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4995 8 - 15 November 2012 Tel : 011 023-7588 / 011 402 - 1977
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Boxer stripped
Stories from the African continent Page 7
of title
Page 12 Keep your eye
School celebrates 125 years Page 6
on destiny
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Gauteng crime drops ‘Many people fall victim at shopping malls to criminals who use jamming devices to unlock their cars and gain access to their motor vehicles’
Crime Reporter crime@gazettelive.co.za
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Gauteng police Commissioner Lt-Gen Mzwandile Petros.
ost categories of crime is on the decline in Gauteng, according to figures presented by Gauteng Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Mzwandile Petros on Tuesday. Petros was presenting the 2011/2012 Crime Report to the Gauteng Provincial Legislature Portfolio Committee on Community Safety in Johannesburg. During the year in review, serious crime decreased by 5.9%. There was also a decline in contact crimes such as murder, attempted murder, robberies, sexual offences, assault grievous bodily harm (GBH) and common assault. These crimes decreased by 11% compared to the previous financial year. Murder, specifically, decreased by 8.6%. Noting some trends, Petros said in Gauteng there was displace-
ment of crime from city centres to outlying areas. This meant that police stations in all areas needed to have strategies to deal with crime. A decrease in business robberies in the province was also recorded. This had also resulted in a displacement, with criminals no longer targeting the big businesses but spaza shops and small businesses that could not afford security. Trio crimes, carjacking, robbery residential and business, decreased by 12.3% for the year under review. There was a 12.3% reduction in sexual offences and a 9.1% in rape, including attempted rape in the province. Robbery with aggravating circumstances declined by 12.9%. Lt-Gen Petros said police were determined to wipe out bank robberies and that with the help from partners in stepping up security at banks, bank heists could become a thing of the past. There was a 28% reduction
in bank robberies and 55.7% drop in cash-in-transit heists. While ATM bombings declined by 37.4%, Petros noted that when criminals arrested for this crime were held, the figures for this crime dropped, only to spike once they got out of prison. An area of concern was theft out of motor vehicles, which increased by 3.5%. Petros said this problem is at national level as well. Most people were falling victim at shopping malls to criminals using jamming devices to unlock their cars and gain access to their vehicles. He added that he wanted to see an increase in categories of crime such as confiscation of drugs, illegal firearms and driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. These crimes were detected due to police action and an increase in figures would indicate that police were doing their jobs. SAnews.gov.za
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Inner-city Gazette
News
8 - 15 November 2012
Drug dealers held Crime Reporter crime@gazettelive.co.za man who tried to bribe the police has been arrested, together with his accomplices who were found in possession of cocaine, heroine, ecstacy and mandrax, according to police. Yeoville police spokesperson Cst Thabo Malatji says police arrested three men after they were found with the drugs.
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He explains that a police patrol noticed them behaving in a suspicious manner in Rockey Street. “Police searched them and found 30 cocaine rocks on one of the suspects, and ecstasy, mandrax and heroine on the other suspect with a street value of R20 000.” Cst Malatji adds that another man came and tried to bribe them so that the suspects get released, but the police arrested him too for attempted bribery.
City to launch Internet access: the city intends to provide service like this in all its libraries.
free internet
‘The project bridges the digital divide by providing technology and free access to IT to all communities’ Kgothatso Mokhonana news@inner-city-gazette.co.za he City of Johannesburg will launch a free Public Access to Internet in Libraries service (PAIL) on 21 November. This free service has already been completed at Orlando East Library, and every public library will have access to internet. According to the City’s Stakeholder Liaison Officer Eddie Mokoena, the roll-out of this initiative is ex-
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pected to be implemented at all the City of Johannesburg’s 87 libraries. “The implementation of PAIL is framed within the City’s Joburg2040 Growth and Development Strategy (Joburg2040GDS) which commits City of Joburg to provide the public with free access to the internet, electronic resources and make technology available at all libraries within the city. “PAIL has been identified as one of the Smart projects in the City. The project supports the City’s Smart strategy, which bridges the digital divide by providing technology and free access to IT to all communities, and promoting e-government initiatives, which encourages meaningful participatory governance between the City and its citizens,” said Mokoena. PAIL adopts the development of an informed and educated techno literate society committed to lifelong learning and linked to the global in-
formation society, Mokoena added. He said: “In line with Joburg2040GDS, all schools in Johannesburg will be connected to the City’s PAIL project to enable school children to access e-resources remotely.” Mokoena added that the second phase of PAIL will take place in Jabavu Library, Protea North Library, Emndeni Library, Diepkloof Extension 1 Library, Pimville Library, Dobsonville Library, Meadowlands Library, and Mofolo Library. MMC for Community Development, Clr Chris Vondo said the launch of this programme demonstrates the City’s commitment to citizens, to support their need for information, education and lifelong learning. “The project fulfills the City’s priority to support education and ensure that children, especially from disadvantaged communities, have access to digital information and access to e-learning initiatives.”
