Category Archives: NEWS

Ancient drug may prove wonders for a heart


Washington – A drug that was used in the time of the pharaohs for rheumatism has proven highly effective in treating recurrent bouts of pericarditis, an inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart, according to findings of a new clinical trial.

The ancient medicine, colchicine, which has also been used for centuries as an anti-inflammatory agent for acute gout, was tested against placebo in a 240-patient pericarditis trial.

The rate of recurring pericarditis was nearly halved for those taking colchicine compared with placebo, according to data presented on Sunday at the annual scientific sessions of the American College of Cardiology in Washington.

The condition, which causes sharp chest pain, recurred in 42.5% of those taking dummy pills, compared with 21.6% of those who got colchicine.

Moreover, after three days of treatment, 19.2% of patients taking the drug had symptoms, compared with more than 44% of those given placebos.

And those taking placebos, on average, had 0.63 recurrences, compared to 0.28 recurrences for those on colchicine.

With such fewer recurrences, the drug reduced the rate of hospitalisations to 1.7%, from 10% in the placebo group, potentially cutting healthcare costs at a time when pressure is mounting to limit costly hospital readmissions.

Although colchicine has been used for decades to treat pericarditis, following favourable trends seen in earlier trials, this was the first large formal multi-centre study to examine use of the drug for multiple recurrences of the condition.

The favourable results will increase confidence in use of the medicine for pericarditis, researchers said.

Patients in the study received 0.5 milligrams of the drug either once or twice daily depending on their weight in addition to commonly used anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen.

No serious side effects were associated with use of colchicine, researchers said, but gastrointestinal issues were reported in about eight percent of patients.

The reasons for pericarditis that repeatedly recurs once the original cause has been treated are not well understood, but potential causes are infections, kidney disease, cancer and heart surgery, researchers said.

“Health care providers should feel confident with the use of colchicine as a first line drug in patients with multiple recurrences of pericarditis”, both for its safety and effectiveness, said Dr Massimo Imazio, a cardiologist with Maria Vittoria Hospital in Torino, Italy, who led the trial.

Imazio said the study affirms that colchicine can be added to traditional treatments, such as anti-inflammatories and corticosteroids, and thereby provide an affordable treatment with few side effects.
Reuters

Credit cleasing for consumers


Johannesburg – The removal of adverse consumer credit information and information relating to paid up judgments, commonly referred to as the credit amnesty, will be implemented from  April 1 2014.
From this date, all registered credit bureaus (listed below) will have to remove adverse consumer credit information.
The adverse consumer credit information that credit bureaus will have to remove includes:
1) Subjective classifications of consumer behaviour such as: delinquent, default, slow paying, absconded or not contactable;
2) The adverse classification of enforcement action, i.e. those that are related to enforcement action taken by credit providers including classifications such as: handed over for collection or recovery, legal action or write off;
3) Details and results of disputes lodged by consumers irrespective of the outcome of such disputes; and
4) Adverse consumer credit information contained in the payment profile represented by means of any mark, symbol, sign or in any manner or form.

Process
Paid up judgments, which means civil court judgment debts, including default judgments where the consumer has settled the capital amount under the judgment, should also be removed from the credit bureau records said National Credit Regulator CEO Nomsa Motshegare.
Consumers are urged to approach credit bureaus to check their credit records and to settle amounts owed on judgments as quickly as possible so that they can benefit from the process.
Motshegare said the main purpose of the removal of adverse consumer credit information is to allow consumers to start with a clean slate.
“We want to encourage them to maintain a clean credit record to allow them to regain access to affordable credit, rental accommodation and employment.

Profile

“This initiative does not seek to remove the consumers’ obligations to repay their debts, but rather seeks to create the incentive for consumers to repay their debts more diligently and in a more timely fashion.”
The payment profile on the consumer’s credit report will remain, Motshegare confirms.

Only adverse consumer credit information contained in the payment profile represented by means of any mark, symbol, sign or in any manner or form will be removed. The payment profile information remains to assist credit providers when assessing consumers’ applications for credit.
Consumers should check their credit reports to see if they are eligible for the removal of adverse consumer credit information and information relating to paid up judgments.

If consumers find that they have judgments on their credit reports, they should settle the debts first and then send the proof of payment to the credit bureaus. This will allow the credit bureaus to first verify and then remove the information where applicable.

