Top Oscar Pistorius cop quits

Johannesburg – The head of police who took charge of the crime scene after Oscar Pistorius allegedly shot dead his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, has resigned, the Sunday Times reported.
Several police officers told the paper that Boschkop police station commander Colonel Schoombie van Rensburg had been under immense pressure because of the bungling of the crime scene at the Paralympian’s home.

The Sunday Times revealed that a crucial piece of evidence, the bathroom door through which Pistorius shot Steenkamp, was bizarrely kept in Van Rensburg’s office.

It was there for about a week after the killing on 14 February 2013. Police protocol requires evidence to be kept in a secure storeroom.

A police officer known to the Sunday Times said the door was removed from Pistorius’s house in Silver Woods Estate, in eastern Pretoria, the day after the killing.

“It was covered with a body bag, cable ties and tape. Records at the Boschkop shows it was booked into the SAPS 13 [storeroom], but it was kept inside Van Rensburg’s office,” the officer told Sunday Times.

“It was actually lying on the floor in front of his desk and only taken away about a week later.”

The officer said during this time almost anyone in the police station had access to Van Rensburg’s office, from where they also sent faxes and made telephone calls.

“Business interests’

Van Rensburg, who has been in the force for more than 30 years, denied that his resignation had anything to do with the case, saying he was leaving to pursue business interests.

He is the second officer of the Boschkop police station to resign since the shooting drama.

“My decision has nothing to do with the Oscar case… and I cannot talk about the matter because it still has to go to court,” Van Rensburg told the Sunday Times.

The original investigating officer, Hilton Botha, resigned after he was embarrassed by Pistorius’s defence team during the bail application, the newspaper reported.

Botha became known as the bumbling cop after defence advocate Barry Roux criticised his conduct at the crime scene, including why he had not worn protective covers on his shoes.

Botha’s removal from the Pistorius case followed reports in February that he was charged with attempted murder.

Police later confirmed that he had seven attempted murder charges pending.

In 2011 Botha allegedly fired shots at a minibus while trying to stop the vehicle. Seven people were in the taxi at the time.

SAPA

Zuma loses popularity among ANC supporters

Johannesburg – As former president Nelson Mandela was being laid to rest on Sunday, an opinion poll showed President Jacob Zuma losing support over claims of self-enrichment.

A survey conducted for the Sunday Times newspaper showed 51% of registered voters of the ruling ANC want Zuma to resign as he seemingly battles to fill the deceased statesman’s shoes.

The results of the survey conducted by the Ipsos market research company comes in the same week that Zuma was booed at a memorial service for Mandela in Soweto.

Of the 1 000 ANC voters polled in a representative survey, 33% said they were less likely to vote for the ANC over allegations that Zuma used public money to upgrade his luxury private residence to the tune of some $20m.

Forty-two percent said they believed he had abused taxpayer funds.

On Tuesday, South Africans booed their president at a memorial service attended by tens of thousands of people for Mandela, whose legacy is one of selflessness and sacrifice.

Many of those who jeered later spoke of their disillusionment and anger at Zuma’s lifestyle at a time that many South Africans remain poor, unemployed, and without formal housing in a society that is among the world’s most unequal.

Public challenge

Zuma’s predecessor Thabo Mbeki, though unpopular at the time of his party ouster by Zuma in 2008, received a warm welcome at the memorial.

Mbeki, who succeeded Mandela as president in 1999, on Sunday challenged South Africa’s leadership to ask if they were living up to Mandela’s standards, in a pointed public challenge to his ANC comrades.

“I think to celebrate his life properly we need to ask ourselves a question about the quality of leadership,” Mbeki told a prayer gathering in Johannesburg.

The ANC under Zuma has come under increasing fire over claims of nepotism and corruption.

The party is preparing for national elections next year.

Despite growing disgruntlement, the party retains a firm grip on power on the back of its historic status as the liberator of a long-oppressed people, and will likely retain a large majority.

The ANC had claimed the booing was orchestrated by other political parties.
AFP

Mandela to be buried next to relatives

Johannesburg – Former president Nelson Mandela will be buried next to his relatives in Qunu on Sunday following a state funeral.

Mandela’s father Mphakanyiswa Gadla Henry, his mother Noqaphi Nosekeni and his son Magkatho Lewanika Mandela are buried at the family grave site in the Eastern Cape village. It was Mandela’s wish to buried next to his family.

