Category Archives: NEWS

Chiefs eyeing for Celtic scalp

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Absa Premiership leaders Kaizer Chiefs will host Bloemfontein Celtic at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday, 6 October 2012.

Chiefs racked up their fifth win of the season this past weekend with a 2-0 home victory over top flight rookies Chippa United.

 

The Soweto side have won all of their home matches so far, but for this game they are heading to Port Elizabeth rather than their usual home ground of Soccer City.

 

The Amakhosi are placed top of the Absa Premiership log with 16 points from six matches.

 

Celtic claimed a major scalp in their last outing, defeating champions Orlando Pirates 1-0 at home.

 

However, the Bloemfontein side has lost all three of their away matches so far this season, a record they will definitely be aiming to improve on.

 

Phunya Sele Sele are placed seventh on the Absa Premiership log with nine points from six matches.

 

In head-to-head stats, Chiefs and Celtic have met in 49 league matches since 1985.

 

The Amakhosi have 28 wins compared to 10 for the Free State side, while 11 matches have ended in draws.

 

Chiefs have an excellent home record against Celtic, with 21 wins from 25 matches. They last lost a home match to their opponents way back in 1993.

 

Last season the Soweto side took four points off Phunya Sele Sele, drawing 0-0 away and winning 2-0 at home. Chiefs are unbeaten in their last five league matches against Celtic.

 

Kick-off at 18h00.

Go to http://www.psl.co.za for more details

Minor pays dearly with his life after a gambling

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By Obakeng Maje

Swartruggens- A17 year old boy has been arrested after allegedly stabbing another minor to death.

North West police arrested a teenager after a quarrel occurred between the two which prelude to stabbing.

“According to information we received, the victim was playing dice with the suspect’s young brother and the argument broke between the two after some disagreement” Captain Amanda Funani said.

 “Two were engaged in fight and the victim allegedly stabbed the suspect’s younger brother  on shoulder. This angered a 17 year-old which precipitated him to retaliate” Captain asserted.

It is alleged that a suspect stabbed a victim in  chest and under his eye.

The victim was rushed to local hospital where he passed on.

The police are investigating amurder case and the suspect is under a care of social workers as he is still a minor.

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A 21 year old girl’s body found in a bin

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By Obakeng Maje

Klerksdorp- North West police are investigating a murder case after a body of a 21 year old girl found in a dustbin at her home.

A body of Elizabeth Phokompe,21 was found hidden in a dustbin in her home. According to police, this gruesome event took place at Jouberton Extension 24 yesterday.

“Police were called after the victim’s mother could not get hold of her. It is alleged that Elizabeth’s mother stays with her employers in Klerksdorp and tried to call her daughter,but couldn’t get hold of her” North West spokesperson Captain Amanda Funani said.

“The mother allegedly went to investigate what might happened to her daughter. She searched the house with the help of her neighbours” she continues.

It is alleged that the discovered Elizabeth’s body shoved in a dustbin.

According to police a case of murder has been. opened and even though no one has been arrested,investigations continue.

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Union leader shot dead in Marikana

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Rustenburg – A National Union of Mineworkers (Num) branch leader was shot dead at his home in Marikana on Friday night, the union said.

 

Spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka called the attack an “assassination”. It could not immediately be confirmed with the police.

 

“This comes after the death of the Num branch chairperson last weekend and the attack on another branch leader, who escaped whilst his wife was killed,” said Seshoka.

 

He said the man killed was the Num branch secretary at Western Platinum.

 

Deadly violence

 

Five Num members – two of them shop-stewards – were killed in violence associated with a strike at Lonmin’s platinum mine in Marikana between August 10 and August 16, said Seshoka.

 

Of the 34 people shot dead by police trying to disperse a group of protesters on August 16, 14 were Num members, he said.

 

On September 11, a third Num shop steward was found dead near the scene of this shooting. Dumisani Mthinti had been hacked to death.

 

Striking workers at Marikana – and other mines – have voiced unhappiness with their Num representatives.

 

During an inspection in loco by the Farlam commission of inquiry into the Marikana shooting, a worker claimed Num members confronted and shot workers – killing two of them – who were marching to the union’s office on August 11.

 

Three University of Pretoria sociology department studies on the level of satisfaction among union members, reportedly found that Num was dysfunctional in the Rustenburg area.

 

However, Num general secretary Frans Baleni denied that the union was under-servicing its members. There have been calls for his resignation.

 

The strike at Marikana was initially thought to be linked to a struggle for recognition between Num and the newly-established Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu).