Registered
A credit record contains information to assist a consumer in keeping track of his or her payments on a monthly basis, which in turn helps him / her to manage his / her debts better in the future.

The consumer is, by law, entitled to one free credit report per year, and consumers are urged to get the free credit reports from any of the registered credit bureaus.

There are 13 registered credit bureaus.
The NCR will be monitoring the implementation of these regulations on an ongoing basis.

Consumers and all stakeholders who require clarity with regards to the regulations can contact the National Credit Regulator at: 0860 627 627; and email address: complaints@ncr.org.za or info@ncr.org.za .
A consumer that requires information relating to his or her credit record can contact the credit bureaus below:
– TransUnion – 0861 482 482
–  Experian S.A – 0861 105 665
–  Xpert Decisions Systems (XDS) – (011) 645 9100
–  Compuscan – 0861 514 131
–  Consumer Profile Bureau – 010 590 9505
–  CreditWatch (Pty) Ltd – 011 483 0086
–  Crosscheck Information Bureau (Pty) ltd (previously known as MLCB) -0105 909 505
–  Inoxico – 010 001 0540
–  LexisNexis Risk Management – 011 245 6500
–  Managed Integrity Evaluation (Pty) Ltd – 012 644 4000
–  Robertsons International Reports (Pty) Ltd – 011 777 4000
–  Tenant Profile Network (Pty) Ltd – 086 187 6000
–  Tenant Watch Business Activities (Pty) Ltd – 011 394 6828 Escalation of matters
–  Credit Ombud – 0861 662 837
–  National Credit Regulator – 0860 627 627.

Durban to bid for Commonwealth Games


Durban – Durban and Edmonton and have both formally indicated they plan to bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, officials have said on Monday.

Prince Tunku Imran, the president of the Commonwealth Games Federation, said both cities have until next March to formalise their bid proposals before the decision on the host site is made in September, 2015.

“This is an exciting development for the Games movement, one that reinforces the Games position on the world’s sporting stage,” Imran said in a statement.

Edmonton has already hosted the Games once before, in 1978, while Canada also hosted the inaugural Games in 1930 (Hamilton) as well as 1954 (Vancouver) and 1994 (Victoria).

“Canada is the birthplace of the Commonwealth Games, with the British Empire Games held in Hamilton in 1930,” said Andrew Pipe, President of Commonwealth Games Canada.

The Games, a multi-sports event held every four years featuring athletes from over 50 countries, have never been staged in Africa and Gideon Sam, President of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, said it was time the continent was given its chance.

“These are exciting times for South African sport. Over the years we have shown our ability to stage the biggest sporting events, with Rugby and Cricket World Cups being an example, plus of course the 2010 FIFA World Cup,” he said.

“We’ve done exhaustive background work and are now of the opinion the country is ready for a major multi-code sports event and we are proud to announce our intention to bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

“It’s a huge step forward in our history – and that of the African continent.”

This year’s Commonwealth Games will be held in Glasgow, Scotland while the next edition, in 2018, will be staged at Australia’s Gold Coast.
Reuters

Rhino poaching suspects in court


Johannesburg – Five suspected rhino poachers appeared in the Phalaborwa Magistrate’s Court on Monday for possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, Limpopo police said.

Thulani Siwela, 28, Doctor Ngwenyama, 36, Given Mashaba, 30, Vusi Matsane, 45, and Robert Sondlani, 38, would be back in court on 2 April for formal bail applications, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said.

The men were arrested in Gravelotte on Thursday night, while allegedly on their way to kill a rhino at a nearby game reserve.

During a search of their car, police found a hunting rifle with its serial number filed off, 20 rounds of live ammunition and three butcher knives.

SAPA

SANDF will be deployed to CAR- minister


Cape Town – South Africa will not deploy troops in the strife-torn Central African Republic (CAR), Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said on Monday.
Briefing journalists in Cape Town, she said there were sufficient troops from the region, the European Union, and France.

“I can certainly say without any fear of contradiction for now there is absolutely no intention [to deploy troops in the CAR],” she said.

Over the past 15 months more than 1 000 people had been killed and a million displaced in sectarian violence in the country.

“Indeed there is a crisis in that country right now but the issue is not about the shortage of boots on the ground. The issue is about how best do you utilise the forces that you have at hand,” Mapisa-Nqakula said.

The use of troops deployed in the CAR had to be properly co-ordinated, to ensure an organised approach to ending the crisis.

