Durban – A 17-year-old girl was shot and killed and another injured in a housing protest in Cato Manor in Durban on Monday, KwaZulu-Natal police said.

Colonel Jay Naicker said residents blocked Bellair Road at around 04:00 and a police vehicle was called to the scene to disperse the crowd.

The vehicle could not get through and used an alternative side road.

Police vehicle attacked

“About 500 people surrounded the vehicle. They started stoning the vehicle and broke all the windows. The suspects then tried to pull the police out of the vehicle,” Naicker said.

“They heard gunshots among the crowd. They fired shots into the crowd and the crowd dispersed… they used lived rounds. They definitely would have been killed by the crowd [otherwise].”

The vehicle left the area.

Police returned to the scene a while later and found a young woman had been shot. She died on the scene.

Mnikelo Ndabankulu, spokesperson for shackdweller movement Abahlali baseMjondolo, said the deceased was identified as Nqobile Nzuzua, 17, from Maphumulo.

Another woman was shot and injured. She was taken to hospital.

“Members of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate were called to the scene. They opened a docket of public violence and one of murder,” Naicker said.

Grievances

Ndabankulu said the protest was centred on the non-delivery of houses to the area.

They submitted their grievances to various ministers and municipalities on 16 June, and allegedly had yet to receive a response.

Ndabankulu said the lack of response had angered their branches and many members had decided that they were not being listened to if they protested peacefully.

He said he had no knowledge of the attack on the police vehicle.

He claimed their secretary, Bandile Mdlalose, was arrested on Monday morning.

Naicker said the crowd dispersed before any arrests could be made.

Ethekwini municipality spokesperson Thabo Mafokeng said he was aware of a meeting that took place with Abahlali baseMjondolo on Friday.

He could not provide further comment at this stage on the housing issue.

SAPA

Six awaiting trial prisoners who escaped from police custody in Secunda were still at large on Monday morning, Mpumalanga police said.

Seven prisoners escaped on Friday through a hole they made by digging out a toilet in their cell, Colonel Leonard Hlathi said.

“Police were told by two prisoners, who did not escape, that the escaped prisoners… used a steel pipe to dig a hole around the toilet.

“They removed the toilet and broke bricks from around the toilet then escaped through the hole.”

Four of the escapees, Eric Mokoena, 27, Freddy Mokoena, 21, Thomas Tsibiso, 27, and Mbongi Maseko, 26, were arrested on Wednesday at a taxi rank in Secunda after allegedly robbing a man at gunpoint.

Lucky Mnisi, 22, was arrested on 25 August, after he allegedly stole a laptop belonging to his father.

Siyanga Zungu, 26, was arrested for allegedly stealing a torch out of a car on 19 September.

A seventh man was arrested for shoplifting a memory stick on 21 September. He was rearrested on Saturday after he was caught shoplifting.

Police were still searching for the others on Monday morning.

Mpumalanga police commissioner Lieutenant General Thulani Ntobela expressed his concern about how the prisoners escaped, Hlathi said.

“He has already instituted an internal investigation to probe this incident.

“… Departmental steps will be taken against the members on duty, if it’s found that they were negligent.”

Hlathi said the escaped prisoners would face an additional charge of escaping from lawful custody.

SAPA

A technical point, about how a complaint of misconduct against Cape Judge President John Hlophe was lodged, is likely to open proceedings at a tribunal starting in Kempton Park on Monday.

Hlophe’s lawyer Barnabus Xulu has said that since the complaint, dating from 2008, was never submitted under oath or in an affidavit, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) did not have the authority to hold the tribunal.

“The tribunal does not have jurisdiction to hear the matter because it lacks the complaint,” Xulu told reporters in Johannesburg this week.

JSC secretary Sello Chiloane confirmed this point was raised at a pre-hearing meeting last weekend and said technical points like these would be argued on the first day of the hearing.

The tribunal would begin at 10am at the Garden Court Hotel at Or Tambo International Airport.

According to the original complaint lodged in 2008, Constitutional Court justices Chris Jafta and Bess Nkabinde alleged Hlophe asked them to rule in favour of President Jacob Zuma in his corruption case involving the multi-billion rand arms deal. The justices regarded this as an improper attempt to influence the case.

Hlophe, affronted that the judges had sent a copy of the complaint to the media before he had had time to respond to it, laid a counter-complaint. A lengthy stop-start parallel process of JSC hearings and court challenges ensued.

