By Obakeng Maje

Mahikeng-As the year 2012 comes to a close, we remember with anguish the bloodshed and the tears that were shed in the aftermath of the Marikana tragedy. We wish to convey our gratitude to church leaders under the auspices of the South African Council of Churches and traditional leaders for playing a significant role in facilitating mediation and supporting the negotiation process that ended in wage settlements and normalising of relations in the mining sector.

The challenges we faced in the past year not only served to make us acutely aware of the urgency with which we need to address unemployment, poverty and inequality but have strengthened our resolve to seek lasting solutions to the challenges facing us.

We wish to assure the people of our province that though we are still faced with challenges in some areas, the strides we have made together and the pace we have set gives us confidence that these are not insurmountable but need us to continue holding hands.

We wish to thank those who supported our effort to intensify the fight against poverty, joblessness, homelessness, illiteracy, crime, greed and corruption and for believing that clean governance is achievable.

Though our resolve to establish and maintain a corrupt free public administration was tested and challenged on all fronts by those who seek to continue plundering resources meant to improve the lives of our people, we intensified our effort and scored major victories in the interest of good governance and protecting the resources and assets of our people.

We owe it to our people to strengthen partnerships we have established with the business sector, churches, traditional leaders, community based organizations, institutions of higher learning, non-government organizations, women and youth organisations and the media to accelerate service delivery, stamp the tide of corruption and to usher a new era of pride in selflessness, integrity and morality.

As we celebrate Christmas and recharge for the tasks that still lie ahead of us in the new year, we call on all of our people to remember that this season of peace, goodwill and sharing also presents us with an opportunity to expand our giving encompassing the lonely and needy. We should celebrate it by giving the light of hope and love to those who need them most, our orphans, widows and our elderly.More advances lie ahead for us to score and celebrate as part of our legacy, history and rich heritage. Working together we can do more to deepen our democracy and sustain our hard won freedom for the next 100 years.

As a compassionate and caring government that supports the Decade of Action for Road Safety, we appeal to those who will be travelling during this festive season not to drink and drive, to exercise caution and share the road responsibly with other road users.

Let us enjoy the festivities responsibly and support our men and women in dignified blue by reporting suspected criminal activities, women, child abuse and neglect.

As we finalise preparations towards the 2013 African Cup of Nations matches to be hosted by the province at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, we are confident that working together we can do more to create better, healthier and safer communities.

We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Johannesburg – The alliance between the ANC, Cosatu and SACP is safe, the Congress of SA Trade Unions said in Johannesburg on Friday.

“We are not in any way feeling stressed about an alliance that is collapsing tomorrow. The alliance is safe,” general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi told reporters in Braamfontein.

Cosatu “vehemently refute(d)” a statement in the ANC’s organisational report, which was discussed during the party’s national conference in Mangaung.

Vavi said the statement alleged “Cosatu is the only alliance partner that from time to time sees the democratic government as worse or the same as the apartheid regime”.

Vavi dismissed this claim saying, “Cosatu has never made any such comment and never will.”

When it came to the alliance “from time to time there will be moments of controversy in… Some things will be managed internally. With others they will flare up into public discussions”.

Nevertheless, Vavi reiterated that the alliance, between the union federation, ruling party and SA Communist Party, always managed to move forward.

“The alliance is in good shape and it will continue to be stronger and will be strengthened by the resolutions of the ANC conference.”

The conference ended on Thursday.

Cosatu president Sidumo Dlamini was elected to the African National Congress’s national executive committee. Vavi declined nomination.

Vavi said Cosatu would study the resolutions of the conference before making more detailed public comment on it. – Sapa

by Obakeng Maje

Taung-The name Big Nuz comes from Big because they are doing big things and NUZ is the license plate of one of the biggest townships in South Africa, Umlazi, situated in the south coast of Durban.

Big Nuz consists of 3 guys Mandla Maphumulo aka Mampintsha, Mzi Tshomela aka Danger and Sbu Khomo aka R Mashesha.

The group was formed 2002 and they were based in Johannesburg where they hustling moving from one studio to another in search of a record.

