Johannesburg – A man was sentenced to 25 years in jail by the Nongoma Regional Court on Tuesday for raping and killing his girlfriend, KwaZulu-Natal police said.
Mandla Zulu raped his 19-year-old girlfriend on 25 December last year, police spokesperson Thulani Zwane said.
When she threatened to report him to the police, he strangled her.
He was arrested on the same day and charged.
He had been in custody since his arrest.
SAPA
Johannesburg – President Jacob Zuma has signed into law the legal practice bill, the presidency said on Tuesday.
“This brings to fruition many years of discussions, negotiations and even concessions that began in the time of the late Dullah Omar, democratic South Africa’s first minister of justice,” spokesperson Mac Maharaj said in a statement.
“While the time taken to promote and enact this historical statute might seem overly long, the time taken has been well spent.”
The lengthy deliberations during the bill’s passage through Parliament ensured that its many provisions had been thoroughly considered.
This was aimed at ensuring a legal profession that was not only transformed, but also independent, and promoted the values underpinning the Constitution and upholding the rule of law.
“The transformation of the legal profession, like the transformation of the judiciary and our court system, is crucial for our young constitutional democracy,” Maharaj said.
“Transformation of the legal profession is a constitutional imperative. The legal profession constitutes part of the judicial machinery that provides services aimed at promoting access to justice.”
As a result of the bill, all lawyers, being advocates and attorneys, would for the first time fall under a single regulatory body, the SA Legal Practice Council.
The council would be assisted by provincial councils in its daily operations.
“This Council will consist mostly of legal practitioners but also of other important role players whose expertise and experience will enhance the objects of this body,” Maharaj said.
“While there is a single regulatory body, the Legal Practice Act allows for advocates and attorneys to continue in their respective areas of specialisation.”
Attorneys vs advocates
The council, when carrying out its regulatory functions, would bear in mind and recognise the differences and similarities between attorneys and advocates where appropriate.
“Legal practitioners, being officers of the courts, will continue to be admitted as such by the courts and the courts will continue to remove them from practice should this be necessary,” said Maharaj.
“The council will also play a crucial role in the professional conduct of legal practitioners and develop a single code of conduct that applies to all lawyers.”
One important feature of the bill would see disciplinary bodies that adjudicated on cases of alleged misconduct being open and transparent.
Beyond consisting of lawyers, they would also consist of lay persons.
Another important feature would see a legal services ombudsman established.
The ombud’s mandate would be to protect and promote the public interest relating to the rendering of legal services, and ensure fair, efficient and effective investigation of alleged misconduct complaints against legal practitioners.
The bill’s full implementation would only take place after the National Forum on the Legal Profession had completed its mandate, for which a period of three years had been given.
“The mandate of this Forum is to put systems and procedures in place for the full implementation of the legislation,” Maharaj said.
“It is trusted that the deliberations of the Forum will facilitate consensus on the remaining issues that are still required to be dealt with as set out in the Act.”
SAPA
Cape Town – A man who disappeared with jewellery worth R85 917, stolen from his lover, was sentenced to three years’ house arrest on Tuesday, when he pleaded guilty to theft in the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crime Court.
Steven Billington, 43, of Claremont in Cape Town, also pleaded guilty to stealing equipment worth R14 000 from his former employer, Cradle Technologies.
In addition to the house arrest, he was given a five-year suspended prison sentence.
He was sentenced in plea-bargain proceedings, before Magistrate Sabrina Sonnenberg.
According to the plea-bargain document, he started a romantic relationship with victim Natasha Wilmot in September last year, and the same month moved into her home.
They lived together for about six months, until Billington disappeared without explanation, and kept his cellphone switched off.
The victim’s aunt, Daphne Hildebrant, also stayed with the couple briefly, and when she left she discovered that her two valuable earrings as well as an unspecified amount in British currency were missing.
Soon afterwards, Wilmot discovered that she too was missing jewellery and British currency that she had kept in a safe.
Wilmot reported the thefts to the police, after Billington denied any knowledge or involvement.
Wilmot, meanwhile, did her own private investigation, to find that two gold dealers in Claremont, three Cash Crusaders outlets and one Cash Convertors had recently bought jewellery from Billington, as well as weeding equipment that Wilmot had stored in her garage.
In the plea document, prosecutor Thersia du Toit-Smit states that Billington started stealing from Wilmot in September last year, “while their relationship was still new”.
Defence attorney Mike Jennings pointed out that Billington had given Wilmot a car as compensation, which she had sold for R8 000.
Billington has to pay back the value of the items stolen, to Wilmot, Hildebrant and Cradle Technologies, in monthly instalments, as a condition of his suspended prison sentence.
SAPA
Johannesburg – National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete has admitted she “lost it” on the day that the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) disrupted President Jacob Zuma’s question time in Parliament.
The City Press reported that addressing journalists at an outreach meeting in Johannesburg on Tuesday, she said: “I’ll tell you about 21 August [when Zuma fielded questions] where I thought I lost it that day. Alright? It’s out there,” she said.
For more http://www.news24.com
Johannesburg – National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete has admitted she “lost it” on the day that the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) disrupted President Jacob Zuma’s question time in Parliament.
The City Press reported that addressing journalists at an outreach meeting in Johannesburg on Tuesday, she said: “I’ll tell you about 21 August [when Zuma fielded questions] where I thought I lost it that day. Alright? It’s out there,” she said.
