By Obakeng Maje

Carnavon-A 19 year-old man sanctioned to eight years in prison for attempted rape last week by Carnavon Regional Court.

The atrocity took place back in September when a woman was allegedly walking along Town Dam, near Carnavon approached by a suspect.

“The suspect dragged a woman to the nearby bushes and attempt to rape her. She was assaulted in the process and her husband came to her rescue” lieutenant Adrea Cloete said.

Police said a suspect allegedly overpowered a husband during the squabble.

“The suspect ran for cover and tried to seek help. The suspect dragged a 42 year-old woman deep in the dam where he tried his monstrous act” Cloete said.

Police said community member allegedly heard a woman screaming and went on to investigate.

The community member called other people and hauled stones at the suspect who fled the scene afterwards.

A case of attempted rape was opened at Carnavon Police Station and a man-hunt was launched.

A 19 year-old suspect was arrested later that day and appeared before court for attempted rape.

“On Thursday last week, the suspect,19, was convicted for attempted rape at the Regional Court, Carnarvon. He was sentenced to eight years in imprisonment” Cloete said.

“It was for the first time that Detective Constable Moreetsimang Mogakwe, attached to the FCS unit Carnarvon, investigated such a big case and where he got a good sentence, says police. 

Carnarvon Cluster Commander, Lt Col LD Molomonyane, commended S/Const Mogakwe for his proper and thorough investigation into this matter.-TDN

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Rooi Mahamutsa insists Orlando Pirates are focused on tonight’s Telkom Knockout tie with Golden Arrows, despite the distraction of the Soweto Derby and an upcoming Champions League Final.

Pirates, who visit Kaizer Chiefs in the League on Saturday, will first host Abafana Bes’thende at Orlando Stadium, fresh off their 1-1 draw with Esperance, which set up a continental showdown with Al Ahly next month.

Mahamutsa scored the crucial away goal in Tunisia this past weekend. And while he is delighted with Bucs’ progress in the CAF competition they previously won in 1995, he is wary of the Soweto outfit dropping their guard against Arrows in their quarter-final duel.

“We are determined to win the African Champions League and we are happy to have qualified for the Final. But for now we have a job to do locally – starting with the match against Golden Arrows and then the Derby,” Mahamutsa told his club’s official website.

“What is important for us right now is to maintain our momentum. Winning both matches will give the team the necessary confidence ahead of our first leg against Al Ahly.”

He added: “The morale in the group is good at the moment, we look forward to the match against Arrows. 

“Obviously it won’t be an easy match but I’m confident we will qualify to the semi-finals.”

For more http://www.kickoff.com

Rustenburg-The Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Rejoice Mabudafhasi accompanied by North West Premier Thandi Modise will hand-over a media classroom sponsored by MTN Foundation to Retlakgona Primary School in Meriting outside Rustenburg in the North West Province this afternoon.

During the 2012/13 financial year, Retlakgona Primary School represented by 

Lerato Kobue, Lesego Lekwati, Ofentse Ngwato put the North West Province on the national map when they emerged victorious at the Baswa Le Meetse (BLM) competitions in the Poetry category at the annual South African Youth Water Summit.

Baswa Le Meetse is one of the projects of the 2020 Vision Programme aimed at educating learners about water resource management and promotion of water sector careers to address the scarce skills challenge. Through this programme learners will be able to transfer the knowledge and skills to their families and communities and ultimately efficient use and protection of natural resource will be instilled and also that learners will choose water sector careers.

The state of the art media classroom sponsored by MTN Foundation is equipped with 21 computers, data projector, multifunctional printer, two modems, two data cards and R1000 internet subsidy for twenty four months. Other prizes include a cash prize of R6000, trophy and a certificate. Learners are the best educators and they are able to change the mindset of their families and entire community.

The MEC of Education, Wendy Matsemela; Executive Mayor of Bojanala Platinum District Municipality, Louis Diremelo and the Mayor of Rustenburg Local Municipality, Mpho Khunou will join the Deputy Minister during the handover.