In 2002 they did a jingle for Backstage on e-tv when the soapie was relocating to Joburg, they then got a chance to perform on Backstage.

“We continued to hustling in 2003 working with Koloi Lebone and Beatmaker doing songs that unfortunately didn’t see the record shop” They said.

In 2004 they hooked up with Ishmael and got to be featured on Ishmael’s album on a song called Boom Boom.

In 2006 we finally got a record deal at Gallo Records and released their debut album called “Zozo”. The album did not do well due to allegedly poor management by Gallo Records. 

In 2007 DJ Tira heard the talent of Big Nuz after listening on their debut album and called them back home in Durban.

“DJ Tira signed us on his record label Afrotainment. We then got involved on the Durban’s Finest Vol 3 album and produced a number1 summer hit, “Uyoysholo Wena” They said on their website.

The song was number 1 on Ukhozi FM, YFM, Metro FM, Ligwalagwala FM, Motsweding FM including Vaaltar FM.

The song also came second on the songs played on New Years’ Eve.

Afrotainment then released Big Nuz second album called “2nd Round Knockout”. The album topped the charts all over the country with all time classic “Ubala”. “2nd Round Knockout” sold over 20 000 copies in South Africa.

The album won the 2008 Metro FM Best Kwaito Award and got a nomination at the 2008 Channel O Awards. Big Nuz took the centre stage at the 2008 South African Music Awards as they delivered a superb performance opening the ceremony.

Big Nuz also earned two nominations at 2008 SAMA’s for best Kwaito category and Song of the year.

Big Nuz have been the busiest Kwaito group in the country doing shows from Cape Town to Manchester (London).

They worked on the theme songs for KZN Department of transport and Nedbank Cup. They performed in 2009 ANC campaigns and President Jacob Zuma’s Inauguration. In the winter of 2009 Big Nuz have just released their third album titled “UNDISPUTED”. They have worked with their number one producer, Fisherman, and their mentor, DJ Tira. This album feature rhymes by Slikour from Skwatta Kamp, Chilli M and Lvovo Derrango.

They also worked with KZN’s Gospel finest boy Sfiso Ncwane, the flute masters, Kwela Tebza and Durban rocksters DJ Bongs and DJ Twitty and DJ Clock. After you listen to their latest album uyoysholo wena (you will say it yourself) they are the Undisputed Kings of Kwaito. 

They now focussing  on 28 December 2012 at Taung Sports-ground to sowcase their God-given talent.

Bloemfontein – As the ANC national conference in Mangaung ended on Thursday, deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe’s withdrawal from party leadership posts remained the most tantalising talking point.

While Jacob Zuma was re-elected to the party’s top position, ousted youth league leader Julius Malema – who had once promised to kill and/or die for Zuma – had his expulsion seemingly sealed.

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said a request by Malema and two of his dethroned colleagues for their positions back, would not be entertained.

The matter was “exhausted and finished”, Mantashe said.

Motlanthe went up against and lost to Zuma for the role of party president. Motlanthe also withdrew his nomination for deputy party president. The position went to billionaire businessman and one of the original writers of the country’s Constitution, Cyril Ramaphosa.

Holding up a peace sign in a photograph taken shortly after his defeat, Motlanthe later delivered a speech in which he termed the ANC “the epitome of democracy”.

Motlanthe’s future intentions baffled many when a short while after, he also declined nomination for any of the NEC’s 80 positions.

ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu said Motlanthe laughed off the suggestion that he would step down as the country’s deputy president.

“I spoke to the deputy president. He just laughed and said: ‘Where do they get these horror stories?’“

The success of slate voting seemed evident when the rest of the top six NEC positions were won by candidates closely aligned with Zuma.

Mantashe and Baleka Mbethe were re-elected to their positions as secretary-general and chairwoman respectively. Ramaphosa, along with Jessie Duarte as deputy secretary-general and Zweli Mkhize as treasurer-general, were the new faces at the top six table.

On Thursday, Ramaphosa said he had called for a review of his business dealings. He has his own company, Shanduka Holdings, and is chairman of the Bidvest Group and MTN, as well as the owner of the South African franchise of McDonalds.