 

Blame

 

When the violence broke out, each accused the other of inciting the violence.

 

Amcu claimed Num resorted to violence to throw people into disarray whenever it lost members.

Sapa

No place for sentiment nominations

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Western Cape – There should be no sentiment in the nomination process ahead of the ANC’s national elective conference in Mangaung, the party’s treasurer Mathews Phosa told the ANC Youth League’s Dullah Omar Region on Friday.

 

“The process towards Mangaung must be an open and transparent one without sentiment or prejudice,” he said in a speech prepared for delivery in the Western Cape.

 

He said the African National Congress needed to elect leaders who would work selflessly to create a better life for all South Africans.

 

“Our task as leaders is to look way beyond Mangaung and to ask ourselves what we want to do when our turn comes at the wheel of national leadership.”

 

This meant improving the lives of the majority of citizens through improved living conditions, job creation, and improved education and health services.

 

“Marikana taught us the lesson that we must not wait for a crisis to wake us up, we must anticipate areas of public tension and address them before they get out of hand,” Phosa said. – Sapa

Zuma can restore NPA’s credibility

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Johannesburg – President Jacob Zuma has an opportunity to appoint a new National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) to restore the credibility of the National Prosecuting Authority, an expert said on Friday.

 

“The judgment by the Constitutional Court provides an opportunity to restore the credibility of the NPA by appointing someone who is non-political and non-partisan, a person that will not tolerate any improper conduct,” said law expert Pierre de Vos.

 

The Constitutional Court found on Friday that Zuma’s appointment of Menzi Simelane as NDPP was unconstitutional and invalid.

 

In a judgment read by Judge Zak Yacoob, the court found that the NDPP’s appointment was not a matter to be determined by the subjective opinion of Zuma, but a “jurisdictional prerequisite” determined objectively.

 

“The purpose of the conferral of the power to appoint the NDPP on the president was to ensure that the appointee was sufficiently conscientious and had the integrity required to be entrusted with the responsibilities of the office,” Yacoob said.

 

On May 8, the court heard an application by the Democratic Alliance to confirm a Supreme Court of Appeal ruling that the decision to employ Simelane was invalid.

 

He was appointed to the job in November 2009.

 

De Vos said questions were asked about on why Zuma was advised to appoint Simelane by Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Jeff Radebe, who ignored the evidence against him

 

“From the perspective of the presidency, it would be helpful if a reasonable answer is provided for the irrational decision that was taken,” said De Vos.

 

“If the president takes the considerations seriously, he might restore the NPA’s credibility and their functionality.”

For more details go to http://www.news24.com

Banyana to square up against Zimbabwe in friendly

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By Obakeng Maje

The South African Women’s Senior National Team (Banyana Banyana) will face Zimbabwe in an international friendly match, this is in preparation for the 8th edition of the CAF African Women’s Championship set for Equatorial Guinea from 28 October – 11 November 2012.

 

The Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana will take on their neighbours at the Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto on Saturday, 13 October 2012.

 

Kick-off is at 20h00.

 

The last time the two nations met was at the Unity Cup clash that took place in Zimbabwe last year – the South Africans went down three-nil (3-0) to their hosts.

 

With seven new players in the squad, national team head coach Joseph Mkhonza has set his focus on beefing up the team ahead of his final selection of players to represent South Africa at the AWC.

 

Mkhonza will announce his 21-member squad on Tuesday, 09 October 2012.

 

“We are just weeks away from competing in a highly-ranked competition on the continent, so our goal now is to prepare to take on the best countries on the continent. We are ranked fourth on the continent and we look to claim the number one title. We are not expecting an easy task ahead as all our opponents will try to prove their worth against a team that comes from the Olympics,” said Mkhonza.

“We have taken some positives out of competing on the Olympics level and will be building on from there as we look to qualify for the next world cup. The upcoming game against Zimbabwe will help us gauge our fitness level and help us identify areas that we still need to work before we leave for Equatorial Guinea.”

BJ Dladla, goalkeeper of the KwaZulu Natal Police Football team, has been released from the Banyana Banyana training camp due to a bereavement in her family. Dladla has been replaced by Katlego Moletsane of the High Performance Centre. Moletsane has been a goal minder for both the U17 and U20 Women’s National teams.

“Our deepest condolences to BJ and her family, it’s not easy losing a close relative, we pray that the family gathers strength during this trying time. It’s unfortunate that she has had to pull out of the training camp but we will call her up for future camps,” said the head coach.

