Daily Archives: February 28, 2015

PHEKO REGRETS FAKING DOCTORATE

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South Africa’s ambassador to Japan, Mohau Pheko regrets saying she has a doctoral degree, when she does not.

Pheko said yesterday she claimed she received her PhD from the American La Salle University in 2000.

However, the university closed in 1996 when it emerged it was selling degrees and other academic qualifications via the internet, the broadcaster reported.

Pheko told the SABC the university was promoted as legitimate and that she had registered at it, but it closed before she could be awarded her doctorate.

She told the broadcaster she still addressed herself as doctor.

Pheko joins the list of South African public officials who have fraudulently claimed to have certain academic qualifications. They include senior member of the ANC and former MP Pallo Jordan, and former SABC chairwoman Ellen Tshabalala.

The Democratic Alliance yesterday called for Pheko to be suspended.

“The DA calls for the immediate recalling and suspension of South African Ambassador to Japan, Ms Mohau Pheko, pending an inquiry for misrepresenting her qualifications,” MP Sandy Kalyan said.

The party claimed President Jacob Zuma was made aware of Pheko’s fraudulent degree in 2010, when she was appointed ambassador to Canada.

“Nothing less than a full parliamentary inquiry into this international blunder is needed to consider not only Ms Pheko’s conduct, but that of the presidency and dirco [department of international relations and co-operation] as well, given that government has turned a blind eye to this issue for several years.”
Sapa

Aganang SA’s application dismissed

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Cape Town- Parliament welcomes the Western Cape High Court’s dismissal of an urgent application from AGANG SA to postpone scheduling of a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma.

Debate on the motion of no confidence which AGANG SA earlier proposed for scheduling by the National Assembly (NA) Programme Committee will take place on 3 March.

The party took the matter to court demanding that NA Speaker Baleka Mbete not preside over the debate because of her assumed partiality.

AGANG SA also wanted a secret ballot if the motion was put to a vote.

The Court ruled that the application for Mbete’s recusal and secret voting were semi-urgent and should be enrolled on a date and subject to a timetable determined by the Judge President.

“The interdict sought against the scheduling of the debate was dismissed primarily on the grounds of separation of powers” parliament spokesperson Estelle Randall said.

In delivering the order, Judge Ashley Binns-Ward emphasised the need for the courts to be mindful of the Constitution’s notion of separation of powers and the effect of the courts impinging on the powers of another branch of the state unless authorised by the Constitution.

He referred to the “ambitious” relief sought in relation to the substantive issues about the role of the Speaker as Presiding Officer and the demand for a secret ballot as complex Constitutional questions, the outcomes of which are unpredictable.

“Today’s order confirms the view that each arm of state has a distinct role. In a previous judgment in the same court, a warning was sounded against a “juristocracy” which involved inadvertent politicisation of the judiciary. Such actions would undermine Parliament’s ability to discharge its Constitutional mandate and also have an adverse impact on our Constitutional democracy” Randall said.

Judge Binns-Ward’s emphasis on the need to protect the separation of powers and the need to maintain a careful balance in relation to the roles of the three arms of government was both instructive and critical.
There was no costs order awarded at this stage.

The Constitutional Court dismissed the same application earlier this month on the basis that it was not in the interests of justice to grant direct access.
-TDN
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Carletonville accident leaves one dead and four injured

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Caltonville- Four people were injured and a man tragically lost his life following a head-on collision on the R500 approximately five kilometres from Carletonville towards Magaliesburg yesterday afternoon after 17h00.

Exact detail surrounding the cause of the accident and preceding events will remain the subject of a police investigation.

Netcare 911 paramedics and other services arrived at the scene and found the crumpled remains of two vehicles at the side of the road. Upon assessment of the occupants they found that a man from one of the vehicles had tragically lost his life during the accident and four other people sustained injuries ranging from serious to critical.

“All the injured patients were treated at the scene and rushed to hospital for the urgent medical care that they required” Netcare 911 spokesperson Santi Steinmann said.

Traffic was severely affected as a result of the accident.
-TDN
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Bloemfontein accident leaves one dead and four injured

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Bloemfontein- Four people were injured and one man tragically lost his life after an accident involving two vehicles on Nelson Mandela Drive in Bloemfontein last night.

Exact detail surrounding the cause of the accident and preceding events are still unknown and will remain the subject of a police investigation.

Netcare 911 paramedics, the Fire department and other services arrived at the scene and found the crumpled remains of the vehicles on the roadway.

“Two occupants from one of the vehicles were entrapped and the fire department had to make use of the Jaws of Life to extricate them from the vehicles” Netcare 911 spokesperson Santi Steinmann said.

Upon assessment of all the occupants they found that a man had sadly lost his life during the accident and that four other people sustained injuries ranging serious to critical.

All the injured patients were treated at the scene and transported to hospital for further medical care.
-TDN
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