Cops find more guns at house
October 12 2011 at 11:05am
By Karabo Seanego
More ammunition was recovered from a Valhalla home after police worked
throughout the night searching the house following Monday’s discovery of an
arms stash at the house. The huge stash was discovered following a tip-off
by a tenant leasing the house after he became suspicious as some rooms in
the house were always locked. The tenant and his family had access to four
bedrooms, two kitchens, a living area, study and a TV room, but five other
rooms had never been opened since they moved in on September 30. Police were

still hard at work on Wednesday at the Wierdabrug police station, going
through the stash which had grown from the previous night, after an
additional 13 assault rifles were discovered to take the tally of guns to
43. Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Tshisikhawe Ndou said further
searches on Monday night had unearthed different types of grenades,
including the stun grenades used during military training and exercises. “We

also found six R1 rifle magazines and a single R5 rifle magazine. There was
also a lot of spent cartridges which seem like they were going to be
recycled,” he said. On Monday, police found an assortment of firearms, which

included 303 rifles, 9mm pistols, revolvers, pellet guns, army uniforms,
police uniforms, air force uniforms, police blue lights and hunting rifles
as well as ammunition of various calibre. Machines used to reload cartridges

with gunpowder were also found, so was gunpowder. Ndou said at the moment it

did not appear as though the homeowner, who was in the UK, was an arms
collector because they could not find any licences to prove ownership of the

arms and military equipment that was recovered. “In order for one to be a
gun collector or gun smith, he needs to have a licence. When we checked on
the system we could not find any proof of ownership or of a licence,” said
Ndou. He added that police did not know what the man was doing in the UK,
but they were hopeful he would co-operate with their investigations. Ndou
said it is still too early to say if the man was a suspect as investigations

were continuing. “Once we have determined where the stuff comes from and the

person has proven where he got them, that is when we can know if charges
will be laid or not,” said Ndou. According to police, should the owner be
found to be in the wrong, he could be charged under the new Firearms Act for

possession of unlicensed firearms, live ammunition and police equipment.
Meanwhile, the Gauteng Hawks on Wednesday recovered three assault rifles
from two vehicles which were found abandoned at a parking lot in the
Piccadilly shopping centre, Yeoville. Police received information about two
vehicles, an Isuzu bakkie and a VW Jetta, which were parked at the parking
lot of the shopping complex, and went to investigate. Ndou said: “the
vehicles were searched and inside, an AK-47, LM6 and R5 rifles were found,
as well as police reflector jackets, bulletproof vests, woollen gloves,
balaclavas, police blue light and 168 live rounds of both 9mm and assault
rifles.” Police believe the weapons might have belonged to a group of ATM
bombers. Ndou said arrests are expected soon. “Police would like to thank
the public for providing police with information which led to the recovery
of the firearms and vehicles,” said Ndou. - Pretoria News

Ventersburg supermarket robbed
October 12 2011 at 11:46am
A Ventersburg supermarket security guard stole R11,000 in cash to buy
himself a car, Free State police said on Wednesday. “The CCTV was monitored
and he appeared taking the money on the monitor,” Warrant Officer Malebo
Khosana said in a statement. Khosana said the money was noted missing from a

metal cash box placed next to the tills, after Casper Collen Billy
Pretorius, 21, went on lunch without permission and disappeared. Pretorius
bought a blue Leyland Mini, which was later found abandoned on the side of
the road between Welkom and Theunissen. The incident took place between 2pm
and 2.40pm on Sunday October 2. A warrant of arrest was issued after an
investigation.  www.iol.co.za

