Johannesburg – DA leader Helen Zille believes her party is the only alternative to the ANC, she said on Sunday.

“[While] the ANC promises a better life, it is the DA which delivers a better life,” she was quoted as saying in a statement issued after a Democratic Alliance election rally in Cradock, in the Eastern Cape.

“Where the DA governs, we support strong communities, stand up for the weak, the sick, and the helpless,” she said.

“The mark of the good society is not the contentment of the privileged, wealthy and strong, but our commitment to the poor and weak.”

Zille said the DA was the only party which would be able to remove the African National Congress from power.

“If everybody votes in next year’s election we can bring the ANC below 60% of the vote nationally. We still have a lot of work to do to achieve our objectives.”

She said that according to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), four million young South Africans were not registered to vote in next year’s election.

“Imagine what we could do if all these young people registered and voted? The DA would be far closer to governing South Africa.”

She said the DA was the only party with a solid track record of delivering jobs and essential services.

“The DA is the most diverse political party in South Africa today. We do not thrive on divisions, but on what we can do better together.”

“We are the only party that can deliver real freedoms to every individual and community.”

She said it was looking for more than just a change of ruling party.

“We want to change the direction of South Africa and restore people’s confidence.”

– SAPA

Johannesburg – Armed robberies in shopping centres rose by 60% in 2012/2013 compared to the same period in 2011/2012, the Consumer Goods Risk Initiative (CGRI) said on Sunday.

“The highest targeted commodity in shopping centre robbery incidents in 2013 are cellphones,” CGRI head James Oosthuizen said in a statement.

A total of 438 incidents of robbery in shopping centres were reported in 2012/2013, compared to 274 in the previous time period.

The majority of cellphone robberies took place in Gauteng and the Western Cape.

CGRI is a unit within the Consumer Goods Council of SA that specialises in preventing crime in the retail industry.

It was recently involved in developing a cash distribution system for shopping centres in Johannesburg designed to decrease cash-in-transit robberies.

“As part of the system, cash is transported from the retail stores throughout the mall by means of air tubes, meaning retailers no longer keep cash on their premises,” said Oosthuizen.

– SAPA

By Obakeng Maje

Mmabatho-Police are looking for a suspect following the alleged murder of 30-year-old man on Saturday at approximately 01:30 at Makhubung village.  

“It is alleged that a fight ensued between the suspect and the victim, and the latter was stabbed with a knife on the chest” colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said. 

He allegedly fell down where he bled, and was certified dead by Emergency and Medical Rescue officials.  

The motive of the incident is unknown at this stage and the suspect is still at large. 

“Anyone with information that may lead to arrest and prosecution of the suspect, can contact Mmabatho Police Station on (018) 387 7500 or call Crime Stop number 08600 10111” Mokgwabone said.-TDN

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_    

By Obakeng Maje

The North West Provincial Government failed to spend a massive R1.321 billion during the last financial year, say Democratic Alliance.

“It is of particular concern that crucial provincial departments tasked with delivery of infrastructure and improving the quality of life for North West citizens have been the leading under spenders” DA chris Hattingh said.

Democratic Alliance said:

·The North West Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport, failed to spend R815 833 000, even after it had to abdicate its responsibility to maintain provincial roads to SANRAL due to its previous failures. 

·This department could only spent 75% of its budget and failed to spend an additional R487 207 000 of conditional grants allocated to it mainly as a result of the supply chain committee not being fully functional.

·The NW Department of Health underspent R63 million on services while simultaneously it overspent by R70,3 million on the compensation of employees mainly increasing discretionary expenditure, including travel and subsistence allowances.

·The Provincial Treasury reported an under spending on goods and services amounting to R70 million specifically for maintenance.

·Another R50 million was underspent as a result of medical equipment for the new Brits hospital not being procured on time.

·The North West Department of Education underspent by R114,5 million on its infrastructure allocation mainly due to the late starting of projects and the lack of maintenance.

The overall expenditure picture of financial expenditure in the North West Province emphasises the previous opinion of the Auditor General that the province is in regression.

“The trend to raise expenditure on employees while the provincial output and delivery of services and infrastructure is declining is indicative of a governmental system increasingly concerned only with sustaining itself” said Hattingh.