Summer Specials
8 - 15 November 2012
Inner-city Gazette
Mandela notes circulate Staff Writer news@inner-city-gazette.co.za he new banknotes bearing the face of former President Nelson Mandela have officially come into use, and will replace the old banknotes, Reserve Bank Governor Gill Marcus says. Some of the changes include a watermark and a rolling bar. The idea behind it is if the note is lifted to the light, it has a raised print and an image of the ‘big five’ behind it. The public, said the governor, should look for several security features on the new notes including the raised print, and change to the colour of the note if lifted and exposed to the light. “That is what everybody has to be familiar with, so they know that they have a real note,” she said. She added that old notes, although being phased out, will remain legal tender. The notes are in the same denominations of R10; R20; R50; R100 and R200 notes. The old notes will also be replaced in countries that use South African currency like Angola. For the visually impaired, the notes feature a different flash for each denomination, starting with one flash on the R10 and up to five flashes on
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The victim lies in agony soon after the incident.
Pic: Inner-city Press Agency
Freak hit-and-run accident ‘Speeding of the vehicle suggested that it had been stolen or the driver was fleeing from someone’ Crime Reporter crime@gazettelive.co.za man was seriously injured when he was hit by a speeding motor vehicle at the Bok and Nugget streets intersection in Joubert Park on Tuesday evening. Witnesses said the man was trying to cross the road when a white motor vehicle that could have been a Toyota Corolla or Nissan Sentra se-
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dan approached at great speed and hit him. One of the witnesses who declined to be named said the speeding of the vehicle suggested that it could have been stolen or the driver was fleeing from someone or something. “The driver did not attempt to brake at all. The car hit the victim and threw him high into the air, and in a moment the vehicle disappeared past the Noord Street rail
bridge headed for the CBD.” A large crowd of onlookers had to be driven off by the police to provide the victim with fresh air as he waited for the ambulance. Paramedics later arrived and suggested the man had suffered several fractures, which included one of his legs. Anyone who has information that may lead police to the driver of the car is asked to report to the nearest police station or call 08600 10 111.
News
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The new R200 Mandela note.
Pic: Reuters
the R200 note. The security features around bank notes are upgraded every seven years, according to best practice. “There’s a difference in doing a redesign which we’ve done and introduce a new redesigned note. The new note has been in design for 20 years, while the previous one was done in 1992. We felt it was time to reflect a new image that builds us. Everyone is excited about the new notes.” Marcus said former President Nelson Mandela was happy with the new notes. “Madiba represents something special not just in South Africa, but in the world. He’s an extraordinary man and this is a way in which we pay tribute to him, he’s delighted about it.” Asked about whether the use of cards was bypassing the use of cash, the governor said this was not the case. “Although there’s a move to the use of cards, the use of cash has not diminished, in fact it grows. So we still giving a 10% plus increase in the use of cash,” she explained. In December 2011, the total use of notes was about a R102 billion in circulation. “We have to produce the same amount as we swop out. We will continuously replace the old notes with the new notes,” she added.
