By REGINALD KANYANE

Motsweding FM veteran presenter, Mme Keleabetswe Bella Komane (84) passed away in the early hours of Saturday.

Komane worked for SABC since 1962 during the establishment of Radio Setswana. She was presenting educational and children programs.

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Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa has withdrawn the president’s appeal against a judgment of the North Gauteng High Court that NPA boss Shaun Abrahams should vacate his position.

This is the clearest indication yet that Ramaphosa plans to fire Abrahams and appoint a new head of the prosecuting authority.

Former president Jacob Zuma previously appealed the ruling by a full Bench of judges of the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria that found he was conflicted to appoint the National Director of Public Prosecutions. The case is scheduled to be heard on Wednesday. Abrahams is still appealing the matter.

In a letter delivered to the registrar of the Constitutional Court on Friday afternoon, the state attorney informed the court of Ramaphosa’s decision.

“With the current regime change and after consultation with the current President of the Republic of South Africa, we are instructed to inform this court, that the first respondent (Ramaphosa) is no longer prosecuting its appeal and therefore will not be present to argue the matter on 28 February 2018.

“To the extent that the former President (Zuma) may want to pursue argument on matters affecting him personally, he may do so through his legal representatives,” the letter reads.

It is unclear whether the state will continue to fund Zuma’s legal representation if he chooses to make personal representations.

This is a developing story. More to follow.

Source: http://www.news24.com

The Chamber of Mines has agreed to postpone its court application in respect of the reviewed Mining Charter, which was due to be heard in the High Court this week.

The Presidency said on Sunday that it had been in discussion with the Chamber of Mines to resolve the impasse over the mining charter.

This was in a bid “to facilitate a process of developing a New Mining Charter that all stakeholders can support and defend”.

“The Chamber of Mines, on behalf of its members, has agreed jointly with the Department of Mineral Resources to postpone its court application in respect of the Reviewed Mining Charter, which was due to be heard in the High Court on 19 to 21 February.

“The postponement serves to allow parties the space to engage and find an amicable solution,” said the Presidency.

The Presidency and the Chamber of Mines have approached the seven other applicants, as well as two amici curiae, namely the National Union of Mineworkers and Solidarity, to advise them of the development, and have encouraged them to similarly postpone their applications.

The Presidency said this was in line with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s commitment during the State of the Nation Address on Friday to intensify engagements with all stakeholders on the Mining Charter “to ensure that it is truly an effective instrument to sustainably transform the face of mining in South Africa”.

“By working together, in a genuine partnership, underscored by trust and a shared vision, I am certain we will be able to resolve the current impasse and agree on a Charter that both accelerates transformation and grows this vital sector of our economy,” President Ramaphosa said.

The Department of Mineral Resources amended the Mining Charter to strengthen and refine its effectiveness in driving economic transformation and competitiveness in the mining sector. – SAnews.gov.za

Bokone Bophirima’s provincial government held a two-day Executive Council (EXCO) Lekgotla at Cooke’s Lake Lodge in Mahikeng to highlight how it has been able to implement the National Development Plan (NDP).

The EXCO Lekgotla reflected on the work done by provincial departments, districts and local municipalities as well as state-owned entities.

Premier Supra Mahumapelo briefed the media on developments following the Lekgotla.

“We have assessed the progress we have made and the economy of the province is growing at 2%, which is above the national average. As the provincial government we have taken a decision to intensify the Setsokotsane 10 by 10 Campaigns on the issue relating to fighting greed, crime and corruption,” he said.

The provincial government will also be embarking on lifestyle audits on all government employees, mayors and councilors.

“Over 700 public servants and politicians will come under scrutiny as we conduct these lifestyle audits. From March this year we will be starting at the Premier’s Office where an independent team will start auditing the Premier and the administration. From there after, the auditors will be going to various departments on a monthly basis. This team will then be reporting on a quarterly basis to the public on the results of this lifestyle audit,’’ said Mahumapelo.

The provincial government will also be looking at all government related projects to see if all the procurement processes were followed when tenders were awarded.

“This will help to stop all these wild allegations against officials that are unsubstantiated. We encourage all members of the public to come forward with any information that might help to investigate corruption in the province,” said Mahumapelo.

The provincial government will also be intensifying its Villages, Townships and Small Dorpies (VTSD) industrialization programme.

“As government we consume over R7 billion in services and products that are sourced from overseas and other provinces. We want to manufacture these products locally in our VTSD areas. Eskom has come on board and they have agreed to help us with electrification. Their target was 12 234 households for the 2017/2018 financial year, but they have reached 12 32, which is over a 100% of their target.”

In terms of municipal audit outcomes, the provincial government recently met with the Auditor General (AG) to discuss ways to improve the audits.

“When I came in as Premier we found that there were 15 ailing municipalities. We have reduced the number to eight, but some attention will have to be paid to these municipalities because the number has now increased to 12. We are working with the AG to see how we can reduce this number,” the Premier said.

