A man suspected to be behind the killing of a 50-year-old man appeared in the Empangeni Magistrate's Court on murder charges.

KwaZulu-Natal - A man suspected to be behind the killing of a 50-year-old man appeared in the Empangeni Magistrate's Court on murder charges on Monday, KwaZulu-Natal police said.

Captain Thulani Zwane said the case was postponed to November 19 and he would remain in custody.

“It is alleged that on 6 November, Sigwamba Biyela was walking along Main Road when he was allegedly approached by two suspects. One shot him in the head and he was declared dead at the scene,” Captain Thulani Zwane said.

One of the alleged attackers was arrested shortly afterwards. Police were still searching for the other. The motive for the murder was still unclear. - Sapa

A KwaZulu-Natal school principal accused of allegedly raping 11 of his students appeared in the Scottburgh Magistrate's Court, police said.

KwaZulu-Natal - A KwaZulu-Natal school principal accused of allegedly raping 11 of his students appeared in the Scottburgh Magistrate's Court on Monday, KwaZulu-Natal police said.

Desmond Makhanya, 44, would appear in court again on November 22 for a formal bail application, Captain Thulani Zwane said.

Makhanya was arrested at his school in Umkomaas last Monday after the girls told police that he had raped them in his office.

Police had been at the school to speak to pupils about their rights and had highlighted sexual abuse.

Makhanya would remain in custody. - Sapa

A community in Durban has been praised for their quick thinking after a 70-year-old woman was viciously attacked by bees.

Durban - A 70-year-old woman was in a critical condition after she was attacked by bees outside her Verulam home on Monday, apparently after her dog disturbed the insects by urinating on the hive.

The police reaction unit’s Prem Balram said his team had found the woman lying in the road in Katzkop Drive, Mount View.

“She ran at least 200m, but the bees came after her. She then collapsed on the sidewalk and onlookers covered her in blankets and sprayed bug spray on her,” said Balram.

He said the woman was struggling to breathe. She had bee stings all over her face, arms, legs and head and appeared to be in a critical condition.

Residents had applied home remedies to the stings while they were waiting for paramedics.

The woman was taken to a local doctor who stabilised her before she was taken to hospital.

Balram said the quick reaction of her neighbours had probably saved the woman’s life.

He warned residents with beehives on their property to seek help in removing them to avoid similar attacks. - The Mercury

After a string of threats directed at the press, the eThekwini council has finally succeeded in keeping its reports secret.

Durban - After a string of threats directed at the press, the eThekwini council has finally succeeded in keeping its reports away from the media and out of the public eye before they are debated by the council.

Agendas for the executive committee and portfolio committee meetings have been embargoed and will only to be released on the day of the meeting. This prevents the media from scrutinising the reports – which mainly deal with how ratepayers’ money is spent – before the meetings.

Raymond Louw, deputy chairman of the media freedom committee of the SA National Editors’ Forum, slammed the decision saying it was “unconstitutional” because it prevented the media from having access to information and knowing what went on in council before the meetings.

“This is unacceptable censorship and part of a growing clamp-down on information emanating from the government,” he said.

Opposition parties said the move was a desperate attempt to gag the media and have vowed to challenge the decision at the next executive committee meeting.

In recent months, the media has been told to leave the executive committee boardroom on numerous occasions, to allow the council to discuss reports. No substantial reasons have been put forward about why the reports were “confidential”.

Reports that were tabled behind closed doors included the Manase and Associates forensic report, the city’s organisational structure and an abridged version of a report by Strauss Daly Attorneys on aspects of the Manase report.

Minority Front councillor Patrick Pillay questioned what was so confidential on the agenda that reports should not be released before the meetings.

“It is absolutely unacceptable for the council to gag the media… The media plays a pivotal role in informing ratepayers on issues deliberated by the municipality,” he said.

“This is a blatant violation of the public’s access to information. I could understand if the reports on the agenda were highly confidential. This is absurd,” he said.

DA caucus leader Tex Collins said it was nothing but a “devious” plot by the ANC to keep information out of the public eye.

“This again goes to show the desperate situation the ANC and city manager [S’bu Sithole] find themselves in. They are afraid of the truth coming out. They are trying to keep things from the public, which is highly unacceptable and they will fail miserably,” he said.

On Monday night, council spokesman Thabo Mofokeng did not respond to questions put to him about the embargo. - The Mercury

Violence erupted outside a KZN court when supporters of a principal accused of rape clashed with anti-rape activists.

KwaZulu-Natal - There was chaos outside the Scottburgh Magistrate’s Court on Monday when family and friends of a South Coast school principal charged with raping schoolgirls attacked the police investigating officer, an SABC cameraman and community members supporting the children.

The group, armed with knobkieries and sticks, were there to support the 44-year-old principal who was making his bail application. The case was postponed until next Thursday.

