By Obakeng Maje

Mahikeng-The announcement by the Premier of  the North West Province, Thandi Modise, that the NW Government intends to embark on a provincial consultative process with the intention to change the name of the North West Province  to Moses Kotane, should be seen for what it is: an attempt in the run-up to the elections to shift the focus away from the NW’s dismal and still declining ability to deliver services to its communities said Democratic Alliance’s Leader in the province, Chris Hattingh.  

“It is doing so as an attempt to unify the deeply divided  NW ANC in expensive road shows and public hearings which conveniently are to be held in the campaigning  phase of the 2014 elections” said Hattingh.

The shift of the Premier’s focus from  endemic NW fraud,  corruption, incompetence, maladministration  and non-delivery, to a state sponsored combined name-change and election campaign is indicative that she and her government has lost hope to turn the NW province around and has now turned into a fight for survival said DA.

The predecided new name for the North West Province, Moses Kotane, also set the agenda  for a “For” or “Against”  debate (referendum?) leaving no options  for other  name proposals.

“Premier Thandi Modise should focus on the implementation turn-around strategy for the North West Province and if the time comes must propose  a name that unites the province, rather than divides, and represents the future and not the past” said Chris Hattingh.

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By Obakeng Maje

Rustenburg-Ten suspects  who were arrested on Monday at Selokong, Informal settlement in Wonderkop on allegations of murder and public violence appeared before the Garankuwa Magistrate’s court on Wednesday.

“The Six  suspects were released as they were not linked to the incident. The four suspects, Reginald Disang Malanka(36), Tshepo lesejane (30), Marcus Magodielo ( 34) and tshepo Modisanyane ( 25)  were remanded in custody and will appear on Tuesday for bail application” Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said.  

This comes after police received information from community members that there was an incident of “mob justice” that’s taking place at Selokong, Wonderkop.  

“Police rushed to the scene and found the body of a male victim burnt. The deceased was burnt and he was allegedly set alight with tyres” Ngubane said.  

A second victim, a male, was also found in close proximity, also badly burnt, but still alive, in the street near a church in Selokong.  

“The badly injured victim was taken to a local hospital, and in the morning of Tuesday he succumbed to burnt wounds and passed away” said police. 

The two deceased males were accused of theft and other crimes in the community, this matter was not a mine related incident. 

“The police are appealing to the community to report all suspects of criminal activities and not to take the law into their hands” said Ngubane.

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The North West Provincial Development Plan and Implementation Strategy that will assist mediate tensions between mining, tourism and land claims will be completed in the next three months, Premier Thandi Modise announced in her Departmental Policy Statement and Budget Speech tabled in the Provincial legislature earlier today.Premier Modise said that through the strategy, the Bojanala Platinum District as a resources critical region in terms of the National Development Plan will receive appropriate focus and attention to build stability and an environment conducive to investment.

“Platinum Belt is a high value mineral resource area worthy of special policies and attention to achieve sustainability therefore we are developing a spatial land use and master plan for the entire region to ensure integration and proper coordination of the social and economic challenges in the region,” highlighted Modise.

By Obakeng Maje

PRETORIA – The Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa notes and welcomes the decision of the Constitutional Court which dismissed Frederick Barend Van Der Vywer’s claim against the State. 

The Constitutional Court considered the application for leave to appeal and concluded that the application should be dismissed as it bore no prospects of success.  

“The effect of the order is that SAPS is not liable for any damages suffered as a result of Van der Vyver’s arrest and prosecution” Minister Nathi Mthethwa said.  

The matter is therefore finalised.

Van der Vywer had been charged with the murder of a young woman, Ms Inge Lotz on 16 March 2005, but was acquitted. “He decided to claim damages to the tune of R30 million against the Minister of Police.  The Constitutional Court’s judgement once again, vindicates the SAPS, as did the High Court which had previously dismissed the appeal” Mthethwa said. 

“Our concerted efforts to capacitate the investigative framework of the police are ongoing.  I have publicly emphasized that whilst police arrest suspects daily, going forward their success should be measured according to the number of successful convictions they attain.  The harsher sentences imposed upon criminals must be influenced by the kind of detective work conducted by police.  To achieve this, focused attention is now around the SAPS human resource development; from recruitment to retirement,” stated the Minister. 

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By Obakeng Maje

Madibeng-The suburbs of Elandsrand and Vucu in Madibeng municipality have again been left without water, this time for two days as chronic water pipe maintenance problems continue.

“Madibeng municipality’s consistent neglect of maintenance is impacting on the lives and businesses of residents in an unacceptable way” DA Tiaana Kotze said.

Kotze said the pump supplying water to the reservoir was flooded due to a lack of maintenance. 

