“I WANT to sing like my sister MaBrrr. I have no job and I’m poor!”

These are the words of Lindi Fassie (54) who says she has mourned her sister long enough.

Ten years after Afro-pop star Brenda Fassie died, her elder sister says she’s ready to take to the stage again.
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Johannesburg – South Africa wanted public servants who would truly serve the needs of its people, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday.

“We need a public service… that is going to conserve our resources. We need public servants who are not going to steal our money. We need public servants who aren’t corrupt,” Ramaphosa said.

“We need public servants who are going to serve the public… Our Constitution requires that all people in South Africa be served by a professional public administration that works fairly, equitably and without bias.”

He was speaking at the launch of public service month and the Thusong service centre at Maponya Mall in Soweto.

Humble service

Ramaphosa said citizens had a legitimate expectation that services would be provided in a timely manner and close to where they lived.

“Where payment is required, these services should be affordable… We want a public service who are going to be humble.”

Public servants needed to become agents of change, enablers and facilitators.

“They need to collaborate with citizens to resolve complex service delivery challenges,” the deputy president said.

Time to re-invent

“If we hope to address the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality, the public service has to re-invent itself. It needs to find new ways of adding value and effecting change.”

#Services Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived. He is being briefed on services on offer here. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/O4aavV5Hti

— Chriselda Lewis (@Chriseldalewis) August 31, 2014

Leadership within public service was also very important, as it determined the direction and redeployment of sources, and was a repository of knowledge.

“It needs to be visionary, proactive and responsive,” the deputy president said.

“It needs to respond to people’s needs, and be accountable, transparent and development-oriented.”

SAPA

Johannesburg – Cosatu’s general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi says President Jacob Zuma should adhere to the public protector’s recommendations or challenge them in court, the Sunday Times reported.

Vavi told the paper that Thuli Madonsela’s recommendations “reigned supreme” and that her office was a critical foundation of democracy.

“We’ve accepted that those recommendations have to be implemented — all of them,” he was quoted as saying.

Vavi said some of the criticism Madonsela had received was “absolutely disgusting to say the least.

“Everybody has had a field day. Some people even made comments about the shape of her nose,” said Vavi.

“The public protector has to be respected.” The Congress of SA Trade Unions was backing Madonsela after she was attacked by the African National Congress following leaks of her official reports to the media. the Sunday Times reported.

In March, Madonsela found that Zuma and his family had unduly benefited from the R246m upgrades made to his private Nkandla home.

She said government had built a visitors centre, cattle kraal and chicken run, a swimming pool, and amphitheatre for Zuma.

She recommended he pay back some of the money that went into the upgrades.

SAPA

Johannesburg – Public Protector Thuli Madonsela says she is deeply concerned about her safety and intends to approach the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) over the matter, reports the Sunday Independent.
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Johannesburg – Lesotho’s Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing told AFP he arrived in South Africa on Sunday for talks in Pretoria after a coup sent the premier fleeing the country.

“It is through the invitation of the South African president,” Metsing said about the meeting, adding he did not have information about the agenda nor who else would attend.

AFP

Johannesburg – The ANC on Saturday called on the Lesotho Defence Force to return to barracks and allow the government to continue its functions.

“The African National Congress has noted with deep concern developments in the Kingdom of Lesotho where it is reported that the military has seized key buildings and installations in the country,” spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said.

“The ANC condemns any attempted seizure of power through unconstitutional means.”

Kodwa said the party was hopeful that the Lesotho Defence Force would return to barracks and allow the work of civil rule and the democratic government to continue unabated.

Coup

Agence France-Presse reported that Lesotho Prime Minister Tom Thabane confirmed on Saturday that the military had seized power in a coup and that he had fled to SA in fear of his life.

“I have been removed from control not by the people but by the armed forces, and that is illegal,” Thabane told the BBC.

“I came into South Africa this morning and I will return as soon as my life is not in danger,” he said.

“I will not go back to Lesotho to get killed.”

Lesotho’s military seized control of police headquarters and the premier’s residence in the capital Maseru in the early hours of Saturday, but later withdrew, a government minister told AFP.

“The armed forces, the special forces of Lesotho, have taken the headquarters of the police,” said sports minister and leader of the Basotho National Party, Thesele Maseribane.

“The (military) commander said he was looking for me, the prime minister and the deputy prime minister to take us to the king. In our country, that means a coup,” he said.

Denial

Lesotho’s military however denied it had seized power, a spokesperson told an SA television station. Instead, the army’s operation was aimed only at disarming police which were preparing to provide arms to certain political parties in Lesotho, military spokesman Major Ntele Ntoi told the ANN7 news channel.

The SA government said it was not immediately sending troops to Lesotho. The department of international relations (Dirco) diplomacy should be given a chance and the situation should be resolved through peaceful means.

Kodwa called on leader of the African Union and Southern African Development Community to assist the country.

“The ANC calls upon the African Union and the Southern African Development Community to monitor the unfolding developments in Lesotho and continue to work with the people of that country to maintain law, order and democracy,” he said.

SAPA