The man was arrested at his school last week after primary school girls approached police officers visiting their school on an outreach programme. They said the man had lured them to his office saying they were there to clean, or that he would give them extra lessons.

Several hundred people were at court for the man’s second appearance on Monday. These included children’s rights activists, the ANC, the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union, community members and the children’s parents.

The situation became tense inside the court when the principal’s supporters and the opposing group began exchanging jibes.

Outside, a face-off ensued and, when the investigating officer arrived, she was mobbed by the principal’s supporters who beat her up. She managed to hold on to the docket throughout the attack.

Despite the court being only metres from the police station, no police officers came to her assistance. Afterwards, she returned to the scene with three policemen to identify her attackers, who ran away with the officers in pursuit.

Zamo Ngcobo, an SABC cameraman who filmed the attack, became the target of the group when a woman who later said she was the principal’s daughter, threw water in his face.

The group slapped Ngcobo, trying to take his camera until local ANC councillor, Ntokozo Maphumulo, intervened – using his body to shield the journalist from the group.

Earlier, the principal’s daughter had also been slapped and punched by community members.

When Maphumulo had tried to intervene, he was knocked to the ground by a man wielding a piece of wood. A number of terrified women ran from the fray crying for help.

The incident was confirmed by police spokesman Thulani Zwane who said that a 20-year-old woman had been arrested for assaulting a police officer.

Addressing people afterwards, Maphumulo criticised the handling of the incident by police. “If an investigating officer and journalist can be attacked, then how safe are we?”

“These people are dangerous,” he said.

“I call on the police to please protect us, especially the women who are here,” the councillor added.

The principal is facing four charges of rape and three charges of sexual assault. He is also charged with exposing himself. - The Mercury

Several complaints have surfaced over a proposed tarred road at Sani Pass, one of KZN’s most scenic mountain passes.

KwaZulu-Natal - An environmental impact report on the future of the Sani Pass is to be handed to the government shortly amid complaints that a proposed tarred road would destroy the sense of adventure for tourists visiting one of the KwaZulu-Natal’s most scenic mountain passes.

The proposed upgrade involves building a new 19km tarred or concrete road to replace the winding gravel road to the summit of the Sani Pass in the southern Ukhahlamba-Drakensberg.

A final environmental impact assessment (EIA) report by Gibb consultants, sent to stakeholders last week, suggests there are no fatal flaws to the proposal and recommends that it be approved by the national Department of Environmental Affairs.

However, a social impact report by the Institute of Natural Resources recognises that tour operators who run 4x4 adventure trips to Sani Pass and several tour lodges could be hard hit.

The report says that 75 percent of the regional and international tourism operators and agents surveyed on the proposal indicated that they would remove the Sani Pass and Southern Drakensberg from their itineraries if a tarred or concrete road was built.

“(Tour operators) are of the opinion that there are many other more spectacular mountain passes around the world, but that most of these are tarred. The key feature that attracts international tourists is the 4x4 experience of the Sani Pass.”

Russell and Simone Suchet, representing tour operators in the Southern Drakensberg area, argued that the Outeniqua Pass between George and Oudtshoorn was one of the most scenic tarred routes in the country, but very few people travelled along this route specifically for the scenery or wilderness experience.

Yet the nearby Swartberg untarred pass between Oudtshoorn and Prince Albert remained a major tourist and wilderness attraction.

The Wildlife and Environment Society (Wessa) also voiced fears that replacing the Sani Pass gravel road would erode the wilderness experience for visitors.

The society said the plan appeared to be a “classic case of someone in an office drawing lines on a map and making a decision without having any idea of the situation on the ground”.

Merely adding tar to a road did not magically produce tourists, it argued.

One of the few letters to the consultants indicating support for an upgraded route up Sani Pass came from Jonathan Aldous, owner of the Sani Top Chalet.

Aldous said he recognised that the Sani Pass was a popular 4x4 adventure route, but it made little sense to keep repairing a gravel road that was frequently eroded by rain.

“Don’t let greedy tour operators and old sentimentalists cloud your decisions. We will all survive, whatever happens, because there are plenty of opportunities out there. Fix the road!” he told the consultants in an e-mail.

According to the EIA report, about 13 500 Basotho a year travel into South Africa through the Sani Pass border post, compared with about 25 000 South Africans who travel up the pass, about 90 percent of whom were tourists.

The report says that the route is an important business route and link for people living across the border in Lesotho.

Gibb consultants conclude that a tarred road could open up the eastern Lesotho region to tourism development and strengthen trade links between KZN and Lesotho. - The Mercury

***The deadline for public comment is November 25. For more information, e-mail: Sani-phase2-EIA@gibb.co.za or contact Gisela Fechter at 031 267 8500.

