Johannesburg – Kirsty Theologo’s brother on Friday told the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, sitting in Palm Ridge, he wished he could have saved his sister.

“I am not angry with you, I am not angry with God, but I feel angry that I couldn’t help her,” Alex Noble told the two men convicted of his sister’s murder.

“I wake up in cold flashes, thinking it’s a bad dream… I wake from it over and over again,” he said in pre-sentencing proceedings.

He recounted how he went looking for his sister on 21 October 2011, the night she was struck on the head with a rock, doused with petrol and set alight by her friends in a Satanic soul-selling ritual on a hill in Linmeyer, south of Johannesburg.

Several hours later, Theologo, 18, arrived home severely burnt. She died from her injuries in hospital a week later.

Her friend, who was 14 at the time, survived the attack.

Noble stood in the witness stand and said he accepted the apology of his sister’s killers, cousins Robin Harwood and Lindon Wagner.

They were convicted of assault, murder, and attempted murder on Thursday.

Harwood and Wagner’s mothers took the stand and pleaded with the Theologos to forgive them and their sons.

Harwood’s mother Deidre Moses and Vanessa Arendse, Wagner’s mother, said they understood the Theologo’s pain.

“I would like to say to Sylvia [Kirsty Theologo’s mother] that as a mother, I am sorry for the loss of your daughter. Be strong for your children’s sake,” Moses said.

Arendse said: “I can understand what she [Sylvia Theologo] is going through. I hope she can forgive us and our children.”

Sylvia Theologo sobbed and rested her head on her mother’s shoulder as she listened to proceedings.

Earlier, she took the stand and told the court her family had changed.

“My children blame me because I am her mother and I was supposed to protect her.”

She said her son Alex had become disrespectful and aggressive. She would never forgive Wagner and Harwood, adding that if they wanted forgiveness they would get it from God.

“I thought these were good Christian boys.”

She said she had since turned to drugs but was receiving help.

Theologo’s teenage friend, who survived the attack, also took to the stand.

“I forgive you ’cause one day when I get to heaven I will want my Father to forgive me,” she said.

She wore a black T-shirt and had used a black scarf to cover the burn scars on her neck and chest.

“From the top to the bottom of my heart, I forgive you. I miss the moments we had.”

Life changing

Gail Sidwell, for Harwood, told the girl her client intended to get a job one day and send all his earnings to her, probably for her plastic surgery.

“He can send it to the person behind me,” she said, indicating that she was not interested.

She said she would never be able to be intimate with a man because of the burn scars.

Her life had changed and her relationship with her mother had broken down. She was living with a family that she met through a church camp.

Judge Geraldine Borchers on Friday said she was scheduled for an operation and could only continue with the sentencing on 11 February 2014.

Sylvia Theologo burst into tears on hearing this.

“No, I can’t do this anymore… I’m finished, I want it to end,” she cried.

Family members comforted her. Outside court she told reporters she rejoiced on Thursday when the verdict was handed down, thinking it would all be over soon.

Dressed in tracksuit pants and a striped blue, black and white T-shirt Wagner was led back to the cells, cuffed by the feet.

Harwood, who wore a white jersey over a blue shirt, followed behind.

Initially six people had been charged for Theologo’s killing and the attempted murder of her friend.

Harvey Isha was acquitted of all the charges on Thursday.

The only woman in the group, Courtney Daniels, 18, was convicted of common assault for lacing the victims’ drinks with brake fluid prior to the attack. She was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for five years.

Two other men, Lester Moody and Jeremy King, earlier confessed to the killing and were sentenced to 17 years behind bars, five of which were suspended.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – President Jacob Zuma’s safety will be compromised if Public Protector Thuli Madonsela releases a report on his Nkandla homestead without state comment, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said in court papers.

“If the report is released in its current form as intended by the respondent [Madonsela] on [Saturday]… the applicants [the state’s security cluster] will suffer irreparable harm and the security of the state and the safety of the president will be severely compromised,” he said in a founding affidavit.

The urgent application by the security cluster to prevent Madonsela from releasing her provisional report was postponed in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Friday. It would be heard next Friday.

Mthethwa said in the affidavit that Madonsela initially released the report to the security cluster because she was aware it contained “classified, top secret and confidential matters which may impact on the security of the state and president”.

Mthethwa said releasing the report to other affected, implicated and interested parties before the cluster commented was therefore unlawful.

Advocate William Mokhari, for the security cluster, told the court Madonsela was served an application for the interdict on Friday morning.

“We understand that the respondent [Madonsela] needs some time to file opposing papers and we have no objection to that.”

He said the parties came to an agreement.

“The first item [of the agreement] is that the matter be postponed to 15 November 2013,” he said.

