Johannesburg – Government has not budgeted enough money to deal with the expected number of new land claims, the Alliance for Rural Democracy (ARD) said on Thursday.

The organisation was concerned that if land claims continued to be settled at the current rate, it would take 121 years to settle them.

“The budget for land restitution over the next year… R2.6bn, is lower now than it has been since 2009/10 in nominal terms, and since 2004/5 [adjusted for inflation],” it said in a statement.

According to the ARD, government had a backlog of at least 30 000 claims from the 1994 to 1998 lodgement period.

“This is in the context of government estimating that 379 000 new claims will be lodged over the next five years. There are still no assurances that enough money has been budgeted for this mushrooming of claims expected to occur from July [2014].”

The ARD called on government to prioritise unresolved claims before taking on new ones.

President Jacob Zuma signed the Restitution of Land Rights Amendment Bill into law on Monday.

The legislation re-opened the restitution claims process that closed at the end of 1998 and gave claimants five years, to 30 June 2019, to lodge land claims.

Only about 80 000 land restitution claims were lodged by the 1998 deadline.

It was estimated there were up to five times as many valid cases that could have been brought by victims of apartheid-era forced removals.

The legislation also regulates the appointment and service conditions of Land Claims Court judges.

SAPA

Johannesburg – Twenty-three initiates have died since the start of the winter initiation season because of botched circumcisions and 104 others have been admitted to hospitals for related injuries, Deputy Traditional Affairs Minister Obed Bapela said on Thursday.

“It is saddening to report the increased number of initiates who have lost their lives to 23,” he said in a statement.

“This is despite all the efforts we have made.”

Nineteen of the deceased were from the Eastern Cape, three from Mpumalanga, and one from the Western Cape.

Bapela said the 104 others were admitted for dehydration, septic circumcision, gangrene, and other related injuries.

He sent his condolences to the affected families and said government condemned illegal circumcision schools.

“The rite of passage is not a licence for abuse of the initiates but a process that is ushering these young men to adulthood and a cultural practice that needs to be respected,” said Bapela.

“The ministry of co-operative governance and traditional affairs continues to call on all members of the community to report any illegal initiation schools to the police.”

SAPA

Johannesburg – Twenty-three initiates have died since the start of the winter initiation season because of botched circumcisions and 104 others have been admitted to hospitals for related injuries, Deputy Traditional Affairs Minister Obed Bapela said on Thursday.

“It is saddening to report the increased number of initiates who have lost their lives to 23,” he said in a statement.

“This is despite all the efforts we have made.”

Nineteen of the deceased were from the Eastern Cape, three from Mpumalanga, and one from the Western Cape.

Bapela said the 104 others were admitted for dehydration, septic circumcision, gangrene, and other related injuries.

He sent his condolences to the affected families and said government condemned illegal circumcision schools.

“The rite of passage is not a licence for abuse of the initiates but a process that is ushering these young men to adulthood and a cultural practice that needs to be respected,” said Bapela.

“The ministry of co-operative governance and traditional affairs continues to call on all members of the community to report any illegal initiation schools to the police.”

SAPA

Johannesburg – A Bellville, Cape Town, police station officer has been arrested for allegedly raping two 14-year-old boys, the IPID said on Thursday.

Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) spokesperson Grace Langa said the 40-year-old man allegedly abused the boys for four years.

He was arrested at his home on Wednesday.

“The IPID became aware of the matter on 20 June 2014… [we] hastened to arrest the policeman on 2 July 2014 following allegations that he had also made death threats to fellow SAPS members,” Langa said in a statement.

After his arrest the man was taken to the Kraaifontein station, where he slit his wrists in an attempt to commit suicide.

“He was rushed to a local clinic for treatment after which he was transferred back to Kraaifontein.”

The man allegedly raped the boys in the toilets of the police station where he worked.

“There are also allegations that the suspect made the two minors watch pornographic videos at his house. He apparently gave the victims between R50 to R200 afterwards.”

He was expected to appear in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

SAPA

Johannesburg – Residents of Orlando East, Soweto allegedly damaged 22 cars at Eskom’s Soweto depot, police said on Thursday.

Warrant Officer Kay Makhubela said 15 were set alight and seven damaged on Wednesday night. No arrests were made but investigations were under way.

“It is suspected that residents from the nearby Nancefield hostel did this overnight. They say they don’t have electricity,” Makhubela said.

