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Oscar’s TV trial setting precedent for media – Booth


Cape Town – Televising Paralympian Oscar Pistorius’s murder trial will hopefully open the gates to screening other important cases, defence lawyer William Booth said on Monday.

“I hope, post Oscar Pistorius, [that] the same will happen with other cases, some cases that are even more horrific than Oscar’s case,” he told the Cape Town Press Club.

He believed opening up court rooms around the country would increase transparency and hold magistrates and judges accountable for their conduct.

Media applications would need to be scrutinised on a case-by-case basis and exclude trials where children were involved.

Booth said it might even be possible to televise rape trials if victims were willing. He said a recent survey of United Kingdom rape victims revealed the majority were in favour of giving evidence while televised.

“The rationale is that they wanted to encourage more victims of crime, particularly rape and assault, to come forward.

“It doesn’t have to become a circus.”

Booth said the televising of Pistorius’s trial could be criticised to an extent.

“Traditionally, witnesses shouldn’t talk to each other. What happened here is that every witness knew what the previous witness had said.”

However, he believed witnesses would still have been able to pick up information from social media if the trial had not been on television.

Judge Thokozile Masipa will hand down judgment on Pistorius in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Thursday.

The athlete was charged with murder following the fatal shooting of his model and law-graduate girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. He shot her through the locked toilet door in his Pretoria home on Valentine’s Day last year. He claimed he mistook her for an intruder.

Booth predicted there was “quite a significant risk” that Pistorius could be convicted of killing an intruder, if not Steenkamp.

He was asked about the prospects of success of an appeal, should Pistorius be convicted of murder.

Booth said there were two possible grounds for appeal – that of Pistorius claiming he was badgered by the State and that of witnesses not being called because they did not want to be televised.

“If your client is being badgered, you get up as a lawyer. You object. There is also duty on the judge. I don’t believe you can sit back,” Booth said.

It was a different matter if judges continuously overruled, he added.

Booth said the issue of witnesses was not a relevant point because the judgment on the televising of the case made provision for witnesses being called in camera.

SAPA

Mogoeng: NPA, protector independence paramount


Johannesburg – Anything other than a truly independent NPA, public protector, and allied institutions are unacceptable, Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng said on Monday.

“Anybody who makes an effort to… appreciate the theme that runs through my addresses that relate to constitutional institutions will remember that I’m campaigning for near absolute independence of the judiciary,” Mogoeng said.

This included institutions established under South Africa’s constitutional democracy.

“That goes for the NPA, that goes for the public protector,” he said.

He was speaking to reporters at the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg after meeting International Criminal Court president Justice Sang-Hyun Song.

“More importantly, if you also have a look at our jurisprudence, of this court in particular, you will realise that anything other than a truly independent National Prosecuting Authority, and public protector, and allied institutions, is unacceptable to me and the broader legal fraternity.

“That’s where we are,” Mogoeng said.

Earlier on Monday, the Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans’ Association (MKMVA) appeared to backtrack on reports that its chairman Kebby Maphatsoe accused Public Protector Thuli Madonsela of being an agent for the US Central Intelligence Agency.

Maphatsoe’s special adviser, Ike Moroe, denied the statement but conceded that reference to the CIA had been made.

“He did make reference to the possibility of a CIA machination in an attempt to destabilise the country,” Moroe told reporters in Johannesburg.

“[However] nothing is impossible… from the international intelligence community.”

The Star reported on Monday that Maphatsoe, who is also deputy minister of defence and military veterans, had accused Madonsela of working for the CIA.

SAPA

Cosatu condemns attack on NUM member


Johannesburg – The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) on Monday condemned the intimidation of a National Union of Mineworkers member during an inspection in Marikana by the Farlam Commission of Inquiry.

When the woman arrived in Marikana, dressed in a red NUM T-shirt, miners affiliated to the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) shouted obscenities at her.

She took cover among police officers. Cosatu identified her as Helen Diatile. The NUM is a Cosatu affiliate.

“Cosatu strongly condemns this action which could have escalated into an even more serious incident, and appeals for tolerance among workers,” Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven said in a statement.

“The only people who can benefit from violent confrontations between workers are their employers, who will always seek to exploit such divisions,” he said.

The NUM security team and police escorted Diatile and NUM spokesperson Luphert Chilwane, who was accompanying her, out of Marikana.

