Johannesburg – The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is postponing its planned official launch in Marikana in the North West this weekend, it said on Monday.

“Economic Freedom Fighters have, after careful legal advice, decided to postpone the official launch that was planned for Marikana this weekend.”

Spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said the process for the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to certify the EFF as a political party had not been completed.

“Since this process has not completed, it means [the]… decision to launch EFF as a political party in Marikana will be premature till the IEC process has confirmed the EFF and certified it as a political party.”

The EFF, led by axed ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema, decided to register as a political party at its national assembly in Soweto last month.

Last Thursday, the IEC confirmed that the EFF had submitted documents to register as a political party. The party intended to contest the elections next year.

At the launch in Marikana, the party would have demonstrated its certificate of registration as an official political party.

“Fighters”, as members of the EFF call each other, would continue the formation of ground structures in building the organisational depth of the party as rigorously as it has been unfolding, including mass work, in the form of rallies, protests, agitations and lectures, Ndlozi said.

He said the announcement of the new date (for the launch) would be in consideration of the IEC’s timeline registration process and the (party’s) central command team meeting later this week.

Last Friday, during the first anniversary of the Marakana killings, Malema accused President Jacob Zuma of having the miners’ blood on his hands.

– SAPA

Pretoria – A potential donor was still deciding whether to fund lawyers for miners wounded and arrested in Marikana last year, the Farlam Commission of Inquiry heard on Monday.

“The final decision of the possible donor will be made tomorrow [Tuesday],” commission chairperson retired Judge Ian Farlam said.

Earlier, the Constitutional Court dismissed the application for State funding by Dali Mpofu, who represents the miners.

Mpofu had applied for the State to pay the fees of his legal team.

Farlam said this was not the end of the road in terms of the funding issue.

The commission, sitting in Centurion, is investigating the circumstances that led to the deaths of 44 people during strike-related unrest at Lonmin’s platinum mining operations in Marikana, North West, last year.

Police shot dead 34 striking mineworkers on 16 August 2012. Ten other people, including two police officers, were killed in the preceding week.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – A soldier has been killed during an operation in the Kruger National Park, the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) said on Monday.

Private Thabiso Zulu, of Regiment East Rand, was deployed on Sunday with 2 SA Infantry Battalion.

“[He] was allegedly involved in a fatal shooting incident while on duty during Operation Corona in the Kruger National Park,” said SANDF spokesperson Xolani Mabanga.

A board of inquiry had been convened to investigate the shooting incident, he said.

Mabanga declined to comment on circumstances surrounding Zulu’s death.

He said further information would be released once the investigation had been completed.

Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula expressed condolences to the soldier’s relatives.

– SAPA

Durban – A would-be hijacker was shot dead on Monday by the driver of the vehicle he was attempting to hijack in Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal police said.

Police spokesperson Thulani Zwane confirmed the shooting.

He said four men attempted to hijack the car in Alberts Road.

The driver, a man believed to be in his 50s who was wounded in his stomach, returned fire, fatally wounding one of the four men.

He was driving with his wife when they were attacked.

Zwane said the three other hijackers fled in a getaway vehicle.

Netcare 911 spokesperson Chris Botha said the husband and wife had both been shot.

The husband was taken to hospital in a critical condition while the wife was in a serious condition.

A worker from a nearby workshop, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “I first heard three shots. Then there was a slight pause and then suddenly there were five shots in rapid succession.”

He said he ran out and saw the dead hijacker lying at the entrance to the complex of mini-factories and auto repair businesses.

“I came past the car to see what had happened and the woman said: ‘Please help us, we’ve been shot’. She was hit in the leg. She was amazingly calm, but he was in pain, real pain,” he said.

He and fellow workers secured the scene around the Toyota Camry, and called paramedics and the police.

Police and forensics experts could be seen working at the scene late on Monday afternoon.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – The majority of young South Africans believe it is acceptable for parents to smack their children sometimes, according to a survey released on Monday.

The survey, conducted by Pondering Panda, found that 11% of respondents believed it was acceptable for parents to smack their children at all times, 63% believed it was sometimes so, and 25% believed it was never acceptable.

The respondents were asked their opinion of the social development department’s proposal to make it a criminal offence for parents to smack their children.

Younger respondents were less likely to agree that corporal punishment was sometimes or always justified.

“At least 65% of those aged between 13 and 14 held this opinion, compared to 79% of those aged between 25 and 34,” Pondering Panda spokesperson Shirley Wakefield said.

In terms of race groups, 85% of white youth believed physical discipline was acceptable, compared with 75% of blacks, and 55% of coloureds.

The survey also found that young people were against criminalising parents smacking their children.

“What this survey also shows is that young people are not against government intervention in family affairs completely, but conditionally support government intervention on certain issues,” Wakefield said.

