When ANC parliamentarian Johnny de Lange and his National Party counterpart Manie Schoeman famously exchanged blows in Parliament about 15 years ago, the Speaker, Frene Ginwala, was in her office and had delegated the running of the session to another presiding officer.
For more http://www.citypress.co.za
Boy dies after part of soccer goalpost falls on him
A 13 year-old-boy was killed on when a part of a soccer goalpost fell on him at a school in Thabong, in the Free State, paramedics said on Saturday.
ER24’s Russel Meiring said paramedics arrived on scene and found a group of children standing around the lifeless body of the young boy.
“Paramedics assessed the patient but found he had already succumbed to his severe injuries,” Meiring said.
According to Meiring, witnesses later said that the boys had apparently been swinging on the pole (crossbar) when it collapsed and struck the boy on the head.
Authorities were investigating the incident.
News24
Madonsela challenges Zuma over Nkandla debt
Johannesburg – Public Protector Thuli Madonsela has reportedly sent President Jacob Zuma a scathing letter asking why he should not pay back some of the R246m spent on his Nkandla home.
According to the Sunday Times, Madonsela sent the letter to Zuma on Thursday. In it she also accuses him of failing to tell parliament when he plans to pay back the money.
Madonsela also claims that Zuma has not yet responded to her report – this despite the president’s office saying he has.
In her report, Madonsela states that Zuma has to repay the cost of items not related to security. This includes a family visitors’ centre, a swimming pool, a cattle kraal and a chicken run.
Madonsela also lashed out at Zuma, accusing him of being guilty of an attack on the constitution and the rule of law by granting Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko the power to review her report, reports the Sunday Times.
Three investigations
There were however, three different investigations into the upgrades, done by the joint standing committee on intelligence, the public protector and the Special Investigative Unit (SIU).
Public spending on the security upgrades has turned into one of the major controversies of the Zuma presidency, as costs escalated to R246m – especially when it emerged the project included a pool (dubbed a “firepool” by the government), an amphitheatre, a cattle kraal and a chicken run, among others.
In her report earlier this year, Madonsela found that Zuma and his family had unduly benefited from the upgrades and recommended that he repay some of the money.
Zuma declined to respond to Madonsela’s report in full within the required fortnight and said instead he would wait for the SIU’s findings.
The presidency and the African National Congress’s chief whip Stone Sizani disagreed with Madonsela’s statement, saying Zuma had responded.
The National Assembly on Tuesday resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to consider Zuma’s response.
But parliament’s question time was suspended, and then adjourned on Thursday when the Economic Freedom Fighters disrupted parliament.
This came after Zuma flatly refused to answer questions about the upgrades put to him by EFF leader Julius Malema.
News24
Madonsela challenges Zuma over Nkandla debt
Johannesburg – Public Protector Thuli Madonsela has reportedly sent President Jacob Zuma a scathing letter asking why he should not pay back some of the R246m spent on his Nkandla home.
According to the Sunday Times, Madonsela sent the letter to Zuma on Thursday. In it she also accuses him of failing to tell parliament when he plans to pay back the money.
Madonsela also claims that Zuma has not yet responded to her report – this despite the president’s office saying he has.
In her report, Madonsela states that Zuma has to repay the cost of items not related to security. This includes a family visitors’ centre, a swimming pool, a cattle kraal and a chicken run.
Madonsela also lashed out at Zuma, accusing him of being guilty of an attack on the constitution and the rule of law by granting Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko the power to review her report, reports the Sunday Times.
Three investigations
There were however, three different investigations into the upgrades, done by the joint standing committee on intelligence, the public protector and the Special Investigative Unit (SIU).
Public spending on the security upgrades has turned into one of the major controversies of the Zuma presidency, as costs escalated to R246m – especially when it emerged the project included a pool (dubbed a “firepool” by the government), an amphitheatre, a cattle kraal and a chicken run, among others.
In her report earlier this year, Madonsela found that Zuma and his family had unduly benefited from the upgrades and recommended that he repay some of the money.
Zuma declined to respond to Madonsela’s report in full within the required fortnight and said instead he would wait for the SIU’s findings.
The presidency and the African National Congress’s chief whip Stone Sizani disagreed with Madonsela’s statement, saying Zuma had responded.
The National Assembly on Tuesday resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to consider Zuma’s response.
But parliament’s question time was suspended, and then adjourned on Thursday when the Economic Freedom Fighters disrupted parliament.
This came after Zuma flatly refused to answer questions about the upgrades put to him by EFF leader Julius Malema.
News24
SA could host Afcon 2017 as Libya pull out
Libya has been troubled by political upheaval and has had to pull out of hosting the competition for the second time in three years
Libya have withdrawn from hosting the Africa Cup of Nations in 2017, citing the unstable security situation in the country.
For more http://www.goal.com
Charges against Marikana miners dropped
Pretoria – Charges against 279 miners who were arrested during the August 2012 unrest at Lonmin’s platinum mine in Marikana were dropped in the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrate’s Court, north of Pretoria, on Wednesday.