Two held after hijacking on Signal Hill
October 12 2011 at 12:58pm
By STAFF REPORTER
A couple robbed at gunpoint and who had the car they were sitting in
hijacked at the foot of the Signal Hill viewpoint, managed to raise the
alarm in time for the police to track down two suspects on the N1. Police
spokesman Raldeen Atson said the drama began just after midnight on Tuesday,

in the Lion’s Head parking area in Tafelberg Road, which leads to the
viewpoint. A 35-year-old man and his girlfriend were in the Audi A5 when
three men posing as security guards pulled up next to them in a white Nissan

light delivery vehicle (LDV), Atson said. “Two of the men armed with
firearms jumped out of the LDV and took an undisclosed amount of cash from
the complainant. “Both the complainant and his girlfriend were forced out of

their vehicle and the suspects fled in the direction of Kloof Nek Road in
both vehicles.” Atson said the couple managed to alert police, and the
Audi’s
car tracker system was immediately activated. “Police later spotted the
vehicle on the N1 freeway and forced the vehicle to stop. “They arrested two

suspects, aged 29 and 31, from Eerste River for car hijacking. No firearms
were recovered.” The third suspect was still at large. Atson said that in
their follow-up investigation, police found the white Nissan LDV, which was
used to commit the crime. The vehicle had been stolen in the Cape Town area,

but police could not say when. Both suspects were due to appear in Cape Town

Magistrate’s Court tomorrow. - Cape Argus

Two held for Pretoria kidnapping
October 11 2011 at 09:48pm
Two men were arrested in Lyttelton, Pretoria, in connection with the
kidnapping of three women, police said on Tuesday. They were arrested at a
duplex in Zwartkop late on Monday night when police were tipped off about a
kidnapping in progress, said Captain Brian Plaatjies in a statement. As the
police arrived on the scene, three women jumped from the balcony and ran
towards the gate. Plaatjies said as the gate was opened, three men ran out
of the house in different directions. Back-up was called. Two Nigerian
nationals were arrested while the third man escaped. Police confiscated
R10,000 worth of drugs, 13 cellphones, electronic equipment, jewellery and
about R8300 in cash found in the duplex. Plaatjies said further details
could not be divulged as the investigation was continuing. The men would
appear in Centurion Magistrate's Court soon on charges of possession of
stolen property, possession of drugs, and kidnapping.  www.iol.co.za

Cops rubbish serial killer theory
October 12 2011 at 11:05am
By SHAIN GERMANER
The police say they have three suspects in two of the six gay men murders,
discounting the possibility of a serial killer operating across Joburg.
However, they were unable to explain why they believed four of the most
recent killings were unrelated, even though they had a similar modus
operandi. In each case, the victims were found bound and murdered in their
homes, with each investigating officer confirming there were no signs of
forced entry. This meant it was likely the would-be murderers were invited
into the homes. In five of the cases, the men were strangled, with one man
being bludgeoned to death after being tied up. National police spokesman
Lieutenant-Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said a suspect was set to be tried for
the murder of Manolis Veloudos last year. Nigerian Paulnius Dike is to be
charged for the murder this week. However, the victim’s niece, Evita
Veloudos, alleged that DNA evidence found at the scene did not match Dike,
and that it was possible the killer, or an accomplice, could still be at
large. Dlamini also said two suspects were to be extradited from Zimbabwe
for the December murder of Jim Cathels, but the men had yet to be arrested.
“Police are confident that they know the location of these two men,” he
said. Investigating officers in the six cases believe that robbery was an
unlikely motive for the crimes, because little was stolen. All the men were
over 30, were internet savvy, and several were confirmed to have used online

dating profiles for potential interactions. Three of the four most recent
victims were confirmed as using the internet to find potential hook-ups.
Despite the similar modus operandi for each of the cases and similarities
between the victims, police will not comment on why investigators have yet
to compare notes. The most recent victim, Barney van Heerden, 39, was found
bound and strangled in his Orange Grove home on September 19. Among the
others were Oscar O’Hara, 33, found bound and strangled four months ago, and

Siphiwe Selby Nhlapo, found bound and strangled last month. * Anyone with
any information on these cases or similar incidents can contact
shain.germaner@inl.co.za - The Star