President Jacob Zuma announced last week that the struggle icon would be given a state funeral.

About 5 000 people are expected to attend the state funeral, among them Britain’s Prince Charles, African Union Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, former Zambian president Kenneth Kaunda and US civil rights activist Reverend Jesse Jackson.

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, who presided over the funerals of other struggle heroes such as Steve Biko, Chris Hani and Walter Sisulu, would not attend the funeral.

On Saturday, Tutu said he had cancelled his flight to the Eastern Cape to attend the funeral after he received no indication that his name was on the guest list.

Remains

The government said Tutu should have called if he wanted to attend the funeral because no invites were sent out. However, the archbishop did not call.

Mandela began his final journey home to Qunu on Saturday as an air force plane carrying his casket took off from Pretoria, where tens of thousands of mourners had viewed him lying in state.

His body arrived at the Mthatha airport shortly after 14:00 and some members of the Mandela family, Abathembu chiefs and other dignitaries kept watch as the plane came to a standstill.

Mandela’s body was then moved to Qunu.

Members of his family accompanied his remains to the village.

A public vigil would be held on Saturday night at the Walter Sisulu University’s Nelson Mandela Drive campus.

After the state funeral has concluded on Sunday, the AbaThembu would receive the body to bury it according to royal protocol.

Mandela died at his Houghton, Johannesburg, home at the age of 95 on 5 December.

SAPA

‘Madiba’ spirit will live on’

Mthatha – The passage of Nelson Mandela’s funeral cortege through the streets of Mthatha in the Eastern Cape on Saturday evoked a range of emotions from those who turned out to bid the struggle icon goodbye.

An emotional Zoliswe Nxele told Sapa that her heart was pumping and that she was both happy and sad.

“I am happy to be here, but sad that they [the cortege] moved so fast,” she said, with tears rolling down her face.

“I am in shock.”

Comforting her, friend Lumka Mabongo said the Mandela family should know that as the former statesman was there for South Africa, South Africans would be there for his family.

“Remember, he is still alive in us all. The spirit of Tata Madiba will live on in South Africa and we are here for you,” she said, wiping away tears with a South African flag draped around her shoulders.

Cheering and the tolling of cathedral bells earlier marked the journey of the procession through the town.

Many of those watching used their cellphones to take pictures or make a video recording of the event.

As it passed, led by military outriders, many people began running after it along the sides of the road, shouting: “Nelson Mandela!”

Two military helicopters circled above, while a police helicopter hovered nearby.

After the procession had left, one group of women shouted that they had driven too fast.

“We did not see anything; you could have just [as well] flown him to the farm [Mandela’s Qunu homestead],” a woman shouted.

“People came to see Tata. We stood in the sun all morning, and we saw nothing but lights.”

Several people told Sapa they were upset that the people in Qunu and surrounding areas, including Mthatha, did not get a chance to view the body and say goodbye.

“This was a very emotional experience, but the hearse was moving too fast. We didn’t get a chance to say goodbye, or even have a moment of silence,” Hazel Majuqwana said.

“People in Pretoria were given more opportunity, but this is where he grew up.”

Bambihlelo Majuqwana agreed, and said he was close to the family after he received a scholarship — to study in the United Kingdom — from the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

He said traditionally funerals were usually open to people, but, because it could not be, the government should have provided the people of Qunu and Mthatha a chance to stay goodbye.

“This was a very emotional day. In a way the public were denied an opportunity to say goodbye, but we appreciate the chance to see the procession. Just a pity they drove so fast.”

Earlier, hundreds of people carrying South African flags marched down Mthatha’s Nelson Mandela Drive behind the procession, singing struggle songs.

Nokubonga Molondolo said: “Even in death, he united people from different backgrounds. We all took hands.”

Her friend Zuky Nkawu said being there was an overwhelming experience and she had been overcome with excitement and sadness as the hearse passed.

Another friend, Pelisa Nongwe, said Saturday was the perfect Mandela experience.

“This is perfect for people who didn’t know Madiba or the impact he had. Different people from everywhere connected here today for a great man,” she said.

“We are sad that we could not see him, but we understand there is a big crowd here and anything can happen. But this day is written in history and in our hearts.”

The military opened roads in Mthatha to traffic about 10 minutes after the procession exited the town.