Cape Town – Hundreds of parliamentary workers are set to stay away from Parliament on Thursday, protesting the institution’s alleged failure to accede to demands for improved work conditions.
It will be the first time in the history of the democratic Parliament that staff will not participate in the State of the Nation address, the highlight of Parliament’s calendar, according to City Press.
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Cape Town – Cape Town job-seekers are falling victim to a conman, who are offering job opportunities as city fire-fighters at a cost of R200, according to the City of Cape Town.
City’s executive director for safety and security, Richard Bosman, said the city’s Fire and Rescue Service has been alerted to a post on a social media site, advertising for fire training and job placement and in-service training.
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Johannesburg – A police officer on Wednesday handed himself over after suspected hijacked vehicles were found at his house, Gauteng police said.
“The police officer who has allegedly been on the run since Monday has handed himself to the Hillbrow police this afternoon,” said Lieutenant Colonel Katlego Mogale.
Three stolen vehicles, a Volkswagen Golf 6 and two Volkswagen Polos, were discovered around 09:00 at the officer’s house on Tuesday.
The officer was not home at the time.
The provincial flying squad team had followed a signal which led them to the officer’s home in Alley Street, Eldorado Park. Mogale said the Golf 6 had been chopped up. It was reported hijacked in Dawn Park in the East Rand last month.
The other two Polos had their chassis numbers tampered with, Mogale said.
The officer was in custody and would appear in the Protea Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Pietermaritzburg – A Richard’s Bay motorcyclist who crashed at an unmarked speed bump has been granted a 50% liability admission for her knee injuries and damages from the KwaZulu-Natal roads department.
The case, brought by Lourika Boisson, was heard by Deputy Judge President Gregory Kruger in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday.
She said that her hospital expenses were R60 000 and repairs to her BMW motorcycle would cost about R43 000.
She developed necrosis, a skin flap was debrided several times and she needed a skin graft. Her knee was permanently disfigured.
On the road to Stanger in March 2008 she crashed at the unmarked and unpainted speed bump. She said that the roadside warning sign was obscured by tree foliage and was in shade.
She said the department failed to maintain warnings to road users of the speed calming device.
The amount to be paid to her is still to be decided.
Johannesburg – The three men sentenced in the North Gauteng High Court Pretoria for killing former world heavyweight boxing champion Corrie Sanders during an armed robbery will apply for leave to appeal, the SABC reported on Wednesday.
Judge Ferdi Preller on Wednesday sentenced Paida Fish, Chris Moyo and Samuel Mabena, all in their 20s, to 18 years imprisonment for murdering Sanders.
They were sentenced to 19 years for armed robbery and a further six years for possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
Preller ordered that some of the sentences run concurrently, giving a sentence of in effect 30 years for each of the three men. They are all first offenders.
Sanders, 46, was shot during an armed robbery at the Thatch Haven Country Lodge outside Brits while attending his nephew’s 21st birthday party on 22 September 2012.
He died the next day in the Kalafong Hospital.
Cape Town – President Jacob Zuma will deliver his eighth State of the Nation address on Thursday amid tight security following threats of disruptions.
The EFF on Tuesday repeated its threat to interrupt his annual address by asking him questions about his Nkandla homestead.
“The EFF will ask questions to Zuma during the Sona [State of the Nation address] because Zuma has not been coming to Parliament and we do not believe that Zuma will come to be held accountable in Parliament,” spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said in a statement.
Despite the threat, Parliament has said it was satisfied with security arrangements for the event. The legislature’s presiding officers have vowed to apply rules and conventions strictly during the speech.
Parliament’s protection officers and police will be deployed inside the National Assembly building.
“The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure, which co-ordinates all security and law enforcement for the president’s annual State of the Nation address… is satisfied with the progress being made with its security planning,” police spokesperson Solomon Makgale said in a statement on Wednesday.
The precinct would be closed to the public, except for those accredited to attend the event, including MPs, journalists, and members of the diplomatic corps.
“The nation at large, particularly the community of Cape Town, is advised that there will be limited access in areas surrounding Parliament, meaning that there will be road closures and parking restrictions,” said Makgale.
A no-fly zone will be set up over the precinct, except for SA Air Force jets, which will do a fly-over shortly before Zuma’s speech.
While security measures had been increased, the withdrawal of parliamentary workers’ voluntary services from the State of the Nation address could cause some headaches for Parliament’s management.
Talks in deadlock
On Tuesday night, talks between Parliament’s management and Nehawu over a 13th cheque deadlocked again, prompting the union to announce it would follow through with its plans.
“The secretary to Parliament made commitments that the matters we have raised will be addressed, but when we requested him to put these commitments on pen and paper, he refused,” said National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) Western Cape secretary Luthando Nogcinisa.
Nehawu denied it was using State of the Nation address to bargain with Parliament.
“Our objective is not to disrupt the Sona [State of the Nation address] as it has been reported by some media houses,” Nogcinisa said.
“Our only objective is to highlight the plight of workers in Parliament.”
The union has over 900 members employed by Parliament, some of whom perform voluntary services during the State of the Nation address.
“They include things like the choir, the ushers who would take guests from the airport to Parliament, and usher MPs and so on,” said Nogcinisa.
It was not clear whether Parliament had made alternative arrangements to offset the effects the withdrawal of Nehawu’s service would have on the event.
“We are in talks with them and we’ll communicate with them directly on issues of mutual concern. We will not conduct our negotiations in the media,” said Parliament’s spokesperson Luzuko Jacobs.
Nehawu is demanding a 13th cheque for workers, and that workers’ pay be equalised.
