BY REGINALD KANYANE

ANC in North West welcomed the stoppage on Chris Hani’s killer, Janusz Walus court application for parole over assassination of SACP general-secretary, Chris Hani. Walus eliminated Hani in cold-blood back in 1993. The party said the murder of Hani virtually brought civil war to the country.

Provincial secretary, Dakota Legoete said: “We believe that North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, Judge Nicolene van Nieuwenhuizen took the sound decision. The court heard Walus’ application today in Pretoria. However Walus application was turned down and we believe that he never disclosed all the information on comrade Chris Hani’s murder.

“It is impossible that Walus together with Clive Derby-Lewis could have been the only two behind the carnage. We believe that there are more people behind the murder of the former SACP general-secretary that he still refuses to disclose,” he said.

Legoete further added that they believe that Walus did not show any remorse for his actions. He said Walus deserved to stay a little longer in jail.

“The ANC in Bokone Bophirima also appreciates the legal submission in court by advocate Gcina Malindi SC on behalf of the SACP and the Hani family. Malindi said Hani’s murder remained an exceptional crime. The assassination of a prominent political leader was committed on the eve of the arrival of our democracy.

“We believe that could have resulted in civil war. It is also correct that Walus’ release would undermine nation building and reconciliation. The ANC stands by the point that Walus is far from being rehabilitated. He still not denounced his hatred for communism which seems to have been the key motivation for comrade Hani’s murder,” he said.

-TDN

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Johannesburg – The ANC has officially opened a case of treason against EFF leader Julius Malema, it said on Monday.

“The ANC has just opened a case of high treason against EFF and its leader Julius Malema in his personal capacity with Hillbrow police station,” national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa told News24.

“The threat to remove a lawfully, democratically-elected leader through an undemocratic process is against the law and the Constitution.

“We call on SAPS to investigate a charge of high treason,” he said.

He said the ruling party was doing this for all South Africans as well as to defend and protect the country’s hard won democracy and freedom.

This was after Malema told Al Jazeera that his party would “remove this government through the barrel of a gun”.

During an episode of Talk To Al Jazeera last week, Malema told Jonah Hull that if the ruling ANC continued to respond violently to peaceful protests, “we will run out of patience very soon and we will remove this government through the barrel of a gun”.

Malema was asked what this meant and if he was literally saying people should take up arms against the government.

Malema responded: “Yeah, literally. I mean it literally. We are not scared. We are not going to have a government that disrespects us.”

Kodwa had told News24 earlier that his utterances were treasonable and constituted a violation of the Independent Electoral Commission charter which was signed by all political parties committing them to a free and fair election.
Courtesy: News24.com

ABIDJAN – Congolese rumba music legend Papa Wemba died after collapsing on stage in the Ivory Coast in the early hours of Sunday morning, according to the private morgue where his body was taken.

Wemba, born in 1949, was performing at the FEMUA 2016 festival when he collapsed on stage. Videos posted online showed the artist falling on his back mid-song before band members rushed to his side.

He died before reaching hospital, a spokesman for the Ivosep morgue in Abidjan said.
For more http://www.ewn.co.za

WATCH: Papa Wemba collapses on stage in Ivory Coast

https://youtu.be/1B4t6CZe6DE

Baroka FC coach Kgoloko Thobejane says it would not have been right for them to humiliate Polokwane City in front of their own fans.

The First Division leaders won the Nedbank Cup quarterfinal 2-0 against their neighbours, though in reality it could well have been six or seven.

So confident was Thobejane of the win that he already started celebrating on the sidelines five minutes from the end, but afterwards he was much more circumspect. 

“From the first minute, when we touched that ball, I saw that Polokwane was not there,” he told SuperSport after the match. “I was trying to make some changes to say we could score two or three before we could change but eish… just look at them [Polokwane].

“I feel very much pity because they have a very strong team, and they are hungry … they want to play football. They are our brothers this Polokwane City.

“These two goals were good for them because if we scored six … eish. How can you humiliate your own brothers in their own backyard in front of all these people?” 

Thobejane called on the province’s fans to embrace Baroka and support them in their semifinal against SuperSport United.

“They know now, these supporters, that there is an elephant in this province. Let them come in numbers and follow this elephant, support it so it can grow and grow,” he adds.
Courtesy: http://www.kickoff.com

Orlando Pirates will face Free State Stars in the Nedbank Cup semifinal, while Baroka FC face SuperSport United.