Venue:           Retlakgona Primary School, Meriting, Rustenburg-North West ProvinceDate:              Wednesday, 23 October 2013Time:   13h00 

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Johannesburg- The African National Congress has lambasted who misinterpreted President Jacob Zuma statement when he said “We should not think like Africans in Africa” at the Gauteng ANC Manifesto Forum last night.

Zuma uttered the words and according to ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu, this has been blown out of proportion.

Zuma said “we should not think like Africans in Africa, this is not some national road in Malawi” during his keynote address.

“The African National Congress places it on record that both the organisation and the President hold the people of Malawi and elsewhere on the continent in high regard. The context in which the statement was made must be clarified in order to understand how the President`s comment, which has been mischievously been singled out, arose. In the President`s input on the tolling of roads in Gauteng, the President spoke at length about the unique space that Gauteng occupies in South Africa and Africa. To this end, the President drew parallels between Johannesburg and Polokwane, Rustenburg, Umngungundlovu, Danhauser and many other parts of the country” said ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu.

The ANC said president further called for the residents of Gauteng to appreciate the central role they and their roads play in the country and the continent, linking goods, people and development.

“It was within this context that the President called on residents of this province to not think and act like others in the country and continent who do not have the unique responsibility and critical role Gauteng has as a gateway to Africa and the industrial and economic hub of South Africa. Registering to pay toll fees on the newly built roads becomes part of this burden and honour Gauteng is bestowed with as the economic heartland of our country and continent” he said.

The African National Congress said they welcomes the role played by traditional and social media in national discourse, but it is important therefore that those privileged to form opinion on these networks do so with the intention of promoting fair and balanced reporting.

“A call we believe would not have arisen had the President`s comments were placed in context” Mthembu concludes.-TDN

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

By Obakeng Maje
North West- The Congress of South African Trade Unions in the North West province has noted with appreciation that the Auditor General has recommended that there be investigation into the business dealings of the Amalgamated Logistics and the Department of Health in Mpumalanga.

“As COSATU in the North West we welcome this action but we also feel that it will be very important to the country that the investigation be extended to all the provinces where the company has had a similar business arrangement with the Department of Health” Cosatu North West spokesperson Solly Phetoe said.

In this province Amalgamated had a contract which ran for many years and extensions were given without following the correct procurement processes.

“We feel that there could have been some elements of financial irregularities which must be investigated. When poor workers were dismissed in 2010/2011 it was publicly announced that the company had won the tender procedurally from the former MEC of Health in 2007 and the contract was then extended by the current MEC with his officials while our members were dismissed for fighting for their rights” Phetoe said.

COSATU pleads with the Auditor General to look at the business activities of the company in the NW province in the same way that they have done in Mpumalanga.

“We are also calling the Department of Health in the NW to reinstate all workers who were employed by Amalgamated and dismissed unfairly by the same labour broker that continues to steal from the poor people of the NW for allegedly providing medication to our clinics and hospitals. We are also calling for the Department of Labour to do a full inspection at the exploiter’s company today, not tomorrow, as workers are facing challenges now” Phetoe concludes. –TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

By Obakeng Maje
Johannesburg- The South African Football Players Union send its deepest and heartfelt condolences to the family of former Manning Rangers and Bafana Bafana striker Keryn Jordan.
Jordan passed on yesterday after a long battle with cancer at the age of 37.

Keryn was one of the lethal strikers our country has ever produced. He also played for Moroka Swallows and Supersport United before moving to New Zealand nine years ago.

“Jordan was a member of the Manning Rangers team that won the first Premier Soccer League title in 1997 and is one of the few South Africans to ever play at the Fifa Club World Cup” Safpu said in a statement.
Keryn’s sudden death is not only a loss to his family but to the entire football fraternity, says Safpu.

“As the South African Football Players Union we feel that we have lost the valuable member and comrade of the beautiful game. He was the legend and the Icon of the South African football and a great ambassador for our country” the union said.
Jrodan will be remembered by all the football loving nation of our country and abroad.

“You have been the great Ambassador for our South African Football to the rest of the world. Rest in peace our leader, Comrade Keryn. – TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

The court case involving 270 Marikana miners has been postponed until next year. The miners are charged with public violence and illegal possession of dangerous weapons.