The matter was ultimately heard in the Supreme Court of Appeal with rulings in favour of Western Cape premier Helen Zille and lobby group Freedom Under Law.

Last October Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng said he would formally appoint tribunal members.

The Sunday Times reported that Hlophe had hired Jamaican-born lawyer Courtenay Griffiths as part of his defence team, alongside Xulu, and two advocates.

Griffiths, who was involved in the war crimes trial of former Liberian president Charles Taylor, told the newspaper he would love to defend Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe, whom he called “brother Bob”.

The newspaper reported that Hlophe would be the first judicial officer to face a tribunal under the amended law related to judicial services. Hlophe faces impeachment if found guilty.

The hearings are open to the public.

-Sapa

Johannesburg – A man found guilty of raping, assaulting, and causing the death of his 10-month-old baby girl is expected to be sentenced in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

Adriaan Netto and his partner were found guilty of the culpable homicide, rape, and abuse of their baby on 18 September. 

The woman, who may not be named to protect the identities of their other children, cried while Judge Majeke Mabesele delivered his verdict.

A court judgement was supposed to be handed down on 12 September, but Netto went on the run. He was re-arrested in Krugersdorp four days later.

According to a post mortem the toddler had been significantly underweight and had numerous injuries. 

She had fractured ribs, abrasions on her vagina and face, bruising on her abdomen, and a lacerated lung filled with blood. Her liver was injured and her anus had been penetrated repeatedly. 

SAPA

Johannesburg – The national executive committee of NUM appealed to the union structures to end acts of ill-discipline and to respect the internal processes of the Congress of SA Trade Unions, the union said on Sunday.

“The NEC respects the internal processes of the federation. And as a disciplined affiliate of Cosatu it shall follow and implement all the decisions of the federation and will never be selective,” NUM said in a statement.

“The NEC appealed to the union structures to stamp out acts of ill-discipline wherever they emerge in relation to undermining decisions of higher structures.”

The NEC of the National Union of Mineworkers met over the weekend where a range of issues were discussed.

NUM general secretary Frans Baleni said the NEC also discussed the collective bargaining and commended the work done by negotiation teams during the wage negotiations.

“The NEC is of the view that our members’ conduct during the industrial action was exemplary and called on the general membership and other unions to emulate the gold miners,” he said.

The NEC expressed disappointment at the signing of the legislation paving the way for e-tolling.

“The NEC noted with disappointment the signing of the Transport Laws and Related Matters Amendment Bill by President Jacob Zuma which clears the path for the implementation of e-tolling,” the union said.

“The NUM remains opposed to the e-tolls and would beef up and mount the anti-tolls campaign across the country.”

Zuma enacted the Transport Laws and Related Matters Amendment Bill on 21 September. The presidency made the announcement on Wednesday, while Zuma was in New York for the 69th session of the United Nations general assembly.

The NEC also reiterated its support for the African National Congress in the 2014 elections.

SAPA

Johannesburg – Newly elected South African Football Association (SAFA) president Danny Jordaan says the development of South African football has to change radically.

Jordaan beat Mandla “Shoes” Mazibuko to the top spot and would replace outgoing president Kirsten Nematandani.

Jordaan garnered 162 votes to the 88 Mazibuko received from the 52 regions.

“It was a tremendous day for South African football,” Jordaan said after the results had been announced.

“I’m very happy I’ve been give the honour and have accepted gratefully.”

Jordaan served as SAFA CEO from 1997 to 2004 and was largely responsible for South Africa’s bids for the 2006 and 2010 World Cup finals.

Jordaan said the SAFA elective would work together under his leadership and avoid in-fighting between groups.

“This is a SAFA election, not an election of one group or another.

“All the executive members are elected, so all those people are not in football by chance. They have earned their place.

“The SAFA executive will serve South African football.”

Jordaan said he hoped to improve the coaching situation in South Africa, firstly by increasing their numbers and also improving their qualifications.

“We have almost 2 000 players per coach.

“Let’s look at education – you have 2 000 kids in the classroom and the teacher has the lowest qualification, then you expect the students to be the best. It doesn’t work like that.”

The development of South African football had to change radically, according to Jordaan.

“The challenge for all of us is the development and reconstruction of South African football.

“Many say we are a football nation but I say we are not.

“Germany is playing 80 000 junior matches over a weekend. Spain is playing 30 000. France is playing 40 000.

“If you find 3 000 matches in South Africa you’re doing well. So that’s the problem. We have to get the junior leagues going.”

