North West – Residents of Mmakau, outside Brits, were protesting at the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, North West police said.

Captain Amanda Funani said residents were calling on the court not to grant a 41-year-old man bail. He is accused of the murder of 11-year-old Ofentse Mogale.

He allegedly broke into her parent’s Mmakau home on February 2 and snatched her as she was sleeping with her younger sibling.

Her body was later found in a neighbour’s shack, hidden under a bed. She had been strangled. – Sapa

By Obakeng Maje

Johannesburg-A four-man Libyan delegation that came to see and learn about hosting of major soccer events, says it is highly impressed at the way South Africa has become a model of hosting major sporting tournaments.

The delegation, led by Dr Makhlouf Mabruk and comprising former players and Ministry of Youth and Sport officials, has been in the country for a week gathering notes on how to host a successful soccer tournament. Libya is scheduled to host the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations after Morocco in 2015. South Africa took over the hosting of the just ended 2013 tournament from Libya after the North African country had been plunged into civil war.

“I was amazed by what I saw. This visit will help us a great deal in our 2017 preparations. This country is world class and the people are extremely friendly, hospitable and the perceptions we had before coming here are contrary to the incredible situation on the ground. I have been all over the world but this country is one of the most organised nations I have ever been to,” said Dr Mabruk.

Dr Mabruk said before coming here, he had heard stories of how unsafe this country was and that it was rife with diseases; perceptions he said were totally wrong. He said he was stunned at the beauty of the country.

“It is unfortunate these are some of the falsehood people are told about his great country. I will personally tell Libyans to take time and visit this wonderful country.”

Dr Mabruk said he would ask for the South African expertise in the country’s preparations for 

2017 AFCON tournament.

“We have gathered lots of information from our meetings with several stakeholders including meetings with FIFA and CAF presidents, Joseph ‘Sepp’ Blatter and Issa Hayatou. We briefed the two of the status quo in Libya, how safe the country was after the revolution and also requested them to support the country’s efforts for 2017.”

He said with the assistance of Africa, the World and South Africa in particular, Libya would host a good AFCON tournament in 2017.

“What will make the tournament in 2017 different from the rest is because of Libya’s geographical location.  It is close to Europe, the Middle East and most of the outside world, so this will be the gathering of the whole world. My message to the football family is to come to Libya and see how nice the country is,” he concluded.

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Speaking to media at the ABSA PSL Press Conference on Monday, 11 February 2013, at the PSL Headquarters, Kaizer Chiefs Head Coach Stuart Baxter emphasised that for him and his charges it’s all about the next game. 

Speaking and sharing the podium with his counterpart from Mamelodi Sundowns, Pitso Mosimane, in front of a packed conference room the Chiefs mentor was upbeat at the resumption of the 2012/13 PSL season after both the festive and Afcon break. 

Baxter highlighted key elements that will influence Chiefs approach towards the game; The game against Sundowns is going to be difficult. To us it’s all about the next game, what happened in the past has got little influence in the upcoming encounter. Under Pitso (Mosimane), Sundowns have done well to move from the bottom of the table after a slow start to the season. Pressure has to go out of the window in order for us to give a good performance on the day. If you ask me, it is better to have pressure at the top than at the bottom at the bottom it can be worse. 

When asked about the National Team players, Baxter was hesitant to make a call; It is a difficult one to call. There is the element of fatigue and to decide who to rest and who to play will be advised by scientific analysis. Whether we rest them all or play them all is difficult but either way we will give a good performance. 

There was a moment of laughter during the proceedings, when Baxter answered the suggestion that what goes up must come down, referring to Chiefs top position on the log, Baxter dismissed that connotation; I am 59 years old today and do not expect to be 57 years tomorrow. Our actions will determine the performance here and now – not in the past. 

On the Window Period, Baxter made it clear that the top clubs around the world monitor the market and not double the market, and he further explained the Chiefs scenario. 

It is also a difficult one for Clubs around the world, if you bring new players at this stage of the league, chances are you will damage the harmony in the team especially if you are occupying the top of the log, you have to make the right decisions.” 

We have only Abia Nale who requested to be released in order to gain game time after he couldnt affirm his regular place in the line-up – he felt strongly that perhaps it will work for him if he joined another team but he remains a Chiefs player as we loaned him out to Ajax for the rest of this season. Morgan Gould has returned to training, he is under recovery management of returning him to match fitness probably within the next month or so he will return to action.

For more details go to http://www.kaizerchiefs.com

By Obakeng Maje

Bredasdorp-“We are here to say, with one united voice, that the spate of gender-based violence taking place across the length and breadth of our land must stop” Minister Lulu Xingwana said.

“We are here to say: Enough is enough! Women and children demand to walk the streets without fear of being raped or brutally assaulted” she asserted. 

They have a right to walk the streets of their country without having to look behind them to see who is following them. 

