Johannesburg – Opposition parties have criticised a decision to recommend former Ekurhuleni metro police chief Robert McBride as head of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid).

The Democratic Alliance would “vehemently” oppose the appointment in Parliament, MP Dianne Kohler Barnard said on Tuesday.
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Cape Town – The commission of inquiry into allegations of police inefficiency in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, will hold a preliminary sitting this week, commission spokesperson Amanda Dissel said on Tuesday.

She said the sitting would take place at Lookout Hill, in Khayelitsha, at 10:00 on Wednesday.

“Tomorrow’s hearing is going to focus on procedural aspects,” she said at the Harare Library, where the commission had been taking statements from the community.

“[This is] just to check how far we are. How far the various parties are in terms of preparation, and also the various rules and procedures, and how it’s going to be organised.”

The planned sitting followed a court battle between the commission and Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa to establish the validity of the proceedings.

Mthethwa and several other applicants launched urgent proceedings on 8 November last year, claiming the commission had been unconstitutionally and unlawfully appointed by Western Cape Premier Helen Zille.

The applicants wanted the subpoenas sent by the commission to be set aside, arguing that the commission did not have the powers to issue them.

The matter was dismissed by the Western Cape High Court in January.

Mthethwa and the other applicants went to the Constitutional Court and requested leave to appeal the matter.

The Constitutional Court dismissed their application last month.

The commission had continued to collect statements from community members amid the delays.

Dissel said the second preliminary hearing would take place on 25 November.

The commission was hoping to hold public hearings from 21 January until 21 February.

“If we find that the allegations of inefficiency in the police… are valid then we will have a second phase of inquiries starting in March, which is looking at recommendations of how to deal with the problems.”

– SAPA

Johannesburg – The widow of a Free State dominee, who was murdered by his adopted son last year, forgave the killer on Tuesday.

However, he should bear the consequences of his actions, Dorothea Brits, 59, told the Harrismith Circuit Court.

Police spokesperson Mmako Mophiring said the matter was postponed to Thursday for sentencing.

The dominee’s son, Martin Brits, 28, appeared with Elliot Mhlambi, 41,

Both have pleaded guilty to killing Dutch Reformed Church Reverend Willem Brits, 60, and his son-in-law Gerhard Vermeulen, 25, in Harrismith on 8 November last year.

Mophiring said it was an emotional day in court as both Brit’s wife and Vermeulen’s mother took the stand to testify.

“Mrs [Dorothea] Brits said she forgave Martin, but added he should face the consequences of his actions,” said Mophiring.

The 59-year-old woman was seriously injured in the attack.

Vermeulen’s mother told the court her son was at the wrong place at the wrong time and had no reason to be killed, said Mophiring.

Brits faced two charges of murder, one of attempted murder and one of robbery.

Mhlambi faced additional charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

– SAPA

Mbombela – The driver whose truck collided with a goods train, killing 24 farm workers, has been found guilty of culpable homicide, a Sapa correspondent reported on Tuesday.

George Mandlazi, 33, appeared in the Nelspruit Circuit of the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria where he explained that while he pleaded not guilty to 24 counts of murder and 23 of attempted murder, he pleaded guilty to 24 counts of culpable homicide and one of negligent driving.

“I was driving the truck on 13 July [2012], I didn’t stop at the crossing, I didn’t see the train or try looking.

“When I was already crossing I heard a hoot and the accident happened, which led to the deaths and injuries, for which I’m very sorry,” his lawyer Melanie Erasmus read from her client’s plea statement.

Mandlazi, who sat quietly in court with his mother, wept as Erasmus read out the statement. When asked if he agreed with the statement, he sobbed and said “I agree”.

The State accepted the plea and withdrew the murder and attempted murder charges, leading Judge Nomsa Khumalo to find him guilty on the lesser charges.

“The accused has been found guilty on 24 counts of culpable homicide and the court further finds you guilty of driving negligently on a public road,” Khumalo said.

His R3 000 bail was extended until Wednesday, when the court would hear sentencing arguments.

Mandlazi was arrested on 13 July 2012, after the truck he was driving collided with a goods train going from Emalahleni to Maputo, Mozambique.

The truck was ferrying 47 seasonal farm workers between Malelane and Hectorspruit when the accident happened at a level crossing.