“In addition, the standby pump and motor were out of order. The standby set has been out of order since March and there was no effort to have it repaired” said Kotze.

“No safety system is in place to detect and contain possible flooding and no maintenance programs exists” DA outlines.

The DA will place the necessity of a proper maintenance program for Madibeng water systems on the next council agenda.

“If the management of the Municipality continues to neglect the basic service needs of residents they risk transforming this once prosperous town into a dilapidated ghost town” Kotze said. 

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By Obakeng Maje

Kimberley-Police are investigating the murder of Nkosinathi Ephraim Mbi(17), who was allegedly stabbed at the Roodepan Taxi Rank in the Kimberley CBD on Sunday. 

“It is alleged that Mbi was stabbed by two men at approximately 03:15am. The suspects stabbed the victim in the chest and in one of his legs and fled the scene” Lieutenant Sergio Kock said. 

“The male was already dead when the police arrived at the scene” said Kock. 

Two male suspects surrendered themselves to the police on Tuesday,and appeared in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court on the same day. 

The two suspects, known as Royden Naidoo(19) and Daylain Haai(21) received bail of R300,00 each and the case was remanded until 23 July 2013. 

“The police however request that anyone with information please contact Detective Warrant Officer Kenneth Lamoen at 082 302 0407 or 08600 10 111 or sms 32211” he said. 

All information will be treated with the strictest of confidence. The investigation continues.

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The North West Provincial Government will begin a process of consultation among people for a name change-Premier Thandi Modise announced in her 2013/2013 Departmental Policy and Budget Vote presentation in the Provincial legislature today.

“We cannot be a “direction “or a position on the compass when we have calibre of leaders from our province like Malome Moses Kotane,” emphasised Premier Modise.

The Premier said that Moses Kotane had distinguished himself as a rare breed of leaders the liberation movement has ever produced.

“We celebrate this month in his name as a clear acknowledgement of how he continues to live amongst us through his teachings and practices and take pride to be associated with a man of his calibre. We remain inspired by his wisdom and love for his people and should encourage our youth to learn more about him and other heroes of our struggle,” said Modise.

She said that government should also institutionalize these heroes and heroines so that their names can forever represent the richness of our history and the brightness of our future.

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Public servants should not be scapegoats for the politicians who were ultimately responsible for the irregular clearance and landing of a privately chartered plane at Waterkloof Air Force Base, Agang SA said.

Gupta report’s Anderson finding defamatory: union

 Koloane ‘under pressure from number one’ to OK Gupta plane.

“We note with interest the government’s report into the failures of governance that led to the landing of the Gupta family’s aircraft at Waterkloof Air Force base,” Agang SA leader Mamphela Ramphele said in a statement.

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

Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) was considering scaling down its restructuring plans further and saving most of the 6 000 jobs it had already slated for elimination, union officials close to the negotiations said yesterday.

Amplats was reported to be exploring options that would possibly include the dismissal of contractors whose role was not critical to its operations, early retirement and voluntary packages to employees, Franz Stehring, a divisional manager of Uasa, said yesterday.

“The fact that the mineral resources minister and director-general have intervened played a big role in getting collaboration between the parties.”

But Amplats spokeswoman Mpumi Sithole declined to comment on Stehring’s claims and made reference to a joint statement by Amplats, unions and the government.

“This process has now reached a stage whereby parties have agreed on measures and mitigation plans that will preserve jobs,” the statement said.

Sithole insisted that the company’s position remained that it planned to retrench 6 000 people and this plan would be presented at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) on Friday.

Lesiba Seshoka, the spokesman for the National Union of Mineworkers, said the Cosatu-affiliated union was totally opposed to any job cuts.

“Our understanding is that we are going to be talking saving jobs not retrenchments.”

Mere Boase, the workers organiser at the National Union of Metalworkers of SA in Rustenburg, said the company would not proceed with the retrenchments.

The joint statement followed a two-week tripartite consultation between Amplats, the government and unions, where various options to minimise job cuts were discussed.

In a restructuring plan tabled in January, Amplats had initially intended to retrench 14 000 staff, but it backtracked two weeks ago, following pressure from the government, announcing that it would only shed 6 000 jobs.

The company also trimmed down its original plan of cutting annual output by 400 000 ounces, saying it would now cut platinum production by 250 000 ounces this year and 100 000 ounces in the medium term.

But Loane Sharp, a labour economist at Adcorp, believed there were many methods that Amplats could use to lay off workers without attracting political attention.

He added that the government’s intervention was a classic case of government incoherence with no sound concept of unintended consequences.– Dineo Faku

Cape Town – Anene Booysen’s foster grandmother says she feels “good” that charges of rape and murder against Jonathan “Zwai” Davids have been withdrawn.

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