Cape Town- A more efficient mechanism to record attendance will come into operation in the National Assembly (NA) Chamber from the second quarter of the 2015 Parliamentary annual session.

The biometric member identification system which uses Members’ fingerprints – captured at the start of the establishment of the fifth democratic Parliament – will replace the current manual recording system of recording attendance.

The electronic attendance recording system will apply initially only to NA plenary sittings and will be rolled out to committee meetings at a later date.

Currently, Members’ attendance of House and Committee sittings is the responsibility of their political parties. A new policy on Members’ attendance and leave was adopted in March 2014 but rules still have to be finalised before the policy can be implemented. The policy provided that political parties were responsible for managing and controlling their Members’ absence from Parliament. However, it also recognised that Members had a dual responsibility – to their political party and to Parliament as an institution – and provided for permission for absence to be sought also from the relevant House.

The biometric fingerprint readers are part of the recent comprehensive information technology upgrade to the NA Chamber.

The upgrade included larger desktop screens, additional information system functions, simpler system navigation and interface, quicker start-up time, lower noise levels, reduced heat emissions and power consumption and separate voting and request-to-talk systems. Microphones for Members to talk from the floor also increased from 58 to 90.

Biometric readers were installed in the National Council of Provinces Chamber when that Chamber was upgraded in 2011.

In addition, to upgrades to the information technology in the two Chambers, improvements to Parliament’s broadcast quality and capability also became operational from February. The improved broadcast infrastructure enables Parliament to provide greater variety of audio visual feed. It is expected that, by September, 14 committee meeting venues will have live broadcast feed facilities.

-TDN

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Mahikeng- Economic Freedom Fighters to embark on a march that will be led by EFF Ngaka Modiri Molema Region against the proposed name change of North West province to Moses Kotane province. The March will also delivery a memorandum that seek answers regarding the status of employment of EPWP and the manner in which people are hired in the programme.

The memorandum will also raise the issue of unemployment, we maintain that the money that is budgeted for the renaming of the province be used to create employment.

The details of the March are as follows:

Assembly point: Montshioa Cultural Village (Montshioa Stadium), Mahikeng
Date: Monday, 30 March 2015
Time: 8am

-TDN

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Johannesburg- Bafana Bafana took time off their schedule to visit Ilanga Mall in Mbombela, Nelspruit to meet their fans on Friday.

The mall turned into a hive of activity as soon as the bus carrying the players drove in.

Standing in a guard of honour at one entrance to the mall, the fans chanted the players’ names as they got off the bus going into the mall.

Inside, they were mobbed with the fans taking photos with the players as they were also handing out complimentary tickets.

“It was hectic out there but we love it as players. These people deserve our love and as much as they appreciate us we must also appreciate them. They use their hard-earned money to come watch us play so we have to respond by getting good results to put smiles on their faces,” said goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune.

“These visits are very important to us because this is the national team, it belongs to the people. Some people never get a chance to come to the stadium to come watch and so coming to such places brings us closer to them and for many it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet their heroes.

“This is one way of giving back to the community and saying thank you for the support they have given us in the past. We are also saying; we value your support so come in numbers and help us defeat Nigeria this Sunday. It’s going to be a very difficult match and with the fans by our side it will really help a lot,” said Khune.

The team returns to training on Friday afternoon at the Mbombela Stadium to continue preparations for the international friendly match against the Super Eagles who are expected in Nelspruit around 9am on Saturday (28 March).

-TDN

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At least 35 people were injured in a collision on the R101 at the Sebediela off ramp in Limpopo earlier today.

It is understood a truck and bus collided. When ER24 paramedics and other services arrived on scene they found patients lying all over and trapped in the vehicles.

Patients were assessed. Injuries ranged from minor to critical. One critical patient had to be airlifted to hospital. Others were transported to local hospitals by ambulance.

The exact cause of the incident is unknown. Authorities were on scene.

-TDN

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Mogwase – Three men convicted of killing a taxi owner will be sentenced by the North West High Court, sitting in Mogwase, on Monday next week, police said.

China Moloi, 39, Nkululo Vava, 29, and Dalikhaya Nompojwane were found guilty of killing taxi owner Sello Peter Mogale, 62, at his home in Phokeng in January 2014, Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said on Thursday.

Moloi was found to have instigated the murder and sold his Corsa bakkie to pay his friends R20,000 for the crime.

On January 15 last year, Vava and Nompojwane met Moloi at his home, not far from Mogale’s home.