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Inner-city Gazette
Leader
8 - 15 November 2012
Sewage flows
from building Some time ago I read a letter in your newspaper about the sewage that spills out of a building at corner Jeppe and Nugget streets in the Johannesburg CBD. I had also noticed the sewage in that street, and having seen it in a newspaper made me think that maybe the owners would take action to stop the sewage flowing into the street. That was not to be so, because even up to the day I write this letter the dirty and badly smelling water still comes out of that building and flows into the street. I would like to ask the owners of the building to please take the health of people who live there and those who walk there seriously. They must know that it may lead to all kinds of diseases that may kill many people. Sister Ronia Mpande Johannesburg
Comment
The ages old practice of writing on surfaces, which is called graffiti, flourishes in Joburg. This appears in all sorts of messages that are scribbled on walls all around the city. At one moment someone painted an undecipherable image onto a police van. Psychologists say graffiti emanates from an instinctive desire to communicate and mark bare surfaces. Regarded as weird communication, this is often done without supervision or authorisation, which means that graffiti artists and scribblers do not mind which surface they mark or write on, and they want to remain unknown. This practice if often frowned upon, but it has a rich history. Archaeologists continue to uncover early scribblings. The famous Italian scribbling in Pompeii with the words: Sodoma, Gomora, reminds of great evil and suffering depicted in the Bible, and that the world is a wicked place today. There is also the Bisutun Inscription, scribbled on a rock face in western Iran, which English archaeologist Henry Kowlinson deciphered as promoting unity among Babylonians, Elamites and Persians. When the Berlin Wall ceased to divide Germany in November 1989, thousands of people from all over the world scrambled to scribble something on it; the most scribbled word being freedom, in various languages and alphabets. Specialists in this art form say ambiguity of the messages challenges imagination, and brevity is their soul of wit. Sometimes the scribblers include obscenities, a likely expression of anger. The worst of that is however hidden in places like public toilets. Many people regard graffiti as bizarre communication by schizophrenics, but there is no way to stop it. Joburg authorities may provide more surfaces where such artists may express themselves, and reduce incidences of defacing private and public property. Distribution – Free copies door to door delivery weekly to all households and businesses in the Joburg inner-city. Inner-City Gazette welcomes editorial contributions from readers. They may raise new issues or respond to articles published in the paper. Contributions may be sent to the editor’s address below. Published by Inner-City Gazette 149 Pritchard Street, Johannesburg 2000 Tel : 011 023 - 7588 011 024 - 8210 011 402 - 1977 Fax : 086 609 8601 Email : info@inner-city-gazette.co.za Website : www.inner-city-gazette.co.za Printed by Paarlcoldset(Pty)Ltd
All rights and reproduction of articles, images and other items published in this publication are reserved in terms of Section 12(7) of the Copyright Act 96 (1978) and its amendments thereof.
Inner-City Gazette subscribes to the South African Press Code that prescribes news that is truthful, accurate, fair and balanced. If we do not live up to the code please contact the press ombudsman on 011 484-3612 or 011 484 - 3618 or ombudsman@presscouncil.org.za .
SA in need of Obama moment After Barack Obama’s stirring victory speech, it was perhaps unfair to look back home and expect someone, anyone, to give South Africa some inspiration too. Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe had the opportunity on Wednesday; he didn’t exactly rise to the occasion. Meanwhile the Mangaung battle is plunging into further murkiness, Ranjeni Munusamy writes. For one heart-stopping moment, while answering questions in Parliament on Wednesday, it looked as if Kgalema Motlanthe was finally ready to get in the game. Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko had laid the groundwork for him, citing instances of abuse of state power including the police action at Marikana, the NPA defiance of a high court order to make available the “spy tapes”, and the excessive spending on President Jacob Zuma’s private home at Nkandla. She said there was “unparalleled abuse of the state power” under the Zuma administration and “respect for our Constitution had been eroded”. She asked whether Motlanthe thought it was justifiable to spend so much money on the private home of a sitting president. “Will you take any steps to prevent further abuse?” Mazibuko asked Motlanthe. “I will take steps to prevent abuse of public funds,” Motlanthe began. He just offered a well-practised response: the Nkandla renovations are the responsibility of Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi to clarify, he said. He added that he was also aware that the Public Protector was investigating the matter. In that moment, he could have been a leader. He could have become a contender. Instead, he decided to retreat behind the curtain. When asked about the spy tapes, which the DA is seeking to evaluate the basis on which the corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma was dropped, Motlanthe said if the DA felt aggrieved by the NPA’s refusal to accede to the high court order, they should seek further recourse through the courts. COPE leader Mosiuoa Lekota had earlier asked Motlanthe what was being done to protect the public from state funds being abused, following instances where members of Cabinet had done so without being arrested or funds being recovered from them. He named former Public Works Minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde for her
role in the irregular police deal saga and former cooperative governance and traditional affairs minister Sicelo Shiceka (deceased) who used state funds for private overseas travel and expensive hotel stays. Motlanthe said the Asset Forfeiture Unit had the power to confiscate possessions from ill-begotten gains. But he said he was not aware of any allegation against Mahlangu-Nkabinde of embezzlement “or helping herself to public funds.” “If you are aware of such, a note to head of the Asset Forfeiture Unit would see to that matter. As for former minister Shiceka, may his soul rest in peace,” Motlanthe said. Earlier in the question session, Motlanthe seemed less constrained when he spoke about the need to do away with the migrant labour system. “The tragic events unfolding in the mines, beginning at Marikana, are cause for serious worry and deserve to be tackled and eliminated. The underlying social determinant of the ongoing unrest on mines, beginning with the tragedy at Marikana, was no doubt the migrant labour system itself. “If there is one good thing that must result out of this whole painful saga, it is the elimination of the migrant labour system,” he said. Mining companies should allow workers to return to their rural homes more often instead of only once a year, Motlanthe said. The long absences caused broken homes and were detrimental to the families left behind in rural areas. Motlanthe said
