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Moepi’s case weak: Defence


Johannesburg – The State’s case against the man accused of killing forensic auditor Lawrence Moepi is weak, the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court heard on Monday.

“The State’s case is based purely on substantial evidence…The State’s case is particularly weak and based upon mere suspicion,” lawyer Paul Leisher, for Remember Siphoro, said.

“While there is a suspicion there must at least be something that links the accused [Siphoro]. There is a clear motive – no doubt but the same applies for other people.”

Leisher argued that the State’s case was not strong enough and that a trial court would most likely acquit Siphoro.

He said because of the high-profile cases Moepi investigated there could be other people with motives.

Siphoro sat in the dock wearing a peach T-shirt and blue jeans and tentatively listened to the proceedings.

Moepi was followed into the parking lot of the SizweNtsalubaGobodo offices in Houghton, Johannesburg, in October last year, allegedly by Siphoro and an accomplice in a Volkswagen Golf.

He was shot as he was getting out of his car. His killers fled the scene.

Leisher told the court on Monday no one saw Siphoro drive the car and he would tell the court he was not involved in Moepi’s murder.

Bail application

Magistrate Piet du Plessis said because this was a schedule six bail application, Leisher had to prove exceptional circumstances for bail to be granted.

Prosecutor Thomas Matlou argued that the State’s case was not weak or based purely on suspicion. He said he would call the investigating officer to testify on Monday during the bail application.

Matlou told the court there was a problem with verifying Siphoro’s address as the woman staying there said he only stayed over occasionally.

However, Leisher said there was no evidence to prove that Siphoro did not stay there as he was arrested at the address and his clothes were there.

Siphoro, 42, faces charges of murder and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. His alleged accomplice was still at large.

The matter continues.

SAPA

Numsa: Capitalism must be destroyed


ohannesburg – After 20 years of democracy in South Africa it is clear that capitalism has failed, National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) president Andrew Chirwa said on Sunday.

“We are here because we want to change the world in favour of the working class,” he said.

“We want to destroy capitalism… Capitalism has failed.”

Chirwa was speaking at Isando in Kempton Park on the East Rand at the official opening of a week-long Numsa political school.

The political school would be attended by 150 shopstewards and other Numsa activists.

It was aimed at taking forward the resolutions adopted at its December Special National Congress.

Chirwa said the union gathered because it wanted to destroy capitalism.

He said Numsa would not look back on its resolution in December that President Jacob Zuma had to resign with immediate effect because of corruption and the policies his administration were implementing.

The union also resolved to not support the African National Congress in the upcoming elections.

Chirwa told the political school on Sunday that they had received support for their call for Zuma to resign and could not look back.

“The hope of the poor and vulnerable is in our hands — we can’t look back now,” he said.

“The political school will help strengthen us more.”

He said Numsa had been inundated with requests by workers across different sectors to join the union.

SAPA

Hopes dim for immediate end to Amcu strike


Johannesburg – Government-brokered talks between the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) and the world’s top three platinum producers began on Monday in a bid to end a strike that has hit half of global output of the precious metal.

Hopes for an immediate resolution to the strike, which began on Thursday, remained dim given Amcu’s uncompromising approach to negotiations and with the two sides poles apart over wages.

The delegations for the talks at a Pretoria hotel were also low level, with no ministers nor chief executives from Anglo American Platinum, Impala Platinum nor Lonmin . Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa was also absent.

South Africa’s rand lost more than 1% in early trade to hit new five-year lows against the dollar as the strikes coincided with an emerging-market selloff, dealing a double blow to investor confidence in Africa’s biggest economy.

“It’s a perfect storm. Aside from the offshore factors which are beyond our control, locally we have the strikes, a general election in a few months and a weak economy. So there is no good news for the rand at the moment,” said Christie Viljoen of NKC Independent Economists.

Platinum’s spot price climbed slightly to $1 425.00 an ounce, approaching 2½-month highs, on concerns about the impact the stoppages will have on the metal used for emissions-capping catalytic converters in automobiles.

