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.

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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

Johannesburg – Reports that a home affairs official allegedly manhandled reporters outside a Cape Town police station was met with outrage by the SA National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) on Wednesday.

Sanef said in a statement that Cape Argus photojournalist David Ritchie and reporter Yolisa Tswanya were covering a story about the arrest and detention of immigrants at the police station when they were accosted by the official.

“According to Cape Argus executive editor Gasant Abarder, the officer pulled Ritchie from outside the police station, grabbed his camera and proceeded to delete the images – without identifying himself.”

A police officer, who witnessed the incident, apparently ordered Ritchie off the police premises.

The newspaper’s legal team were investigating the matter, with a view to instituting civil and or criminal cases against the official.

Sanef said it supported this action.

“Sanef is also concerned that it appears that wayward officials have taken to deleting images.

“Why would government officials go through the trouble of manhandling journalists and delete their pictures if they [officials] knew that they had not broken the law and thus had nothing to hide?”

Sanef said the deletion of images was illegal and should not be tolerated in a democracy.

– SAPA

By Obakeng Maje

Potchefstroom-The DA yesterday laid charges against Tlokwe Executive Mayor Maphetle Maphetle and others at the Potchefstroom SAPS charge office. 

The charges were based on findings from a forensic investigation requested by the DA during our time in charge of Tlokwe.

“The report found the council irregularly bought a R736 000 customized Mercedes Benz for Mayor Maphetle. It recommends the formal disciplinary action against the mayor and officials” Chris Hattingh said.

Hattingh said further abuse of the Disaster Management Fund and Poverty Relief fund by Mayor Maphetle are also documented by forensic auditors.

“Many of charges were used by the ANC in their no confidence motion in their own Mayor, before the party voted him back into office this year regardless” said DA.

“At this stage only six of the original 16 allegations were investigated by the Forensic Auditors – the outcome is overwhelmingly sufficient to proceed with criminal charges. It is an obligation in terms  of Section 34 (1) of the Prevention and Combatting of Corrupt Activities Act. (1)  to report criminal activities as listed in the document” Hattingh said.

North West SAPS in Potchefstroom confirmed that DA’s Chris Hattingh opened a fraud and money laundering.

“We can confirm that Democratic Alliance’s leader Chris Hattingh came to Potchefstroom Police Station and launched a case of fraud and money laundering against Tlokwe mayor Maphehle Maphehle” Potchefstroom Police Station spokesperson said.

“It has become clear that the ANC Tlokwe Council does not have the political will to pursue these findings any further” outlines Hattingh.

Arguments in the Council, such as “there was not an (ANC)  mandate to proceed with the investigation” and the failure to discuss the report in an open council is indicative of the ANC strategy not to go public on issues where deployed ANC cadres are implicated in corruption said DA.

The DA said this strategy makes a mockery of the frequent anti-fraud-and-corruption utterances in the North West Province. It is clear that the ANC is not pepared to walk its anti-corruption talk.

ANC North West said they will support any investigations and they adhere to their mandate.

“Any member of the party who is involved in any corruption, will face the wrath of the party. Uprooting corruption is our mandate and we welcome investigations against mr Maphehle” ANC Gordon Kegakilwe said.

The DA handed to the SAPS sufficient documentation to support the charges and will attentively follow the progress of this case.

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Young teenage sensation, Robyn Moodaly, expects bigger things when she jets off to Littleton, Colorado on Saturday, 26 May 2013 to begin a new life in the United States of America. The skilful player will play her club football for Colorado Rush in the US Women’s League until August.

Moodaly, who rose through the ranks of junior national teams, and has become one of Banyana Banyana head coach Joseph Mkhonza’s stalwarts, was on the radar of several overseas universities last year but ultimately decided to pursue a four-year Sports Science degree at the AIB College in Des Moines, Iowa.

She will be based in Littleton, Colorado.

The High Performance Centre graduate will be joining compatriots in goalkeeper Roxanne Barker (Pepperdine University, California) and midfielder Kylie Ann Louw (Stephen Austin University, Texas) in the United States.

