Johannesburg- Fourteen people were injured following an accident on Innes Street near Regent Street in Observatory, Johannesburg this morning.

“Netcare 911 paramedics and other services arrived on scene and found that a minibus had left the roadway, crashed through a fence and crashed against a small building where it came to a standstill.

“Exact detail surrounding the cause of the crash and preceding events are still unknown and will remain the subject of a police investigation” Netcare  911 spokesperson Santi Steinmann said.

Upon assessment of all the occupants, they found that a man is in a critical condition, three people were found to be in a serious condition and ten people sustained minor to moderate injuries.

 All the injured patients were treated on scene and transported to hospital for further medical care.

-TDN

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Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday delivered the “building the legacy Memorial Lecture” in honour of the late President Nelson Mandela at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg. During his address, Ramaphosa reminisced on the life and the times of the former statesman. Ramaphosa says Mandela was a leader among leaders, and as South Africans we should be proud of him.

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Pretoria- An accident at the intersection of Old Pretoria Main Road and Church Street in Halfway House, Midrand left traffic severely obstructed and approximately six people injured.

Netcare 911’s rescue unit arrived at the scene and found that a minibus had crashed against a heavy goods vehicle.

“Approximately six occupants of the minibus sustained various injuries ranging from minor to serious and were transported to hospital after receiving treatment on scene” Netcare 911 spokesperson Santi Steinmann.

The rescue unit assisted the fire department to remove the minibus and heavy goods vehicle as the two vehicles’ were entangled following the crash.

Exact detail surrounding the cause of the crash and preceding events are still unknown at this stage and will remain the subject of a police investigation.

-TDN

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As the country marks Reconciliation Day on Tuesday, the recent spate of racially-motivated altercations in Cape Town has come under the spotlight.

A recently-published study has pointed out that race has become more prominent in how South Africans identify themselves.

The 2014 edition of the South African Reconciliation Barometer, published by the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, shows that South Africans have grown more disillusioned by the notion of a rainbow nation, and instead see race as a salient aspect of their identity.

For more http://www.sabc.co.za

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has appealed to Pope Francis to reconsider his position regarding a meeting with the Dalai Lama.

The Tibetan spiritual leader is in Rome for a gathering of Nobel Peace Prize winners.

Reports say Pope Francis has denied a private audience with him because it could harm the Church’s already fraught relations with China.

For more http://www.sabc.co.za

Madibogo- Police Officers on duty at Setlagole and Madibogo police stations were caught by surprise when the Community Safety and Transport Management MEC Gaoage Molapisi visited the stations unannounced.

The unannounced visits which were intended to assess the level of service delivery provided by the stations and compliance were part of the Setsokotsane Programme that was implemented at the Ratlou Local Municipality.

On his assessment, MEC Molapisi found that there were serious challenges of resources and proper management. He said the resources might be minimal, but it is expected that the station managers must be able to improvise.

“Most of the issues here are resources, particularly vehicles but my worry is that there is no proper management on what you have.

The issue of vehicles it is a challenge but in some instances it is lack of proper management. It can’t be correct that the station struggles to get a car battery for more than three weeks. On the other hand, you allocate a vehicle to one staff member to attend a course and leave the station without a vehicle. What explanation do you then give to the communities and how do you deal with cases that needs to be attended outside the Police Station, do you tell them that there is no transport? This is a clear mismanagement of resources,” said the concerned Molapisi who was further informed that other vehicles have since been send for service in May.

At the Madibogo Police Station, MEC was informed that seven detained suspects escaped from the police cells on the 1^st of November 2014 which was due to lack of personnel resources.

Molapisi was informed that the suspects overpowered the police who was alone during the escape. Five of them were re-arrested and two are still at large.

The disturbed MEC said that his department will intensify the visits at Police Stations to ensure that there is proper management; compliance and service delivery standards are adhere to.

“These issues have a serious implication on service delivery and our people are the ones who are suffering at the end of the day. Chapter 12 of The National Development Plan emphasis productivity in our work place. We need to give our people hope and trust. We need to rise to the challenges and improve our service delivery standards,” he said.

After the visit to police stations, MEC Molapisi proceeded to Ratlou Local Municipality’s chamber where he addressed taxi owners who were sitting for the adjudication of applications for taxi operational licenses.

Conducted by the Provincial Regulatory Entity (PRE), a total of 26 applications at the Ratlou area were adjudicated and 85 applications that were awaiting the PRE decisions were finalised.

Molapisi said the PRE sitting at Ratlou was redirected following the implementation of Setsokotsane Programme in the area that was led by the Bokone Bophirima Premier Mahumapelo.

In his address, MEC appealed to the taxi associations to limit their conflicts within themselves but rather share a common goal of making the difference in the lives of people.

“As government, we need your cooperation; we must not spend time on resolving unnecessary conflict that we ourselves manifest instead of providing services to our people.

It is important to take responsibility as owners to ensure that our roads are safe, our vehicles are roadworthy and that our drivers must know that they have been entrusted with the responsibility of the lives of our people,” said Molapisi.

The Setsokotsane Programme is aimed at accelerating service deliver to the people of Bokone Bophirima.

MEC Molapisi said the programme is designed to deliver government services to the communities in an integrated manner.

It is during the implementation of this programme, where services are pulled together in an effort to eradicate poverty and create opportunities for local people to improve their lives.

-TDN

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Johannesburg – A man has been arrested for allegedly hacking his girlfriend to death with an axe in Loding, Mpumalanga police said on Monday.

The 22-year-old woman was declared dead upon arrival at hospital on Sunday afternoon, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said.

The 25-year-old and his girlfriend were allegedly arguing at a tavern in the area on Sunday morning. He took her to his parent’s house and allegedly hacked her with the axe while she was asleep.

“The suspect took a knife and tried to kill himself by cutting his throat, but he survived with serious injuries,” said Mohlala.

He would appear in absentia in the Mbibane Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. – Sapa

Johannesburg – The Economic Freedom Fighters have a future in the country and will grow, former intelligence minister Ronnie Kasrils said on Monday.

“They have earned their spurs by forthrightly challenging the ANC and status quo; (and) resurrected interest in clauses of the Freedom Charter pertaining to the land question and nationalisation when the ANC and SACP had forgotten such key questions relating to the economy,” he told Sapa.

For more http://www.iol.co.za