The Economic Freedom Fighters has started running out of stock of its signature red berets, according to a report.

Berets were even being snatched off members’ heads as support for Julius Malema’s party swelled, City Press newspaper reported on Sunday.

It reported that EFF members could be seen wearing the red berets on street corners, public places, hangout spots and even at funerals, where they were recruiting new members.

One of its leaders, Andile Mngxitama was quoted as saying: “We are replacing money with people. Wherever we go, there is excitement that is generated.

“If you wear a red beret, you get stopped every other second. It doesn’t happen if you wear an ANC or Agang T-shirt.” 

He told the newspaper that demand for the red berets “generally exceeds supply”.

Northern Cape co-ordinator Mbuyiselo April complained that the province’s stock had run out.

North West provincial convenor Alfred Mutsi said berets were being stolen from people’s heads.

“When we can’t give people berets, they just grab them off our heads and run away,” he was quoted as saying.

http://www.timelive.co.za

AS KWAITO star Brickz spent another weekend in prison, one of his ex-girlfriends was left heartbroken. Brickz, real name Sipho Ndlovu, appeared at the Roodepoort magistrate’s court on Friday to continue his bail application.

His case was postponed to tomorrow. But in the packed gallery was a heavily pregnant ex-girlfriend, Lindi Nkosi. Lindi and Brickz share a six-year-old child. She said she is saddened by the allegations of rape against him. “That’s not like him. He can’t do that, he’s a good and caring guy,” Lindi said. She said she will stand by him even though they are no longer together.

“He’s the father of my child. He fully supports my child and I’m here to support him,” she said. Asked if he was the father of her unborn child, Lindi said it was her husband’s child. “I have moved on in life and my husband understands and accepts that Brickz is the father of my child. He has no problem with me supporting him,” she said. Lindi said she has been attending the case since the day he started appearing in court. When he was led down to the holding cells, she went to hug him. The two stayed together in Protea, Soweto, shortly after Brickz’s relationship ended with TV star Lebo “Elle” Tisane.

Brickz’s lawyer Isaac Mokgopi argued that he should be released on bail. “My client is not a flight risk. The mere fact that he knows the victim is not sufficient enough to deny him bail,” said Mokgopi. He said Brickz was willing to surrender his passport to court. The State prosecutor argued against bail, saying he’s a threat to the victim and witnesses.

For more http://www.dailysun.mobi

A MEMBER of Kalawa Jazmee’s pantsula outfit, Les Maada (41), is no more.

The member of the popular kwaito group Alaska died on Friday morning at his parents’ home in Vosloorus, east of Jozi. One of his band members, Picat, told Sunday Sun that Les Maada died of complications due to flu.

He said: “He had a flu bug that used to trouble him. He was getting better and that flu started again.

“Sadly he passed on.” Picat added: “I lost my soldier and I’m sad.

“I used to share ideas of Alaska with him. “Les was a hard worker. A part of me is gone.” Another band member, Crazy Thibos, said:“I’m lost for words as this came as a shock. “He was jolly and we’re going to miss him.” 

http://www.dailysun.mobi

Johannesburg – Public protector Thuli Madonsela says it was a mistake handing over the provisional report on Nkandla to the security cluster ministers and that her gesture “in good faith” had been abused.

According to the Sunday Times, Madonsela said she would be guided only by the constitution and her conscience and that she was prepared to go to jail if needs be. She said the original agreement had been that the security cluster ministers would send a team to go through security issues. At no time would this team see the whole report.

She said she now realised the report should never have gone to the ministers.

It emerged last week that Madonsela implicated President Jacob Zuma directly in her report on the state’s spending of R206m at Zuma’s private Nkandla estate. Zuma had to date denied that the state had paid for the new homes on his estate. In an affidavit filed in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday afternoon, Madonsela for the first time said Zuma privately appointed the architect of the whole project.

This means that Minenhle Makhanya Architects from Durban, who earned more than R18m from the Nkandla project, were not appointed after a tender process conducted by the department of public works, but by Zuma himself.

For more http://www.news24.com

Johannesburg – Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza has urged government to respect the families of those who died in the Moloto Road accident, during funeral preparations.

“My humble appeal to all of you including government is to respect the families and understand the pain they are experiencing,” he said.

