Johannesburg – President Jacob Zuma has defended his relationship with the Gupta family, saying South Africans can befriend whoever they want, Eyewitness News reported on Thursday.

During question time in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko asked Zuma why the Gupta family had direct contact with members of his Cabinet.

Zuma reportedly responded by saying any member of the public was free to contact any member of his Cabinet or the public service.

His administration promoted open and accessible government.

“It is because any member of the public within South Africa and beyond our borders is free to contact any members of my Cabinet, the executive, or the public service directly.”

Independent Democrats MP Joe Mcgluwa reportedly asked Zuma: “Are you, Mr President, willing to cut your ties with the Gupta family?”

Zuma responded that everyone had the right to make friends.

However, that did not mean endorsing wrongdoing.

“We are not in the state that burns people because they are friends with others,” Zuma was quoted saying.

“But we are also in the state where if there are specific issues that have affected either the interests of government or whatever, people will come back and say these are facts that say this thing has happened and therefore this thing is not good.”

SAPA

Three armed men held a guard at the Tshwane SPCA’s Waltloo branch at gunpoint before stealing a male bull terrier.

Tshwane SPCA spokesman Korky Levanon said the guard had heard a noise at the kennels during the night, Beeld reported today.

“When he went to investigate, he saw three men, one of whom had a pistol.”

They reportedly threatened him with the gun and fled with Achilles, a stray bull terrier previously brought to the animal shelter by a good Samaritan.

The guard called for help on his hand radio, but by the time police arrived the men and dog had disappeared.

Levanon said the local community policing forum had been informed of the incident.

“People have stolen animals in the past, but it’s the first time that it’s been done with a gun,” Levanon said.

– Sapa

By Obakeng Maje

The department of Health will be hosting a AIDS conference, at the Durban International Convention Centre.

The conference will start on the 18th until 21st of June.

The important issues that will be discussed are as follows:

“Government is close to the 2015 deadline for Millennium Development Goals (MDG) with less than 950 days the targets that were set in 2009” Departmental spokesperson Tebogo Lekgethwane said in a statement.

Lekgethwane said The National Health Council adopted a new contraception and fertility strategy and guidelines to focus on dual protection. 

“The Department of Health will be launching this strategy soon” he said.

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JOHANNESBURG – As former President Nelson Mandela continues to recover in hospital his grandchildren have called on the nation to make each day Nelson Mandela Day.

This year’s international day celebrated in Madiba’s honour was launched in Houghton on Wednesday.

Mandela Day, now in its fourth year, will be celebrated on the 18 July and coincides with Madiba’s birthday. He will turn 95 this year.

Speaking in Houghton on Wednesday, Mandela’s grandson Luvuyo described why the day is important to the family.

“Care for your fellow human being and understand that in these values we’ll be able to strive for the unity that my grandfather set out.” Luvuyo said.

Mbuso, another of his grandsons, said: “[It is about engendering] humanity in each other and making sure that we get together and do good for other people.”

This year the public has been urged to dedicate 20 hours to mark 20 years of democracy, which South Africa will mark next year.

In previous years Mandela and his organisations have urged people to dedicate 67 minutes of their time to charity or helping others. The time symbolised the 67 years the statesman dedicated to serving others.

Madiba is currently receiving treatment in the Mediclinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria. He was admitted to the facility on 8 June for a recurring lung infection.

This is his fourth hospital visit since December when he received treatment for the same condition.

For more http://www.ewn.co.za

Cape Town – President Jacob Zuma has rejected the notion of South Africa lacking policy certainty and investor confidence.

“I think there is leadership in this country, very clear leadership. There is certainty on policy, there is certainty on economic policy. I would not accept the fact that there is no certainty,” he told the National Assembly on Wednesday.

Zuma was responding to a question by Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko.

She said labour unrest had contributed to a “break-down in investor confidence”, triggering warnings that South Africa’s platinum could decline by 60% in coming years.

She asked where Zuma stood on the issue of strike balloting, and argued that ANC MPs had undermined government’s efforts to improve the economy by removing a provision requiring a pre-strike vote from the labour relations amendment bill.

The president said labour strife at mines was a complex issue because of the emergence of rival trade unions, and it was vital that all roleplayers co-operate to resolve it.

“The difficulty has come in the manner in which the recent problems have emerged,” he said.

Praise

He praised Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe for his mediation efforts between unions and mining companies.

“I think they are working very closely to agree on the matters that have to be addressed in terms of addressing the problems at the mining level,” he said.

Zuma said negative headlines were largely to blame on negative views expressed by the political opposition.

“Generally, people are saying we are doing very well. I have just come back from Japan. They are full of praises of South Africa… key investors. So it is not like a perception that is thrown around that investors are worried, not at all.”

He said the economy was well-balanced and aimed at dealing with the country’s specific challenges, including imbalances created by its apartheid past.

“Therefore, I confirm, the policies of the ruling party are absolutely correct, no-one could argue against them. Whoever argues against them does not understand the South African sentiment.”

Premier Thandi Modise wishes Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs Captain Itumeleng Khune a Happy Birthday. South Africa’s number one goalkeeper who hails from Tshing Township near Ventersdorp in the North West Province is turning 26 today.  

