An argument between three boys at a Wentworth school could leave one of them permanently scarred after an acid attack, writes Nabeelah Shaikh.

Durban - A 15-year-old Wentworth boy, who was burnt when acid was thrown at his face by a fellow pupil just before the Easter weekend, fears he may have to live with his scars for the rest of his life.

The teenage boy was treated in hospital and will return to school on Saturday.

The incident happened when Lindrooi Dorkin, a Grade 10 pupil at Fairvale Secondary school, became involved in a fight outside his school.

“All I wanted to do was help my friend but I ended up getting into trouble,” said an emotional Dorkin.

He recalled the traumatic moment when he felt his skin smoulder and melt, thinking he was about to die.

“Just before school closed for the April holidays, there was a fall-out between my best friend and another pupil (the attacker). I intervened because I didn’t want the situation to get out of control. But then I was threatened,” said Dorkin.

He said the following day, the attacker said he was going to “kill him” after school and that the “bigger boys” from the gangs outside school were going to sort him out.

“I was scared and didn’t know what to expect. The next day, five boys from a gang called the OGBs (Ogle Boys) came into the school premises to help the attacker fight me. They brought something in a silver container and handed it over to him (the attacker).”

Dorkin said that his attacker first picked up a brick and flung it at him.

“I retaliated and picked the brick up to fling it back because I was furious. Before I knew it … the attacker flung the acid on me and I shielded the left side of my face. This resulted in the acid scarring only the right side of my face, but it nearly got into my eye,” said Dorkin.

He said it was horrifying and he is worried his face may never look the same.

Dorkin’s grandmother, Rose Dorkin, said that she was grateful his eyes were not damaged.

“He could have been blinded by this. I couldn’t control myself when I saw my grandchild and what happened to him. Something like this happening to an innocent child is unacceptable,” she said.

The family opened a case against the attacker.

“A case of assault GBH has been opened at the Wentworth SAPS,” said SAPS spokesman Colonel Jay Naicker. “Investigations continue and no arrests have been made.”

The principal of Fairview Secondary school, Gary Siddal, said he has yet to deal with the problem because neither of the pupils had returned to school.

“I took both boys to hospital when the incident occurred. Even the boy that threw acid on Lindrooi got some of the liquid on his shoe, injuring his foot. The issue was reported to the department of education and will be dealt with accordingly,” said Siddal.

He said he was unaware of outsiders being on the school property during the incident.

Councillor for the area, Aubrey Snymann, said gangsterism at the school reflected the larger community.

“Wentworth has been plagued by gangsters and this has now led to the issue being a problem at schools,” said Snymann. “This is an unexpected and awful occurrence. Nobody would expect something so extreme from a school pupil.”

He said that the community needed to put extra measures in place to combat the scourge of gangsters.

nabeelah.shaikh@inl.co.za

Sunday Tribune

The theft of guns and alleged lack of security at the police ballistics testing centre is compromising the investigation of cases. Jeff Wicks reports.

Durban - Security at the police ballistics testing centre in Amanzimtoti has been called into question following the theft of seven firearms, which was only discovered last week.

The guns, some of which are the property of the Durban metro police, disappeared from the centre after a shooting in Lamontville.

There are indications that police officers were involved in the theft as the weapons, which were confiscated for testing, had been signed out and have since disappeared.

The theft has serious implications for the investigation of the case, with security experts and anti-gun lobbyists outraged at the incident.

The centre, which is a national structure, handles thousands of weapons every year and is responsible for ballistics testing and analysis of all guns used in the commission or prevention of a crime.

According to a well-placed police source, who would not be named because he is not authorised to speak to the press, centre officials have been searching for the missing weapons.

“They have been looking for the guns that were used in a shooting in Lamontville because someone signed the weapons out and now they are missing.”

The source said this was indicative of an “inside job”, as only police officers had access to the register to remove weapons for testing.

“Whichever case these guns are linked to will now be shaken to its foundations. If testing cannot be conducted because evidence has been compromised, there must be an agenda. It appears as if someone wanted these guns to go missing.”

The source said checks and balances to ensure confiscated guns remain secure at the facility had not prevented the loss.

Another police source confirmed the guns were missing and that the search had yet to identify who had signed the weapons out.