Mabuza was speaking on Friday at a memorial service for the 30 people who died in an accident on Moloto Road, near Kwaggafontein in Mpumalanga, on Monday night.

A truck drove into the back of a tipper truck, before colliding with a Putco bus and a bakkie.

Twenty-nine people died on the scene.

One of the eight critically injured died later in hospital. Twenty-two people were injured.

Mabuza assured about 2 000 people at the service that government was in the late stages of discussions about Moloto Road.

“Working together we can do more to fight road carnage and push forward the message of road safety.”

The memorial service was attended by Mpumalanga MECs, local leaders, traditional leaders and the community.

A mass funeral would be held at the Matshiding Sports Ground on Sunday morning.

SAPA

Johannesburg – One person died and three others were injured when two cars collided along the R81 near Polokwane, Limpopo, on Saturday, paramedics said.

The injured were stabilised on the scene then taken to nearby hospitals, Netcare 911 spokesperson Chris Botha said.

It was not immediately clear whether the victims were men or women.

SAPA

Johannesburg – The department of home affairs is investigating a case of mistaken death after a man was told he died last year, the Cadet News Agency reported in the Saturday Star.

The office of the deputy director general of home affairs Vusi Mkhize said a key part of the investigation was finding the person who registered the death.

“In South Africa, it is the responsibility of the next of kin or funeral undertaker to ensure that a death is registered with the regional department of home affairs,” the office was quoted as saying.

Pitso Molatuli, 28, applied for a bank loan two months ago, and after the bank ran his identity number, it discovered that he was registered as dead.

When Molatuli went to the Kempton Park home affairs department they confirmed that on their records he died on 16 November, last year, in the North West.

Molatuli was reportedly told to fill in forms and apply for a new birth certificate, but he refused.

He opened a case against the department but said he has not gone to court yet because of the investigation.

SAPA

Durban – A six-year-old boy drowned at sea in La Mercy on the Natal north coast, paramedics said on Saturday.

The boy was swimming with his friends on Saturday afternoon when he disappeared into the water. “Paramedics found a distraught crowd at the water’s edge explaining where the child was last seen. 

Divers went in and managed to find the body of the boy, he was declared dead on scene,” said Netcare 911 spokesperson Chris Botha.

SAPA

Cape Town – A woman died and another was missing as floods ravaged across the Western Cape, police said on Saturday.

Colonel Thembinkosi Kinana said the two women tried to cross a bridge when their car was swept away in Jonkershoek, Stellenbosch on Friday.

“The ladies were on their way to church when the heavy waters swayed their car into the river.”

He said the deceased was found on Saturday.

“Divers have temporarily stopped searching for the other woman due to the heavy rain, but they will continue as soon as the water subsides,” Kinana said.

Earlier, provincial disaster management spokesperson Charlotte Powell, said 70 residents from Kays Caravan Park were placed at the Garden Village hall and 129 patients were evacuated at the Vergelegen Mediclinic in Somerset West on Friday night due to flooding.

The patients were taken to neighbouring hospitals.

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said rescue equipment has been brought in to assist.

Photos on social media site Twitter showed nurses pushing stretchers down a hospital corridor filled with water.

NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said most patients and staff had been evacuated.

The SA Weather Service said more rain was expected in parts of the Western Cape.

Areas that are at risk are the South coastal areas, George, Riversdale, Hermanus and Oudtshoorn.

The rain is expected to continue into Sunday.

Provincial disaster management spokesperson Charlotte Powell said systems were in place to ensure people were protected from floods.

SAPA

By Obakeng Maje

Johannesburg-Bafana Bafana defender Thabo Matlaba suffered a concussion after being unintentionally struck in a face by Swaziland international Wonder Ndleko.

The injury left Bafana coach with no choice, but to call for a cover in that position as Kaizer Chiefs left-back Tshepo Masilela carries a knock too.

Matlaba was ruled out and Bafana coach Gordon Igesund called Mamelodi Sundowns left-back Tebogo Langerman, report http://www.kickoff.com.

Bafana won by 3-0 against Swaziland after Letsholenyane, Zungu and Nthete scored respectively.

Bafana Bafana will face World champions Spain next week in a friendly.-TDN

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