By Obakeng Maje

The South African Football Association (SAFA) and Thomas Madigage’s family and friends, would like to thank the entire South African public for the support they provided before, during and after the funeral of the late Bafana Bafana assistant coach.

The 41-year-old Madigage died in a car accident on 18 October in Burgersfort.

He was laid to rest in Driekop on Sunday, 28 October at a funeral attended by thousands of mourners that included colleagues, footballers, politicians and several members of his ZCC spiritual ministry.

“On behalf of SAFA and the Madigage family, I would like to thank all South Africans who contributed and paid homage to the late Bafana Bafana assistant coach,” said SAFA President Kirsten Nematandani.

Among those SAFA and the Madigage family would like to thank mostly are the ZCC church, the Minister of Sport, Tshwane Municipality, MEC for Sport Gauteng, the Jomo Sono family, media friends, the Atteridgeville and Sekhukhune communities, the South African Professional Players Union, former teammates of the late Madigage, representatives of Supersport International and several musicians who performed at the Memorial Service that took place at Saulsville Arena in Atteridgeville.

The same gratitude goes to individuals and groups that played a pivotal role in the lead up to and during the funeral. These include members of the Thomas Madigage Foundation, Mayor of Tshwane, Limpopo Premier and his executive, several members of the ZCC church, Bafana Bafana players, former and current coaches and the general public.

“There might be other names not mentioned here but once again, I would like to thank the South African public for giving one of the country’s greatest sons a moving send off,” added the SAFA President.

Dominionville, North West –

The man who raped a 73-year-old wheelchair-bound woman in Dominionville should be punished severely, the North West DA said on Tuesday.

Democratic Alliance provincial spokesman Tiaan Kotzé said such an act against a defenceless old woman called for an increased commitment by the police.

“We urge the police to act quickly in apprehending the suspect, and for the community to give their full co-operation,” he said.

North West police confirmed a rape case was being investigated.

Captain Aafje Botman said the old woman was alone at her home when she was attacked and raped.

“Neighbours rushed to the scene after they were alerted by barking dogs,” she said.

The rapist managed to flee before the neighbours arrived.

Kotzé said the DA recently requested the provincial safety MEC to address the lack of patrolling vehicles for the area’s sector policing.

“We will again communicate with the MEC on this issue.”

He said if the rapist was arrested the DA would do everything in its power, including picketing at the bail hearing, to ensure that he was removed from society.

“This rapist should not only be denied bail, he must be locked up for life.” – Sapa

Mpumalanga – Four live snakes have slithered out of a package at the Sabie post office, in Mpumalanga, it was reported on Wednesday.

Postal workers could not leave the sorting room fast enough when the reptiles made their appearance on Monday from a package posted on the East Rand, Beeld reported.

A member of the local parks board was called to the scene, and the snakes were caught and removed.

According to the newspaper, the sender of the package had been charged with the illegal transportation of wildlife.

“It’s illegal to post any live animal, liquids that might leak and damage other postal items or radioactive materials,” Ndala Mnisi, the executive in charge of the Post Office’s outlets, told Beeld. – Sapa

About 16 cartridge cases were discovered where two civilians were found murdered in Donkerhoek, Marikana, in August, the Farlam commission heard on Tuesday.

“One civilian body was found near an informal house,” crime scene technician Captain Moses Moshwane said.

“The other civilian body was across the stream.”

Moshwane was giving evidence to the commission, chaired by retired judge Ian Farlam.

The commission is holding public hearings in Rustenburg, North West, as part of its inquiry into the August 16 shooting at Marikana that left 34 miners dead and 78 wounded.

The preceding week saw 10 other people, including two policemen and two security guards, killed in protest violence in the area.

Moshwane said on Tuesday he attended and processed the crime scene on August 13. A R5 cartridge case was also found, he said.

Tim Bruinders, for the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union, asked Moshwane if he was involved with the crime scenes where miners were killed on August 16.

“Only at scene one (where 16 people were killed near a kraal) on August 16… I was assisting with the collecting of exhibits and measurements,” said Moshwane.

He said he arrived at the scene at 9.47pm.

A second crime scene technician, Warrant Officer Frederick Opperman, processed the area where two Lonmin security guards were murdered on August 12.

Opperman told the commission when he arrived at the scene, two bodies, two motor vehicles and ammunition cartridges were pointed out to him.

Lawyer for the families of the security guards, Tshepiso Rampil, asked Opperman to describe what the bodies looked like.

“One of the bodies was still half in the vehicle. That body was badly burnt. There was a hack mark on the head of the body,” he said.