Under the populist battle cry of a “living wage”, Amcu is demanding minimum entry-level pay of 12 500 rand ($1 100) a month from the three platinum producers – a more than doubling of current levels.

Companies say they can ill afford this as they grapple with soaring costs and depressed demand for platinum, especially in key markets such as Europe.

Reuters

Water crisis continues to hit North West


By Obakeng Maje
Vryburg- Water crisis continue to hit North West as the residents of Dr Segomotsi Ruth Mompati were out without water in the six days.

According to Dr Ruth Mompati mayor Tladinyane, the lack of water caused by burst pipe.

A project that was launched two years ago that caused millions has not yields fruit. The was a project that was launched and the plan was to use Taung Dam as the main water supplier.

Taung Dam was suppose to supply Naledi municipality and Greater Taung, but the project did not get off the ground.

The distraught residents were left with no water and demand answers. The lack of water in the province is the major cause as areas like Lichtenburg, Setlagole and Delerayville constantly in the news.

The situation in Mothutlung left four people dead after they were allegedly shot by police.

“The problem was to convey the message to the public to inform them about the burst pipe. We will rectify that and we apologise for the delay” Tladinyane told sabc.

The water crisis is the main issue in the province and this caused residents to be agitated.-TDN
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A man held for fraud in Pretoria


Johannesburg – A 51-year-old man was arrested for fraud in Pretoria, the Hawks said on Monday.

Captain Paul Ramaloko said the man was arrested on Friday, after several complaints were brought to the Hawks about a man called “Davie”, soliciting money from individuals by promising them learner’s and driver’s licences.

“The suspect claimed to be having links within the traffic department, which enabled him to facilitate acquiring driving documents within a week at a cost of R800.”

Ramaloko said the man was arrested in Waterkloof minutes after he had collected R2 000 in cash, from some of his victims.

“Upon visiting his rented Pretoria hotel, where he had been staying with his wife and four children for some time, at a cost of R800 a day, several ID copies and pictures suspected to belong to his victims were confiscated.”

He would appear in the Hatfield Magistrate’s Court on Monday, facing fraud charges.

SAPA

ANCYL to fight final liquidation order


Johannesburg – The ANC Youth League is due to appear in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Monday to try and prevent a provisional liquidation order being made final.

In November last year the court granted the application of a provisional liquidation order against the league by a Bloemfontein event organiser who had originally been tasked with running the ANCYL’s 2008 national conference in the Free State.

The conference left the businessman R15m out of pocket after the league did not pay its bill.

On Sunday, The ANCYL’s Gauteng branch said it was ready to “justify why the order should not be made final” in court on Monday.

“We are…of the firm view that the honourable judge erred.”

The league had said about 6 000 of its members and supporters were expected to picket outside the court on Monday.

On Sunday evening, however, the league announced that the picket had been cancelled.

“There is an interaction between the two parties. So they will appear in court and indicate the interactions taking place and we are expecting a postponement,” said provincial convenor of the league Alex Mashilo.

SAPA

Sanral back to normal after bomb threat


Johannesburg – Operations at the SA National Roads Agency Limited continued on Monday after its building was the target of a bomb threat over the weekend.

“We hope that this week will go well so that business can continue peacefully. This does not bode well with employees who have to work in order to provide for their families,” said Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) spokesperson Nicole Wood.

At least three incidents had been reported at the Sanral building in Midrand.

On Sunday, the building had to be evacuated after a bomb threat was reported.

No bomb was found, said Wood.

The premises was also evacuated on Tuesday and Friday after a suspicious powder, initially thought to be anthrax, was found.

ETC later reported that the substance was harmless.

Wood said work at the centre continued on Sunday with no other incidents reported.

SAPA

Limpopo cops allegedly kill teen


Johannesburg – Limpopo police allegedly shot dead a teenage boy during a protest in Bolobedu at the weekend – the sixth person reported to be killed by police this year, a spokesperson said on Monday.

Saturday’s shooting comes after the body of a woman was found about 8km away in Mandlakazi, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said.

The woman was found on Friday with her hands cut off, and her cellphone and keys placed inside her open stomach.