Durban detectives are urgently trying to locate a man whom they believe can assist them with information regarding theft.

Durban - Brighton Beach detectives are urgently trying to locate a man who goes by the name of Trevor Pillay, who they believe can assist them with inquiries into a spate of motor vehicle thefts in and around Durban.

Detectives said they were investigating four such cases and that there may be as many as 24 in the Durban area.

Pillay is thought to be living in Malvern, Umbilo or Chatsworth.

Anyone with information can contact Detective Captain Brad Varley at 073 677 7075, or 031 451 8079.

A Durban man found his murdered mother in a pool of blood on the floor of her Avoca bedroom.

Durban - A man found his murdered mother in a pool of blood on the floor of her Avoca bedroom.

Sabitha Sewlal, 73, who lived alone in Avoca Road, had been bound, beaten and choked.

Andy Sewlal, a regional manager for the KZN Department of Health, found her on Friday evening.

He told the Daily News last night of his trauma at the find. Her hands had been tied with her clothing and her face and head appeared to have been severely beaten. Robbery appeared to be the motive, he said.

Darkness

Sewlal said either he or one of his two sisters checked in on his mother every day. When he got to the house, it was in darkness and all the doors and windows were locked.

“I knocked on the door and called out to her but she did not answer. I had a spare key to the front door, but it appeared to be jammed. I eventually broke the door down and went into the house.”

Sewlal said at this stage the exact cause of death was unclear. They were awaiting the post mortem.

“To see my mother in that state has left all of us traumatised. It was a brutal, senseless attack. The brutality of the crime makes me sick. I actually have no words to describe it.”

He said the house had been ransacked.

A police source said the robbers had gained entry through the roof.

“The woman was assaulted and strangled. They took the jewellery she was wearing.” - Daily News

The Public Protector must reveal the truth about the reported R200m upgrade to Jacob Zuma's Nkandla residence, Cosatu said.

Johannesburg - Public Protector Thuli Madonsela must reveal the truth about the reported R200 million upgrade to President Jacob Zuma's Nkandla residence, Cosatu said.

Congress of SA Trade Unions spokesman Patrick Craven said in a statement on Monday that the trade union federation was concerned about the reports.

“(We) note, however, that the Public Protector is investigating the situation and we hope that the government will collaborate with her to get to the root of the allegations,” he said.

“We shall therefore not comment until her report is published.”

Craven said Cosatu hoped the Public Protector and public works would get to the bottom of the matter.

“If the government can produce figures to show that an equal amount of money is being spent elsewhere, there can be no problem if President Zuma is benefiting as a citizen of South Africa,” he said.

Suspended African National Congress Youth League spokesman Floyd Shivambu criticised the SA Communist Party on Tuesday for its support of Zuma against widespread condemnation of the upgrades.

KwaZulu-Natal secretary Themba Mthembu said development in Nkandla was part of rural development.

Shivambu said the provincial SACP were holding onto the idea of rural development “like drowning men and women clinging on straws”.

“This is the communist party, which will mobilise the working class and the poor to go sing and dance in defence of such callous usage of state resources, which can benefit thousands of many people in and outside Nkandla,” he said.

“Whilst the foot-soldiers in KwaZulu-Natal misnamed it rural development, the ideological puppet masters in Cosatu House, now based in Pretoria, call it a 'necessary security upgrade' for the president.”

He said it was not justifiable to spend so much money on the private residence of anyone, even a sitting president.

“ANC members should save the ANC... because if not, we will soon be deprived of the right to say that Mr Jacob Zuma is direction-less, lacks capacity, lacks morals, lacks integrity, lacks (the) intelligence, wisdom and knowledge to save South Africa.” he said.

“(Comedian) George Carlin was correct when he said, 'Never underestimate the power of stupid people, in large numbers'.” - Sapa

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has rejected a call for a specialised police unit to combat rhino poaching in the province.

Durban - Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has rejected a call for a specialised police unit to combat rhino poaching in the province, saying the number of rhinos poached in KwaZulu-Natal this year was not as high as other provinces.

Radley Keys, the DA’s KZN spokesman on conservation and environmental affairs, said Ezemvelo should concede defeat in the battle against poaching and hand over this task to a team “better equipped” to fight the scourge in the province.

He said the precautionary suspension of a senior Ezemvelo official, after investigations of the “Black September” rhino massacre in Zululand, was proof enough that the conservation body could no longer be regarded as a credible force in the fight against poaching.

The senior conservation manager was suspended by Ezemvelo on Friday.

The body’s executive director of operations, Bheki Khoza, said no official charges had yet been laid, but evidence pointed to negligence on the manager’s part in carrying out his duties.

“Preliminary investigations reveal his absence during the terrible weekend period when rangers found seven carcasses poached in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park,” he said.

But according to Keys, problems within the organisation were “endemic”.