“The charges were dropped due to the fact that the State would not be able to prove their cases if the matter went to trial,” said Andries Nkome, who was part of the defence team.
He said this had been the defence’s argument from the beginning.
The group was charged with public violence, illegal gathering, possession of dangerous weapons and intimidation following the unrest at the mine which claimed the lives of 44 people.
Initially, the miners also faced charges related to murder but these were provisionally withdrawn by the court.
Thirty-four people, mostly striking mineworkers, were shot dead in a clash with police at Marikana, near Rustenburg in the North West, on August 16, 2012 and over 70 were wounded.
Ten other people, including two police officers and two Lonmin security guards, were killed in the preceding week.
The police claimed they were trying to disarm and disperse armed striking miners who had gathered illegally at the mine.
Nkome said the miners were now weighing their options about laying charges against the police who they claimed injured and assaulted them during the arrests.
“They are considering their legal options about the assault, and their decision on how to go about the matter will be made known in due course,” he said.
Sapa
A man found dead in Hartbeesfontein
A 58-year-old man was found murdered in his furniture workshop in Hartbeesfontein, near Klerksdorp, at the weekend, North West police said.
He appeared to have been struck on the head, Colonel Emelda Setlhako said.
“He was found dead at the workshop by the landlady on Sunday,” Setlhako said.
The attackers fled with his cellphone and police were investigating a case of murder and robbery. No arrests had been made. – Sapa
A girl raped and killed in Ventersdorp
Ventersdorp – An 18-year-old woman was raped and murdered in Tshing near Ventersdorp, North West police said on Sunday.
“It is alleged that the victim was found lying dead on the ground. Motive for the incident is not known at this stage,” said Colonel Emelda Setlhako.
She said the woman was raped and killed on Friday.
A 24-year-old man had been arrested and was expected to appear in the Ventersdorp Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Sapa
A youth stabbed in Schweizer Reneke
Schweizer Reneke -A 19-year-old man was stabbed to death with a pair of scissors in Ipeleng near Schweizer-Reneke, North West police said.
Colonel Emelda Setlhako said a fight broke out between the victim and three other men at a tavern on Saturday.
“It is alleged that the victim was stabbed with a scissors in his right arm. Motive for the incident is not known at this stage.”
Three suspects were arrested on Saturday.
They were expected to appear in the Schweizer-Reneke Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Sapa
Amcu boss shrugs off hero tag
Rustenburg – To his supporters and followers Joseph Mathunjwa, the president of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) is a hero, but he regards himself as a failure.

“I am not a hero. I am a failure. I failed to save the lives of 34 mineworkers. I failed to convince them to leave the koppie,” Mathunjwa told about 12 000 people at Nkaneng informal settlement in Wonderkop , Marikana.
They had gathered to mark the deaths of 34 mineworkers killed in a clash with police during a strike on August 16, 2012.
Association of mineworkers and construction union (AMCU) president Joseph Mathunjwa. Picture: Tiro Ramatlhatse.
The surprised crowd had earlier praised him, calling him “hunger buster” and the “appointed son of God” to deliver them from poverty.
They lauded his ability to have negotiated a wage agreement that increased their salary by R1000.
The agreement was signed in June this year, after a new strike that lasted five months at Lonmin, Impala and Anglo American platinum mining companies near the North West town of Rustenburg.
Mathunjwa commands respect amongst his followers. When he arrives they all want to shake his hand, or take a cellphone picture. When he speaks, they listen attentively.
On Saturday Mathunjwa shared with them what he thinks of himself.
“I regard myself as a failure, not a hero,” he said.
Mathunjwa was once expelled from the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and went on to form his own union, Amcu, which dethroned NUM as the dominant union along the platinum belt.
He told the crowd that August 16 2012 reminded him of how he had failed to pursued mineworkers to leave the koppie they had gathered on during a wildcat strike in 2012 where Lonmin mineworkers held out on their demand for an increase to R12,500 per month.
“I knelt as a symbol of respect. I pleaded with them to leave there,” he said, pointing about 500m away at the foot of the koppie.
“But they were defiant. They said they wanted management to come to them with answers to their demands.”
Ten people had already died in the preceding week Ä among them two policemen and two Lonmin security guards.
But not long after he spoke to them, 34 people were shot dead when police opened fire on them.
The Farlam Commission of Inquiry is currently piecing together the events of the days before the August 16, and on the day of the shootings, taking evidence from a range of witnesses from policemen to the Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, who was a non executive director of Lonmin at the time.
Mathunjwa said he could not sleep peacefully when he thought of the families of the dead mineworkers and what the future held for them.
His union donated R2 million to start a trust fund that would help widows and families of slain mineworkers, many of whom have said they are struggling to make ends meet.
He also pledged R12 500 to each widow. “This is the money your husbands and children died fighting for,” he said
Sapa
The Guardian 