A cell phone thief was beaten by a group of people in Hillbrow on Saturday, after a fast thinking taxi driver chased him down because he robbed one of his passengers.
In two videos tweeted by REZA crime network, a man can be seen walking up to a taxi and grabbing what is believed to be a cell phone through the taxi window before running away.
The taxi driver then exited the vehicle, chasing after the thief, apprehending him and then hands him over to the victim who started kicking and hitting him.
Onlookers joined in on the assault.
Police Captain Kay Makhubela told News24 that police were unaware of the incident.
A government driven anti-poaching team closed the net on twenty seven suspects over the past week, affecting their arrests during operations in KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo.
The arrests are a result of intelligence driven operations by the Rhino 9 Team which includes members from the police, Hawks, Customs the South African National Defence Force and SANParks Game Rangers, police said.
Eight of the suspects arrested were wanted for murder and attempted murder in Pietermaritzburg, while others were arrested in Hluhluwe, Acornhoek and Phalaborwa.
Police spokesperson Lieutenent Colonel Katlego Mogale said that during the operations, the team also recovered six unlicensed firearms, rhino horn, three silencers, ammunition and remains of known endangered species.
“Some of the suspects have appeared before various courts in the various provinces and their cases postponed for further investigations while they remain in custody,” said Mogale.
“They face charges relating to immigration transgressions, murder, attempted murder, unlawful possession of firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, possession of dangerous weapon/s, and trespassing.”
Police also opened an inquiry after bones of what is suspected to be a lion were discovered in Phalaborwa.
Mogale said the arrests should serve as warning and deterrent to other potential poachers that their chances of success in poaching are continuously being reduced.
“Poachers are warned that over and above facing criminal prosecution, the law will come after their ill-gotten gains in terms of the POCA (Prevention of Organised Crime Act 121/1998).”
Following years of legal disputes, the government says it will abide by a Constitutional Court ruling that implements a decision made by the Nlapho Commission that granted Zanozuko Tyelovuyo Sigcau kingship of amaMpondo aseQaukeni.
The Ministry of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) has described the ruling, handed down on Tuesday, as fair.
Kingship over the royal household for this Lusikisiki community in the Eastern Cape, has reportedly been in dispute since 1937 when King Mandlonke died.
The legal debacle over rightful leadership began in 2010 after former president Jacob Zuma recognised Zanozuko as king and dismissed the claim of Mphondombini Sigcau, following the findings of the commission on traditional leadership disputes and claims, also known as the Nhlapo Commission.
However, in 2013 the Constitutional Court set aside Zuma’s announcement, published in the government gazette, that Zanozuko was king, saying the president had acted under the amended act instead of the unamended act. The court said its decision was limited to the notice and certificate issued by Zuma.
Mpondombini died before the court’s judgment, but his family felt that the Constitutional Court had vindicated him and nominated his daughter Wezizwe Sigcau as queen.
Cogta and Zuma challenged this decision in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria. Both parties argued that the law did not require the president to consult the royal family to identify a king. The court agreed.
Following a failed application to the Supreme Court of Appeal, Wezizwe turned to the Constitutional Court.
In its ruling on Tuesday, the Constitutional Court said it agreed Zanozuko was king. It said that since the court had handed down its judgment in 2013, “nothing had been done by anybody” to pursue the application for the review and setting aside the commission’s decision”.
The ruling further stated that five years had lapsed since the Constitutional Court’s decision in 2013.
“The case must be decided on the basis that the decision of the commission that Zanozuko is entitled to be king stands.”
“The decision of the commission has not been set aside. That being the case, as long as the decision of the commission stands, the first applicant (Wezizwe Feziwe Sigcau) cannot be entitled to be the king or queen either.”
Cogta says that in line with the court’s latest ruling, the government must now issue a certificate of recognition that Zanozuko is the king of the amaMpondo aseQaukeni, and it must be published in the government gazette.
The Portfolio Committee on Police is expected to call national police commissioner Lieutenant General Kehla Sitole to explain a “lack of proper security measures at Parliament”, following the death of a parliamentary precinct official, who apparently took his own life on Friday.
It is believed that the official shot himself in his office at 90 Plein Street at around 12:00.
This, after he apparently received news that his employment contract would not be renewed.
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Francois Beukman, said the incident raised serious questions about police deployment at Parliament, as well as procedures in place and the general operational readiness of SA Police Service (SAPS) members.
Beukman pointed out that Parliament as a national key point and the incident highlighted weak access control and security screening.
“The portfolio committee is seriously concerned that the SAPS management failed to ensure that proper security measures are in place at Parliament,” reads Beukman’s statement.
Beukman emphasised that the police should ensure that security measures at Parliament were at the same level as other houses of parliament around the world.
