Last posts on Violence

Genocide in South Africa

2008-07-16T18:40:02+02:00

crime report

2008-07-16T18:26:37+02:00

Smash and Grab caught on tape

2008-07-16T18:20:23+02:00

Shot dog protects dead farmer

2008-07-16T17:49:53+02:00

16/07/2008 09:03 - (SA)

Buks Viljoen, Beeld

Johannesburg - A wounded boerboel lay down on top of his murdered master after the young man was shot dead on Monday night on a farm near Komatipoort.

Armed robbers killed Jan-Daniel Venter, 21, on the farm Blikkor near Komatipoort where he lived with his father Jan, 50.

Both worked as contractors on a nearby farm.

Jan-Daniel, who was studying law part-time, was shot several times during the robbery, which took place while he was watching 7de Laan with his father in the living room. He apparently rushed at the robbers with a chair in his hands.

According to a person who was on the scene shortly after the attack, Jan-Daniel's boerboel started barking like crazy and the next moment, the three robbers barged in.

'We want money'

"We want money, we want money," they apparently shouted in broken English.

Jan-Daniel was shot in the chest when he wanted to protect his father. He collapsed in the living room and died shortly afterwards, said Constable Richard Khumalo, spokesperson of the Komatipoort police.

His father, Jan, was tied up by the robbers. They stole several household items, as well as a .38 revolver and fled with his Nissan bakkie. He managed to wriggle free and ran about 2km to the house of a farm foreman to get help.

When police arrived at the house, the boerboel - who had also been shot by the robbers - was lying on top of Jan-Daniel's body.

"It looked like he was trying to protect his master," said Beeld's source.

Jan-Daniel's mother, Superintendent Elarda Venter, is the commanding officer of the Modjadjiskloof (Duiwelskloof) police station in Limpopo. She had been on the farm on Sunday to fetch her other son, Elardus, 17, who had visited his father and brother during the school holidays.

Khumalo said the murderers were suspected to be from Mozambique. "They spoke a perfect Mozambican Shangaan dialect."

Five 9mm cartridges were found on the scene. The stolen bakkie is still missing.

Source:News24
http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2358253,00.html

Has South Africa betrayed Madiba's legacy?

2008-07-16T17:24:57+02:00

By Barry Moody

Nelson Mandela celebrates his 90th birthday on Friday as a widely revered statesman, but South Africa faces a host of problems that challenge the dream he embodies of a harmonious rainbow nation.

Mandela, imprisoned for 27 years but forgiving of his former captors, is hailed as a shining example of the power of forgiveness and reconciliation.

His smile and sense of humour have made him a treasured international icon. He is rare among African leaders in agreeing to give up power quickly, after only one term subesequent to the end of apartheid.

He transcends races and opinions in South Africa itself, acclaimed by all sides of society including the whites whose rule he fought to overthrow.
Yet his birthday comes at a time of crisis in the country under the rule of his successor, Thabo Mbeki, widely attacked for failures in fighting HIV and Aids, poverty, a major power crisis, violent crime and the disaster in neighbouring Zimbabwe.

Describing how Mbeki was hailed when he became president, Financial Mail editor Barney Mthombothi wrote this week: "Needless to say, their prince has turned out to be a frog."

He added: "Mandela united the country. Mbeki has divided it...It's sad to see the current lot trashing his legacy."

Some analysts say the idea that Mandela represented a golden age of hope now betrayed is false.

"The first time I heard a claim from a journalist that Mandela's dream had been dashed was the beginning of 1995. It is part of a knee jerk reaction to this kind of situation," said Professor Steven Friedman of Rhodes University.

But there is no doubt the euphoria of Mandela's rule has evaporated.

Many South Africans, especially the more educated, are leaving for other countries and others are talking about it.

A leaked research report commissioned by the government shows that 36 percent of the population are no longer committed to the country and 29 percent are considering emigration, the weekly Mail & Guardian newspaper reported.

South Africa suffers some of the worst violent crime outside a war zone, especially in the Gauteng region around Johannesburg. The country has the world's highest HIV caseload.

Mbeki is accused by trade unions and the leftwingers in his own ruling African National Congress (ANC) of business-friendly policies that have delayed bringing the fruits of black rule to the legions of poor. Unemployment stands at around 23 percent.

Growth in Africa's biggest economy is endangered by a power crisis that has robbed vital platinum and gold mines of electricity and threatens to stoke already high inflation, in turn fuelling unrest among trade unions and in poor townships.