The Bokone Bophirima MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Gaoage Molapisi says the fight against crime needs brave and dedicated men and women who will take the bull by its horns to create a save and secured environment.
Speaking during the launch of this year’s Safety and Security Month yesterday in Danville here in Mahikeng, Molapisi said South Africa is suffering from high level of criminal activities and innocent people continue to be victimized by selfish, dangerous and heartless criminals who should be locked away.
“Government alone cannot win the fight against crime, but it takes a community and the nation at large to build a crime free society. This fight is a combined responsibility which needs brave men and women to work with us and the rest of the stakeholders in an integrated approach.
“We must work together towards creating an environment where our families will live in their houses without any fear of been invaded by these ruthless thugs, business owners operating their outlets without any fear of been violated. Women and children must enjoy the breezing air from public space without been raped and violated,” said Molapisi.
He said the department will during this month continue to mobilize men and women, business sectors, churches, community safety forums and community policing forums to strengthen the fight against crime and make South Africa a safe country.
During the launch, MEC Molapisi led the Letsema project which braved the hot weather conditions to cut tree and bushes on the walk path from Danville to town. The area is one of the hot spots of crimes identified in the province.
In partnership with the Mahikeng Local Municipality, the Department managed to repair street lights in the area of Danville which were reported to have since been damaged in the past two years.
-TDN
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The Speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature, Hon. Sussana Dantjie showed her appreciation by fulfilling her promise to the matric class of 2014 at Tswaing Local Municipality, rewarding all those who received distinctions at any subject with trophies, and those who attained more were showered with latest laptops, i-pads and data cards.
The Matric class of 2014 at Tswaing form part of other learners who attained 87% pass rate in the Ngaka Modiri Molema district. This has placed the North West province in the 2nd position nationally with an 84, 6% pass rate, led by Gauteng province in the exceptional performance of education.
The Speaker encouraged learners and educators to continue to strive in ensuring that education plays a central role towards development, discipline and respect.
She placed her gratitude above all to a learner who attained a distinction at Mogawane Commercial High School, who was the only matric student at her school. Out of the 39 students who attended with her in Grade 11, she managed to pass whilst the rest of her peers failed.
The Speaker mentioned that, despite her coming from a disadvantaged background, having raised by a single parent and consumed by a lot of peer pressure, the learner chose to make it through all that.
“Nothing encourages me than to see a learner at such a young age having a vision, disciplined and focused to see herself being a leader and striving for success amidst all challenges thrown at her”, said Dantjie.
Even though the learner attained just one distinction, the Speaker accorded her with a special achiever’s award for her dedication, commitment and vision in life.
The two learners who received the 6 distinctions could not make it to the event, instead their parents were present to receive multiple awards on their behalf. The two had a special promise made by the Speaker that birthday celebrations will be accorded to them and parents ululated with joy having received, laptops, i-pads, an honorary gold plate award including trophies for their children.
Guests were entertained and inspired by a motivational speaker, Ms. Mogau Motlhatswi, a young aspiring actress who is a 3rd year student at University of Johannesburg.
She instilled principle, respect, discipline and hardwork to those who yearned for success in life.
Many felt honoured by the event, and thanked the North West Legislature for honouring, appreciating and encouraging not only the learners, but educators and parents for their commitment.
“We are indeed proud of the dedication and hardwork imprinted in education, we as the North West Legislature will see how best we can unite with other government sectors and ensure that there is enough support needed to grow more doctors, nurses, lawyers, engineers, business entrepreneurs and many more,”said Dantjie.
-TDN
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Brits- The Department of Culture, Arts and Traditional Affairs(CATA) in partnership with The Provincial Geographical Names Committee (NWPGNC) are continuing with the third leg of awareness campaigns on name changes, the event will be held on the 20th February 2015 at Maboloka Ward 4 Ambassadors Sports Ground (Rustenburg).
The campaign will take the form of a conference/seminar, Key stakeholders such as Traditional Leadership, Historians and Community Leaders have been invited, Member of the Executive Council Tebogo Modise will address the gathering.
Key issues to be discussed are:
“People need to be educated about the work of the PGNC. What it is, its purpose and key responsibilities of the committee. We therefore urge all role players to come in their numbers at Bojanala District so that they make their own contributions”, said MEC Modise.
Details of the Conference are as follows:
Venue: Maboloka Ward 4 Ambassadors Sports Ground
Date: 20 February 2015
Time: 9h00
-TDN
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North West- Communities of Papi Ntjana (Bojanala District), Khunwana (Ngaka Modiri Molema District) and Tlakgameng (Dr. Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District) in the North West Province will soon receive state-of-the-art libraries for their villages – thanks to the Department of Culture, Arts and Traditional Affairs (cata).
Each of the three structures (measuring 625m2) will be equipped with a range of books for all age groups, as well as free internet access and facilities for the visually-impaired. Also included in each is a toy library for the young ones.
Cata recently handed over the sites for the constructors to start working. Work is scheduled to take nine months.
“The handing over of construction sites signifies the commitment by government in improving the lives of the people and promoting the culture of learning and reading amongst their communities,” said MEC for Cata, Mme Tebogo Modise.
“The new libraries will be equipped with tailor-made furniture, also housing resources ranging from reference books, learner support material, study collection, books for leisure reading, material to support adult literacy and indigenous languages.
“Libraries are centres for community life. We envisage that the service provided by the libraries will contribute in improving the lives of people by providing for their educational, informational, recreational and developmental needs. The Department of Culture, Arts and Traditional Affairs is ready to provide professional and support staff at all the three libraries.”
MEC Modise further urged communities to love, protect and grow their libraries which are aimed at improving culture of learning and reading in their respective communities”.
-TDN
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The Guardian 