the “sleepout allowance” some mining companies were giving to mineworkers was encouraging miners to live in informal settlements. The single sex compounds on mines were not desirable but were better than informal settlements. Motlanthe is uninhibited on this matteras it is not directly related to the dynamics around the ANC’s Mangaung battle, and he understands the issues relating to mineworkers intimately as the former general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers. But throw anything his way that requires him to show his hand on current controversies or that tests what he would do if he were in the position to make decisions in the near future, and Motlanthe immediately recoils. With 38 days to go before the ANC’s 53rd national conference begins, Motlanthe remains the ever-reluctant presidential candidate. Meanwhile there is a whole movement mobilised around him, with heavy campaigning in ANC structures, a new political party being registered in the event that Zuma wins a second term, and a website, Twitter and Facebook account launched by the “forces of change”. The homepage of the website says the group is calling for change because: South Africans do not have confidence in the leadership of President Zuma. We need a leadership that will lead the ANC towards quality and durable change, towards an ideal as set out in the Freedom Charter, which remains its strategic vision and
mission. A leadership that will regain the confidence of all Africans on the African continent. The site also names their slate for the top six positions, broadly the same as that of the ANC Youth League and Limpopo province: Motlanthe for president, Mathews Phosa as his deputy, Thandi Modise as national chairman, Fikile Mbalula as secretary general, Thenjiwe Mtintso as his deputy and Tokyo Sexwale as the treasurer. The site does not give details of people behind it and there are no contact details. The campaign by shadowy figures takes the Mangaung battle to a new level of divisiveness, for which nobody will take responsibility. It is yet another consequence of the ANC’s failure to modernise and run an open and free election race, insisting on barring a transparent campaign process and preferring to make its decision in smoke-filled back rooms, away from the public. On Wednesday morning Barack Obama delivered a rousing address after winning another term as US president. It was difficult not to envy the Americans, who heard their president say: “While our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back, and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America, the best is yet to come.” In South Africa, we can only think wistfully of a time when our leaders talked with such passion about our country, when we knew who we were electing and why we were voting for them, when we could have held those in high office to account, and when we were not mostly treated as fools. And the only thing worse than a leaderless country, is a leaderless country that once had a leader. A sincere, fearless man who was prepared to sacrifice his life for what he believed, a leader who could take a whole country from the edge of the abyss and, through sheer will power and commitment to a higher ideal, deliver hope to the hungry and the depraved. Daily Maverick
8 - 15 November 2012
Inner-city Gazette
Commercial
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News
Some of the girls who won awards.
8 - 15 November 2012
Principal Sandy Levitas (left) addreses the audience.
Pics: Inner-city Press Agency
School celebrates 125 years Angel Khwiyane news@inner-city-gazette.co.za earners and teachers of Johannesburg Girls’ Preparatory School in Berea, together with parents celebrated the school’s 125th birthday on 2 November. The school choir sang their school songs and the national anthem. Some of the learners presented speeches about the history and struggles of the school, while others were given certificates for good performance. In a speech Grade 6 learner Thato Motlhabi said the school was established in 1887 by Fanny Buckland, and former South African President Nelson Mandela visited it in 1997, and addressed learners and the teachers. “During the celebration we learned a lot about our school’s history and the leaders. I am happy about the school because of the good education, the leaders and teachers they have. We have so many school camps every
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Some of the girls pose during the event.
year and the sports is exciting,” she added. The school’s headgirl Zakithi Khulu said she was humbled to be the schools’ head girl. “I am expected to check every class’s behavior, check the environment and make sure the fields are clean after school lunch,” she said. Her deputy, Yoliswa Mlangeni said she hardly finds enough time to spend with friends because of the need to attend to her responsibilities at the school. The school’s principal, Sandy Levitas said the event was a success. “The learners enjoyed themselves during the event; and we thank everyone for making this day possible,” she said. Former headmistress Rita-Ann Marquis said when Nelson Mandela visited in 1997 it was a wonderful occasion. “He had to come onto stage through the back door, for security reasons and because he would have struggled up the front with his knees, as there is no banister.” He was secreted around the large quad that functions as the epicentre of the school to present a trophy to 36 Grade 6 girls as the national winners of a UN Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organisation art competition. The school, surrounded by highrise buildings, is a beacon of excellence and a haven for 1 200 girls. After-school activities include hockey, netball, cricket and soccer. The first classroom of 1887 was a canvas tent in Jeppe Street,. When it got flooded the class moved to a corrugated iron building that also doubled as a church. After the Anglo-Boer War, Solly Joel, a nephew of Barney Barnato, presented them with Barnato Park and the current premises was opened in 1913. The reception area displays portraits of past principals and photographs of good times. Posters and certificates surround a portrait of the school’s founder Fanny Buckland. Current principal Levitas has kept a diary that covers the past 13 years. The records in it include guest comments, cuttings celebrating the school’s success and artwork. “We wish to congratulate the school on achieving this milestone. May it see another 125 years contributing to the education of our children,” GDE spokesperson Charles Phahlane said. The school can be reached through telephone number 011 642 4571.