Mbeki also stands accused of ineffective mediation in Zimbabwe, where a worsening crisis has flooded neighbouring countries, especially South Africa, with millions of refugees.

Those refugees were among the targets of a shocking outburst of xenophobic violence in May. Scenes of foreigners burned alive reminded many of the brutal violence at the end of apartheid.

Recent moves by the ANC have raised even more concern among commentators, with party leaders accused of a dangerous assault on the independence of the judiciary to protect new leader Jacob Zuma against corruption charges that could derail his expected succession to Mbeki in 2009.

But some analysts say the cries of doom are overblown.

Friedman said that while Mandela played a "brilliant and superb" role in reconciling the races, "He wasn't the Messiah and he isn't the Messiah."

Susan Booysen, a political analyst at Wits, SA's top university, said: "The kind of dream we all cherished in the Mandela era had an expire-by date."

Analysts say Mandela's place in history is due to the way in which his inspirational leadership and power of reconciliation averted civil war at the end of apartheid and united the races in a new democracy against great odds.

But he was seen to have only a vague grasp of economic issues and left detailed policy to Mbeki, his deputy president, who effectively ran government even then.

"Mbeki's great strength and weakness is that he is a policy wonk who is obsessed with all this stuff and pays absolutely no attention to people. Mandela was obsessed with people and ignored the policy," Friedman said.

"As a team they were pretty good but when one has to rely on any one of them it became a bit of a problem."

And despite the many problems, optimism lingers.

"There is still, certainly a very strong grassroots expectation that this government stands a chance to make things better. It is a continuously adapting dream, not the end of the dream for a long time yet," said Booysen.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Mandela's friend and fellow Nobel peace laureate, said in a newspaper birthday tribute: "We are richly blessed with the one who has made us believe that a rainbow nation is a viable proposition."

From : http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20080716162644249C425001

South Africans are increasingly fearful of being a victim of crime

2008-07-08T17:04:15+02:00

From the Democratic Alliance Web Site.....http://www.da.org.za/DA/Site/Eng/News/Article.asp?ID=9114

Statement issued by: Dianne Kohler-Barnard, DA spokesperson on Safety & Security
08 July 2008

The results of the recent Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) survey into attitudes towards crime have confirmed that the fear of being a victim of crime is on the rise in South Africa(1). This is the second study(2) this year to confirm this trend.

This rising fear of crime is fully justified when it is seen against the backdrop of significant increases in home and business robberies and carjackings, as revealed in the latest crime statistics. Not only are these crimes on the rise, they are also becoming increasingly and senselessly violent. All too often it seems that defenceless women, children and the elderly are beaten and shot while their homes are plundered with impunity.

The government is clearly failing in its primary duty, to keep citizens safe. This is largely a result of its mismanagement of the South African Police Service (SAPS). Due to an astonishing lack of leadership the SAPS is seemingly unable to turn around the fight against crime.

This singular lack of leadership is exemplified by the decision to extend the contract of corruption-accused National Police Commissioner, Jackie Selebi. Official figures released to the DA today by the SAPS reveal that Jackie Selebi is being paid a total package worth over one million rand to stay at home, pending the outcome of the criminal case against him. According to the SAPS salary scales Selebi will earn over the next year between R912,918 and R1,094,748, which equates to over R90 000 per month. All the while the brave men and women who are out in the street actually fighting criminals have to get by on meagre salaries of R3000-R5000 per month.

In order to regain control of our streets and communities, the government needs to ensure that it puts in place a SAPS leadership that commands respect and dignity – not ridicule and shame. We must have a police service that is fit, well-trained, disciplined and fully equipped to do its job – not one which is demoralised, overweight, badly trained and poorly supervised. We must have a SAPS leader strong enough to undo the policy failures that began under Selebi’s command – particularly the disbanding of the specialised units.

South Africans deserve to live lives free of fear. The time has come to take a stand and refuse to accept anything less from government.

(1) Roberts, B. (2008). “Age of hope or anxiety? The dynamics of fear of crime in South Africa”. HSRC Review Volume 6: No. 2 June 2008
(2) Institute for Security Studies Victims of Crime Survey 2007. Released May 2008.

Cry of Silence

2008-07-03T18:32:06+02:00

Cry of Silence

Reality pictures presents the Cultbury story, the owner of the video was banned from showing this video to the general public, bieng called a racist and nazi. This is reality of the brutal crimes being commetted on a pople who have been in South Africa for generations.