A large crowd gathered near the depot on Thursday morning demanding the power utility provide electricity in the area.

“The crowd is quite big and so far the protest is peaceful,” he said.

Earlier in the morning, protesters blocked the Sofasonke and Klipspruit Valley intersection with rocks and tyres, disrupting traffic.

Makhubela said the roads had since been cleared but police were monitoring the situation.

SAPA

Pretoria – Sports medicine physician Prof Wayne Derman has testified that he suggested that paralympian Arnu Fourie move from the room he shared with Oscar Pistorius at the 2012 London Paralympics.

This was because Fourie showed signs of becoming ill, Derman told the court during Pistorius’s murder trial at the North Gauteng High Court on Thursday.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel first posed questions about the matter on Tuesday, and suggested the request was due to Pistorius shouting at people on his phone.

Fourie statement

Fourie on Tuesday night posted a statement on social networking site Twitter. In the statement Fourie said he approached his doctor at the 2012 Paralympic Games to find out if the “isolation room was available two nights before our 100m final”.

“It was one of the most important races of my life and I wanted to rest and recover well on my own time in preparation for the race. I cherish all the moments we shared at the London Games,” Fourie said in the statement.

Fourie and Pistorius were teammates in the 400m relay at the games.

On Thursday Derman, sports and exercise medicine professor at the University of Cape Town, and the team doctor, said he noticed Fourie had the beginnings of an upper respiratory tract infection.

“It was my recommendation that he take the isolation room. The last thing you want is two athletes contaminated.”

Pistorius is charged with murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on 14 February 2013.

SAPA

Johannesburg – Police fired rubber bullets to disperse striking construction workers blocking the entrance to the site of Eskom’s Medupi power station in Limpopo on Thursday, a police spokesperson said.

More than 220 000 metal and engineering workers led by Numsa downed tools on Tuesday, demanding higher wages.

“A few hundred workers were blocking one of the entrances to Medupi power plant and we had to use rubber bullets to disperse them,” said spokesperson Ronel Otto.

Reuters

Johannesburg – SAA intends to investigate circumstances that led to one of its pilots almost exposing himself at a Harare airport before deciding on a course of action.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Pretoria – Oscar Pistorius has an increased response to dangerous or stressful situations because of his disability, his life experience and training as an athlete.

This was according to an expert testimony at the athlete’s murder trial.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Johannesburg – The ANC and DA have thanked South Africans for participating in by-elections held in 20 wards across six provinces on Wednesday.

“The African National Congress is grateful to all people who came out once again to cast their vote, entrenching democracy in our country,” party spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said in a statement on Thursday.

“We do not take for granted the confidence our people continue to demonstrate in the ANC and commit to redouble our efforts to continue to strengthen the capacity of local government to deliver even better.”

The ANC welcomed the outcome of the by-elections and congratulated the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) for holding credible, free and fair by-elections.

Growth

Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille said her party had shown strong growth in the by-elections.

“These results are a clear sign that the DA continues to grow in key battleground metros and wards ahead of the 2016 elections,” she said.

“We would like to thank every single one of our supporters who contributed to yesterday’s successful results.”

The DA won 14 of the 20 wards in the by-elections, according to results released by the IEC.

The ANC secured five wards, while the Inkatha Freedom Party took one ward.

Of the DA’s 14 wards, six were in Gauteng, five in KwaZulu-Natal, two in Mpumalanga, and one in the Western Cape.

Of the ANC’s five wards, two were in Gauteng, one in the Eastern Cape, one in KwaZulu-Natal, and one in the Northern Cape.

Results

DA candidate Jill Ada Humphreys secured Ward 20 in Ekurhuleni with 97.3% of the vote, while her colleague Stefanie Kruger scooped the East Rand’s Ward 24 with 55.3% of the vote.

Ward 20 was previously represented by the DA and became vacant because the councillor was elected to serve in the provincial legislature. It was contested by Humphreys and ANC candidate Monica Mnguni.

Ward 24 was contested by Kruger, Daphney Jokolina Sibambo of the ANC, and Bhekani Zephreid Ntshangase of the National Freedom Party. The ward was previously represented by the DA and became vacant because the councillor was elected to serve in the provincial legislature.

DA candidate Ashley Theresa Rutherford won Ward 92 in Ekurhuleni with 92.1% of the vote, while ANC candidate Muntu Moses Mtyotywa took Ward 11 in Randfontein with 82.4% of the vote.