Cops’ heads may roll over Jaca saga
October 12 2011 at 11:04am
By Graeme Hosken
The heads of senior Tshwane metro police officers are expected to roll as
the saga around embattled deputy police chief Ndumiso Jaca continues. The
fate of three Tshwane metro police department (TMPD) directors will be
discussed at a high-level meeting on Wednesday. Pretoria News sources said
the early morning meeting would centre on numerous criminal and internal
cases which were being investigated against several high-ranking TMPD
officers, including Jaca. Jaca, who has been placed on special leave, is
being investigated for having fitted a BMW Z4 and a Harley-Davidson
motorbike with the same vehicle registration plates, “Balty GP”, which until

recently had not been registered and were allegedly false. The directors,
whose fate will be discussed on Wednesday, include Jenny Malan, David Mbatha

and Moloko Racheku. The three are said to have had prior knowledge of the
allegedly false registration plates, but apparently did nothing to report
Jaca to his seniors. The trio are expected to face various charges,
including negligence and failure to act on alleged criminal activities.
Malan is involved in the administration and co-ordination of the TMPD’s law
enforcement section and falls directly under Jaca. Malan’s husband,
Commander JJ Malan, was recently appointed to the post of a TMPD regional
commander. His appointment has caused a controversy after Racheku – who Jaca

immediately appointed to act in his position after he was placed on special
leave – signed the appointment deployment notices. It is believed that the
municipality will at Wednesday’s meeting question the deployment of Malan’s
husband and that of his fellow commanders, KES Matlapeng, PM Poshoko,
Ephrahim Ratau and JV Lebombo. Mbatha and Racheku are in charge of several
TMPD policing regions under which the five appointees fall. Racheku said
last night he was not prepared to comment on hearsay. Neither Malan nor
Mbatha responded to voicemails left on their cellphones. Asked if Malan,
Mbatha and Racheku were to be charged either criminally or internally,
Tshwane mayoral spokesman Pieter de Necker said he would neither deny nor
confirm the allegations. “I can confirm there will be a meeting where
internal matters will be discussed. I have sent an e-mail to the TMPD’s
senior executive director, Mahlomola Manganye, and I am awaiting a response.

“The meeting is, however, an internal one and that is all I’m prepared to
say about it,” he said. Manganye said he was not in a position to comment on

the matter. “I have not yet been briefed. “We will be having a meeting where

several matters will be discussed,” he said. – Pretoria News

Pupils hospitalised after refinery blaze
October 11 2011 at 09:40am
By Tony Carnie
More than 100 primary school children were taken to hospital on Monday –
some struggling for breath, others with itchy skin and eyes – after being
splattered by airborne droplets of crude oil and a cloud of smoke and soot
from another fire at the Engen fuel refinery in South Durban. Wentworth
Hospital manager Suriya Kader said 101 children from Settlers Primary School

in Merebank and 10 adults had been brought in with signs or symptoms of
dizziness, itchiness, headaches and sore eyes. About 20 of the children were

treated with allergy medication, headache pills or calamine lotion, while
two were nebulised because of breathing problems. None were admitted,
however, and most did not require medical treatment. Meanwhile, the refinery

remained closed late yesterday after flames erupted from a crude oil
distillation unit, which caught fire just before 11am. Refinery manager
Kamal Bahrin Ahmad said it had taken 20 minutes for Engen firemen to bring
the fire under control. No staff had been injured. There have been several
fires at the refinery in the past few years, including a petrol tank which
burned for 58 hours after being struck by lightning in November 2007. The
latest fire has also sparked new calls from local community groups for a
government commission of inquiry into safety issues and maintenance at the
refinery. Anna-Lydia Pillay, an 11-year-old pupil at the school in Lakhimpur

Road, said that many pupils were outside during break when they saw a cloud
of dark smoke. Along with several other pupils seen by The Mercury at
Wentworth Hospital, Anna-Lydia’s white school clothes were stained with
blotches of an oily substance carried downwind to the school, less than a
kilometre from the refinery fence. “Some of the kids were getting oxygen
from paramedics and others were feeling sick. Our noses were burning and our

eyes were watering. I’m still feeling a bit shaken up and my skin was also
very itchy from the black drops which came in the air,” Anna- Lydia said.
Her mother, Charmain Andreoli, said it was “high time” that something was
done to improve safety and reduce environmental pollution from the refinery.

