Johannesburg – Former president Nelson Mandela had come to the assistance of Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula when she went into labour with her son Chumani 23 years ago. On Saturday night Chumani was fatally stabbed in Bezuidenhout Valley while his mother was overseas for work.

Mapisa-Nqakula relayed the story of her son’s birth following Mandela’s passing in December 2013.

In 2013, Sapa reported that Mapisa-Nqakula said her water broke in Mandela’s presence in August 1992.

She said Mandela had realised she hadn’t been in the ANC’s offices in Johannesburg for a while as she had been ill during her pregnancy.

Mandela had asked Baleka Mbete, then secretary general of the ANC Women’s League about her, and Mbete took him to her flat in Yeoville, Johannesburg.

For more http://www.news24.com

BY REGINALD KANYANE

In a quest to obtain fair commentary results in the National Senior Certificate for 2015, MEC for Education and Sport Development in the North West, Wendy Matsemela continued to monitor various centres across the province.

Matsemela visited Kgononyane Secondary School in Southey village near Ganyesa on Thursday. The matriculants sat for their Geography first and second papers.  According to the department of Education and Sport Development, Elias Malindi, no examination irregularities were reported at the school.

Kgononyane Secondary school accommodates 115 candidates from 17 schools from the neighbouring villages that had threatened to shut down schools due to service delivery protests.

Malindi said: “The candidates arrived at the school two weeks ago. The security measures were put in place as the SGBs also took part in ensuring that learners are safely-housed.”

Matsemela was happy with the condition of the learners at the school and also commended SGBs for their proactive role in giving learners a chance to write for their National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations.

“It is important for the department to provide a conducive space for these learners because if they were not given an opportunity to write, they would be frustrated and discouraged,” Matsemela said.

The department said that they hope no classes will be disrupted and expect free flowing of NSC examinations. Matsemela said they eyeing to defend their top three positions.

“Candidates will sit for their first paper in Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy and foreign languages followed by second paper in Mathematics divisions on Monday. We will continue to monitor the examinations and we also visited Swartruggens on Friday.” she said.

-TDN

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BY KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

TWO suspects will appear before Mmabatho Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday on two charges of murder, attempted murder, carjacking, and armed robbery.

North West police spokesperson Major Pelonomi Makau says the suspects entered the Bangladesh’s tuck-shop at Moshawa village in Mahikeng.

Makau said the suspects allegedly shot at the customer who died on the scene. She said they also shot at the shop owner who was taken to the hospital and later discharged.

“The suspects allegedly took some groceries and undisclosed amount of money before they fled the scene. They allegedly stopped the taxi carrying passengers and shot at the driver who died on the scene. The suspects drove off with the passengers inside the taxi.” she said.

Makau said the police were informed and followed the lead. The suspects allegedly hit a tree when they noticed that police were after them. They were arrested at Magogwe village outside Mahikeng.

No passenger was injured during the ordeal and police investigations continue.

-TDN

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BY REGINALD KANYANE

TWO men appeared before Tlhabane Magistrate’s Court on Friday for attempted murder and being in possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition. The men were pursued by Phokeng police on Thursday following a murder of a local man. North West police spokesperson, Major Pelonomi Makau said: “Police searched for suspects who were behind the murder of a local man when they spotted three suspects near Impala mine hospital. The suspects were parked under the tree in the nearby bushes. They fled the scene after the police pounced on them.”

Makau said the suspects shot at the police after they realized that they were cornered.  She said police retaliated and resulted in one of the suspects being shot in the leg.

The two Lesotho nationals aged 23 and 24 respectively were remanded in custody. They will be back in court of November 6.

-TDN

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Cape Town – The Democratic Alliance has asked Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga for an update on the progress of the “jobs-for-cash” investigation, and questioned why the report has not yet been tabled.

“Another jobs-for-cash scandal exposed by City Press today (Sunday) raises questions as to why Minister Motshekga has still not tabled the forensic report into the matter as promised,” DA spokesman Gavin Davis said in a statement.

“City Press today (Sunday)] reported that a KwaZulu-Natal teacher allegedly paid a high-ranking South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) official R1000 per month to secure his teaching job. This follows reports last year that Sadtu members were selling principal and deputy principal positions at schools for R30 000 each,” he said.

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

Johannesburg – Even if the government agrees to provide free university education in response to the #FeesMustFall movement it will not exactly be free if the recommendations of a working group appointed by Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande are accepted.

Even the poorest students would be expected to repay some of the costs covered on their behalf by the state once they started earning, though it would be a minimal amount.

A government grant to cover the difference between what they were required to repay and the full cost of their studies would be a “last resort”.

Dropouts would also be expected to repay some of the money and the working group’s report, submitted in 2012, suggests exploring the possibility of assigning a tax number to new students to facilitate a simplified collection system through the SA Revenue Service (Sars).

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

A 48-year-old farmer, his wife, and five others appeared briefly in the Vryburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday in connection with the torture of three men over a period of 12 hours at a farm in Stella, North West police said.

One of the victims died after the assault on Tuesday, while the two others were admitted to hospital in critical condition.

Captain Paul Ramaloko said Tigwinita Luwantu, 48, his wife, Lindiwe Mpathani, 39, and their friends Moipolai Mmastoki, 54, Lehula Kedibone, 37, Simphiwe Cele, 31, David Plaatjie, 43, and Thatafalo Kibane, 18, are charged with, among others, kidnapping, assault, and murder.

Their case was postponed to November 4 for a bail application.

Ten suspects were originally arrested in connection with the incident.

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

Johannesburg – The world’s media will once again focus on Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius whose matter will be heard in the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in Bloemfontein on Tuesday.

Pistorius, 28, was found guilty of culpable homicide for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, 29, on Valentine’s Day in 2013 by Judge Thokozile Masipa in the Northern Gauteng High Court in October last year.

The State is appealing the judge’s ruling.

Prosecutors believe that Pistorius should have been convicted of murder.

During his 6-month-long trial, the “Blade Runner” claimed he shot the model because he mistook her for an intruder. He was given a 5-year sentence, but released under house arrest after spending nearly a year in jail.

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

The son of Defence Minister, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and former Defence Minister Charles Nqakula has been killed. 23 year old Chumani Nqakula was killed at Bezuidenhout Valley in Johannesburg and it is believed Chumani knew the perpetrator. One person has been arrested. Condolences to the Nqakula family.

Courtesy: ‪#‎SABCNews‬