By Obakeng Maje
Taung-Strengthening of senior management performance, elimination of financial irregularities and increased access to departmental services are some of the key areas that the department should focus on in the next five year strategic plan, North West Department of Social Development’s head of department Advocate Matshidiso Mogale said at a three day departmental strategic lekgotla that started in Rustenburg on Wednesday.

“The managers should contribute meaningfully to the strategic leadership of the department. They should devise ways to improve access to departmental services by rural communities such as having mobile early childhood development centres, Mogale said, adding that managers should take upon themselves to restore the culture of work and further implement the code of conduct in the workplace.

Other critical focus areas, Mogale said, include filling of critical posts, compensating employees and strengthening supply chain management process to elimate financial irregularities within the department.

“We are also lookinng forward to conclude our in-patient facilities, children’s home, early childhood development centres, community care centres and old age complex in Taung,” Mogale said.

Various organisations including National Development Agency, the South African Security Agency, representatives from Auditor General’s office and the North West provincial planning commisssion are part of the departmental  planning lekgotla to end of Friday.-TDN
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DA: ANC is splurging excessively on cars in North West province.


By Obakeng Maje
North West- In the last few weeks, Premier Thandi Modise has been exposed for spending millions on multiple luxury vehicles.

The DA in Madibeng has now learnt that the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality Speaker, which includes Madibeng, has purchased two cars within nine months.

“We will submit this to the public protector as well” DA Tiaan Kotze said.

DA said Speaker Gugulethu Mtshali bought a Mercedes Benz ML 350 for R800 000 in February last year. Nine months later, with only 35 000 kilometres on the car, she traded in the car for a Jeep Cherokee at an additional cost of R201 000.

The Mercedes was still under guarantee and covered by a maintenance plan.

“This is a complete waste of money. It is a classic example of how the Zuma ANC spend money to benefit a small connected network of people, yet don’t deliver to the people” Kotze said.

In Madibeng, people had to die before they got access to running water, yet the Speaker of the District Municipality spent R1 million on two different luxury cars within 9 months, says DA.

“It is a disgusting waste of money and a slap in the face of the people of Madibeng and the rest of the District” concludes DA.-TDN
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Malema case postponed


Johannesburg – EFF leader Julius Malema appeared in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday for alleged reckless or negligent driving and speeding.

The case was postponed until 28 February 2014.

The case was postponed in December for the director of public prosecutions to instruct the State on further action on the case.

Malema was arrested in December for driving 215km/h in a 120km/h zone on the N1 in the Vaal.

He was released on bail of R5 000, Gauteng traffic spokesperson Busaphi Nxumalo said at the time.

Malema and the Economic Freedom Fighters apologised in a statement issued after the arrest.

“The [Commander in Chief], who was on a tight schedule, was on his way from Bloemfontein to attend to an urgent programme in Alexandra.”

Afrikaans singer Steve Hofmeyr was arrested on the same night for speeding in Bronkhorstspruit.

After his arrest, Hofmeyer tweeted in Afrikaans: “Hier is plek vir net een tronkvoel n hierdie tronksel, Julius. Skuif op vetgat” (There is only room for one jailbird in this cell, Julius. Move over fatso).

In November, Malema went to court to try and persuade the State to withdraw criminal charges against him, but lost.

His trial on charges of fraud, corruption, money-laundering, and racketeering is due to start at the end of September.-TDN
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SAPA

Maphoitsile alleged rapist back in court


By Obakeng Maje

Taung-Maphoitsile alleged rapist back in court on Wednesday.

A case of Boitumelo Bankutlwang was postponed by Taung Magistrate Court on Monday for further investigation.

Maphoitsile residents packed the court to show support to Segomotsi Gaojelwe,78 who was allegedly raped by Boitumelo Bankutlwang,32.

Gaojelwe was gathering some firewood in the nearby veld at around 2pm when the suspect accosted at her. Bankutlwang allegedly produced a knife and raped her.

 

Gaojelwe informed her son about the ordeal and a manhunt was launched where the community found Bankutlwang drinking at a local shebeen.

 

A 32 year-old suspect was arrested and appeared before court where his case was postponed. Bankutlwang will remain in custody until his next appearance.

