Six people were arrested in the Western Cape for their involvement in internet child pornography and possession of images, police said on Monday. Captain Elliot Sinyangana said the men were arrested as a result of an intensive police investigation which started in October last year.
Helen Zille (”The ANC is trying to destroy us,” April 28) wants to create the impression that the Cape Town administration is running smoothly, that there are no hindrances to service delivery and that, if there are problems, the African National Congress is to blame.
Many commentators reminded us on Monday afternoon, and well into the evening, that we would have to accept the judgement in the Jacob Zuma case. It is not as if we have much choice. The judgement is a fact. After what Zuma had said about how women ask for sex and rape in their manner of dress, after his ugly and convenient use of culture against African women and after he had set public discourse on HIV/Aids back a decade, there were ululations in some streets.
Violent attacks by South Africans against foreigners in Plettenberg Bay emanated from a march that took place on Tuesday, Western Cape police said on Friday. ”According to the information police received, individuals in the community demonstrated their dissatisfaction regarding foreigners taking job opportunities from them,” said Captain Malcolm Pojie.
The repairs on Unit One at the Koeberg nuclear power station in the Western Cape were on schedule for completion in the third week of May and refuelling of Unit Two was to commence in the fourth week of May, Eskom said on Friday. This follows huge blackouts related to problems at the power supplier since November.
Mittal Steel South Africa reported headline earnings for the quarter ended March 31 of R684-million — a 21% decline on the previous quarter. The company — formerly Iscor — said this was 57% down on the same period last year. Headline earnings a share for the quarter were 153, down from 195 cents in the previous quarter.
Gases and welding products group African Oxygen (Afrox) is to invest approximately R350-millionin several major new gas production facilities around South Africa during the year. Craig Falconer, Afrox’s general manager process gas solutions, says this expenditure results from increased demand from the company’s existing customer base as well as by new business wins.
The Western Cape may experience rolling blackouts from next month when electricity consumption peaks with the onset of winter, the Cape Times reported on Wednesday. Its website said Eskom warned consumers on Tuesday that the province was at present avoiding load-shedding blackouts ”by the skin of its teeth”.
Two homeopaths holding top positions in the organisation that regulates the conduct of all South African homeopaths are being investigated for apparent fraudulent qualifications. This is the latest scandal to hit the Allied Health Professionals Council of South Africa, a government-established statutory body.
Some of the boldest criticism of the government came from black intellectuals sympathetic to the ruling party, Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon said on Tuesday. Speaking to commemorate the public service and parliamentary career of Helen Suzman, he said on the other hand watchdog institutions, including universities and the business community were no longer outspoken.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) will discuss the violence-prone security guards’ strike, including the disruption of May Day activities in Cape Town, at a central executive meeting on Wednesday. ”There is no place for violence,” said Tony Ehrenreich, Cosatu’s Western Cape secretary.
The nine provinces spent on average 98% or R214,8-billion of their adjusted budgets of R219,2-billion in 2005/06, the National Treasury said on Tuesday. This was a significant spending increase year-on-year of 13,5% or R25,5-billion over the audited R189,2-billion spent in 2004/05.
President Thabo Mbeki was silent on the topic of HIV/Aids on Monday though it was highlighted by his co-speakers at a Workers’ Day rally as a key challenge facing workers today. Meanwhile, trade unions should be held responsible for ”unlawful and criminal actions” of their members, Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon said on Monday.
Between a dithering African National Congress and a blustering Democratic Alliance mayor Helen Zille, social cohesion in Cape Town is a distant dream, writes Richard Calland. The incident last Saturday when Zille was chased away from a meeting in Crossroads has provided a serious distraction.
The transfer of an anti-corruption unit detective to another branch has caused a major hiccup in a Cape Town Magistrate’s Court case involving two police officials and six police reservists facing charges of theft and corruption. The prosecution was unable to explain why the case has not been referred to the Western Cape directorate for public prosecutions.
Hundreds of people arrived at the Galeshewe Stadium in Kimberley to attend national Freedom Day celebrations and hear President Thabo Mbeki speak on Thursday. Meanwhile, the ruling party’s behaviour in the Western Cape is a ”direct assault” on the Constitution and its freedoms, Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon said.
