Cape Town -Dressed up in orange prison uniforms and shackled at the wrists and ankles, former convicts took to the streets of Beacon Valley with the message that “crime doesn’t pay”.

Clive Petersen, John Palm, Nicholas Isaacs and Jeremy Davis each spent time behind bars for crimes ranging from theft to murder.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Cape Town -It’s down to the wire in the chase for May 7 votes as election campaigns wind up with a focus on Gauteng, the country’s hotly-contested economic heartland, where the ANC, DA, and the Economic Freedom Fighters host their final rallies next weekend.

On Monday, the IFP holds its Siyanqoba rally at Ezinqoleni in the Ugu municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, while United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa two days ago held a final campaign rally in Rustenburg, North-West, where his party has been actively canvassing on the strike-hit mine belt.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Joahnnesburg -The sight of a tiny coffin containing the body of six-month-old baby Bulelwa Ganda left mourners in tears on Sunday.

Dozens of women who had arrived for the funeral service wept openly, many reaching out to one another for comfort, as the baby girl’s pink-and-white coffin with gold handles was carried out of a community hall in Blesbok, Springs, on its way to the gravesite.

The coffin containing Bulelwa’s mother, Manini Princess Ganda, 22, followed behind her daughter’s.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Cape Town -The ANC is the greatest miracle South Africa has witnessed, says ANC Women’s League president Angie Motshekga.

She addressed a crowd of hundreds of people – predominantly young people – at the ANC Freedom Day rally at the sports grounds in Mfuleni on Sunday.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Johannesburg -More than 46 000 taxis have registered for etolling in Gauteng, the SA National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) said on Monday.

“There are clear benefits for taxi operators who are registered for e-toll,” spokesman Vusi Mona said.

The taxis which have registered were exempt from the payment of etolls.

Mona said Sanral had undertaken to set aside the e-tolls due by qualifying public transport vehicles that have already received invoices.

“We want to thank the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) for the principled stand it took in support of e-tolling and for encouraging its members to register,” Mona said.

Mona said Sanral had undertaken to set aside the e-tolls due by qualifying public transport vehicles that have already received invoices. – Sapa

By Waqar Hussain And Issam Ahmed
Lahore, Pakistan – Short in stature and softly spoken, Pakistani paramedic Muhammed Ejaz was probably destined for a life of relative anonymity – until he began killing gay men he met online.

The 28-year-old father-of-two was arrested last week and confessed to three brutal murders, saying he wanted to send a message about the “evils” of homosexuality, though police insist he had sex with his victims first.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

London – Max Clifford, Britain’s top public relations guru, was found guilty Monday of a string of sexual assaults in the first conviction stemming from a police investigation launched after the Jimmy Savile scandal.

Jurors at a London court found the 71-year-old Clifford guilty of eight counts of indecent assault relating to four women as young as 15.

The silver-haired celebrity publicist was found not guilty of two other counts, while the jury was unable to reach a verdict on another count.

He was granted bail ahead of sentencing on Friday.

“You must realise that the fact I have given you bail is no indication of what the final sentence will be,” judge Anthony Leonard told him.

Clifford is the first high-profile figure to be convicted under Operation Yewtree, the police probe set up to investigate allegations of sex offences following the Savile scandal.

The prosecution told the trial that Clifford’s victims came forward following revelations in 2012 that the late BBC presenter Savile – a household name in Britain in the 1970s and 1980s – had been a serial sex offender.

The offences date from before Clifford achieved widespread fame in Britain with his links to several well-known celebrity news stories.

Prosecutors alleged Clifford used his showbusiness connections to “bully and manipulate” young women into sex acts.

Clifford had told the court the claims were “a load of lies”, with his victims being “fantasists and opportunists”.

Following a six-week trial, jurors had been in their eighth day of deliberations when they returned to the courtroom to deliver their verdicts. – AFP

Durban -The biggest fear “born-frees” have about South Africa is whether they will find a job.

They are also concerned about corruption, poor education and ensuring strong political leadership.

These were some of the issues to emerge in interviews with five young people, born in 1994 and who will vote for the first time next month, to mark 20 years of democracy this week.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Johannesburg – A substantial amount of money was stolen from the SBV Cash Centre on Monday in Witbank, Mpumalanga by an unknown number of armed robbers, the company said.

“SBV Services can confirm that a cash centre robbery took place at the SBV Cash Centre Witbank on Monday morning 28 April… [and] is offering a R1 000 000 reward for information that leads to the successful arrests and conviction of the perpetrators,” the company said in a statement.

Any members of the public who had any information regarding the incident were encouraged to call the company’s hotline on 083 408 7029.

SAPA

Johannesburg – Wanton and senseless criminal activity including arson, in the North West would not be tolerated and the police should act swiftly to arrest criminals, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said on Monday.

“These are criminal and anarchistic acts that can not be tolerated in a democracy. I have instructed SAPS to act swiftly and decisively against the criminals who involved themselves in these crimes,” he said.

“The overwhelming majority of South Africans are peace loving and we cannot allow them to suffer because of the criminal acts of a few perpetrators. Police have already made significant arrests and expect to soon make more.”

Mthethwa said police arrested 70 people in Bloemhof after a number of houses, including those of eight police officers, were torched.

In Rooigrond near Mafikeng, 12 people were arrested after the house of a councillor was burnt.

One person was arrested in connection with the torching of the African National Congress office in the Freedom Park informal settlement near Rustenburg.

Police were still looking for one person.

On Sunday night, a councillor’s house was burnt in Freedom Park.

Mthethwa said the police have profiled people and expect to make arrests in the near future.

The police would oppose bail of these arrested so they will lose their right to vote in the elections as free South Africans, he said.

Acting ministerial spokesperson David Barrit said the violence is linked to service delivery but could aim to disrupt the national elections on 7 May, if it continued.

North West premier Thandi Modise also condemned the violence in the province and said platinum belt workers who are on strike should not disrupt electioneering.

“Workers who are involved in the protracted strike should not be misled into taking out their frustration on political parties that wish to campaign in the area as they are not part to the labour dispute involving Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) and mining houses,” Modise said in a statement.

Minister of Sports and Recreation, Fikile Mbalula’s door-to-door campaign in Freedom Park on Sunday was disrupted when Amcu members turned violent.

According to weekend reports, Mbalula was taken away in a bullet-proof vehicle when members of Amcu threw stones at cars.

Modise appealed to political parties to “desist from making irresponsible and populist statements” to make the platinum belt a no-go area for other parties.

“With a new proposal on the table, It is now up to the parties to find one another for an urgent settlement to end the four months old strike which has had a devastating impact on them, our economy and in particular the livelihood of miners and their families,” she said.

Members of Amcu at Lonmin, Impala Platinum and Ango American Platinum have been on strike for the past three months, demanding a monthly salary of R12 500 for entry level workers. On Thursday Amcu rejected the latest offer from the platinum producers.

SAPA