The midfielder, who has been capped 15 times in the Banyana Banyana colours, was a key member of Mkhonza’s squad that qualified for the 2012 London Olympics. Mostly used as an impact player, Moodaly has made several telling contributions, mostly as a second half substitute, turning matches in Banyana Banyana’s favour through slick passing and well-timed tackling.

The tiny midfielder who plays for Mondeor-JVW (Sasol League, Gauteng) played an important role in the under 17 women’s national team that participated in the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in the Caribbean in 2010.

Moodaly is excited about the opportunity presented to her to play overseas but at the same time feels nervous about leaving home for this audacious venture in the United States.

“I feel honoured to get such an opportunity to be playing and studying abroad. I am looking forward to gain lots of experience by playing for Colorado Rush even though it will be temporary before moving onto the College League in September. 

“However, to be honest with you, I am feeling very nervous as I don’t know what to expect when I arrive. I need to do well in my studies but mostly improve my game because my ultimate goal is to play in the professional league within the USA,” said Moodaly.

The head of the Hawks in Mpumalanga appeared in the Nelspruit Regional Court on Wednesday on a charge of fraud, police said.

National police spokesman Brigadier Phuti Setati said Maj-Gen Simon Mapiane was arrested on Wednesday morning, before briefly appearing in court.

He was charged with fraud relating to alleged false travel claims.

Setati could not provide details on when Mapiane would appear in court again.

“We can say that the matter would be looked into internally,” he said.

Sapa

Orlando Pirates’ talented young midfielder, Tshepo Liphoko, is on his way back from a short training spell with Greek side, Atromitos FC.

The 18-year-old spent the latter part of this season on loan with PSL side, Golden Arrows, going on to impress during his time there, and the Siya crew recently revealed that he was awaiting a work permit to travel to Europe.

Now it has been revealed by his representative, Mike Makaab, that Liphoko is on his way home from Greece at present after spending a short time with Atromitos.

Makaab said, “Tshepo has been spending time with Greek side, Atromitos, who have one of our other youngsters, Arago Jamal, who is signed to them. He was just there as part of his development programme and is due back in South Africa this week.”

The player’s representative went on to thank Orlando Pirates’ chairman, Irvin Khoza, for his continued support in helping promote young talent.

He went on, “I want to thank Pirates’ chairman, Irvin Khoza, who has been pivotal in helping develop these young players, he did it for with Nanana Ntuli and now he’s doing with same with Tshepo.”

While it is believed that Liphoko impressed during his time in Greece, Makaab insisted that his spell there was only for development purposes and not as part of a trial.
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Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Reneilwe Letsholonyane says he couldn’t have asked for a better ending to the season than playing in the Nedbank Cup Final as he seeks to add yet another new medal to his trophy cabinet after winning the League title last week.

Letsholonyane now wants to break new ground again by bringing home the country’s premier knockout tournament and says he couldn’t have asked for a bigger stage than what Moses Mabhida will provide on Saturday afternoon.

“No player here at Chiefs could have asked for more. This is the biggest game on the day in the country which makes it different and special in many ways. If you don’t win on the day then you will not get the gold medal so it is a massive game,” says Letsholonyane.

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Since his arrival at Chiefs five years ago ‘Yeye’ has won every other trophy on offer in domestic football except for the Nebank Cup which has proven rather way too problematic for AmaKhosi to win since Nedbank took over the sponsorship of the country’s biggest knockout competition.

“We have the League in the bag and now we are going for the second trophy because we really want that double, plus this is a trophy that most of us have never won. So there will be no better ending to the season than winning the Nedbank Cup.

“I really need that winners’ medal and we want to make sure our fans also stand up with pride as the go into the off-season by also winning the Nedbank for them. As a player playing in a Cup Final is what you strive for and winning games is what we actually live for so this is yet another game that we are aiming to win. The bonus is that with this particular game there is a trophy for the winner,” he says.

The Bafana Bafana midfielder adds that he has respect for the opponents on the day – SuperSport United – but believes the atmosphere will give them the edge in making it a memorable Cup Final.

“They (SuperSport) are obviously a difficult team to play because they are good which should make for a balanced game.

“However, the atmosphere will give us the advantage because I have already been told that the stadium is sold out. We really want this trophy,” adds Yeye, who will go on to celebrate his 31st birthday two weeks after the Final.
For more http://www.kickoff.com