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Premier Modise welcomes AMCU’s assurance of peaceful protest


North West Premier Thandi Modise has welcomed the assurance by The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) that it would do its best to stage a peaceful strike on the platinum mines in Rustenburg in the North West.

Premier Modise was reacting to Amcu co-ordinator Evans Ramokga’s statement earlier that said that the union has increased the number of marshals to ensure that the strike is peaceful.

“Respecting the rights of non-striking workers and avoiding violence at all costs would demonstrate AMCU’s commitment, We are encouraged that AMCU has committed to respect the framework for peace and stability in the mining industry during the strike and exercise its constitutional rights in line with the Labour Relations Act” said Premier Modise..

Amcu had earlier said it expected its estimated 100,000 members at the three mines to participate in the strike.

The union is seeking a minimum monthly wage of up to R12500 for entry-level workers – more than double current levels. The mining houses have said they cannot afford the steep increase.

Modise said she hoped the parties would still be able to address their concerns ahead of the planned strike on Thursday.  

“We will always encourage frank and honest discussions as we are convinced that such dialogue is a demonstration of commitment by all stakeholders to peaceful co-existence and mutual benefit based on openness, trust and respect, and that has the interest of all stakeholders at heart,” reiterated Premier Modise.


By Obakeng Maje
Madibeng- The Hawks in the North West Province investigating a case of alleged corruption against the employee of the Madibeng Local Municipality.

“The alleged suspect is working with the applications for re-zoning of properties. It is alleged that the suspect asked for money from the applicants to approve their applications in Brits and Hartbeespoortdam areas” colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said.

The investigating officer requests the public and potential witnesses to assist him by coming forward with any information.  Any person who was approached by any municipal employee to give or donate money to him, can contact the Investigating Officer,  W/O Jaco van den Berg on 071 481 3528.-TDN
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Two nabbed for school burglary in N West


By Obakeng Maje
Lehurutshe- Two accused, Daniel Kwalate (21) and Ofentse Khutswane (24) appeared in the Lehurutshe Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday on allegations of Burglary at Business premises.

They were denied bail and will appear again on 3 February 2014 for further investigations. 

“It is alleged that on 16 January 2014 the accused broke into Tlhaole High School at Motswedi village near Zeerust and took six computers to the value of R12 000.00.  Both suspects were arrested at Motswedi village on 16 January 2014” colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said.

According to the information, on 17 January 2014 police received a tip-off from a community member that there were two suspicious people who were selling a motor vehicle radio at a tavern. Police acted upon information and arrested the suspects. 

 

According to the information, both suspects were interviewed  by police and a search was conducted at their residential places for more suspected stolen goods.  One suspected stolen computer was recovered. It was identified as one of those alleged stolen at the school during burglary.

“It is alleged that the suspects took police to a nearby bush where another computer  was recovered covered in a plastic bag and shrubs.  The accused directed police to where other two computers were recovered. It is alleged that they were sold to some foreign nationals in town” Mokgwabone said.

Police investigations continue.-TDN
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Pregnant woman murder: Case postponed


ohannesburg – A man accused of stabbing his pregnant girlfriend and her 1-year-old daughter to death had his case postponed in the Lichtenburg Magistrate’s Court, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Thursday.

Samuel Ndlovu, 32, was in court on Wednesday, said NPA spokesperson Frank Lesenyego.

“His formal bail application has been abandoned and the accused remanded in custody,” said Lesenyego.

The matter was postponed to 25 February for further investigations.

“He faces two charges of murder and another charge could be added after police have concluded their investigations,” said Lesenyego.

Ndlovu was arrested on 12 January for allegedly stabbing his 22-year-old girlfriend, her unborn child, and her daughter. He apparently accused the woman of having an affair.

SAPA

DA is provoking ANC- Mthembu


Johannesburg – The DA is provoking the ANC by marching to its headquarters in Johannesburg, spokesperson Jackson Mthembu said on Wednesday.

“To us, this march by the DA is extreme provocation to the ANC. It can’t be anything else,” he said.

“What happens if our members come to protect Chief Albert Luthuli House? We should remind them what happened when they marched somewhere [Cosatu].”