“Taking from South Africa a few soldiers and sending them to the Central African Republic and maybe get more from other countries will not resolve the problem if there is no proper command and control or if there is no proper co-ordination of the few that you have currently on the ground.

“You can have thousands of forces and they can be as disorganised and will not serve the purpose you want them for.”

South African troops were deployed in the CAR last year, but withdrew after a bloody battle on 23 March left 13 soldiers dead and another 27 wounded.

SAPA

SABC bias towards ANC- Cope


Johannesburg – Opposition parties will approach the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) about what they perceive as the SABC’s preference for the ANC, Cope said on Monday.
“This past weekend we witnessed disproportionately huge coverage of ANC events on SABC platforms, including radio and TV channels, while opposition parties receive coverage so minuscule that if you blink, you could easily miss it altogether,” party president Mosiuoa Lekota said.

The Cope and other parties were seeking legal advice and had approached Icasa to end such “one-sided storytelling”, he said.

– SAPA

ANC distances itself from Nkandla


Johannesburg – The ANC has put some distance for now between itself and the public protector’s damning report on President Jacob Zuma’s private Nkandla home.
Briefing reporters in Johannesburg on Monday, party secretary general Gwede Mantashe consistently declined to give direct replies to questions on the Nkandla issue.

He said there were “processes that need to be given a chance”.

Mantashe was giving feedback on an ANC national executive committee (NEC) in Cape Town at the weekend.

He said the NEC was satisfied with work undertaken on the matter by officials and the party’s national working committee.

“It further noted that there are processes that need to be given a chance, like the pending report of the president expected in due course and progress on the work of the Special [Investigating] Unit.”

Zuma has directed the unit to investigate the security upgrades.

In her report on the security upgrades done at Zuma’s private Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal titled “Secure in Comfort”, Public Protector Thuli Madonsela found that Zuma had unduly benefited from the improvements.

These included a cattle kraal and swimming pool, built with state money. She also stated in the report that he should refund a portion of the R246m cost.

On Monday, it was reported that Zuma told a crowd in Gugulethu in Cape Town he would not repay the money because he did not ask for the upgrades. He placed the blame on government officials.

“They did this without telling me,” he told ANN7.

“So why should I pay for something I did not ask for.”

Mantashe said on Monday the NEC had made no recommendations about the Nkandla report.

“We recommend nothing. There are reports that deal with the matter. The ANC will monitor the implementation of the report. That report [Madonsela’s] must be attended to,” he said.

“Anyone who benefited fraudulently or wrongfully must be pursued.”

He said the fact the report was discussed did not indicate whether the NEC did not favour Madonsela’s report over other reports.

Zuma given deadline

Mantashe said given the deadline for Zuma to respond to Parliament was on Wednesday, the ANC did not want to interfere in a process that had not run its course.

Turning to other issues, Mantashe said public discourse about corruption in the country indicated society held high standards on the matter.

“What we have observed in the public discourse, are the high levels of discussion on corruption; a clear reflection that we pitched our standards as a country high, and we should correctly continue to do so.”

Mantashe said the meeting also dealt with the state of the organisation, a report on elections, and international issues.

He said the NEC was concerned over the international trend of regime-change methods which undermined democracy.

“Elected governments are undermined and dislodged in many regions with Ukraine being the latest and Venezuela being threatened as well,” Mantashe said.

“We have directed our government to deal with these disturbing trends in international forums including the United Nations and African Union.”

Mantashe said any African government which took power through unconstitutional methods was acting against the AU’s constitution.

“SA as a member of the member of the AU supports [its] decision… to suspend Egypt from participating in its activism.”

On jobs, Mantashe said in-depth research would be commissioned to look into the best way of dealing with jobs that did not require high level skills, and those that were usually taken by foreign nationals.

“… Equally such an in-depth research should also look into small trading impact by foreign nationals.”

He said once the research had been compiled, the immigration policy would then be refined.

SAPA

North West athletes win big at Sasapd


By Obakeng Maje
The North West Province has today through Allen Dingle from Klerksdorp won 3 Gold medals for Power lifting open category at Stellenbosch University’s Akademia Hall in Stellenbosch.

The 39 year old Dingle is hard at work in preparation for 2016 Paralympics in Rio De Janeiro.

The North West Province Team of 130 Physically Disabled excluding officials became part of an auspicious opening ceremony on the evening of 30th March at Stellenbosch City Hall.