At least 3 078 respondents, aged between 13 and 34, were interviewed in August.

Interviews were conducted through cellphones across South Africa, excluding deep rural areas.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – Johannesburg police appealed for help on Monday in finding a man accused of killing a shop owner’s son.

The man allegedly shot the son of a shop owner at the corner of Troye and President streets in the city in May, Warrant Officer Xoli Mbele said.

He was with an accomplice at the time. They robbed the shop of money and cellphones before the 28-year-old was shot.

“He was rushed to the hospital but he passed on the following day,” said Mbele.

Anyone with information was asked to contact police.

Sapa

Durban – A motorist who allegedly drove a stolen Mini Cooper car against the traffic flow on the N2 to evade arrest, was eventually arrested by a determined policeman.

What began as an ordinary call on the police radio on Friday concerning two motor vehicles, turned into a movie-style car chase for two Mayville policemen.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Durban – The woman whose horror story shocked the nation and helped break the silence about rape, believes self-defence should be taught at school.

Girls should also be taught about self-empowerment and how to read situations, while boys should be taught the impact that rape has on girls.

“No means ‘no’, and girls should be able to say that,” said Alison Botha, who was giving a Women’s Day breakfast presentation to Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) guests at the Oyster Box Hotel, uMhlanga Rocks, on Friday.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Durban – A former student who was a “political fanatic”, serving a life sentence for killing two people, has told a court that he was not a high risk and that his anger was under control.

Nqobile Zondi, who has served 16 years of his sentence at Westville Prison – short of the 20 years required to be eligible for parole – has taken the Department of Correctional Services to court after it turned down his parole application.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Pretoria – Murder-accused paralympian Oscar Pistorius has over six months to prepare for trial after shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Pistorius appeared briefly in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday, before Magistrate Desmond Nair.

“The matter that is before me today is merely for the postponement to the high court. It is merely a short appearance,” Nair said.

He asked Pistorius if he agreed that he would arrange his own defence and witnesses.

“I am satisfied with the provisions my legal team has made,” Pistorius replied.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel handed the indictment to the court.

“We will serve the indictment on the accused… We have arranged a date for the trial.”

Nair then served the papers on Pistorius.

“I’m enjoined by legislation to serve them on you and I am now doing that,” said Nair.

The papers were handed over to a court official, who had to get past a number of journalists sitting on the courtroom floor, to hand over to Pistorius.

The trial was moved to the High Court in Pretoria and would run from March 3 to 20.

The indictment lists 107 witnesses to testify for the State.

Among them are Pistorius’s sister Aimee, his uncle Arnold, former police investigator Hilton Botha, and residents of the Silver Woods Country Estate in Pretoria, where he lived.

Medical experts, a weather forecaster, paramedics, ballistic and forensic experts will also be called.

Pistorius’s former girlfriends, Melissa Rom and Samantha Taylor would also testify.

Melissa is the daughter of Pretoria hairdresser Gary Rom.

Samantha’s mother Patricia Ann Taylor was also on the witness list.

Also making the list are two people from Melrose Arch in Johannesburg where Pistorius accidentally fired a gun in a busy restaurant in January. He narrowly missed a friend’s foot.

Former soccer player Mark Bachelor who said after an argument with the paralympian that Pistorius threatened to break his legs was also on the list.

Steenkamp was killed in Pistorius’s Pretoria home on February 14. At his bail hearing, Pistorius submitted that he thought Steenkamp was an intruder.

Members of the Myers family were also due to testify next year. This was the family Steenkamp lived with in Johannesburg. Their daughter Gina was Steenkamp’s best friend.

Botha, who was lead detective in the case, was later replaced by Lt-Gen Vineshkumar Moonoo.

Botha’s removal from the Pistorius case followed reports in February that he was himself charged with attempted murder.

Police later confirmed that he had seven attempted murder charges pending. In 2011 Botha allegedly fired shots at a minibus while trying to stop the vehicle. Seven people were in the taxi at the time.

Along with murder, Pistorius was also charged with contravening the Firearms Control Act, the National Prosecuting Authority said. The charges were not read out in court.

The indictment read: “In that on or about 16 February 2013 and at (Silver Woods Country estate address) the accused (Pistorius) did unlawfully have in his possession ammunition, to wit 38 x 38 rounds, without being the holder of a licence in respect of a firearm capable of discharging that ammunition…”

After his appearance, Pistorius – wearing a black suit and navy blue shirt – was embraced by his family before being escorted out of the courthouse by about 20 police officers.

Earlier, Pistorius and his siblings held hands and bowed their heads in prayer for about 15 minutes. Aimee and Carl shed tears ahead of their brother’s appearance.

Sapa