Johannesburg – There is an ongoing obsession with the controversial Gupta family in South Africa, the African National Congress (ANC) said on Thursday.

“The risk about this obsession with the Guptas is that we miss the bigger picture in the economy, such as British company Anglo American pulling out investments in the country or Mondi listing outside of South Africa…no one is talking about all that because it is not a Gupta matter,” secretary Gwede Mantashe told reporters at a briefing in Johannesburg.

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

Former KwaZulu-Natal Hawks boss, Johan Booysen, will present himself to authorities at the Durban High Court on Friday to face renewed racketeering charges. He will be re-joining 27 other members of the Cato Manor Organised Crime Unit in the dock with whom he was originally charged in 2012.

This comes after the National Prosecuting Authority has announced that its new head, Shaun Abrahams, decided to reinstate charges that were withdrawn two years ago.

The state alleges that Booysen, together with 27 members of the Cato Manor Organised Crime Unit, acted like a hit squad by killing several suspects rather than bringing them to book. The state previously said in the indictment that Booysen had either directed these acts or that he ought to have known what was going on.

Booysen successfully challenged the racketeering charge against him in a court application in 2014.

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

Minister of Economic Development Ebrahim Patel says government has invested over R290-billion in job creation through infrastructure. He was addressing Parliament during the State of the Nation Debate.

Patel outlined some of the outcomes of government’s nine-point-plan.

“This is how we implement the NDP and the nine-point-plan announced last year. The creation of jobs through infrastructure, we invested R290 billion as a nation for the past calendar year, more than R1-billion every working day. The money helped us to build 160 new schools, to provide new higher education housing accommodation for an additional 3100 students. “

Courtesy: SABC

Cape Town – The ANC in the Western Cape has condemned the violence that broke out during student protests at UCT on Tuesday night, and the damage done to busts and pictures that depicted white people.

Spokesperson Yonelo Diko said that while the students’ issues were legitimate and needed attention, being violent was not the way to go about it achieving anything.

He visited the campus because the party was worried about what was happening after the protests culminated in Vice Chancellor Max Price’s office being petrol bombed and the pictures were burnt.

Price was not in the office at the time the petrol bomb gutted the room, leaving black walls and windows.

For more http://www.news24.com

Cape Town – “I am not a madam, I do not run brothels,” Cope MP Deirdre Carter quipped on Wednesday, when objecting to the term used by the ANC’s chief whip.

The second day of the State of the Nation address debate started off with a bang, after Carter insisted that she not be called a “madam”.

ANC chief whip, Stone Sizani, referred to her as “Madam Carter” while raising a point of order.

A riled Carter called for Sizani to withdraw the comment, as she had “not run any brothels” in her life.

“It is not honourable, it is someone who runs a brothel,” she said.

For more http://www.news24.com

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/live-state-of-the-nation-debate-continues-20160217#item-98

Parliament – Speaker Baleka Mbete on Wednesday said she had asked Parliament’s rules committee to look into the scathing criticism Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema’s levelled at President Jacob Zuma in the debate on the State of the Nation Address.

Mbete told the National Assembly she would stand by her ruling that Malema’s remarks would be expunged from the official record of the first day of the debate on Tuesday and added she had also referred it to the “rules committee for perusing”.

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

Kaizer Chiefs started their 2016 CAF Champions League campaign in the best possible way with a 4-0 victory over Volcan de Moroni in the Comoros on Sunday.

Chiefs took an early lead against the island club, Bernard Parker scoring from long range to give Steve Komphela’s side the perfect start.

Parker then turned provider as his free-kick found the head of Erick Mathoho just minutes before half-time, and the big defender made it 2-0 to Amakhosi.

Mathoho got his second and Chiefs’ third early in the second half, tapping in from close range after the home side failed to clear Siphiwe Tshabalala’s corner-kick.

Substitute Sula Matovu netted a late goal from Camaldine Abraw’s pass to all but seal progress for Chiefs, who entertain Volcan in the second leg with a four-goal cushion on February 27.

Chiefs XI: Pieterse, Moleko (Gaxa 55′), Gordinho, Mathoho, Masilela, Katsande, Baloyi, Tshabalala (Matovu 87′), Maluleka (Mthembu 60′), Parker, Abraw

Courtesy: http://www.kick-off.com

e-tv in partnership with eAcademy and MICT Seta will be hosting an NQF level 5 National Certificate in Film & Television Production Learnership for unemployed South Africans.

NQF 5 NATIONAL CERTIFICATE: FILM & TELEVISION PRODUCTION LEARNERSHIP

e.tv in partnership with eAcademy and MICT Seta will be hosting an NQF level 5 National Certificate in Film & Television Production Learnership for unemployed South Africans.

Candidates who possess the following may apply:

MatricComputer literacy Communication and language competence at NQF level 4Math’s and ScienceAnyone who has a keen interest in Television Production may apply for this opportunity.Must have a green South African barcode Identity document

It is for an unemployed learnership and only people in Gauteng and surroundings may apply.

This is a one year learning programme only

Closing date: 22 February 2016

Click Here to ETV CAREERS PAGE

-TDN
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BY REGINALD KANYANE

MATSHENG- African National Congress Youth League president Collen Maine is expected to lay a charge of intimidation against Economic Freedom Fighters members at Taung police station. This comes after EFF members visited his parental home in Matsheng village, near Taung on Monday. The EFF members were allegedly picketing outside his home and delivered bananas to his family after Maine referred to them as ‘monkeys’.

EFF provincial secretary in North West, Thabo Sehloho said: “We as members of EFF in North West, we felt it was appropriate to visit Maine’s family and delivered bananas after his rhetoric statement. Maine called EFF members monkeys and we wanted to show him how monkeys behave. We urge him to carry bananas wherever he goes, because monkeys without bananas can be very treacherous.

“We want him to withdraw his statement. We are living in modernised times, so Maine statement was rather distasteful and absurd. While we were busy picketing at the area, we saw ANC members armed with dangerous weapons pouncing on us. A fight broke between two groups after they attacked us.”

One person was allegedly run over by a car and more than ten people suffered various injuries during a fight. Police were called and monitored a situation.

Maine called EFF members ‘monkeys’ while addressing ANCYL members during ‘Kgalemela Lenyatso’ rally at Soshanguve in Gaunteng. His statement came after EFF leader, Julius Malema affirmed that they will interrupt president Jacob Zuma’ speech during State Of The Nation address that will take place on Thursday.

Our attempt to get ANCYL president, Collen Maine’s comment turned to be futile as his phone rung unanswered. He did not return our messages or calls before going to press.

ANCYL regional secretary in Dr Ruth Mompati, Crespo Menyatso alleges that the people who fought against ADD members were not members of ANC,  but the community of Matsheng at large.

“I can confirm that the EFF members went on to attack ANCYL president Collen Maine’s family. The community members had to stand up and protect the household of the son of the soil.

“Some of ANC members were part of the community, so the community could not let EFF members traumatised and threatened the family of Maine. We did not attack them, even police back them not to enter Maine’s premises. They were carrying boxes of bananas yet Maine was not around. If the did not like what ANCYL president’s utterance they were supposed to address the matter properly as a registered political party,”

-TDN

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