Desmond D’sa, of the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance, said the

latest fire was an indictment against both Engen and government health and
safety officials.” Ahmad said it was too early to say what had caused the
fire. “We regret any inconvenience or discomfort caused ,” refinery
spokesman Herb Payne said. - The Mercury

Two Gauteng officials suspended
2011-10-11 16:37
Johannesburg - Two Gauteng government officials have been suspended over
alleged irregularities, Gauteng Arts and Culture MEC Lebogang Maile said on
Tuesday. The offences related to the department's moving to an alternative
building, Maile told reporters in Johannesburg. "Good governance is
important for service delivery and we need to make proper use of the
resources to achieve maximum impact." The suspended officials were corporate

services chief director Dennis Molaba and deputy director of facilities
Wonga Msikinya. Their suspension came into effect three weeks ago, and a
full investigation was underway. Maile said the officials allegedly
fraudulently appointed a service provider in June to move the department to
a building on Diagonal Street. "We are still in a process of determining the

amount of money spent in that act, but the department had set aside R8m for
the whole relocation." Maile said the department became aware of the alleged

corrupt practice only last month. It had terminated the provider's services.

The infrastructure development department (public works) would conduct its
own forensic investigation into the matter.  www.news24.com

Ex-mayor denies getting fraudulent cash
October 11 2011 at 08:17pm
Former Mangaung mayor and fraud accused Pappie Mokoena denied ever receiving

money from his personal assistant for illegal activities, the Bloemfontein
High Court heard on Tuesday. “Not true, absolutely not true,” said Mokoena
during cross-examination in his fraud and racketeering trial. He was
replying to statements by State prosecutor Johan de Nysschen on payments
from the bank account of his personal assistant at the municipality,
Laetitia Hoffman, into his account. Earlier, De Nysschen asked Mokoena why
she would make large cash deposits into his bank account. Mokoena was
testifying in his own defence in a multi-million rand Mangaung fraud and
racketeering trial. The former mayor and 18 others face 259 charges,
including theft and money laundering involving an estimated R130 million.
Not all the accused face all the charges. Mokoena testified that from time
to time Hoffman paid money into his account for allowances and travel
expenses. He submitted that in many instances the municipality’s cheques
were cleared with the bank to allow them to have cash for expenses, instead
of waiting for the seven-day clearance period. The former mayor denied this
was “fraud money” or “stolen money”. Earlier, De Nysschen showed the court
allegedly fraudulent invoices found on Hoffman’s work computer for catering
services worth thousands of rand. Mokoena, his wife Granny, former municipal

manager Mojalefa Matlole, former municipal speaker Zongezile Zumane, and
former business manager Mzwandile Silwana face charges of fraud and
racketeering. Other accused include Jakes Thithi, the political adviser to
the former mayor, Silwana's wife Brigitte, Evodia Kok (Zumane's personal
assistant) and Hoffman (Mokoena's personal assistant), Buyelwa Khethelo, a
businesswoman from Rocklands, Soweto, and two Heidedal businessmen, Keabecoe

and Kegomodicoe Lekone. The trial followed an investigation by the
now-disbanded Scorpions. Mokoena was also questioned about his knowledge of
Koena Foods, a catering business of Granny’s mother. He said Koena Foods had

been doing business with the municipality long before he became mayor, and
that his wife resigned as partner soon after his election. Mokoena denied he

was forced to declare his and his family’s business interests when he became

mayor. “No, sir it’s not correct. We had to do it, not because the issue was

mentioned (a problem),” he said. The case continues.  www.iol.co.za

Cape Town cop acquitted
October 11 2011 at 09:25pm
A senior police official was found not guilty of corruption and attempting
to defeat the ends of justice by the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crime
Court on Tuesday. Warrant officer Keith Swartz, of the Lansdowne police in
Cape Town, was accused of falsely informing businessman Udo Heydt that he
had to pay a R500 admission of guilt fine. Swartz allegedly knew that the
authorities had declined to prosecute the crimen injuria case. He claimed in

court that the R500, paid to him at Heydt's business premises, was a gift
and was not intended as a fine. Magistrate Amrith Chabilall, warned him: “As