The case was postponed to allow the Marikana Commission to conclude its work.

The accused appeared briefly in groups of 12 at the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrate’s Court, north of Pretoria. They were arrested after the August 16 Marikana police shooting which left 34 mine workers dead.

They were initially accused of killing their 34 colleagues, but those charges were withdrawn last year.

“In relation to, for example the issue of possession of dangerous weapons, the police have also confirmed that no specific weapon could be linked to any of these people,” says the miners’ representative, advocate Dali Mpofu.

Family members of those killed came to give them support while the case was postponed to May 20, 2014. However, an optimistic Mpofu believes the charges will be withdrawn before that time.
For more http://www.sabc.co.za

Experts are concerned about the spike in acts of Satanism. They say the youth are easily drawn into cults due to various social pressures.

The murder of 15-year-old Lee Adams on the Cape Flats last week has sent shock waves across the country.

His decapitated body was found in an abandoned school near his home.

According to Auksano trauma centre director Johan de Beer, more than three cases of satanism and devil worship are reported in the Western Cape alone every week. Auksano counsels people involved in sub-cults, including Satanism and devil worshiping.

De Beer says there is a strong link between occult activities and gangsterism.

The SABC’s Newsroom programme, aired live every weekday at 9am on channel 404, spoke to De Beer on Tuesday.
For more http://www.sabc.co.za

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi on Tuesday called on politicians to lead by example and get circumcised.

“Medical male circumcision services are also available for those who want access to this service and honourable members, those who need to do it and [have] not yet done it, we are inviting them, and I can also help you because I’m involved in that sector also,” Motsoaledi told the National Assembly.

He was speaking after the launch of the HIV, counselling and testing (HCT) campaign in Parliament. The politicians joined over 18 000 South Africans who have been tested since President Jacob Zuma launched the HCT campaign in April 2010.

Motsoaledi had been calling for politicians and other powerful individuals to lead by example by undergoing the tests, hopefully prompting other South Africans to do the same.

“It gives me great pleasure to be here today at this extremely powerful place in the country to launch the HCT campaign for members of Parliament of the Republic of South Africa as well as all who work here,” he said.

It emerged Zuma would re-launch the campaign on World Aids Day on December 1 at the Gert Sibande district in Mpumalanga, the area with the country’s highest HIV/Aids prevalence rate.

At the same time, a medical male circumcision campaign would be announced.

Every South African should test annually

“Medical male circumcision is a critical strategy to decrease the HIV/Aids pandemic as demonstrated by the number of clinical trials in South Africa and other countries on the continent,” Motsoaledi said.

If MPs and other prominent individuals did annual HIV tests and underwent medical male circumcision it would contribute to the reduction of the stigma and discrimination attached to the pandemic.

“Every South African should test annually… regardless of age, regardless of your status or your station in life,” he said.

“Today’s event will contribute significantly towards the scaling up of HCT in the country by showing everyone that there’s strong political leadership in the country that supports the war against HIV and Aids.”
For more http://www.sabc.co.za

The Betty’s Haven orphanage in Nelsville outside Nelspruit is on the brink of closure as it doesn’t have sufficient funds to continue.

The home, a brainchild of Betty Mandlazi, for orphans and vulnerable children has operated for the past 18 years. Madlazi quit her job to care for the children.

She says, “There is a shortage of food. People give me food sometimes, not always. People from America come twice a year to give some money.”

According to Mandlazi, the provincial government is aware of the orphanage’s existence, but it never registered with the Social Development Department.

Mpumalanga Social Development Department spokesperson Ronnie Masilela says, “The reason why we are not funding them now is the fact that they want to remain private and they don’t comply at this stage with the set norms and standards for centres. We have been engaging management for years now, but they want to remain private.”

25-year-old Sharon Macamo, who went to the home at the age of six, says that it was the gift of a new life.

“There was no family whatsoever, and back in the days you couldn’t even run to your neighbour. It was just an informal settlement and everybody is concentrating on their own staff, so we did not get any assistance,” adds Macamo.

The future of the children is dependent on the existence of the home.
For more http://www.sabc.co.za