“The second body… there were burn marks on the chest and the trousers were also burnt. He had wounds on his face.”

Opperman said the cars of the security guards were so badly burnt police could not immediately determine the make. – Sapa

A crime scene expert told the Farlam Commission on Tuesday that when he arrived at the small hill in Wonderkop where 13 people were killed, the crime scene was still active.

Captain Apollo Mohlaki said he arrived at scene two, known as the small hill, around 4pm on August 16 and processed the scene until 3.10pm the next day.

Commission chair, retired judge Ian Farlam, interjected and double-checked the time of arrival with Mohlaki pointing out that this was the time the shooting happened.

“When I got there the scene was still active,” said Mohlaki.

Evidence leader Mbuyiseli Madlanga asked: “Was there any shooting taking place when you arrived there?”

Mohlaki said there was not, and proceeded to explain that he had been requested to be on stand-by and had been at a police holding area at the Lonmin mine since the morning.

This followed after an early morning police briefing at the joint operational centre (JOC) where he and three colleagues were briefed to be on stand-by.

Mohlaki said he was told there was a possibility that mineworkers, gathering on a hill in Wonderkop, would have dangerous traditional weapons and have unlawful ammunition.

It would be his job to document these weapons once the miners were disarmed.

Mohlaki’s evidence in chief was expected to continue on Wednesday.

Earlier, the commission wrapped up its three-day cross-examination of crime scene technician Lt-Col Cornelius Johannes Botha.

Botha was tasked with filming the police disarming and dispersing operation on August 16 from a helicopter.

However, Botha’s footage did not capture the shooting at scene one, at the kraal, or scene two at the small hill.

He said he had only heard of the shooting when he was back on the ground.

Following the shooting police held a nine-day debriefing in Potchefstroom.

Botha told the commission he could not recall if his video was watched at the meeting or what was specifically discussed at the meeting.

He said during the meeting he was asked about crime scenes which had been processed.

Botha was grilled by advocates for the different parties after he could not recall key details of the operation.

There were four helicopters in the air that day, two of which belonged to police. It was not known if video was taken from the other three.

Thembeka Ngcukaitobi, for the Legal Resource Centre (LRC), asked Botha if he knew that the water cannons also had video recorders fitted onto them.

Botha said no, he had never been in a cannon.

Two other crime scene experts testified on Tuesday about murders committed on August 12 and 13.

Captain Moses Moshwane processed the scene where two “civilian” bodies were found in Donkerhoek.

He also assisted at scene one on August 16.

Warrant Officer Frederick Opperman processed the scene where two Lonmin security guards were burnt and hacked to death. – Sapa

Johannesburg –

The removal of a man’s shirt and trousers by Cosatu members during a rally in Rustenburg was regrettable, the union federation said on Tuesday.

The rally, held at the Olympia stadium on Saturday, was interrupted by members of the Marikana Support Campaign (MSC), Congress of SA Trade Unions spokesman Patrick Craven said in a statement.

“One member of the group, Mr Rehad Desai, had his shirt and trousers removed by some of our members. We deeply regret this incident, but it must be pointed out that he was not harmed,” Craven said.

He claimed the MSC pretended to be supporting Cosatu, but began burning Cosatu and National Union of Mineworkers’ branded T-shirts.

Billy Zulu, a national organiser of the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers’ Union (CEPPWAWU), was assaulted, allegedly for wearing a red T-shirt.

Craven expressed Cosatu’s “profound thanks” to photographers who rescued Zulu.

Cosatu criticised the police for using rubber bullets to disperse striking Anglo American Platinum workers at the rally.

“This is further evidence, already seen at Marikana on 16 August, of the SAPS’ abysmal lack of training in crowd control and forward planning,” he said. – Sapa

Cape Town – People living in the Western Cape are better off than those in most other provinces. Most live in brick houses, have access to running water, flushing toilets and a better education than the average citizen, according to census figures released on Tuesday.

There are 5.8 million people living in the Western Cape, of whom 2.8 million are coloureds, 1.9 million are black African, 910 600 are white and 58 000 are Indian/Asian.

The Western Cape and Gauteng have been confirmed as the provinces that attract the most people (numbering in the millions) because of greater economic activity.

Seventy-one percent of people living in the Western Cape were born here, while 16 percent come from the Eastern Cape and the remainder from other provinces.

Census statistics showed that the flood of people from largely rural provinces to Gauteng and the Western Cape was unceasing, said Statistician General Pali Lehohla at the release of the figures on Tuesday.