“The respondent is to file the answering affidavit by Tuesday… and the applicants shall deliver replying affidavits by 17:00 on Wednesday.”

The parties would file heads of argument by noon on Thursday.

“[There is also]… an undertaking by the respondent [Madonsela] not to release the provisional report pending the finalisation of the application.”

– SAPA

Durban – The ANC’s reaction to three T-shirts designed by pupils of a Durban high school was hysterical, the DA said on Friday.

“The ANC’s response to the T-shirts produced by Westville pupils as part of an art exhibition is excessive, hysterical, and not in line with our Constitution,” DA provincial leader Sizwe Mchunu said.

“These learners have the right to express themselves in whatever way they want to. This right is enshrined in our Constitution as the right to freedom of expression,” he said in a statement.

T-shirts bearing the faces of President Jacob Zuma, former president Nelson Mandela and ANC national executive committee member and former police commissioner Bheki Cele, with derogatory captions, were displayed at the Westville Village Market Mall in Durban on Tuesday.

The provincial ANC on Wednesday expressed shock at the T-shirts made by Westville Boys High pupils.

On Thursday, ANC MPL in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature Siboniso Duma reportedly moved a motion demanding that Education MEC Peggy Nkonyeni launch an investigation.

Duma told the legislature the T-shirts smacked of a “DA tendency of promoting white supremacy by demonising the ANC government”.

He was quoted by The Witness newspaper as saying that the DA was “a cancer to the society whose sole mandate is to destroy our society by promoting white supremacy and neo-liberalism”.

“Public schools must serve our interests not the opposition. An investigation by the MEC must be done,” he said.

Social commentary

The T-shirts were removed as soon as a complaint was received.

According to school principal Trevor Hall they had been produced as part of the visual arts curriculum, part of which focused on social commentary.

One of the T-shirts labelled ANC leaders as “fakers since 1994”.

Hall told The Witness earlier this week that “the three artworks in question were created by free-thinking learners as part of their art portfolio for examination”.

He said the work was not intended to offend and apologised for any offence caused.

Mchunu denied that the DA had anything to do with the T-shirts and said the pupils should be able to express their opinions without fear of retribution.

“The DA does not necessarily endorse the message produced by the pupils at Westville Boys High, and we certainly had nothing to do with producing or encouraging the art as the ANC has suggested,” said Mchunu.

Had the pupils expressed a negative opinion about the DA, the party would not have complained about it.

“The ANC seems to have developed a hyper-sensitivity about being criticised. It is frankly laughable that the ANC feels this threatened by the handiwork of a few teenagers,” he said.

– SAPA

Johannesburg-South African Under-20 Women’s National team (Basetsana) coach Sheryl Botes believes the stage is set for the second leg qualifier and that her players are ready for the challenge against Botswana.

Basetsana face their neighbouring counterparts in the return-leg of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualifier at the Bidvest Wits Stadium on Saturday, 9 November.

Kick-off is at 15h00. 

The hosts go into the second leg clash with a 5-2 lead over Botswana. A win or even a draw for the South Africans will send them into the next round of the World Cup qualifiers to be played next month.

Botes said she was happy with the output at training throughout the week and that the players were positive and confident ahead of this crucial match.

“We worked on different formations and the practice match against the boys yesterday was a good exercise ahead of this match. We are aware that it is not going to be an easy encounter.

“We expect Botswana to be aggressive in attack but we should be able to absorb the pressure. I am happy with what I have seen in training this week and will be in a position to select my starting eleven tonight,” said Botes.

Bloemfontein-based striker Shiwe Nogwana whose second half hat-trick sealed victory for the South Africans in Botswana said she was confident the team would secure qualification to the next round.

“It is not going to be an easy encounter as Botswana has gauged our style of play. We as a team will need to go there and give it all we’ve got if we are to progress to the second round of the qualifiers,” said Nogwana.

The Botswana Women’s National team has arrived in the country and will train at the match venue this afternoon (Friday).

The two African nations that qualify for the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup Canada 2014 will be decided after the third qualification round in January next year.-TDN

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Johannesburg – The state intends seeking a court order to prevent Public Protector Thuli Mandonsela from releasing her report on Nkandla, her office said on Friday.

“The Public Protector, shortly before 09:00 received court papers indicating the state’s intention to interdict and restrain her from releasing her provisional report on the security upgrades at the president’s private home in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal to affected, implicated and interested parties for comments,” her spokesperson Oupa Segalwe said.

He said the state’s application for a court order would be heard in the North Gauteng High Court at 14:00.

“The Public Protector has briefed the lawyers representing her office to request a postponement to allow her to prepare a proper response.”

He said the protector was due to receive comments on the report from organs of state within the security cluster on Friday.

The cluster includes state security, police and defence officials.