Democratic Alliance said an enquiry into the rooted sluggishness of the North West Government, as once again outlined in the Treasury Report, should find its origins in the devastating effects of the snowballing cadre deployment practice as implemented by the NW ANC in which incapacitated cadres continually replicate each other.

The North West procurement system remains plagued by fraud and corruption driven by a limitless greed,he said.

DA said until the NW Provincial Government and the political forces dominating it, accepts the root causes of its failures, the cadre deployment system and the linked ANC’s hegemony and cadre protection, any possibility of turning around the NW Province’s dire delivery pattern will fail.-TDN

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ABSA Premiership

Result: Polokwane City 2-0 Ajax Cape Town

Date: 22 September 2013  

Venue: Peter Mokaba Stadium

Polokwane City got their first win in the PSL, as they saw off Ajax Cape Town at the Peter Mokaba Stadium, winning 2-0.

Lebogang Manyama took a shot from a free kick in the 5th minute but it went wide to the right.

For more http://www.soccerladuma.com

By Obakeng Maje

North West police arrested through various operations a total of 740 suspects in the past seven days between 15 and 22 September 2013 for Contact related, Property related, trio and other crimes.

The arrested suspects include 172 for Assault GBH and common, 32 for Burglary residential and business, 8 for Murder, 12 for robbery Aggravating, 14 for Rape, 55 for Drug related, 28 for driving under the influence of liquor. 

The police also arrested 21 undocumented persons.  

“The operation also led to confiscation and recovery of 4 cell phones, 3 DVD players 6 firearms with two magazines as well as 54 ammunitions, illegal cigarettes and 14 knives” colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said.  

18 fines for liquor and 23 for road traffic contraventions were also issued. 

“In most of the cases, suspects have already appeared in various courts while others are expected to appear on Monday” Mokgwabone concludes.-TDN

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By Obakeng Maje

Taung-Police are looking for unknown male suspect after a 62 year-old man was shot on the chest on Saturday at approximately 02:00 in Buxton, near Taung.

“It is alleged that the victim’s daughter was asleep when she heard her bedroom door being opened. The suspect allegedly entered her room, lit her face with a cellphone torch and told her that he will not kill her” colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said.  

According to the information, the girl screamed and her father ran to her bedroom to investigate what was happening, but was shot while in the passage by the suspect who ran away.  

“It is suspected that the perpetrator gained entry into the house through kitchen door” he said.

Mr Modise was taken to Taung District Hospital for medical treatment.  

A case of attempted murder was registered and nobody has been arrested. 

“The motive of the incident is unknown and investigation continues” Mokgwabone concludes.-TDN

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Johannesburg – A South African has died during a shootout at a mall in Kenya, the international relations and co-operation department said on Sunday.

“The South African government condemns the terrorist attack in Kenya in which a number of civilians, including a South African national were killed,” departmental spokesperson Clayson Monyela said in a statement.

Earlier, the Sunday Independent reported that six South Africans, including two children were trapped in the Westgate shopping centre in Nairobi when the attack began on Saturday.

It is not yet clear if the person killed was one of them.

Agence France-Presse reported on Sunday afternoon that the death toll stood at 59.

Kenyan troops, apparently backed by Israeli forces, were working to end the standoff, with gunmen still holding hostages inside the mall.

Monyela said consular assistance was being given to the family of the South African who was killed.

“Terrorism in any form and from whichever quarter, cannot be condoned,” said President Jacob Zuma.

“We wish the Kenyan government every success in rapidly resolving this issue with as little further loss of life as possible,” he said.

SAPA

Johannesburg – A committee appointed by Wits university to probe allegations of sexual harassment has found the practice to be so prevalent that it is considered part of the culture at the institution.

According to the Sunday Independent, the committee interviewed alumni as part of a probe instituted following the dismissal of three lecturers for sexual harassment.

The committee released its report last month, which stated former students believed the university had always been aware of the allegations but only took steps once the issue was revealed in the media.

The issue of sexual harassment at the university came under the spotlight earlier this year when the media reported that former lecturer Tshepo wa Mamatu was sexually harassing his students. Wa Mamatu was the first to be dismissed.

Wits has since fired another two lecturers after they were also found guilty of the same offence. 

For more http://www.news24.com