KwaZulu-Natal violence monitor Mary de Haas wrote to the provincial and national police commissioners in February, warning of lax security at the centre.

The letter, of which the Sunday Tribune has a copy, notes the absence of security.

No guards

“I have received a report that there are no armed police members or guards stationed at the SAPS ballistics testing centre at Amanzimtoti, especially during the evening hours,” reads the letter.

“It is also alleged that there have been suspicious movements in the vicinity of the centre…

“Please will you investigate these allegations as a matter of extreme urgency and, if it is true that there are no armed members… deploy sufficient armed personnel there immediately, with a view to preventing any further crimes relating to gun exhibits.” she wrote.

De Haas said it was clear her warning went unheeded.

Claire Taylor of Gun-free South Africa said weakness in firearm control had created a massive illegal pool of firearms in the country.

“The loss or theft of the seven guns from Amanzimtoti is part of a much bigger problem of diversion, where legal guns are lost to the illegal pool because of weaknesses in the chain of firearms control.

“These weaknesses allow legal guns to be siphoned out of the legal pool and into the illegal pool. With this is mind, it is critical that the systems to regulate licensed guns are stringently enforced. The police have failed in their duty to do this in Amanzimtoti,” she said.

“Unfortunately, Amanzimtoti isn’t an isolated incident and is the most recent in a long list of incidents proving that the firearms control management system is under severe strain, and GFSA is not confident that it is doing what it is supposed to do, which is regulate gun ownership and gun use in South Africa.”

Police spokesman Colonel Jay Naicker responded: “According to what I could establish, the firearms were seized after a shooting incident two years ago involving SAPS and metro police. The case is being investigated by IPID.

“The ballistics report was received and forwarded to IPID, but the firearms were not accounted for.”

Naicker said he had been told that a senior officer from the CRC head office is investigating the whereabouts of the firearms.

jeff.wicks@inl.co.za

Sunday Tribune

All we know is, he will be back in Durban for Top Gear Festival 2014 on 21 and 22 June.

Durban - After two successful years, the award-winning Top Gear Festival is coming back to Durban on 21 and 22 June at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.

And with it comes the usual fun and some thrilling new challenges.

This time, in a bid to create the best street circuit yet, the Top Gear team has enlisted local motoring media personality Marius Roberts.

The new street circuit, which doubles back on Battery Road, promises to bring the action even closer to the fans.

As for challenges, there will be a new time attack invitational where 30 of South Africa’s bravest drivers take each other on in 30 of the fastest cars in the country.

The Stig will also be back to demonstrate his driving skills by completing power laps in a variety of cars.

Also new this year, the street circuit will host a parade of Porsches and Ferraris, thanks to local clubs in KwaZulu-Natal.

Competition winners will even get their chance to have a spin in a Porsche or Ferrari.

Roberts has been the anchor-presenter on South Africa’s first motoring channel, Ignition TV, since 2008.

He has raced competitively for the past four years in a variety of race series and has extensive knowledge of the motoring industry within South Africa.

Organisers encourage visitors to arrive early so as not to be disappointed.

Visitors with Grandstand tickets are required to attend their respective Street Circuit Shows at either 9.30am or 1.30pm on Saturday June 21 and Sunday June 22.

Grandstand seats are included in the SuperSport Elite and Superior Ticket Packages and are available for sale now for those with Standard and Basic tickets via the festival’s new website. - The Star

Visit the site for more information on ticket prices or to book.

Sixteen people were injured when a bus crashed into five vehicles in Berea Road, Durban paramedics have said.

Durban - Sixteen people were injured when a bus crashed into five vehicles in Durban on Monday morning, paramedics said.

“A bus that had been coming down Berea Road had failed to stop, colliding with five vehicles in the junction. Vehicles had been strewn across the intersection with one overturning after impact,” Rescue Care spokesman Garrith Jamieson said in a statement.

The accident happened just before 7am at the corner of Berea Road and Botanic Gardens Road in Durban.

“Paramedics from various services immediately began treating the injured people from all of the vehicles involved. More ambulances were called as a total of 16 people had sustained various injuries with three sustaining serious injuries.

“Once all of the injured had been stabilised, they were transported to various Durban hospitals for the further care that they required,” said Jamieson. - Sapa

The IFP brought Ulundi to a standstill in the party’s final attempt to secure votes for the May 7th elections.