Keys also called for a specialised SAPS unit to be brought into effect to spearhead the battle in the province. “Funding must be allocated so that this unit is able to function at optimal level,” he said.

“The consequence of allowing KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife to continue to lead this initiative, with neither the capacity nor suitability to perform such a task, does not bear thinking about.”

But Ezemvelo spokesman Musa Mntambo said poaching in KZN was not as bad as in other provinces.

“We have developed various strategies to combat the poaching problem, and if we hadn’t done this, the province’s poaching statistics would be much higher,” he said.

“We also work closely with the SAPS in carrying out these strategies, so there is no need for a specialised SAPS unit.”

According to the Department of Environmental Affairs, KZN has lost 57 rhinos to poaching since the beginning of the year – out of a national total of 488.

The province’s total last year was 34, compared with a national total of 448.

Environmental group WWF SA rhino co-ordinator Jo Shaw agreed with Mntambo, saying there was already a national wildlife crime reaction initiative in place, making an additional SAPS unit unnecessary.

On Sunday, the Hawks shot dead an alleged rhino poacher and injured another in the Kruger National Park.

Captain Paul Ramoloka said the Hawks received information about alleged poachers, spotted in the Skukuza area at about 2pm.

“When our team confronted the four men, they opened fire on the police, who returned fire. One of the poachers was killed, another is in hospital [and] the other two were arrested,” he said.

Police confiscated a hunting rifle, axe, saw and sedan used by the alleged poachers. The three men would be charged with attempted murder and being in possession of dangerous weapons, Ramoloka said

“We are still trying to link the suspects with some of the rhino poaching which has taken place in the Kruger National Park over the past week,” he added. - Daily News

Nineteen people were injured in three separate accidents in the Durban area on Tuesday morning.

Durban - Nineteen people were injured in three separate accidents on Tuesday morning.

In the first incident, a taxi carrying 13 people overturned on the M13 going up Fields Hill in the left lane leaving five people in a serious condition and eight others injured.

When paramedics arrived, ER24 spokesman Derrick Banks said, they found the taxi lying on its side with commuters outside the vehicle.

“The left hand lane of the M13 was closed to traffic while passengers were treated.

In Pietermaritzburg, a security guard believed to be in his early thirties is in a critical condition after being involved in a collision at the corner of Commercial Road and Pietermaritz Street on Tuesday.

Banks said the driver of the security vehicle was found trapped inside his vehicle.

“He was in a critical condition and needed Advanced Life Support intervention to be performed on him to help stabilise him. He was placed on a ventilator and stabilised while the Fire Department used the Jaws of Life and other rescue equipment to extricate him from the vehicle,” he said.

“The driver of the other vehicle was treated on scene for suspected neck and back injuries and taken to a nearby hospital,” he said.

A further four passengers and a bus driver sustained injuries after the bus they were in collided into the back of a truck on the N3 Pietermaritzburg bound near to the Peter Brown off ramp in the left hand lane, Banks said.

“They had sustained minor injuries from general body pains to minor cuts and abrasions. They were stabilised on scene and taken to a nearby hospital,” he said. - Daily News

A Road Traffic Inspectorate officer was arrested for allegedly taking a bribe from a taxi owner, KwaZulu-Natal police said.

KwaZulu-Natal - A Road Traffic Inspectorate officer was arrested for allegedly taking a bribe from a taxi owner in the Pinetown area, KwaZulu-Natal police said on Tuesday.

The 44-year-old woman was arrested on Monday, Captain Thulani Zwane said.

On October 31, a taxi driver was stopped in the Pinetown area by an on duty traffic officer who was conducting her routine duties.

“His taxi was searched and found to have defaults. The driver was issued with a traffic summons of R600,” Zwane said.

Afterwards, the taxi was impounded. The officer allegedly demanded R1000 to release the taxi, but the driver but could only afford to pay R300.

Zwane said an arrangement was made that the taxi owner would meet the officer at a later date to pay the balance.

The taxi boss reported the matter to the police and a sting operation was conducted, which led to the arrest of the officer.

Police found R700 in the woman's vehicle, ID books, passports, taxi permits, quashed traffic summons, application forms for learner's drivers with photos and some personal documents belonging to the officer.

The officer has been charged with corruption and will appear in the Pinetown Magistrate's Court on Wednesday. - Sapa

The son of a NFP councillor says police have yet to question or confiscate his two firearms even though he’s accused of murder.

Durban - In spite of being accused of shooting an IFP supporter, the son of a National Freedom Party councillor told the Durban Regional Court on Monday that police had not confiscated his two firearms, let alone questioned him about them.

Testifying in his bail application, Bonginhlanhla Gwala denied killing 31-year-old Celiwe Shezi near the KwaMashu hostel on October 6.

