Three voter registration stations at Pampierstad in the Northern Cape were forced to close on Saturday following community protests in the area.

Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) provincial head, Bonolo Modise, said they hope to reopen the registration stations later on Saturday.

“The police are currently there monitoring the situation. The people there charged the tents (the IEC were conducting registrations in) and destroyed the tent, materials… everything,” Modise said. 

The protests were not related to the registration process.

“We are just caught in the crossfire. We don’t really know what the protest are about, but we hear they are protesting about municipal boundaries – apparently they are being moved back to the North West from the Northern Cape,” Modise said.

Modise says a new voters’ roll had been dispatched to the area and they hoped to reopen the three stations as soon as the situation allowed.

Elsewhere in the province, things were running smoothly. “Things are fairly stable around the province,” he said.

Politicians were out and about in the province getting people to register or check their details. First time voters are being targeted.

The ANC has sent several PEC members to garner support in the Calvinia area of the Northern Cape. It lost the municipality in the 2011 local government elections and hoped to recapture it this year. 

Source: News24

BY REGINALD KANYANE
The North West premier, Supra Mahumapelo may pursue legal action against one of Bakgatla Ba Kgafela’s royal member, Mmuthi Pilane.

This came after a ‘defamatory’ article published on Sowetan newspaper on Friday 4 March 2016 with the caption “Premier milking dispute”.

According to acting provincial government spokesperson, Brian Setswambung, the article states that the Bakgatla ba Kgafela royal family is angry at him for ignoring  a ruling by the provincial commission on traditional leadership disputes.

“In the same article Pilane accuses Mahumapelo of having interests in mines and lodges around the area and want to benefit financially.

“Pilane chooses to ignore the facts that he knows very well regarding this matter and opted to make  the above accusations,” Setswambung said.

 He said that Pilane can approach the relevant law enforcement agency to launch investigation for irregularities which put Mahumapelo in a conflicted situation according to him.

“If the allegations he is making have substance, he is advised to approach law enforcement agencies and submit evidence .

“The fact that the report was ignored is misplaced to say the least. It is within the premier’s purview to consider the report and thereafter to approve or disapprove it. So Mahumapelo opted for the latter, which was followed by reasons duly given to the claimant,” he said.

Setswambung said in an event, Pilane was ill informed from any quarters by people without facts. He further added that hence Pilane made the accusations on the article which are defamatory in nature.

“Pilane is called upon by the Mahumapelo to make an apology in the newspaper on or before Tuesday 8 March 2016. Failing to do so, the premier will use his rights to pursue legal avenues.

“Any effort exerted by the Mahumapelo in relation to the Bakgatla Ba Kgafela is intended to bring finality and unity in the community in general. Unfortunately there is no one who will derail this effort,” Setswambung concluded.
-TDN
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THE Constitutional Court today turned down Oscar Pistorius’ bid to appeal his murder conviction.

In December last year the Supreme Court of Appeal changed his original conviction of culpable homicide to murder. This means his sentence changed from a five-year sentence to a minimum of 15 years in jail.

Pistorius, who is currently out on R10 000 bail, is expected to return to the High Court in Pretoria on 18 April for sentencing.

“It has been concluded that the application should be dismissed for lack of prospects of success,” the Constitutional Court said.

On Valentine’s Day in 2013, he shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. He said he mistook her for an intruder hiding in the toilet of his Pretoria home.

Pistorius has already served about 10 months of the five-year sentence he was handed for culpable homicide. He was released on bail in October last year.

HTTP://WWW.NEWS24.COM/SOUTHAFRICA/OSCAR_PISTORIUS/PISTORIUS-APPEAL-LACKED-PROSPECT-OF-SUCCESS-CONCOURT-20160303

– NEWS 24

BY KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
A 21 YEAR-OLD man was sentenced to 12 year imprisonment for murder. Neo Molefi briefly appeared in Vryburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

North West police spokesperson, Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said: “The accused was walking in the street with his companion in Huhudi near Vryburg when approached by the victim.

“Teussie Monchwe, 23 demanded a cigarettes from them. The incident took place on February 20 in Huhudi near Vryburg.  An argument ensued between the two which precipitated to a fight.”

Monchwe was stabbed on the head and upper body with a knife. 

Molefi briefly appeared in the Vryburg Regional Court where he was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Mokgwabone further added that four years was suspended for five years.

Provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Motswenyane  applauded the justice system and police for instantaneous trial and conviction.

She also commended the community members for reporting the incident to the police.
-TDN
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Cape Town – ANC chief whip Stone Sizani has resigned from Parliament with immediate effect, the party said on Wednesday.

An ANC MP, who spoke off the record, said Sizani was heading to Germany, where he would be deployed as an ambassador.

Sizani would be temporarily replaced by deputy chief whip Doris Dlakude, said spokesperson Moloto Mothapo.

He did not say where Sizani would be going.

 

“The National Executive Committee of the ANC will make a decision regarding the replacement when it meets for its regular sitting in a few weeks’ time,” he said.

Sizani was appointed to the position in 2013.

The MP said the party had found out at an urgent caucus meeting, called on Wednesday.

For more http://www.news24.com

By Reginald Kanyane
MAHIKENG- North-West premier, Supra Mahumapelo visited North West University, Mafikeng campus on Tuesday.

According to statement, he wanted to ascertain for himself the damage caused during the latest unrest at the university.

His visit came abiut after few buildings were torched allegedly by protesting students.

He condemed the torching of the buildings. Mahumapelo informed Campus Rector, Professor Mashudu Davhana-Maselesele and her entourage that they will have the full support of government.

“This is an unfortunate incident. My own view is that this is not linked to students’ demands because there was a clear agreement on how the issues that students were raising were going to be addressed.

“Therefore the university’s approach must be commended. You have our support. We will encourage you to address the legitimate demands of the students and solve them. We will help where we are able to,” Mahumapelo said.

Professor Davhana-Maselesele said the university was determined to salvage the situation despite the damage caused.

“We are re-opening on March 29. Our intention is to save this semester. We will teach on Saturdays and we should be able to recover with the measures that we will put in place,” she said.

Last year Mahumapelo dedicated a whole day meeting with students and the university management imploring them to bring the situation to normalcy.
-TDN
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Hundreds of workers at the North West University’s (NWU) Potchefstroom campus are on the second day of protest.

The strike started last Friday but some have already been dismissed for participating in the illegal strike. Amongst others, workers are complaining about how they are treated by their employer, including alleged low wages and racial discrimination.

Last week the university’s Mahikeng campus saw violent protests.

A worker voiced her complaints saying, “My kid requested money from me, and when I said I do not have any, she then asked why I had to go to work daily when I am working for nothing.”
For more http://www.sabc.co.za

BY REGINALD KANYANE
THREE Vehicle collided on the N12 near the Orkney Bridge about 20 kilometres from Potchefstroom on Sunday.

Netcare 911 spokesperson, Chris Botha said: “Reports from the scene indicate that two vehicles were parked alongside the road with the occupants standing next to their vehicles when a vehicle lost control and slammed into them.”

Botha said that paramedics arrived at the scene and found that four adults and a child sustained injuries.

He said two adults were in a critical condition while the other patients sustained serious injuries.

“Medics stabilise the injured at the scene before they airlifted the two critically injured men to a Johannesburg hospital for the care that they required.”

The three seriously injured patients were treated at the scene and then transported to a local hospital for further treatment.
-TDN
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Chris Botha

BY KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
THE Provincial government in North West refuted that claims that the North West premier, Supra Mahumapelo was involved in a car accident.

Acting provincial government spokesperson, Brian Setswambung said: “There is a rumour that is being circulated to the effect that premier Mahumapelo of the North West province was involved in a car accident yesterday after delivering his State of the Province Address (SOPA) in Matlosana.

“We wish to firmly dispel this rumour as speculative, mischievous and devoid of the truth, since Premier Mahumapelo was not involved in any accident.”

Setswambung further added that Obed Bapela, the Deputy Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs was the one who was involved in a car crash on the N12 near Fochville, and Premier Mahumapelo managed to be at the accident scene.

“The Deputy Minister is reported to be in a stable condition in hospital, and Premier Mahumapelo has wished him a speedy recovery,” he said.
-TDN
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JOHANNESBURG – It’s understood the Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Andries Nel, is recovering in hospital following a collision on the N12 near Fochville in Gauteng.

ER24 says it’s unclear what caused last night’s crash between a truck and the car transporting the deputy minister.

Upon arrival, paramedics say they were greeted by a number of police officers already on the scene.
For more http://www.ewn.co.za