Durban - The IFP brought Ulundi to a standstill on Sunday in the party’s final attempt to secure votes for Wednesday’s election.

Leaders of other political parties misunderstood their roles and were now into pocket politics, “where positions simply mean money and tenders and swag”, IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi said at the party’s rally.

The Ulundi Sports Ground was packed with more than 30 000 supporters who came to listen to their leader deliver a two-hour address.

The city centre, and roads leading to the stadium, were buzzing, littered with taxis and buses ferrying fervent supporters whistling and ululating to party-themed maskandi and kwaito music by local artists.

“Today, many in the ruling party are just dodging corruption charges and lining their own pockets. This is no longer the party of Inkosi Albert Luthuli and Mr Walter Sisulu. It is not the party of Nelson Mandela. It has changed,” said Buthelezi.

ANC leaders may still be at the helm, he said, “but they are not leaders”.

He urged the crowd to vote the IFP back into government.

“Over almost 40 years, South Africans have seen what the IFP can do. You know us. You trust us. And we are here to serve,” he said.

He said it was the public’s “responsibility” to judge representatives and to fire those who were dishonest.

Buthelezi said the IFP was at the forefront of the liberation struggle.

“The IFP offers something unique: a proven track record of clean governance and strong opposition.

“We are a constructive opposition that does more than just complain and point out the myriad problems in our country. We offer solutions.

“Leaders don’t allow the police to fire on striking mineworkers. Leaders don’t promise half a million jobs, then lose a million instead. They don’t give tenders to their cousins. They don’t build RDP houses that fall down within a year.”

He said real leaders earned trust and kept on serving the people after the elections.

“Our vote is our most valuable tool with which to forge change. Consider what happens between elections, when the ruling party is not forced to listen to your voice.”

The IFP did not fight dirty, he said, “we fight smart and we fight hard”.

sihle.manda@inl.co.za

The Mercury

A German tourist, who fell 30m while hiking in the Drakensberg and spent a night out in the open, has spoken of his ordeal.

Durban - A 19-year-old German tourist, who fell 30m while hiking in the Drakensberg and spent a night out in the open, has spoken of his ordeal.

Julian Schenk, who is in KwaZulu-Natal on holiday, and three friends were making their way down from Cathedral Peak on Saturday, when he lost his footing.

He tumbled down and landed on the edge of a ledge - narrowly escaping falling another 60m.

Fellow hiker Mike Pflueger, an American, described how their concerns worsened when he did not respond to their calls.

“I had the breath knocked out of me, so I couldn’t answer,” Schenk said. “It was a real dramatic experience… It hurt quite a lot. I landed on my back.”

Robert McKenzie, a spokesman for the KZN Emergency Medical Services, said that Schenk had “amazingly” come to a stop just 2m from the cliff’s edge.

“The other members of the group rushed to his assistance and found that he was stable but unable to walk. Some members of the group returned to their resort and raised the alarm.

“By this time it was late afternoon and the weather didn’t permit a helicopter to fly in the area, so three members of the KZN branch of the Mountain Club of South Africa hiked up (to Schenk) and assisted him during the night,” McKenzie said.

Steve Cooke, of the Mountain Club of South Africa, said their volunteers had set off at 10pm and reached Schenk at 1am.

Another party of hikers - strangers - had plied them with food, warm clothes and blankets to see them through the night.

At 6am on Saturday, Schenk was taken to Durban’s Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital by an Oryx helicopter from the SAAF’s 15 Squadron.

He was discharged on Sunday with a few bruises and scrapes, and a sheepish smile, to show for it.

“He was very lucky it wasn’t much more serious,” Cooke said.

Asked about whether his accident had put him off hiking, Schenk said that he might take up butterfly hunting instead. “I’ve really enjoyed being here (in KZN). The landscape is really beautiful - when you’re not falling off a mountain.”

McKenzie gave credit to the Mountain Club of South Africa, Ezemvelo, 15 Squadron and the KZN EMS for a team rescue effort.

Cooke’s advice was to never hike alone, make sure people knew when to expect you back, wear warm clothing, and carry enough water and food to tide you over in case of an accident.

