JOZIWEB

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Eskom killed my sister

The family of an Eskom employee found dead at a substation in Springs is demanding answers about her death from the utility.

Thembisile Yende’s body was found at the East Rand power station on Monday night, two weeks after she was reported missing.

Her family claims they were told that the CCTV system at the power station was not operating on the day of her disappearance and that there was no security guard on duty.

Family spokesperson Mboneni Yende has criticised Eskom’s handling of the case.

“Eskom has killed my sister. From what I have, I can even tell you when we got to the gate on that very same Thursday, they only attended to us after 30 minutes.

“They saw us and it still took them 30 minutes to come to us, they could have been hiding her body. Eskom needs to tell us exactly what happened to our sister.”

Yende says they tried to trace her movements at the substation but have been told CCTV surveillance system was switched off that day.

Yende says the family is still shocked and they want answers from Eskom.

“The sad part is that on Thursday we went there, there were three workers that were inside the station working. On that day, it had been 10 days since had been missing. Are you telling me that if someone has been dead for 10 days then you can’t smell anything? That is highly impossible. The people who were there knew what they were doing.”

Land grabs not solution to land redistribution issues to land

President Jacob Zuma says land grabs are not the solution to address issues of land redistribution.

Zuma says while the land issue is critical, it should be addressed through legal channels.

The president was addressing the Indigenous and Traditional Leaders’ Indaba in Boksburg on Monday.

It was his first time in public since surviving a vote of no confidence at the African National Congress’ national executive committee meeting at the weekend.

He called on traditional leaders to help government with administrating land claims.

“That’s why there’s a necessity to have one strong legal firm. The governing party, the ANC, will discuss this critical matter at the policy conference next month.”

During his address, the president also called on traditional leaders to help government "cure the country" of the women and child abuse.

The president says the abuse of women and children goes against the country's values of Ubuntu.

“Men killing women, raping children [and] killing them is something completely out of our traditions and values. What contribution can you make?”

Earlier this month, Gauteng police discovered the bodies of four women who were murdered near Soweto.

Just two weeks ago, a 22-year-old pregnant woman was kidnapped and gang-raped while walking home in Johannesburg.

The body of a 21-year-old Stellenbosch University student was also discovered along Knorhoek Road recently. The two men accused of killing Hannah Cornelius have since been charged with rape, while a third suspect is expected to appear in court soon.

2 killed in a track crash this morning

Two people have been killed in a crash on the N3 near the Marlboro Drive off-ramp.

It is understood that a truck and car collided early on Tuesday morning and burst into flames.

Preliminary investigations show that one vehicle was driving on the wrong side of the road.

The Johannesburg Metro Police Department’s Wayne Minnaar says traffic has been affected.

“It is alleged the driver of the Ford Ranger was driving on the wrong side of the freeway and traffic had to be diverted around the accident. Traffic is still very heavy but three lanes have now been opened.”

Monday, May 29, 2017

Murder accused 'rat poison' mom hands herself in

Pretoria – The 27-year-old mother of the two children found dead in a shack at Stinkwater near Hammanskraal last week handed herself over to the police on Sunday morning.

The mother of the boys, aged seven and two, arrived at the police station around 5:30am. She faces two counts of murder and will appear in the Moretele Magistrate’s Court soon.

“When speaking to the police in the holding cells, she alleged that she had used rat poison to kill her children."

“She indicated that she also attempted to kill herself by eating the poison,” said police spokesperson Constable Herman Moremi.

There was an uproar in the community last Sunday when the father of the children arrived at the home. He had received a call from the woman, telling him the children were all alone at home.

The mother had said she was in Limpopo.

He forcefully entered the shack with the help of the woman’s relatives and found both children lying lifeless in bed. Rat poison was found next to the bed.

The mother told the police that she poured the poison into their food during breakfast that morning. The children then ate the meal, Moremi said.

The woman was surprised to survive the poison and subsequently decided to run away to Bela Bela in Limpopo, where she hid for two days, and also went to Ramotse village in Temba, also near Hammanskraal.

After hearing on the radio that her children had been found dead in the shack, and that she was suspected of murdering them, she went to her brother at Eersterus on Saturday night.

Family members then advised her to hand herself in to the police and later accompanied her to Temba police station.

SA democracy will remain threaten if children are in danger

Home Affairs Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize says South Africa’s democracy will remain under threat as long as children are in danger.

Mkhize was speaking in Cape Town on Sunday at the launch of the annual child protection week.

This year’s theme is "Let us all protect children to move South Africa forward".

