Johannesburg – Shootings and bomb blasts in Bedfordview targeting Radovan Krejcir have turned the area into the “Wild West” a resident says where a man warned that ‘blood will flow”.

The blast at Krejcir’s Money Point shop on Tuesday night killed two people, both associates of the controversial businessman, and critically injured three others.

The Life Bedfordview Gardens Hospital was in lockdown on Tuesday night, the Times reported, leaving concerned friends and family of the injured waiting outside.

A heavily armed man who was standing with grieving relatives was overheard telling family members that “blood will flow. I tell you, now blood will flow”.

A crime intelligence officer told the newspaper that the blast was just the build up and that “a storm is coming”.

In July, Krejcir escaped unharmed from an apparent bid to kill him outside his office.

“It is alleged that he [Krejcir] arrived at the premises and parked his vehicle,” police spokesperson Lungelo Dlamini said at the time.

“As he was leaving the parking spot, an explosive device was detonated from the back of a vehicle, a VW Polo, parked opposite his vehicle.”

Eyewitness News said that it is thought that Krejcir is still in hiding following Tuesday night’s incident.

Krejcir is wanted in the Czech Republic where he was sentenced in absentia to six-and-a-half years for tax fraud. He was also charged with conspiracy to murder, counterfeiting, extortion, and abduction.

– News24

Johannesburg – North West traditional leadership and claims commissioner Joe Mafereka has died, Premier Thandi Modise’s office said on Wednesday.

“Commissioner Mafereka died in hospital the past weekend after a short period of illness,” Modise’s spokesperson Lesiba Kgwele said in a statement.

“Mafereka leaves behind a legacy of selflessness and dedication. His untimely death has robbed the country of a humble but assertive leader who performed his duty with utmost integrity and without fear or favour.”

Kgwele said a backlog of traditional disputes and claims had been cleared under Mafereka’s leadership.

“Commissioner Mafereka has left an indelible mark and will forever be remembered as a fearless warrior, a loyal servant of our people, a skilled negotiator, a unifier, and peacemaker.”

– SAPA

Johannesburg – Police were unsure on Wednesday of the motive behind the explosion at Czech businessman Radovan Krejcir’s business premises which claimed the lives of two of his associates.

“At this stage the motive is unknown, but investigators have taken statements from a few people,” Brigadier Neville Malila told reporters on the scene.

Krejcir was not considered a suspect at this point.

“Investigators took a statement from him last night [Tuesday] and at this stage he is not a suspect. They will be able to get hold of him if it is needed,” said Malila.

The device went off late on Tuesday afternoon at Krejcir’s Money Point gold and diamond exchange office, next to the Eastgate shopping centre in Bedfordview, on the East Rand.

Five people were injured. Three were still in hospital, with one believed to be in a critical condition.

Police helicopters landed at the scene on Wednesday morning.

A forensic expert said the building’s roof had collapsed because of the magnitude of the blast.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said police were still trying to establish what kind of explosive was used.

Malila said police could not reveal the names of the deceased as they had not yet been identified.

The type of device used was not known, as crime scene experts were still combing the scene.

Malila said the evidence would be taken to a laboratory for analysis.

He said the matter was being investigated by detectives from the Hawks and the national and provincial police.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – South Africa avoided civil war and has made progress in achieving peace since the demise of apartheid, says suspended Congress of SA Trade Unions general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.

“We have made many strides that are worth celebrating since 1994. The biggest of them all is that South Africa avoided a civil war and has made tremendous progress in achieving peace and friendship with our neighbours and the world.”

Vavi was speaking in his personal capacity to members of the Rand Club, in Johannesburg, on Tuesday.

He said the political violence that ravaged and displaced hundreds of thousands of people was no longer a feature of society.

“I do acknowledge that there has been a lingering political violence with a number of persons killed in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North West, Eastern Cape, and at least one in the Free State, but the scale is nothing compared to the thousands murdered in the internecine violence of the 1980s and 1990s.”

Vavi said South Africa’s democracy was stable and election results enjoyed legitimacy.

“At the socio-economic level the country has massively improved access to electricity, sanitation services, housing and other social needs. Despite problems with the quality of services, we have to acknowledge that the scale of access to education is a far cry from pre-1994 levels.”