Mulaudzi said two men were taken in for questioning on Saturday.

“While we were busy with the questioning, the community mobilised and went and started to burn the houses of those two men, including one house that belonged to the boyfriend of the deceased woman,” he said.

“During that time, police went in to try and stop them from burning those houses. It is alleged that during that moment, one of our members [officers] shot at the protesting villagers, which led to the death of a 15-year-old boy.”

Cops ordered to hand in guns

Mulaudzi said police also received information that villagers were planning to mobilise and burn down a police satellite station on Sunday because of the shooting.

“But that did not happen because police intervened.”

Provincial police had since instructed that all police officers who were at the shooting scene on Saturday hand in their firearms.

Ballistic tests would be carried out to determine who shot the boy.

“We are still waiting for the results from the ballistic test. No officer has been suspended or arrested yet,” he said.

No villagers had been arrested for the mob justice, but a case of arson had been opened.

Mulaudzi said the two men who were questioned were later released as they could not be linked to the murder of the woman.

IPID investigating matter

Police were presently searching for the woman’s boyfriend for questioning.
“We don’t know where he is at this point”.

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate was investigating the matter.

Since January, at least five others have been killed by police officers.

On 13 January, Osiah Rahube and photographer Michael Tshele were killed in clashes with police in Brits during a protest for running water.

A third man, Lerato Seema, died the following day from injuries sustained when jumping off a moving Nyala, according to police.

Police said a fourth person died on 19 January of injuries sustained in the clashes. Residents claim the 36-year-old man was shot in the head.

On 23 January, a 28-year-old man, Tshepo Babuseng, was shot dead by a police officer during a protest in Durban Deep, Roodepoort, over housing.
SAPA


By Obakeng Maje

Taung-Maphoitsile alleged rapist back in court on Monday.

A case of Boitumelo Bankutlwang was postponed by Taung Magistrate Court on Thursday for further investigation.

 

Maphoitsile residents packed the court to show support to Segomotsi Gaojelwe,78 who was allegedly raped by Boitumelo Bankutlwang,31.

 

Gaojelwe was gathering some firewood in the nearby veld at around 2pm when the suspect accosted at her. Bankutlwang allegedly produced a knife and raped her.

 

Gaojelwe informed her son about the ordeal and a manhunt was launched where the community found Bankutlwang drinking at a local shebeen.

 

A 31 year-old suspect was arrested and appeared before court where his case was postponed. Bankutlwang will remain in custody until his next appearance.

 

The court postponed the case until 27 January 2014 and police investigations continue.-TDN

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Daily Sun journo receives death threaths


North West Premier Thandi Modise has called on the independent police investigative directorate to investigate alleged death threats made against Daily Sun journalist Ricky Dire who reportedly took pictures of police taking a bribe in Rustenburg recently.

Dire allegedly received two sms’ threatening to kill his family unless he withdrew his disclosure to Daily Sun and the police that he was harassed, assaulted and arrested.
“The allegations are serious enough to warrant an investigation. If indeed they are found to be true then those involved should be immediately suspended and stripped of their uniform. We cannot afford to have police threatening citizens behind the dignified blue uniform,” stressed Modise.
In condemning the alleged despicable acts, Premier Modise had earlier said that skirmishes with citizens who are purportedly determined to expose corrupt activities of a few rotten potatoes within the police service will not serve to improve the image of the police.   
“Police have to work very hard on their image to inspire and regain public confidence after recent tragedies experienced in our province viewed by some as acts of police brutality. They should realise that their conduct is under public scrutiny and strive to be above reproach,” Premier Modise had stressed.
The Daily Sun journo had allegedly took pictures of police receiving bribes from the owners of Red Dragon Trading who had phoned him before he was spotted by the police who bundled him into their police van, confiscated his cellphone and deleted the pictures. This however happened after he had send one picture to his friend. 
Police spokesperson Sergeant Kealeboga Molale had earlier confirmed that charges of intimidation, crimen injuria and resisting arrest were laid by the arresting police against Dire who had since been released from police custody.-TDN
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