Edward ‘Hlokoloza’ Manqele says Mamelodi Sundowns have set their sights on displaying an inspired showing in the next league match against Moroka Swallows on Tuesday night at Loftus Stadium, and is banking on the home support that the team has been enjoying of late.

“We want to continue our unbeaten run and put on another sterling performance, especially for our supporters, who have proven to have found their voice again. Apart from the newly found self belief amongst the players, our supporters have also been our major source of inspiration in our turnaround of fortunes”

Hlokoloza, who just returned to action, after battling with some weight problems and lack of action, which were attributed to injury also credited the team’s back room staff for their commitment in keeping the players fit and motivated.

“I’ve been working very hard, behind the scenes in a bid to regain fitness and get back into shape, and I must thank the back room staff for their efforts. We have become a tight family, that encourages and work for one another”

“There’s usually frustration when, players are out of first team contention, but now even on the road to recovery, one can find motivation because of the result bearing methods implemented at the club”

With the next league match against Swallows in mind, Manqele has called on supporters to turn up in their numbers to support the team and spur them to victory.

Match Details:

Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Moroka Swallows

Date: Tuesday, 05 March 2013

Venue: Loftus Stadium

Kickoff: 19:30

Orlando Pirates coach, Roger de Sa, could hand Luvuyo Kelepu his PSL debut when the team host Bloemfontein Celtic at the Orlando Stadium on Wednesday.

Bucs are back in South Africa following their successful trip to the Comoros Islands, which saw them progress from the preliminary round of the CAF Champions League. They will now turn their attention to the Absa Premiership.

Pirates’ defence has been hit with injury in recent times, with Siyabonga Sangweni, Rooi Mahamutsa and Robyn Johannes all recovering from their respective injuries.

Coach Roger de Sa has allowed both Ayanda Gcaba and Bheki Nzunga some game time in the absence of the team’s regulars, and news reaching the Siya crew is that Kelepu could very well be handed his debut.

The former Carara Kicks defender is said to be doing well at training, much to the delight of the Pirates technical team. Kelepu joined Bucs during the past transfer window, after impressing the club’s coaching staff in a friendly game played in January.

A Soccer-Laduma source within the defending league champions camp revealed to the Siya crew that the 24-year-old could be given an opportunity to make his debut.

“The coach is impressed with the player. There is a possibility that he will be given a chance to play soon. The coach has been monitoring his progress at training. He wants him to be ready,” said the source.

For more details go to www.soccerladuma.com

Stuart Baxter says Kaizer Chiefs are fully focused on their match against Chippa United tomorrow, despite the looming Soweto Derby.

Klerksdorp, North West – Two men who confessed to being involved in the murder of ANC North West official Obuti Chika were tortured by the police, the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court heard on Tuesday.

Moses Jones Botman, for Jeffrey Letuka, said his client was tortured and forced to confess.

“Because there were no visible injuries, it does not mean he was never tortured,” Botman submitted.

The State told the court on Monday that Letuka and co-accused Sihlangu Sekhakhane had confessed to being involved in the crime.

However, in his own affidavit, Sekhakhane also denied committing the crime, and also claimed police officers had assaulted him and that he was made to sign a confession under duress.

They are accused with North West provincial African National Congress Youth League chairman Papiki Baboile, ward secretary Paul Molomonyane, councillor Itumeleng Molebatsi, municipal worker William Malefo, taxi driver Kgotso Kali, and local government MEC China Dodovu.

According to an affidavit by the police, Letuka claimed after his arrest that Kali approached him and a friend and asked them to kill Chika.

Kali allegedly handed Letuka and his friend two explosive devices and promised them R50 000 for killing Chika.

Baboile and Molefo were with Kali during the meeting with Letuka and his friend. They returned later, said they could not raise the money and took back the explosives.

In a sworn statement by Kali, he denied attending any meeting or promising any money to Letuka or Sekhakhane.

Prosecutor Riekie Krause said on Monday that Sekhakhane had confessed to killing Chika and had led police to his gun. Forensics had later matched the bullets which killed Chika to this gun.