“I am not guilty. I did not play a role in this crime. It is a lie and a fabrication,” he said. “I did not kill her.”

Gwala’s father Bhungu, an NFP councillor, his brother Celimpilo, and two others – S’khumbuzo Nxumalo and Sibusiso Ncengwa – have also been charged with the murder of Shezi and the attempted murder of two other protesters near the hostel.

On the day of the shootings, Gwala said he had been at his flat in uMhlanga Rocks. He told the court his father had called him at about 4.30pm that day, informing him of what had happened and telling him that he was on his way to a house near the hostel.

Gwala said he was shocked by the news, as his younger brother had been shot dead at the same house on September 18, by someone who had fired shots through the window.

He said when he left his flat, his departure time would have been recorded by cameras in the building.

“Before I could reach the house, I phoned my father to ask if I could use Malandela Road, which is the main road. He told me that it was closed and that I should use Mbuyazi Road which I did,” he said.

Family

“When I got there, my family was there, [as were] the police and other political parties.”

Gwala told the court that he did not have a problem with police checking his phone records to see where he was that day and at what time his father had called him.

“In fact, I would be disappointed if the police have not done that because they told me they would,” he said.

When police go to look at the camera footage at his flat, he asked that his lawyer, advocate Paul Jorgensen, accompany them.

“I no longer trust the police,” he said.

Gwala testified that, in spite of the fact that he was charged with a crime in which a gun was used, the police had not taken his two guns or even asked him about them. He said he had gone to the police on his own, the day he was arrested.

Earlier,

his father told the court that he had witnesses who could confirm his whereabouts at the time of the shootings.

The matter was postponed to November 19. - Daily News

The SACP in KZN has called for an enactment of a law to protect the office of the president from a “barrage of insults”.

Durban - The SACP in KwaZulu-Natal has called for an enactment of a law to protect the office of the president following what it called a “barrage of insults directed at President Jacob Zuma”.

SACP provincial secretary Themba Mthembu said discussions on this had been prompted by some of the attacks on the president, including the way in which he was portrayed in the infamous painting, The Spear.

But such an act would not mean that a sitting president would be free from scrutiny and criticism. “We are saying you can criticise the president but some respect needs to be given to the leader of the state whether it is Zuma or not. You cannot have people who wake up and say things to insult the president,” Mthembu said.

On Saturday the party would march in Zuma’s hometown, Nkandla, to show support for the development under way in that area.

Mthembu said the purpose of the march was to demand that development in rural areas be respected and fast-tracked.

The march follows the unsuccessful visit to Nkandla by DA leader Helen Zille last week.

Stunt

The DA leader had planned to inspect the planned development in Nkandla, including the roads, a new town development and the security upgrades to the president’s residence.

Mthembu said Zille’s “Hollywood style visit” to Nkandla was nothing but a cheap publicity stunt by the opposition party.

“We demand that the people of Nkandla not be discriminated against in government programmes to develop rural areas simply because they have the president as one of their residents.”

On the upgrades to Zuma’s residence, the SACP said it was only concerned about the costs – and welcomed a decision to probe whether prices may have been inflated.

But Mthembu defended the upgrades.

“If the house was in Ballito, Sandton or Constantia, there would not have been so much noise. We only hear this noise because the president chose to stay at Nkandla.”

Mthembu also lashed out at opposition parties that wanted to pass a vote of no confidence in Zuma.

He said the SACP believed that such a move was meant to boost a faction in the ANC that had been calling for Zuma’s removal.

The mother and daughter charged with fraud after allegedly selling Unisa exam papers are out on bail.

Durban - The mother and daughter charged with fraud after being arrested for allegedly selling Unisa exam papers were granted bail on Monday by the KwaDukuza Magistrate’s Court.

Sonja Nigel, 45, an invigilator, and her daughter, Carla Niemand, 26, were found in possession of more than 40 exam papers on various subjects.

During the bail application, the duo’s lawyer, Rakesh Maharaj, said the women could afford bail of R2 000 each.

He said Nigel had two children, was a widow, and had been employed on a contract basis by Unisa and only received a salary from the university three times a year, when there were exams.

Maharaj said Niemand was unemployed, married and had a three-year-old child who needed her. Although Maharaj had said both his clients could afford bail of R2 000, magistrate S Maharaj granted bail of R4 000 each.

Bail was granted on condition that Nigel and Niemand not set foot on Unisa premises.

The case was postponed until next year for further investigation. – Daily News

Current Minority Front leader Shameen Thakur-Rajbansi prepares as acrimonious leadership tussle reaches a decisive point.

Durban - Attempts to usurp leadership in the Minority Front started even before the death of its founder Amichand Rajbansi, his widow and current MF leader Shameen Thakur-Rajbansi has claimed.

