The ANC’s spokesperson claims the media appears to have learnt of his ongoing suspension before he did.

The ANC’s national working committee (NWC) has decided its spokesperson Pule Mabe and acting spokesperson Zizi Kodwa, who has been in that role since last month, should “step aside”.

The two have faced allegations of sexual violence, with Mabe being accused of sexual harassment by his former personal assistant Kgoerano Kekana, while claims of rape have been made against Kodwa, who is also head of the ANC’s presidency office.

The NWC met on Monday following a meeting by the party’s top 6 officials.

Although the ANC has cleared Pule, remember that his matter is not closed. His former PA went to the police,” said a member of the NWC, who asked not to be named.

Mabe’s PA, who has expressed some dissatisfaction with how the ANC handled her sexual harassment complaint, has already indicated she would be taking more steps, including approaching the CCMA.

“Zizi just simply can’t continue in this role, given these claims, how would he be able to assist? You must also remember he is not a spokesperson. He was acting, only Dakota (Legoete) will continue there” said the ANC insider.

Over the weekend, the ANC’s deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte confirmed the party received a letter laying a complaint of rape against Kodwa. She said the party had advised the complainant to take her issue to law enforcement agencies.

Kodwa has vehemently denied the claims, labelling them as factional. He also said he would be consulting with his lawyers on a way forward.

News24 attempted to get hold of Kodwa but his phone was switched off, while calls to Mabe went unanswered.

Source: http://www.news24.com

(Picture Supplied): MEC Madoda Sambatha 

By BAKANG MOKOTO

North West MEC for Health, Madoda Sambatha has appointed a task team to investigate concerns raised by employees at Witrand Psychiatric Hospital in Potchefstroom.

This comes after a meeting between Sambatha and representative of employees at the hospital in an effort to end protests that affected delivery of health services at the hospital.

The employees at the hospital call for the removal of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and management to stop with harassment and intimidation of employees.

However, Sambatha said: “The department is pleased to announce that the protest action has been called off, employees have returned to work and mental health services restored.

“The hospital is rendering a critical service to vulnerable members of society and cannot afford disruption of health services. We will continue to engage with employees and management of the hospital to find a lasting solution.”

Sambatha is expected to return to the hospital on Monday.

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Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan is demanding an apology from the ANC and the retraction of a statement the party issued on Wednesday.

According to the ANC’s statement, Gordhan and Senzo Mchunu, both allies of President Cyril Ramaphosa, launched attacks on black professionals.

The party says in the statement it distances itself from Gordhan and Mchunu and that it will seek to engage with them.

But in a letter addressed to Ace Magashule on Thursday, Gordhan says he rejects the ANC’s statement and that he finds it “extremely offensive”.

He adds: “It would appear that some individuals at Luthuli House give more credence to the orchestrated utterances of individuals like Matshela Koko who has done so much damage at Eskom. Accordingly, I must insist on a retraction and an apology from the ANC spokesperson.”

The ANC’s statement was issued under the names of Zizi Kodwa and Dakota Legoete, the party’s acting spokespersons.

Another spokesperson, who did not want to be named, told News24 that Gordhan and Mchunu blamed “black professionals” for the dire situation that the parastatal was in.

Neither Kodwa or Legoete answered their phones when called for comment.

Source: http://www.news24.com 

By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

The North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane condemned acts of violence that erupted in Bloemhof on Wednesday night.

North West police spokesperson, Captain Sam Tselanyane said it is alleged that an unconfirmed number of Boitumelong Township residents went to the police station and demanded the release of five suspects who were arrested for assault.

He said the protesters allegedly pelted the police station with stones, but were eventually dispersed.

“A police officer sustained facial injuries after being hit with a stone during the confrontation with protesters, while damages were also caused to the police station.

“It was later reported that during the night, three houses belonging to police officers were torched and damaged.  Of the three houses, one burnt to ashes and the furniture was extensively damaged at the second house, while only a curtain was burnt at the third one,” Tselanyane said.

He further said on Thursday, protesters gathered again in Bloemhof apparently with the intention of attacking the police station. Tselanyane added that the protesters dispersed back to Boitumelong Township after being addressed by the Cluster Commander of Pudimoe who will also be meeting with the community in the afternoon.

“The Provincial Commissioner sternly warned members of the community to respect the rule of law and to refrain from destruction of private and state properties such as police stations, vehicles and houses as that can have detrimental effect to lives and service delivery to the community.

“She raised a concern about attacks on the police who are there to maintain law and order including protection of those who protest. “The police will not tolerate any act of public violence and drastic action will be taken against anyone who commits crime,” said the Provincial Commissioner.”

He said although the situation is currently under control in the area, the police will maintain their presence.  Tselanyane said motorists and other users of the N12 road are requested to be vigilant while driving between Christiana and Bloemhof.

Meanwhile, the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) spokesperson, Richard Mamabolo said they have noted with concern the civil unrest taking place in Bloemhof.