The Mercury

Yolanda du Plooy, who cared for the baby allegedly put up for sale by his dad, still cries about the "helpless"boy.

Durban - Yolanda du Plooy still cries when she thinks of the bond she developed with a “tiny, helpless” baby and how his drug addict father took him from her two Saturdays ago reportedly to try to sell him for R2 000, for a fix.

She had cared for the baby for a week before he was taken from her. The father had told her that someone wanted to donate nappies and milk to the child, but they first wanted to see the baby.

“I’ve cried so much it hurts,” the 35-year-old mother of two said.

“I don’t know how he could have done that. I was willing to help him look after that child and provide the baby with a good home.”

Last week, the 20-year-old father and his 19-year-old brother appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on charges of child trafficking.

The pair had allegedly been trying to sell the older sibling’s 18-day-old son for R2 000 to random couples in Clairwood, south Durban, to feed their addiction to whoonga - a mixture of dagga and heroin.

A taxi owner, appalled by the men negotiating the sale of the child, called the police.

Members of the Montclair Crime Prevention Unit later arrested them as they were smoking whoonga at a drug den near South Coast Road.

The mother of the child was arrested on drug charges a few days after his birth and is in Westville Prison, police said.

Du Plooy, who shares a flat in Rossburgh with her fiancé and 7-year-old daughter, said she met the father through a woman who runs a day-care facility in her complex. The child was then a week old.

“The lady had to go somewhere one day (two weeks ago) and asked me to look after the child. He was so tiny and adorable I didn’t mind.”

Du Plooy said the father came back at about 10pm and took the child home with him. He told her he stayed at a rundown house in Seaview.

The next day he brought the child back to her and asked her to look after the boy, she said.

The father had given her some nappies and clothing, which he said had been donated to him by people.

She said she looked after the child for a week and had made an appointment with a private paediatrician for a check-up.

She bought the baby new clothes, gripe water for colic, which she noticed he had developed, and cream for a rash on his bottom.

“I knew the father did not have the means. They lived basically on the streets and he told me he made money selling avocado pears. I even let him pick avocado pears from my mother’s tree in the yard. I wanted to look after the baby for him,” she said.

Du Plooy said when the father left the baby in her care, the clinic card indicated he had been born at King Edward VIII Hospital on April 8.

On the day the father was arrested, Du Plooy said he came to her home early that morning and told her someone wanted to donate nappies and milk to the child, but they first wanted to see the baby.

She said she wrapped the baby in a shawl, made a bottle of milk for him and gave him to the father.

“I even said to him not to bring the child back too late because it is getting cold at night and I did not want him to get sick. He told me he would bring the baby back at around 3pm. I had absolutely no idea what he was really going to do.”

Du Plooy said police called her soon after 2pm and she “went cold” when they told her what he had tried to do.

“The baby is such an innocent little child who did not deserve that. When I was told that the child was being placed in social welfare I pleaded with the police to give me the baby to look after in the meanwhile because he would not get the individual attention I would give him if he is at a home.

“They told me there was nothing they could do. It breaks my heart,” she said.

The Child Protection Unit has taken over the investigation.

Daily News

Metrorail employees have been allowed to return to work following their dismissal for going on an unprotected two-week-long strike.

Durban - Metrorail employees have been allowed to return to work following their dismissal for going on an unprotected, two-week-long strike.

National spokesman for SA Transport and Allied Workers Union, Vincent Masoga, told the Daily News that the 68 drivers and 63 metro train guards resumed their duties on Thursday after Metrorail agreed to meet the workers to discuss their concerns.

Masoga said that “a few technical issues” still needed to be discussed, but did not want to go into more detail until talks had been completed.

“We are pleased that Metrorail has agreed to meet to discuss our grievances. We hope we have an agreeable outcome,” he said.

Security, he said, was still a sore point for those who embarked on the strike action.

The drivers told the Daily News at the time of the strike that they feared for their lives after five colleagues had been assaulted by angry commuters in several separate incidents in uMlazi and on the North Coast.

The workers had gone on the wildcat strike on the eve of the Easter weekend.

Metrorail had to drop the number of trains operating in eThekwini and parts of the north and south by a third, about 145 fewer trains than usual.

At the time, Metrorail regional manager Dumi Dube said that the drivers had gone on an unprotected strike, despite reaching an agreement with management to resolve security concerns.