She said that as soon as the man dubbed “The Tiger” by his followers fell ill, there was an attempt to elect Member of Parliament Roy Bhoola as an interim leader.

“While Mr Rajbansi was in ICU [intensive care] they called a conference to elect an interim leader. In fact, Mr Bhoola called it; he wanted to become leader because they had reached a conclusion that our leader was not going to get well and they were sending out wrong information that he was wheelchairbound and everything,” Thakur-Rajbansi said.

But Bhoola denied the allegation on Monday, saying that Thakur-Rajbansi was “dreaming and delusional”.

Thakur-Rajbansi was speaking to the Daily News on Monday as some senior party members – including Bhoola – were finalising plans to convene a conference of the party on Saturday, where they plan to vote her out of her position.

But she would not be attending the conference as she believed it was nothing but an act of provocation.

“Saturday is my birthday, and they know this, which is why they chose it to try to get rid of me. It shows how provocative these men can be. I will be in the temple while they are deciding my fate.”

Bhoola said the conference was not his idea, but one supported by the majority of the MF’s public representatives.

“Thakur-Rajbansi continues to maintain an illegal hold, an illegitimate hold over the party leadership,” he said.

Thakur-Rajbansi said she was not at all worried about her position and felt no man in the MF could “match” her.

“They cannot match me, not in skill, not in strength, not in vitality, not in brains… But I cannot match them in their bad ways.”

She continued: “I am not threatened because I am not at that level. I am talking chalk and cheese here. If you want me to feel threatened, let me compete with a person who is worth it…”

Thakur-Rajbansi said those behind the attempts to unseat her had violated every rule in the party, not because they wanted to serve the party, but (because) they wanted to control the party purse and do as they pleased.

“The MF has become a scapegoat to pay everyone’s debt. I work every day for my living and don’t have to wait for any inheritance.”

She also took aim at Rajbansi’s son, Vimal, who has also expressed a desire to step in and “save” the MF after concerns about leadership.

“I cannot be judged by the biggest failure in life,” she said of Vimal.

“I am not a Mickey Mouse leader and I am not here to destroy the legacy of Mr Rajbansi… I will not have people that Mr Rajbansi never even looked to for advice.”

Thakur-Rajbansi said all those who were rebelling against her were doing so because they wanted to hang on to their positions at all cost.

Vimal said he supported the idea of holding a conference to elect a new leader, as he believed that the MF would never grow under the leadership of his stepmother.

“I am not interested in any position, but interested in protecting the hard work of my father. Shameen Thakur has failed the people whom my father served,” he said.

She said that most of the councillors started revolting because she had introduced strict monitoring and evaluation of their performance.

Thakur-Rajbansi had tried to remove three councillors in eThekwini this year while an attempt was also made to remove Bhoola from the National Assembly.

But Bhoola and the councillors successfully approached the courts to have their expulsions overturned.

She said Bhoola had to be removed as he was only expected to serve half of his five-year term, with the remainder to be served by party stalwart Margaret Rajbally.

Both had been MPs from 2005 and the term-sharing deal was reached after the MF could only muster one seat after the 2009 elections, she claimed.

“We’re not in a business of creating jobs for friends or family”. But Bhoola challenged Thakur-Rajbansi to produce such an agreement in writing. - Daily News

A chief prosecutor in KZN has called for citizens to rally against crime after armed robbers terrorised her family.

Durban - A chief prosecutor in KwaZulu-Natal has called for citizens to rally against crime after armed robbers terrorised her son, his girlfriend and a domestic worker at their Puntans Hill home in broad daylight.

Amy Kistnasamy, chief prosecutor for the Pinetown cluster, said the attack made her realise that no-one was immune to crime.

Her son, Provain, was pistol-whipped and had to have seven stitches to his head. His girlfriend, who did not want to be named, suffered a fractured foot and knee after scaling a high boundary wall in a desperate attempt to escape.

The couple, both 28 and studying for science doctorates, are undergoing trauma counselling.

Kistnasamy said they had returned to her Puntans Hill home at about 2.30pm last Wednesday. Her son had parked the car in the driveway and was waiting for the automated gate to close when, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a man running down the driveway.

His girlfriend was in the passenger seat next to him.

He said: “At first I thought it was a policeman because of his blue jacket. Seconds later, he was at my side and pointed a gun at me. Three others then appeared. They were all wearing masks and had guns. One of them also pointed a gun at my girlfriend.”

He said a fifth suspect, was in the getaway car, a BMW, parked outside the gate. “They demanded money and jewellery from me. I pleaded with them to take whatever they wanted… The driveway gate began to close.”

He said the robbers panicked, assuming he had done something to close the gate.

“They shouted at me, not realising the gate was automated. One of them then struck me on my head with the butt of the gun. Fortunately, I managed to press the remote and the gate re-opened. They then dragged me, bleeding, into the house.” When the gate opened, the suspect in the getaway car, reversed into the driveway, he said.

