Pretoria – Circumstantial evidence points to an argument between murder accused Oscar Pistorius and his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp before she shot her dead, the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria heard on Thursday.

“The only reasonable inference from circumstantial evidence is that there was an argument,” said prosecutor Gerrie Nel.

After an objection from Pistorius’s counsel Barry Roux, Nel said this evidence included testimony from witnesses who said they heard a woman screaming in the early hours of 14 February last year, when Steenkamp was shot dead in Pistorius’s toilet.

Pistorius had been alleging that the scene at his house had been altered and that a fan was moved.

Nel suddenly said: “It was moved when you and the deceased got in an argument,” prompting Roux’s objection.

Nel said his case would say “when you got up you had an argument. That’s why she ran away screaming”.

Nel said this was the only “reasonable inference”.

Pistorius has pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder he faces.

He said he thought there was an intruder about to enter his home when he suddenly fired four shots at the toilet door, killing Steenkamp inside the toilet with three of the shots.

He has also denied guilt on a charge of illegal possession of ammunition and two counts of discharging a firearm in public.

SAPA

Johannesburg- Head coach of the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana, Vera Pauw, is happy with the progress made by her team following Tuesday’s practice match against the School of Excellence U16 Boys side. 

The practice match against the School of Excellence formed part of preparations for the international friendly match against Zimbabwe scheduled for Saturday, 12 April 2014 at the Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto. Kick-off is at 13h30.

The Sasol-sponsored South African Senior Women’s National team was divided into two groups going down 4-0 in the first match and 2-1 in the match played later in the day.

Sasol Banyana Banyana will have their last training session at the Bedfordview FC training fields on Thursday before moving to the match venue for the captains’ session on Friday, 11 April

Head coach, Vera Pauw with the assistance of interim assistant coach and former national team captain, Desiree Ellis, says she is happy with the build-up to the game against Zimbabwe. She added that the team was making huge improvements and that she was impressed with this.

The South Africans are working towards securing a spot in the eight nations CAF African Women’s Championships. The same tournament will be used as the continental qualifiers for 2015 edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada.

“Following yesterday’s training against the boys, I’m happy with what I have seen so far. We are making huge steps everyday and yesterday’s matches were important as they allowed us to test how far the players have come and to see  if everyone understands what we have been going through in each of the sessions this past week

“Selecting the final 18 players for the friendly against Zimbabwe is not going to be easy because all the players are giving 100% in the training sessions and competition is very tight. The game against Zimbabwe is a building block for us and I am looking forward to seeing how they perform on Saturday,” said Pauw.

The Zimbabwean Women’s National team arrive in South Africa in two groups on Wednesday, 9 April.-TDN
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Cape Town – A rift is developing at Platinum Stars between coach Allan Freese and one of his senior players, Benson Mhlongo, a report on the SPORT LIVE
website
indicates.

Other senior players are reportedly unhappy with the situation, and have insisted on a meeting with club management.

It is alleged the defender and coach disagree on certain aspects of his coaching method, which resulted in Mhlongo missing three PSL matches – against Maritzburg United, Moroka Swallows and Bloemfontein Celtic.

Mhlongo is also not in the Dikwena squad Wednesday’s away game against Wits (19:30 kick-off).

Both Freese and Mhlonga have denied the rift, citing tiredness as the reason he was omitted.

Stars are currently 9th on the
overall PSL log
.
Sport24

Bloemhof-North West Premier Thandi Modise is to lead a Provincial Executive Council (Exco) task team that is to engage with protestors in violence torn Bloemhof and Itsoseng, Exco resolved in its meeting held in Mahikeng on Wednesday.In condemning thetorching of private and public properties in Boitumelong and Coverdale Townships over the past few days, attack on police officers, torching of a community hall in Christiana earlier today, Exco supported the appointment of an independent firm to conduct a forensic investigation into allegations of nepotism and corruption.

“While we have noted that service delivery issues were not raised in the memorandum that was submitted by the protestors, we are committed to get to the bottom of the allegations raised in the interest of good governance” said Premier Modise in appealing for calm.

“Destruction of properties is a draw back for which there will be consequences for those orchestrating and participating in these acts that undermine the rule of law,” Modise warned.
Exco has also expressed its concern about blockading of roads, burning of tyres and looting of shops in Bodibe village and Itsoseng Township outside Lichtenburg in Ditsobotla Local Municipality.