They demand protection against sexual molesters. 

Minister Xingwana reiterates at Booysen alleged killers court appearance in Bredandorp.

“We’re here to reiterate our call to the courts of our land to impose the harshest and heaviest possible punishment against those found guilty of crimes against women and children. We believe that those who derive pleasure from abusing women and children must rot in jail” she continues. 

Violence against women cannot be tolerated in free and democratic society. 

It is a gross violation of the Constitutional rights of women. 

The community were there to communicate a clear and unequivocal message that violence against women will not be tolerated in free and democratic society.

The brutality and ruthless disregard for the lives of women points to a deterioration of the moral fibre of a society. 

“The behaviour of child and women molesters poses fundamental questions to members of the human race” Monama said. 

All civilised human beings throughout the world protect their women and children. 

The question that must be posed is: what has happened to our spirit of ubuntu that had sustained communities from time immemorial.

“We urge members of our communities to join hands with government in order to help defeat the scourge of child and women abuse” she adds. 

“We urge all South Africans to join this fight” Xingwana said. Government, on its own, cannot win this war. 

She urged the community to take steps when they know that someone is being abused in their own home or in their neighbour’s house, they have a duty to report it she said.

“We also have a duty to stand in court as witnesses to make sure that these abusers are prosecuted successfully”. 

“The key message to every member of the community is: “Don’t look away. Act against abuse”. All of us have a responsibility to help expose those who harm the most vulnerable in our society” she said.  

As members of our communities, we must make sure that we do not turn a blind eye. 

We must confront crimes against women with every available ounce of our energy and every available ammunition at our disposal to ensure that those who harm the most vulnerable in society have no place to hide.

“We wish to reiterate our call to our courts to ensure that they impose the heaviest possible sentence against those found guilty of women and child abuse” minister said. 

This will send a clear message to all would-be perpetrators that our society and justice system will not tolerate these crimes.

“To Anene’s family, I wish to say: You are not alone in this hour of pain. The entire nation shares your grief. Your loss is our loss. We must find solace in the knowledge that Anene’s death will not be in vain. Her  death is a clarion call to all of us to intensify the war against gender-based violence! Her death is a national call to action. In the name of Anene, we must make a solemn pledge never to turn a blind eye to abuse and never to allow rape to go unreported and unpunished. This will be the best tribute her” she concludes. 

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By Obakeng Maje

Ganyesa-Police are investigating a rape case after a seven-year-old minor was raped on Saturday at about 21:30. 

The incident happened at Phohung Section  in Ganyesa Village police said. 

“The minor was allegedly raped while she was playing alone at a nearby park” captain Amanda Funani said. 

“The unknown suspect raped the minor and left her there. It is alleged that the minor’s grandmother noticed that the minor was struggling to walk and asked her what was wrong” police said. Allegations further states that the minor told her granny that she was raped by an unknown suspect.

The 67-year-old woman took the minor to Ganyesa Clinic for medical examination where the doctor confirmed the rape. 

A case was reported at Ganyesa Police Station on Sunday in the afternoon. 

The suspect is unknown at this stage. 

Investigation continues

By Obakeng Maje

Strategies for prevention of sexual offences needs to be reviewed-Premier Modise

Strategies for the prevention of sexual offences against women and girl children need to be reviewed to curb escalating incidents of rape, North West Premier Thandi Modise said in condemning the gang rape of a 27-year-old woman in Makwassie near Wolmaranstad over the weekend.

“We reiterate our call for united and intensified action against the scourge of rape and for communities to work with the police to reclaim our streets and neighbourhoods from criminals, no bail and harsher sentences for perpetrators,” Premier Modise said on Tuesday.

Modise commented police for the swift arrest of the seven suspects who are alleged to have accosted the woman and her boyfriend shortly after they left a tavern in the early hours of Saturday morning.

According to the police the group of men who were armed with knives took their cellphones and allegedly took the lady and left the boyfriend behind who ran to the police station to report the incident.,

The men were soon arrested by police. They are expected to appear in the Makwassie Magistrates’ Court

  today on charges of armed robbery and rape.

Meanwhile, a 41-year old man arrested in connection with the murder of 11 -year-old Ofentse Mogale 

 from Mmakau is also expected to appear in the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrates Court.

The suspect is alleged to have gained entry to Ofentse’s home through a window and snatched her as she was sleeping with her younger sibling. The body of the girl was later found in a neighbour’s shack, hidden under a bed. She had been strangled and presumably raped.

By Obakeng Maje

Mmakau-An alleged killer of a 11 year-old girl Ofentse Mogale is due to appear before magistrate at Mmakau Magistrate Court on charges of murder,rape and kidnapping.

Strike Paulos Thulore,41 was arrested last week after he allegedly kidnapped Mogale while asleep with her siblings.

He gained entry through a window and kidnapped a 11 year old girl police said.

