A planned campaign by Cosatu against major retailers who “exploit” farmers by paying low prices for agricultural products would not work, TAU SA said on Thursday.

“I wish Cosatu could take a lesson in economics. That is not how economics work, there is a whole range of issues involved from the farm right up to the consumer,” general manager of the farmers’ organisation, Bennie van Zyl, said.

Western Cape Cosatu secretary Tony Ehrenreich said on Wednesday that retailers were buying products from farmers for “ridiculously” low prices.

“It is partly these practices that have seen the distorted pricing structure in agriculture,” Ehrenreich said.

Van Zyl questioned whether Cosatu’s actions were “economically driven or politically driven”.

He said calm had to prevail in order to effectively deal with this crisis in the sector. He urged Cosatu to instead campaign for more investment and job creation in the country.

-Sapa

Cape Town – The rape, mutilation and subsequent death of a 17-year-old Bredasdorp girl has shocked many, and political organisations have expressed their outrage.

Cosatu described the attack on the girl as “appalling”, while the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) said the incident left it disgusted.

Anine Booysen was raped – possibly gang-raped. She was also disembowelled but was still alive when she was found. Before she died, she was able to name one of the men she said had attacked her.

Jonathan Quinton Davids, 22, appeared in the Bredasdorp Magistrate’s Court on charges of rape and murder on Tuesday.

Police are still looking for more suspects.

Cosatu national spokesman Patrick Craven appealed to residents to “demonstrate” outside the court when Davids was set to appear.

“When a very similar incident occurred in India there was a massive protest and mass demonstrations in the streets. It was a huge story around the world. We must show that South Africa is no less angry at such crimes, and make an equally loud statement of disgust.”

In South Africa there was a tendency to accept incidents like the death of Booysen as part of daily life. “We need to unite as a nation to make criminals scared of society’s outrage when such acts are perpetrated,” Craven added.

The teenager was found in early hours of Saturday and taken to the local hospital before being transferred to hospital in Worcester and eventually to Tygerberg, where she died.

A source in the Bredasdorp told the Cape Argus that Booysen had been sliced open from her stomach to her genital area, and her internal organs and insides had been “hanging out”.

“It was one of the most gruesome things you can imagine – especially for a small platteland town,” the source said, asking not to be named.

Hospital staff had to receive debriefing counselling, “because the girl’s injuries were so horrific”, said the Health Department’s Faiza Steyn.

Bredasdorp resident Zeldie Jooste said the community was shocked and angry, Eyewitness News reported.

“It’s a big shock to the community that something so brutal can happen in a small town where our children go out walk around in the evenings.”

She told EWN that she was concerned about letting her teenage daughter go out at night.

“You’d think it’s a safe town because it’s so small and then something so brutal happens to an innocent girl on her way to a party.”

A statement released on behalf of the ANCWL by spokeswoman Troy Martens said South Africans needed to come together as a nation and declare that “enough is enough”.

“Men and women need to join hands around this issue and fight this epidemic together. The Women’s League and a few women’s NGOs can no longer be the lone voices crying out against rape.

“The scourge of rape cannot be seen as a women’s issue any longer. All South Africans of all creeds need to come together as a nation and take a stand against this vulgar and despicable sexual crime,” Martens said.

“We cannot let another girl or woman suffer like 17-year-old Anene Booysen.”

The women’s league was “baffled” by the high number of rapes in society.

“It is difficult to find reason behind the many different acts of gang rape, child rape, rape of the elderly, corrective rape and male rape.”

South Africa’s statistics agency concluded in 2000 that it had the highest reported rape rate of all 120 Interpol member countries, according to Reuters. Even when suspects are caught, only 12 percent of cases end in conviction.

* Call Detective Dollien Olivier on 082 522 1014 or 028 425 5448 with information on Anene’s rape and murder.

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

TERTIARY graduates be warned! You may soon be slapped with a “graduate tax” the minute you find a job.

CHAIRWOMAN: Naledi Pandor, the chairman of the ANC sub-committee on education, which took a resolution in Mangaung to introduce a tax on new entrants in the job market. Photo: DANIEL BORN

NOT HAPPY: Themba Masondo

A resolution on such a tax was taken at the ANC’s conference in Mangaung, Free State, in December.

Delegates participating in the education and health commission resolved that consideration “must be given to a graduate tax for all graduates from higher education institutions”.

Details on the mooted tax – as presented in the ANC’s comprehensive list of conference resolutions – are very scant, with no explanation given about time lines for implementation or the likely percentage to be levied on new job market entrants.

As yet, the said tax is only a consideration but delegates would expect that it will be made a reality since it was adopted as an official conferenceresolution.

The secretary-general of the South African Students Congress Themba Masondo, who participated in the education commission, confirmed the agreement to introduce the tax but said Sasco opposed it.

