Amsterdam -Twin sisters believed to be Amsterdam’s oldest prostitutes have retired after more than 50 years each in the sex trade.

Louise and Martine Fokkens, 70, claim to have slept with 355 000 men between them.

Louise, a mother of four, has said her arthritis now makes some of her work too painful.

The pair were the subject of a documentary film, Meet the Fokkens, and have written a book called The Ladies of Amsterdam.

Both women – who usually dress in identical red clothes – became prostitutes before the age of 20 to survive financially after escaping violent relationships.

The sisters reflected on changes in the sex trade since the 1960s.

Louise said: “It is very different now. We used to sit in the windows with clothes on. Today they are totally naked.” – Daily Mail

ORLANDO Pirates remain confident of getting a convincing win against Zambian
kings Zanaco in the African Champions League at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka
tomorrow despite resting their ever reliable defender and occasional scorer
Siyabonga Sangweni.

At the same time, veteran striker Benni McCarthy and reserve goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs are also available for selection after they were given the green light by Pirates’ medical team to start playing competitive soccer again after recovering from injuries.

Sangweni, who brought stability to their defence in the goalless draw against Kaizer Chiefs in the Soweto derby last weekend, was not part of the team that arrived in Lusaka yesterday.

Prior to the Soweto derby, Pirates’ defence had been leaking as Sangweni was still injured, resulting in the club conceding eight goals in three games – 4-1 to Maluti FET College, 3-2 to Moroka Swallows and a 1-1 draw with Bloemfontein Celtic.

“Siyabonga has played many games for Pirates and Bafana Bafana. We just felt he needed some rest after the injury,” said joint assistant coach Teboho Moloi.

“I was in Swaziland to watch Zanaco play against Mbabane Swallows two weeks ago. They are a very good side with our former player Davies Mwape serving as their chief striker. We did our homework and are in Zambia to win to make South Africa proud. We want to go all the way to the final and win the tournament again to restore the pride of Pirates on the continent,” said Moloi.

For more details go to www.sowetanlive.co.za

Johannesburg – Sex therapist “Dr Eve”, whose real name is Marlene Wasserman, has for the first time spoken out about being raped 11 years ago, it was reported on Friday.

“I felt, for me, like it was the right time to go public with it,” she told The Times.

Wasserman spoke about the rape at an Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) public hearing in Johannesburg on Thursday. The hearings were about TopTV’s application for three porn channels.

She was there in support of the application, and said it would help adolescents understand their own sexuality.

Wasserman told the newspaper she began entertaining the idea of going public at the beginning of last month’s “Stop Rape” campaign, but wanted to protect her family.

“I discussed it with them and decided that I would feel and know when the time was right and… where I wanted to do it,” she said.

The report has details of when and where the rape took place.

Wasserman said after such a traumatic experience, she found that it was difficult to recover.

“No matter how many self-defence classes you take, no matter how much protection or barriers you put into your house, there’s something that shatters inside a woman or man, and stays shattered forever, and you have to learn to live with that.” – Sapa

Basic Education Ministry spokesperson Panyaza Lesufi says the ministry only put the most basic draft on how schools should look  deliberately. He says this is to give the country the space to communicate how they want their schools to look and not for the department to be seen as prescribing the final product.
He says the final draft will take into consideration all views.
“What we are saying is that ‘South Africans, this is your laager, this is your state, express your views’. On the basis of the views that have been expressed by South Africans we will be in a position to consolidate and present a document that we believe will be acceptable for all South Africans, but to accuse the state of being minimum with information is unfair and unfortunate. Anyone who is contributing their views, their views will be taken into consideration.”
A number of learners have decried the Minister of Basic Education’s recent draft on school infrastructure. The learners, brought together by non-governmental organisation Equal Education, have called the draft shoddy.

Most of the learners attending have expressed the same reservations, saying the minister was not specific on what a typical South African school should look like

Equal Education is holding public hearings on the draft. Most of the  learners attending have expressed the same reservations, saying the  minister was not specific on what a typical South African school should  look like.
Pretty Mvelase is one such learner, “55 in one class, we don’t have textbooks, 6 kids have to share one textbook and each one wants to take the book home. Last year, they didn’t deliver maths  textbook. We had to share textbooks from other classes now. I am history student. We don’t have textbooks.”

North West Parliamentary committee on Public Safety says it will call the provincial police executive and the Independent Police Investigation Directorate, to appear before them next week. This, after a policeman allegedly dragged and injured a civilian at Setlopo Village in Mahikeng on Wednesday.
The committee’s chairperson, Mahlakeng Mahlakeng says they also want to know how the police management dealt with two cases of police brutality, where it was alleged that two civilians died in Klerksdorp and Mahikeng last year as a result of police action.
“We are very disappointed by what is alleged to be the brutality by SAPS in that you would be aware that there has been a matter relating to the police brutality in the Daveyton area and this, we think, cannot be tolerated.”
The Independent Police Investigations Directorate has confirmed that a case of police brutality has been opened.
IPID spokesperson Moses Dlamini says, “We’ve received the case. Investigations are still on-going. We’ve arrested the suspect. He’s appearing at the Mmabatho Magistrate Court today.”

That’s basic management principles… (you) cannot be Station Commander and manage a station from a laptop at home

The Department of Police says Station commissioners should demonstrate  leadership at police stations.  Police Department spokesperson, Zweli  Mnisi, says station commissioners are empowered to provide guidance on  the ground.
“Police officers must accede to the code of conduct  and how do you ensure that day to that. You cannot send an e-mail from  Pretoria to stations and say these are the rules. A Station Commander  must be at the station every morning, command a parade, check if systems are place, check whether members have their firearms intact and so  forth. That’s basic management principles… (you) cannot be Station  Commander and manage a station from a laptop at home.”
North West Premier, Thandi Modise, says police officers who undermine the rights  of ordinary citizens should be reminded that they have no place in the  South African Police Service.
The premier’s spokesperson, Lesiba Kgwele says, “The premier calls on police officials who are still true  to upholding the rights of citizens and the pledge to serve and protect  the community to blow the whistle on the few rotten potatoes, who are  giving the police service a bad name.”

For more details go to www.sabc.co.za