Ward 92 was contested by Rutherford and ANC candidate Ntanganedzeni Mudau. The ward was previously held by the DA and became vacant because the councillor was elected to serve in the provincial legislature.

Ward 11 was contested by Mtyotywa and DA candidate Nozipho Iris Ndlela. The ward was previously represented by the ANC and became vacant because the councillor died.

With 66% of the vote, DA candidate Faeeza Chame scooped Ward 57 in the City of Johannesburg, while ANC member Luvhengo Jordaan Musesi secured the nearby Ward 58 with 35.3% of the vote.

Ward 57 was contested by Chame, ANC candidate Beverley Delyse Turk, and Lwazi Jali of the IFP.

Ward 58 was contested by Musesi, Alex Christians of the DA, Al Jama-Ah member Mahomed Haniff Ahmed Manjoo, Congress of the People candidate Devanand Maharaj, and independent candidates Peter Jakobus Jacobs and Rickey Kashore Nair.

DA candidate Candice Christine James won Ward 112 in the City of Johannesburg with 77.9% of the vote, and her colleague Michele Spadino-Pippa took Ward 118 with 75.1% of the vote.

Ward 112 was contested by James, and ANC candidate Leverne Monique Young.

The ward became vacant after its DA councillor resigned.

Ward 118 was contested Spadino-Pippa, Johaan Penuel Mkhumbuzi of the ANC, Thandazile Portia Buthelezi of the IFP, and Matshidiso Monica Kateregga of the NFP.

In the eThekwini municipality, DA member Bruce Anthony Sutcliffe secured Ward 18 with 91.1% of the vote, while his colleague Shaun Ryley took Ward 36.

Ward 18 was contested by Sutcliffe and Mboniseni Christopher Mtshali of the ANC. Ward 36 was contested by Ryley and ANC member Constantina Tsepouras.

Ward 52 in eThekwini was won by Bradley Singh of the DA with 54.4% of the vote. The ward was contested by Singh, Rajendrakumar Manowah of the ANC, and Neresh Maharaj of the Minority Front.

Ward 73 in eThekwini was scooped by Devraj Rama Pillay of the DA with 70% of the vote, while ANC candidate Dudu Pretty Ncala obtained Ward 4 in Dundee with 39.5% of the vote.

Ward 73 was contested by Pillay, Kasaval Chetty of the ANC, and Madhanlall Dasarath of the MF.

Ward 4 was contested by Ncala, independent candidate Hassen Satchmo Bheki Ngobese, Nqobizitha Seyamah of the IFP, and Mzikayifani Paltrochel Nyawo of the NFP.

Ward Six in Hlabisa was won by IFP candidate Themba Herbert Zungu with 41.4% of the vote, and DA candidate Malcolm William Hubner scooped Ward 22 in KwaDukuza.

Ward Six was contested by Zungu, ANC candidate Phiwayinkosi T Mdletshe, and Mboniseni Leftenel Velaphi Mdletshe of the NFP. Ward 22 was contested by Hubner and Rigby Calvert Heenan of the ANC.

In Mpumalanga, DA member Piet Retief Bosch took Ward 30 in the Govan Mbeki municipality with 92.3% of the vote, and his colleague Jolandi Schneider-Breetzke took Ward 18 in Witbank with 91% of the vote.

Ward 30 was contested by Bosch, Neo Ingrid Mongale of the ANC, and Aranda Donel Nel-Buitendag of the Freedom Front Plus. The previous DA councillor left to serve in the National Assembly. Ward 18 was contested by Schneider-Breetzke and Stanley Maurice Hlophe of the ANC.

ANC candidate Estelle Elfreda Fritz won Ward Nine in Keimoes, Northern Cape, with 63.6% of the vote, while DA member Eleanore Rochelle Jacqueline Spies took Ward Five in Knysna, Western Cape, with 74.6% of the vote.

Ward Nine was contested by Fritz, Cope member Willem Jaftha, and Maria Mathilda Appies of the DA. Ward Five in Knysna was contested by Spies, and Alberto Riccardo Marbi of the ANC.

Ward 16 in Ntabankulu, Eastern Cape, was won by ANC candidate Thembakazi Msuthu with 60% of the vote. The ward was contested by Msuthu, and independent candidate Anderson Lumkile Mndela. The ward was previously represented by the ANC and became vacant because the councillor resigned.

SAPA