The owner dont want money, just your support you need to make your goverments take notice of things. Add this video to your favorites and spread the message

This is based on a true story,

Please visit the following web page for updates and news.

http://dienuwesuidafrika.blogspot.com/

You can do alot, make your voice heard and stop these Human Rights Abuses,

A True Story from South Africa - hard to believe

2008-07-03T18:17:26+02:00

A True Story - hard to believe

The whole of South Africa has become a war zone. This video is a good compliation of the Truth in South Africa. I am still amazed that the rest of the world has'nt a clue what is happening. South Africa is following the path of all it's neighbors. 12 years running when will it stop.

Few migrants return after South Africa violence - 3 July 08

2008-07-03T18:14:09+02:00

Few migrants return after South Africa violence - 3 July 08

South Africa's president Thabo Mbeki is due to attend a national memorial on Thursday to pay tribute to those killed in xenophobic violence two months ago. Mbeki's Government has been criticised for its slow response to providing aid to those affected. Al Jazeera's Kalay Maistry reports on how few migrants have faith the authorities will help them re-build their lives

New South Africa - CNN takes notice

2008-07-02T19:20:00+02:00

New South Africa - CNN takes notice

The mainstream media have been alerted to the human tragedy unfolding in South Africa under ANC rule.

The scale of it is incredible.
Affirmative action gone mad in the form of BEE (Black Economic Empowerment) has resulted in the collapse of the state owned electricity supplier, ESKOM, and is contributing to the inefficiency of the Police, Health Care, as well as the housing, water & sewage and job creation sectors.

Government inability to create jobs and an efficient police force has led to massive loss of life through extremely violent crime -- South Africa's homicide rate is 55/100,000 i.e. 10 times higher than the USA. This translates to a 9/11 every 3 months, or a Sharpeville every single day.

Duma Gqubule, an economist who has studied BEE, says that in the 10 years since BEE's creation, GDP per capita has dropped to the levels of 30 years ago and unemployment has doubled to eight million.

BEE reaches much further than the affirmative action programmes in other countries. It sets quotas for black ownership of companies across all economic sectors in South Africa.

Black ownership of 25% - 50% is enforced upon medium and large companies. Similar laws apply for the following: Management (50.1%), Employment equity (40% - 70%), Preferential Procurement (50%).

Businesses have been closed down already for not complying. Not only in ESKOM, but also in health care, police and education departments, whites are barred from advancement, regardless of qualifications or experience.

Even the president's brother, the businessman Moeletsi Mbeki, says the current brand of BEE is really a political rather than an economic strategy that is enriching an elite of black businessmen close to the government.

Instead of using this type of policy, it has been suggested by critics that a policy of qualification equality should be used. This would allow businesses to focus on employing the person with the highest qualifications, the most experience and the best recommendations. To allow previously disadvantaged individuals to achieve these qualifications and experience, critics of BEE say that the government should place more emphasis on secondary and tertiary education, as well as subsidise companies wishing to employ entry level applicants.

The government's reckless implementation of the affirmative-action policy is forcing many white people to leave the country, creating a skills shortage crisis, Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi said on Thursday.

- and this is illustrated by the ESKOM collapse and rampant slaughter of law-abiding citizens.

A New Wave Of Brain Drain For South Africa

2008-07-01T19:30:00+02:00

A New Wave Of Brain Drain For South Africa

Whilst in the middle of a skills shortage crisis, the South African government is unmoved by a new wave of skilled citizens seeking a better future elsewhere.

SA's most common crimes

2008-07-01T17:30:00+02:00

Posted From IOL.CO.ZA

By Thandi Skade

Domestic Watch co-ordinator Penny Steyn and Inspector Lucky Khumela have identified methods criminals use to get into our homes, and things to be on the lookout for:

Criminals in organised crime recruit and pay lower level people in the syndicate to get information, such as those who work on a property, eg. carpet and pool cleaners, casual labourers on building sites and garden services or gardeners.
Signs are left outside properties to inform criminals who commit the crime about the status of the property, and what they can expect when they enter. Watch out for any kind of markers outside the property; they are usually colour-coded with a piece of coloured string, writing on the post box with a Koki pen, a milk, coke, Fanta, lemonade bottle or something similar.
Criminals sometimes get into a property and wait in the garden for the residents to return before attacking. They choose to wait because it is easier for them to get what they want out of the house. If someone is in the house when they attack, they can get a guided tour to what they want to steal quicker, eg. jewellery, the safe and guns.
Criminals offer to pay domestics for information and work with the domestics to do crime. They are now targeting domestics by offering R1 000 to leave the gate open. They still tie them up, but this is pre-arranged, and signs are given when it is appropriate to victimise them.
Criminals pretend to be a relative of the domestic, and get employers to open the gate. They gather information through domestics sitting on the curb of the road during their lunch breaks, and listen to their conversations to get the names of the domestics, then follow them to their properties.
Criminals get into a property next door and climb over and under fences, remove prefab pieces of a wall, climb trees to jump over electric fences, cut the barbed wire to enter, throw a blanket over barbed wire and disconnect electric fences.