A view from the courtyard shows part of the school’s buildings.
Headgirl Zakithi Khulu
Some of the girls who excelled.
SGB chairperson Mrs P Naidoo
Some of the foundation phase teachers at the school.
8 - 15 November 2012
Inner-city Gazette
Road victims memorial An average 14 000 people die on the roads every year, and 1 166 are killed every month Staff Writer news@inner-city-gazette.co.za he Joburg Transport Department has set up a memorial to commemorate people who died in road accidents and to heal those left behind at the Metro Centre offices in Braamfontein. The memorial is called the ‘Garden of Healing’, hosted by Transport MMC Rehana Moosajee. The occasion also called on road users to rededicate themselves to ending the carnage on the roads. MMC Moosajee said most accidents are caused by sheer recklessness, adding that with a little consideration, they could be avoided. The Speaker of Council Connie Bapela, together with 10 year-old Kamogelo, whose twin sister was killed by a car in Soweto earlier this year, led the procession from the Council Chambers to the ‘Garden of Healing’, where participants divided into small groups and to shared their experiences, comforting each other. One of the participants related a
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story of a 16-year-old boy whose parents gave him permission to drive the car knowing he did not have a driver’s licence. “On that partivular day he spun the car in a busy street, hitting and killing a 17 year-old boy.” A mother of one of the five joggers who were run over and killed by a speeding car near Midrand last year said she kept thinking that her daughter had died in vain. “This was no accident. It was sheer disregard for other human beings,” she said. Clr Rodgers Makhubele of Diepsloot related the story of when he was involved in an accident. “I later realised that I had nobody to blame but myself. The excitement behind a steering wheel soon turns to recklessness. A lot of people get affected by your actions,” he said. National statistics show that an average 14 000 people die on South African roads every year, which suggets that about 1 166 are killed every month. MMC Moosajee said it was not about how many die. “One death
Militias battle each other
on the roads is too many. The responsibility lies with us motorists and pedestrians alike, to observe the rules of the road and respect the law. Road deaths can be avoided,” she added.
News
New police spokesperson for Hillbrow Hillbrow police station Commander Brigadier Ntandane has appointed Cst Mduduzi Zondo (pictured right) to the position of Corporate Communications Officer for Hillbrow police station. His contact details are 011 488 6814 or 082 414 1650.
Govt expels UN official
Focus on Africa
Tripoli – At least five people were injured when rival militias battled with guns and rocket-propelled grenades, and burned a former intelligence building. The violence underscored the challenge faced by the new government of Mohammed al-Megaryef in reining in militias and holding together a country riven with clan, regional and sectarian divisions. A Supreme Security Committee (SSC) building, a body set up to regulate armed groups, was in flames and looted by rival Mohammed Megaryef militiamen, witnesses said. Both militias are affiliated to the SSC, an umbrella for various armed groups that refused to join the official police or army. A stray bullet sent staff and patients running for cover at the nearby Tripoli Central Hospital. Some fighters said the clash was over the detention of a militia member, while others said the SSC had been occupied by the Support Unit No 8 militia, led by Mohamed al-Warfali, which was against the rules. About 200 national army soldiers eventually occupied the SSC building and took over control. The SSC, which is run and paid for by the government’s Interior Ministry, is much better armed that the official police. The ministry has repeatedly promised to disarm the feuding militias, but has yet to do so.