She told the court Sekhakhane had claimed to have met Kali in a BMW X5 shortly before the crime. Krause said Baboile owned a BMW X5.

Kali had allegedly told him that, before he could attend the ANC’s conference in Mangaung in December, Chika had to be killed.

Chika, 33, was shot at point-blank range in the driveway of his Klerksdorp home on December 14. He died in a local hospital. – Sapa

Klerksdorp, North West – Two men who confessed to being involved in the murder of ANC North West official Obuti Chika were tortured by the police, the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court heard on Tuesday.

Moses Jones Botman, for Jeffrey Letuka, said his client was tortured and forced to confess.

“Because there were no visible injuries, it does not mean he was never tortured,” Botman submitted.

The State told the court on Monday that Letuka and co-accused Sihlangu Sekhakhane had confessed to being involved in the crime.

However, in his own affidavit, Sekhakhane also denied committing the crime, and also claimed police officers had assaulted him and that he was made to sign a confession under duress.

They are accused with North West provincial African National Congress Youth League chairman Papiki Baboile, ward secretary Paul Molomonyane, councillor Itumeleng Molebatsi, municipal worker William Malefo, taxi driver Kgotso Kali, and local government MEC China Dodovu.

According to an affidavit by the police, Letuka claimed after his arrest that Kali approached him and a friend and asked them to kill Chika.

Kali allegedly handed Letuka and his friend two explosive devices and promised them R50 000 for killing Chika.

Baboile and Molefo were with Kali during the meeting with Letuka and his friend. They returned later, said they could not raise the money and took back the explosives.

In a sworn statement by Kali, he denied attending any meeting or promising any money to Letuka or Sekhakhane.

Prosecutor Riekie Krause said on Monday that Sekhakhane had confessed to killing Chika and had led police to his gun. Forensics had later matched the bullets which killed Chika to this gun.

She told the court Sekhakhane had claimed to have met Kali in a BMW X5 shortly before the crime. Krause said Baboile owned a BMW X5.

Kali had allegedly told him that, before he could attend the ANC’s conference in Mangaung in December, Chika had to be killed.

Chika, 33, was shot at point-blank range in the driveway of his Klerksdorp home on December 14. He died in a local hospital. – Sapa

Pretoria – While several police officers appeared in two separate court cases in the country on Monday following incidents of police brutality, a Limpopo man claimed R1.7 million from the minister of police after he was allegedly manhandled by officers.

Marthinus Christoffel Vorster, 23, of Phalaborwa, said in papers before the Pretoria High Court that on April 12, 2010, he was arrested by police and detained for questioning.

Vorster said he was not informed of his constitutional rights, was not presented with a warrant for arrest, nor was he told at the time what the charges against him were.

He was simply taken to the offices of the SAPS in Phalaborwa. There he waited for three hours in an office, before being taken in a police van to the offices of the Hawks in Polokwane, Vorster said.

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

KwaZulu-Natal – A father used his tie to lash his young son to him, and walked into the surf, drowning them both off a North Coast beach.

Dhaniram (Niresh) Ramdass, 39, had feared he would not see his son again, a grieving family member said on Monday. 

Ramdass, who had been living apart from his wife for less than a week, was meant to have taken his son to the Tongaat Charity Fair.

Moments before the double drowning at the La Mercy Beach on Saturday, eight-year-old Lavesh had called his mother Usha, 30, on her cellphone and told her he was at the beach with his father. 

But before his wife, a nurse, could question Lavesh further, the call was cut.

Less than two hours later both bodies washed up on shore, not far from where witnesses had earlier seen the father and son sipping on a cool drink.

Lavesh’s classmates at Victoria Primary, in oThongathi, lit candles in his memory. Looking on is principal Laljeeth Maharaj, his form teacher Prem Sukdeo and teacher Ansuya Naidoo. Photo: Puri Devjee

DAILY NEWS

Police are investigating a case of murder and an inquest docket has also been opened.

The boy had been living with his uncle, Vinesh Ganesh, and maternal grandmother in Isnembe, near oThongathi (Tongaat), since he was a baby because of his mother’s irregular working hours.

