Former president Nelson Mandela’s personal assistant, Zelda la Grange has found herself in hot water after comments she made on Twitter aroused the ire of some, including 702 talk show host Redi Tlhabi.
La Grange, who was Madiba’s personal assistant for two decades and has penned a memoir on the deceased former statesman’s life – has come under attack.
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The North West Education Department is investigating allegations that teachers at a high school in Maboloka were bribed by pupils to be promoted to the next grade without writing their examinations.
“The department stepped in to investigate the matter on the basis of the allegations that were surfacing,” department spokesperson Brian Setswambung told Sapa.
“It is alleged that some learners were involved in buying report cards from teachers.”
The Motshwane High School pupils involved were from Grade 10 and 11.
“Not all the pupils were involved. It emerged that only some pupils were involved” said Setswambung.
By Monday, the investigation report will be ready.
The department said it was going through examination scripts to determine which pupils had been involved in the alleged bribery.
He said until the matter was finalised, all grade 10 and 11 pupils from the school would remain in the grades they were in last year.
“By Monday, the investigation report will be ready,” he said.
A daily newspaper on Friday reported that pupils paid teachers an R800 bribe to promote them to the next grade. About eight pupils had boasted to their colleagues that they had passed despite them not writing exams.
One pupil recorded the conversation on his cellphone and handed it to the department, demanding that he also be promoted.
-SAPA
Durban – Four hijackers and the man who hired them have been arrested after a planned hijacking went wrong.
The men are alleged to have hired a metered taxi from Samora Machel (Aliwal) Street to Archery Road in Clairwood on Tuesday.
Once at their destination, one of the men produced a Taser and shocked the driver, said police spokeswoman Captain Louise le Roux.
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Johannesburg – A man was arrested on Friday after he was caught raping a woman, 65, at Zoo Lake in Parkview, Johannesburg, police said.
“The rape was witnessed by a lady who works for City Parks at Zoo Lake. She alleges she heard a lady screaming and… she went to investigate with her colleague,” said Sergeant Lloyd Ramovha.
Passers-by helped to apprehend the suspect, 23, at around 9am after the witnesses screamed for help.
Parkview police responded immediately and the suspect was detained at Parkview police station, he said.
He would appear in court soon.
Sapa
Mthatha – The abaThembu royal family on Friday said all decisions taken by former president Nelson Mandela must be respected, broadcaster eNCA reported.
“It’s a family issue and we have taken a view which says we cannot change the decisions of the late man,” said Chief Ngangomhlaba Matanzima, chairman of the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders.
“We have got to respect that, even if we don’t want his decision, even if we disagree with it, we cannot change that.”
About 20 elders discussed family matters, which were not disclosed.
The meeting between the Mandela family and the abaThembu clan was called by Mandela’s grandson Mandla to resolve apparent infighting in the family. It was held at Mandela’s family home in Qunu, Eastern Cape.
On Tuesday, Mandela’s ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela tried to stop the meeting because she feared violence could erupt. Her application to the High Court in Mthatha was struck off the roll as she did not own the Qunu property, as she had claimed. She was instructed to pay costs.
Mandla reportedly said the meeting would go ahead and that the men of the family would try to unite the various factions, as his grandfather would have wanted.
Sapa
KwaZulu-Natal’s former agricultural and environmental affairs MEC, Mtholephi Emmanuel Mthimkhulu, died aged 56 on Friday, the provincial legislature said.
“It is with profound shock and sadness that the Speaker of the KZN Legislature Honourable Lydia Johnson, honourable members and staff have learned of the untimely passing-on of Honourable Mtholephi Emmanuel Mthimkhulu this afternoon,” spokesman Wonder Hlongwa said in a statement.
Johnson said Mthimkhulu’s death was “a huge loss” and that he was dedicated to and passionate about his work.
She conveyed condolences to his family.
Mthimkhulu joined the provincial legislature in 1999 and soon after became chairperson of the education portfolio committee. He was appointed ANC Chief Whip in the legislature in 2004, before he became MEC in 2006.
In the fourth term, he was elected the legislature’s deputy speaker. He was appointed chairperson of the public participation, pensions and petitions committee after last year’s general elections.
Mthimkhulu had a journalism background and was provincial ANC spokesman until he was elected to the provincial legislature.
“In all these portfolios he served with distinction which was characteristic of his commitment to change the lives of the people of South Africa especially the poor and the previously disadvantaged,” Hlongwa said.
-SAPA
Johannesburg – An Mbombela local municipality manager appeared in the Nelspruit District Court on Friday for alleged fraud and corruption, Mpumalanga police said.
Noko Michael Senaego, 40, was granted R2 000 bail and would appear in court again on 19 February, police spokesperson Selvy Mohlala said.
Senaego, who was arrested earlier on Friday, was accused of not following correct procedures when employing law enforcement officials.
A panel that had interviewed candidates complained that Senaego had not considered some of the candidates it recommended for employment.
“Instead, he allegedly opted to employ some officials who did not even apply or did not make it to the short-list,” he said.
“His alleged conduct led to a protest by some of the law enforcement officials, who are reported to have been suspended later.”
This conflict between the panel members and Senaego led to a case being opened at the Nelspruit police station.
“After the case was registered, and the police presented all facts before the NPA [National Prosecuting Authority] for a decision, the court ordered that he be arrested,” Mohlala said.
One person was killed in an accident on the R512 towards Hartbeespoort, North West, on Thursday, said paramedics.
Emergency workers arrived on the scene and found two completely wrecked vehicles on the road, said ER24 spokeswoman Chitra Bodasing.
“Unfortunately one person, who was still in one of the vehicles, had already succumbed to their injuries,” said Bodasing.
“One person sustained critical injuries and another moderate injuries.”
The injured were treated on scene before being transported to a nearby hospital.
The cause of the accident was unclear.
-Sapa
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