Johannesburg – Steve Hofmeyr went to court to protect his dignity, but his bid to be protected against a puppet’s “obsessional tweeting” against him fell flat on Thursday.

Outside the court, his visibly annoyed supporter and Afrikaner rights activist, Dan Roodt, took out his frustrations on Chester Missing, slapping him around.
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Cape Town – The Economic Freedom Fighters peacefully filed out of Parliament on Thursday after the National Assembly adopted a report calling for their suspension, vowing to contest it in the high court.

“Tomorrow we are taking this to court. The papers are read, we are getting an urgent interdict to stop this,” EFF leader Julius Malema told singing and dancing supporters on the steps of Parliament’s Marks Building.

Minutes earlier, the ANC majority had secured a vote of 210 in favour of the report sanctioning his party for heckling President Jacob Zuma to repay money spent on his Nkandla home, with 111 against and three abstentions.

 The approval of the report will leave half of the 20 EFF MPs out of pocket in December, as their salaries will be docked for that month.

The other 10 will be suspended for 30 days.

Undeterred, Malema said the EFF would pursue the issue and insist the president implement Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s order that he reimburse the state for luxuries added to his home.

“We are going to demand that Zuma pay back the money whether they suspend us or not. The only crime we committed was to ask for the money of the people that was stolen by Jacob Zuma.”

Earlier, after a fraught debate and filibuster by the EFF, Malema asked Deputy Speaker Lechesa Tsenoli whether the adoption of the report by the powers and privileges committee meant that the suspension had taken effect.

There was no clear answer.

“If the suspension kicks in now, we will be back for the State of the Nation” address in February, EFF MP Andile Mngxitama said. “For them, that does not make sense.”

Malema told supporters the EFF fully intended disrupting the formal opening of Parliament unless Zuma heeded opposition parties’ calls to answer questions on the Nkandla controversy in the legislature.

This is now a technical impossibility, as Thursday’s special sitting was the last for the year.

“If Jacob Zuma does not come to answer questions between now and the State of the Nation, then he must know he is not going to give that State of the Nation,” he threatened.

In the debate on the report, Malema had called Zuma a criminal.

This time the slur went without objection as Tsenoli and ANC MPs clearly sought to have the sitting – watched over by a sizeable police presence – run its course without a repeat of the violence that ensued a fortnight ago when riot police removed an EFF MP who called Zuma a thief and refused to withdraw the remark.

The EFF objected vehemently to the speech by ANC MP Lemias Mashile, who chaired the committee that found them guilty of contempt charges, after he said all members had agreed not to call Speaker Baleka Mbete and other MPs as witnesses.

Malema said Mashile was lying when he said the committee agreed not to “call Baleka” and other witnesses.

When Tsenoli urged him to respect the rules by prefacing any direct reference to Mbete and Mashile as “honourable” as customary, he snapped: “There is nothing honourable about Mashile.”

At one point, as several EFF MPs clamoured to make interjections, Tsenoli resorted to having their microphones switched off, drawing even more protest.

“Cutting off microphones is not one of the things you should do,” EFF Chief Whip Floyd Shivambu snapped.

After the debate, Shivambu embarked on a filibuster masked as an attempt to move an amendment to the committee’s report, clearly having done his homework to find loopholes in parliamentary rules.

He brandished a speech Malema made at the start of the committee’s work in September, as well as Madonsela’s 400-page report on Nkandla, warning that he would quote at length from both to motivate his amendment.

Countless objections from the ANC and counter-objections from the EFF later, Shivambu dared Tsenoli to say openly that he was preventing him from continuing.

The deputy speaker did so, after several senior ANC members, including Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor, urged him to be firm with the EFF and end the filibuster.

“You have been given ample opportunity… so we are taking it that you are not moving an amendment,” he said.

The report adopted by the house recommends that Malema, Godrick Gardee, Shivambu, Mpho Ramakatsa, Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala and Mbuyiseni Ndlozi be suspended without pay for 30 days.

Fellow EFF MPs Elsabe Louw, Ngwanamakwetle Mashabela, Nthako Matiase, Hlengiwe Maxon, Magdalene Moonsamy, and Andile Mngxitama, are to be suspended for a fortnight and eight more ordered to submit a verbal apology to the House.

Most opposition parties had strongly opposed its adoption, agreeing with the EFF that the process was not fair because the committee was weighted with ANC MPs.

