Phiyega continues testimony at Marikana commission


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RUSTENBURG – National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega is due to face more questions under cross-examination at the Farlam Commission of Inquiry on Monday morning.

Phiyega began testifying last week about the police’s conduct when 34 miners were killed last year during a violent unprotected strike.

The national commissioner has come under fire for rushing to make a statement about the shooting in 2012, without considering that there could been a different version of events.

Despite a statement by a police officer who saw another officer shooting an already wounded miner, Phiyega said she stands by the police’s actions.

She has sympathised with the families of the victims and maintains that the killings were deeply regrettable.

Her cross-examination continues on Monday morning.

For more details go to www.ewn.co.za

De Villiers makes difference, admits Misbah


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Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said his opposite number, AB de Villiers, was the difference as South Africa clinched a 3-2 series win in the fifth and final one-day international.

 

De Villiers hit an unbeaten 95 to guide his side to a six-wicket win after the teams went into the deciding match locked at 2-2. The South Africa skipper made 367 runs in the series at an average of 91.75 and took both the man of the match and man of the series awards.

 

De Villiers, who was dropped on one, overcame some hostile bowling on an unpredictable pitch as South Africa chased down Pakistan’s 205 all out with six overs to spare.

 

On a day when most batsmen struggled to time the ball consistently, De Villiers made his runs off just 111 balls, hitting nine fours and a six.

 

A fourth wicket partnership of 87 off 88 balls with Farhaan Behardien (35) made South Africa’s victory virtually certain after Pakistan’s new ball bowlers, Mohammad Irfan and Junaid Khan, caused early problems on a pitch where some deliveries bounced alarmingly, while others kept low.

 

Pakistan seemed headed for a more competitive total when they reached 151/4 in the 35th over after winning the toss. “It was a 250 pitch and the way we started it was gettable,” said Misbah. The Pakistan captain added that his team had fought back well after being trounced in the Test series.

 

“The team have got some confidence from the Twenty20 series and the one-day series. We have shown we can perform in these conditions against this quality bowling attack.”

 

Ryan McLaren took three wickets in 13 balls to swing Sunday’s match in South Africa’s favour.

Courtesy- www.sabc.co.za

Suspected rhino poacher killed


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A suspected rhino poacher has been shot dead outside the Imfolozi Game Reserve, Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife said on Monday.
 
“At around 3pm on Sunday gunshots were heard and a decision was taken to investigate their source,” said spokesperson Musa Mntambo in a statement.
  
The field rangers closed all exits at the reserve while investigating the source of the gunshots.
  
Two men, one carrying a rifle, were confronted.
  
Mntambo said the armed man pointed his weapon at the rangers, who took cover and returned fire before the gunman could pull the trigger. The gunman died and the second man fled.
  
Mntambo said police and other authorities launched a search for the second man.
  
He was one of three occupants found in a car driving towards Ulundi. “During the interrogation that followed, one occupant admitted that he was with the suspect who had been shot earlier by the field  rangers,” he said.
  
All three men were arrested.

Men die after hospital turns them away


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Durban – Two men have died after they were turned away from a hospital where there was no doctor on duty.
The families of Marius Hayward, 31, and Nico Nel, 27, are furious and demanding answers, reported the Sunday Tribune.
The men were seriously injured in a crash in the Durban city centre early on Sunday morning and rushed to Addington Hospital where paramedics were told there was no doctor on duty and the men needed to be taken to another hospital 30min away.
Both men, who had been flung from a bakkie during the accident, died shortly afterwards.
One of the medics who didn’t want to be identified said Hayward had needed urgent hospital treatment and said he would have survived had he not been turned away by the hospital.  
“I am sure that had a doctor attended to him at Addington, his chances of survival would have improved dramatically.”
Another medic, Rescuecare paramedic Garrith Jamieson said: “This incident is just one of many. In the past month they have turned away dozens of patients. We need to draw the line somewhere.”
Nel’s sister, Anel Meyer, was shocked to hear that her dying brother had been turned away.
“It makes me so angry that I feel physically ill. He might have lived had the hospital not sent them away,” she said.
She said her brother’s handyman business was just taking off.
“He was so ambitious and things were starting to go his way with his business, and he was so happy. I will always remember his smile and how, just by being in a room, he would lift everyone around him. He was very caring,” said Meyer.
Hayward left two children, aged 8 years and 8-months-old.
A spokesperson for the department of healthy said they were looking into the matter.

– News24

Judge denies protecting Block


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Kimberley – A judge has denied wanting to protect corruption-accused Northern Cape ANC leader John Block, the City Press reported.

“I have never been a friend of John Block and I am not his friend now,” Kimberley Regional Court president Khandilizwe Nqadala  told the newspaper.

He refuted an allegation that he had been friendly with Block, before he presided over a corruption case involving Block in 2006.

The claim that Nqadala wanted to protect Block is contained in a  preliminary investigation report by two magistrates into a complaint of judicial misconduct against Nqadala.

The complaint against Nqadala was later dropped due to insufficient evidence.

In the report, Vincent Mayisela, an attorney, alleges that Nqadala once mentioned the John Block case – which had not yet been  heard – to him in an informal conversation.

“(He) remarked that he cannot allow the chairperson of the ANC to go to jail,” Mayisela is quoted as saying in the prelimary report.

The 2006 court case related to a visit Block paid to a jazz festival allegedly at the expense of taxpayers. Block was acquitted.

A new graft trial of Block and seven others will begin in the Northern Cape High Court on October 28.

They are accused of fraud, corruption and money-laundering, allegedly involving R49 million, between May 2005 and December 2009. – Sapa

Teenager’s ‘cruel death’ stuns family


ImageCape Town – As he lay bleeding from a stab wound to the chest, a promising young rugby player’s mother tried desperately to save him.