a senior and respected police official, you are sailing pretty close to the
wind.” He said if the R500 was in fact a fine, it had to be paid at the
correct place and in the correct manner, and not to a police official on a
business premises. “If the money was intended as a gift, you as a senior
police official ought to know that you are not entitled to be rewarded for
your work, other than through your salary,” Chabilall said. He said there
was too much doubt for the court to make any findings of fact, and he was
obliged to give Swartz the benefit of the doubt. According to the charge
sheet in the corruption case, Heydt was mistakenly summonsed to appear in
court two years ago, despite the fact that the prosecuting authorities had
declined to pursue the crimen injuria case. When he went to court, his case
was not on the roll. The State alleged that when Heydt approached Swartz at
the Athlone Magistrate's Court about the confusion, Swartz falsely informed
Heydt that he had to pay the R500 fine. Heydt did not have the cash on him,
and arranged for Swartz to fetch it at his butchery in Ottery, near Cape
Town, which Swartz did. Chabilall said he viewed Swartz's version with
suspicion, but the court was nevertheless obliged to accept it as being
reasonably possibly true. He said the State had an obligation to prove the
charges against Swartz beyond reasonable doubt, but had failed to do so.
www.iol.co.za

One suspect acquitted of cop killing
October 12 2011 at 01:01pm
By JADE WITTEN
One of three men charged with the murder of Athlone police reservist
Constable Ernistene Veroni, and the attempted murder of her boyfriend, has
walked away from the Wynberg Regional Court a free man. On Tuesday,
magistrate Bruce Langa acquitted Ashley Oliver of all charges during
judgment in the case against him and alleged Americans gang boss Bradley
“Kleinkop” Parkins. The two, along with Oscar Williams, were initially
charged with the murder of Veroni and the attempted murder of her boyfriend,

Romeo Petersen, in April 2008. But only Parkins, 31, and Oliver, 24,
appeared in court on Tuesday as Williams has since died. In delivering the
first part of his judgment, Langa found there was no evidence against
Oliver, so acquitted him of the charges of murder, attempted murder and the
illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. Langa said Petersen, who was

with Veroni around 10pm when the shooting occurred, was the only witness.
Petersen had managed to escape and run into Veroni’s grandmother’s house in
Kudu Street, Athlone, but Veroni was shot in the head and died. Evaluating
Petersen’s evidence, Langa said there were many contradictions between his
oral testimony in court and the statements he made to police about the
incident. “This raised very serious question marks about the credibility of
Mr Petersen,” Langa said. The identity of the people who fired the shots was

the main point of contention, he added. Petersen had initially identified
the three as the men he saw that night. But later, under cross-examination,
he conceded that it had been dark and that he had not seen the faces of the
shooters. The court also heard evidence that there was a power failure in
Athlone that night. Langa said further that the ballistics report linked
spent cartridges found at the scene to a gun recovered at Parkins’s house in

Milnerton. “This evidence tends only to incriminate Parkins,” he said. The
court adjourned for lunch on Tuesday, after which the matter was postponed
as the prosecutor was expected at the Athlone Magistrate’s Court. Langa is
set to give judgment on Parkins’s alleged involvement next Thursday. After
the court proceedings, Oliver said he was happy that he could now move on
with his life. “I was under house arrest for over three years. I am very
happy. This case caused me a lot of stress,” he said.  Cape Argus

Man guilty for possession of unlicensed firearm
October 11 2011 at 08:15pm
By Keabetsoe Matshediso
A 39-year-old man was found guilty last Monday in the Johannesburg
Magistrate Court ofbeing in possession of an unlicensed firearm. Yengandram
Chetty was charged with attempted murder in December 2010 after a work
related Christmas party ‘went wrong’. It is alleged that a fight broke out
between Chetty and his colleagues at the function who were then thrown out
and refused entry. Chetty had been under the influence of alcohol at the
time, overcome with rage and aggression he opened fire on security guards
who fired back at him. No one was injured. CCTV cameras show footage of the
incident as it took place. Chetty was declared negligent for having fired an

unlicensed firearm and being in possession of one. The state saw fit to
restrict him from ever owning such a weapon in the future. After Chetty was
cross-examined by a state prosecutor, his charges for attempted murder were
dropped due to his honoured background. Magistrate Lukas van der Schyff
said: “You have a clear record of a useful member to the society, a
respected businessman and a family man with two children. Your charge of
attempted murder will be dropped, as you firing the weapon might have been
fused with other things such as alcohol, which is still not justifiable.”
“Being in possession of an unlicensed firearm is however a serious offence
and should be made clear to you and the public. That charge you will
serve.”,
van der Schyff added. Chetty was charged with one count of being in
possession of an unlicensed firearm and was given a fine of R5000 or six
months’ imprisonment. He got a further judgement of 12 months in prison
which was suspended for five years. “If in the five years you break the law
in any way, your suspended sentence will in every way be enforced.”, said
van der Schyff.  www.iol.co.za