“They both opened a case of intimidation at the Marikana police station,” Craven said.

The commission’s inspection was attended by lawyers, Lonmin mineworkers, the widows of slain miners, and journalists.

Commission chairperson, retired Judge Ian Farlam, called the miners to order.

“I am in charge of this inquiry and this is a public place. Everyone is free to wear what they want. You have your Amcu T-shirts on,” he said.

Farlam said he had been informed that a police witness, scheduled to point out some spots, felt intimidated afterwards.

“It will be remembered that when it was drawn to my attention that the NUM representative was being told to leave, I spoke out very strongly about it.

“Despite what I said, the intimidation continued. Thank you very much, the proceedings are terminated,” said Farlam.

The commission is investigating the 44 deaths relating to a 2012 strike in Marikana.

SAPA

Let us raise our game against Nigeria – Mashaba


Cape Town- Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba has challenged his charges to forget about the politics surrounding the Nigeria game, calling them to psyche themselves up for one of the biggest games of their lives.

Addressing members of the media after the morning training session at Athlone Stadium on Monday, Mashaba said the issue of whether Nigeria would be banned or not by the world football governing body, FIFA was neither here nor there as far as the team’s training regime was concerned.

“As far as I am concerned, we will play Nigeria on Wednesday and we are ready to go to battle and it is a big one and I have told my boys to up their game, come Wednesday,” said Mashaba.

The Bafana Bafana mentor said the good thing about Wednesday’s game was the fact that the boys had removed pressure off themselves by winning against Sudan in Khartoum last Friday.

“The 3-0 win was critical but now we need to be even more clinical if we are to follow up our win on Friday. It won’t be a technical match; they are going to be fighting as well. We all know what Nigerians can do,” Mashaba cautioned, adding that he had lots of confidence with the kind of players that he had assembled. “We should be in a position to get something out of the game.”

Second half replacement, Sibusiso Vilakazi, came on eight minutes into the second period and scored a superb brace to send South Africa on their way three days ago, and Mashaba hinted that he was resisting the temptation to include Vilakazi in his starting line-up as a result of the Wits’ midfielder’s heroics.

“In modern football, that is what we call a tactical move. You don’t throw all your good players from the word go. You throw them from the bench when the opposition is tiring. All three subs that came on paid dividends. It was like they were saying; we want to show the coach that we don’t belong to the bench,” added Mashaba.

Apart from Andile Jali, who is nursing a slight knock, Bafana Bafana medical team has given the squad a clean bill of health.
-TDN
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Task team deployed to help N West municipalities


Mahikeng- As part of broader intervention programme, a team of officials from the North West Department of Finance will be deployed to 12 local municipalities in four districts to assist them to recover debt owed to them by both provincial and national departments as well as resolving disputed debts.

The prioritized municipalities include Madibeng, Rustenburg, Kgetleng-Rivier, Madibeng, Ditsobotla, Ramotshere Moiloa, Naledi, Lekwa-Teemane, Ventersdorp, Tlokwe, Matlosana and Maquassi Hills.

“Technical support provided to the municipalities will include amongst others obtaining a list of outstanding government debt from municipality, unpacking, classifying according to departments and attach supporting document to validate the debt. The officials will also reconcile debtor account where necessary, engage municipal management on the recommendations for buy-in, compile weekly progress report, arrange and coordinate meeting with the affected stakeholders for decision and resolution regarding payment of the debt and hand over to the municipality to implement the resolution” departmental spokesperson Kesaolopa Gill said.

The Department of Finance is committed to work with all spheres of government to ensure the repositioning of municipalities as part of the broader Rebranding, Repositioning and Renewal of the North West Province strategy.

Presenting the 2014/14 Departmental Budget Speech in the legislature recently, the MEC for Finance, Economy and Enterprise Development Wendy Nelson outlined intervention programme to assist municipalities to collect long outstanding government debt as well as assisting them to resolve the disputed debt.

“The Provincial Government is worried about the government debt owed to municipalities which was standing at R410 million as at end of 30 June 2014,” said MEC Wendy Nelson.

Nelson further called upon the identified municipalities to support the initiative and provide necessary supporting documentation as and when required by the team. Municipalities are further urged to verify and certify correct amounts owed to them and once this process has been concluded the affected departments will be directly engaged by the department.