“The body of Ofentse Mogale was found buried in a shallow grave at Thulore shack” North West police said.

“The community of Mmakau reduced Thulore shack to ashes last weekend” brigadier Thulani Ngubane said.

He will make his second appearance for formal bail application today.

The NPA said to oppose the bail application of the suspect.

According to other reports,Thore is an ex-convict and he was on parole after serving jail term.

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The provincial ANC leadership expressed hope that party members would continue to close ranks and concentrate on issues affecting communities in the province as opposed to the factional politics that threatened to undermine party and government operations in the recent past.

This sentiment was expressed after a two-day ANC lekgotla in Rustenburg where issues of governance in the province were central to the deliberations.

The party’s national and provincial executive members, heads of provincial departments and alliance structures attended the meeting.

Provincial party spokesperson Kenny Morolong said ANC leaders and those deployed in government had a chance to share ideas on how best to improve working relations for the better of society.

“We are confident that the ANC is more united, cohesive and ready to focus all its energies on the implementation of its programme of action to build a national democratic society.

“The lekgotla has enabled the leadership of the ANC and government to closely focus on the necessary work required to effect changes in the lives of our people. The delegates were immersed in discussions through commissions whose resolution were adopted by the lekgotla,” he said.

“The lekgotla reflected on the level of political maturity and challenges related to high levels of ill-discipline.

“The ANC vehemently condemned tendencies, which are alien to the movement and vowed to intensify its resolve to discipline all those who undermine the authority of the organisation.

Morolong said ANC veterans would be roped in when the party deployed people in government to minimise the scandals that had come as a result of insufficient consultations.

“A resolution was reached to identify ANC veteran commissars to assist with cadre development and the immediate implementation of the OR Tambo School of Political Education,” he said.

Party provincial chairperson Supra Mahumapelo recently said there was need to establish a political school where party members would be taken through lessons on the values of the ANC and what they ought to do for the party to remain relevant.

Efforts to eradicate conflict of interest among party leaders also came out strongly at the lekgotla.

Morolong said it was resolved that all ANC leaders in the province should declare their business interests to the ANC integrity committee to promote transparency and complement all efforts aimed at rooting out corruption.

Responding to the rape scourge gripping the country, Morolong said the ANC had said efforts should be intensified to stop violence against women.

“The ANC urged all its branches to intensify the 365 campaign of no violence against women and children.

”For more details go to http://www.thenewage.co.za

Disgruntled ANC branches in the province vowed to recruit members on the ground to join the party to create a sound base for what they termed the “Save the ANC” campaign against “controversial decisions” by the provincial executive (PEC) of the party.

The branches engaged in a provincial inter-branch forum meeting in Matlosana on Thursday last week and resolved to solicit the ANC national executive’s (NEC) intervention to denounce the alleged “wrong factional PEC decisions”. They claimed such decisions had plunged the party into two deeply divided factions led by chairperson Supra Mahumapelo and suspended provincial secretary Kabelo Mataboge.

Inter-branch forum spokesperson Tshepo Phetlhu said: “We have agreed to vigorously recruit members on the ground to join the ANC and ensure that these members are politically schooled and become members of the ANC. We want to disregard all controversial decision taken by the PEC and continue to appeal to the NEC to intervene.”

He said the meeting was arranged by ANC subregional branch coordinators and convenors across the province to discuss issues of commonality and the PEC’s modus operandi.

Phetlhu said the branches accused the PEC’s decisions to disband the ANC Ngaka Modiri Molema regional executive committee (REC) last year by suspending Mataboge and Tlokwe municipality council chief whip David Kham.

The also called on Ngaka Modiri Molema district mayor Phaladi Saku and Ramotshere-Moilwa mayor Africa Thale to resign from their positions, and called for the disbandment of Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s REC for their attempts allegedly to rig processes of regional conferences and the list process of the 2014 elections, among others.

“The PEC has no programme relating to the organisational collective. Their programme is to suspend and replace those they forced to resign with people who are in association with those in the majority in the PEC,” Phetlhu said.

“That type of operation has serious bearing on the way branches operate. The majority of people they suspend have been elected by the majority of branches, especially Mataboge and Kham. How then will branches operate in the midst of confusion created by the PEC?”

Several attempts to solicit comment from ANC provincial spokesperson Kenny Morolong were unsuccessful.

For more details go to http://www.thenewage.co.za

By Obakeng Maje

Bredasdorp-The Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Ms Lulu Xingwana will be at the Bredasdorp Court when the accused in the rape and murder case of Anene Booysen appear on Tuesday,at 9:00.

The brutal rape and murder of Anene has sparked national outrage. “The Minister has reiterated her call that those responsible for this brutality must receive the harshest and heaviest publishment possible from our courts” spokesperson Cornelius Monama said.

The Minister continues to urge members of the public to work with government and law-enforcement agencies in order to help eliminate the scourge of violence against women and children.

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