A devastated Ganesh, speaking on behalf of Usha, said Ramdass had called him on Friday night and told him he wanted to take the child to the charity fair on Saturday morning.

He said he had already taken the child to the fair on the Friday night, but did not want to deprive him of time with his father.

“My sister and her husband were having domestic problems. She wanted him to quit drinking. When Niresh was under the influence of alcohol, he was abusive towards my sister,” Ganesh said. 

Usha had moved out on Wednesday and was staying with her brother and son in Isnembe.

Ganesh said he had seen Ramdass on Wednesday evening when he visited his son. He said he had spoken to him at length about his marriage.

“I told him that Usha wanted to save her marriage, but only if he gave up drinking completely. He promised to sort his life out. He said he wanted to be with his family.”

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

Johannesburg – The ANC has rejected “with contempt” the accusation made by murder accused Oscar Pistorius’s father that “the ANC government is not willing to protect white South Africans”.

“Not only is this statement devoid of truth, it is also racist,” ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu said in a statement on Tuesday.

Pistorius faces a murder charge after shooting dead his model girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

Henke Pistorius reportedly told a British newspaper that the country’s lawlessness and high crime rate had forced his son to arm himself.

Henke Pistorius spoke to The Telegraph’s journalist over the weekend about the guns he and his son own.

“Some of the guns are for hunting and some are for protection, the handguns,” he was quoted as saying.

“It speaks to the ANC government, look at white crime levels, why protection is so poor in this country, it’s an aspect of our society.”

Mthembu responded by saying:

”It is sad that he has chosen to politicize a tragic incident that is still fresh in the minds of those affected and the public.

“This tragic incident has affected two families that are still trying to come to terms with what happened and this latest racist slur is not assisting these families.

“We think it is ill-advisable for anyone to start apportioning undue blame.”

Earlier

on Tuesday, Oscar’s uncle Arnold Pistorius said Henke’s comments did not represent the views of Oscar Pistorius and his family.

“The Pistorius family owns weapons purely for sport and hunting purposes,” Arnold Pistorius he said in the statement, which was issued by Vuma Reputation Management.

“Oscar and the rest of the Pistorius family distances itself from the comments. Henke’s interview with the newspaper was unapproved by our media liaison team,” he said.-Sapa

Kakamas-Northern Cape are looking for a suspect by the name of Pieter Peens in connection of a Magdeline Esau’s death.

“She was reported missing days before her body was discovered. According to police, Magdeline visited her (boyfriend) Pieter Peens and never came back” Lieutenant Sergio Kock said. 

The gruesome incident took place on the 30th of October 2012 and p[olice are looking for Peens to help them on the mystery death of Magdeline Esau.

“The whereabouts of Peens are yet unknown. Esau’s body was strangled and police discovered a shoelace at the crime scene” Kock said.  

“We request any person with the information of Pieter’s whereabout to contact the Investigating officer Detective captain Maree 082 4484 439 or Kakamas police on 054 4316 800 / 08600 10 111” police said.

All information will be treated with firmest confidentiality, and informant can remain anonymous.

BY Staff Reporter

Challenges that impact on service delivery and interventions required to bring service delivery back to track during the 2013/2014 financial year or remainder of the 5 year term of government will be the focus of the North West Provincial Executive Council (Exco) Lekgotla to held as from 8:00 am at Cookes Lake in Mahikeng on Wednesday.

The main focus of the Exco Lekgotla will be on how Provincial departments, municipalities and state owned enterprises will link their Annual Performance Plans, Strategic Plans and other relevant programmes to the objectives of the National Development Plan.

The Lekgotla will also reflect on progress registered towards key priorities of government and implementation of recommendations of the October 2012 Lekgotla. It will also set targets to accelerate delivery for the remainder of the current term of government.

Members of the Executive Council, The Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the House of Traditional Leaders, Mayors, Heads of Departments, Chief Executive Officers of State Owned Enterprises, Municipal Mayors, Chief Financial Officers and representatives of the Provincial House of traditional leaders are among those that are expected to attend the session.