Johannesburg – North West Premier Thandi Modise has reshuffled her cabinet, the ANC said on Wednesday.

“The ANC has observed that these comrades have an impeccable track record in the struggle for the creation of a democratic South Africa, as devoted activists and disciplined members of the ANC,” spokesperson Kenny Morolong said in a statement.

Modise announced the re-shuffle on Wednesday evening, said Morolong.

Wendy Matsemela replaced Louisa Mabe as MEC for education, Manketse Tlhape replaced China Dodovu as local government MEC, and Collen Maine replaced Mamokomele Mothibi as MEC for social development.

Morolong said: “This reshuffle will enhance the necessary political work of the ANC in North West to achieve the objectives of the programme of reconciliation, healing and organisational renewal.”

– SAPA

Bloemfontein – Northern Cape residents were asked to keep former president Nelson Mandela in their prayers on Wednesday.

Provincial ANC secretary Zamani Saul said the party in the province wanted to extend its well-wishes to Mandela.

“We are joining millions of people across the globe in wishing the Nobel Peace Prize winner a speedy recovery. Our thoughts and prayers are with the former statesman.”

Mandela, suffering from a recurring lung problem, was admitted to a Pretoria hospital on 8 June.

His condition had since become critical.

Saul said the ANC was confident in the medical care he was receiving.

He said Mandela’s commitment and dedication in fighting for the freedom of South Africa had left an indelible footprint in the hearts of people the world over.

Mandela epitomised peace, non-racialism, democracy and the hope for a better future, Saul said.

– SAPA

Pretoria – Johan Kotzé planned the torture and gang rape of his wife and the murder of her son down to the last detail, the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria heard on Wednesday.

Prosecutor Cornelia Harmzen put it to one of Ina Bonnette’s alleged rapists, Andries Sithole, that Kotzé would not have gone to the trouble of planning the crime and then getting unwilling rapists to help him.

Sithole, Pieta Mohlane and Sello Mphaka have claimed they pretended to rape Bonnette because Kotzé threatened them with a firearm.

Harmzen put it to Sithole that there was no DNA evidence, and the rapists wore pantyhose over their heads so the victim would not recognise them.

In addition, her attackers deliberately had no information about each other on their cellphones, so the police could not trace them.

“In the cupboard, the torture instruments used for the mutilation lay ready. Ropes were already tied to the bed and burglar bars. All of this is evidence of planning.

“It would never have happened if the three of you didn’t co-operate with Kotzé and did not plan and decide together to rape her.

“For you, it was a win-win situation. You could have sex and get paid for it. You raped her first while she lay there bleeding. You didn’t only stand and watch the other two. You held her down while Mphaka was raping her,” she said.

Threat claims

Harmzen put it to Sithole that he had lied about Kotzé threatening him and the others with a revolver, as Bonnette said she had not seen a revolver.

She had testified only about a rifle that was pointed at her.

Bonnette’s evidence was supported by the fact that the rifle found at the scene had been used to murder her 19-year-old son Conrad, Harmzen said.

Sithole said that if Kotzé had planned anything, he had done so alone.

He said if he had seen a rifle, he and the others would have overpowered Kotzé, but he did want to take a chance while Kotzé had a revolver “because he could not play with his life”.

Before taking the stand, Sithole spoke to Mohlane.

Mohlane later told the court Sithole had told him and Mphaka not to testify, but that he had not taken this seriously.

The trial continues.

– SAPA

Pretoria – President Jacob Zuma has cancelled his scheduled trip to Mozambique after a visit to former the critically ill former president Nelson Mandela in Pretoria’s Medi-Clinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria.

The elder statesman was admitted to the hospital with a recurring lung infection on 8 June.

Zuma’s spokesperson, Mac Maharaj, said Zuma had visited Mandela at 22:00.
“President Zuma was briefed by the doctors who are still doing everything they can to ensure his well-being.”
Maharaj said Zuma had decided to cancel his visit to Maputo, where he was due to attend an SADC summit.
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By Obakeng Maje

The DA will call for an independent forensic investigation into Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality’s R2.3 million spending spree for last week’s State of the District address.

The DA will also submit questions to the office of the Speaker demanding an explanation following reports that the Supply Chain Management policy was not adhered to.   

“It is unacceptable that R2.3million was spent on a single State of the District Address, while people in Ratlou and the rest of the district are suffering without water” DA Jacquline Theologo said.

DA said there was no council Resolution approving this level of expenditure on the State of the District Address as well as the Gala dinner hosted by acting Exective Mayor Maria Monnana.

“The communities living in the most rural areas of the district have to walk kilometres to fetch water for their households with the villages of Logageng and Magori in the Ratlou Municipality being the most severely affected” said Theologo.

Both these villages are situated in a very vast area with boreholes that are not functioning due to a lack of pumping equipment. 

The communities in those areas are dependent on the supply of fresh water by Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality water tankers twice a week. Unfortunately insufficient tankers and the short supply of fuel curtail the delivery of water.

However the interim mayor refutes the reports. The mayor said the figure supplied was wrong.

The DA believes R2.3 million could have gone a long way to equip those bore holes with tanks, pumps and all relevant equipment to supply these communities with water.

“The ANC are quick to remove people for internal factional reasons but not for the blatant wasting of resources as we have seen with the recent removal of the mayors of Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality and the Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality” said DA in the province.