But her efforts were in vain and on Saturday 18-year-old Abdul-Hadi Manuel’s family laid him to rest.

The Grade 11 pupil at Alexander Sinton High School was stabbed outside a corner shop near his home in Belgravia in Athlone on Wednesday.

 

For more details go to www.iol.co.za

Trapped burglar pretended to be having sex


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Cape Town – A suspected thief tried to evade capture by pretending to be having sex after he invaded a home. But the fast-talking burglar wasn’t quick enough for the homeowner.

The unidentified man broke into a shack on Friday afternoon, unaware that the homeowner would soon be returning.

The 34-year-old man says he arrived outside his Philippi shack to find the lock had been removed.

“I left my place to sit with my friends and when I returned home, the padlock was not there,” he said.

“And when I pushed the door it was locked from inside.

“The latch is strong so I couldn’t kick the door down.

“I shouted and asked who is there, and no one answered.”

He said after calling out for a second time, someone replied.

“The man inside my own house said to me I must wait because he’s still having sex with a girl so he’ll open when he is done,” the man said.

“I couldn’t understand how someone would want to walk into a stranger’s home and have sex.”

The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, told the Daily Voice he kept knocking until the suspect opened the door.

“When he opened, he stabbed me with a cable cutter, I held his hand because I could see he meant to injure me,” said the Philippi resident.

“He managed to escape and then I went to call my friends, we chased after him and beat him up.”

“When he was lying on the ground, we searched him and found my wallet and flashdrive.”

The lucky thief was rescued by cops.

It is unclear if he will be charged.

For more details go to www.iol.co.za

A North West man arrest for raping a dog


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By Obakeng Maje

Mothutlong- North West police arrested a 53 year-old man after he allegedly sexual molested a dog.

Police said a man whistled at a dog and it tried to run away,but he caught in and tool it to his house.

 

Sana Mase,24 who is the dog owner explains what happened.

“My brother saw a man whistling at our dog and took it into his house, they followed him and caught him with his pants down” 

“I suspected that that man has been raping my dog all along as it lost weight” Mase said.

The dog was taken to Onderstepoort clinic for examination. 

Doctor Ruth Stroehle confirmed the ordeal.

“We examined the dog and it was very traumatised. Its private part was swallowed and torn” doctor said.

Mishack Matlou who is animal inspector said the dog was taken to a place of safety and a case of rape was opened against a 53 year-old man.

“A 53 year-old was arrested in connection of rape and will appear before Ga-Rankuwa Magistrate Court today” Warrant Officer Sam Tselanyane said.

Police investigations continue and if the suspect found guilty will face six months jail term.

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews

A woman killed on N14 accident


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By Obakeng Maje

Johannesburg-Pedestrians continue to lose their lives on our roads, and the latest incident that ER24 has responded to was on the N14 last night.

 

The woman in her 20′s was attempting to cross the road where a light motor vehicle, believed to have been some type of bakkie, collided into her. 

“The incident took place between the Zwarkops and the Malibongwe drive exits” Paramedics said.

 

“Paramedics arrived on scene to find the young woman lying in the road and she was extensively injured” ER24 spokesperson said. The woman had already died on scene prior to the arrival of the paramedics, she had sustained a severe head injury and broken bones in her legs and they declared her head.

 

“The occupants of the vehicle that collided into the woman were not physically injured” ER24 said. 

Local police are still investigating.

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews

Call for farm communication nertwork


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North West Premier Thandi Modise has expressed shock that the incident in which a well known dog breeder Eric Labuschane was murdered and his 78-year-elderly mother locked in the bathroom and only discovered after a week. 

 

Modise said on Saturday the dog breeder’s death outside Rustenburg highlights the need for farmers to keep in regular contact with each other.

 

“An effective communication network with farmers should be maintained by rural safety co-ordinating structures in order to prevent farm attacks and improve response time in the event attacks occur,” she said.

 

Modise was reacting to the death of Eric Labuschane.

 

The farmer lay dead in his farm house for a week while his mother, who has Alzheimer’s, was locked in the bathroom, Beeld reported on Saturday.

 

Eric Labuschane, aged 51, who bred Great Danes, was found on Thursday, while police only found his 78-year-old mother on Friday, according to the report.

 

Recluse

 

Labuschane had been stabbed and assaulted with a rock.

 

The mother was found sitting in the bath, severely dehydrated and suffering from shock. She was taken to hospital.

 

Labuschane had been living in the four-bedroom house on Olifants Hoek farm, about 23km outside Rustenburg, since August last year.

 

He was renting the house from Peter Roberts, son of herbalist Margaret Roberts, according to the report.

 

Labuschane and his mother were last seen last Wednesday night.

 

Roberts said Labuschane was a recluse and he was not worried that he had not seen him or his mother.

 

He said he became suspicious when he saw how thin Labuschane’s dogs were looking.

 

“I went to the house, there was a bad smell and flies.”

 

No forced entry

 

Roberts called the police and they broke down the front door.

 

They found Labuschane’s body in the main bedroom.

 

“There was blood all over the walls and Eric was stabbed and beaten with a rock,” said Roberts.

 

North West police spokesperson Colonel Emelda Setlhako said Labuschane had also been strangled.

 

It did not look like there was forced entry into the house.

 

Labuschane had a worker who was also last seen last Wednesday.

 

A Volkswagen bakkie and two cellphones were missing.

 

“We wish Labuschane’s elderly mother a speedy recovery and pray for her strength to deal with her loss as she mourns the tragic death of her son,” Modise said.

 

She called on police not to leave any stone unturned until those responsible were behind bars.

 

 

– SAPA