 

Durban Ladies striker, Silindile Ngubane is hoping to prove her worth to the Banyana Banyana coaches. She was the top goal scorer at the Sasol League national championships that took place in Durban earlier this year.

“The national team call-up is exciting of course, it means the coaches have shown confidence in my playing ability and it also needs me to put in extra work into training and continue from where I left off in the championships in June,“ said Ngubane.

Banyana Banyana midfielder, Yola Jafta makes a return to the squad after missing out on the Olympics due to injury.

“It feels good to be back in the squad and training with my team mates once again. With the experience they have acquired during the Olympics, it means I would have to work hard and pick up from where I left off,” said Jafta.

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Banyana nominated in SA Sports Award

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By Obakeng Maje

The Banyana Banyana team, as well as head coach Joseph Mkhonza and striker Portia Modise are among the nominations who stand a chance of lifting the honours at the SA Sports

Awards.

These will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre on Sunday, 4 November 2012.

At the nomination function held at Gold Reef City on Thursday, 4 October 2012, the Banyana

Banyana team was nominated in the Sports Team of the Year category, along with the Olympic men’s lightweight rowing team, the Olympic swimming team, the Proteas cricket team and Orlando Pirates Football Club.

Mkhonza, who guided the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana to their first-ever Olympic campaign at the Games held in London, England in July this year, is nominated in the Coach of the Year category. Other nominees in this category are Gary Kirsten (cricket), Graham Hill (swimming), Gordon Igesund (Moroka Swallows Football Club) and Allister Coetzee (Stormers Rugby).

In the Sportswoman of the Year category, Modise, who has scored 72 goals in her 95 appearances for Banyana Banyana – including the first Banyan Banyana goal at the Olympics –  will contest the honours with Marsha Marescia (women’s hockey), Caster Semenya (Athletics) and Bridgette Hartley (Canoeing).

 

In wishing the Banyana Banyana team and nominated individuals the best of luck for the final leg of the competition, Safa CEO Dr Robin Petersen said:

“This sort of recognition is the perfect form of additional motivation for the team as they prepare for the final leg of their 2012 campaign at the CAF African Women Championship 2012 in Equatorial Guinea from October 28 to November 11. Special thanks must go to the national team’s sponsor Sasol for the committed support shown to Banyana Banyana over the past four years.”

Sasol Sponsorship Specialist, Dumisani Mbokane added: “Sasol is committed towards empowering women through sport and the recognition given to Banyana Banyana via the SA Sports Awards is a sign of the progress made by Banyana Banyana in recent times.

To make the final is a feat in its own right, and we wish them the best of luck for when the winners are announced on November.

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ANC offices in North West need to be improved

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The effectiveness of parliamentary constituency offices in the North West needs to be improved, the office of the province’s chief whip said on Thursday.

Mothibedi Kegakilwe’s office said in a statement that the constituency offices had a role to play in averting socio-economic problems.

“This will ensure that service delivery issues within communities, as well as socio-economic challenges similar to those of Marikana, are… resolved before they snowball into crippling and at times fatal protests.”

These views were expressed at an inter-parliamentary caucus in the North West on Thursday.

Those attending included MPs, mayors and councillors.

“The meeting also affirmed the ANC Caucus’ position that Parliament’s democracy offices… are an unnecessary duplication of constituency offices and a wastage of resources,” Kegakilwe’s office said.

Delegates called for these offices to be closed and the resources channelled into the constituency offices.

The caucus meeting formed part of the ANC’s countrywide programme aimed at assessing the ANC’s parliamentary constituency offices’ effectiveness.

SAPA

North West premier concern about spate of violence at Amplats mine

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By Obakeng Maje

North West Premier Mme Thandi Modise has expressed concern about the recent spate of violence associated with the strike by mineworkers at Anglo American Platinum mines(Amplats) in Rustenburg. 

 “Urgent interventions have to be made to manage the situation and compromises reached before it deteriorates further. We are extremely worried that violence is once again rearing its ugly head and spilling over to local businesses and people who are not party to the labour dispute. Wage negotiations should not be characterised by violence,” said Premier Modise in reaction to torching of shops and a report that a mineworker was shot at Nkaneng informal settlement near Bleskop on Thursday night.

“The price that we all paid in Marikana was too costly. Sanity has to prevail for an urgent solution to be found to avert further violent confrontations that might have dire repercussions for the mining sector and the economy. We cannot afford another Marikana,” emphasises Modise.

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