She said for the programme to be effective, it is necessary for the departments of Local Government and Human Settlement, Health, Public Works and Roads and Education and Sport Development also partake in this programme by deploying officials within their Chief Financial Officer’s for facilitation of speedy processing of payments as and when the reconciliation is done.

It is envisaged that the programme will in future also deal with long outstanding accounts of Eskom, Water Boards as well as Auditor General and it will include facilitation of payment agreements and plans to service the debt accordingly and most importantly honour payment agreements by municipalities.

“It is vital that the provincial government embark on consultative engagements with water boards and Eskom to work on solutions to clear debts owed by municipalities. This process will commence in the next 30 days. This programme is also consistent with the fifth administration objective of reducing consultancy costs and heavy reliance on consultants,” she concluded.
-TDN
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One killed, four injured Klerksdorp crash


By Obakeng Maje
Klerksdorp- One man was killed and four others critically injured last night when a vehicle rolled on the N12 15 kilometres outside of Klerksdorp, North West Province.

When ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene, they found the wrecked bakkie lying on its roof, 50 metres away from the road.

“It appeared that the five occupants of the bakkie had been ejected after the vehicle rolled multiple times.
On assessment of the patients, paramedics found that one of the men, a male in his 30s, had already succumbed to his severe injuries” Er24 spokesperson Russel Meiring said.

The four other patients lay around the bakkie and were in a critical condition.

Paramedics treated the patients, providing them with advanced life support where they were thereafter transported to nearby hospitals, including Mediclinic Potchefstroom hospital, for further treatment.

The cause of the collision is not yet known but local authorities were on scene for further information.
-TDN
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ille, Mbeki two peas in a pod on Aids


Helen Zille is the DA’s Thabo Mbeki when it comes to HIV/Aids, writes Eusebius McKaiser.

Fancy a public health nightmare? Simply imagine DA leader Helen Zille becoming the next minister of health. She would immediately set out to complement former president Thabo Mbeki’s early scepticism about the effectiveness of ARVs with her own list of evidence-blind non-solutions for fighting the HIV/Aids infections.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Thuli a CIA spy, says deputy minister


Johannesburg – A Cabinet minister has accused Public Protector Thuli Madonsela of being a CIA plant and of undermining the ANC and the government to create a puppet regime for the US.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Thuli a CIA spy, says deputy minister


Johannesburg – A Cabinet minister has accused Public Protector Thuli Madonsela of being a CIA plant and of undermining the ANC and the government to create a puppet regime for the US.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

I want to restore Bafana Bafana pride – Mashaba


Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba said part of his reconstruction process is to bring pride back to the Senior Men’s National Team which he said had been dented of late.

South Africa walloped Sudan 3-0 in their opening CAF Orange Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers raising the nation’s hopes again after years of below par performances by the national team.

Friday’s win comes in the backdrop of the U20 qualifying for the CAF Youth championships which will be played in Senegal next year after beating African powerhouse Cameroon 2-1 in Polokwane to complete a 3-2 aggregate win.

Mashaba said for an absolute change of culture, Bafana Bafana as the torchbearers had to lead the way.

“Of late, Bafana Bafana had become a laughing stock and had lost credit within the football standing and we need to restore that acclaim. We must bring back the pride to our national team and I am glad with the 3-0 win away from home. It is a beginning of that rebuilding process,” said Mashaba.

The Bafana Bafana mentor who left the U20 position to concentrate on the Senior Team said the 3-0 win over Sudan was a great platform to build good things.

“Once we weathered the storm in the opening minutes in which they pumped long balls upfront, I knew we would achieve our goal of coming away with three points. And the boys stuck to the script.

“In the second half, we completely dominated the game and with clinical finishing, the scoreline could have been 6, 7 or 8. But the 3-0 win is quite encouraging and we need to maintain the momentum.”

Although Dean Furman and Andile Jali controlled the midfield with aplomb, while upfront Sibusiso Vilakazi who came in a second half substitute for Tokelo Rantie scored two important goals, Mashaba refused to single out any individuals for praise.

“I think the entire team played well and it will be unfair to single out individuals. It was a great team effort and I think all players deserve praise.”

Bafana Bafana arrived back in the country on Saturday morning and proceeded straight to Cape Town to start preparing for the game against Nigeria scheduled for Wednesday at Cape Town Stadium.

“We are meeting our nemesis but my gut feel is that all that (losing against African champions) is about to change. Wednesday should be a defining moment,” he said.
-TDN
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