“This little committee’s investigation was little more than a kangaroo court,” the Democratic Alliance’s Mike Waters said.

The sitting ended a term dominated by opposition parties’ demands that Zuma account to Parliament on Nkandla and outrage at the Speaker’s decision to send police into the chamber.

On Thursday morning, Mbete wrote to parties’ chief whips noting that the EFF had threatened “blood on the floor” and reminded them of the provisions of the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislation Act.

That law allows the Speaker, or the person chairing the sitting at the time, the right to call in the police if lives are in danger. – Sapa

North West- The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) wishes to inform all beneficiaries of social grants about early payment dates for the coming festive season.

The December payment cycle has been brought forward to end November.

Payment of social grants will therefore be made from 27 November to 13 December 2014. “Beneficiaries are advised that the next payment cycle will only start during the first week of January 2015” departmental spokesperson Kgomoco Diseko said.

SASSA acknowledges that this is a very busy time of the year and would like to give its beneficiaries enough time to shop and prepare for the festive season, long ahead of the usual Christmas shopping rush.

The Minister of Social Development Bathabile Dlamini together with the Deputy Minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu and management wish all social grant beneficiaries and their families a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.

“As we are now entering the festive season, I urge you all to be extra careful with your SASSA cards and pin codes. Please do not give your SASSA cards and pin codes to anyone including loan sharks. Enjoy this period to the fullest with your loved ones.” said Minister Dlamini.
-TDN
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Klerksdorp – A man appeared in the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday for allegedly killing a physically and mentally disabled man, North West police said.

Seun Lerefolo, 26, was denied bail and would appear in court again on January 6, 2015, said Captain Pelonomi Makau.

Sipho Mhlahlo’s body was found in a field in Jouberton on October 12.

“It is further alleged that the deceased was found with body parts missing, including his right ear and nose,” said Makau.

Two other people alleged to involved in Mhlahlo’s murder were still at large.

Sapa

Mahikeng- A woman accused of burning a two-year-old baby with hot water appeared in the Mmabatho Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, North West police said.

The 39-year-old was granted bail of R500 and would appear in court again on January 23, 2015, said Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone.

The woman, who faces a charge of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, was arrested on Tuesday.

The toddler sustained burn wounds on her buttocks at an early learning centre on Thursday.

However, the incident was only reported on Saturday.

“It is alleged that the child soiled herself and one of the… employees washed her, seemingly with hot water,” said Mokgwabone.

Sapa

Amalia- A 22-year-old man has been shot and killed by police in Amalia, North West, after allegedly attacking officers repeatedly with a knife, police said on Wednesday.

“Police were called to attend to a domestic violence complaint where the suspect (deceased) allegedly fought with his sisters and stabbed one of them on her right hand with a knife,” said Brigadier Thulani Ngubane.

“She sustained injuries and was transferred to the hospital for medical treatment.

When police arrived on the scene at Molatswaneng village, in Amalia around 1pm on Monday, the man was very aggressive, and allegedly charged at the police in an attempt to chase them away.

“One police officer fell and sustained serious hand injuries and was transported to hospital,” he said.

“It is alleged that the suspect continued to harass and charged at everyone he came across with a knife.”

Police warned the man verbally and used pepper spray to calm him down, but neither intervention had any impact in convincing him to corporate with police.

“He further went on to attack bystanders with a knife,” Ngubane said.

“The suspect charged at a police member who fired two warning shots but the suspect did not stop.”

The officer, in defending himself, allegedly fatally shot the man in his chest when he continued approaching the officer with the intention to attack him with a knife.

“The Independent Police Investigative Directorate has been informed of the case and they are investigating the matter,” Ngubane said.

Sapa

Taung – Plans by government to start with the 2015 academic year in Taung Hotel School are well underway.

This was confirmed by the North West MEC for Tourism Desbo Mohono after her visit to the institution on Monday.

MEC Mohono confirmed that the currently under refurbishment Taung Hotel School and Convention Centre will be ready and fully operational for the 2015 academic year. MEC Mohono said that the establishment should not only be seen as a training facility, but it should also serve as a sanctuary of poverty eradication for the people of Taung.

“This institution should be a pedestal for socio-economic transformation in this area. It should bring tangible change in the ordinary lives of the people, especially the locals before it could benefit surrounding areas.