Mkhize says ongoing reports of children being abused or killed continues to leave South Africans angry and helpless.

“Why are all these young children not enjoying this freedom which so many people died for? If children can’t play freely along the streets, the public parks, we can’t be saying we’re enjoying our democracy.”

7-year-old boy died after drowning in a swimming pools

A seven-year-old boy has died on Sunday evening after drowning in a swimming pool in Bloubosrand in Randburg.

Paramedics say the child received CPR before he was taken to hospital where he was declared dead on Sunday evening.

ER24's Annine Siddall says it’s not clear what happened.

“The parents couldn’t say anything about what caused the incident, they just didn’t say exactly what happened when the boy fell into the pool.”

'Her body discovered near the farm' Three arrested-Stellenbosch University

Stellenbosch University is still in shock after one its students was murdered in a weekend hijacking-Cape Town.

21-years-old Hannah Cornelius and a friend were hijacked on Friday evening in the Stellenbosch CBD.

Hannah Cornelius body was found on Saturday morning near a farm between the town and Kraaifontein

Police say they found the other passenger in Kraaifontein. He had serious head injuries and is in hospital.

They've arrested three suspects in the crime, who are expected to make their first court appearance on Monday.

The university’s Martin Viljoen says they are “appalled” by the senseless murder.

“We wish the injured student well and will do everything in our power to assist the police in their investigation. We have started to provide support to the friends of the deceased student and encourage students to make use of the university’s crisis number.”

Saturday, May 27, 2017

Kwesta and Amanda clean sweep#South African Music Awards (SAMAs)

Amanda and Kwesta both win big at the awards ceremony, which took place tonight at the Sun City Superbowl.

The Amazulu hitmaker walked away with gongs for Best Newcomer of the Year, Best Female Artist of the Year and Best Album of the Year and Best R&B/Soul/Reggae Album

While Kwesta bagged awards for Best Male Artist of the Year, Best Rap Album, Highest Airplay and Best Collaboration for his hit, Ngud, with rapper Cassper Nyovest.

Rapper Nasty C who bagged the most awards at the Metro FM Music Awards walked away with the prestigious Record of The Year Award.

Rebecca Malope, Don Laka and Babsy Mlangeni were honoured with Lifetime Achievement awards.

Wololo hitmaker Babes Wodumo also went home disappointed with no gongs.

Here's the complete list of winners:

Best Newcomer of the Year – Amanda Black – Amazulu

Best Duo-Group of the Year – Black Motion – Ya Badimo

Best Female Artist of the Year – Amanda Black – Amazulu

Best Male Artist of the Year – Kwesta – Dakar II

Best Album of the Year – Amanda Black – Amazulu

Best Maskandi Album – Khuzani – Inyoni yomthakathi

Classical Instrumental Album – Charl du Pleassis Trio – Baroqueswing Vol.II

Best Afro Pop Album – Vusi Nova – Vusi Nova

African Indigenous Gospel Album – Living In Christ Legends – Living In Christ Legends

Best Rock Album – Albert Frost – The Wakeup

Best Pop Album – GoodLuck – The Nature Within

Beste Kontemporere Musiek Album – Joshua na die Reen – Die Wereld Binne My

Best Rap Album – Kwesta – Darak II

Best Kwaito Album – Dr Malinga – Goodwill

Best Dance Album – Black Motion – Ya Badimo

Best Traditional Faith Music Album – Sprit of Praise – Spirit of Praise Vol.6

Highest Airplay of the Year – Ngud – Kwesta

3 arrested for robbery and kidnapping an Ethiopian man

The police have arrested three men believed to be part of a syndicate involved in robbing and kidnapping business people.

Earlier this week, the group kidnapped an Ethiopian businessman and held him captive in a house in Kensington for two days.

It’s understood they demanded a ransom from his family for his safe return.

The police's Lungelo Dlamini says the arrests come after several leads.

“He was taken from the OR Tambo International Airport to a house in Kensington and while he was being held up, the suspects used his cards to buy luxuries, including jewellery.”

A bus driver shot by Gangs

The police are searching for four suspects who allegedly shot a bus driver and robbed the passengers of their money, shoes and cellphones in Limpopo.

It’s understood the suspects blocked the bus along the N1 north around 10:30pm on Friday.

Authorities say after shooting the driver on his leg, they ordered him to drive further and take the Bela Bela off-ramp, where they robbed them of their belongings and stabbed one passenger in the arm.

Police’s Motlafela Mojapelo says the passengers were travelling from Johannesburg to a church service in Moria.

Mojapelo says the suspects fled in a white bakkie and the injured were taken to the hospital.