“The night was an encouraging occasion with speakers from the President of the South African Sports Association for Physically Disabled (SASAPD) Mr Isaac Shadung, Mr Pieter Retief from the Municipality, Dr Eugene Cloete from Stellenbosch University to the main sponsor of the games for the past twenty -three years (23) Nedbank Mr Thulani Sibeko pumping into athletes drove their message of human potential as well as having faith in oneself irrespective of your disability to all athletes” departmental spokesperson Shirley Montsho said.

Athletes were also encouraged not to forget the gift of participation and sportsmanship as people with disability for competing amongst themselves as they also prepare for 2016 Paralympics and other competitions in their calendar.

Mr Thulani Sibeko told athletes the tournament is a pinnacle of human spirit and endeavour- that their limitations are just fitness to imagination and that each and every one of them can achieve any goal they put for themselves.

This message is also shared by the MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture Mme Tebogo Modise who wished our athletes well in the Championships this year.

“Our constitution which is the main law of our country is there to afford each an everyone of us to participate in sport irrespective of our physical and intellectual disability including our background and where we come from” she said.

The Games are taking place at Stellenbosch, Belhar and Paarl in the Western Cape Province from 29 March to 2nd April 2014. The following codes are showcased at the games- Boccia, Footbal 7 aside, Goalball, Powerlifting, Swimming, Athletics and Cycling for Juniors and the North West Province is participating in all of them.-TDN
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Premier: Men must screen and test for breast cancer


Mahikeng-North West Premier Thandi Modise has appealed to men to do annual screening and testing for breast cancer as it does not affect women only.

Premier Modise made the plea before the tee-off of for the North West Province BRICS Charity Golf Challenge on Saturday.

In her send off address to over a 100 golfers who turned up for the challenge held at the Leopard Park Golf Club in Mahikeng, Premier Modise said that research has shown that men who develop a breast lump delay seeing their doctor longer than a comparable woman with similar symptoms.

“Though male breast cancer is rare, men can develop the disease and should be aware that they should seek care if they develop a breast lump.” Premier Modise said.

Modise thanked sponsored and participants for heeding the call to support the fight against cancer.       
The Charity Golf Day held on the last day of the 2ndAnnual North West BRICS Expo International Investment and Tourism Conference was aimed at raising cancer awareness. Funds raised in the challenge are to benefit of CANSA, Kgaratlho Home for the blind and Mafikeng Hotel School best performers from destitute families. 

MEC for Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism, Motlalepula Rosho said that Kgaratlho Home for the blind was chosen as a beneficiary in memory of Mahikeng Local Municipality Member of the Mayoral Committee, Councillor Refilwe Tirano who was passionate about looking after the interest of people with disabilities and was associated with the NGO.

The Golf Day organise by the North West Development Corporation in partnership with the Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism  was sponsored by among others Standard Bank, ABSA Bank, WeSizwe Platinum Limited, Avalanche, Protea Hotel, Mmabatho Palms Hotel, Tshedza and Fidelity Guard.-TDN
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MEC Maloyi handover 570 houses to Rustenburg rural families


Rustenburg-Life will be a lot easier and better as compared to where we come from. These are the words of Ms Lebogang Kwele of Maile Diepkuil village outside Rustenburg after she was officially given a house by the MEC for Human Settlements Public Safety and Liaison in the North West on Friday.

The Handing over is part of the departmental programme of handing over about 8000 houses to beneficiaries across the province between February and March.

According to the 38 year old Ms Kwele the house has drastically changed her life and that of her two children. “We used to stay in a shack, which from time to time needed to be repaired. We were from time to time fearing that we may loose our property especially during rainy seasons like this one. We are however happy and grateful that government has came to our rescue and build a beautiful house like this one. This will be a home us for many more years to come,” said the Kwele.

Meanwhile, MEC Maloyi urged all the 570 families who benefited from the housing delivery programme, to take care of the houses and make them their personal homes. “Through this houses Government wants to make sure that your rights as a citizen of this country are protected. We do so also in closing the Human Rights month, which also seeks to restore your dignity. This is one mandate that government has committed to do and will continue to do, in ensuring that you as a South African enjoy all the rights like others, poor or rich,” said MEC Maloyi.

The handing over of 8000 houses which started in February will continue until the end of March. The MEC will among others hand over low cost houses, rental stock, and financially linked individual subsidy programme and Community residential units.-TDN
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