“As government one of our quest is to turn around the tide of poverty and establish this hotel school in a rural town like Taung will definitely make an impact”, said Mohono.

While addressing the current staff of the institution, MEC Mohono encouraged them to take pride in the institution.

She said that they should protect it at all times and ensure that it succeeds in all its endeavors.

“This institution belongs to you. Take care of it and in return it will also take care of you. Once it is fully operational, there will be jobs created for the locals and there will also be local economic stimulation which will greatly benefit the locals”, concluded Mohono.

Academic Manager, Herman Phetlhe said that for the 2015 academic year the school is looking at accepting about 30 students in various courses. “For that year we are going to start off with three courses of which will be offered at a two years National Diploma Level.

“We will be offering National Diploma in Professional Cookery, National Diploma in Food and Beverages and National Diploma in Accommodation Services. We will then gradually increase our academic scope and courses in due time. We will add two or three courses every year until we have a fully blown academy and faculty”, he said.

He added that there will still be major construction and refurbishments taking place at the institution. “Once completed, it is envisioned that this institution will boost a fully fledge academic complex with lecture halls and full academic staff.

There will also be student accommodation completed with recreational parks and sports field”, he said.

The Taung Hotel School and Convention Centre was officially launched in April 2014 after the North West Development Cooperation acquired the former Taung Tusk Hotel from the Peermont Group due to a need for the province to establish a second hotel school.

MEC Mohono was accompanied by the academic manager of the institution, Herman Phetlhe, acting Head of Department, Charles Ndabeni and Head of Hotel Schools Division at the North West Parks and Tourism Board: Joseph Akwa.
-TDN
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MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management in Bokone Bophirima, Gaoage Molapisi intensified road safety awareness for this year’s festive season through the Setsokotsane programme that was led by Premier Supra Mahumapelo in the Ramotshere Moiloa Municipality.

Molapisi interacted with taxi commuters and drivers at Zeerust taxi rank where he distributed pamphlets and led the road safety ambassadorship.

MEC said the awareness is to encourage safe road usage to reduce incidents and fatalities during the season. “We continue to experience high number of accidents and fatalities during this season and this leads to government losing billions of rands that could have been utilized in service delivery hence we are here to initiate a positive change on our roads caused by unbecoming attitude by road users.

We also call upon long distance drivers to take a rest in every two hours or 200km of driving because fatigue is one of the factors contributing immensely to fatalities,” said Molapisi who emphasized that the department will further intensify pedestrian safety awareness.

In their interaction with Molapisi, taxi operators and commuters shared their frustrations with MEC and informed him that they have been operating for more than 10 years without having a well structured taxi rank. The concerned operators said they have since started operating at the area on interim basis but to date they have lost hope from the municipality in building a proper rank.

They showed the MEC their facilities which included the toilets that are not working for ages and that is health hazardous. In his response, Molapisi said his department will engage with the municipality and further urged operators to work on ways of resolving challenges they are faced with through their taxi associations.

“We must work in an integrated manner to resolve these kind of challenges, I believe we share the common goal and it is important to partner in service delivery,” he said.

On the other hand, truck drivers traveling between Zeerust and Mahikeng felt the pinch of law enforcement when traffic authorities at the Zeerust weighbridge joined the Setsokotsane and ensured that all trucks passing through were compliant.

More than 100 trucks were weighed and traffic fines worth R2500 were issued in seven hours. About four trucks were found to beoverloaded and proper steps were taken to ensure that they get on the road with permisible loads.

MEC Molapisi called on truck owners to take the responsibility of ensuring that their trucks are not overloaded and sends a warning to those defaulters.

“Weighbridges are established and built as control measures to monitor truck overloading and we are aware that despite having them in the province, there are those chance takers who continue to carry excess weight but I must warn you that we will definitely catch up with you during this festive season and beyond.

We will not relent until there is no overloading on our roads and truck owners must take responsibility for ensuring that their vehicles are not overloaded from the point of origin up to its final destinations. At has to be a collective responsibility,” he said.

Molapisi said overloaded trucks damages roads and they also contribute to road incidents and fatalities.
-TDN
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Harare – South Africa’s economy is better connected to the rest of the global economy and others on the continent than its peers in the region, according to the Africa Integration Index.

However, sub-Saharan Africa economies remain “substantially unconnected” to the rest of the world, noted experts in the index that was released by Visa on Tuesday.

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