Speaker slams toll debate criticism
October 11 2011 at 10:24am
By BALDWIN NDABA
Gauteng Legislature Speaker Lindiwe Maseko has slammed speculation that she
has unilaterally set aside the debate on toll roads. Maseko was reacting to
the DA’s allegations that she had cancelled the debate, which was due on
Tuesday, without consulting them and other opposition parties. Earlier, DA
caucus leader Jack Bloom said: “I strongly suspect that the sitting was
canned because there are major divisions in the ANC on the tolls issue. It
is highly unusual for a sitting to be cancelled in this way, especially a
Tuesday sitting, when there are questions for oral reply as well.” But
Maseko disagreed. “The premier (Nomvula Mokonyane) is out of the country on
government business and the acting premier, Nandi Mayathula-Khoza, will be
attending the President’s Co-ordinating Council – so she is also not
available to respond to the premier’s questions, therefore the order on
questions to the premier is postponed to the next sitting on October 18.”
Mokonyane is in China with an ANC delegation which includes Gauteng ANC
secretary David Makhura and ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe. Maseko
also said Sipho Makama, chairman of the standing committee on public
accounts, had applied for leave of absence for all the committee members.
This was to allow the committee members to complete five reports. A new date

for the presentation of the reports would be set later. Maseko has also
dismissed claims that the provincial government was trying to shelve the
toll roads issue, saying the matter was receiving serious attention from the

government. The Department of Economic Development is expected to report
back on October 28 over opposition to the tolls. - The Star

Company loses bid to bar census
October 11 2011 at 10:23am
By ZELDA VENTER AND SAPA
While Census 2011 has kicked off with enumerators already counting the
population, a Joburg company, which had a multimillion rand contract to
advertise the event on behalf of government, on Monday turned to the
Pretoria High Court in a failed attempt to put a stop to the national count.

This was not the only hiccup to the start of the national census. Posters
showing the pictures of the census field workers who will be working in the
area have still not been put up in some areas. Also, a last group of
counters is still waiting to be deployed, Statistics SA said on Monday.
“We’ve
been experiencing some delays… this happens when you’re trying to get 120
000 people to start something at the same time,” Statistician-General Pali
Lehohla said. “If there is an area with no posters up, then no work has
started there.” In line with the “Know your Enumerator” campaign, Stats SA
earlier promised to put up 2.8 million posters with the faces of the
census-takers. This was to familiarise the residents with the person who
would be coming to their homes to conduct the census. Lehohla could not give

figures of how many posters were up by on Monday “especially in Gauteng”. A
group of 16 000 field workers had to be added to the 120 000 after the
agency realised there were more people to be counted than initially thought.

“Of those 16 000, 8 000 were for Gauteng. We need more field workers in the
province as there was more ground to cover.” Some census-takers could not
start working on Monday as they were still getting their IDs, and still had
to get their pictures taken for the posters, Lehohla said. As the census got

under way, the Joburg company Lightviews Ltd asked Judge Elias Makgoba to
interdict the Department of Government Communication and Information Systems

(GCIS) and Statistics SA from continuing with the count as the government
did not keep its promises regarding its national advertising campaign, it
said. This order, the court was told, should be of “immediate effect”. But
Judge Makgoba, in turning down the application, found it would not be in the

national interest to stop the census at this late stage, just to favour one
company. It would be unfair to do so, he said. He also ordered the company
to pay the government’s legal costs. The company also asked the court to
restrain the government from continuing with the census, pending the
reinstatement it as a service provider in the census campaign. This was also

turned down. Jacob Mocuminyane, director of Lightviews, said in papers
before court that the company and the government had a written agreement. In