Beukman will write to House chairperson Cedric Frolick for permission to convene a meeting with Sitole during the parliamentary recess, which started on Friday.
The shooting happened while Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Senzeni Zokwana was addressing the portfolio committee in the adjacent Marks Building
After the incident, several staff members milled about outside 90 Plein Street, where there were several police officers and two ambulances. Some staff members were concerned about how a firearm had been brought onto the premises.
Parliament said in a statement it would arrange the necessary assistance to Parliament’s staff to deal with the trauma.
In another statement, the ANC caucus said it was shocked and saddened.
“This incident also raises concerns around our security systems in Parliament, in particular, how the firearm that was used got into the precinct of Parliament undetected and breached our security. This matter is being investigated to ensure that it does not happen again in future,” reads the statement from ANC caucus spokesperson Nonceba Mhlauli.
“The ANC sends its heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased official. May his soul rest in peace.”
DA chief whip John Steenhuisen extended his party’s deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the staff member.
“We welcome that Parliament has offered counselling to staff members,” Steenhuisen said in a statement.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by this tragedy and the parliamentary family.”
The SACP Western Cape also said it was shocked and saddened.
“We have learnt that the employee decided to take his own life owing to frustration of non-renewal of his contract. This unfortunate incident exposes poor contract management of staff in Parliament which is a symptom of poor labour relations within the law-making institution,” SACP Western Cape provincial spokesperson Zuko Mndayi said in a statement.
“The party is also concerned about the safety and security measures within the institution. The incident begs the question, how did the employee pass through security with a firearm? The situation suggests that the well-being of personnel within Parliament is at risk due to poor enforcement of security.”
The SACP called on Parliament’s presiding officers to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, particularly the management of staff contracts and security breaches within the precinct.
Controversial artist Ayanda Mabulu says he was left shaken and with damage to his car after he was followed by two men in a Silver Volvo after a radio interview on Thursday morning.
While he did not know why the men were harassing him, he said he had spoken about his latest artwork during the interview and listeners would have known when he was leaving the building in Sandton.
“I don’t want to accuse anyone but that is the only thing I can think of.”
He had joined Talk Radio 702’s Eusebius McKaiser and Nelson Mandela Foundation CEO Sello Hatang to discuss the merits and critique of his latest work featuring the late statesman, which had left many tongues wagging.
The artwork is a swastika flag with Nelson Mandela raising his arm in what appears to be a Nazi salute and the words “unmasked piece of shit” written across the bottom of the image.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation said the artwork, which was briefly on display at the FNB Joburg Art Fair without authorisation, was “deeply offensive” and it was considering taking steps against it.
‘This won’t stop me’
The work follows previous controversial pieces over the years.
In one, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is depicted engaged in sexual activity as former president Jacob Zuma stands with his genitals exposed. Another work features a nude Zuma and Mandela seemingly having sex on an ornate gold and red chair.
Mabulu said on Thursday that he had noticed a silver or grey Volvo behind him, with two occupants flicking the lights, hooting and shouting.
“I thought maybe they need to pass so I moved aside. They kept flickering. Then I thought let me pull over, maybe it’s people who know me but I realised I don’t know them so I decided to keep driving.”
He said he started to panic when he realised he was being followed and because the vehicle tried to cut off other cars on the road.
As he approached a robot in his bid to escape, he ended up crashing into a car in front of him.
He intended opening a case with the police, even though he did not know who the men were.
The word “boer” is not racist or racially offensive, but is “inappropriate” when used in certain struggle songs.
This was the unanimous judgment of the Constitutional Court on Thursday following a labour dispute after the dismissal of nine employees by Germiston-based manufacturing company Duncanmec for singing a struggle song with “racial lyrics” during a strike.
During a strike between April 30 and May 2, 2013, the nine workers were filmed singing a well-known struggle song with lyrics that translate to “climb on the rooftop and shout that my mother is rejoicing when we hit the boers”.
The employees were dismissed after being found guilty of participating in unlawful strike action and for singing the song.
Duncanmec found the employees’ conduct had irreparably eroded the relationship of trust between it and the employees.
The matter was brought before the bargaining council, where an arbitrator found that the employees had shown remorse and that, while the song could be considered offensive, there was a need “to differentiate between singing the song and referring to someone in racist language”.
JUDGMENT: Arbitrator’s decision to reinstate workers after dismissal for singing struggle song referring to “boers” during strike found to be reasonable. (Duncamec v Gaylard) pic.twitter.com/D7ylIHOy58
The Labour Court upheld a decision by the bargaining council that the workers be reinstated, ruling that the strike was short-lived and not violent and that the song could not be seen as misconduct.
Handing down judgment on an application for leave to appeal against the Labour Court’s ruling, the Constitutional Court dismissed the appeal.