He said management had resolved to dismiss the employees after they “failed to follow the appropriate legal processes governing strike action”.

Metrorail spokesman for KwaZulu-Natal, Zama Nomnganga, did not to respond last night to Daily News inquiries regarding the discussions and the new security measures.

Daily News

“I can’t speculate what will happen, but I still believe this whole thing has been blown out of proportion.”

Durban - ANC Chatsworth leader Visvin Reddy, who was suspended by the party at the weekend for telling Indians who criticise the ANC to go to India, said on Sunday that while he planned to co-operate during his disciplinary hearing, he had the backing of his branch.

Reddy’s Ward 73 branch on Sunday threw its weight behind its embattled leader, saying they were “shocked and disappointed” that the ANC had suspended him.

Reddy, who said he had not yet been told when his disciplinary hearing would take place, claimed he was looking forward to explaining the comments he had made on his Facebook page that landed him in hot water.

“I can’t speculate what will happen (at the disciplinary hearing), but I still believe this whole thing has been blown out of proportion,” he said.

“I have withdrawn and retracted what I said. I believe that this is just politicking on the part of the DA.”

The ANC, fearing that the party could lose a sizeable chunk of the Indian vote to the DA just days away from a general election, suspended Reddy on Saturday.

The party said it believed in non-racialism and did not associate sentiments that divided people on the basis of race, sex, colour or creed.

On his Facebook page Reddy had posted: “To you anti ANC commentators… wait until May 8… the ANC will still rule this country.

“You whiners should leave… go to India and you will see what a good life we have here. Continue with your garbage and marginalise yourself further. Don’t blame the ANC, blame yourself. You have not yet embraced democracy. Only a foolish Indian in SA will not engage the majority constructively.”

At the time, Reddy told the Daily News that he stood by his comments, which he said were not those of the ANC.

Reddy said on Sunday he believed the comments, which were directed at a few individuals, would not drive Indians away from voting for the ANC.

“My belief is when they vote, they will vote with their heads. They will say on May 7 they want to be part of the majority because they are part of this country.

“Over the years we have evolved as a community and we now see ourselves as one nation. I believe the Indian community will come out in their numbers and vote for the ANC. The people who are making these angry comments are people who support the DA.”

Suzanne Govender, secretary for the Ward 73 ANC branch, said Reddy’s Facebook comments were deliberately distorted to “suit the DA’s dirty political campaign”.

“We have no doubt that the truth will prevail and Reddy will be exonerated. Reddy has been at the forefront of defending the movement against attacks by the DA and has been outspoken on this regard.

“He remains the only Indian leader within the ANC to come to the defense (sic) of our President in the face of the malicious attacks on him by the DA,” Govender said in a statement.

Senior Indian ANC leaders in Durban, such as Logie Naidoo, have, however, rebuked Reddy for his comments.

“It is politically unacceptable, socially unsound and one cannot countenance such a comment and attack on the Indian community,” said Naidoo. “It is absolutely untenable that an ANC office bearer makes such an utterance.”

ANC chairman Senzo Mchunu also condemned Reddy’s remarks on Sunday, saying they were against the ANC’s policy of non-racialism.

“The ANC is a non-racial organisation and we don’t allow anything that casts doubt on that. In the past we have spoken against utterances by Mazibuye (African Forum) and have also spoken out when remarks were made during the Gupta saga.”

Mchunu said the ANC believed South Africa was a home for all racial groups, and that any racism was against ANC policies. “We don’t make policies on Facebook but we make our policies once every five years (at policy conferences).”

Daily News

At least 5000 people protested and blocked the R614 road with burning tyres and stones during a service delivery protest in Nsuze.

Durban - At least 5000 people protested over service delivery in the Nsuze area in KwaZulu-Natal on Monday, police said.

Captain Thulani Zwane said they blocked the R614 road with burning tyres and stones. There were no reports of injuries or damage, and police were keeping watch.

Nsuze is almost midway between Tongaat on the KwaZulu-Natal coast and Wartburg in the Midlands.

Sapa

Almost three weeks have passed and hope of finding one-month-old baby Olwethu Madlala is slowly fading.

Durban - Almost three weeks have passed and hope of finding one-month-old baby Olwethu Madlala is slowly fading.