terms of the deal Lightviews was to provide GCIS with media and advertising
services for the census. Lightviews would have received R26.2 million for
the contract, which would have included adverts on bills boards. The firm
was paid paid R6.1m, the court was told. Lightviews used the money to put
infrastructure in place by concluding contracts with suppliers for the
advertising space. Mocuminyane said the company incurred additional expenses

and other debts relating to the census campaign, despite not receiving the
remaining amount of the project. Part of the agreement was that GCIS would
have provided Light-views with “creative input” so the firm could provide
the agreed media and advertising services, he said. This input was not
forthcoming, despite various requests, Mocu-minyane said. This was very
frustrating, as the census was fast approaching, and without the creative
input, Lightviews could not do anything. The court was told the government
went ahead with the campaign, without using the services of Lightviews,
while the company had already arranged for advertising and media space. The
firm said advertising was a cut-throat business and that its reputation was
affected, because it could not honour its obligations towards its suppliers,

to whom it was now owing money. “(GCIS and Statistics SA) are conducting
Census 2011 in an unlawful and corrupt manner without the applicant as a
service provider,” Mocuminyane said. A lawyer’s letter sent to the
government said the only way this issue could be resolved was if the firm
was paid the outstanding R20m, provided for in the contract. The government
denied that it breached the contract and argued that the applicant, in any
event, could not expect the census to be put on hold because of its
financial and contractual dispute with the government. Judge Makgoba was
told that if there was a dispute, Lightviews should have turned to court
long ago and not now. - Pretoria News

Cosatu to join ANCYL marches
2011-10-11 21:38
Johannesburg - Cosatu will join ANC Youth League marches for economic
freedom of the working class and poor, spokesperson Patrick Craven said on
Tuesday. "The Congress of SA Trade Unions [Cosatu] supports the social
issues this march is about," he said. "There would obviously be debate about

how these things should be implemented, but we support the principle." He
said it was not immediately known how many people would participate. On
Tuesday, the African National Congress Youth League welcomed Cosatu's
support. "Cosatu proves to the people of South Africa once again that the
federation is a reliable ally in the struggles of the working class and the
poor," spokesperson Floyd Shivambu said. "[It] will never compromise
principle because of petty politics." Shivambu called on other organisations

to follow suit. The Economic Freedom Youth Mass Action would be held on
October 27 and 28 at Beyers Naude Square in central Johannesburg, the
Chamber of Mines in Hollard street, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in
Sandton and at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, where a night vigil was
planned. The ANCYL is marching for the nationalisation of mines, the
expropriation of land without compensation, the banning of labour brokers,
free education, decent housing, electricity for all formal and informal
settlements and clean drinking water and sanitation.

Vrese oor sensus besweer
2011-10-11 22:49
Pauli van Wyk
JOHANNESBURG. – Sedert eergister deurkruis 120000 sensuswerkers die land om
alle mense in Suid-Afrika te tel. Die sensus word op 31 Oktober voltrek en
hoewel baie mense vriendelik is, word menige sensuswerker kil ontvang, sê
verskeie van dié werkers. Die hoë misdaadsyfer maak mense waarskynlik
versigtig. Volgens me. Tracy Daniels, bestuurder van die sensus
2011-navraesentrum, het mense egter niks om oor bekommerd te wees as hulle
net fyn oplet nie. “Ons veldwerkers het almal heldergeel baadjies, swart
pette en geel sakke aan waarop die sensus-embleem gedruk is. Daarby het elke