SAPA

Johannesburg – The ANC in Gauteng have run ahead of themselves by revealing that former president Thabo Mbeki would be roped in to lure middle-class voters ahead of next year’s general elections, the ANC said on Sunday.

“The statement by Gauteng is just unfortunate. They have just ran ahead of themselves,” secretary general Gwede Mantashe said.

The Sunday Times reported that the party had asked Mbeki for help in capturing Gauteng’s middle class voters.

“We are pulling out all the stops and using all the resources of the ANC,” the party’s Gauteng provincial secretary David Makhura told the paper.

He said the African National Congress would hold house meetings and public dialogues headed by Mbeki, the country’s Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe and ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa.

The paper reported that the strategy arose out of fears of President Jacob Zuma’s unpopularity with the middle class. Zuma would instead be used to woo the poor and working class voters in the province.

“The president is leading our direct contact with the people. He is not going to be in those house meetings [in the suburbs]. We are using him for big community meetings and door-to-door work,” he was quoted as saying.

Makhura told the paper that Cabinet ministers such Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula and Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba would be used to try and win over young voters.

Mantashe said deployment of leaders to provinces would be done centrally and they would send leaders anywhere despite the circumstances of the area.

“There is no constituency and profile of constituency that suits a particular individual. We will send a person whom we think will be able to deal with the audience that will be attended by that leader,” he said. 

SAPA

By Obakeng Maje

Kimberley-In a covert operation betwen the NC Hawks and the Tobacco Institute of South afrca (TISA), three businesses in Kimberley were raided on Thursday. 

“Kimberley is overcrowded with the influx of foreigners who are selling illegal cigarettes and there is a need to police the area by means of operations as preventative measures” colonel Priscilla Naidu said.

According to TISA, Kimberley is fast becoming a popular industry for trading in illicit cigarettes.  Types of illicit trade includes, duties not paid,compliant with the Tobacco Products Act but duties not paid; non compliant with the Tobacco Products Control Act and no duties paid; counterfeit cigarettes.

Naidu said the sale of illicit cigarettes in the province is escalating and statistics have shown that the traders are mainly foreign owned businesses. “Persons found trading in illicit cigarettes may be charged in terms of the Customs and excise act. No 91 of 1964 (as amended) and the Tobacco Products Control Act, No 83 of 1993(as amended). The penalties for non compliance varies from a fine of R20 000 or 3 times the value of the goods to R1million upon conviction” she said.

Police said illicit cigarettes to the value of R110 000 was confiscated from the three shops that were raided. One trader was formally charged while goods from the other two shops were confiscated. 

The Hawks and TISA has warned that this is the beginning of many operations to take place in the Province. 

“The units that assisted in the operation included  Public Order Policing (Kimberley), Department of Home Affairs and members from the Local Criminal Record Centre. The public is urged to report illegal cigarettes to TISA Hotline on 0800 214 710” Naidu concludes.-TDN

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By TDN

Rustenburg-North West Premier Thandi Modise has conveyed her congratulatory message to Kgosi Leruo Molotlegi of the Royal Bafokeng Administration, The Board, Management, players and fans of North West based team Platinum Stars on their MTN8 Championship win.

“On behalf of the North West Provincial Government I would like to congratulate Dikwena for their sterling performance in this Wafa Wafa Cup which was a Goliath vs David encounter. They made us in the province very proud indeed for scooping this important championship.” said the overjoyed Premier Modise.   

“Although the Buccaneers put in a steady performance during open play, today(yesterday) was just not the day for them. We are happy that the cup came to the North West. We are confident that the celebrations will reverberate in every town and village and solidify the support base of the team as our provincial team,” said Modise who watched the match on television at home last night.

The Rustenburg based Platinum stars emerged as champions taking home the Cup and the eight million rand prize money after walloping Orlando Pirates 3-1 on penalties at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday night.

The match went to penalties after a 1-1 draw in open play.

But Platinum Stars made better use of the penalties, outsmarting the more experienced Pirates who were Wafa Wafa’s 2010 and 2011 champions.

The two clubs met in the finals for the Wafa Wafa (Do or Die) cup after Pirates beat traditional rivals Chiefs 2-1, while Stars walloped Bidvest Wits a whopping 6-3 in the semi-finals.

Platinum Stars are based in Phokeng near Rustenburg, North West Province. They were the first South African side to beat the Egyptian club Al Ahly, when they won 2–1 during the first leg encounter of the African Champions League in 2008.-TDN

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