If they enter from a next-door property they have less of a chance of being seen entering from the street by a motorist, or another domestic in the suburb.
Criminals switch taps onto full so that someone will go and investigate, and then attack.
Criminals pretend to be from the UIF, or something similar, to speak to domestics and make appointments to visit them to gain access.
Criminals use children to get into a property. They also sometimes get a white person or a woman or child to act as the "front person" to fool the residents or domestics.

Violence

2008-06-22T16:35:00+02:00

I broke up with him a few months ago

and ever since

he's been stalking me every day

"As long as he's not violent

there's not much we can do"

the police say

and

"Try not to worry

he'll probably get tired of this soon"

after they told him to leave here in a hurry

Here we are sitting in his car

after he ambushed me from behind

I managed to cut loose once

but I didn't get very far

He's looking at the gun

and says

"I know you won't be coming home"

and

"Life means nothing without you

but I don't want to go alone"

I can see in his eyes when he looks at me

that this is not a bluff

and as he points the gun towards my head

only one thought has time to sink in

I wonder if this is violent enough

A Day So Unkind

2008-06-22T15:50:00+02:00

Just an ordinary morning

breakfast

kiss

and off to school

One last wave before the bend

and gone

her long hair flapping in the wind

A day like everyday

chores

groceries

and preparing dinner

She's late

where could she be

another worried peer along the street

Calling everyone

nothing

nowhere

no one knows for sure

Growing feelings of unease

with every hour climbing

finally calling the police

Lost without a trace

last seen going home

missing ever since

it's been more than a week

Forever etched in my mind

her last wave before the bend

on a day so unkind

Muti Murders - South Africa

2008-06-16T19:45:00+02:00

Muti Murders - South Africa

Up to 300 people are sacrificed every year in South Africa so that their body parts to be used in traditional Muti medicine. Most of these are young children, tortured to death.

"It's done while she's still alive because the more she screams, the more powerful the Muti's going to be," explains crime expert Kobus Jonker, gesturing at the picture of a mutilated six year old girl. He was the first South African to acknowledge Muti murders and has set up a special police unit to deal with it. But Muti murders are notoriously hard to prosecute. "My son will never sleep in peace," laments Salome Chokwe. Her ten year old boy, Sello, disappeared when out herding. By the time she found him it was too late. His hands, genitals, tongue and brain had been 'harvested'. Most practitioners use nothing more sinister than roots and leaves to make their Muti. But belief in the power of human body parts continues to fuel a demand for the 'other' type of Muti.

South Africa 2008 Crime & Safety Report

2008-06-08T17:55:00+02:00

US Travel Report

The State Department identifies Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town as “Critical” for crime. Americans are not targeted for criminal activity due to their nationality; rather they are considered targets of opportunity because they appear wealthy, are at the wrong place at the wrong time, or inadvertently stray into dangerous areas. Crime in South Africa affects people from all walks of life, and is not limited by socio-economic status.

Crime and the extreme levels of unnecessary violence affect all South Africans including the local and greater business community. The South African Police Service (SAPS) recently released their semi-annual national crime statistics for the April to September 2007 reporting period, which indicates a 29% increase of business robbery. The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) recently reported that as many as fifty South Africans are murdered every day. SAPS statistics indicate South Africa averages 150 rapes a day (a number which is most likely under reported). As an aggravating factor, the HIV/AIDS infection rate of the local population is estimated to be twenty-five to thirty percent. Though crime is not unique to this country, what sets South Africa apart from other nations is the level of violence associated with these crimes.

Additional crime concerns facing the populace and visitors include car-jacking (often violent), and street mugging (frequently with knives, but increasingly with handguns). Smash and grab robberies are a common occurrence and it is recommended that no valuables be left in plain sight of any vehicle while traveling in South Africa . Pick pocketing is also a common occurrence and travelers should safeguard their passport, wallet and other valuables at all times.