“As an organisation, we raised a number of issues with this tax. They are not so clear about how it will work,” said Masondo.

“It simply implies that those who graduate and find work will have to pay this tax but that means those who don’t find work will not.

“It’s not fair and that is why we are opposed to it.”

Masondo dismissed the “targeted tax” in favour of a general levy that would see high-income earners paying more.

And there will certainly be a lot of protestations from those who will feel they should not be taxed, Masondo predicted.

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe referred Sowetan to the party’s education sub-committee chair Naledi Pandor – who is the also minister of home affairs – when approached to explain how the proposed tax would work.

Pandor had not responded to questions by the time of going to print yesterday.

According to ANC resolutions, the graduate tax looks to be a means to bolster the coffers of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), which is expected to play a bigger role in the state’s plans to introduce free education to all undergraduate students.

Free education would likely be introduced next year, according to the set of resolutions.

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

Durban businesswoman Shawn Mpisane is expected to appear in the Durban magistrate’s court today.  She’s facing fraud charges – relating to her construction companies.  Mpisane is currently also embroiled in a tax fraud trial.  

The restraining order was granted after a two-year investigation. The wealthy businesswoman allegedly provided false information to the Construction Industry Development Board to get government tenders.

This allegedly led to larger government contracts worth R140 million. Yesterday, the Assets Forfeiture Unit seized assets and attached property worth R140 million belonging to Mpisane and her husband Sbu. 

The  unit seized among other things, a Rolls Royce Phantom worth between R6 and R8 million, two Porsches, a Maserati, a Mercedes Benz and a BMW. Their luxury house is said to be valued at R80-million.

PricewaterhouseCoopers curator Trevor White says: “As a result of the restraint order we are in the process of valuating three properties that they own as well as the various assets in those properties as well as their motor vehicles which in the court order is listed as 62 vehicles.”

Questions have earlier been raised about Mpisane and her company– Zikulise Cleaning and Transport. They have been accused of poor workmanship relating to housing projects.

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

At least 2000 farm workers were issued with retrenchment notices on Wednesday, Business Day reported on Thursday.

This, as the agricultural sector shed jobs ahead of the implementation of a new minimum wage, and as mechanisation on farms gathered pace.

The paper reported analysts warning that thousands more would be shed when the new wage comes into effect at the beginning of next month.

Agricultural Machinery Association secretary Jim Rankin told Business Day he expected he expected farmers to look more closely at mechanisation “in the light of the last six months” — during which workers went on strike and unions demanded big pay rises — but said the process “started a long time ago”.

Sapa    

Community members in Mahikeng have joined the DA in attacking the licencing departments, especially in the Ngaka Moridi Molema district.

The neglect they say is causing people to sleep outside the departments’ offices to queue for learners’ and drivers’ license appointments.

“It’s a risk waking up early rushing to join the queue of a limited number of people considered to make appointments. Traffic authorities should do something about this or increase the number of people they take for appointments,” said Kenny Leburu.

Mapule Thebejane said: “I realised I was risking my life when I woke up early sometime last year to queue for an appointment. Many people want their driver’s license but the department of traffic should register people who come on that day and take a limited number and those left behind should be considered as first priority the following days and not that people should wake up early everyday.”

The DA called for improvement saying people’s lives were at stake.

“Community members start queuing for service as early as 4am only to be served after four hours and this smacks of total disrespect and is rather unacceptable. All the different services in the department are handled by the same few people, causing the application forms to stop being issued as early as 10am. This affects local productivity as leave needs to be taken from work to fulfil their legal obligations,” said DA provincial media manager Tiaan Kotze.

“It is very unsafe to be in a queue at that time of the morning as it exposes members of the community to robberies and cold conditions. We appeal to the municipality to employ more trained permanent staff to alleviate the lack of adequate service delivery to the taxpayer. We respect our people and we would like them to be afforded a decent service,” said Kotze. Human settlements, public safety and liaison spokesperson Simon Mmope urged the community to use other license centres including Lehurutshe, Zeerust and Lichtenburg to avoid congestion.

“We appreciate people applying for licenses but they must be safe and take heed of criminals when they walk in the dark,” said Mmope.

Public safety director in the Mahikeng local municipality Keaobaka Boikanyo was not available for comment at the time of going to press.

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

The ANC has set February 26 as the day the party will win back the mayoral seat at the Tlokwe local municipality.

This comes after as the ruling party promised to call for a motion of no confidence in the DA’s Tlokwe municipality mayor, Annette Combrink.

“Maphetle (Maphetle) will be reinstated the same way he was removed, through a motion of no confidence in the present mayor,” spokesperson Kenny Morolong said.

In November last year, warring ANC factions passed a motion of no confidence in ANC mayor Maphetle.

He was replaced by the DA’s Annette Combrink. The DA won the mayorship following a walkout during the vote on the motion.