He said the state was directly responsible for ensuring, through the social grants system, that over 15 million people were not living in abject poverty.

“In all of these areas progress has been achieved. Today we can say without any fear of contradiction that the South Africa of today is not comparable to our ugly past and is a better place to live in, notwithstanding its remaining challenges.”

– SAPA

Johannesburg – The teenager allegedly raped by Kwaito star Brickz is terrified of him, the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court heard on Wednesday.

“When I interviewed the victim she was visibly traumatised,” investigating officer Warrant Officer Joel Ngobeni testified.

“She became terrified every time I mentioned Brickz’s name.”
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Johannesburg – The driver of a tipper truck alleged to have caused the bus accident on the Moloto road did not run away, Mpumalanga police said on Wednesday.

“We found him at the scene and obtained a statement. We know where he stays,” said Colonel Leonard Hlathi.

“We are verifying his driver’s licence and his professional driving permit.”

Twenty-nine people died and 30 were injured when a bus and a truck collided near Kwaggafontein on Monday night.

The Mpumalanga public safety department said the accident occurred when an articulated truck drove into the back of a tipper truck before colliding with a bus and another vehicle, both coming from Pretoria.

The truck, carrying beetroot, crashed into the tipper while it was stationary, waiting for oncoming traffic to pass before turning right.

Accident to be probed

The truck then veered in front of an oncoming bus and collided with it head-on.

Department spokesperson Joseph Mabuza said a committee had been established to provide help to the bereaved families.

“It is believed that most of those who perished in the accident were from Matshiding village, near Siyabuswa, in Dr JS Moroka municipality.”

The SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) was saddened by the accident.

“Once again accidental, untimely death has claimed from among the working class mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and, most importantly, selfless, dedicated breadwinners… who traversed the nights of treachery and miseries of exploitation in a quest to sustain life for their loved ones,” spokesperson Vincent Masoga said.

Bus company Putco confirmed the bus involved belonged to it.

Transport Minister Dipuo Peters said a team would investigate the accident.

“The team’s brief is not limited to determining what caused the crash, but also includes coming up with proposed interventions to ensure the prevention of a further recurrence,” Peters said.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – A cashier died and two were injured when a wall collapsed on them in Maitland, Cape Town, on Wednesday, Western Cape Police said.

The wall collapsed at a construction site, injuring the cashiers, who were working at a neighbouring business premises, said police spokesperson Frederick van Wyk.

“One of the cashiers died at the scene and the other two cashiers were taken to nearby hospitals for medical treatment,” Van Wyk said.

Police were investigating.

– SAPA

Bloemfontein – One of the accused in a right-wing coup plot case has agreed to a plea bargain, the Free State High Court in Bloemfontein heard on Wednesday.

During the appearance of Mark Trollip, 48, and Johan Hendrik Prinsloo, 49, prosecutor Torie Pretorius read the details of a plea and sentencing agreement between the State and Trollip.

He and Prinsloo face charges of high treason and conspiracy to commit terrorist acts for their involvement in plans to bomb the ANC’s national conference in Mangaung last December.

In terms of the plea and sentence agreement, Trollip would plead guilty on the conspiracy charge and the State would withdraw the high treason charge.

Pretorius said one of the reasons taken into account with the plea agreement was that no lives were lost and no damage was done. The accused also could not obtain any weapons for the execution of their plans.

According to the charge sheet, Trollip and Prinsloo planned to acquire weaponry such as AK-47, R1 and R4 rifles to execute the coup.

Pretorius said Trollip, who was the self-proclaimed leader of the organisation Wit Brandwag, expressed remorse and was willing to co-operate with the police after his arrest.

Some of the plans were unrealistic, but the State felt that if the accused were successful, many lives would have been lost and caused racial tension.

Under the plea agreement, Trollip would serve a prison sentence of eight years.

Trollip is represented by Kenny Pretorius.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – A bail application by Kwaito star Brickz was postponed by the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

Magistrate Piet Kotzé indicated that he needed more evidence before he could make a ruling.