Motorists should be on the lookout for suspicious vehicles and activity especially when approaching their destination. Recent statistics reveal that over 80 percent of car-jackings occur at the home. Another emerging trend entails the targeting of passengers after their arrival at O.R. Tambo International Airport . Victims are followed and robbed as they arrive at their final destination, whether it is a residence or hotel. The robbers relieve the victims of luggage, cash and other valuables, usually at gunpoint.

Travelers should also be aware of cash in-transit heists. Armored cars are targeted by several armed bandits who employ overwhelming firepower. These bandits fire their weapons if they feel threatened and their use of weapons is indiscriminate. Armored cars should be avoided, especially when they are making deposits or picking-up cash receipts.

Given the high rate of burglaries and violent crime, a primary concern for most Americans is residential security. Police response to calls for assistance is slow (and sometimes nonexistent). Reliance upon private security firms is the norm, as are security lighting, burglar bars, non-electric and electric fencing and alarm systems. Historically, burglars tend to prefer empty dwellings and will not attempt to enter a house when it is occupied. However, home invasion robberies are on the increase. SAPS latest statistics indicate there has been 7% increase in home robbery nationwide. These criminals can turn violent and cause traumatic injury or murder their victims unexpectedly and without provocation.

ATM scams and credit card fraud are prevalent throughout South Africa . Do not accept “assistance” from anyone, or agree to assist others with ATM transactions. Travelers should try to avoid using ATM machines after bank business hours. Police report an increase in ATM bombings where criminals plant explosives on ATM machines to extract cash boxes. There have been reports of ATM machines retaining the card, the cardholder leaving the scene since they cannot remove the card, and criminals later returning to retrieve the card from the machine. When giving your credit card to a store or restaurant employee for processing, do not let them take the card out of your sight. Also beware of fraudulent schemes in which a caller from South Africa (who usually is not South African) attempts to win the confidence of an unsuspecting American, who is then persuaded either to provide privileged financial information or travel to South Africa to assist in a supposedly lucrative business venture. Anyone receiving such a solicitation is urged to visit the U.S. Secret Service website at http://www.secretservice.gov/alert4l9.shtml before providing personal financial information or making any financial commitments.

South Africa ’s highway system and toll roads are generally in good condition. However, once off the main highways, the quality of secondary roads becomes very poor. Roadway policing is virtually non-existent outside of the major cities and towns. Toll roads do have call boxes for emergencies as in the US ; however, many of them are inoperable due to poor maintenance. Street lighting is also limited outside of cities and towns. Traffic fatalities are commonplace. Many of these incidents involve pedestrians that are struck by motorists. Traffic accidents are attributed to unsafe driving, excessive speeding, unlicensed drivers and alcohol and drugs. Motorists should always travel with a cell phone and be aware of their general, geographic location. Motorists should have numbers for the South African Automobile Association which recognizes US AAA membership or other roadside assistance service phone numbers. In some cases, roadside assistance companies provide armed response units that will wait with you until your vehicle is repaired or towed to a service center.

Political Violence

South Africa has a relatively stable, democratic Government under the leadership of the African National Congress (ANC). The threat of political violence is relatively low. Regional terrorism is virtually non-existent and there have been no acts of terrorism against American Citizens or American business interests in the recent past. Political violence is not considered to be a serious threat in South Africa . There have been sporadic peaceful demonstrations against U.S. policies in the Middle East .

Post-Specific Concerns

South Africa possesses a well-developed infrastructure that insulates it from widespread power outages or similar industrial concerns. However, rolling brown outs and power load shedding are becoming more commonplace, especially during periods of peak demand. Likewise, dramatic weather problems are rare in the country. Thunderstorms occur frequently during the rainy season and can disrupt power to security systems, infrastructure such as traffic lights, and other electronic equipment. Adequate surge protectors should be used to protect office and other electrical equipment.

Public transportation should be avoided, as accidents involving multiple fatalities on urban and rural roadways are common. Avoid use of unlicensed mini-bus “taxis”. They are dangerous due to a lack of inspection and unlicensed drivers. Taxi recommendations should be obtained from your hotel.

Historically there has been no kidnapping or known threat of kidnapping of American citizens in South Africa . American business personnel have not been the target of kidnapping whether for economic or political gain.