“Nothing less than a full investigation into this wasteful spending is needed to enforce accountability from the municipality for the real needs of district residents” Theologo concludes.

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North West Premier Thandi Modise has called for united action against the scourge of drug abuse and illicit trafficking and for communities to support young people by identifying and blowing the whistle on drug lords and those establishments that are selling alcohol to the underage.

“We need to intensify the onslaught against drugs and alcohol abuse, build a drug free South Africa and communities that care because we cannot afford to lose our youth who are our future leaders to drugs like Nyaope and alcohol abuse. Research has confirmed that 

young people who start drinking alcohol before age 15 are 5 times more likely

 to develop alcohol abuse or dependence than people who first used alcohol at age 21 or older”, highlighted Premier Modise in her message to commemorate International Day against Drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

Modise added that though young people are more affected by alcohol and drugs than any other age group, the prevalence affects almost everybody, directly or indirectly, in homes, in families, in school, in neighbourhoods, communities, villages towns and cities.

The United Nations General Assembly resolved on 7 December 1987 to observe 26 June as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse.

By Obakeng Maje

Lehurutshe-Police arrested five suspects including a 37 year-old Martinus Jacobs, a farmer and his 27 year-old partner, Riana Wheeler. 

The suspects were arrested amid transporting goats in a Toyota Quantum (panel van). 

“The two who are from Nigel in Gauteng province were allegedly buying suspected stolen stock from their contacts in and around Lehurutshe, Zeerust” lieutenant Lesego Metsi said. 

They were arrested on Tuesday and appeared briefly before the Lehurutshe Magistrate`s Court today. 

“There were remanded in custody pending the police investigations. The other three suspects who allegedly sold the stock to  Jacobs were also arrested this afternoon” said police. 

They are expected to make a brief appearance before Lehurutshe Magistrate Court tomorrow morning.

Police are appealing to anyone especially stock owners in and around Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipal District who has reported or lost their livestock (goats and sheep) recently, to contact the police to identify their stock. 

This followed after ten cases of stock theft involving small stock (goats/sheep) were reported to the police during May and June 2013.

Following thorough investigations, the police managed to recover 24 suspected stolen goats and are presently in the police pound for safekeeping.  

“Anyone who is missing his/her goats is requested to visit Lehurutshe Police station to come and identify his/her stock” 

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By Obakeng Maje

Potchefstroom-A woman who concealed birth was granted a R500 bail by Potchefstroom Magistrate Court this week.

of the unborn baby that was found last week Thursday was this week released on R 500.00 The suspect was arrested following information from the community. 

“It is alleged that on Thursday last week, two women from Sarafina informal settlement outside Potchefstroom were busy fetching wood when they made a spine-chilling discovery of a tiny partially decomposed foetus inside a plastic bag” colonel Lesego Metsi.

The foetus was found in the bushes between Ikageng grave yard and Ext 11 near N12 Highway. 

The police were summoned to the scene and had since registered a case of Concealment of Birth. 

On Friday 21 June 2013, the suspect handed herself over to the police.  

“She appeared briefly before the Potchefstroom Magistrate`s Court and was released on bail pending further investigations.   

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By Obakeng Maje

Ventersdorp-Police arrested five (5) suspects between ages of 17 and 32 in connection with the murder of a 19 year-old initiate whose burnt bones (skeleton) were found in a shallow grave. The 19 year-old Lesego Cassias Goliath allegedly joined initiation school at Doorenpan in the Ventersdorp District on the 12 June 2013. 

“It is alleged that between the time he joined the initiation school, and on the Monday the deceased was brutally assaulted by the initiation school`s principal and he subsequently died” lieutenant Lesego Metsi said.

“It is further alleged that the prime suspect was assisted by other four boys to burnt the deceased`s body and buried him in a shallow grave at the municipal dumping side” said Metsi.  

The police were alerted by members of the community about the incident and a search warrant was obtained. 

The police went and searched  the place with the help of the Dog Unit. During their preliminary investigations they uncovered human bones in an open field not far from the initiation school. 

“The four suspects are still in the police custody and are expected to appear before the Ventersdorp Magistrate Court soon.

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By Obakeng Maje

North West Department of Social Development, Women, Children and People with Disabilities will on Friday commemorate the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in the form of community dialogue, targeting youth, parents, tavern owners and care-givers, MEC Mokomele-Mothibi said on Wednesday.

The aim of the dialogue, Mokomele-Mothibi said is to provide factual information to the youth, parents and the wider community of Mamusa in Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati district on the danger of substance abuse.

“With this event, we also aim at encouraging members of the community to actively participate in substance abuse activities and motivate role-players to intensify their efforts in bringing about the desired change in communities as far as substance abuse is concerned,” Mokomele-Mothibi said.

She said that the dialogue will put her department in the right stead to lobby the support of stakeholders in the implementation of substance abuse programmes.

About 500 people including Mayors, members of mayoral committee, various government departments, local drug action committee and Non profit organisations are expected to attend the dialogue on Friday. 

Details of the dialogue are as follows:-

Date: 28 June 2013

Venue: Mamusa Local Municipality Town Hall

Time : 09h00

The United Nations’ (UN) International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking falls on June 26 each year to raise awareness of the major problem that illicit drugs represent to society. 

“This day is supported by individuals, communities and various organizations all over the world.

The theme for this year’s commemoration is ‘Global Actions for Healthy Communities without Drugs” said spokesperson Petrus Siko.

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