They were forced at gunpoint to lie on the floor, he said. “They tried to remove a plasma television that was mounted on the wall. But, they could not get it down. They then demanded to know where the safe was. I told them it was in the next room. The keys to the safe and to the cupboard it was in, were with my mother.”

He said the robbers insisted he break the cupboard open.

“I banged and yanked at it… I only managed to break the handle. I told him I needed to get a screwdriver from the garage. He then took me to the lounge and left me with the two ladies. All four robbers then went to the garage to look for the tools.”

He said he feared for his girlfriend’s safety and had to get her out of the house.

“By this time, the driver had also come into the house. There were five of them, all with guns. I feared we were going to die or they were going to hurt my girlfriend. I grabbed her hand and told her and the maid to run for their lives.”

He said he felt confident the robbers would be confused by the house layout and would not easily find them.

“We went through the back door and decided to escape over the boundary wall which was over 2m high. My girlfriend could not scale the wall, so I pushed her over. She sustained a fractured foot and knee. I then jumped over.”

He said as the domestic worker attempted to escape, she heard the robbers returning.

“She overheard them saying that a neighbour across the road had spotted them. They made a run for it. They did not take anything.”

The maid then pressed the alarm panic button and telephoned Kistnasamy.”

Kistnasamy said: “The security company, which arrived minutes later, said there was blood all over the floor. They could not [initially] find Provain or his girlfriend.

“I am just relieved they are alive,” she said. “It has been very traumatic…

The pair were treated at a local hospital for their injuries.”

As a chief prosecutor, Kistnasamy said she dealt with crime issues daily.

“We as a community have become very apathetic towards crime. Every day someone becomes a victim, but we just seem to pick up the pieces and move on. It’s almost as if we have accepted that this is our fate.

“It is time for us to stand together as a community and do something to fight back. We need to rally as citizens and lobby for change – for example call for harsher sentences for criminals.”

Kistnasamy said she also came across serious cases where criminals escaped justice.

“The police do their jobs and investigations are wrapped up, but witnesses refuse to testify. This means criminals walk free. We need to fight back and not be afraid. Testifying can put them behind bars for a long time. If not, the criminals can go out and hurt someone else.”

She said she decided to go public with her story to encourage communities to fight back against crime and not accept it as part of their daily lives.

“My family has become a victim of crime. As a mother, I would not want any parent to feel the pain and trauma that my husband and I have been through in the past few days.” - Daily News

The city is not censoring the media but protecting the integrity of its processes, says eThekwini city manager S’bu Sithole.

Durban - Opening the eThekwini municipality’s reports for public scrutiny before they were deliberated by the council was not in the ratepayers’ interest, according to eThekwini city manager S’bu Sithole, because the media slanted the debate, often impeding deeper understanding of an issue.

He was speaking to The Mercury about a decision by the ANC in the council to embargo agendas for the executive committee and portfolio committee meetings.

These documents had always been available to the media but were restricted for the first time this week and would now only be available on the day of the meeting.

Sithole said the media did not understand some issues because they were technical, and not all reports were for decision-making – some were for noting purposes.

The city was not censoring the media but protecting the integrity of its processes, he said.

“If you look at custom and practice everywhere, the executive committee must discuss issues without any negative influence.

“Most issues that are debated are already in the newspaper and they take a particular slant. It makes our jobs very difficult,” he said.

In Cape Town, meanwhile, agendas, reports and the minutes of all City of Cape Town meetings are still available to journalists before council meetings. Hard copies are also made available from the metro’s media office and information is available on the city’s website.

Ian Neilson, Cape Town’s executive deputy mayor, said: “This is part of the city’s commitment to openness and transparency.”

The DA caucus leader in Nelson Mandela Bay municipality (Port Elizabeth), Leon de Villiers, said eThekwini’s actions were a “gross abuse of power”.

“We do not have such a rule in Port Elizabeth and, if we did, we would oppose it. The public should be encouraged to come to all council meetings and they should be well informed about what will be discussed, more so because it has an impact on ratepayers,” he said, adding that putting an embargo on agendas worked against all principles of open democracy.

City of Joburg spokesman Nthatisi Modingoane said council agendas and reports were made available to the media on the day of the council meeting on request.

“Portfolio committee meetings and executive committee meeting are, by law, not open to the public. Therefore journalists are not allowed to attend these meetings.”

The DA’s eThekwini caucus leader Tex Collins, said his party was “appalled” by the decision.

“The ANC is rotten to the core, and this foolish and unconstitutional effort to gag the media will backfire on them badly,” he said.

“It has become increasingly obvious that the ruling party has no answer to the many problems Durban now faces and, as a result, will use every available method to prevent the truth from being exposed.”

