduction of this illegally obtained material will be deemed illegal,” said spokesperson Anneliese Burgess.

AFP

Pretoria – Murder accused Oscar Pistorius’s defence may not consult State psychiatrist Carla Kotze, Judge Thokozile Masipa ruled on Monday.

“No basis has been laid for the request to consult Dr Kotze,” Masipa said in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.

“The defence is not permitted to consult with Dr Kotze.”

Masipa said Kotze was not a “normal witness” and merely because she was in court did not mean Pistorius’s defence could speak to her.

Pistorius is charged with murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day last year.

Advocate Barry Roux for the athlete, said he had wanted to consult Kotze before deciding on calling a last witness.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel objected, saying the defence could consult its own psychiatrist Dr Leon Fine.

Kotze and Fine were part of the panel of three psychiatrists and one clinical psychologist who observed Pistorius for 30 days at Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital following a court order.

Masipa on Monday said she did not think allowing the defence to consult Kotze would be in the interest of justice.

Roux asked the court to adjourn to Tuesday, when the athlete’s defence is expected to close its case.

Pistorius claims he shot Steenkamp by accident through the locked door of the toilet in his home, thinking she was an intruder about to emerge and attack him.

He broke the door down with a cricket bat to get to a dying Steenkamp.

He has testified that he found her slumped over the toilet, picked her up and carried her downstairs.
WWw
The State contends he killed her during an argument.

SAPA

Johannesburg – A winter study camp for matric pupils in Arendsnes near Brits was shut down following a diarrhoea outbreak, the North West education department said on Monday.

“The department regrets to inform parents and learners about the immediate closing of the winter study camp due to unhealthy conditions,” said spokesperson Brian Setswammung.

“Pupils complained about diarrhoea and we called in health authorities to investigate.”

It was discovered that the food prepared for the pupils was below standard and unhygienic, he said.

At least 393 pupils were at the camp. Fifteen were admitted to hospital on Friday and had since been discharged.

A further investigation to determine how the food was procured and prepared was underway, Setswammung said.D
SAPA

Johannesburg – Six men have escaped from custody at the Hazyview police station, Mpumalanga police said on Monday.

The men escaped on Sunday afternoon after they took the cell keys from two police officers serving them food, police spokesperson Selvy Mohlala said.

“In the process they were manhandled by the fugitives… the thugs handcuffed and tied [up] both police officials with a rope which was cut from a cell blanket and robbed them of their personal belongings,” Mohlala said.

The men, who had been arrested for rape, murder, house robberies, and assault, also took a firearm which was in a safe.

Police were looking for the men.

SAPA

Cape Town – Thousands affected by heavy rains on the weekend are receiving much needed relief, the City of Cape Town said on Monday.
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Cape Town – Details of the official houses occupied by Cabinet members cannot be revealed, Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi said on Monday.

In a written reply to a parliamentary question, he said giving out the address, size and area of such housing might compromise the security of President Jacob Zuma’s 35 ministers.

“The department of public works is unable to provide names of Cabinet members, their addresses, descriptions of rooms, floor area, and the location of such property.

“It is the department’s considered view that revealing such information will compromise the security of the Cabinet members concerned,” Nxesi said.

The parliamentary question, posed by the DA, also sought details on the cost of any planned renovations or repairs to ministers’ official houses during the current (2014/15) financial year.

Later on Monday, the DA said Nxesi’s reply was nothing more than an excuse to limit proper oversight by MPs.

“Indeed, it is the same excuse the minister repeatedly used to prevent the DA from gaining the details of the nearly R250m expenditure on President Zuma’s private residence in Nkandla,” DA MP Kenneth Mubu said in a statement.

The DA would resubmit the question, and, should Nxesi again refuse to answer, the party would submit an application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act to get the relevant documents.

SAPA

By Obakeng Maje
Vryburg-The ANC expressed its gratitude to voters on for keeping the party in power and they embarked on meeting their regional structures in North West.

The delegates led by minister Collins Chabane, visited Dr Ruth Mompati District in a close meeting.

Chabane told the masses that ANC thank all voters for making swiftly decision by voting for them and now they must hit the ground running.

“A humble thank you to all voters in Dr Ruth Mompati who came out in their large numbers to exercise their democratic right and responsibility to elect a government of their choice,” Minister Collins Chabane said.

MECs from North West departments, like MEC Desbo Mohono, Gaoage Molapisi and Collen Maine were there along with Mayors and Councillors.

“The ANC provincial leadership is pleased with the election results and appreciates the show of continued confidence and a clear mandate for ANC to govern North West. There are issues raised by masses before elections and we will give priorities to those issues” he said.

The win ensured that the ruling party remained in control of North West, which have Rustenburg that contributes ernomously to South African economy .

“The ANC does not take any vote for granted.”

Chabane said ANC always finds it hard to compete with its own former members who broke away from it.

“We always find it bizarre to come against our own members who break away from the ANC. Parties like UDM, Cope and EFF were formed by ANC former members. In Dr Ruth Mompati, ANC did not do so well except in Taung where we won by 80%” Chabane said.

According to Chabane, the ANC intended to tackle all the issues that were brought to its attention during the election campaign.

North West is faced by mammoth task to deal with, mining strike that just ended, Bloemhof issue which seems to be under control and R20m was put aside to deal with it too.

Premier Supra Mahumapelo said during his Sopa address that they will introduce performance-based contract to all public servants.

The President Jacob Zuma was suppose to join the members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) and Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) that was led by the Chairperson,Supra Mahumapelo who divided themselves to visit all regions as part of National Visits to Provinces to meet with ANC Councillors and members of the ANC on the Regional and Branch Structures.

Members of the NEC were deployed at the following regional areas:

Dr Kenneth Kaunda Region:@ Klerksdorp Recreation Centre Secretary General Cde Gwede Mantashe,Cde Malusi Gigaba and Cde Maite Nkoane – Mashabane Bojanala Region: @ Rustenburg Civic CentreANC Deputy Secretary General Cde Jessie Duarte

Cde Naledi Pandor and Cde Noma India Mfeketo

Ngaka Modiri Molema Region: @ Mmabatho Civic CentreANC President Cde President Jacob ZumaCde Susan Shabangu and Cde Aaron MotsoalediDr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati Region: @ Naledi Banquet hallANC Deputy President Cde Cyril Ramaphosa

Cde Nomvula Mokonyane and Cde Collins Chabane

-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Mahikeng – A North West filling station owner is expected to appear in the Ganyesa Magistrate’s Court on Monday for allegedly assaulting a nine-year-old boy he accused of stealing from his shop.

The boy was allegedly handcuffed and tortured in Disipi, about 48km from Ganyesa, on 28 May.

According to the boy’s sister, her brother did not go to school on the day claiming he felt ill.

“He asked me for coins to go buy sweets at the filling station at around 08:00. We were called later to find him handcuffed and crying as he was being tortured by the shop owner,” she told Sapa at the time.

She cannot be named to protect the child’s identity.

The police were called and spoke with the man in his office.

“They came out and told us to ask for money from the man to treat the child, and not lay a charge. We had to go to the police station the following day to open a case,” the sister said.

She said the police told the family a few days later that the alleged assailant was in Bloemfontein.

The Congress of SA Trade Unions’ North West secretary Solly Phetoe said they intended to protest at the court to demand that the man’s R1000 bail be withdrawn.
SAPA