“They all went to the victim’s house where, on arrival, they cut the fence to gain entrance and hid themselves in the yard and waited for the victim to return home. It was upon arrival of the victim that the trio, who were all armed with firearms, shot the deceased several times as he got out of the vehicle inside the garage.”

The murder was motivated by a taxi route dispute.

Moloi bought a minibus taxi which he forcefully tried to operate on routes in Phokeng without the approval of the local association, of which Mogale was a member.

They were arrested at the Rustenburg taxi rank, Freedom Park informal settlement and Sefikile village, near Swartklip.

Sapa

Rustenburg – Three men and two women were arrested for allegedly stealing two cars from a car dealership in Rustenburg on Thursday, North West police said.

“It is alleged that a new Ford Ranger was being delivered at one of the dealers when (an) unknown man, wearing the uniform, looking like the one of the delivery staff, drove off with the car,” said Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone.

“The flying squad were alerted about the crime and the suspects, two males and (two) females, were successfully traced and apprehended.”

When the four, aged between 48 and 55, were arrested on the N4 near Brits around 1.45pm, they were allegedly found towing a stolen Nissan Navara.

Another man was later arrested at the dealership for his alleged involvement in the robbery.

“The suspects are due to appear in Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court soon,” said Mokgwabone.

Sapa

Schweizer Reneke- A man was shot and killed by police after allegedly attempting to steal 21 sheep in Schweizer-Reneke early on Thursday morning, North West police said.

Around 2am, police were notified that three men were attempting to steal the sheep at Ipelegeng location, outside Schweizer-Reneke, said Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone.

“According to the information, the police allegedly spotted the bakkie with sheep loaded at the back and tried to stop it.”

A car chase ensued onto a gravel road, heading towards Amalia, where the robbers hit a tree.

“It is further alleged that three suspects got out and ran away. The police chased them and one of the members managed to catch the suspect who was the driver of the car,” Mokgwabone said.

“It is alleged that the police and the suspect wrestled and in the process a bullet went out and the suspect was fatally wounded.”

A charge of murder has been registered and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate were investigating.

The two remaining men, aged 27 and 37, were arrested and expected to appear in Schweizer-Reneke Magistrate’s Court soon.

They would face a charge of stock theft.

Sapa

North West – Three men believed to be kingpins of a housebreaking syndicate and a fourth man were arrested and appeared in court in the North West province following a community tip-off, provincial police said on Friday.

“We were on the lookout for the three men believed to be kingpins of a syndicate suspected to be behind a spate of crimes, including robberies and housebreakings in the Rustenburg area,” said provincial spokesperson Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone.

“We thank the community for information that led to the arrest. Active partnership between the police and community in policing issues can go a long way in the fight against crime.”

After a spate of robberies and housebreakings, Tlhabane police alerted the local community to be on the lookout for a “suspicious-looking silver grey Toyota Corolla with three male occupants wearing reflector jackets”.

On Tuesday, March 24, a community member informed Tlhabane Crime Prevention about a vehicle matching the police description.

Police responded, cornering the three suspects – Neo Matsemela, Sello Itumeleng, and Maboa Stevens – and immediately recovering two unlicensed firearms without serial numbers and 18 rounds of live ammunition.

The officers also found housebreaking implements including a crowbar and screw driver, jewellery, three cellphones, a duvet set, and expensive perfumes.

Shortly before their arrest, the trio had allegedly committed an armed robbery at a local tuckshop, robbing the complainant of an undisclosed amount of money and merchandise.

Added to this, preliminary investigations revealed the suspects’ vehicle had a false North West registration number while another set of Gauteng-issued number plates were discovered.

Further investigation into the trio’s case led police to the recovery of two plasma televisions, two remote jammers, and two cellphones at a home in Thlabane.

The homeowner, 39-year-old Peter Mogale, was arrested and charged for possession of stolen properties after appearing in Bafokeng Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

Mogale was granted R1000 bail and would appear again in court on April, 24.

Matsemela, Itumeleng, and Stevens appeared in Rustenburg Magistrates’ Court on Thursday for possession of suspected stolen property, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, as well as possession of housebreaking implements.

Their case was postponed until April 2 for further investigation.

“At this stage, investigations are underway to try and link the suspects to similar cases reported within the Rustenburg area,” said Mokgwabone.

African News Agency

The Communications Workers Union (CWU) says a national strike at Telkom is imminent if the fixed line operator continues with its planned restructuring process. The union has addressed the media in Johannesburg on Friday.

Communication Workers Union says they will bring Telkom to a standstill if it continues with its intended plans. They say Telkom indicated that in light of unhappiness of workers to transfer them, they will offer voluntary severance packages.

For more http://www.sabc.co.za