Cape Town – The ANC on Saturday paid tribute to Stellenbosch University Vice-Chancellor and Rector Professor Russel Botman who died at the age of 60.
For more http://www.news24.com
Archives
Baby, 4 others burn to death in crash
Johannesburg – Five people, including a baby, were killed during a head-on collision on the R44 in Stellenbosch on Saturday, paramedics said.
Paramedics arrived to find two vehicles had caught fire and were being extinguished by the fire department personnel, ER24 spokesperson Luyanda Majija said.
“All of the deceased were found burned beyond recognition inside the vehicles.”
Three adults and the baby were in one vehicle, and one adult was in the second vehicle.
The road was closed for investigations, motorists were encouraged to use alternative routes, Majija said.
SAPA
DA MP lying about citizenship – report
Johannesburg – DA MP Phumzile van Damme is lying about being a South African citizen, the Sunday Times said.
The newspaper revealed that Van Damme was born in Manzini, Swaziland, in 1983, that her mother, Lynette van Damme, was born in Hlathikhulu village, also in Swaziland and that Van Damme’s biological father, Elroy Mayisela, was a Swazi national.
If Van Damme is found to have misrepresented her citizenship, it would disqualify her from being a South African MP, the paper said.
Van Damme reportedly told the paper she was not sure why her citizenship was being questioned.
“Maybe it is because most of my family still live in Swaziland. Maybe it is because I hold a strange surname from the only father I know…” she was quoted as saying.
She reportedly told the Sunday Times that she was born in Nelspruit but grew up in Swaziland.
When asked where in Nelspruit, she reportedly said: “I am not sure, hey. I think in White River.”
She said her mother told her she was born “at a hospital in Nelspruit” and that she had been “part of the struggle”.
“I was involved in the ANC and some of the things around children’s birth are very complex, as you would know as an African,” Lynette van Damme was quoted as saying.
She told the reporter that the nature of her daughter’s birth was “very secret”.
When asked if Mayisela was Van Damme’s biological father, Lynette reportedly said “yes and no”, the paper reported.
SAPA
Convicted terrorist Okah to be kept at Kokstad prison
Pretoria dismissed an application on Friday to relocate convicted Nigerian terrorist Henry Okah from a prison in KwaZulu-Natal to one in Pretoria, said the department of correctional services.
Okah had asked the court to set aside internal disciplinary committee findings and sanctions that resulted in him being moved to the Kokstad Super Maximum Correctional Centre in KwaZulu-Natal.
The committee’s decision followed allegations that Okah had repeatedly tried to escape from custody, said department spokesperson Manelisi Wolela.
Okah wanted to be transferred to the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre in Pretoria.
“The department of correctional services’ submission argued against the urgency, the failure of the applicants to exhaust internal remedies and the absence of a cogent reason for requiring the declaration of actions taken by the department invalid,” Wolela said in a statement.
Okah was sentenced to 24 years’ imprisonment in March last year after being convicted on 13 counts of terrorism, including engaging in terrorist activities, conspiracy to engage in terrorist activities, and delivering, placing, and detonating an explosive device.
The charges related to two car bombs detonated in Abuja, Nigeria, on 1 October 2010, the anniversary of the country’s independence. Twelve people were killed and 36 were injured.
Another bombing took place in Warri on 15 March 2010, at a post-amnesty dialogue meeting. One person was killed and 11 were seriously injured.
In both bombings, two car bombs went off minutes apart. The cars were parked in close proximity to each other.
Okah made threats to the South African government after his arrest here in 2010.
SAPA
Zuma considering disability move
Johannesburg – President Jacob Zuma is considering concerns from various disability organisations over his decision to move functions related to disability to the department of social development, the Presidency said on Friday.
Organisations and activists have sent a letter to his office over the matter.
“The President is considering the matters presented in the letter and feedback will be provided in due course,” spokesperson Mac Maharaj said in a statement.
“The concerns were also raised with deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa during the Youth Day commemoration in Kimberley on 16 June 2014.”
During the announcement of the new national executive last month, President Zuma reconfigured the ministry of women, children and people with disabilities into a ministry in the presidency focusing on women.
Maharaj said the functions related to the support of children and people with disabilities were transferred to the department of social development.
“President Zuma reiterates that government recognises and addresses the human rights issues of those with disabilities and it will continue to integrate people with disabilities into all aspects of the country’s socio-economic development,” he said.
SAPA
SIU delaying release of final Nkandla report – DA
Johannesburg – The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is delaying the release of the final Nkandla report and trying to find a diplomatic way to present it, the DA charged on Friday.