Nineteen people were killed on the scene. Five others died on their way to hospitals.

Another 23 people were injured.

– SAPA

Cape Town – Despite protest from opposition benches, the National Assembly adopted the revised protection of state information bill on Tuesday.

The highly contentious bill will now go back to President Jacob Zuma for assent after 225 MPs voted in favour of the proposed law, and 88 voted against it.

In September, Zuma referred the bill back to the assembly, citing two sections of the bill he deemed unconstitutional.

It was required to correct a cross-reference in section 42 and a punctuation error in section 45 that in effect rendered meaningless a hard-won safeguard on the state’s powers to classify information.

An ad hoc committee then pushed through 30 typographical and grammatical corrections to the bill.

Introducing the revised bill on Tuesday, State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele said Zuma should be congratulated for identifying the technical errors in the bill.

“What caused the problem first of all… technical errors in the bill sent to him, some of them so material they could be challenged by members of public…,” Cwele said.

Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko said opposition parties would continue in their effort “to not back down in the face of this assault” on democracy.

She singled out the definition of national security in the bill, which was too broad, infringing on South Africans’ right to access to information.

“The DA fully supports correcting anomalies… much more needs to be fixed and the honourable president knows this,” Mazibuko said.

She would again petition the president to not sign the bill into law.

“The DA will not give up fighting this bill. We will not stop until it’s brought completely in line with the Constitution.”

Several other opposition parties held similar views and said the bill remained open to a challenge in the Constitutional Court.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – A bomb exploded in Bedfordview near the Eastgate shopping mall late Tuesday afternoon, Ekurhuleni metro police said.

“There was a bomb explosion at the corner of Bradford and Nicol roads in Bedfordview,” said police spokesperson Wilfred Kgasago.

He said metro police had no further information at this stage.

Eyewitness News reported the blast was at a shop owned by businessman Radovan Krejcir, who is currently fighting his extradition to the Czech Republic where he is facing a prison sentence.

Sapa was unable to reach Krecjir on his cellphone.

– SAPA

By Obakeng Maje
Christiana-North West police are investigating a case of inquest after an 8 year-old boy drowned in a quarry today at 15:00 at Gelukspoort Location, near Christiana.

“It is alleged that the boy went swimming with his three friends at a quarry at a known golf course. The police were called and the boy was certified dead at the scene” sergeant Kealeboga Molale said.
Investigation continues.-TDN
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By Obakeng Maje
Klipdrif Farm- A 83 year-old woman allegedly attacked by unknown suspects at Klipdrif farm, near Wolmaransstad on Tuesday, North West police said.
Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said three suspects allegedly attacked a 83 year-old woman and four of her workers at her house in Klipdrift Farm.

“According to the information given, the suspects drove away with the victim and dropped her 200m away from her house and took the bakkie which was later recovered in Ottosdal. She suffered injuries on face and body as she was hit and kicked” Ngubane said.
Police investigation continue.-TDN
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By Obakeng Maje
Doringhoek Farm-North West police are investigating a of house robbery and theft after a 50 year-old farmer was allegedly attacked at Doringhoek farm, near Wolmaransstad on Tuesday.

“A 50 year-old man was attacked in his house. According to information received, four suspects gained entrance through the door; they poisoned the dog then handcuffed and burnt the victim with boiling water on the buttocks” Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said.

Ngubane said the suspects allegedly robbed an owner off his 20 diamonds worth R600 000.00, two revolvers and a Toyota bakkie which was recovered at Rooibult farm abandoned.

Police investigations continue and no one has been arrested yet.-TDN
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By Obakeng Maje
The Democratic Alliance has requested the Public Protector to investigate the way the municipality of Madibeng is handling a report of a task team appointed by the previous Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr Richard Baloyi.

The team was appointed to investigate allegations of inter alia maladministration and corruption in Madibeng.

“The COGTA report was handed almost a year later to the municipality. A revised, tone-downed version of four pages was then tabled, but we are in possession of what we believe is the original version’ DA Chris Hattingh said.

DA said the version in their possession is in line with what the Minister told councillors during a meeting, but what he calls the “Troika” and senior municipal officials deny the existence of this report.
‘We have now asked the Public Protector to investigate the issue” he concludes.-TDN
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