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One died, three injured in ‘head on’ collision near Taung


By Obakeng Maje
Taung- North West police are investigating a case of inquest after one person perished in a ‘head on’ collision on Wednesday in Taung.

Sergeant Kealeboga Molale said two cars were involved in a collision and the driver died after succumbed to injuries.

“According to information, a Jetta model was driving towards Pudumoe direction while the Cruze with only the driver inside, was driving towards Hartswater on N18. It is alleged that the driver of a Jetta was driving behind a truck and tried to overtake a truck, but faced an oncoming traffic” Molale said.

The Jetta driver who was residing in Dryharts and reported to be a police officer, was driving with two passengers in the car.

The accident was so horrible that one passenger was trapped and ‘Jaws of Life’ was used to free the passenger.

“We do not have all details, but the deceased is suspected to be between 25 and 30 years. All occupants who were injured were taken to local hospital for medical attention” she said.-TDN
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Ramphele exit may revive Agang SA


Johannesburg – Agang SA could reconcile following the resignation of its leader Mamphela Ramphele, the party said on Wednesday.

She announced her exist from politics on Tuesday, claiming she wanted to return to working alongside the country’s citizens in civil society.

Agang SA had been divided into two factions with the one side aligned with Ramphele and the other calling for her removal as party head, said Agang SA acting spokesperson John McConnachie.

“Talks aimed at settling the differences between the two factions may take place this weekend and could also afford a reprieve to the party’s two parliamentary leaders, Mike Tshisonga and Andries Tlouamma,” said McConnachie.

Last resort

“Agang SA’s reconstituted NEC yesterday [Tuesday] decided to explore the possibility of such talks as a last resort to stop destructive in-fighting and a likely protracted court battle.”

Tshisonga and Tlouamma were served notices of expulsion by the party last week.

This came after their alleged involvement in plans to oust Ramphele from the party.

In June, Ramphele and Tshisonga opened separate fraud cases with police over a bank account opened to receive a refund from the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC), believed to be around R200 000.

At the time, Tlouamma announced that Tshisonga, who is also the party chair, would be acting president.

Tshisonga and Tlouamma were both members of Agang SA’s former national executive committee.

The former NEC has been replaced by a newly constituted NEC formed by a task team appointed by Ramphele after the elections.

Tshisonga and Tlouamma and the other members of their faction had rejected the legitimacy of the newly constituted NEC.

McConnachie said the weekend talks would be a “once-off” offer and that they must take place and be finalised.

If the talks failed, the party planned to proceed with urgent disciplinary measures against Tshisonga, Tlouamma and their faction, said McConnachie.

SAPA

Jozi FM DJ to appear for lover’s murder


Johannesburg – A Jozi FM DJ suspected of murdering his girlfriend was scheduled to appear in the Protea Magistrate’s Court in Soweto on Thursday.

A tip-off to police led to his arrest on Tuesday.

He had been on the run for a week.

The presenter at the Soweto-based community radio station was accused of stabbing his girlfriend several times in a flat in Jabulani, Soweto on 29 June.

He apparently phoned the woman’s friend and confessed to killing her, police said at the time.

A R50 000 reward had been offered for information leading to his arrest.
SAPA

Parole ruling for ‘Prime Evil’


Johannesburg – After two decades behind bars, former apartheid-era police colonel Eugene de Kock will know on Thursday whether he will be granted parole.

Justice Minister Michael Masutha was expected to announce his decision on De Kock’s parole application in Pretoria.

De Kock, who was nicknamed “Prime Evil”, approached the High Court in Pretoria for a decision in May.

The court gave Masutha 30 days to make a decision. The 30 days did not include weekends and holidays.

The national council for correctional services made a recommendation about De Kock’s parole in November last year.

The recommendation was sent to then minister S’bu Ndebele. When he failed to act, De Kock approached the high court to force him to do so.

De Kock was in charge of a police “death squad” at Vlakplaas, outside Pretoria.

He was arrested in 1994 and convicted in the High Court in Pretoria in 1996.

He was sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment for two murders and a further 212 years’ imprisonment on charges including conspiracy to commit murder, culpable homicide, kidnapping, assault, and fraud.

Many of his former colleagues who committed murder under his command testified in return for indemnity from prosecution.
SAPA

Free State health care workers sleep over


Johannesburg – Free State health care workers on Wednesday staged an overnight sit-in at the province’s health headquarters known as Bophelo House, said the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC).

TAC general secretary, Anele Yawa, said they were joining the health care workers in the demonstrations, which were expected to continue until Thursday.

“This sit-in signals the start of a campaign of civil disobedience in the Free State,” Yawa said in a statement.

He said it would be a peaceful demonstration.

The sit-in came after their efforts to address the provincial health department through meetings and letters had failed.

“In parallel to the civil disobedience campaign, we are also exploring the potential of litigating against [health MEC Benny] Malakoane and the Free State department of health,” said Yawa.

“We would have preferred to avoid litigation, but we have exhausted all other avenues.”