Police Response

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has lost many of its experienced officers and personnel due to attrition and reorganization of its command and administrative structures. Manpower and equipment shortages constrict them. Shortages (especially vehicles) preclude their ability to respond in order to deter crime or answer calls for help in a timely manner. While corruption exists within the SAPS, complaints of street level shakedowns for money or similar forms of harassment are very rare among the American community. The national police emergency number is: 10-111.

Medical Emergencies

The Private Health Care sector ranks amongst the best in the world and is the country to where American Government employees working in Africa are evacuated to for medical treatment. The Embassies and Consulates in the area where individuals will be traveling can provide information regarding medical services specific to that location. Unitas Trauma Hospital in Pretoria is one of the best medical care facilities in South Africa and is designated as a regional evacuation point for trauma patients. The nationwide emergency number to call for an ambulance is: 10-177. The police emergency number (10-111) may also be used. Due to South Africa ’s high HIV infection rate, the embassy medical unit advises all personnel and visitors to seek immediate medical assistance in the event of a sexual assault or blood-borne injury.

How To Avoid Becoming A Victim

Remain alert and aware of your surroundings at all times. Be cautious of people who appear to be paying undue attention to you or who seem to be overly friendly or helpful for no apparent reason. Road signs and road markers can be confusing; ensure you confirm your route before you travel to any destination in South Africa . Do not carry more cash and valuables than is necessary for the need at hand. Statistically, people have not been harmed during street thefts when they did not offer resistance. However, consider resistance or flight if you feel you are in jeopardy or serious personal injury. Exercise caution at cash machines, both in terms of strong-arm robbery and stealthy ploys to obtain your ATM card and pin. Refuse unsolicited offers of assistance at ATMs. When traveling by car, keep all windows up and doors locked. Do not leave any valuables in public view, especially when the car is parked. Avoid the central business districts of major cities at night and on weekends.

Endemic Violence - South Africa

2008-06-02T19:40:00+02:00

Endemic Violence - South Africa

Violence in South Africa is a problem for whites and blacks, at every level of society.

Hospitals deal with a constant flow of victims. One man lies on a pillow soaked in blood. Under his bed - a pool of blood. Jessie Duarta, Minister of Safety and Security in the Gauteng Province, claims that the present government is the first to admit to a crime problem. Everyone blames high crime rates on high unemployment. In prison, a young white man says he will turn to crime again if he fails to get a job when he is freed. Police patrol the streets always with a gun in their hand. It is the only way to survive. White middle class families live in high security compounds. There children can play safely in neat gardens behind airy, red brick houses. Professor Eddie Wolff, a specialist in trauma, warns that if the government does not deal effectively with crime, will witness the advent of vigilante groups. People will take the law into their own hands and South Africa will enter another phase of 'traumatisation'

Another day of crime in South Africa...it never ends

2008-01-10T01:37:19+01:00

Nel application postponed, bail now sought 2008-01-09 15:28:05
The application for the release of Gauteng Scorpion's boss Gerrie Nel has been postponed.Full Story...

Nel's arrest: 'police didn't play open cards' 2008-01-09 14:28:44
An urgent application for the release of Gauteng Scorpions boss Gerrie Nel should begin shortly, reports say.Full Story...

Pedestrian killed in Primrose accident 2008-01-09 14:46:46
A 45-year-old pedestrian was killed in an accident in the Primrose area of Germiston in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng police say.Full Story...

'Hijacking kingpin' nabbed 2008-01-09 14:39:57
A suspected hijack syndicate leader has reportedly been arrested at his home in Benoni, Gauteng.Full Story...

Alleged leader of 'Suidlanders' in court 2008-01-09 15:05:27
The alleged leader of an extremist religious group - Die Suidlanders - has appeared in the Balfour magistrate's court on charges of fraud.Full Story...

Woman burned by boyfriend - police 2008-01-09 20:13:08
A 25-year-old man will appear in the Tembisa magistrate's court on a murder charge after allegedly pouring petrol over his girlfriend and setting her alight.Full Story...

Public shaming of serial fraudster set aside 2008-01-09 15:18:19
A Port Elizabeth magistrates' order that a woman with 203 previous convictions of fraud and one of theft, be publicly shamed has been set aside by the Grahamstown High Court.Full Story...

Massive collision on KZN freeway 2008-01-09 13:03:49
KwaZulu-Natal police are investigating the circumstances surrounding a collision involving four trucks, four cars and two buses.Full Story...

Attempted cash heist outside Makhado 2008-01-09 13:05:06
Three security guards survived a cash-in-transit heist attempt at the Piesangshoek turn-off, Western Cape police said.Full Story...