The semifinal draw was made straight after Baroka’s 2-0 win against Polokwane City at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium.

Pirates, who beat Mamelodi Sundowns last night, will travel to the Free State, while Matsatsantsa host the First Division leaders.
Courtesy: http://www.kickoff.com

Generations: The Legacy lead actor Rapulana Seiphemo will be back at work in two weeks.

Generations publicist Gaaratwe Mokhethi told City Press that Seiphemo was recovering well after his horrific car accident, and would report to work early next month.

“He is contracted to us. He is still part of the family. We cannot wait to have him back,” she said.

Mokhethi said the show’s producers had been keeping in touch with the actor since he was critically injured earlier this year.

“He is still not 100%, as he will be continuing to take his medication at work,” she said.

Seiphemo was not available for comment.

In February, the actor was involved in a fatal car crash on the N14 near Diepsloot that left three people dead and three others, including Seiphemo, critically injured. The actor was treated in the intensive care unit of Milpark Hospital, while the other two were treated in public hospitals.

Seiphemo and Connie Ferguson were among the few actors brought back to rescue the soapie in August 2014 after Generations producer Mfundi Vundla axed 16 principal cast members when they went on strike demanding better pay, contracts and royalties. After a break of a few months, the refurbished Generations: The Legacy was launched on December 1.

Meanwhile, Generations – The Legacy leading lady Ferguson is parting ways with the soapie after a year and a half.

Gaaratwe told City Press they were not replacing her, and her character Karabo Moroka would not return. She refused to divulge how Karabo would exit the show.

“We will have other actors join the show and give names once the time is right,” she said.

On April 6, Generations’ producers issued a statement on the soapie’s website, which confirmed Ferguson’s exit.

According to the statement, she was “working on a couple of projects” that needed her “undivided attention” and had asked to be released from her contract.

Rumours of her departure started doing the rounds in SABC corridors last October. At the time, Vundla denied them. “No, it is not true. This is a fabrication,” he said.
Courtesy: City Press

-TDN

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Rustenburg – Those illegally occupying over 100 houses in Marikana near Rustenburg have until next week to inform the North West High Court why they should not be evicted, the North West local government and human settlements department said on Tuesday.

Departmental spokesman Ben Bole said the deadline set by the court is next week Thursday.

The court issued an interim order in February after the Rustenburg local municipality filed an urgent application asking for the eviction of all people who had illegally occupied the Breaking New Ground housing units in Marikana, Extension 2.

The court ordered the illegal occupants to be interdicted and/or restrained from occupying any or all of the incomplete houses being constructed, and to be restrained from gaining access to the property on which incomplete houses were being constructed.

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

Rustenburg – A 28-year-old man was arrested after a failed hijacking in Klipgat near Brits, North West police said on Friday.

Police spokesperson Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said Mmakau police arrested the man in Newtown Section. He was found hiding under a bed.

“The arrest came after an earlier attempt by the suspect and his accomplice to hijack a Toyota Venture failed. The police were tipped off about the attempted hijack incident and rapidly responded. According to information, the suspects ran away when they saw the police.

“One of them ran into a nearby house where he was cornered and arrested after being found hiding under a bed. Upon arrest, he was found in possession of a 9mm Vektor pistol of which the serial number was filed off. He is expected to appear in the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrates’ Court soon,” he said.

African News Agency

Potchefstroom – A 38-year-old man is expected to appear in the Orkney Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of murder, abduction, and two counts of rape, North West police said.

The man’s appearance followed an intensive search by police in Orkney, with the assistance of their counterparts in Vierfontein in the Free State, that led to his arrest on Saturday on a plot along the Leeudoringstad-Orkney road, Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said.

According to information, the suspect allegedly assaulted a 38-year-old man with a knobkerrie, stabbed him with a knife, and slit his throat on Friday in Ysterspruit near Orkney. He then allegedly covered the victim’s body with a mattress and set it alight.

“It is alleged that the suspect continued his criminal acts by abducting a woman and later raped her. The woman was later found during the search fastened to a tractor inside a storeroom at a farm near Vierfontein,” Mokgwabone said.

“It is alleged that the suspect also assaulted his girlfriend’s family members in Kanana [a] few days [before], leading to the horrific incidents and is also expected to face several charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm,” he said.

North West provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Baile Motswenyane lauded the police in Orkney in North West and in the Free State for their work that led to the suspect’s arrest.

Criminals had no space within communities and police “will nail and put them in jail where they belong”, she said.

African News Agency (ANA)