veldwerker ’n identifikasiekaart met ’n foto en ID-nommer op. Dié kaart is
so ontwerp dat die foto nie vervang kan word sonder om die kaart heeltemal
te verniel nie.” Mense het ook hul kommer uitgespreek oor die persoonlike
aard van vrae op die sensus-vorm. Volgens Daniels sal ’n persoon se
telefoonnommer net gevra word indien ’n sensusvorm by dié persoon agterbly
en later weer gehaal moet word. “Hoewel ons die telefoonnommers vra, is dit
net om kontrole te hou – dit word nêrens in ’n stelsel ingevoer nie.” Die
woon- en werkadres op elke vorm word gebruik om die bevolking in elke
munisipale gebied te tel en die salaris-opname word gebruik om die vlakke
van armoede en welvaart te peil. “Dié vraag word in samewerking met die
huishoudelike goedere, soos of jy ’n yskas en mikrogolf het, gebruik.” Geen
veldwerker hoef in ’n mens se huis ingenooi te word as jy ongemaklik voel
daaroor nie, het Daniels gesê. “Die sensusvorms kan by huise afgelewer en
later weer opgetel word of buite by die tuinhekkie of deur die heining
ingevul word. Dit is egter verpligtend om ?l die vrae op die vorm in te
 vul.” Sommige lesers wou ook weet waarom die sensusvorms met potlode
ingevul word. Volgens Daniels is 2HB-potlode perfek vir die
skanderingsproses wat gebruik word. “Mense moet onthou dat sowat 50miljoen
mense bereik word met dié sensus. Daar is geen sin daarin om inligting op
die vorms n? die tyd te verander nie. En selfs al sou iemand dit doen, sal
dit met miljoene ander gedoen moet word om ’n invloed op die sensus te hê.
Daar was al klagtes dat van die sensusopnemers nie goed kan spel nie en ook
self nie die vrae verstaan nie. Al die sensuswerkers was voorheen werkloos,
het Daniels gesê. Jy mag ook kies om jou eie vorm in te vul, wat die proses
vinniger sal maak. “Sensuswerkers sal ook op verskillende ure van die dag na

’n huis toe gaan en behoort ’n identifikasiekaart met ’n kontaknommer te los

waar mense hulle kan kontak om ’n afspraak te maak. Hulle werk van sowat
08:00 tot omstreeks 20:00. Mense is ook welkom om die navraesentrum te bel
en ’n afspraak te maak. Ons probeer ons bes om by almal uit te kom, maar die

sukses van die sensus hang ook af van mense se samewerking.” Bel die
navraesentrum by 0800-110-248 vir meer inligting.  Beeld

Millions of BlackBerry users cut off for third day
12 Oct 2011
Georgina Prodhan
Millions of BlackBerry users around the world were left without text
communication services for a third day on Wednesday. Research in Motion is
struggling to fix what it says is a switching failure in its private
network. Users in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and India suffered patchy
email service and no access to browsing and messaging, ratcheting up
negative sentiment towards a company already losing market share to Apple
and Samsung. RIM, which had said on Tuesday that services had returned to
normal, said later the problems had actually spread beyond EMEA and India to

Argentina, Brazil and Chile. “The messaging and browsing delays ... were
caused by a core switch failure within RIM’s infrastructure,” it said. “As a

result, a large backlog of data was generated and we are now working to
clear that backlog and restore normal service.” The service disruptions are
the worst since an outage swept north America two years ago, and come as
Apple prepares to put on sale its already sold-out iPhone 4S on Friday.
“It’s
a blow upon a bruise. It comes at a bad time,” said Richard Windsor, global
technology specialist at Nomura. “One possibility could be that it
encourages client companies to look more at other options such as allowing
users to connect their own devices to the corporate server and save
themselves the cost of buying everyone a BlackBerry.” Many companies, no
longer seeing the need to pay to be locked into RIM’s secure proprietary
email service, have already begun allowing employees to use alternative
smartphones, particularly Apple’s iPhone, for corporate mail. RIM has made
inroads into the youth market attracted by its free BlackBerry Messenger
(BBM) service, partially compensating for its losses in the corporate
market. But new products like its PlayBook tablet computer have been poorly
received. Following a dismal set of quarterly results and a plunge in its
share price, some investors are now calling for a break-up, sale or change
of management at the company. Increasingly frustrated users tweeted their
frustration on Wednesday, while RIM’s own official Twitter feed was last
updated on Tuesday night, saying problems were being resolved and it was
sorry for the inconvenience. Veteran British entrepreneur Alan Sugar, who
founded electronics company Amstrad in 1968, tweeted: “In all my years in IT

biz, I have never seen such an outage as experienced by Blackberry. I can’t
understand why it’s taking so long to fix.” Some customers used humour to
deal with the situation. One joke making the rounds on Twitter said: “What
did the one BBM user say to the other? Nothing.”  Sowetan