This followed a special request made by the organs of state in question to have access to the report ahead of all other parties, to establish if the report would compromise President Jacob Zuma’s security.

“The report was shared with the said parties on November 1, with a return date of Wednesday. The deadline was subsequently extended to Friday, following a request from the organs of state concerned.” 

The protector said it would hold a media briefing on the matter.

SAPA

Johannesburg – A murder accused who skipped bail was almost caught after a Beeld reporter and photographer spotted him at an airport in Mozambique this week, the publication reported on Friday.

Jurgen Vandekeere had been expected to appear in a Delmas court in September in connection with the murder of Chantelle Barnard in 2011, but he left a letter for his parents and disappeared.

Waiting at the airport in Maputo for their flight, Beeld photographer Felix Dlangamandla recognised a man in the waiting area for the flight to Kenya as someone he had photographed before.

After a few calls to colleagues in Johannesburg he and reporter Erika Gibson realised it was Vandekeere. 

Dlangamandla took a photograph secretly and they had to board their plane to Johannesburg.

In Johannesburg Gibson sent a picture she took with her cellphone to prosecutor Phylis Vorster who forwarded it to detectives in Pretoria, who in turn contacted Interpol and Kenyan authorities.

Authorities planned to take him into custody when passengers disembarked. But he was not on the flight.

They think he gave them the slip and caught a connecting flight to Europe.

Vitalis Okumu, Interpol regional head in Nairobi, told Nationmedia in Kenya that their task was complicated by the fact that they did not know which name he was travelling under. 

SAPA

Bloemfontein-The collision happened at around 08:00 am on the corners of Alexander Ave and Harvey Rd near the Bloemfontein CBD, when the vehicle knocked the bike rider and his passenger from the bike and immediately left the scene.

“Fortunately the rider sustained only mild injuries while his passenger, a young woman, were unharmed” Er24 spokesperson Vanessa Jackson said.

He was transported by ER24 ambulance to the Pelonomi Provincial Hospital for further treatment.

Anyone with information that might have witnessed the collision and could possibly describe details of the fleeing vehicle should contact the authorities soonest.-TDN

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The MEC for Finance, Paul Sebegoe, will in accordance with Section 31 (1) of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), Act no 1 of 1999 as amended table an adjustment budget in the provincial legislature. 

An adjustment budget of a province provides amongst others for the appropriation of funds which have become available to the province; and shifting of funds between and within votes. 

Section 31(2) further stipulates that an adjustment budget may contain the following:-

    The appropriation of funds that may have become available to the province;

    Unforeseeable and unavoidable expenditure recommended by the Provincial  

Executive Council of the Province within a framework determined by the Minister;

    Any expenditure in terms of Section 25;

    Money to be appropriated for expenditure already announced by the MEC for Finance  

   during the tabling of the annual budget;

    The shifting of funds between and within votes or to follow the transfer of functions in 

   terms of Section 42;

    The utilization of savings under a main division within a vote for the defrayment of 

   excess expenditure under another division within the same vote in terms of Section 

   43;

    The roll-over of unspent funds from the preceding financial year; and virements 

   approved by the Accounting Officers and Treasury.

The adjustment budget will be tabled on:

By Obakeng Maje

Mahikeng-The North West MEC for Health Dr Magome Masike has come out to say he is very disappointed by two students who decided to quit the Cuban Medical Programme.

One of the students is from the 2012 group while the other is from the group that just departed to Cuba this year in October.

The two students wrote letters to the Department and the University in Cuba indicating their wish to discontinue with the programme.

Both of them cited lack of passion for medicine as a reason for quitting the programme.

“I am obviously disappointed because as a Department we made efforts to put all students through an intensive orientation programme, giving them insight of what it takes and means to become a doctor and what to expect in Cuba. We even asked them to pull out before departing to Cuba if they thought being a doctor is not what they want”, said MEC Masike.

The Department has been in contact with both the learners and parents and notified them of the implications of their actions.

Both learners are still in Cuba as plans to secure return air tickets are being undertaken.

The return ticket amounts to between R17000 and R20000 per student. 

In 2012 alone, the Department took 100 students to Cuba and the numbers increased substantially to 180 in 2013 as the efforts to decrease shortage of doctors in the Province intensify.-TDN

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Johannesburg – President Jacob Zuma on Thursday informed Parliament that he has employed members of the SANDF and SAPS to maintain law and order during the national voter registration process, the Presidency said.

“A total of 75 SA National Defence Force members will be employed in co-operation with the SA Police Service,” spokesperson Mac Maharaj said in a statement.

The employment would be for the period of 9-10 November 2013 and 8-9 February 2014.

The expenditure expected to be incurred for the process was estimated at R1 242 000.

“The employment is in accordance with the provisions of section 201 (2) (a) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa,” Maharaj said.

SAPA