Collins said the city’s action had not come before exco or the council for debate, making it illegal.

“It also flies in the face of good governance and transparency… It is hoped that the media will fight this action as vigorously as the DA. The DA will never accept a gag of this nature,” he added.

Right2Know national co-ordinator Mark Weinberg said this was another example of the veil of secrecy creeping over society. “In a democracy, elected leaders should have nothing to hide. The public has every right to be informed and discuss issues before decisions are taken, precisely to inform those decisions,” he said. - The Mercury

It was a case of car theft and cruel irony when a Shout SA anti-crime campaign vehicle was stolen in Durban.

Durban - It was a case of vehicle theft and cruel irony in Durban on Tuesday, when a Shout SA anti-crime campaign vehicle was stolen from the city’s streets.

The Kia van belonging to The Arrows – Durban’s acclaimed female pop duo and ambassadors for the Shout initiative – was parked in Harvey Road, Morningside, while the musicians were doing a photo shoot for their new album. When they came out of the studio their branded van was gone.

The theft was not only an inconvenience for the band, but it would also be a hindrance to their efforts in creating awareness about crime in the country, said one half of The Arrows, Pam de Menezes.

“We are the Shout ambassadors for Durban, we go to schools and promote the campaign,” she said.

According to Shout SA chairman Gavin Koppel, the incident epitomised the need for the campaign’s message to be heeded.

“It shows you [that] nobody is immune to the scourge of crime, it demonstrates that we still have a lot to do,” he said. “The Arrows and Shout want to change the accepted attitude that crime is a part of society… they are doing this because they want to make a difference.”

Police spokesman Captain Thulani Zwane, confirmed a case of vehicle theft had been opened at Durban Central SAPS on Tuesday. - The Mercury

What was to have been an exciting holiday for a Durban family turned to tragedy when their toddler drowned in a pool.

KwaZulu-Natal - What was to have been an exciting holiday for a Durban family turned to tragedy when their toddler drowned in a pool at a relative’s home in Richards Bay last week.

Three-year-old Haylee-Anne Parsad had accompanied her maternal grandmother for a holiday to a relative’s home in Richards Bay where the incident occurred.

Haylee’s parents are separated and she lived with her mother and grandmother.

Speaking to POST this week, the toddler’s father Ash Parsad, said he was devastated by what had transpired and was trying to piece together what had happened.

Parsad said the information available indicated Haylee was with his mother-in-law at a relative’s home where they had been staying for the past week.

He said his mother-in-law was having lunch so a few relatives decided to take Haylee for a walk through their factory premises on the property.

“I don't know what happened after that. All I know is that she disappeared and was found floating in the pool,” said Parsad.

When Haylee was discovered in the pool, relatives jumped in and rushed her to The Bay Hospital in Richards Bay. It is still unclear how long she had been under water before she was found.

What followed for the distraught family was an agonising period of hope and prayer as doctors worked tirelessly to save Haylee.

“I spoke to the doctors and they told me Haylee came in ice cold and they worked to revive her for over an hour. I broke down when I heard how they had tried to save my baby,” said Parsad.

Haylee was placed on a ventilator as doctors tried to get her to start breathing on her own.

“They tried everything they could but they could not save her. She was unable to breathe on her own and died in the early hours of Friday. I loved my baby. I had not seen her for an entire week and now I won’t see her ever again,” said Parsad.

Haylee’s grandmother is said to be severely traumatised by the incident and had to be hospitalised.

When POST visited their Avoca Hills home on Monday, Haylee’s uncle, Lyle, said they did not wish to speak to the media and were still waiting for more information.

“We can’t really say anything right now. Everyone is traumatised. My sister is only 27 years old and she has lost her child,” said Lyle.

He said they would speak to the media once they had more information.

Haylee’s mother was not available for comment. The funeral took place on Sunday.

Police spokesperson Captain Thulani Zwane confirmed the incident.

“We can confirm an incident that occurred where a three-year-old allegedly drowned in Palingdraai, Richards Bay. The local police are investigating an inquest and circumstances around the incident,” said Captain Zwane.

Meanwhile, Netcare 911 issued a warning last week over an increasing number of drownings or near drownings since the beginning of this year.

“We responded to more than 218 callouts to drownings and near drownings from January to October this year. This is most alarming given the fact that the long summer holiday still lies ahead; a time of year which historically includes large numbers of drownings,” said Netcare 911 Operations Director Peter Feurstein.

Last year, Netcare 911 responded to 102 drowning and near drowning cases in October and December alone.

He said toddlers were particularly at risk.

Said Feurstein: “Toddlers are particularly vulnerable to drowning as they have no idea about the dangers of water and tend to be inquisitive. Approximately 75% of all drownings in South Africa each year occur among children under the age of five years. If one has young children, vigilance is key in keeping them safe.” - POST