Barnaba Benjamin
Kismayo
Threat to withdraw troops
Ex-leader fit to stand trial Abidjan – International Criminal Court judges have ruled that former president Laurent Gbagbo, who stands accused of multiple war crimes, is healthy enough to stand trial. Preparations for Gbagbo’s trial for crimes against humanity including murder, rape and persecution have been on hold since June, when he told judges the ill-treatment he had received at the hands of his captors had left him unfit to stand trial. Judges found Gbagbo, 67, understands the charges against him, which relate to the civil war that followed his refusal to stand down after losing presidential elections in 2010. Some 3 000 people were killed and over a million displaced in four months of fighting. The trial can only begin once judges have confirmed the charges against Gbagbo, no date has been set yet. One doctor said Gbagbo tired easily and had symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. When he arrived in The Hague last December, Gbagbo said he was ill, having been held in a windowless room. Gbagbo is the first former head of state to be brought before the 10 year-old ICC - the world’s first permanent war crimes court. Earlier this year it jailed Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga for 14 years.
Juba - Authorities have expelled a UN official who was probing human rights issues, accusing her of producing ‘unjustified’ reports. Government spokesman Barnaba Marial Benjamin said the UN official has been ‘reporting issues that she could not verify and has been publishing without justifications’. The UN’s peacekeeping mission in South Sudan confirmed the expulsion. Neither Juba nor the UN named the official. UN special representative Hilde Johnson said this breaches the legal obligations of the South Sudan government under the UN Charter. “Human rights monitoring, investigation and reporting, and building capacity, is a core element of the mandate of UNMISS which must be protected,” Johnson said. Allegations of media harassment and torture of civil society members have been swirling in recent months, and there have been growing calls on Juba not to follow Khartoum’s mistakes. The official did not respect what had been agreed by the UN and the South Sudan,” Benjamin said. He also would would not cite the reports referred to, nor would he say if the expulsion was linked to a, August UN report denouncing military violence against a minority ethnic group in Jonglei state.
Victoire Ingabire
Court jails opposition leader Kigali - A court has sentenced opposition leader Victoire Ingabire to eight years jail for treason and genocide denial. Ingabire returned to Rwanda in 2010 after living abroad for 16 years. She visited the genocide memorial, where she asked why Hutus killed were not recognised as the minority Tutsis were. She had planned to run for president, but was arrested. Judge Alice Rulisa said she was found guilty of ‘conspiracy through terror-
ism and war” and denial of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide. The court acquitted her on charges of promoting ethnic division, genocide ideology, creating an armed group, and complicity in terrorist acts. Her lawyer Iain Edwards said she would appeal the ruling. Over 500 000 Rwandans, mostly Tutsis and moderate Hutus, were killed in Rwanda’s 1994 genocide. The government accused Ingabire, who had contacts with FDLR Hutu fighters, of trying to raise an armed
group, which she denied. Prosecutor Martin Ngoga said Ingabire’s statements could incite Rwanda “to explode” as i in 1994. President Paul Kagame has led Rwanda through 20 years of peace, advanced women’s rights and strong economic growth. But Ingabire’s jailing reinforces the view that his political opponents have little space in post-genocide Rwanda.
Yoweri Museveni
Kampala - Security minister Wilson Mukasa has threatened to withdraw troops from Somalia and other hotspots, after the UN accused Uganda of supporting Congolese rebels. In the Ugandan delegation’s meeting on Friday in New York with UN Security Council president Hardeep Puri, there was however no mention of the threats from Yoweri Museveni’s government. Ugandan troops account for over a third of the 17 600 UN- African troops in Somalia. Its soldiers also lead the hunt for warlord Joseph Kony in the Central African Republic, with some stationed in South Sudan. Last month UN experts accused Uganda and Rwanda of supporting M23 rebels, commanded by Bosco Ntaganda, a warlord indicted by the International Criminal Court. Puri noted that views expressed by independent experts do not reflect those of the UN. Mukasa said Ugandan troops would withdraw from Somalia, Central African Republic and DR Congo to concentrate on domestic security. The troops have been vital in driving al-Shabab fighters from all their urban strongholds over the last 15 months. Al-Shabab spokesman Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab said: “What else, it will be easier to fight the remaining invaders. We shall finish them off.”