Woman on R5-million mandrax charge 2008-01-09 13:02:07
A 43-year-old woman appeared in a Johannesburg court for alleged possession of mandrax, police said.Full Story...

Woman held for throwing baby down toilet 2008-01-09 11:43:06
A 27-year-old mother has been arrested by KwaZulu-Natal police.Full Story...

'Spygate' probe extends submission date 2008-01-09 16:28:24
The Erasmus commission, set up to probe Cape Town's "spy" saga, has extended the deadline for submissions.Full Story...

Nel arrest: NPA boss 'shocked, disappointed' 2008-01-09 12:10:22
Acting Head of the National Prosecuting Authority Mokotedi Mpshe said that while he could not say the police had acted irregularly, he did believe they had acted "unexpectedly" in arresting Gauteng Scorpions boss Gerrie Nel.Full Story...

Taxi killed pedestrian: witness 2008-01-09 11:44:58
A 35-year-old man was killed when he was hit by a minibus taxi in Pretoria, police said.Full Story...

Boy dies after fight about smoking: police 2008-01-09 12:22:37
A 16-year-old teenager was stabbed to death by a friend after a quarrel, Eastern Cape police said.Full Story...

Cape's tik epidemic fuels rush for test kit 2008-01-09 13:53:03
Cape Town's tik epidemic has fuelled a market in self-testing drug kits.Full Story...

Refugee activist nabbed for riotous behaviour 2008-01-09 12:57:35
Refugee activist Braam Hanekom was arrested after police moved in to disperse hundreds of Zimbabwean refugees who had gathered at the department of home affairs centre in Cape Town.Full Story...

Nel arrest 'peculiar, suspicious': lawyer 2008-01-09 10:46:16
The legal team of arrested Gauteng Scorpions boss Gerrie Nel is still to begin an urgent application in the Pretoria High Court for his release.Full Story...

NPA boss 'taken aback' by Nel arrest 2008-01-09 09:18:46
Acting National Prosecuting Authority boss Mokotedi Mpshe has spoken out after the arrest of Scorpions boss Gerrie Nel.Full Story...

Kids 'as young as 10 getting hooked on tik' 2008-01-09 08:28:47
The drug epidemic is spreading fast, say community leaders in farming areas which in the past few months have become saturated with drug dens.Full Story...

Nel taken away in handcuffs 2008-01-09 05:16:14
Scorpions boss Gerrie Nel has been arrested by about 20 armed police officers, according to his attorney.Full Story...

Man's murder makes world headlines 2008-01-09 10:22:09
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Do you Agree South Africa is Losing its Way

2007-12-18T19:52:10+01:00

According to the recent interview with desmond Tutu that South Africa is in danger of losing its moral direction. The retired Anglican archbishop opposes ex-Vice President Jacob Zuma becoming president due to his "moral failings".

Do you agree with Archbishop Tutu ? Has all respect been lost? What are your opinions? Send us your views and experiences.

Read Full Article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5384310.stm

64% more SA cops killed under Xhosa rule than during the last eleven years under apartheid

2007-12-18T18:55:00+01:00

Posted on: http://groups.msn.com/crimebustersofsouthafrica

PRETORIA, South Africa. Nov 2007 -- Hundreds of policemen are being murdered in armed violence under Xhosa-tribal rule in SA from 1994 -- the death-toll among SA police indeed is 64% higher than in the eleven years preceding SA's political transition. This finding was made by the South African Institute of Race Relations.

"Between 1983 and 1993, about 1,152 policemen were murdered. Between 1995 and 2005, a staggering 1,894 policemen were murdered," the Institute said. The death-rates among SA police during 2006 and 2007 have gone up even higher. This is an increase of 64 percent," said Kerwin Lebone, the Institute's researcher who compiled the statistics.

"If there were any South Africans that had to date failed to grasp the seriousness of criminal attacks on SA these figures should shock them out of their complacency".

Lebone warned the government "not to surrender its citizens rightful monopoly on the use of force for self defence to criminals." "The continued brazen attacks on state institutions and personnel responsible for the safety of South African residents and citizens amounts to an attack on the state itself. "Public trust and confidence in the ability of the state to protect them will be eroded if the state cannot be seen to defend itself," he said.