For more http://www.news24.com
Johannesburg – Right-wing political party Front National will approach the United Nations’ (UN) Human Rights Commission over the handling of Clive Derby-Lewis’s medical parole application, it said on Tuesday.
“In spite of having been examined for the medical parole board again on 9 July and another case for release on medical parole consequently submitted, no reply has been received from the department of correctional services,” it said in a statement.
Derby-Lewis was convicted of conspiring to kill SA Communist Party general secretary Chris Hani by providing the gun Polish immigrant Janusz Walus used to kill him in the driveway of his home in Boksburg, on the East Rand, on 10 April 1993.
The 78-year-old former Conservative Party MP, who was sentenced to 25 years behind bars, has served more than 20 years of his sentence.
Derby-Lewis was initially sentenced to death, which was commuted to life imprisonment when the death penalty was abolished in 1995. He first applied for parole in June 2010.
According to Derby-Lewis’s wife Gaye, he has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.
Front National said that it visited Derby-Lewis on Tuesday and that he was expected to undergo an operation on Friday.
It would seek a meeting with Justice Minister Michael Masutha “to demand an explanation for his avoidance of the issue”.
“At the same time, a formal complaint about the South African government’s handling of the issue will be presented to the Human Rights Commission of the UN.”
Derby-Lewis’s lawyer Elsabe Juin said in June that the correctional services department had promised to give Derby-Lewis’s application for medical parole urgent attention.
SAPA
Mahikeng Ministers Fellowship (MMF) has condemned the gruesome murder of an elderly woman whose unidentified body was discovered at an open veld in Molelwane village near Mahikeng over the weekend.
In appealing for calm, the Chairperson of MMF (an interdenominational Pastors Fellowship) Apostle Zandisile Reginald Mpame has called on the community to come forward with information that might assist police in their investigations.
Residents of nearby Lonely Park village were gripped by fear after the body of the woman was found without a heart on Saturday morning raising suspicions that the shocking discovery could be a muti killing related.
Women in the area approached pastors affiliated to MMF for prayers on Monday evening after an emotionally charged impromptu community meeting held on Sunday afternoon.
“The spate of killings, rape incidents and house robberies that the community has experienced in recent weeks calls for united action. We are encouraged that within the community there is a sizable majority that is committed to assist authorities to bring the perpetrators that are terrorising the community to book,” Apostle Mpame said.
A prayer and cleansing ceremony is to be held at the spot located behind Leopard Park Golf Estate where the body was discovered on Thursday afternoon at 2pm.
The body of a 27-year- old woman who was buried over the weekend was found at exactly the same spot with her panties shoved down her throat last week.
-TDN
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Johannesburg – The Golden Highway was reopened on Tuesday after residents of Lehae township, south of Johannesburg, blockaded it with rocks earlier, metro police said.
The highway was reopened around noon after the rocks and stones had been removed, spokesperson Wayne Minnaar said.
“Traffic is flowing but there is still a very heavy police presence.”
He said some of the protesters were still in the area.
The protest started before 05:00.
Human Settlements MEC Jacob Mamabolo condemned it, called on police to stabilise the area and to act against those responsible.
“There is no reason for this type of unlawful protest in this area. Lehae has been receiving attention by government in terms of housing and other services.”
Mamabolo said he was open to discussions with residents of the area, near Lenasia.
“I have established a task team to investigate the issues surrounding the protests and to engage in talks with the community.”
Mixed income development plans for the area included building 5 344 housing units, of which 3 066 would be RDP houses, 770 rental units and 1 508 bonded units, he said.
Six community centres, two secondary schools, two primary schools, four crèches, eight sites for religious institutions, two taxi ranks, four business sites and 38 public open spaces were part of the plan, Mamabolo said.
His office could not immediately say when this would be implemented.
– SAPA
Cape Town – The DA on Tuesday urged SABC chairperson Ellen Tshabalala not to resign and rather face a parliamentary inquiry into whether she lied about her qualification.
Reacting to media reports that Tshabalala would be asked to jump ship following a push for her resignation during an ANC NEC meeting held at the weekend, DA MP Gavin Davis said this would result in a scheduled parliamentary inquiry being scrapped.
“This will rob us of an opportunity to ascertain once and for all whether she lied to Parliament when she claimed to have a BCom and diploma from Unisa,” Davis said.
“Ms Tshabalala has consistently denied lying about her qualifications. The parliamentary inquiry is an ideal opportunity for her to prove her innocence.”
The inquiry was meant to start on Thursday, but was postponed to 14 October to give her an opportunity to prepare for the hearing.
“If Ms Tshabalala does decide to jump before she is pushed, she should be aware that the case against her will not go away,” Davis said.
“Lying to Parliament may amount to perjury, which is a criminal offence.”
Last week, the portfolio committee on communications recommended she be suspended pending the outcome of the hearing.
Only President Jacob Zuma, who is the appointing authority, can suspend her from her duties.
– SAPA
Mahikeng- Learners from different schools across the province will deliberate for the 5th year in succession on the best models of road safety awareness which seeks to establish new techniques on how to improve road safety campaigns.
The annual provincial Participatory Education Techniques (PET) competition is aimed at capacitating learners on road safety issues within their respective communities and develop their own research and presentation skills.
North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Gaoage Molapisi is expected to set the tone of the competition and expectations from the debates when he officially opens the competition.
The winning team will thereafter represent the province at national level.
Members of the media are invited to be part of the session which will be held as follows:
Venue : Mmabatho Palms – Mahikeng
Date : Friday 26 September 2012
Time : 08H30
-TDN
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The Guardian 