His father, Bonginkosi Mphemba, and mother, Nonhlanhla Madlala, told the Daily News they were losing hope of finding their precious son as the hours ticked by.

“We are desperate for any news of him. We just want him to come home. Nothing will ever be the same if he is not returned to us,” his emotional mother said.

Olwethu was snatched by a woman who offered to help Madlala at the Home Affairs offices while she was trying to fill in forms to register her son’s birth on April 15.

Safe City CCTV footage proved unhelpful in attempting to identify the woman.

SAPS spokesman, Captain Thulani Zwane, confirmed that police had followed up on all information, but to no avail.

“Police are still searching,” he said.

Olwethu’s father said their family had even gone to traditional healers with the hope that they could assist in finding their baby, but nothing had come of it.

The woman suspected of abducting Olwethu is described as a black female in her late twenties with a slender build, medium complexion and short black hair. She had a bruise to her left eye and was wearing a leather jacket, black skinny jeans and boots at the time of the abduction.

Police have appealed to anyone who can assist to urgently contact the investigating officer, Detective Warrant Officer Yolynn Denness, at 0333 879 510 or 079 500 0373 or Olwethu’s father, Bonginkosi Mphemba, at 079 405 6518 or Madlala at 076 082 0125.

Pietermaritzburg Bureau

Daily News

The Daily News sat down with a fortune teller and psychic for a tarot card reading to predict the election results.

Durban - Wondering what the fifth general elections have in store? Well it’s all in the cards. The Daily News sat down with fortune teller and psychic Minaxie Gihwala (MG) for a tarot card reading to predict Wednesday’s election results.

MG picked up a card she said represented a marriage that was not working. She said with so many new political players and people who were fed up, the ANC would lose votes.

“The ANC definitely will not win enough votes to give them a two-thirds majority,” said the former lawyer.

Although she sees strength for the ANC, she also pulled up a card indicating disappointment.

“They will feel let down, that the people they depended on let them down.

“With all the smaller parties doing so well, the ANC is going to have to fight really hard. They will have to jack up their act to maintain dominance.”

Excitement and historical sentiment would be less of a factor in this poll than previously, with voters more involved and thoughtful.

The “hand of God” card indicated new beginnings and young energy in the ANC. This would lead to major upheaval in the leadership of the party as the older generation walked away, realising it was time to call it a day.

She also predicted joy and celebration, and an upset from Julius Malema and his Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).

For Malema, MG picked up the “wheel of fortune”, but warned that the firebrand would have to temper himself and calm down for people to realise he had a lot to offer.

The death card came up twice in Malema’s reading, but MG said this did not mean doom and gloom for the EFF leader because she drew the card - guided by her spiritual self - in combination with others.

Rather, it meant the death of the old, “over-the-top” Malema to be replaced by a more calm, mature Malema who realises that for him to be taken seriously, he needs to be serious.

About the EFF, MG said “they will fare a lot better than people expect”.

“Opportunities are knocking on Malema’s door; he will be made some serious offers and manoeuvre into a partnership as I do not see him alone for very long. He will have to somewhat part with the typical Malema identity and sell his soul somewhat to get to where he ultimately wants to be.

“The death card means his fate will turn out of the dark and into the light. The man is a magician.”

Minority Front leader, Shameen Thakur Rajbansi, would change the way the party is run from when it was led by her late husband, Amichand Rajbansi.

MG predicted there would be a lot of shuffling as Thakur-Rajbansi throws out people who have given her trouble.

This will make way for new liaisons as she forges new relationships which will see her doing better than expected.

“Karmically, the universe is smiling on her. The justice card shows that whatever she is hoping to achieve she will.”

The “world card” came up for the IFP, signifying new leadership after the election which will see an end to Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s 39-year reign.

This may also be the case with the DA. Although MG predicted they will give the ANC a run for its money, she was drawn to the first dark card of the reading.

“The DA is feeling frustrated, they are under a lot of pressure. Their house is on fire, there is a lot of internal strife but this will not mean their demise.

“They will get their own share, but the DA is the most pressurised - there is a lot more trouble.”

The “lover’s card” brings some positivity for the DA. “This means people will rally around them.

“They think they are not making progress but they are, they just can’t see it because their house is on fire and they need to get out.”