The danger existed that the public 'would lose faith in the legitimacy of state institutions' and begin to 'increasingly take the law into its own hands for their own survival', he warned. - Sapa

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?art_id=nw20071105143147450C569258

South Africa's widening divide

2007-12-17T16:58:26+01:00

By Orla Guerin
BBC News, Johannesburg

The trappings of luxury are enjoyed by the black business elite

Brian Mdluli is living the new South African dream.

At 33, he is a CEO in the marketing world, with a lifestyle to match - his and her BMWs parked in the driveway, a swimming pool and a boat.

Mr Mdluli is part of South Africa's small but rapidly growing black middle class, the so-called "Black Diamonds".

They are reaping the benefits of steady economic growth under President Thabo Mbeki and the government's policy of black economic empowerment.

For the first time in its history, South Africa's governing African National Congress (ANC) is facing deep divisions over its choice of leader - a reflection of the state of the country itself, where the gap between rich and poor is more evident than ever.

Over a quick game of pool in his private den, Mr Mdluli gives his verdict on the state of the nation.

"I always compare South Africa to a 14 year old," he says.

The people we voted for are living in mansions, while we are living in shacks

Jacqueline Rosetta

"You're not a kid but you're not an adult either. This is the time in any kid's life or in any young adult's life where leadership is very important."

The current ANC leadership has delivered opportunities for people like Mr Mdluli but many others have been left behind.

The growth presided over by Mr Mbeki has been jobless growth - cold comfort to the millions dreaming of better days.

And the old division between black and white has given way to a painful new divide: the yawning gap between rich and poor black people.

Poverty trap

Mr Mdluli knows both sides of the story, as he stays close to his roots in the township of Soweto.

From his spacious home in one of Johannesburg's leafy suburbs it is a half-hour drive back to the narrow streets and modest homes of his birthplace.

Many poor South Africans still live in tin shacks

Life is improving for many here too but Mr Mdluli takes us on a tour of the squatter camps.

Here families live in tin shacks, bordered by refuse, in the company of rats.

Across the country the numbers living in severe poverty are believed to have doubled in a decade.

A recent study by South Africa's Institute for Race Relations found that the numbers living on less than $1 a day rose from 1.9m in 1996 to 4.2m in 2005.

Jacqueline Rosetta is one of those trapped in poverty.

An articulate lone parent, aged 40, she has been looking for a job for five years, and waiting for a house for twice as long.

Ms Rosetta takes us to see her home, a one-roomed tin shack in a rough neighbourhood of Soweto.

Her government grant of 200 rand ($30) per month does not even cover the rent.

The shack is neat and tidy, but it is cramped and her two teenage children cannot live with her here, because there is no room.

There is no heating, no running water, no fridge and no cooker - just a hotplate in the corner.

Rain comes in through the roof.

Crime fears

Ms Rosetta says her life has got worse since the ANC came to power, not better.

"I'm asking for how long I am going to go through this struggle," she says.

"Because the people that we voted for are living in mansions, while we are living in shacks. They are driving smart cars, while we can't afford to drive."

The government doesn't look after the poor, it just looks after itself

Jacqueline Rosetta

Ms Rosetta was held up at gunpoint close to her home.

Like many South Africans she worries about the high crime rate. There are an average of 50 murders a day.

"It's not safe at all, even in the same street that I'm living in. There's no safe place," she says.

Ms Rosetta says she dare not venture out after 1900, for fear of being robbed, shot or raped.

Back in 1994, Nelson Mandela gave South Africans a vision of the future.

The Mbeki years have brought progress - including the construction of 2.4m homes.

But now that Mr Mbeki is trying to cling to power by seeking a third term as ANC leader, he stands accused of tarnishing Mr Mandela's legacy.

"This is not what we dreamed of," said Xolela Mangcu, a political commentator.

"We all dreamed that we would be part of this project of national reconciliation and development but we've just turned into yet another one of these oligarchic African countries, with a leader who doesn't want to leave office."

Champion

If as expected, Mr Mbeki is replaced by former Deputy President Jacob Zuma, how much will change for South Africans like Ms Rosetta?

Mr Zuma and Mr Mbeki have been engaged in a bitter contest

Mr Zuma is seen as a champion of the poor and he has got strong support from the left-wing: the South African Communist Party and the powerful Trade Union Confederation, Cosatu.

They want to see more attention paid to the needs of the poor and the working class.

But Mr Zuma has been reassuring the business community at home and abroad that he intends to keep the economy on its current course.

So Ms Rosetta is not expecting her circumstances to improve.

"The poor are getting poorer and the rich are getting richer," she says.

"The government doesn't look after the poor. It just looks after itself."