Benoni – One of the policeman accused of murdering a Daveyton taxi driver was assaulted by the driver before his arrest, the Benoni Magistrate’s Court heard on Friday.

Elias Tshole, for Thamsanqa Ncema, 35, read out his client’s affidavit in court.

In it, Ncema alleged that Mozambican taxi driver Mido Macia, 27, was blocking the road with his taxi on February 26.

“I asked him to move and he insulted me and told me I am a useless cop,” Ncema said.

He claimed Macia grabbed a fellow policeman’s gun and pointed it at them.

He later handed it back, and Warrant Officer Meshack Malele, 45, went to call for backup.

Macia’s driver’s licence was taken. He then “tussled” with Ncema after asking for its return.

Ncema said Macia was arrested when back-up arrived and was taken to the police station.

“I was caught by surprise to be told that the person had died, as he has never complained about any injuries,” Ncema said.

Ncema and Malele brought a bail application with their co-accused Motome Walter Ramatlou, Percy Mnisi, 26, Bongumusa Mdluli, 25, Sipho Ngobeni, 30, Lungisa Ewababa, 31, Bongani Kolisi, 27, and Linda Sololo, 56.

Mnisi said in an affidavit that he assisted Ncema after he received a call for back-up.

Macia was allegedly tied to the back of a police van and dragged along a street in Daveyton on February 26. An eyewitness filmed the assault.

Macia was found dead in the local police station’s holding cells several hours later. A post-mortem revealed that he had died of head and internal injuries.

Johannesburg – A swarm of bees attacked children playing at the Bunny Park in Benoni on Friday afternoon, stinging 44 of them.

Netcare 911 spokesperson  Chris Botha said four of the children were in a very critical condition.

He said paramedics and emergency services were still at the scene, stabilising the children.

Cape Town – The Free State government’s website, which reportedly cost R40m to build, is not secure, a report says.

According to Gadget, key elements of the website can be exploited and pose many security risks.

On Wednesday it was reported that more money was spent on the planning of the Free State government website than most South African corporates have ever spent on the full development and implementation of their websites.

But little attention has been paid to making sure the government website is secure.

“The balance of the departments are made up of a mix bag of WordPress themes of varying versions – all with exploits & vulnerabilities,” Gadget reported.

On the Gambling Authority Board’s website, it was reported that nothing was clickable and there was no “website”.

There were also a number of error pages, incomplete links and menu items that did not work – key elements that would have been spotted through stringent testing.

There was also little content management evident on the website.

“Anyone can post anything with no moderation at all including swearing, adverts and anything goes. Spammers are having a field day.

“So if you are looking for cheap Nike Shoes, head over to the one of the news items on the site and look at the comment section,” Gadget reported.

For more details go to www.news24.com

Johannesburg – Stuart Baxter would not call it a championship decider, but Roger de Sa conceded a victory is “almost a must” in Saturday’ Soweto Derby if Orlando Pirates are not to surrender their Absa Premiership title to their bitterest rivals Kaizer Chiefs come May.

Baxter, the Chiefs coach, was predictably reluctant to fall into the trap of championing his charges as favourites, given that they go into Saturday’s match (Soccer City, 3.30pm) with a five-point advantage of Pirates.

A win would extend that lead to an even healthier eight points, although the Buccaneers have a game in hand.

“It would give us a massive momentum, if we were to go eight points clear. It would be great,” Baxter said at the pre-derby press conference in Midrand.

For Pirates, the situation has become desperate after they picked up just one point from their last two games.

“We haven’t done too badly,” De Sa, the Bucs coach, said. “We have been quite unfortunate in the last two games. We were 2-0 ahead of Moroka Swallows and lost that game. We were leading right up to the 92nd minute against Bloemfontein Celtic (on Wednesday) but could only draw. That result (against Celtic) felt like a defeat.

