“| FEITEBLAD | The disastrous state of our municipalities”- https://youtu.be/M_UlxBhavQE
“Eastern Cape police investigate viral video of officers relaxing – watch” when a father was seeking help for his 8 year old daughter- https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/eastern-cape-police-investigate-viral-video-of-officers-relaxing-watch/
The Provincial SAPS is investigating the allegations made against police in a video clip that went viral in which a dad claimed that Eastern Cape police officers were relaxing and ignoring him when he went to ask for help with investigating an attempted sexual assault case against his daughter.
The man who identified himself as “Robert”, obviously to protect his daughter’s identity, said he had gone to the Queenstown Police station to ask for assistance after the attempted sexual assault. However, he alleged in the video that The South African reported on last week, that the Eastern Cape police officers had not provided him with service and proceeded to film them relaxing inside the police station.
The 95-second video, in which you can watch the Queenstown cops in their full lethargic glory, shows three staff seated behind the counter at the police station seemingly ignoring the presence of the man taking in the video.
“This is me Robert standing in front of Queenstown police station informing the police about what is happening and my situation and this is the service I am getting as a tax payer of South Africa,” he said in the video.
“Beautiful, ‘ne’,” he quipped on the voice-over as one of the staff members behind the counter, appearing totally relaxed, leans back and stretches her arms out over her head.
“My child of eight years old has been sexually assaulted and I am here to tell them that…the…person that done this is busy fleeing the country right now,” he said.
Eastern Cape Police spokesperson Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana said on Tuesday that the SAPS was aware of the viral video.
“SAPS in the Province has indeed seen the video clip as provided. Our experts will view the video in order to ascertain its authenticity and the circumstances surrounding the alleged incident are currently being investigated,” Kinana said.
“Pretoria High Court to hear EFF's application to unseal Ramaphosa's CR17 election campaign records”- https://youtu.be/86yTzXGo0go
“The High Court in Pretoria will continue to hear the application by the EFF and the amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism to unseal President Cyril Ramaphosa's CR17 election campaign records. In 2019, Ramaphosa's lawyers obtained a High Court order sealing the campaign records saying it contained confidential third-party information. Judge Aubrey Ledwaba who granted the order said any party interested in accessing the documents would need to make a formal application to the court, prompting the EFF to do so. Legal journalist, Karyn Maughan joins us now to discuss this…” As she states at 13:46, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.”
“High Court to hear EFF’s bid to unseal CR17 documents” - https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/high-court-to-hear-effs-bid-to-unseal-cr17-documents/. Below are a few excerpts.
The Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) application to have President Cyril Ramaphosa’s CR17 campaign funding documents revealed, is expected to be heard in the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday, March 16, 2021.
Ramaphosa’s campaign bid for the African National Congress (ANC) leadership back in 2017 generated R1 billion rand and the secrecy surrounding who exactly donated, has prompted heavy criticism towards the president. The controversy surrounding his CR17 campaign funding, is also at the heart of a heated court battle with Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane.
“We are going to court to officially release those documents so that we can know who has funded Cyril Ramaphosa to buy the ANC conference and the presidency of the ANC so that he can buy the presidency of the country. And what is the relationship of those people that funded Cyril Ramaphosa with current state procurement?,” EFF Deputy President Floyd Shivambu said in an interview with Newzroom Afrika.
The High Court in Pretoria reviewed and set aside Mkhwebane’s report into President Cyril Ramaphosa, which had found that he deliberately misled Parliament about a donation towards his CR17 campaign. The court found that Mkhwebane did not have jurisdiction to investigate the president’s campaign funding records. However the public protector did not take the matter lying down and eventually wound up in the Constitutional Court, which has since reserved judgement.
Ramaphosa has since said he was willing to come completely clean about who exactly funded his bid to be ANC president. The controversy surrounding Ramaphosa’s CR17 campaign funding has undoubtedly been a pebble in his shoe and now his detractors are demanding that the president release all documents, if he really has nothing to hide.