“This is necessary to address any potential conflicts of interest, and to ensure that I can adequately perform the responsibilities of this position,” he said.

Besides Motlanthe, several other prominent ANC members declined nomination for the NEC.

Others who said no included presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj, Minister in the Presidency Trevor Manuel, struggle stalwart Jay Naidoo and Congress of SA Trade Unions general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.

A total of 295 nominees were put through for voting.

Party delegates were boisterous during the voting phase of the conference. When not waving fans to combat the heat, they sang and danced, praising candidates they liked and mocking those they did not.

However, everyone soon got down to business as policy discussions got underway.

ANC economic transformation policy commission head Malusi Gigaba said the conference had resolved that wholesale nationalisation was “off the table”. There would be “strategic nationalisation” where necessary.

Fighting corruption was also raised as a key issue.

ANC constitutional affairs sub-committee chairman Collins Chabane said financial crimes by a party member would now feature in disciplinary procedures and lead to automatic expulsion.

ANC Gauteng secretary David Makhura said an integrity committee would be established in the next three months to deal with members accused of misconduct.

“The committee will help us nip corruption in the bud,” he said.

There were also lighter moments at the conference. Opinions were divided on Twitter over whether the woman who sang the national anthem at the conference’s opening sounded like a dying goose or a goat being slaughtered.

Zelda la Grange, former president Nelson Mandela’s personal assistant, tweeted: “This chick can’t sing for shit!”. University of the Free State rector Jonathan Jansen, tweeted a request to “bring back Cde Ras Dumisani”.

Dumisani is infamous for his off-key performance of the anthem ahead of a rugby test in 2009.

Mantashe was teased by journalists at a press briefing about whether a storm on Wednesday afternoon might be the result of the ANC’s ancestors being upset.

“Rain is a blessing. A storm is rain in a different form,” he replied. – Sapa

m

By Obakeng Maje

Bloemfontein-ANC newly-elected president Jacob Zuma announced in his closing statement that his former Deputy president Kalema Motlanthe will lead a political education.

“”We discussed this issue with deputy president Ramaphosa and agreed upon that Motlanthe is the ideal man as the initiative need someone with vast experience of the party” zuma said.

“Motlanthe has served the party for more than 15 years and we need his expetise” he continues.

Motlanthe lost dismally against zuma in a presidency campaign and opt not to serve in any party’s leadership.

Pretoria – A disturbing trend of parents roping their biological children into sexual activities has emerged in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court this year and sent shockwaves through the community.

In March, a 34-year-old mother and a 40-year-old father from Monument Park were handed harsh sentences by a regional court magistrate for involving their two young daughters in sexual activities.

The couple cannot be named to protect the identity of the children.

The pair faced more than 20 charges, including indecent assault, being accomplices to indecent assault and rape, as well as child abuse and neglect.

The mother was found guilty of all the charges and sentenced to two life terms and an additional 30 years. The sentences will run concurrently.

However, the father was only found guilty of assault, indecent assault, child abuse and neglect. He was acquitted on the charges of being an accomplice.

He was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for each of the counts he was convicted of.

The court ordered that his sentences also run concurrently.

During testimony the court heard how the girls, then aged five and three, were used as sex slaves between December 2005 and December 2007. The siblings were removed from the care of their parents in December 2007 because of neglect. The instances of sexual abuse came to light when the older sister told a teacher about them in 2008.

The siblings told the court how they were taken to several different venues by their mother and father.

One was a small hall with a silver roof where they were made to dance in a provocative manner for an audience of men and women. Another was a house with posters of naked men and women on the walls. They testified they had seen their parents at these venues at different times.

The siblings testified that they were forced to perform oral sex on some of the men and, in some cases, toy blocks were pushed into their private parts.

The men would also remove their clothes and have sex with them as well as lick their breasts and private parts. The men would pay the mother R100.

The siblings were also forced to take photos of their father’s genitals and forced to clean up after he urinated and defecated on the carpet.

One of the siblings described the incidents as “unpleasant” and said they happened because “there was not a lot of food on the table”.