“But now we have a massive opportunity to turn the corner – there’s no better way of doing that than playing against Chiefs. For us, a win is almost a must. Chiefs can afford to draw and still feel comfortable.”

De Sa’s seven-month regime at Bucs’ helm has come under its stringiest scrutiny after the past three results, where Pirates were embarrassed by lowly Maluti and squandered points against Swallows and Celtic. An inquisitor yesterday put it to De Sa that the recent slump in form might be proof the Pirates job is “too big” for him, but, to his credit, De Sa was not riled by this line of questioning and actually exuded maturity in his response.

“When I got here we were 10th (in the standings). We are now just behind Chiefs. We have been on top briefly and we also went 13 matches unbeaten. If that means this job is too big for me, I’ll take it on the chin,” De Sa responded.

Chiefs will back themselves to score against a Bucs defence which has let in eight goals in the last three domestic games – Amakhosi have failed to find the net in just four out of 21 league games this season.

But De Sa is hoping Siyabonga Sangweni is fit to take the field on Saturday, although he was full of praise for the men who’ve been holding the forte while the Bafana Bafana defender has been recovering from injury.

“We knew Sangweni was prone to injury, and we tried to sign a centrehalf (in January). When that didn’t work out we had to make do with what we have. The guys haven’t disappointed, in spite of the results. How much more can they give? It’s a pity that people focus on the last three games, but the fact is we still have the best defence in the league.”

Baxter, meanwhile, has cautioned against taking Pirates lightly. “My experience of any derby is that it doesn’t reflect what’s going on. You’ve seen Everton beating Liverpool when they are way above them in the log standings. The derby is never dependent on form. There are a lot of factors that can boost players’ confidence,” the Chiefs trainer said.

He pointed out that Pirates still had the best defence in the league, in spite of their recent travails. “Pirates haven’t had a bad season defensively. They’ve just had hiccups recently and that happens to any team.” Chiefs will be without Lehlohonolo Majoro, the striker whose equalising goal in the first-round derby enabled Amakhosi to return with a point. “It’s a blow for us. Other players have to step up and I’m glad they have.” – The Star

Rustenburg – The ANC North West has officially suspended the membership of murder accused MEC China Dodovu, the party said on Friday.

“The provincial working committee (PWC)… resolved to temporarily suspend the membership of comrade China Dodovu, our deputy chairperson,” said acting provincial secretary Gordon Kegakilwe.

Dodovu’s suspension was decided at a special meeting of the provincial disciplinary committee after criminal charges were laid against two members of the committee and an ANC councillor.

Dodovu, who was the local government and traditional affairs MEC, had already been suspended from the ANC’s provincial executive committee.

He was released on bail of R20,000 on Tuesday after his arrest, with seven others, in connection with the murder of ANC regional secretary Obuti Chika.

Chika, 33, was shot in the driveway of his Klerksdorp home on December 14. He died in a local hospital.

Kegakilwe said the PWC had reflected on the implications of African National Congress leaders facing criminal charges and had re-affirmed its position to “safeguard core values of the movement”.

Any charges against leaders could potentially damage the image of the ANC, he said.

Dodovu claimed on Wednesday a smear campaign was being conducted against him.

“My arrest can only point to an unholy alliance between some ANC leaders, the police and the prosecution,” he told reporters in Johannesburg.

Paul Sebegoe has since been appointed acting MEC for local government and traditional affairs in the North West.

Dodovu and his co-accused are scheduled to appear in court again in April.

The other accused are: North West provincial ANC Youth League chairman Papiki Baboile, ward secretary Paul Molomonyane, councillor Itumeleng Molebatsi, municipal worker William Malefo, taxi driver Kgotso Kali, and community members Sihlangu Sekhakhane and Jeffrey Letuka. – Sapa

North West Premier Thandi Modise is demanding answers as to why a rape suspect alleged to have raped a nine- year- old Itsoseng girl has not been arrested and why police are allegedly giving conflicting account as to whether a case has been registered or not registered.