The CR17 campaign saga has also been a bone of contention within the ANC, even with Ramaphosa’s predecessor, Jacob Zuma, questioning why he refuses to disclose who donated to him.
Zuma had issued a fiery letter, in which he implied that the judges who had presided over the matter, helped him conceal his records, out of their own interests.
“We sit with some Judges who have assisted the incumbent President, Mr. Ramaphosa, to hide from society what on the face of it seem to be bribes obtained in order to win an internal ANC election. We sit with some judges who sealed those records simply because it will reveal that some of them, while serving in our courts, have had their hands filled with 30 pieces of silver,” Zuma said at the time.
“State Capture Inquiry | Brown denies claims of 'Gupta Board'”- https://youtu.be/dngwY9n9brk
“Former Public Enterprises minister, Lynne Brown says she has been vilified. Several witnesses previously implicated in wrongdoing at the State Capture Inquiry. These include former Eskom board chair, Zola Tsotsi and others.”
“UPDATE! SAPS to 'develop own systems', students found with military weapons and more…”- https://youtu.be/hp5FaWXDK78
“Reports of illegal rifle ‘an attempt to criminalise students’” - https://citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/2457683/reports-of-illegal-gun-an-attempt-to-criminalise-students/. Below are a few excerpts.
According to Brigadier Mathapelo Peters, police had been on high alert monitoring protests by students of various tertiary institutions in Gauteng, particularly in Johannesburg, in the past week.
“A Crime Intelligence report indicated about a dangerous weapon that was operationalised and led police to a gathering in Braamfontein where students were in attendance. It is at this gathering where members observed two students in Stiemens Street carrying an automatic rifle,” said Peters.
“The officers kept close watch and saw the pair drive off in a vehicle. The car was followed and ultimately stopped by the Johannesburg Flying Squad and the Tactical Response Team in Auckland Park.”
Upon searching the car, police allegedly found a Galil – an automatic rifle of Israeli-make, with a loaded magazine. [Image of the weapon is in the video.]
“This goes to prove the magnitude of the problem police are facing in terms of the proliferation of illegal firearms. That this could be in the arms of a student is worrisome, notwithstanding the question why a firearm of this calibre was brought to a gathering of students in the first place,” Mawela was quoted as saying.
“Discussion | US sends envoys to Tigray region”- https://youtu.be/St5uMFBgfIY
“Growing international concern over massacres in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region. The USA is sending an envoy to the area but there has been conflict in the region since November.”
eNCA speaking to Borrie La Grange from Doctors Without Borders SA.
“Afriforum's Gerrie Nel to represent Botswana in case against Bridgette Motsepe-Radebe” dated June 23, 2020, at https://youtu.be/6CaPgeO3iHs
“Botswana appoints AfriForum in case involving Motsepe-Radebe”- https://www.enca.com/news/botswana-appoints-afriforum-case-involving-motsepe-radebe
The Botswana government has appointed AfriForum's private prosecution unit to represent it in the high profile money-laundering and fraud court case involving South African businesswoman Bridget Motsepe-Radebe.
Botswana media reports named Motsepe-Radebe as a co-signatory to at least two bank accounts holding some of the more than $10-billion allegedly taken from the Botswana government to finance “terrorism”.
Motsepe-Radebe is also accused of funnelling the money to Botswana to influence the regime change.
She has repeatedly denied the allegations.
Motsepe-Radebe is the wife of former Minister Jeff Radebe and President Cyril Ramphosa's sister-in-law. [Also, the sister of Patrice Motsepe.]
Botswana’s Director for Public Prosecutions Stephan Tiroyakgosi says they’ve been trying to get more information from those implicated.
“BOTSWANA CASE: COURT DATE SET FOR UNOPPOSED MANDAMUS APPLICATION” dated 9 December 2020 https://afriforum.co.za/en/botswana-case-court-date-set-for-unopposed-mandamus-application/. Below are a few excerpts.
AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit today announced that the Department of Justice and Correctional Services failed to oppose the mandamus application which is aimed at forcing this Department to facilitate mutual legal aid to the Botswana government in the Bridgette Motsepe-Radebe matter. The Department failed to file any formal documents on time. The application has subsequently been placed on the unopposed court roll for 7 July 2021.
Nel furthermore pointed out that the Department didn’t waste any time in issuing warrants of arrest for Sheperd and Mary Bushiri who are accused of fraud and money laundering, as well as already starting with the extradition process. “This while the process for the extradition of the accused in two of the other international cases in which the Private Prosecution Unit is involved, is still dragging on. Ismael Gafaranga and Alex Sugira, the accused in the murder of Patrick Karegeya, the former Rwandan Head of Intelligence, have for example still not been extradited, after the murder was already committed in 2014. The same applies for the extradition of Grace Mugabe for the alleged assault of Gabriella Engels in 2017. It seems that Lamola simply wants to apply the principles of the criminal law system when it suits him and not in respect of people with political connections.”
Where certain ministers immediately described the Bushiri matter on social media as an embarrassment, these same ministers delivered no comment regarding the Botswana, Mugabe and Gafaranga embarrassments.
Kallie Kriel, CEO of AfriForum, observed that the tendency of the NPA, and in this case the Department of Justice, to prosecute selectively and/or to selectively apply the rules in respect of extradition and mutual legal aid, led to the establishment of AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit. “Even though the unit is being swamped with complaints of ineptness and/or disinterestedness on the side of the police and the NPA, the failure in the above-mentioned cases was done on purpose and is characteristic of a political motive. Not everyone is equal before the law and AfriForum will not hesitate to bring forth unequal treatment before the law.”
Thando Sipuye
https://consciousness.co.za/author/thando-sipuye/ states;
Thando Sipuye is an executive member of the Africentrik Study Group at the University of Sobukwe (Fort Hare). He is currently a History Masters Candidate at the Govan Mbeki Research & Development Centre under the South African Research Chairs Initiative at the University of Sobukwe (Fort Hare). He writes in his personal capacity.
https://www.kimberley.org.za/author/thando-sipuye/ states;
Thando Sipuye is a historian and social scientist, an executive member of The Ankh Foundation, the Blackhouse Kollective and the Africentrik Study Group based at the University of Sobukwe (Fort Hare)
“Destruction of Black Institutions - Thando Sipuye Speaks at Mthatha Kwanzaa” - https://youtu.be/T1aTe_L3wDc [embedded]. Notice the symbolism around him, like the Star of David and the Ankh with 7 candles on it.
The video has the below comment.
“Ras Thando Sipuye speaking about the destruction of Black institutions and the need to develop a self-defense program to defend whatever institutions Black people build towards the fight against global white supremacy. He speaks on the destruction of some of the institutions and communities of RasTafari including the destruction of the RasTafari turbanancle in Marcus Garvey community in Cape Town in 1998, the infiltration of Marcus Garvey's UNIA by the FBI, the attack on the MOVE organization built by John Africa in 1985, the destruction of the Nuwaubian Community (Tama Re) built by Dr. Malachi York in 2005, the countless attacks on the Black Panther Party for Self Defense, including the arrests and assassinations of its leaders through the United States COINTELPRO (Counter Intelligence Program), the infiltration and killings within the Black Consciousness Movement of Azania and the Pan-Afrikanist Congress (PAC) of Azania. He concludes with suggesting that Black people must find ways and means to defend whatever institutions they built against such onslaught and attacks.”
“Zimbabwe | Ex-Finance minister: economy critical”- https://youtu.be/2thgfCqv0uk
“eNCA Zimbabwe correspondent Pindai Dube reports.”