The group was demanding that Free State Premier Ace Magashule remove Malakoane from his position.

“If Magashule is not willing to do this, we call on the ANC’s national leadership to intervene.”

The TAC claimed that Magashule had responded to a letter it had written to him.

Retire at 50

“His response was evasive and showed no understanding of the crisis in the province,” Yawa said.

The disgruntled health care workers were also calling for the immediate reinstatement of some of their dismissed colleagues. It was unclear why they had been fired.

They also wanted changes within the health department and for it to go public on its financial problems.

This was the second overnight sit-in held by the health care workers in as many weeks.

They staged another sit-in on 26 June, demanding clarity from Malakoane after he reportedly suggested that health care workers without matric would need to obtain matric certificates before rejoining the health care programme. He also allegedly stated that those who were over the age of 50 would need to retire.

The workers were also demanding their salaries after they were not paid for two months.

SAPA

‘Taung family to be honoured during Mandela’s 67 minutes’


By Obakeng Maje
Taung- South Africa and the World at large will be remembering the late icon, Nelson Mandela on the 18th of July 2014. Mandela passed on in December 2013 at the age 95 after succumbed to an ensuing lung infection.

Mpolokeng family in Nhole village, Taung will receive a newly-built house from Mokibelo Investments Holdings.

The family was cooped up in a dilapidated two-roomed house with broken windows.

Motlalepula Mpolokeng,31, said they are very pleased to have their house being extended. “We are seven family members and being confined in a two-room house is not good at all. Our parents passed away back in 1992 and 2010 respectively” said Mpolokeng.

A Limpopo-based company said they identified Mpolokeng family through their employee who resides in the area.

“We believe it is everyone’s task to help those in need. Ploughing back to the community, is a sensible thing to do. We would appreciate any help from other stakeholders who could help on furnishing the house” Mokibelo Investment Holdings Tshepo Duba said.

According to Motlalepula, no one is working in the house and they survive on a disability grant that belongs to Letlhogonolo Mpolokeng who is disable.

The two-roomed house cost the company R50 000 and the official hand over will be on the 18th of July 2014 during Mandela’s 67 minutes.

Those who are willing to help can reach Mokibelo Investment Holdings on 0717362322.
-TDN
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Media24 Graduate in Media Programme Internship


Multi Media Internship Opportunity for a Graduate in Media Programme at Media24.

Close Date: 2014/08/04

Job Title:Multi Media internship : Graduate in Media Programme
Department:Digital
Division:Corporate Services
Business Unit:Academic
Organisation:Media24
Job Type:Intern
Location – Town / City:Cape Town
Location – Province:Western Cape

Job Description

Media24 is looking for graduates with strong multimedia skills for a one-year internship contract.

We seek to appoint dynamic and energetic individuals to join the Graduates in Media Programme run by the Media24 Academy. The positions will be based in our digital News businesses in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Minimum Requirements

A tertiary qualification in Multimedia, especially broadcasting production.

The ideal candidate must have well developed video editing skills (Adobe Premier Pro, Final Cut or iMovie), an ability to shoot good video and tell a compelling visual story.

Skills & Competencies

The successful candidate will be able to survive and thrive in the rough and tumble of the organisation, adapt to different situations and innovate where necessary.

The graduate needs to be resilient, able to withstand criticism in a pressured workplace and drive their own learning and career. This candidate must be a newshound, be immersed in digital media and possess strong multi-tasking abilities.

Duties & Responsibilities

The positions have been designed to provide graduates with an entrance into the workplace in the rapidly changing world of Media24.

About Us

Media24 is Africa’s leading media publishing company.

The operating business segments span publishing, printing and distribution of magazines, newspapers, books and related products as well as digital content and ecommerce ventures.

This well-balanced portfolio of investments in the media and publishing industries and an ongoing strategy of continuous renewal and adaptations have proven to be a winning formula that has turned Media24 into a leading business entity in the field
http://www.careersportal.co.za/internships/internship-opportunities/3690-media24-graduate-in-media-programme-internship.html
-TDN
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Negotiations between Department and Nursing College SRC Collapse


Mahikeng- The North West MEC for Health, Dr Magome Masike has expressed disappointment at the failed negotiations between the Mmabatho College SRC and the management of the Department.

The MEC had earlier today called a meeting with the Student representatives and other stakeholders including Denosa and Cosatu. “It must be on record that the students’ representatives elected to walk out of the meeting when they were not willing to negotiate on the basis of the progress that was made in the last meeting but rather asked to start the negotiations afresh” departmental spokesperson Tebogo Lekgethwane said.

To date, the students have now embarked on more than two months long boycott of clinical practicals and learning activities.

“It should also be on record that the initial demands of the students were that the Department of Health cease to transport them to clinical facilities and to accommodate them. As result, they wanted to be given transport and accommodation allowance” Lekgethwane said.

The Department said it has always been willing to negotiate and meet the students half-way as some of their demands were deemed reasonable.