Mamabolo said: “It is understood that this altercation is on the basis of this group of people taking the law into their hands by assaulting people they believe committed crimes in the area, clearly demonstrating that these perpetrators have not been willing to work with police in combating criminal activities.

“We appeal to community members not to take the law into their hands, condemn these unjust acts and want to call for calm and dialogue in the community of Bloemhof.”

He expressed that it is only through good working relations between police and communities that they can make communities a better place to live in, and no amount of attacks against each other can bring about any peaceful resolutions.

“We call upon the SAPS, community leaders and the relevant government officials to speedily attend to this regrettable eventuality which should never find expression in our neighbourhoods,” said Mamabolo.

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President Cyril Ramaphosa should not be judged as a stand-alone entity, and his character should be tested on the basis of the role he has and continues to play within the ANC, a party that is being shown to have been captured and one that led the country to the brink of calamity.

This is what United Democratic Movement (UDM) president Bantu Holomisa said as his party launched its provincial and national election manifesto at the Isaac Wolfson Stadium in Port Elizabeth yesterday.

Holomisa said it was disingenuous for Ramaphosa to appeal to South Africans to “trust him despite his party’s failings”.

“Why? Because he knows that his party – the ANC – is not worthy of your trust. We all know what damage it has done – be it to our economy, our safety, our education and health systems, and so the list goes on.

“How can the ANC be trusted when it stood meekly by as Jacob Zuma and his cronies looted the state and stole your taxes and deprived you of economic opportunity?” he asked.

The UDM leader was in part challenging how Ramaphosa seems to be attempting to reinvent himself as an anticorruption candidate who South Africans “should trust” and send to do their bidding for them.

Holomisa argued that Ramaphosa served under the same Zuma whose tenure he now seeks to distance himself from.

“Today we hear noises from the ANC that the past nine years were disastrous under the Zuma administration. Yet the current crew is made up of the very people who said that he did nothing wrong. They even invented a slogan that read: ‘We have a good story to tell,’” said Holomisa.

This was met by a round of applause from the scores of supporters who filled the stadium.

“I ask the question again: Can we trust them given that the same organisation was at pains to defend Zuma and was hellbent on discrediting the Public Protector and the judiciary?”

He said that, even if it was the case that “President Ramaphosa may be a decent man”, he was just one individual out of many in a party that had been exposed at the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture as having been party to corruption and fraud.

Holomisa also argued that, given the disunity currently plaguing the party, should the ANC be voted back into power on May 8, there was no guarantee that it would appoint Ramaphosa as its president.

“HOW CAN THE ANC BE TRUSTED WHEN IT STOOD MEEKLY BY AS JACOB ZUMA AND HIS CRONIES LOOTED THE STATE AND STOLE YOUR TAXES AND DEPRIVED YOU OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY?

“There is nothing stopping the ANC from deciding to remove Ramaphosa – just as they recalled Thabo Mbeki and replaced him with a person who is now facing more than 800 criminal charges,” said Holomisa.

He called on citizens to no longer place their trust in the ANC as it had “lost touch with ordinary South Africans”.

He said that the UDM pledged to improve the country’s healthcare system, particularly in terms of infrastructure and maintenance.

“Hygiene at many clinics is at unacceptable levels and must be addressed immediately. It remains a sad fact that many South Africans must travel huge distances to the nearest clinic or hospital. Health infrastructure and services need to be provided closer to the poor,” said Holomisa.

In light of the tragedy at Driehoek High School in Vanderbijlpark, where four pupils died after a concrete slab collapsed on them, the UDM also pledged to prioritise the building, fixing and upgrading of school infrastructure.

Holomisa also said his party would “establish a permanent commission on education, whose primary responsibilities will be to establish and build upon basic educational policy pillars, as well as ensure that there was stability in the curriculum to give our pupils the best opportunity to succeed in their studies”.

He also revealed that his party would reopen teacher training colleges and impose national standards for teachers to ensure that they had the necessary resources to provide the highest level of professionalism possible.

On unemployment, Holomisa said his party would launch a massive initiative focusing on job creation through infrastructure maintenance and development.

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

By REGINALD KANYANE

The former ANC North West Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) member, Mmoloki Cwaile was sworn-in as the new Member of Provincial Legislature (MPL) in the North West on Tuesday.

The outspoken Cwaile was at the forefront during #SupraMustFall campaign. The North West Provincial Legislature Speaker, Sussana Dantjie welcomed Cwaile from the ANC.

“Cwaile was sworn-in as Member of the Provincial Legislature (MPL) in the vacant seat left by the late Ndleleni Duma who recently passed on after long illness. Schedule Act 73 of 1988 schedule 1a Section 23(1)(b) states that in the event of a vacancy in the legislature to which this schedule applies, the party which the vacating member represented must fill the vacancy by nominating a person.

“In accordance with Section 107 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Cwaile took an oath and affirmed faithfulness to the Republic and obedience to the Constitution before he could begin to perform his duties in the Legislature,” Dantjie said.

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