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Inner-city Gazette
The Arts
8 - 15 November 2012
Tribute to San culture Audiences will experience the physical sensations, hallucinations and transformations visualised and experienced by the ritual healers while in trance Arts Correspondent ance group Moving into Dance Mophatong (MIDM) anniversary tribute will culminate in three weeks of explosive dance pieces simply titled 21, at the Dance Factory in Newtown from 17 November to 2 December. This final programme will feature some dramatic pieces, including choreographer and MIDM founder / Artistic Director Sylvia Glasser’s stylishly evocative and highly acclaimed Tranceformations, which, after several years, will be performed again, this time at the MIDM Gala on 29 November and then on 30 November and 1 De-
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cember at the Dance Factory. Glasser’s piece was created over 20 years ago in 1991, but it has not lost its pertinence. It in fact probably has more significance today as it had at its genesis. Back then it was a trailblazing work which transformed perceptions and attitudes to San culture and theatrical dance; whereas in South Africa today it pays homage to a history, a culture and a people as fundamental to the country’s current landscape as it was in the past. It took Glasser years of study and research to begin working on Tranceformations, which was inspired by the ancient Bushman / San rock art and trance dancing. In
Dancers Thandi Tshabalala, Thoko Sekganye and Constance Kau
1987 Glasser considered the idea of a dance piece based on a trance dance or healing ritual which was closely linked to San rock art. It is likely that this rock art arose out of the experiences of the shamans or medicine men. During the healing ritual the medicine men acquired supernatural potency and they experienced an altered state of consciousness. To understand and respect the complexities of the San belief system, Glasser decided to expand and intensify her research and only ended up choreographing the stunning Tranceformations. One of the people who can be credited for guiding Glasser on
A performance during the event.
her original journey to creating her dance piece was Professor DavidLewis Williams, a world renowned archeologist, author, academic and original Director of the Rock Art Research Centre at the University of the Witwatersrand, whose research changed the way rock art was perceived. Now, once again, audiences will get the opportunity to experience the physical sensations, hallucinations, and transformations visualised and experienced by the ritual healers while in trance. All the images in the choreography are depicted on the San rock art. The dance highlights what the shamans do, feel and see, while the
Pics : John Hogg
final transformation of this journey in dance takes the San people into the modern world. Ther performance pays tribute to a dispossessed people and their culture. The production sees other highly talented South Africans coming together to bring the latest version of this exciting piece to stage. The music is composed by Shaun Naidoo, and the design by Sarah Roberts. The dance is performed by dancers Muzi Shili, Thandi Tshabalala, Sonia Radebe, Sunnyboy Motau, Tebogo Letele, Julia Burnham, Faith Maseko, Oscar Buthelezi, Otto Nhlapo, Edwin Ramoba, Nhlanhla Ndzimande and Moleboheng Tlali.
Performers entertain guests at Mary Fitzgerald Square.
Pics: Suzy Bernstein
Thousands attend Diwali festival Staff Reporter news@inner-city-gazette.co.za
ast weekend over 10 000 people attended the Festival of Lights at the Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown, Joburg. The day was filled with colour, music and the rich smells of delicious food and fragrant incense, as Joburg
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joined the local Hindu community in celebrating one of the biggest days on the Hindu calendar. Festival director Jayesperi Moopen said it was a special time for all involved. “We are thankful that it was so successful. I thank all the teams that were part of the production, and we look forward to another glorious festival in the coming year.”
Moopen added that every year the celebrations get bigger and better. “This is the fourth year that the Diwali festival has been held in Joburg. It was a fitting tribute to the 100th year that organisers, the South African Hindu Maha Sabha, have been in South Africa.” Those who attended enjoyed the entertainment, with over 180 artists
who contributed to the celebrations. Children had a wonderful time painting clay pots and creating a giant Rangoli on the square. The winner of a raffle prize of double tickets to Dubai, including airport taxes, sponsored by Serendipity Tours, was Shailen Lala. The popular fireworks display, designed by world champion py-
rotechnician Bonnie Pon lit up the night sky and DJ Zuby ensured revellers party the evening away. FNB Gauteng Provincial Head Howard Arrand said: “As a bank with roots extending into India and other African countries, we are excited to sponsor an event that celebrates cultural diversity and tolerance within our communities.”
8 - 15 November 2012
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Sport
Weekend treat for fans as Cosmos host Sivutsa Stars Soccer fans are in for another free treat as gates have been thrown open for Saturday's NFD tie between Jomo Cosmos and visiting Sivutsa Stars at the Johannesburg Stadium. Cosmos staff will be giving out free tickets to interested
fans within the Johannesburg CBD on Friday, 9th November, 2012 beginning from 12H00. Kick off time for Saturday's cracker is 15:30. Cosmos are currently seventh on the NFD log with eight points in six matches.