DA MP James Selfe said reports that the SIU had delayed the release of its final report on the R246m upgrade of President Jacob Zuma’s private homestead at Nkandla, in KwaZulu-Natal, was concerning.
“It is equally suspicious that the SIU has now noted ‘certain circumstances which are outside of its control’ as the reason for this delay…,” Selfe said in a statement.
“South Africans deserve access to the full report, so that they can interrogate its findings, and its accuracy. Especially since the provisional report was a complete whitewash.”
Investigations followed the release of a report by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela, which found Zuma unduly benefited from the upgrade. She recommended that Zuma pay for some of the improvements out of his own pocket.
Zuma said he would respond once the SIU’s investigation was completed.
On 12 June, the SIU confirmed it had submitted a provisional report to Zuma.
The unit said it had until recently indicated it hoped its report would be completed by the end of June.
“Regrettably, as a result of certain circumstances which are completely outside its control, the unit will no longer be able to meet this deadline,” spokesman Boy Ndala said.
The SIU said it hoped the report would be released soon.
Selfe said if the public did not get access to the report, this would point to a continuation of the cover-up of the Nkandla scandal.
“The DA will not let this happen. I will urgently write to the head of the SIU Mr Vasantrai Soni, and request that he furnish me with all the reasons for the delay, including ‘the special circumstances’ that was referred to… as well as clarify whether or not the full report will be made public,” he said.
SAPA
Failed surgery left Hartswater girl brain dead
By Obakeng Maje
Hartswater-The family of Tshepang Constance Setswambung was left aggravated after the supposed surgery went horribly wrong.
Tshepang Constance Setswambung,20, is lying in hospital with no grit after caesarian surgery that went wrong and allegedly left her brain-dead.
In October 2013, a Grade 12 pupil from Bankdrift High School was in labour and her parents took her to Connie Voster Memorial Hospital in Hartswater.
“My daughter was taken to hospital after signs of labour. The following day, she was transported to Kimberley Hospital because doctors said the baby was too big” Tshenolo Matsheka said.
Matsheka who is a mother of a 20 year-old girl said she tried to call her daughter on her cellphone but with no avails.
“I was so depressed and what agitates me is that we never received any call from the hospital. I decided to go to Kimberley hospital which is more than 110 kilometers and on my arrival, I had to look for my daughter too as no one knew what really happened to her” she outlines.
According to reports, epidural or spine anaesthesia was performed on Tshepang.
The despondent mother said she was struck with terror after what she saw. “My daughter was surrounded by oxygen pipes lying helplessly in Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The nurse said she is suffered brain damage after she was injected.”
It is alleged that Tshepang was injected before caesarian surgery was performed. Even though the hospital could not explain what really happened, Northern Cape Health Department spokesperson, Lulu Mxekezo said the department is still investigation.
“They said my daughter jumped during epidural performance and that affected her heart and caused it to stop, which in turned left her brain damaged. We have not received any counselling from the department and I have to take care of my daughter by bathing her” said aggrieved mother.
Lulu Mxekezo said the department cannot divulges the investigation process and Tshepang’s medical report as that will violates the patient’s confidentiality.
“We are aware of the incident and our department is still investigating. We cannot divulge what transpired or any medical confidentiality. If the family has anything that they are not happy about, they are more than welcome to speak to us direct” Mxekezo said.
Tshepang Setswambung is lying in hospital eight months later and she could not see or holds her bouncing baby boy, Temogo who is now residing with relatives in Pampierstad.
A Grade 12 pupil who applied for a teaching course through University of South Africa(Unisa), she cannot achieve that as her dreams were shattered by incompetence within the health department.
The parents of Tshepang say the will take legal actions against the department as they are not co-operative to resolve the matter.
“We wrote a complainant letter back in 2013 and the department responded saying that they will investigate, until now while our daughter is lying in hospital” said Thapelo Matsheka, who is a father to Tshepang.
Our crew visited Tshepang at the hospital at Connie Voster Memorial and she cannot move no talk except her eyes which move aimlessly.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_
Nwest establishes committee to expand on mining benefits
North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo has announced the establishment of a Mining Charter, Compliance and Procurement Committee to expand further the benefits of mining and strengthen cooperation between government, communities and the mining industry.
Announcing establishment of the committee in his maiden State of the Province Address, Premier Mahumapelo said that it will look into legal issues around mining in the Province, Procurement and the relationship between communities and mining houses is part of the radical approach for socio-economic transformation.
“As part of our contribution to development in the mining areas, we have set aside R462m for housing projects in the Bojanala District in the Rustenburg Municipality, specifically in Marikana,” Mahumapelo declared.