The Western Cape population has grown by 29 percent, making it the fastest growing region, outpacing Gauteng, Mpumalanga and North West, which grew collectively at 26 percent. The rest of the provinces grew at 6 percent.

People who live here are more than likely to be better off than in other provinces. For example, while the expanded unemployment rate rides at 40 percent nationally, it is only 29.3 percent in the Western Cape.

Census figures show people here and in Gauteng earn more money and have access to better services.

White people, however, earn six times more than black people and white people are more likely to be employed.

White households earn an average of R365 134, a year, while black households earn a meagre R60 613.

The average national income is R103 204 a year, while the annual average annual income in the Western Cape is R143 460.

There are 1 313 637 brick and mortar houses across the Western Cape and 320 363 informal and traditional houses.

For more details go tohttp://www.iol.co.za/

Cape Town – A defiant Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota was ordered out of Parliament on Tuesday in a curtain-raiser for a furious row that saw opposition MPs accuse Deputy Speaker Nomaindia Mfeketo and ANC chief whip Mathole Motshekga of abusing the rules of the House and stifling freedom of speech.

Opposition MPs shouted “It’s an abuse!”, booed and banged on their desks in a bid to drown out Motshekga as he insisted that President Jacob Zuma had not defied a judicial order to hand over the so-called spy tapes that led to the halting of his prosecution on corruption, fraud and racketeering charges.

Motshekga quoted from the Supreme Court of Appeal’s March order that the National Prosecuting Authority – and not Zuma or his office – make available documents and material that informed the decision.

Lekota is trying to rally opposition party support for a bid to launch impeachment proceedings against Zuma, whose lawyer, Michael Hulley, is refusing to hand over the transcript of the tapes he has had since April 26.

His ejection came after he refused Mfeketo’s ruling that he withdraw his statement last week that Zuma, by defying a judicial order, had failed to uphold the constitution and should be impeached.

Lekota refused to withdraw it on the basis that his court challenge of an earlier ruling by Mfeketo would be heard on November 29.

“It would be tantamount to asking me to withdraw the case I have brought against your ruling in the courts – I cannot do it,” he said

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

The Marikana Commission of Inquiry is expected to hear more evidence from police forensic experts when it resumes its hearings in Rustenburg in the North West today.

Legal teams spent most of yesterday cross-examining crime scene technician Colonel, Johan Botha on the video footage he captured of the events of August the 16th when 34 people were killed.

Botha’s video captured few scenes of the miners being shot and accosted by police. Meanwhile, legal representative for the dead miners, Thembeka Ngcukaitobi says there is proof that helicopters which were used to monitor violence had mounted cameras.

Botha told the commission that he had no knowledge of the mounted cameras. Ngcukaitobi says Botha’s statement contradicts their investigations.

BY Obakeng Maje

The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture together with the Pan South African Language Board has this week elected the North West Provincial Language committee.

The election comes after the term of office of the previous committee expired in 2007. The committee was elected recently as the advisory body in the promotion of multilingualism within the framework of the constitution and the committee’s appointment is of a period of five years effective from the 29 November 2012.

“The North West Provincial Language Committee will be the governance structure that will give guidelines on the use of language,” said the MEC of Sport, Arts and Culture, Ms Tebogo Modise. “It will bring change to the North West province as it will be monitoring and improving the policies and programmes of official languages.”

The mandate of the committee is to promote multilingualism, formulate programmes and policies aimed at fostering the equal use of and respect for the official languages, establish, compile and maintain databases of all legislative measures including the provisions of the constitution dealing with language matters, monitor the observance of the constitutional provisions and principles regarding the use of languages, Advise the MEC or any organ of state on the implementation of any proposed or existing legislation, policy and practice dealing directly or indirectly with language matters and to investigate any language violation on receipt of a written complaint.

The elected committee consist of Nombulelo Sonakile (IsiXhosa Teacher), Gaoretelelwe Benjamin Phuti (Chief Language Practitioner), Mrinalini Shantikumar( Wild Life Officer), Diteboho Leponesa (Sesotho Teacher), Walfriede Appolus (Nama and Khoi Teacher), Marlene Visser (Teacher), Ratshikana Ntsime (Education Specialist),Setumo Mokoatsi(Setswana teacher), Kenalemang Kgoroeadira (Self employed),Mthuthuzeli Maloney (Community Liason Officer), Thabo Melamu( Sign Language Lecture), Nkokeletseng Monaisa(Setswana) Ian Bekker (North West University Faculty of Humanities, school of languages) and Goitsemodimo Seleka (Freelance Programme Presenter).

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