“Khune is a role model who overcame adversity to reach the height of his soccer career. His success should inspire young people with similar backgrounds to stay away from drugs and pursue their dreams,” said Premier Modise.

In recognising Khune for his achievements as a soccer player in her speech delivered at the 37th June 16 Provincial Commemoration held last Saturday, Modise had said that all artists, sports men and women who come from the province are ambassadors of the province and they must continue to shine.She committed that the Provincial Department of Sport, Arts and Culture would ensure that talented young people are supported and resources are allocated to improve and erect recreational facilities in all communities in the province.

“Mmabana continues to be a good model of nourishing, developing and promoting talent in our province and I would not rest until each municipality in the province has a multi-purpose recreational centre,” the Premier had underscored. 

 Other artists that Premier Modise recognised as ambassadors of the province were MTN 2013 South African Music Awards Triple Award winner Khuli Chana and E-TV SA’s Got Talent Show 2012 winner  Botlhale Boikanyo. 

A Northern Cape farmer has threatened to stop supplying water to Victoria West because the local municipality has not paid him, according to Sunday’s Rapport newspaper.

Andrew Conroy, owner of the farm Biesjiesfontein, claimed the Ubuntu municipality owed him R350,000 for supplying water to the town from his farm. The municipality had also failed to renew its 20-year contract with him when it expired in 2006. He had been supplying water to the town for nearly 30 years.

In an advert placed in the local newspaper, the Victoria West Messenger, on Friday, Conroy threatened to shut off the water supply on August 1 if he was not paid and his contract renewed.

“In the meantime he [Conroy] is keeping the pumps working and is paying for the electricity,” Kennett Sinclair, who represents the Northern Cape in the National Council of Provinces, told Rapport.

Municipal manager Martin Fillis said the municipality would not let itself be put under pressure.

“Conroy is not the only water source. This is a water-scarce area so we retain all the sources… Leave this matter between us and Conroy; I don’t have time for stone-throwing,” he was quoted as saying.

-Sapa

Brazil superstar Neymar scored one goal and set up the other to give hosts Brazil a 2-0 win over Mexico in their Group A game and a place in the semi-finals of the Confederations Cup in Fortaleza on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old took his tally to 13 goals in his last 15 games for his country with a superb left-footed volley early in the first-half, and then produced a brilliant shimmy between two Mexican defenders in second-half stoppage time to set up Jo for the second goal.

While Brazil progress to the semis, Mexico’s hopes hang by a thread after two defeats as Japan, who lost 3-0 to Brazil in their opener, must beat Euro 2012 finalists Italy later on Wednesday to give them any hope of reaching the last four.

Brazil play Italy in their final group match in Salvador on Saturday.

– Sapa-AFP

Despite heavy speculation that Josta Dladla would be leaving Kaizer Chiefs at the end of the 2012/13 campaign, the club have announced late on Wednesday that the 33-year-old midfielder has signed a one-year extension on his contract.

The Soweto, Meadowlands-born player joined Chiefs in 2009 and has played 118 games for the Glamour Boys.

For more http://www.soccerladuma.com

Cape Town – President Jacob Zuma insisted on Wednesday that he knows nothing about billions of dollars reportedly cached in South Africa by former Libyan dictator Muammar Gadaffi.

Responding to questions on the matter in the National Assembly on Wednesday, he repeatedly told MPs: “I don’t know.”

Zuma said the presidency was approached by officials from the Libyan government “regarding purported sums of money allegedly deposited on behalf of the late Gadaffi, and held by banking institutions in South Africa”.

He said these officials had been referred to the finance ministry.

The Treasury admitted in a statement last week that Gadaffi assets, including diamonds, gold and cash to the value of about R10bn, would be returned to Libya in accordance with UN guidelines.

Zuma was asked in the House on Wednesday about the reported involvement of ANC security head Tito Maleka in the repatriation of the money.

“Can you shed light on the connection between the ANC party and the recovery of the money?” asked Congress of the People MP Leonard Ramatlakane.

“I don’t know”

The president responded: “”With regard to [this], I don’t know. This has not come to my ears, that some ANC head of security was involved. So I don’t know about it.”

City Press newspaper reported on Sunday that Gadaffi may have stockpiled about R100bn in South Africa and its neighbouring states.

It said two Libyan factions were at the centre of a fight over the slain dictator’s hidden assets. 

The newspaper also reported the alleged involvement of Maleka in Libyan attempts to recover the money.

Asked if he could say to whom the money actually belonged, Zuma said he also did not know.

“With regard to whether the money belongs to Gadaffi, or the [Libyan] state, I also don’t know. I don’t know how this money came here [or] who is the owner of it.

“The only thing I’ve answered is that Libyan officials have come asking for what they know was here.

“As to whether it belongs to an individual or the state, I don’t know.”

To a further question on why the money was in South Africa, Zuma also had no answer.

“I don’t know why Gadaffi or Libya’s money is here. I don’t know. I was never involved in what caused the money to be here,” he said.

For more http://www.news24.com