The Premier said that the amount is inclusive of the ring-fenced R155m set aside by the National Human Settlements Department.
He said that through the partnership with Lonmin, 2000 housing units are to be built as part of the Marikana Ext 2 Integrated Development over three years.
The initial phase of 192 Breaking New Ground houses and 252 Community Residential units which will start with immediate effect and the project is called Marikana Ext 2 Integrated Development.
Matlosana in Dr Kenneth Kaunda District was recently announced by President Zuma as one of the mining areas to be prioritized for development.
-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_
SA U17 players go for MRI scans
The South African Men’s Under 17 National Team (Amajimbos) are in camp to prepare for the upcoming 2015 African Youth Championship (AYC) qualifiers and have kicked off the process by undergoing the procedural MRI scans.
Amajimbos will take on Tanzania on Friday, 18 July 2014 in the capital Dar es Salaam. Kick-off is at 16h00 local time in Tanzania (15h00 SA time).
The players who have been invited to camp are undergoing the mandatory Magnetic Resonance Imaging scans (MRI) of the wrist – a process that determines one’s age group.
The tests will be conducted on Friday, 27 June with the training commencing on Saturday, 28 June.
Writing in the October 2009 issue of FIFA World, a FIFA Magazine, Dr Yacine Zergui, a member of the FIFA and CAF Medical Committees said: “In the past, overage players have been wrongly entered into various youth competitions, often benefitting from an unfair advantage due to their greater physical maturity compared to players of the proper age. Until now, the main way of checking a player’s age was to look at the date of birth stated in his or her passport – but this does not always solve the issue.”
“We know that it is not generally bad intention or purpose if players are biologically above 17 years. “In some countries, birth certificates are inaccurate or even not available, without that necessarily being the fault of the player or the association.”
The article continues to say that to tackle this potential problem, they decided to conduct the tests in order to level the playing fields.
“At age 17 the human being stops growing and when that happens you can determine scientifically whether a person is 17 or not. So an MRI scan of the wrist is done which focuses on the growth plate – when it is completely closed it prohibits anyone from claiming to be under 17 years of age. The scan is reported to be 99 percent reliable and has been widely accepted by the football fraternity, led by FIFA, as a reliable way of determining age cheats,” said Dr Tshepo Molobi, SA U17 Team Doctor.
“As matters stand it is a FIFA requirement and there is even a journal to support the argument, and is led by the chief medical officer at FIFA. This is used in youth tournaments, particularly in the U17 tournaments. Assumption is that the growth plate will close beyond 17 years of age. The scan will reveal that a player is either under 17 or over 17 but will not say the exact age if the player is over age.”
The FIFA article continues to say when it comes to FIFA’s own competitions, the world football’s governing body is encouraging and supporting participating member associations to conduct their own MRI tests in the build-up to youth tournaments in order to ensure that players are compliant with the age limit.
Amajimbos will have training sessions on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday before departing for Botswana on Tuesday, 1 July to play in two friendly matches. They will then move to Lesotho for two more matches before heading to Tanzania on Tuesday, 15 July.
SA U17 Fixtures:
Thursday, 3 July vs Botswana (away) (friendly)
Sunday, 6 July vs Botswana (away) (friendly)
Thursday, 10 July vs Lesotho (away) (friendly)
Sunday, 13 July vs Lesotho (away) (friendly)
Friday, 18 July vs Tanzania (away) (qualifier, 1st leg)
Sat/Sun, 1/2 August vs Tanzania (home) (qualifier, 2nd leg)-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_
Reconciliation, Healing and Renewal programme to be rolled-out in Marikana-Premier Mahumapelo
North West Premier Mahumapelo has committed to implement a reconciliation, healing and renewal programme to stabilize the social situation in Marikana.
Premier Mahumapelo welcomed the settlement of the wage dispute in the platinum belt in his State of the Province Address delivered on Friday and applauded organizations and individuals who took the initiative to clothe and feed people of Marikana during the five-month strike that ended on Wednesday.
“We hope that we have all learnt some lessons from this protracted strike and that all role players will in future do everything possible to avoid recurrence of such developments,” Mahumapelo highlighted.
He also applauded the National Department of Social Development for the initiative they have taken through the service delivery blitz to be conducted in Marikana over the coming weekend.
The Premier proclaimed that a Reconciliation, Healing and Renewal Day of Prayer on Reconciliation Day that will bring all people of the province from different religious persuasions together to pray for the reconciliation, healing and renewal of the province will be commemorated on Reconciliation Day on 16 December 2014.
-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_
The Guardian 