“We cannot tolerate a situation where law enforcement is vacillating on a sensitive issue such as rape which has reached unacceptable and alarming proportion. Victims cannot live in fear while perpetrators who are supposed to be behind bars are roaming our streets freely eyeing their next victims,” said Premier Modise on Friday.

Daily Sun newspaper reported that the victim is too scared to leave her house after hearing that the man who allegedly raped her was released by police.

The attacker allegedly came to the victim’s house and gave her sibling R2 and told them to go and buy sweets and when she was alone with him, he kissed her, took off her panties and raped her. The victim was purportedly rescued by a neighbour who heard her screaming.

Although two doctors are alleged to have submitted that they could not find proof that she was raped, Local Councillor Andy Montsho alleged that the girl could not walk for a week after the incident.

According to the article by the newspaper, the girl’s mother died a few years ago and she lives with her grandmother and her siblings.

Johannesburg – The former lead investigator in the Oscar Pistorius case told The Star this morning that foreign media had offered $50 000 (R458 000) for a photograph of the toilet door that the athlete shot through when he killed Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day.

Hilton Botha said police were being offered extraordinary amounts of money for pictures of the crime scene.

The former policeman, whose resignation from the SAPS was made public last night, confirmed that an officer at Boschkop police station was offered $50 000 for a picture of the door.

Pistorius has testified that after he shot through the locked door, he tried to kick it open and finally smashed it with a cricket bat so that he could get to his girlfriend.

Botha said the offer had been made by an international media house to “an officer Van der Merwe” who worked on the crime scene. He did not know the officer’s first name.

But it wasn’t just the international media that were clamouring for pictures of the inside of Pistorius’s house and the crime scene. Local media were also offering money to police officers.

Police crime scene tape marks the home of Oscar Pistorius.

REUTERS

Botha said he and other officers who worked on the case were offered between R5 000 and R10 000 a picture by local media houses.

He declined to name which media were involved.

“If that happens (the leaking of photographs), both the State and the defence’s cases could be destroyed,” said Botha.

“I decided at that point that all pictures should be sent off to forensics immediately. That way we had no pictures and there could be no leak.”

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

BY Staff Reporter

North West Premier Thandi Modise has expressed shock and called on the public to assist police trace a rapist whose tongue was bitten off by a 12- year- old Tlhabane girl he had abducted and repeatedly raped. Premier Modise commended the grade 7 girl for her courage after learning of her ordeal in “Daily Sun” newspaper on Friday.

“Though it served him right that the teenager bit off his tongue, the heartless criminal should be apprehended and removed from society. He should pay for the trauma and ordeal that he put the young girl through in his quest to satisfy his lust. As long as he is out there young girls and women are not safe,” stressed Premier Modise.

Modise called on police not to leave any stone unturned until the suspect who was recorded on close circuit television approaching the girls at Foro Spar Shopping Mall is behind bars.

The Premier warned women and girls not to accept lifts from strangers or leave their girl children no matter how young with male strangers given the increase in rape incidents.

According to the victim, the man had called her by name and said that he had been sent by her mother who is a police officer to take her to church. Instead of proceeding to church, the perpetrator took her to the bush, beat her with his fists and choked her with her braids.

He had raped repeatedly throughout the night until she passed out, gaining consciousness in the early hours of while he was raping her again. She eventually plucked up courage to bite his tongue when he put his tongue in his mouth to kiss her.

The unconscious young girl was found by a passerby under a bridge after she had managed to crawl to the gravel road.

Efforts by police to trace the suspect at Job Shimakana Tabane Provincial Hospital drew a blank as a person who had registered with a false name and address left the hospital before he could be attended to.

After claiming just a single point in their previous two league outings, Orlando Pirates coach Roger de Sa says victory is crucial in the Soweto derby against Kaizer Chiefs if his side are to defend their league title.

