Durban – Police have nabbed five members of an alleged syndicate who went around KwaZulu-Natal applying for accounts and loans using fake identity documents, payslips and bank statements.

The four men and a woman have been linked to 25 incidents of fraud and forgery, amounting to almost R500 000.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Pretoria – A father who raped his 15-year-old daughter and even impregnated her was, on appeal, given a lifeline by the Pretoria High Court which reduced his life sentence to 15 years’ imprisonment, as the court felt he stood a chance of being rehabilitated.

Judges A Van Niekerk and J Kruger felt that the 40-year-old father would be denied the prospect of being rehabilitated if he had to serve a life term. The judges also considered case law in similar circumstances when they reduced his sentence.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Johannesburg – Convicted drug dealer Glenn Agliotti has denied accusations by the SA Revenue Service [Sars] that he has money stashed in offshore accounts.

“I think Sars investigators had to make a political statement and I’d like to tell them they wasting their time in trying to find something which isn’t there. This investigation will cost the taxpayer a lot of money,” Agliotti told Radio 702.

Sars believes Agliotti stashed funds in European bank accounts in Geneva and Guernsey, EWN reported.

Agliotti said while he respected Sars as the only efficient government body in the country, he will challenge the institution on its treatment of him.

The businessman said the Geneva account has been closed.

Agliotti claimed that Sars was going after him because he’s “back at the top again”.

– News24

Pretoria – The Gauteng MEC for education has been ordered by the North Gauteng High Court to pay R23.5m in damages to a judge’s son, The Star reported on Thursday.

Christian Rabie, 23, suffered various injuries when he fractured his skull during a school playground game 10 years ago, when he was in Grade 8.

KwaZulu-Natal Judge Piet Koen was called to adjudicate over how much damages should be awarded to Rabie.

He was awarded R20.2m for loss of income and earning capacity, R800 000 in general damages, R787 386 towards future medical expenses and an amount of R1.6m as a 7.5% add-on for the cost of protecting the award, according to the report.

The judge ordered that a trust fund be established to administer the money.

The son of North Gauteng High Court Judge Pierre Rabie, he was hurt in a game where older boys flipped the younger ones into the air in a cricket net. He was tossed into the air and fell to the ground during a break on 31 July 2003. He spent six weeks in intensive care and was on a ventilator for 45 days.

The court had earlier ruled that the department of education was liable for damages, as the school had a duty to supervise pupils and ensure they did not engage in dangerous activities.

The department in 2008 appealed against the ruling that it was held 100% liable for his damages, but five years ago the court turned down the appeal and said he lacked the maturity to realise he could be injured.

He is now a law student at the University of SA, but experts testified that he had lost some of his intellectual abilities as a result of his injuries.

– SAPA

Cape Town – The Western Cape High Court has reserved judgment on whether the expulsion of ANC Cape Town councillor Andile Lili was unfair, the Cape Times reported on Thursday.

Lili reportedly approached the court this week claiming his expulsion in March was used to settle a political score.

He was also challenging the constitutionality of a section of the Municipal Systems Act that gave local government MEC Anton Bredell the power to expel councillors.

His legal team reportedly argued the provision violated the principle of municipal autonomy.

His sacking came after a multiparty disciplinary committee found him guilty of taking part in the illegal demolition of houses and for making derogatory comments to Khayelitsha residents.

On Wednesday, Bredell’s lawyer reportedly argued that the expulsion could not have been a “political stitch-up” because the disciplinary committee had come to a unanimous decision, and two members of his own political party had been on the committee.

According to the report, Lili was also expected to appear before the ANC disciplinary committee on 24 August for an unrelated issue – his role in the recent sanitation protests in the city.

– SAPA

A man has gone missing in the Vaal river in Delportshoop, Northern Cape, paramedics said on Thursday.

Two men swam across the river on Wednesday afternoon, but only one man, 19, made it to the riverbank, ER24 said in a statement.

“He called for help from emergency services once he was sure that his friend had not proceeded to another area or resurfaced somewhere else,” the statement said.

The 19-year-old man was treated on-scene for hypothermic symptoms from being very cold and taken to a nearby hospital.

Police and rescue teams had not found the missing man on Wednesday night.

The search would continue on Thursday morning for his body.

– SAPA

Cape Town – A former Cape Town police officer was sentenced to five years in jail after he tried to kill his girlfriend, Die Burger reported on Thursday.

Warrant Officer James Bennie Davids, 58, appeared in the Cape Town Regional Court on Wednesday after being convicted of attempted murder in June.

Davids reportedly stabbed Sharon Cupido, 35, in her neck, arm and stomach in January last year.

She was rushed to Groote Schuur hospital where her wounds were stitched up.

According to the report, Davids testified that he and Cupido had been sitting in her car in Victoria Road, Woodstock, when they got into a fight and he grabbed a knife normally used to cut open boxes.

He reportedly wrote a letter asking her to forgive him. The letter described how he had previously threatened her with knives and a gun because he was jealous, and believed that she was in a relationship with a former lover.

Davids was suspended from the police earlier this year, but was appealing the decision.

Magistrate Wilma van der Merwe reportedly said: “A person, especially a woman, is supposed to feel safe in a relationship and not be afraid.”

– SAPA

Johannesburg – Zwelinzima Vavi says he recognises that some people remain “unforgiving” about his affair with a Cosatu employee, which has reportedly resulted in him being placed on special leave.

Vavi tweeted on Thursday morning that he committed an error and apologised for it, but added that while many people accepted his apology, many people remained unforgiving.

“I am relieved so many have accepted that apology and recognise that some remain unforgiving. Know others celebrating and rubbing salt,” he tweeted.

“I committed an error & have profusely apologised to everyone hurt by my indiscretion. That was a right thing to do.”

He also thanked people for their support, and said he “will say more later”.

According to reports, the Cosatu secretary general was put on special leave on Wednesday after a meeting was called to discuss his future within the organisation.

Cosatu will only release an official statement on the matter on Thursday.

News24

Platinum producer Lonmin has finally recognised the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) as a majority union at its mines. The two parties signed an Employee recognition agreement on Wednesday.

This comes ahead of the commemoration of the Marikana tragedy on Friday.

Both parties say the deal marks the beginning of a new era at the mine. Amcu says it shows the Marikana deaths last year were not in vain, while Lonmin says the agreement sets the company on a good footing operationally.

Lonmin CEO, Ben Magara says, “As an employer, we do not choose a union, our employees, the majority of them, in excess of 60% as a total company, have elected Amcu as their union.”

The deal comes into full effect next year. Smaller unions like UASA and Solidarity will still be allowed at the negotiating table this year. But from next year they will need a minimum of 30% representation to participate.

Lonmin says it has agreed to sacrifice production on Friday. That’s to allow workers to commemorate the deaths of their colleagues. But the no-work no-pay principle will apply, meaning those who want to participate will have to sacrifice their day’s salaries.
For more http://www.sabc.co.za

Orlando Pirates midfielder Thandani Ntshumayelo will undergo a fitness test on Thursday to determine whether or not he will be ready for Saturday’s CAF Champions League clash against Egyptian giants Zamalek.

Ntshumayelo injured his foot in last Sunday’s MTN8 clash against his former team SuperSport United.

It was thought that he had shaken the injury off, but it seems that he is not 100% fit.
For more http://www.soccerladuma.com