Jacob Zuma is unlikely to pay back more than a million rand of the R246-million of taxpayers’ money spent on his Nkandla home.

Legal opinion given to the president, and comments from lawyers representing his adversaries, suggest that Zuma will not be made to pay R1-million for Nkandla.

In March the Constitutional Court ruled that the Treasury should determine “a reasonable percentage of the costs” Zuma must pay for the visitors centre, the amphitheatre, the cattle kraal, the chicken run and the swimming pool built on his property.

These items were deemed non-security-related by public protector Thuli Madonsela. The state spent close to R10-million on the five facilities.

The Sunday Times can reveal that Zuma has been advised that, in terms of the public protector’s remedial action enforced by the Constitutional Court, he would have to pay only a reasonable percentage of the reasonable costs of those five items and not what the Department of Public Works paid for them.

While the public expects Zuma to repay the millions spent on features he personally “unduly benefited” from, Zuma’s legal advice is that the bill to be handed to him would be a fraction of what was spent.
Source: Sunday Times

Madonsela is living in fear for her life after she was warned that a prominent Western Cape gang boss had been paid to arrange a hit on her.

The public protector has beefed up security and restricted her movements after receiving a tip-off from a “trusted” whistleblower.

The whistleblower, a known police informant, told Madonsela the gang boss had been paid R740000 and that three hitmen were planning to kill her next month in a hit made to seem like a car accident.

A distraught Madonsela spoke to the Sunday Times this week about her ordeal, saying she had immediately alerted the police’s VIP Protection Unit.

“I’m shocked,” Madonsela said. “I don’t know where this is coming from. I’m leaving office in five months’ time. It’s probably revenge.”

She said she had received a chilling text message on April 1 from an informant she had worked with several times in the past.

“I was preparing to go to the Cape Town Jazz Festival when I received it. The message said: ‘Morning. Please be careful. A top gangster by the name of … was paid to get hitmen to kill you. I will inform [Western Cape safety and security] MEC Dan Plato today about my information.'”
Source: Sunday Times

A Durban homeless couple recently gave people a free show during early morning traffic when they decided to get intimate.

A local said the couple are homeless and spend the day loitering and begging at robots. ‘The probably were high on whoonga and did not even see it was daytime’, the eye witness said.

For more http://www.idurban.co.za/

BY REGINALD KANYANE
NORTH West Youth Entrepreneurship Services will complete a youth camp programme on Sunday. The director of YES, Thapelo Sekawana said the programme was organised by Office of the Premier in North West.

“The successful programme was in conjunction with the Department of Defence and Military Veterans will conclude in Zeerust tomorrow.

“A church service will be attended by Premier Supra Mahumapelo. This is scheduled to mark the successful ending of the Youth Camp at the two South African Infantry Battalion in Zeerust tomorrow,” Sekawana said.

He said the youth camps were aimed at addressing the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequalities affecting youth in the province.

“Previous youth camps were successfully held in Potchefstroom and the next youth camp is scheduled to be held in Mahikeng during the month of July,” he said.
-TDN
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The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Deputy Chief Electoral Officer for Electoral Operations, Sy Mamabolo, has urged South Africans to continue visiting their municipal offices to register to vote in the Local Government Elections.

President Jacob Zuma announced the date for the elections, August 3 2016, last month. Mamabolo says South Africans are free to register up until the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs David van Rooyen proclaims the date.

He says so far there is no indication of when exactly the date will be proclaimed.

“We have not finalised consultation with the Minister in this regard, we will issue an alert when a date has been finalised.”

Source: sabc

Another school has been set alight in the Vuwani area in Limpopo.

This follows the arrest of eight more people overnight  in connection with this week’s violence in the region during which 24 schools and other government buildings were torched and looted.

The latest arrests bring the number of people arrested since Friday to 23.

The latest incident of arson occurred while two teams of police officers were searching for suspects in Vuwani and surrounding areas

A house of a community member was also set alight overnight despite a strong police presence in the area.

The latest incident of arson occurred while two teams of police officers were searching for suspects in Vuwani and surrounding areas.

Members of the pro-Makhado community structure are among those arrested overnight.

Meanwhile, the situation is slowly returning to normal with shops already opening for the day.

The protests were suspended on Friday, but residents say they will resume with the shutdown of services from Saturday.

Police are continuing to monitor the situation.

Source: sabc

Cape Town – A group of pensioners arrested outside Parliament have been released, police said on Friday.

The group were forcefully removed after a two-day sit-in outside Parliament’s gates. They refused to allow cars to enter.

On Friday, a group of younger protesters joined them and demanded access to the grounds.

Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said 51 people were arrested and released after a discussion between their legal representatives,police, and the National Prosecuting Authority.

For more http://www.news24.com

Johannesburg – The ANC has responded to Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s report released on Thursday on alleged conflation between party and the state regarding the Free State provincial government’s Operation Hlasela.

ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said on Friday: “While we unambiguously accept that state resources should never be utilised to political party campaigning, it is our assertion that this view by the Public Protector is unfortunate.”

For more http://www.news24.com

Johannesburg – President Jacob Zuma has committed the government to help ailing SAA to overcome its challenges.

Zuma visited Airways Park on Friday, the headquarters of South African Airways, as part of his monitoring programme, the Presidency said.

“I’m pleased by the board and senior management’s commitment to implement the long-term turnaround strategy to put the airline on a path of commercial sustainability,” Zuma said.

The president had meetings with the staff and board members during which he received reports about the performance of the company.

For more http://www.news24.com

Cape Town – A man who was thrown from a moving train after he attempted to intervene when robbers hit commuters has been told he will never walk again.

But the family of Darryn August believes divine intervention will see him able to kick a soccer ball again with the children he coaches to keep them out of trouble.

August, from Athlone, was on his way to Somerset West last Monday where he works as a facilitator and teaches homeless children.

For more http://www.news24.com