“Section three of the Criminal Procedure Act states that the court can order that more evidence be brought before it if it cannot reach a decision due to lack of information or evidence it has,” Kotze said.

The State and the defence had presented conflicting affidavits to the court, said Kotzé.

Brickz, whose real name is Sipho Charles Ndlovu, has been in custody since 1 November for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl in March.

In an affidavit submitted as part of his bail application, Ndlovu denied raping the girl and indicated he intended pleading not guilty.

Kotzé ordered that a certified copy of an admission of guilt fine that Ndlovu paid in 2007 after he was arrested for drug possession be brought to court.

Investigating officer Warrant Officer Joel Ngobeni testified that Ndlovu was violent, and that police were called when he fought with his wife.

Kotzé requested that the police officers said to have been called to Ndlovu’s house on numerous occasions because of his alleged violent nature be called to testify to this effect.

Isaac Mokgopi, for Ndlovu, pleaded with Kotzé to proceed and not postpone the hearing.

No one was certain that the police officers would be traced within a reasonable time, he said.

“I respect the court’s view in this matter. However, I do not think that the officers would make a difference… looking for them and the preparations for court will take time.”

Kotzé would not budge and postponed the matter to 15 November.

Ndlovu shook hands with his supporters who had filled the public gallery.

He appeared sad as he was led by the court orderly towards the holding cells.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – The state made several attempts to halt Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s probe into Nkandla, according to court papers.

In papers opposing an urgent application to prevent her from releasing the provisional report, Madonsela she met the ministers of state security, police and public works on 22 April to discuss the report.

“Resistance to the investigation was very strong at this stage and there were separate attempts by the minister of police, and thereafter collectively by the ministers of police, public works, and state security… to stop the investigation,” Madonsela said in an affidavit filed in the North Gauteng High Court on Tuesday afternoon.

‘Frustrated, obstructed’

Madonsela said it was “mooted” that her probe into the R206m upgrade at President Jacob Zuma’s private homestead of Nkandla, in KwaZulu-Natal, be suspended pending the outcome of an investigation by the Auditor General.

“As recorded, the Auditor General advised my office that he had declined the request by public works at the onset.”

She said the public works minister told her on 31 May he had persuaded the AG to conduct an investigation.

“This has not, to my knowledge, materialised, nor has the SIU [Special Investigating Unit] yet been authorised to conduct any investigation,” Madonsela said.

“Evidently, it was contemplated that such investigations, had they been initiated, would have reported to the president regarding the contended irregularities at his own private dwelling.”

Madonsela said her investigating team was “frustrated and in many instances obstructed” while it was conducting the probe.

“Many of these frustrations are detailed in the executive summary to the provisional report,” she said.

“These include only being given sight of certain documents for short periods and in the presence of government officials, and key members of the investigation team being excluded from important meetings.”

Interdict

The state security ministerial cluster sought to interdict Madonsela from releasing her provisional report to affected, implicated, and interested parties for comment.

Madonsela’s provisional report was given to the cluster on 1 November.

This followed a special request that it have access to the report ahead of all other parties to establish if its contents would compromise Zuma’s security. The return date for comment was 6 November.

The cluster filed an urgent application on Friday to prevent Madonsela from releasing the report. The North Gauteng High Court postponed the matter to the end of this week.

Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said in a founding affidavit that Zuma’s safety would be compromised if Madonsela released the provisional report without state comment.

Report contains no threats to state security

However, she said the provisional report contained no threats to state security.

“Information and/or annexures which, in my view, could constitute a breach of security were specifically excluded,” Madonsela said.

Madonsela said she attached a draft report to a confidential affidavit.

“I consider it critical… to point out that I am constrained by the circumstances to place the report before the court,” she said.

Madonsela said the version of the report that was filed would provisionally only serve before the court.

“It is… obviously essential that this court itself be able to adjudge whether any proper basis for the applicants’ concerns exist in terms of the content of the provisional report to be disclosed to interested parties.”

She said the decision to determine whether the report dealt appropriately with potential security sensitive information was hers.

“The Constitution is clear: no person or organ of state may dictate to, or interfere with, the functioning of my office,” she said.

“My decision to place the provisional report before the court must be viewed in this light.”

– SAPA