The Buccaneers, who hold a game in hand, fell five points behind AmaKhosi after settling for a draw against Bloemfontein Celtic in a midweek Absa Premiership clash, but De Sa insisted his side were still in control of their destiny ahead of the match at FNB Stadium on Saturday.

“For us, we’re looking for that moment of magic, that game that sort of ignites us once again and maybe sends us off for the final stretch with a good performance. For us, a win is almost a must at this stage,” De Sa said.

“In some ways it’s still in our hands. If we win every game we play we can still finish ahead of Chiefs because we have a game in hand.”

The former Wits coach, chasing his first league title at the helm of Pirates, believed his team would need to take the attacking initiative in the derby.

“We are the ones that are five points behind so we have to take the game to them,” he said. “We know what’s at stake.”

De Sa was not concerned about his side’s defence, which had been shaky in the last two weeks, including a shock 4-1 defeat to amateur outfit Maluti FET College in the first round of the Nedbank Cup.

“That’s football. You can’t keep a clean sheet every game.”

Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter believed the result would play only a small part in the title race, with one third of the leage campaign remaining.

“I don’t think this is the decider, but the win will give one of the teams very strong impetus,” Baxter said.

“It won’t be the decider unless you allow it to be. There’s still too much football to be played.

“Both teams will have difficult games, both teams will have banana skins and slip up at some point.”

Even with a win in the derby encounter, Baxter believed it could prove insignificant to their title ambitions, and they needed to stay focussed on their long-term goals.

“To look at this as the be-all-and-end-all, I’m afraid the winner could lose three on the bounce because they can’t get their head out the clouds.

“This is a very important game, but in many ways it’s going to be a challenge to move forward afterwards.”

Baxter was relieved to welcome back Tsepo Masilela and Bernard Parker, but Lehlohonolo Majoro and Matthew Rusike had been ruled out for the clash.

“People at the beginning of the season were saying that we didn’t have a big enough squad,” he said.

“I’ve been very pleased with the way the squad has stood up.”

De Sa, meanwhile, was still waiting on a decision on the fitness of Siyabonga Sangweni.

      
-Sapa

Leopard Park Golf Club employees and caddies are spending sleepless nights after reports of possible retrenchments and the ultimate closure of the facility.

This is after the club’s holding company allegedly failed to account for its financial expenditures.

An investigations carried by an ad hoc committee established by the provincial standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) found that the company, Signal Development, failed to produce financial statements from 2007 until last year.

Among other woes, the committee was concerned about the assets of the entity and wanted to know the viability of selling it to private investors.

It was also concerned about the money obtained from the sales of erven in phase 1 and the current status of the phase 2 development that was never undertaken.

The club has employed 18 people on the greens including gardeners and has more than 100 caddies who all expressed shock at news of the facility’s possible closure.

“I’ve worked here since 1991 and have four children to look after,” said a 64-year-old gardener, Andries Modise from Tsetse village.

“My appeal to the government is to make plans to save our jobs and keep this club running, otherwise we will be unemployed and our families will starve.”

Eric Kekgaretswe, a caddy, said: “I have a child to look after depending on the money I get on days when the club is busy.

“Sometimes it’s dry and we sleep with empty stomachs. I’ve worked here since 1992 and we ask the government to save this club.”

A club committee member who declined to be named said: “The situation is bad and we are worried because the club could shut down, followed with retrenchments.

“We will not give up but talk to the government for something to be done to sustain the club.”

Signal Development was incorporated by the erstwhile Bophuthatswana government that was the only shareholder in the company tasked to ensure proper maintenance and upkeep of the club.

Committee chairperson Mahlakeng Mahlakeng said it was regrettable because the company was not under any particular department in the province.

Scopa chairperson Hlomane Chauke said: “Heads are going to roll because the club is state owned.

“People used to make money from the sale of the land and we are going to serve them with notices to appear before us and account next week.”

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