Daily Archives: September 26, 2014

Sisters could have brought deadly food


Johannesburg – The food which possibly killed three Emma Primary School pupils in Winterveldt, north of Pretoria, came from the home of two of them, the Gauteng education department said on Friday.

The sisters, aged 6 and 8, had brought juice and cake from home on Thursday which they shared with their 8-year-old friend, spokesperson Phumla Sekhonyane said.

“They were all sitting together during lunchtime and after break they complained of tummy aches and high temperatures and were then taken to hospital,” Sekhonyane said.

The children were certified dead at the hospital.

The school ran a feeding scheme, but Sekhonyane said there had been no reports of illnesses from children who had eaten the school’s food.

“The department has quarantined all the food served at the school as a precautionary measure,” Sekhonyane said.

The leftover cakes the children ate were sent for testing.

Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi was expected to visit the school on Friday.

“He will also visit the families of the deceased to pay condolences,” Sekhonyane said.

A team from the department’s psychosocial unit would be sent to the school to provide counselling and pastoral care to the families of the deceased, fellow pupils, and teachers.

SAPA

Rand Water to meet with minister


Johannesburg – Rand Water will meet Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane on Friday over the water shortages in Gauteng this week.

“I am meeting with the minister today at 09:00. I don’t have the results of the water levels [of the reservoirs] right now,” Rand Water spokesperson Justice Mohale said.

He would only be able to provide an update on the water situation at 10:00.

Johannesburg Water spokesperson Millicent Kabwe also could not provide an update on Friday.

“The situation is still as it was yesterday,” she said.

Ekurhuleni city spokesperson Themba Gadebe said he was driving and could not immediately comment.

On Thursday, authorities said water had been restored to most parts of Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni.

Problem with high-lying areas

At the time, only two suburbs in Johannesburg – South Hills and Rabie Ridge – and two in Ekurhuleni – Bedfordview and Primrose – were still without water.

@jhbwater Speechless! No hope for residents affected by #nowater #watercrisis. NO ANSWERS, NO ACCOUNTIBILITY! NO CARE ATTITUDE!!!!!

— Jackie van Pletzen (@Jax1981) September 26, 2014

At the time, Mohale said there was a problem with high-lying areas, such as Bedfordview and Primrose, because there was not enough pressure to push water there. As water levels increased, there would be enough pressure to pump water to those areas.

Mohale said to increase water levels at the struggling reservoirs, some water was being diverted from those areas that had enough water to those that did not have any. It was unknown if this operation was successful.

Residents in and around Pretoria were also experiencing problems with the City of Tshwane also blaming Rand Water.

The city tweeted on Thursday: “It is difficult to fill up the reservoirs as residents are using water as soon as water becomes available.”

It later said that water tankers had been dispatched to certain areas including Laudium, Itereleng and Soshanguve.

5 days later and still no water in areas west of Pretoria. It’s a disgrace. @CityTshwane blames Rand Water. @David_Makhura @GautengProvince

— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) September 26, 2014

SAPA

Amajimbos train in blazing heat of Cairo


n a prelude of what to expect when they take on their Egyptian counterparts on Saturday evening (19h00 kick off time), Amajimbos coach Molefi Ntseki took his charges through their paces in blazing heat late on Thursday afternoon.

The U17 squad is here to play Egypt in the second leg of the CAF Youth championships having won the first leg 2-1. And from Thursday’s tough drilling, Ntseki is taking no chances.

Temperatures in this mostly desert country are hovering around 37C degrees and instead of remaining under cool indoors temperatures; Ntseki drilled his boys for more than an hour practicing mainly set-pieces.

“We are not here on holiday but to work and doing this is part of acclimatization process,” said the imposing mentor.

“I know it looks unfair to the boys to expose them to this unrelenting heat but who says sweet achievements come on a silver platter; you must sweat and struggle for victory,” he said.

The U17 play Egypt in the second leg of the CAF Youth championships in which the overall winner qualify for Niger next year.

Four top teams in Niger will qualify for the World Cup which is scheduled for Chile.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Nkandla ad-hoc committee on the brink of collapse


CAPE TOWN – A major standoff between the African National Congress (ANC) and opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) has brought Parliament’s ad-hoc committee on Nkandla to the brink of collapse.

Opposition MPs threatened to walk out near the end of the committee’s marathon nine-hour sitting yesterday.
For more http://www.ewn.co.za