“ANC NEC meeting | The state of ANC top leadership”- https://youtu.be/dK6BKaffE9U
“Lawyer, political analyst and columnist Judith February spoke with eNCA's Sally Burdett.”
“'Vaccine apartheid must come to an end': Ramaphosa”- https://youtu.be/Rnb18zdqo_w
“President Cyril Ramaphosa has spoken out against what he calls 'vaccine apartheid'. He is calling for equality for all in the procurement of vaccines. eNCA's Govan Whittles reports.”
Johnson & Johnson will be producing vaccines at the Aspen facility in South Africa for South Africa and the rest of the continent.
“Student protests: Damages cost SA universities over R32 million”-
https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/student-protests-damages-how-much-cost-sa-universities/
Violent student protests for the 2020 academic year alone have cost South African universities over R32 million, the Department of Higher Education, Science and Innovation revealed on Friday 26 March 2021.
Over the years, these student protests have been marked by violence which includes burning tyres to barricade roads, destruction of infrastructure, and sometimes university property. Police have retaliated by using tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets, and in some instances, live ammunition.
According to the department, these are some of the costs for repairs that institutions have incurred since 2020 due to violent student protests:
-The University of KwaZulu-Natal had several cases of damage to property and burning of buildings due to student protests in 2020. The value for repairs is R27 388 914. The repairs commenced in July 2020 and ended February 2021;
-The Cape Peninsula University of Technology recently reported two cases mainly related to the vandalism of fire extinguishers and fire hoses, with the cost for repairs amounting to R250 000. There were also reports of arson. The repair costs have amounted to R2 690 000 with R1.2 million still to be used for repairs;
-The Central University of Technology had violent incidences reported in 2020 during student protests on both the Bloemfontein and Welkom campuses. The costs for the repairs amounted to R1 457 201 and all repairs were completed in 2020;
-The University of Fort Hare had incidents of vandalism in March 2020 and December 2020 and the costs were R468 000. Repairs to the value of R68 000 were carried out and repairs totalling R400 000 are due for completion in July this year;
-The University of Johannesburg reported seven cases of vandalism and repairs were done to the value of R202 826; and
-The University of the Western Cape reported two cases of vandalism and theft costing the university R166 007 to repair.
Some universities that also incurred costs due to student protests include Rhodes University, University of Venda, Sefako Makgatho University and the University of Johannesburg.
The Department stipulated that the current information is based on information received from 21 universities. The Department is still awaiting reports from the University of Zululand, Vaal University of Technology and Walter Sisulu University.
Given the above incidents, the total cost of repairs that have been completed, as well as, those still to be carried out, amounts to R32 791 397,39.
The Minister called on law enforcement agencies to act swiftly against any acts of violence and destruction of public and private property.
“None of these acts and massive losses incurred could be justified or associated with any legitimate forms of protest and should be condemned unequivocally by all, including our student and union stakeholders.
I am also convinced that all progressive stakeholder organisations will agree that criminal and violent acts have no legitimacy in genuine political protests around demands for greater equality in post-school education and training. The destruction of property is a criminal offence and all those engaging in such acts must be apprehended by law enforcement agencies and face the full might of the law.”
DEHT Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande
The Minister further called on university vice-chancellors to tighten up appropriate safety and security measures to prevent any form of destruction.
“DNA Analysis Backlog Delays Justice | Carte Blanche | M-Net”- https://youtu.be/kBbOp7nGqxQ
“From murder to rape to armed robberies – DNA analysis is the key to solving violent crimes. Its success is virtually guaranteed where swift analysis and prosecution come together to mete out justice. Over decades, South Africa has painstakingly built up the capacity, technology and expertise to be able to analyse DNA. And yet, not a single DNA sample taken from crime scenes in the first two months of this year has been finalised by the Forensic Science Laboratory. Carte Blanche investigates how justice is not only delayed but seems to be denied for crime survivors as investigations and prosecutions grind to a halt.”