During judgement, the court found the “woman and her husband did nothing” while their two daughters were indecently assaulted, raped and abused.

The court further heard that both the siblings displayed antisocial behaviour and needed intensive therapy to overcome their problems.

Magistrate Mariette Louw said at the time the task of sentencing was one that “rested heavily on the shoulders of the court” and the purpose of sentencing was to deter and prevent similar incidents from happening in future.

l In a separate case a 38-year-old man from Pretoria was found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting his biological daughter between December 2007 and April 2009. The man cannot be named to protect the identity of his daughter.

The man faced nine charges in terms of the Sexual Offences Act, including sexual abuse of a minor and statutory rape.

Brigadier Gerard Labuschagne, who has a doctorate in investigative psychology, testified in aggravation of sentence.

He presented the court with a report indicating that in cases where the rape of a minor took place more than once, the possibility of a serial rapist should be looked into.

He explained that certain characteristics could also be associated with paedophilia. Although he was not an expert in the diagnosis of the symptoms, he said, some of the characteristics in the case overlapped with paedophilia.

Evidence presented to court was that the man raped and sexually abused his daughter since she was seven.Sentencing of the man was postponed as he ended his mandate with his legal representative and the case was carried over to the new lawyer when he will learn his fate.

l The case of nine family members accused of running a child pornography syndicate has made no progress since the arrest of the accused in December 2010.

Grim details of alleged sexual abuse, sexual grooming and rape surfaced during the relatives’ bail applications in December 2010 and January last year in the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court.

The court heard how two of the family’s biological children as well as two foster children, aged between six and eight, were taught different sexual positions.

They were also instructed how to have sex with each other.

The children were sexually groomed and also had to witness the adults having sex, the court heard.

Since their bail application the case has failed to go to trial because of constant changes in the accuseds’ legal team.

Further delays were caused by magistrate Pierre Wessels recusing himself from the trial in February last year. He had denied the accused bail. This was followed by the State refusing to grant the defence team copies of DVDs and photographs taken from the scene.

The State argued that it would gladly grant the defence team access to the photographic material and the DVDs but could not provide them with copies as it would be distribution of pornographic material.

The accused – who were all finally granted bail of R15 000 each in the Pretoria High Court in December last year face 23 preliminary charges that include rape, compelled rape, grooming, and using children to produce child pornography.

for details go to http://www.iol.co.za

By Obakeng Maje

PRETORIA: The North West police offer a R200 000,00 reward for information that may lead to the arrest and successful conviction of suspects responsible for the murder of a regional secretary of the African National Congress (ANC) in the Kenneth Kaunda Municipality, on Friday last week. 

“Mr David Mosiane Chika (33) was shot at point-blank range in the driveway of his Klerksdorp home in Alabama Extension 2” spokesperson said.

Anyone with information may contact the Hawks Unit:  Colonel Clifford Kgorane at 082 4923 921 or Lieutenant Colonel Rasekaka Makuoane at 071 4812 574.

By Obakeng Maje

Bafana Bafana have arrived in Durban ahead of their international friendly match against Malawi at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, 22 December 2012.

The match kicks off at 17h00.

The South Africans landed in Durban on Thursday morning (20 December) to a warm welcome from a group of traditional Zulu dancers at the King Zwelithini International Airport.

They had their first training session at People’s Parks in the afternoon, with the final one scheduled for Friday morning (21 December) at the match venue.

All 23 players have reported for duty with the exception of Belgium-based Ayanda Patosi who has been withdrawn from the squad due to club commitments.

“I have been given assurances by his club that Patosi will be here on the 27th December in time for the mini-training camp that will be held in Johannesburg from the 27th to the 30th of December.

“I have seen his video footage but I need to get a closer look at him in a game situation.  I am not too worried though because I will assess him during next week’s training camp,” said Bafana Bafana head coach Gordon Igesund at a press conference in Durban.

Orlando Pirates defender Siyabonga Sangweni missed the afternoon’s training session after requesting leave of absence to sort out family matters at home. He is expected back in camp in the evening.