New record for Soweto Marathon ‘I didn’t have a plan for this race, I just kept up with Timothy Kibet, followed him and maintained the pace; towards the 33km mark I could feel it was time to break away’ Athletics Correspondent
S
oweto Marathon winner Shadrack Kemboi broke the race’s record on Sunday, crossing the finish line in two hours, 16 minutes, 28 seconds (2:16:28), and Mamorallo Tjoka bagged an unprecedented seventh title in the women’s race. Running only his second career marathon, Kemboi smashed the previous record of 2:17:19 set by Elijah Mutandiro in 2003. “I’m so happy to break the record,” said the 26-year-old Kenyan.“I didn’t have a plan for this race, I just kept up with Timothy Kibet,
who finished fifth, and followed him and maintained the pace. Towards the 33km mark I could feel it was time to break away.” Motlokoa Nkhabutlane was the first South African to finish the 42.2km race, ending second overall in 2:17:11. Two-time winner Mabhutile Lebopo of Lesotho came third in 2:17:14. Kemboi and Kibet, who won the inaugural Gauteng Marathon in September, led the pack from the halfway mark and opened a threeminute gap on the chasing group. The Kenyans were neck-and-neck until the 33km mark where Kem-
boi broke away and took the lead, maintaining it until the end. Meanwhile, Tjoka, of Lesotho, won the women’s race for a record seventh time in 2:45:20. Isabella Jepchumba of Kenya finished second in 2:46:35 and Naomy Chebongi was third in 2:47:00. Tjoka said she had battled in the build-up to the race and was delighted with another victory, having taken a tumble shortly after the halfway stage. “This year was tough for me because I came in with an injury and I didn’t think I would make it this time around. After falling towards the 25km mark
Boxer stripped of title Ron Jackson SA boxer Malcolm Klassen (pictured) has been stripped of his World Boxing Federation junior lightweight title. Klaassen, who has also held the IBF title twice, has not defended the WBF belt within the stipulated time. Cezar Vazquez of Mexico will now challenge for the vacant title against an opponent still to be announced. Howard Goldberg, president of the WBF, says in a letter to Boxing SA that after numerous attempts to communicate with Klassen about his overdue defence it was decided to strip him of the belt. Promoter Rodney Berman said last week he would try to help Klassen win a third IBF title. Klassen, 30, recently defeated Cassius Baloyi, showing some of the class that had made him a champion. But he has fought only twice in the past three years and will have to jump at every opportunity to get anywhere near IBF champion Juan Carlos Salgado. Klassen won the WBF title by beating Daniel Lomeli at Montecasino a year ago, but never
Some of the race leaders during the Soweto marathon.
defended it. “I’m back fighting for Golden Gloves Promotions, and they don’t do business with the WBF,” he said this week. Promoter Branco Milenkovic, who previously held the rights to stage Klassen’s fights, said a dispute with Klassen over their contract had been settled. Trainer Nick Durandt said Klassen had ‘walked out’ on him after winning the WBF title, but he retained a contract as manager of the 30 year-old boxer that extends until next year. “The contract stipulates that I receive a manager’s fee from all his fights, no matter who is promoting them.” Milenkovic feels Klassen has a long way to go before he can think of fighting for the IBF title again. “I believe it would take him two or three years to qualify for an IBF title fight,” he said.
I was heartbroken because the ladies caught up with me, but I got up and kept on going and managed to leave them behind again.” Elroy Gelant won the men’s 10km race in 29:42, edging out Kgosi Tsosane (29:50) and Xolisa Tyali (29:55). Lebo Phalula won the women’s 10km title in 34:36, followed by Irvette van Blerk (35:04) and Nolene Conrad (35:44). The Results Men: 1. Shadrack Kemboi 2:16:28 2. Motlokoa Nkhabutlane 2:17:11 3. Mabhutile Lebopo 2:17:14 4. Tshidiso Bosiu 2:18:48
5. Timothy Kibet 2:18:59 6. Matela Makhetha 2:19:19 7. Evans Taiget 2:19:26 8. Mazibuko Papi 2:19:45 9. Solomon Soy 2:20:38 10. Moeketsi Mosuhli 2:21:47 Women: 1. Mamorallo Tjoka 2:45:20 2. Isabella Jepchumba 2:46:35 3. Naomy Chebongi 2:47:00 4. Tabitha Tsatsa 2:47:30 5. Abeba Toleda 2:48:33 6. Pamela Kipchoge 2:48:45 7. Njeya Paulina 2:49:04 8. Peris Chumba 3:01:28 9. Mpho Mbuzu 3:01:28 10. Lesley Train 3:02:13
Soccer Tickets Give Away
Jomo Cosmos Football Club is giving away tickets to watch its matches at Johannesburg Stadium every week. To win a ticket answer the following simple question by calling the telephone number 011 023 7588.
This week’s question is: Which team will Jomo Cosmos play against this weekend on Saturday 10 November 2012? Call 011 023 7588 to submit your answer and stand a chance to win a ticket for the match.