No memorandum was submitted in the case of Bodibe and Itsoseng which are within Ditsobotla Local Municipality that is under provincial administration.

The team led by Premier Modise is scheduled to meet with protestors in Boitumelong at 15:00 on Thursday afternoon and those in Itsoseng at 14:00 on Friday afternoon.-TDN
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By Obakeng Maje
The South African Police Service National Management Forum decided that a Stock Theft Pilot Projects be implemented in all nine provinces to re-confirm the success achieved.

The Provincial Management decided that the Pilot Project must be executed in 5 Clusters in the Province.

“The following clusters/ areas were identified as areas where the Stock Theft Pilot Projects would be implemented. Wolmaransstad, Taung, Zeerust, Brits and Mahikeng” captain Pelonomi Makau said.                                  
Police said actions to be executed during the operations will include, visit to kraals, abattoirs, auctions, chisa nyamas, butcheries, pension pay outs, tuck shops, roadblocks, VCP’s, cattle posts, villages, farms, speculators and community grounds.

“Community meetings to educate community about Stock Theft Act, Meat Safety Act, and Animal Identification Act will be conducted.  Other Departments will also be involved in integrating the approach” she said.

Suspect raiding on Stock Theft related cases as well as the investigation of newly reported Stock Theft cases will also be part of the project.

In Wolmaransstad Cluster, the operation was launched on 6 January 2014 and the following successes were reported:

Nine abattoirs and 9 butcheries and 9 auctions were visited, 132 persons were searched and 4 roadblocks were conducted.

Nine suspects were arrested for stock theft (all stock), 2 for possession of suspected stolen goods, 62 cattle were seized but were since handed back to their owners, and 43 were arrested for the Animal Identification Act and 3 for Meat Safety Act.

“In Pudimoe cluster, the following successes were conducted, 6 businesses, 105 cattle posts and 3 farms, 2 auctions were visited and 56 persons were searched” Makau said.

Seven suspects were arrested for theft of all stock, 76 arrested for Animal identification act, 3 goats and 3 horsed were also seized.

In Zeerust cluster, the following successes were achieved: 15 butcheries, 233 cattle posts were visited. 441 persons and 11 suspects were searched. Arrests were also made at the cluster and 65 cattle were seized.

Brits cluster accomplished the following successes: 50 cattle posts, 3 pounds were visited. 521 persons and 22 suspects were searched.

“Statistics shows that there is a decrease in the stock theft cases. Wolmaransstad has 31,69% decrease, 55% decrease at Pudimoe cluster , 44,10% and an increase at Zeerust and 12, 5% in Brits” police said.

In Mahikeng, police arrested 142 suspects for Animal Identification Act and 1 was also arrested for contravening the Meat Safety Act.-TDN
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Johannesburg – Government on Wednesday welcomed the closure of the Rosettenville crèche in Johannesburg where a toddler was bound, gagged, and left in a bathroom unattended.
“Government welcomes the closure of Petite Bumper Daycare Centre in Rosettenville by the department of social development and law enforcement agencies in Gauteng,” spokesperson Phumla Williams said in a statement.

“Abuse and violence against children will not be tolerated in our country.”

The centre came under the spotlight on Tuesday when the Daily Sun published screen grabs of the toddler tied up and gagged in a bathroom at the crèche, allegedly by the owner, so that she could watch television.

The paper reported that it was in possession of a video of the child trying to free herself.

In the video, the child tries to free herself by moving around on the floor until she gets stuck between the toilet and the wall.

Crèche owner Labeeba Truter told the paper she was aware of the incident but had not reported it to police. She claimed she was not responsible for the abuse and she did not know it was child abuse.

Child abuse

On Wednesday police said a case of child abuse was opened but Truter had not yet been linked to the case.

She was, however, being held for questioning as she was the owner of the crèche.

Williams condemned the abuse in the strongest possible way and said South Africa’s Constitution made clear provision for the protection of children’s rights.

“A child has a right to be protected from maltreatment, neglect, abuse or degradation.”

She called on parents to engage with staff and owners of facilities where they left their children and determine if they were legally registered.

Williams added that parents should insist on seeing a copy of the social development department registration certificate.

“It is the responsibility of parents to ensure that their children are in a place that is safe and secure, and to be aware and vigilant of the establishment’s supervisions, routine, and discipline procedures,” she said.

SAPA