 

The court postponed the case on Monday to give Bankutlwang more time to find a lawyer and police investigations continue.-TDN

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Khune: I made a mistake


Pretoria – Nissan South Africa says its sponsorship of a Nissan Juke to Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana captain Itumeleng Khune is not in jeopardy following his arrest for speeding at the weekend.

Khune has since apologised for his actions. The goalkeeper made a brief appearance in the Lyttelton Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

He told journalists outside court that he was extremely sorry for his actions. “I have made a mistake, and I will learn from it,” he said.

But he also had choice words for media photographers, warning them not to take pictures of the BMW X6 in which he arrived, saying that was for security reasons. He threatened to sue if his warning was not heeded.

The soccer star was arrested on Friday night on the N1 South in Centurion at the John Vorster off-ramp for apparently driving at 173km/h in a 120km/h zone.

He was released on R1 500 bail on Saturday morning. The case was on Tuesday postponed to March 6 for further investigation.

Before dashing to his vehicle, Khune read out a statement to the media and posed for photographs with fans.

In his statement, he said that, as Bafana Bafana captain, he appreciated his position as a role model in South Africa, especially to the youth.

“I humbly apologise for this indiscretion. I will ensure that I learn from this mistake and become a better person and role-model,” Khune said.

Nissan SA spokeswoman Veralda Schmidt said the company’s sponsorship agreement with Kaizer Chiefs includes a vehicle sponsorship to the Player of the Year. Khune is the current holder of this title.

“In terms of the contract, the football club is responsible (for settling) all traffic offences, damage repairs etc.

“We are aware of a recent incident involving Mr Khune. However, Nissan South Africa trusts that Kaizer Chiefs management will deal with it in the appropriate manner,” said Schmidt
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Malema back in court for speeding


Johannesburg – EFF leader Julius Malema is expected to appear in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday for alleged reckless or negligent driving and speeding.

The case was postponed in December for the director of public prosecutions to instruct the State on further action on the case.

Malema was arrested in December for driving 215km/h in a 120km/h zone on the N1 in the Vaal.

He was released on bail of R5 000, Gauteng traffic spokesperson Busaphi Nxumalo said at the time.

Malema and the Economic Freedom Fighters apologised in a statement issued after the arrest

“The [Commander in Chief], who was on a tight schedule, was on his way from Bloemfontein to attend to an urgent programme in Alexandra.”

Afrikaans singer Steve Hofmeyr was arrested on the same night for speeding in Bronkhorstspruit.

After his arrest, Hofmeyer tweeted in Afrikaans: “Hier is plek vir net een tronkvoel n hierdie tronksel, Julius. Skuif op vetgat” (There is only room for one jailbird in this cell, Julius. Move over fatso).

In November, Malema went to court to try and persuade the State to withdraw criminal charges against him, but lost.

His trial on charges of fraud, corruption, money-laundering, and racketeering is due to start at the end of September.

SAPA

Two protesters shot dead by police


Johannesburg – Two men were shot dead by police during a protest in Relela outside Tzaneen, Limpopo police said on Wednesday.

The two men, aged between 25 and 40, were killed on Tuesday evening near the police station in the area, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said.

About 1 500 violent protesters armed with petrol bombs and stones attacked the police at the station.

“Fifteen officers were injured, three critically so and 19 police vehicles were damaged.”

Mulaudzi said the intentions of the protesters were clear and the officers did what anyone would have done to protect themselves.

“Anyone who was facing that situation last night would have no option but to do what the members did to protect their lives.”

Nine people were arrested for public violence, said Mulaudzi.

He urged Relela community members to stop abusing their constitutional rights by being brutal to police officers.

The community had been protesting since Thursday after the body of a woman was found in the area.

Mulaudzi said two people were taken in for questioning but later released. Their houses were burned on Saturday by angry community members.

During that protest a 15-year-old boy was shot dead by police, allegedly by police.

“The firearms of officers who attended the protest were taken for a ballistic test to confirm if the boy was indeed killed by police.”
SAPA

Research Group: Ramphele unlikely to lift DA


Johannesburg – The DA was unlikely to grow its media presence because of Agang SA founder Mamphela Ramphele’s decision to join the Democratic Alliance, research company Media Tenor SA said on Wednesday.