Morolong said relations among the party’s councillors at the municipality had been mended.

Morolong is part of the ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) members who were tasked to restore order in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda district after the party’s regional executive was disbanded a week ago.

“PEC officials convened a successful meeting with ANC councillors at Tlokwe local municipality on Monday.

“The purpose of this meeting was inter-alia to reflect on previous developments, harmonise relations among these deployees of the organisation and forge close working links,” he said.

Morolong said officials were satisfied with the progress made through the engagement, which he said would restore the confidence of the people of Tlokwe in the ANC.

“Our councillors have exhibited renewed determination and an unflinching readiness to work to preserve the vote of confidence bestowed in the ANC during the previous local government elections.

“They have committed themselves to the reinstatement of comrade Maphetle as mayor of Tlokwe, this long awaited development will be realised on February 26,” he said.

As a result of the interaction, Morolong said PEC officials had resolved to engage the party’s provincial working committee to start disciplinary action against the affected councillors.

Six councillors face the party’s wrath for spearheading the ousting of Maphetle.

Morolong scoffed at what he said were efforts by the DA to pass a motion of no confidence in the council speaker at the municipality. –with Sapa

By Obakeng Maje

Taung-North West community members are advised concerning the use of the South African Police Services emergency number 10111. “The communities are encouraged to use 10111 when the call from a Telkom landline” Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said.

“Cellular phones are the main mode of communication in our communities nowadays. When the caller calls from cell phone technical difficulties are being experienced therefore,we urge that our  communities in the North West to dial 112 in case of an emergency from a cellular phone” Ngubane said. 

There are call centre agents available to assist callers and activate the relevant station area for reaction. 

“112 is a toll free number, when dialed from any cellular phone network or service provider” Ngubane said.

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews

Durban – Nigeria qualified for the final of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations after trouncing Mali 4-1 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Wednesday.

The Super Eagles will face the winners of the other semi-final between Ghana and Burkina Faso, scheduled for Nelspruit at 20:30, this Sunday at the National Stadium.

Nigeria took the lead on 25 minutes through a diving header inside the box by defender Elderson Echiejile off a low cross by Victor Moses from the right.

They doubled their advantage on the half hour when Brown Ideye finished off another low cross from the right, this time by Emmanuel Emenike.

Emenike netted his fourth goal of the tournament a minute before the break when his shot off an edge-of-box free kick took a deflection beyond goalkeeper Mamadou Samassa.

Substitute Ahmed Musa slotted home the fourth goal for Nigeria on 60 minutes when he burst clear.

Mali pulled a goal back in the 75th minute through substitute Fantamady Diarra, who slotted the ball past goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama as the Nigerian defence suffered a lapse in concentration.

Nigeria took the game to Mali from the first whistle with Chelsea winger Moses shooting wide after just two minutes.

However, Mali settled and came close to going in front after 12 minutes when Kalilou Traore’s header off a corner narrowly missed the target.

And moments later, Momo Sissoko’s shot flew just above Vincent Enyeama’s goal.

Nigeria carved a good chance on 15 minutes when Emenike fired at goal, but Samassa did well to keep it out before the ball was cleared for a corner.

Soon after Nigeria’s second goal by Ideye, the Dynamo Kyiv striker was denied by the young Mali goalkeeper, before Ogenyi Onazi’s chipped shot after a swift counter attack was held by back-tracking Samassa.

In the 47th minute, Seydou Keita’s shot from inside the Nigeria goal area missed as Mali searched for a goal.

Molla Wague’s header in the 55th minute came close as Mali continued to pile pressure on the Super Eagles.

But Nigeria then created two good chances. First, Ideye hesitated when clear on goal in the 56th minute and a Musa effort that found the net seven minutes later was disallowed for offside.

Enyeama saved a low shot by Cheick Tidiane Diabate before Mahamadou Samassa had the easiest of chances to reduce the tally, but Enyeama kept him out.

Emenike let fly a powerful shot in the 87th minute, but his effort was wide of the target.

In stoppage time, Diarra could have pulled another goal back twice but his efforts missed their mark.

AFP

By Obakeng Maje

Douglas-The police are investigating a case of dealing in Dagga and Mandrax after the 21-year-old male was arrested at his home in Breipaal, Douglas yesterday.

The police said they followed up the information and at the approximately 14:00 they managed to pounce on the suspect while he was still busy dealing with the illegal substances. 

“The police confiscated 71 pokes, 16 small packages of Dagga, two shopping bags of loose Dagga and 30 Mandrax tablets” Lieutenant Sergio Kock said.

“The estimated street value of Dagga and Mandrax approximately R6000.00 and this will be used as exhibits in Court” Kock said. 

The suspect will appearing at Douglas Magistrate Court soon and the investigation continues.