Mthembu was referring to a DA march in 2012 to the Cosatu office in Braamfontein.

Cosatu members threw stones at DA supporters as they made their way to the lawns of the Joburg (formerly the Civic) Theatre, 50m away from the trade union federation’s office.

Riot police were called to the scene and tear gas and water cannons were fired.

Mthembu said the ANC did not want to be put in the same situation.

Marching to another political party’s headquarters was a “recipe for disaster”, he said.

DA leader Helen Zille said she would lead 6 000 of her party’s supporters in a march to Luthuli House in the Johannesburg CBD on 4 February to take the “fight for jobs” to the ruling party.

“Each DA supporter will represent 1 000 unemployed South Africans, who will benefit from the six million real jobs that the DA will create if elected to national government,” she said in a statement.

“We are taking the fight to Luthuli House to highlight the failure of [President] Jacob Zuma’s ANC to cut corruption and create jobs.”

Zille said the DA would expose the ANC manifesto pledge of creating six million job opportunities as “bogus”.

She accused Zuma of misleading people.

“These are not real jobs. They are temporary public works’ placements that will do little to grow the economy and lift people out of poverty permanently and sustainably,” she said.

Constitutional right

Zille said the DA had informed the Johannesburg metro police and the ANC’s secretary general Gwede Mantashe about the march.

“We have guaranteed him that our march will be peaceful, and that we expect our constitutional right to gather and protest to be respected,” she said.

Mthembu said the ANC had asked the DA to reconsider having the march as there was nothing to gain by doing this.

“They have different policies to those of the ANC and them marching to Luthuli House does not change ANC policies.

“Our democratic order has created a platform where we can debate policies, and that place is Parliament.”

He said the ANC would bring a debate in Parliament on whether it was appropriate for parties to march to each other’s offices.

Mthembu accused the DA of bringing about instability.

“We hope they are mature enough not to cause instability with elections three months away.

“All of us are working hard to make sure there is political tolerance. We will condemn anybody who wants to come provoke ANC members at the ANC headquarters,” he said.

SAPA

Foreigners arrested for drugs in JHB


Johannesburg – Five foreigners accused of dealing in drugs were arrested in Yeoville on Wednesday, Gauteng police said.

The five, aged between 25 and 46, were caught in a club by police acting on a tip-off, said Lieutenant Colonel Katlego Mogale.

“Police received information about a club that was operating as a drug peddling establishment,” she said

Uncut cocaine, crystal meth, cocaine rocks and cat [methcathinone] worth about R1m on the street was seized.

The five would appear in the Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court soon on charges including possession of drugs, said Mogale. It was not known where they were from, or if they were men or women.

SAPA

Whites stole our land- Bekkersdal residents


Westonaria – Vacant land in Bekkersdal, on the West Rand, was stolen by whites, the Greater Westonaria Concerned Residents’ Association said on Wednesday.

“We are not apologetic for occupying the land. We believe it belongs to us. It was stolen by the whites,” spokesperson Mbulelo Koyana said.

He said the government had failed to provide residents with houses.

“When people voted in 1994, they never knew they would be powerless when they were in power,” Koyana said.

On Tuesday, more than 1 000 residents reportedly carried shovels and picks onto the land, which is owned by mining company Rand Uranium, to erect dwellings.

Earlier on Wednesday, The Citizen reported that the Westonaria municipality and Rand Uranium were applying for a court interdict to stop residents from illegally occupying the vacant land.

In court papers, the municipality had reportedly said it was not in a financial position to “take on the burden” of providing services for which it had not planned or budgeted.

According to the newspaper, the municipality said the area had been rezoned for agricultural purposes, and was geologically unstable and prone to sinkholes.

The case would be heard in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Monday.

Community leader Thabang Wesi reportedly said he received court papers on Tuesday but had not responded to them yet.

“Our legal team is working on that matter.”

Last year, violent protests broke out in the area and lasted for more than a month, with residents demanding the removal of the municipality’s Mayor Nonkoliso Tundzi. They accused her of maladministration and nepotism.

Resident Fezile Momoza said on Wednesday that unemployment was high in the Bekkersdal area. The only development since 1994 was a community hall.