Also not training with the team was Kaizer Chiefs duo of Siphiwe Tshabalala and Bernard Parker. Both were on the sidelines after being rested as a precautionary measure.

Igesund added that he had a good predicament as all players have shown huge appetite to go out there and represent their country at next month’s Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

“I need to get the balance right for this match against Malawi which is the last one where I will be able to look at individual players.

“We want to win the match and I am happy the players have put their hands up that they want to be part of the AFCON 2013. This is good for me and my technical team and most importantly good for the country when we have such healthy competition for places. The critical question now is who to leave out,” added Igesund.

Malawi is already in Durban having arrived in the coastal city on Monday (17 December) ahead of the Saturday encounter.

The Flames, coached by Kinnah Phiri, arrived with a 20-man squad, which boasts players like Robert Ng’ambi, Josephy Kamwendo, Atusaye Nyondo and Chiukepo Msowoya.

Meanwhile, tickets for the Bafana/Flames encounter are still available and members of the public are advised to purchase their tickets early. They can be acquired at Checkers, Shoprite/Checkers and Shoprite stores as well as Computicket outlets countrywide.

Durban – Locked in a bedroom of her family’s Westville North home, Ashleigh Bothma clutched on to her friend, Chevonne Maré, and listened as her father fought off three men who were attacking him with granite and concrete slabs.

Then everything went quiet. The young women heard people running through the passages and the sound of things being smashed.

“I phoned the paramedics and told them that I did not know if my parents were dead or alive and that they had better come quickly,” Ashleigh said.

The 23-year-old was speaking from the scene of the attack on Wednesday. The previous night the Bothmas had become the latest victims of a spate of vicious attacks that have plagued the Highway area in recent months. This time, though, police shot and killed one of the suspects.

Ashleigh’s 57-year-old father, John, survived the ordeal and was recovering in hospital on Wednesday.

Her mother, Sherril, 51, retold the harrowing story.

It was 10pm and she and her husband were watching television in the living room. They had armed the external security beams and heard the alarm go off. Sherril went to the kitchen and saw three men peering through the window.

“I yelled to John, grabbed Ashleigh and Chevonne and ran into a bedroom,” she said. “By that time the men were outside the dining room window. John ran towards them, shouting, but they appeared unfazed. They picked up a granite slab and smashed the window.”

After waiting for a few minutes Sherril ventured out to see what had happened to her husband. Two of the men were standing over John with a slab of concrete.

“I thought he was done for.”

Sherril locked her daughter and Chevonne in the bedroom and, cellphone in hand, headed for the street.

She phoned the police and waited in the road.

In the meantime, Ashleigh phoned paramedics and left the bedroom to check on her father.

The attackers had fled. They had disconnected the television, but dumped it outside. Nothing was stolen.

“There was blood everywhere,” Ashleigh recalled.

Westville police as well as the metro police dog unit responded to the incident.

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

The rand was largely steady against the dollar on Thursday, with sentiment largely positive after a leadership conference of the ruling ANC allayed investor fears of any radical policy shifts. 

The currency was at R8.5060 to the greenback by 08:05 GMT, little changed from Wednesday’s close at R8.4850. 

“We’re not expecting anything major today, we’re firmly entrenched in holiday markets, and more broadly the scene is more positive for risk,” said Absa Capital trader Duncan Howes. 

“The major risk event for the local currency, being the Mangaung conference, is pretty much out of the way and I don’t think there’s going to be too much movement.” 

Investors had been nervous that the ANC’s conference in Mangaung this week could herald a shift towards more populist policies like state intervention and takeover of mines in the world’s largest platinum producer. 

But fears of outright nationalisation have abated, and investors took comfort in the election by the ANC of respected businessman Cyril Ramaphosa as its deputy president. He will  serve with President Jacob Zuma, who was re-elected ANC chief. 

For the rest of the week, the rand should meet resistance around the R8.30 area while finding support at R8.55/60, traders said. 

Government bonds were also largely stable in early trade, with the yields for the 14-year benchmark and the three-year paper each edging up half a basis point to 7.26% and 5.35% respectively.

news24.com