Cape Town’s mayoral committee has given a thumbs-up to the proposed Darling Wind Farm — a R70-million national pilot project funded jointly by the Danish Development Aid, the Department of Minerals and Energy and the Darling Independent Power Producing Company.
One in 10 people who take anti-retrovirals will experience difficulties with the medication or their bodies will reject it completely. This was heard in Cape Town on Tuesday at Microbicides 2006, the first international conference held in Africa into research into gels that could prevent HIV transmission in women.
The two men who were arrested on Sunday night in connection with the murders of actor Brett Goldin and fashion designer Richard Bloom were released on Monday, Western Cape police said. Nine people have already been arrested and will appear in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday in connection with the murders.
The South Africa government has condemned an attack on Cape Town mayor Helen Zille during the disruption of a meeting over the weekend. ”Government condemns this kind of behaviour without qualification. Our Constitution guarantees free political activity for all parties and individuals,” government spokesperson Joel Netshitenzhe said on Monday.
Cape Town mayor Helen Zille will demand police protection before going into townships again — and she’s laying charges after being attacked at a meeting, media reports said on Monday. She was hit on the head and suffered bruises after being attacked at a community meeting in Crossroads on Saturday.
Police fired rubber bullets at 600 striking security guards at the Kaalfontein station between Pretoria and Johannesburg on Thursday morning. ”These people were on a train to go to the illegal security march in Johannesburg, but they started harassing and intimidating other passengers, so police fired rubber bullets at them,” said North Rand policing-area spokesperson Superintendent Eugene Opperman.
Plettenberg Bay’s Bitou council has asked for advice from lawyers on how it should deal with the allegations against its municipal manager and its former mayor, speaker Lawrence Luiters said on Thursday. A report by the special investigating unit recommends criminal and disciplinary action against the two men.
South Africa has seen a ”phenomenal increase” in the number of asylum seekers in the past few years, the Department of Home Affairs said on Thursday. Although there are only 29 000 people with refugee status living in the country, there are 103 410 outstanding asylum applications.
Two more suspects have been arrested in connection with the double murder of actor Brett Goldin — who starred in the comedy Crazy Monkey Presents Straight Outta Benoni — and designer Richard Bloom on Wednesday, the Western Cape police said. A pistol, in the two suspects’ possession, was also seized.
A black economic empowerment company led by Mutle Mogase, chairperson of Vantage Capital, has bought a 28% stake in the Goedemoed, Vredendal, grape and tomato farming business run by Abrie Botha, a leading figure in Western Cape agriculture.
Five people were arrested on Monday in connection with the murders of Crazy Monkey — Straight Outta Benoni actor Brett Goldin and a friend Richard Bloom. Their bodies were found in a field next to the off-ramp from the M5 freeway to Klipfontein road in Mowbray, Cape Town, early on Monday, Superintendent Billy Jones said.
The South African government needs to wake up to the reality and brutality of crime, the Democratic Alliance said on Sunday. The opposition party’s call came after Afrikaans newspaper Rapport, reported that 52 people are killed daily, 1Â 566 per month and 18Â 793 annually in South Africa.
The turmoil in the city of Cape Town administration could endanger major investments planned ahead of the 2010 Soccer World Cup, Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool warned on Wednesday. He was speaking after the African National Congress appealed for provincial intervention to end what it called the ”chaos” in the city.
Life insurers saved R347-million in 2005 by preventing dishonest policy holders and financial advisers, as well as crime syndicates, from making fraudulent claims. This was an increase of nearly 40% on the previous year, Gerhard Joubert, chief executive of the Life Offices’ Association said on Thursday.
Electricity utility Eskom is to launch a major energy conservation campaign next month in an effort to reduce consumption and relieve the current strain on power transmission and distribution facilities, the government announced on Wednesday. The campaign will be ”more intense” in the Western Cape, government communications spokesperson Joel Netshitenzhe said.
The Western Cape government has approved the development of a multimillion-rand Dreamworld film studio complex. This, after Western Cape environment MEC Tasneem Essop ruled against concerned environmentalists’ appeal that the development could harm a sensitive wetland.