Johannesburg – An alleged serial rapist has been arrested in Burgersfort, Limpopo police said on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old man was taken into custody on Wednesday after he was linked to the rapes of seven women by DNA, police spokesperson Hangwani Mulaudzi said.

The rapes were committed by someone who lay waiting in the bush at Burgersfort and Steelpoort for his victims.

The latest victims were a 14-year-old girl and a 55-year-old woman.

The man will appear in the Lydenburg Regional Court on Thursday.

– SAPA

By TDN
Rustenburg-The Congress of South African Trade Unions, with SACCAWU, has learned that two of its women members working of Sun City were stripped of their clothes by a security company at Sun City which accused them of stealing.
“The security company, called 24/7, has been doing this under the protection of Sun International and the police of the NW. There many cases that are reported of this type and they end up in the water tank” Cosatu provincial spokesperson Solly Phetoe said.
Phetoe said COSATU has been publicly exposing and reporting racial discrimination to the Human Rights Commission but nothing has been done to investigate the matter.
“The HRC must tell the public if they are representing the public or only those who are in power of money, as we have been reporting such racial discrimination cases almost every month”.
“We are still awaiting Sun International and our provincial government to tell us and the people of NW their view of the racism and racial discrimination during the visit of Guptas and the racist case against the 24/7 security company in 2011”.
Cosatu call on their members to take the matter to the Equality Court and for members of COSATU and the public to fight against racism, regardless of their political affiliation or how much a person has in his bank account.
“We are aware that Sun City is busy dismissing our members who participated in May Day activities and fighting against the racist visitors who discriminated against workers in May 2013 during their wedding party. We call on our provincial government to act with speed on the current situation or we will take mass action on our own that will include boycotting Sun City and making sure that we inform international communities” he said.
The Union said during women’s month, women workers are racial discriminated again by a security company.
They said the structures must speak on these matters and stand by the side of these women.
“Our women in the farms are racially discriminated against, racially killed with no action from our women structures and our government. Our poor women were stripped their clothes again yesterday accused of stealing money from the rooms. We condemn the racial attitude and we demand that 24/7 security company must go out of Sun City. – TDN
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Cape Town – The public has a role to play in ensuring public healthcare facilities are safe, Western Cape Health MEC Theuns Botha said on Wednesday.

“There’s a co-responsibility. It’s not only government that can solve it, it’s not only labour that can solve it,” Botha told reporters and workers at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town.

“What are people doing in their own communities to ensure it’s safe for an ambulance to come pick someone up who has a desperate need to go to an institution?”

Botha said he found it strange and unacceptable that it was necessary to be concerned about the safety of doctors and nurses helping the poor and needy.

“These things are beyond my imagination. I do not understand a society where this is the case. Unfortunately, that is reality and we’ve got to deal with it.”

He was speaking at the launch of a campaign by provincial nurses and doctors to improve their working environment.

The Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA (Denosa) and SA Medical Association (Sama) detailed their plan for a positive practice environment, following similar launches in the Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, and Limpopo.

The campaign, set to run over the next two years, would address issues such as worker safety and payment, equipment, supplies, and education.

Denosa president Dorothy Matebeni called on nurses and doctors to “adopt” a medical facility with issues and bring these to the attention of the health department.

She said the first phase of the campaign would focus on the safety and payment of workers.

Botha assured workers that safety and security was a focus.

“We spend over R100m in the department of health in the Western Cape on security. I’m certainly not so sure whether we get the service we pay for and whether that service is up to standard,” he said.

Audit

The safety and security of government property had been moved to the Western Cape department of community safety.

The community safety department had appointed international consultancy firm Arup to conduct an audit of security at all provincial facilities.

The end goal was to build new facilities with more secure designs, revisit security contracts, and train officials to exercise oversight over procured services.

Botha gave his support to the positive environment campaign.

“I want to invite and commit that we as the department will be accessible and that we will take part in this process and you can approach us.”

Sama vice chairperson Dr Mark Sonderup said the campaign would see a more collaborative approach.

He said there had been a historically antagonistic relationship between government and healthcare workers.

“If you’re going to wait for government to deliver, you’re going to wait a long time… it’s time for healthcare workers to roll up their sleeves and see what we can do,” he said.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – People who ought to be protectors are allegedly perpetrating crimes against children, the Film and Publications Board (FPB) said on Wednesday.

“Looking at the profile of those arrested, it affirms that these crimes attract even the most trusted within society,” said FPB acting CEO Jonas Phoshoko in a statement.

He was reacting to the arrest of six men allegedly linked to an international child-pornography ring.

Police spokesperson Solomon Makgale said they were arrested last Thursday in four provinces.

Among them were two teachers, a retired school principal, a lawyer, a dermatologist, and a businessman.

All six appeared in various South African courts on different days and the last case was heard on Monday, said Makgale.

“… These are people who ought to be protectors and not [alleged] perpetrators,” said Phoshoko.

He commended the police on the arrests.

“… We trust… those found in transgression of the Film and Publications Act by being in possession, creating or distributing child pornography will be severely punished if found guilty.”

Phoshoko urged parents to be vigilant and guard their children against potential abusers, both physically and on the internet.

– SAPA