“If government had listened to us, we wouldn’t have grabbed the land. The municipality does not care about our concerns.”

The residents wanted councillors guilty of corruption to be suspended, he said.

SAPA

Premier Modise to handover school shoes and food garden to rural learners in Taung


Taung-Over five hundred learners from Kokomeng Primary Schools in Taung are to receive school shoes from North West Premier Thandi Modise and MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development at 9:00 am today.

The intervention is part of government’s War on Poverty Campaign being implemented across the province to fight poverty and reduce social and economic infrastructure backlogs in rural communities. The Anti-poverty Strategy builds on the work of government since 1994 and seeks to change the trajectory of government”s anti-poverty initiatives. Its main objective is to reduce the incidence of poverty.

Central to this resolve is the ending of inter-generational poverty through improving the economic situation of households.

The event includes the handover of a food garden to Seabo High School.-TDN
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Efforts to root out corruption in municipalities intensified-Premier Modise


An Executive Council (Exco) task team to oversee implementation of the Ministerial Task Team Report which had uncovered maladministration, fraud and corruption in Madibeng Local Municipality has been established, North West Premier Thandi Modise announced after the Special Exco meeting held in Mahikeng on Wednesday

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According to Premier Modise, the task team composed of the MEC’s for Finance, Local Government & Traditional Affairs and Human Settlements-Public Safety & Liaison and will ensure that investigations into reported cases of nepotism, fraud and corruption across all municipalities in the North West Province are speedily concluded.

The team is expected to present a progress report in the next two weeks in time for a meeting with provincial police management and the Director of Public Prosecution to establish reasons for delays in finalising refereed cases.
The objective of the meeting will be to guarantee that new referrals are dealt with swiftly. 
“Where obstruction and resistance are encountered, Exco will not hesitate to dissolve municipalities in terms of Section 139(1) c of the constitution. Though the approach of the Exco collective is to be evenhanded, there will be no compromise with those who have benefitted in any way from corruption. Where fraud and corruption are uncovered, properties will be attached and people send to jail,” stressed Premier Modise.
The political oversight committee to monitor adherence to timeframes for implementation of the over R2 billion projects to be rolled out in areas with water challenges in the short to medium term was also confirmed.
In appealing to communities to give the roll out of the implementation plan a chance, Modise said that the province will be embarking on a province wide roadshow to address stakeholders and community representatives about the targeted intervention. The first of the series of meetings is to be held in Madibeng next week.
The committee was also tasked to deal with challenges of sanitation as experienced in Marikana, Khuma, Ditsobotla, Delarayville and other areas in the province.-TDN
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Malema: Police will kill more under ANC led government


More people will be killed by the police under the ANC-led government, Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema said on Tuesday.

”They started with Andries Tatane and said there’s no evidence and the police walked free,” he told a meeting in KaHhoyi village near Komatipoort in Mpumalanga.

“They came to Marikana and in two years we still don’t know what happened. Now the people of Brits want water but they are met with death from the police.”

A Sapa correspondent reported that Malema called on people not to vote for a government that was “killing” them.

“I’m telling you, you see it on TV and think it will never happen to you, it’s coming here.”

He sought to dissuade people from voting for President Jacob Zuma.

“When you get to the ballot paper, you will see Zuma’s face. Before you vote for your party, start by addressing him.

“Say: ‘Zuma, before I vote for my party, let me address you. You must tell your cows for which you built a R1 million kraal to vote for you’,” Malema said to laughter.

He said two houses in KaHhoyi village would cost less than the R500,000 spaza shop built for Zuma’s wife.

“They said in 2014 we will not have shacks, but look at how the shacks have doubled in 20 years of democracy. Rapists are terrorising people.

“If you want more spaza shops for [Zuma’s] many wives vote for him, if you want more kraals and swimming pools vote for him, because that is where your money goes,” he said.

Malema also criticised the ANC-led government for failing to provide decent jobs to the unemployed.

“They came to Mbombela and promised people six million jobs in five years, while they failed to produce jobs in 20 years. In that period we didn’t create jobs, but lost 1.4 million jobs. How can they say they are going to create jobs in five years?” he asked.
-Sapa