Bloemfontein

The South African Communist Party (SACP) has expressed its serious concerns about the Supreme Court of Appeal’s recent ruling in the Schabir Shaik matter, the party said on Tuesday. ”The SACP notes and wishes to express its serious concerns about the implications of the letter written by Judge Hilary Squires to Business Day,” a party statement read.

Drunk drivers’ cars can be forfeited to the state, the Supreme Court of Appeal ruled in a test case on Thursday. The court held that a motor vehicle driven under the influence of liquor — or while the level of alcohol in the driver’s blood exceeds the prescribed limit — is liable to be forfeited to the state, but not in every case.

Durban businessman Schabir Shaik’s appeal against his fraud and corruption convictions has been dismissed. Reading the judgement in Bloemfontein, Supreme Court of Appeal Judge President Craig Howie said there were also no grounds to change Shaik’s effective prison sentence of 15 years.

The judgement of the Supreme Court of Appeal on Durban businessman Schabir Shaik will be final, unless there are found to be constitutional aspects to the case, a law expert said on Wednesday. ”If there is no constitutional issue found to be involved, then the matter ends …,” said Professor Tom Coetzee, lecturer in criminal law at the University of North West.

Judgement in Durban businessman Schabir Shaik’s appeal hearings will be delivered next Monday, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has announced. ”Only the order will be read by the president of the court, Judge [Craig] Howie, and not the judgement itself,” Henry Snyman, an SCA spokesperson, said on Tuesday.

The Eagles won a hanger against the Highveld Lions by two wickets on Friday night in Bloemfontein after the home team nearly lost the match in the second last over. The defending champions nearly lost their grip on the match when Jacques Rudolp (111), Roger Telemachus (0) and Cliff Deacon (0) all walked back to the pavilion within the space of three runs over the last two overs.

The five judges who heard the appeal of convicted Durban businessman Schabir Shaik are working non-stop on the judgement, a Supreme Court of Appeal spokesperson said on Wednesday. ”The judges are very busy finalising the judgement,” Henry Snyman said. ”There is a possibility that it could be finished towards the middle of November.”

Bloemfontein Celtic maintained their unbeaten home record when they beat Ajax Cape Town 2-1 in a Premier Soccer League game in front of a capacity crowd at the Seisa Ramabodu Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Celtic lead 2-0 at the break. From the start, Celtic players were merciless as striker Thapelo Liau scored as early as the fourth minute.

Durban businessman Schabir Shaik will only later find out if he has to turn over R34-million to the state after the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein reserved judgement on his civil appeal on Wednesday. The state says the R34-million is proceeds from the benefits Shaik and his Nkobi group reaped from their relationship with former deputy president Jacob Zuma.

Durban businessman Schabir Shaik will have to turn over more than R34-million in assets to the state if he loses his civil appeal in the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein, which starts on Wednesday. The assets, currently in the custody of a curator, would be returned to Shaik if his bid to have the state’s ruling overturned is successful.

The admissibility of the now famous encrypted fax, which led to Durban businessman Schabir Shaik’s second corruption conviction, dominated proceedings at the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in Bloemfontein on Tuesday. On the second day of Shaik’s appeal hearing, state prosecutor Billy Downer faced an array of questions from a full bench of SCA judges.

State prosecutor Billy Downer on Tuesday asked the Supreme Court of Appeal to refuse Shabir Shaik’s application for leave to appeal a conviction which entails his ”generally corrupt” relationship with former deputy president Jacob Zuma. Shaik was sentenced by Judge Hilary Squires in June 2005 to 15 years’ imprisonment on two corruption counts, with an additional three years for fraud.

The second day of the appeal hearing of Durban businessman Schabir Shaik started in his absence in Bloemfontein on Tuesday. Shaik was sentenced in June 2005 to 15 years’ imprisonment on two corruption counts. Judge Hilary Squires concluded that there was a ”generally corrupt” relationship between Shaik and former deputy president Jacob Zuma.

Schabir Shaik did not ”cold-bloodedly” set out to enter a corrupt relationship with former deputy president Jacob Zuma, his advocate told the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein on Monday. ”There is a world of difference when people stake out and stalk people in [public] office with a cold-blooded intent,” submitted Jeremy Gauntlett SC.

The Supreme Court of Appeal heard on Monday that the Durban High Court had not followed the correct approach in interpreting the relationship between Schabir Shaik and former deputy president Jacob Zuma. Jeremy Gauntlett, for Shaik, said they doubted that statutory corruption had been proved. ”This is not your usual corruption charge,” Gauntlett said of Shaik’s corruption charge.

Masses of documents and trial records were being hauled into court one of the Supreme Court of Appeal on Monday in anticipation of the appeal hearing of Durban businessman Schabir Shaik. Legal teams for both the state and the defence arrived early. The court building was quiet, and only a few journalists and security staff were present.

The Mangaung Local Municipality, comprising Bloemfontein, Thaba Nchu and Botshabelo, on Tuesday took a step closer towards becoming a metropolitan area. ”We totally and completely support the idea of a metro,” said speaker in the council Mahlomola Ralebesi.

Stand-in South Africa captain Jacques Kallis said on Thursday his team was taking its three-match limited-overs series against minnows Zimbabwe very seriously ahead of next month’s ICC Champions Trophy. ”This series is especially valuable for the players who have not been in action for a while,” said Kallis.