“The research suggests that there is little benefit in it for DA at present,” said senior researcher Stephano Radaelli in a statement.

On Tuesday, Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille announced that Agang SA leader Mamphela Ramphele would be the DA’s presidential candidate in the upcoming general elections.

Research by Media Tenor found that Agang SA, started as a “political platform” about a year ago, then launched as a party six months ago, offered little reputational benefit to the DA.

“After Agang SA was officially launched, media attention for the party slowly waned and the party together with its leaders struggled to make the same in-roads that other parties like Cope and EFF [Economic Freedom Fighters] have done immediately subsequent to their launches,” states the research.

Media Tenor said its research was based on an analysis of 199,646 statements on South African political parties and their leaders in 47 newspapers and television news programmes between 1 January 2013 and 15 January 2014.

SAPA

Mantashe: Agang SA was stillborn


Johannesburg – Agang SA had been a “stillborn” party, ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe said on Tuesday, when Agang’s leader Mamphele Ramphele announced she was throwing her lot in with the DA.

“I was listening today of the announcement of a stillborn,” Mantashe said in an address to the Black Business Council in Johannesburg.

During the announcement of the merger of Agang and the Democratic Alliance, former president Nelson Mandela had been used as an example of someone who took decisions, often against the opinions of his colleagues.

“Everybody talked about Mandela. They didn’t talk about their leader, but they talked about [the] ANC… You cannot separate Mandela from the ANC,” Mantashe said.

‘Rent-a-black’

Speaking to EyeWitness News earlier on Tuesday, Mantashe said the Democratic Alliance was renting a leader in Ramphele, whom the opposition party has announced is its candidate for president candidate.

“Two things: It is a report of another stillborn party. It is dead before it was born, called Agang…. Number two, it is rent-a-black, rent-a-leader. We can’t be concerned about that,” he said.

The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) said Ramphele’s acceptance of the DA’s invitation had proved it right about Agang SA’s prospects when the party was formed.

“When Mamphela Ramphele launched her new ‘party political platform’ on 18 February, 2013, the headline of Cosatu’s response was spot on: ‘Cosatu sees no future for Agang’,” spokesperson Patrick Craven said in a statement.

“Just how right we were was proved today, less than a year later.”

Craven said Ramphele had found her true political home, as the DA was the party of big business.

This was exactly what Cosatu expected of a person who was the former managing director of the World Bank and chairperson of Gold Fields.

‘ANC voters won’t be fooled’

“DA leader Helen Zille says that there was ‘no better person’ than Ramphele to lead their election bid, but very few ANC voters will be fooled by this move,” he said.

“The DA’s policies remain just as bankrupt, including lowering entry-level wages for young workers, weakening the laws which protect workers’ rights and attacking the trade union movement.”

The ANC had a far superior track record of struggle, with the country far more likely to begin its economic transformation under a movement forged in the furnace of the liberation, Craven said.

Today’s announcement that Ramphele will front the DA’s presidential campaign during the elections did not come as a surprise to the African People’s Convention.

“For a long while we have been suspecting that Agang was purely established as a vehicle to lure African voters into the DA,” said the APC.
SAPA

By Elections to take place in three provinces


Johannesburg – Sixteen wards will be contested in three provinces during municipal by-elections on Wednesday.

Fifty-two candidates representing nine political parties and five independent candidates would contest the by-elections, the Independent Electoral Commission said.

Fourteen by-elections would be held in the Eastern Cape.

Twelve of them were in the Mbhashe municipality (Dutywa) and became vacant when the councillors’ party membership was terminated. They were all previously represented by the ANC.

Eastern Cape ANC spokesperson Mlibo Qoboshiyane said the councillors were removed after they decided to remove the mayor without the party’s “blessing” and without following the proper procedure.

A by-election would also be held in the Buffalo City Metropolitan municipality and the Elundini municipality (Mount Fletcher).

One by-election each would take place in Veereniging in Gauteng, and Vredendal in the Western Cape.

SAPA