In terms of water supply, 87% of people in the province have got access to clean drinking water. The province has realised that there are issues relating to infrastructure, but the Premier said this is being addressed.

Mahumapelo said the province of Bokone Bophirima would be using technology to report damaged roads and potholes so they may get quick attention.

“We will be using technology where road users can send information through a mobile application to Department of Public Works and Roads so that potholes can be fixed within 12 to 18 hours. This will assist in ensuring that our roads are safer to use,” he said.

The provincial government will have fully implemented the national cabinet decision on rationalisation of State Owned Entities (SOEs) by April this year.

“We are going to combine all SOEs under one roof, which will be called the People’s Economic Growth Agency (PEGA), which is currently known as the North West Development Corporation (NWDC). SOEs that will fall under PEGA include the North West Parks Board and the North West Housing Corporation”.

Mahumapelo said the provincial government is looking at ways in which it can turn public servants into entrepreneurs. He said this is important because after serving for about 15 years in the public sector they have enough money in their pension funds that can be used as start-up capital for businesses. This will enable them to leave the system quicker to allow new entrants into the system. He said the provincial government would be speaking to the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) on how they can turn this into a reality.

Source: http://www.Semphetenews.co.za

The R500 000 rewards offered for the capture of the Gupta brothers and Duduzane Zuma have just been doubled to R1 million after a Cape Town based woman took it upon herself to match the reward money rand for rand.

In a tweet, CEO of Sygnia Tech Solutions, Magda Wierzycka calls on South Africans to contribute their spy skills to ensure that the fugitives are arrested.

Weirszycka says she is also looking to implement additional rewards to persuade people to cooperate with the investigation, including a reward for the first person in the Gupta circle to turn on the controversial family.

“Everyone is very aware of what Duduzane Zuma and the Gupta brothers have done to South Africa and they seem to have staged a disappearing act. I think it’s really up to every single South African to be on the lookout for these guys and in particular, what I do know is they are all protected by bodyguards.”

“So, I am hoping to appeal to the families of those bodyguards to turn those guys in so that justice can take its course and so that we can start recovering the billions of rand that they have stolen from South Africa,” says Wierzycka.

This past week, Hawks declared Ajay Gupta a fugitive from the law.

Source: http://www.sabc.co.za

Pretoria – President Jacob Zuma announced his resignation with immediate effect on Wednesday night.

“Even though I disagree with the decision . I have always been a disciplined member of my organisation,” he said.

Zuma was speaking from the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Wednesday night.

Zuma’s statement comes after the ANC gave him an ultimatum to resign or be recalled in a letter delivered by the party’s secretary general Ace Magashule on Tuesday.

On Wednesday the ANC announced that their MPs would vote with opposition parties in support of a motion of no confidence against Zuma and that the Speaker of Parliament had agreed to move the motion, which was originally scheduled to be debated next week, forward to Thursday.

The ANC gave Zuma until midnight on Wednesday to respond to the recall letter, otherwise the debate on the motion of no confidence will commence at 2pm on Thursday as agreed to by all political parties.

A defiant Zuma earlier on Wednesday spoke out in an interview with the SABC, saying he had done nothing wrong and was never told the reasons for his recall.

He stated that he disagreed with the decision of the ANC to recall him, and warned that it would plunge the country into a “crisis”.

Zuma said he had made it clear to the party’s national officials that he was not willing to leave the Union Buildings without being told what wrong he had committed. He said he felt victimised.

Source: http://www.iol.co.za

Thabang Mosiako was supposed to travel to Algeria next month to compete in the African Championships but says doctors first want to run a set of tests.

JOHANNESBURG – A South African long distance athlete who fell victim to an alleged racial attack in Potchefstroom says he is angry and wants to see justice.

Thabang Mosiako and his friend Rantso Mokopane were assaulted over a week ago when they allegedly tried to correct a group of white young men who were swearing at a cashier.

Mosiako was supposed to travel to Algeria next month to compete in the African Championships but says doctors first want to run a set of tests. He is a 5,000m athletics champion and runs for the Nedbank running club.

He was discharged from hospital last week with three stitches to his head.

Mosiako says he hopes to still compete next month and represent his country in the 10km race.

“I’m angry at this moment. Next month I’ll have to go represent those guys that beat me here.”

Police are yet to make any arrests.

Source: http://www.ewn.co.za

JOHANNESBURG – President Jacob Zuma is expected to brief the media at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Wednesday.

The media briefing is expected to start at 10am.

The ANC has decided to recall him as the country’s president.

Source: eNCA

By BAKANG MOKOTO

North West Provincial Legislature’s Standing Committee on Provincial Public Accounts (SCOPA) will hold public hearings on the Public Finance Management Act audit outcomes of the financial year 2016/17 for the Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development in the Legislature Committee Room 2 at 09h00.

The Chief Executive Officer CEO and senior management of the North West Parks Board will account at 11h00 in the same venue.

The Office of the Audit General will also attend the meeting.

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