“The Constitutional Court remarked that persistent instances of racism in the workplace were becoming worrisome and that, although the new constitutional order could hold people accountable for racist conduct, it could not by itself make people stop being racist.
“The court held that the use of the word ‘boer’ on its own was not a racist or racially offensive word, but in this case the use of the word in a song by the employees was inappropriate,” the court ruled.
The Occasional Bulletin of Economic Notes is a compilation of South African Reserve Bank Economic Notes that are typically short economic analyses initially written for internal discussion and to stimulate debate. They are written by staff members of the South African Reserve Bank or visiting fellows and are released publicly on an occasional basis.
Melbourne – An Australian newspaper defiantly republished a controversial cartoon of tennis star Serena Williams on its front-page on Wednesday, slapping aside “politically correct” accusations that the drawing was racist and sexist.
Melbourne’s Herald Sun cartoonist Mark Knight’s caricature of Williams throwing a tantrum at the US Open, was originally printed on Monday, attracting widespread condemnation from across the world.
Under the front-page headline “WELCOME TO PC WORLD”, the newspaper wrote on Wednesday that“if the self-appointed censors of Mark Knight get their way on his Serena Williams cartoon, our new politically correct life will be very dull indeed”.
The cover included caricatures of other Australian and foreign political leaders drawn by Knight.
The veteran cartoonist added on Wednesday he had suspended his Twitter account to protect his family and friends.
Prior to disabling his account, his tweet of the cartoon had attracted more than 22 000 comments, most of them critical.
Knight labelled the outcry against his cartoon as a sign that the “world has just gone crazy”.
“I drew this cartoon on Sunday night after seeing the US Open final, and seeing the world’s best tennis player have a tantrum and thought that was interesting,” he said in quotes published on the News Corp Australia paper’s website on Wednesday.
“The cartoon about Serena is about her poor behaviour on the day, not about race.”
The caricature has also sparked renewed debate in Australia about racist and sexist discourse in the highly multicultural nation.
Serena, a 23-time Grand Slam champion, smashed her racquet and called the umpire a “thief” and a “liar” while she was losing Saturday’s final to Haitian-Japanese Naomi Osaka.
She was she given three code violations by Carlos Ramos, which cost her a point penalty and then a game penalty.
That sparked a debate about whether she was treated more harshly than male tennis stars like John McEnroe, who was famous for his angry outbursts.
Knight’s caricature showed a butch and fat-lipped Williams jumping up and down on her broken racquet, having spat out a dummy.
Osaka was portrayed as petite and feminine with jet blonde straight hair – in real life she has dark curly hair with blonde streaks and is taller than Williams.
Knight’s detractors included author JK Rowling, who said: “Well done on reducing one of the greatest sportswomen alive to racist and sexist tropes and turning a second great sportswoman into a faceless prop.”
The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) has vowed to go after anyone within the movement, regardless of who it is, who is involved in a plot to remove the party’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa.
This is according to the league’s outgoing president Collen Maine.
“Not everyone is going to love Cyril Ramaphosa, but we have to live with [the fact] that he is the president of the ANC and we must all rally behind him,” Maine said.
Maine warned that the league would defend Ramaphosa from anyone, including leaders within the organisation.
Speaking to News24, he said he engaged with its KwaZulu-Natal secretary Thanduxolo Sabelo over claims that he was part of a meeting, along with secretary general Ace Magashule, ANC Women’s League secretary general Meokgo Matuba, ousted ANC North West premier Supra Mahumapelo and former president Jacob Zuma, where ways to remove Ramaphosa were reportedly discussed.
Sabelo denied the Sunday Times’ claims over the weekend that he was a part of the clandestine meeting. He said he had been at the Durban hotel where the meeting took place because a leader in the ANC had called him there.
The provincial secretary also logged a complaint with the press ombudsman over the story.
“I have personally spoken to Thanduxolo as the provincial secretary in KZN and the comrade explained to me, how he found himself at the Maharaj,” said Maine.
“The comrade was not part of that meeting,” he added.
Magashule has also denied any sinister motives, saying that he often has meetings with the former president.
Maine said the ANCYL was satisfied with the version of events Sabelo had given it.
“The ANCYL is not part of clandestine meetings. We will not allow anybody to undermine the elected leadership of the ANC,” said Maine.
Maine said the ANC was at a stage where it should not allow conspiracy theories to divide it.
“If there is anybody who intends to undermine the sitting leadership, the ANCYL will do anything in its power to defend the leadership because branches have elected Cyril Ramaphosa to run the organisation for five years, [they did] so understand[ing] that prosecuting the revolution is not like a show called All you need is love,” he concluded.
The league threw its weight behind former African Union commission chairperson, now Minister in the Presidency, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to replace Zuma as president of the ANC in December last year.
But she narrowly missed out with branches of the party opting to elect Ramaphosa into the position instead.
