The ANC welcomes the conviction of treason-accused Johan Prinsloo, the party said on Thursday.

“Prinsloo was part of the troika that was accused of seeking to overthrow the South African government by organising mortar bombs to bomb the ANC’s 53rd National Conference in Manguang in December 2012,” said spokesman Zizi Kodwa.

“The attempted right-wing coup plot and the actions of Prinsloo and his ilk were designed to reverse the significant gains made by the people of South Africa in seeking reconciliation and unity,” he said.

He said they further sought other weapons to attack the president and the national executive committee of the ANC.

“The bloodshed that they would have caused, had they succeeded in their treasonous deed, would undoubtedly have had the effect of seeking to plunge this country into crisis.”

The Free State High Court convicted Prinsloo of high treason and possession of ammunition and jailed him for eight years.

His co-accused Mark Trollip had last year pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy and was also handed an eight-year jail term.

A third defendant, Martin Keevy, was found mentally unfit to stand trial and charges against him were withdrawn.

The men arrested in the central Free State province were members of the Federal Freedom Party (FFP), which wants a separate state for white minority Afrikaners.

Charges against the fourth accused, Hein Boonzaaier, then the party leader, were dropped due to insufficient evidence.

Kodwa said the ANC commended the criminal justice system for handling an extremely sensitive case.

“We once again reiterate our call for stringent enforcement of gun control laws and those designed to deter the possession of ammunition and illegal firearms. Ours collectively is to ensure that the people in our country are, and feel, safe.”

Sapa

Rustenburg police have warned men in the area of a gang of women who trick them into offering accommodation for the night then spike their drinks and rob them.

“Police are appealing to men to refrain from inviting female strangers into their homes in a bid to curb the increasing cases of theft,” said Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone on Friday.

The “beautiful” women’s modus operandi was to befriend lone men in shebeens and then tell them they had nowhere to stay for the night.

The women targeted men who appeared to have money, smartphones, and flashy cars, and managed to inveigle themselves into a night’s accommodation at the man’s house.

“When the victim wakes up a couple of hours later, they discover that the attractive women are gone and the properties are stolen,” said Sabata.

In three cases reported to police – the most recent being last Sunday – the men had said they were drugged and then cleaned out by the “sleek” women.

In last week’s case the women drugged a 43-year-old man at his home in Tlhabane and made off with his grey BMW X1, laptop, plasma television, iPad, and cellphones.

The women were still at large. – Sapa

Bloemfontein Celtic Chief Executive Officer Khumbulani Konco could be on his way out of Phunya Sele Sele and is likely to be replaced by Thato Matuka.

The crew reported previously that Konco would be leaving the club to take up another CEO role it was further revealed that sources had indicated that Konco was leaving the Free State based club and heading to Tshwane to take up a CEO role with SuperSport United.
For more http://www.soccerladuma.co.za

Cape Town – Parliament’s Nkandla ad hoc committee found senior public works officials were “grossly negligent” and failed to do their jobs, as did the SAPS, South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and state security, when it came to the R215 million taxpayer-funded security upgrades at President Jacob Zuma’s rural homestead.
Fr more http://www.iol.co.za

Johannesburg – The amount of money it would cost to provide a year’s education to the 58 million out-of-school children worldwide is equivalent to what governments are currently spending on military operations in six days.

This was revealed by the chief executive of the Global Partnership for Education, Alice Albright, addressing the 2014 World Innovation Summit for Education (Wise) in Doha, Qatar, this week. 
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Durban – A KwaZulu-Natal law student has been expelled and barred from Unisa for five years after being found to have made “hurtful and racist remarks” on Facebook.

Skhanyiso Khanyile, of Klaarwater near Pinetown, was found guilty of bringing the university into disrepute.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Washington – My love for eggs has never wavered. Not only because they taste so good and can be prepared in myriad ways, but also because of their protein.

Protein makes up about 20 percent of a healthy body, including everything that has structure such as our hair and skin, the enzymes that enable essential chemical reactions in the body, and the neurotransmitters that transfer information in our brain. Protein also provides about 10 percent of the body’s energy.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Durban – Move over Robocop and Judge Dredd, our very own Metro police cars are moving swiftly into the 21st century.

Unveiled at the ninth annual GovTech conference in Durban earlier this week was SA’s next-generation police car. In partnership with Vodacom and Samsung, Metro officers can look forward to both latest-generation technology and connectivity to help catch the bad guys.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Johannesburg – Fights over the agenda of Friday’s Cosatu special central executive committee’s (CEC) have prevented discussions on the expulsion of the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) from proceeding, Independent Media has learnt.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Parliament – Parliament’s powers and privileges committee on Friday recommended suspension without pay for most of the Economic Freedom Fighters MPs found guilty on contempt of Parliament.

EFF leader Julius Malema, chief whip Floyd Shivambu, Mpho Ramakatsa, Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala, Godrich Gardee, and Mbuyiseni Ndlozi were set to receive the harshest sanctions.

“The committee resolved that they be suspended without remuneration for 30 days,” said committee chairman Lemias Mashile.

The recommendations, which will be adopted in a formal report on Monday, will be submitted to the National Assembly for approval.

Malema was found guilty on four charges of contempt of Parliament.

Shivambu and Ramakatsa were convicted on seven charges each.

The second group of MPs, consisting of Elsabe Louw, Ngwanamakwetle Mashabela, Nthako Matiase, Hlengiwe Maxon, Magdalene Moonsamy, and Andile Mngxitama, who were found guilty on two charges each of contempt of Parliament, also face suspension without pay, but for a shorter period.

“The committee resolved to recommend that they be suspended for 14 days without remuneration,” said Mashile.

The rest of the 20 MPs, who were only found guilty of one charge each, could get off with lighter penalties.

“The committee resolved to recommend that these members should apologise to Parliament verbally in the manner determined by the House,” Mashile said.

The disciplinary process arose from the EFF’s disruption of the National Assembly during President Jacob Zuma’s question time on August 21.

They were apparently unhappy with Zuma’s replies to questions about his private home in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal, where R246 million of taxpayers’ money had been spent on upgrades.

Ndlozi, the EFF spokesman, was not immediately available for comment.

Sapa