“To that effect, the Department has after countless meetings resolved to move from the original position and therefore agreed to pay transport allowance with immediate effect. However, with regard to accommodation, the Department reasoned that there are already lease agreements for rental of accommodation facilities occupied by students and therefore requested that such an allowance should start in the new academic year in January 2015” he said.

This was to avoid paying both the students and the landlords. To the shock of the management, the students demanded that the Department can pay students allowance for accommodation and continue to pay landlords in respect of the lease agreement. The Department refused to this demand as it will be irregular expenditure.

“The students have continued to change goal posts in the negotiations, a clear indication that they are not interested in assisting to finding solutions to their demands.”

On alleged congestion at facilities, the Department resolved on a rotation system, however ensuring that all students get to be placed on night duty because even when they graduate to be nurses, they will be expected to work at night.

To the disappointment of the Department, when progress was made and there SRC seemed to accede to the solutions proposed, the student continued to parachute issues into the negotiations, the latest being that the students are now demanding to be put on the persal system, says department.

“The Department is of the view that a move to put students on a persal system requires multi-stakeholders engagements as there are many students who are offered bursaries by the Department.”

Moreover, such a move will require extensive consultation not only in the province but nationally. This is because nursing students are not employees and therefore cannot be treated differently to other students who are offered bursaries by government elsewhere.

Students are further reminded of the fact that by engaging on class boycott they have violated the contract they signed with the Department. The contract clearly states that, “the Department further reserves the right to cancel the contract should students chose to do among others; disrupt classes and clinical practicals or the boycott thereof”.

The contract further states that the students are obliged to among others “attend all prescribed classes and clinical practicals or research at the College/University of Technology/ University, attend and complete the programme within the period provided or such extended period as may be approved by the College/ University of technology/University”.

The Department is of the view that the students have violated the contract in all these instances.

By walking out of the negotiations earlier today, the students have also violated a court ruling which ordered the Department to re-open the college, to continue with negotiations and resume academic activities.

The Department has however noted that there are students who desperately want to go to class and continue with their studies. To that effect and in taking a way forward, the Department is announcing to all the parents and the students that the college is re-opening and the academic activities will resume on Monday, 14 July 2014.

The Department calls for a meeting with the general college students on Friday, 11 July 2014 at 08h00 which will be followed by a meeting with the parents of all the students at 11h00am on the same day. The meeting will express the position of the Department to the students and parents and further resolve on mechanisms to recoup lost academic time.

The Department said they remain committed to resolve any legitimate grievance of the students.-TDN
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100 new land claims received


Cape Town – Government has received roughly 100 new land claims since last week when the process reopened for five years, chief land claims commissioner Nomfundo Gobodo said on Wednesday.

“We have received about a hundred claims, from all the provinces,” she told Sapa on the sidelines of briefing in Parliament.

“We are expecting more, depending on the number of people who were left out. But there was always this perception that they would flood our offices, and we have not seen that.”

Gobodo added that so far the claims have been lodged at the department’s provincial offices in cities, and said officials planned to take the process to rural areas.

It was starting an awareness campaign with the help of community radio stations and non-governmental organisations.

The lodgement of land claims reopened on 30 June when President Jacob Zuma signed the Restitution of Land Rights Amendment Act into law. It allows those who missed the 31 December 1998 deadline to bring claims until mid-2019.

According to Rural Development and Land Reform Minister Gugile Nkwinti, there are 8 471 claims lodged before the 1998 cut-off period that had not yet been settled or resolved.

These would be prioritised, and processed simultaneously with the new ones. Nkwinti said he expected the new land claim process to proceed faster than the first four-year drive because claims would be filed electronically.

SAPA

Fired Cape Times editor turns to court


Cape Town – Dismissed Cape Times editor Alide Dasnois will approach the Labour Court following her dismissal, her lawyer said on Tuesday.

“The matter has been conciliated by the CCMA. We are now heading to the Labour Court,” said lawyer Jason White.

Papers would be filed within a month, he said.

Dismissed

Dasnois approached the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration following her dismissal in December last year.

Dasnois contended she was fired after the newspaper published a front-page article on Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s finding against former Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson.

It found that the minister was guilty of maladministration and improper and unethical conduct in the awarding of an R800m tender to a Sekunjalo subsidiary to manage the state’s fishery vessels.

The Cape Times is owned by Independent Newspapers, whose controlling shareholder is Sekunjalo Consortium.

In a year-end letter, Independent News and Media SA (INMSA) chairperson Iqbal Survé said Dasnois was reprimanded for not leading the paper with the news about the death of former president Nelson Mandela.

Mandela died in December at his home in Houghton, Johannesburg, aged 95.

Public interest issue

Alison Tilley of the Open Democracy Advice Centre said her organisation was helping with the case and was raising funds for Dasnois.

“We think this is a public interest issue. Employees in the workplace should be able to speak up and still be safe. We are hoping for a positive outcome for Alide,” she said.

The matter also involved the right of journalists and editors on what to publish against what media owners want published, she said.

Independent Newspapers declined to comment and said the matter was an internal labour issue.

SAPA