MG said the DA had known for some time it needed to make changes within its ranks, but it has left it too late for the coming election.

“They were sitting there with blinkers on, thinking it was going to fix itself. They are running out of time.”

As for the new leadership, MG said she felt a strong foreign energy around the person who would lead the DA after the election.

Perhaps Lindiwe Mazibuko, who studied overseas? Only time will tell.

Daily News

Most of the parties contesting the elections are claiming to have presented manifestos that are pro-poor.

Durban - Most of the parties contesting the elections are claiming to have presented manifestos that are pro-poor.

The DA’s promise to create six million “real” jobs is a direct response to the country’s unemployment crisis.

The ANC has sought to highlight all the government’s achievements over the past 20 years.

The dominant party’s message is simple: while there is a lot still to do, much has been achieved and South Africans should celebrate this “success story”.

Politicians are aware that ignoring the poor will be a costly mistake in a country where unemployment is hovering, officially at least, at 24 percent.

And so they have come to the informal settlements in their German-made sedans and witnessed how easy it is to draw thousands to rallies on weekdays.

The politicians have seen supporters fighting over party T-shirts and food parcels, because for many a free T-shirt is the only piece of new clothing they will possess.

And so the country’s squatter camps have - over the past few months - become the battlefield for proxy wars between political parties.

In the DA-run Western Cape there has been a number of the so-called “poo protests”, as the residents of informal settlements marched - with bucket- loads of faeces - to the city of Cape Town, demanding better sanitation.

Elsewhere, especially in ANC run municipalities, protests over water, sanitation and housing have sprung up with some ending in violence.

These are the poor who only care about receiving the basics, who say they have yet to reap the fruits of democracy.

Xolisile Khalakahla lives in a shack at the Isipingo transit camp.

She was living in an informal settlement in Umlazi in 2009 when she was moved to make way for developments for the 2010 World Cup.

Moving to a transit camp was supposed to to be a temporary arrangement. At the time she was promised she would receive a house within 18 months.

Five years later the country is once again preparing to go to the polls, but Khalakahla has yet to receive keys to the house she was promised.

Life at the transit camp has not been kind and residents have on many occasions taken to the streets in protest.

When the Daily News visited the settlement after a rainy morning, Khalakahla was sweeping away water in front of her shack.

“People put stones and wood planks to step on when there is water. All passages in these shacks are like this,” she said, pointing at the water running between her shack and her neighbours.

Green water marks visible on the walls of the shack showed that even after light rain the settlement was left waterlogged.

“We almost drowned here when there was heavy rain that caused floods. I lost groceries and furniture that had been damaged by the rain,” said Khalakahla. About 750 families in the settlement share 30 toilets and bathrooms made from shipping containers.

“Some of the toilets here are facing directly to people’s houses. When a toilet is blocked… the waste ends up overflowing to people’s doorsteps. We see human waste and jump over it almost every day.

“You cannot put so many people in one area to share so few toilets. These are inhumane conditions we live under,” she said.

Rats “as big as a cat” are rife and illegal electricity connections snake down most passages.

“You cannot walk here when it is raining with live wires everywhere. There are children here who have been killed by these nyoka-nyoka (illegal electricity connections).”

Khalakahle said she would exercise her right to vote, but had little faith in politicians’ promises of a better life.

An Economic Freedom Fighters supporter stopped by while Khalakahla was being interviewed, inviting her to the party’s rally.

Khalakahla replied: “Is (Julius) Malema going to be there? I want to ask him myself if he is going to get us out of here and give us jobs.”

She said she was not sure who she would vote for.

“I don’t have a job and voting means nothing if I am going to be staying in this place until next year,” said Khalakahla.

“I will vote. They say it’s important and we would have power in South Africa. Even if it’s useless, it is important,” Khalakahla said.

Many others in similar situations share Khalakahla’s sentiments, but they are hoping their votes will count this time around.

If not the poor of South Africa will continue to revolt and soon T-shirts, food parcels and more empty promises might not be enough to silence them.

Promises, promises:

EFF

* Quality, spacious houses for all, within sustainable human settlements with basic services, schools, sports and recreation grounds and parks.

* Quality sanitation for all, with access to decent toilets for all households.

* Abolish the bucket system by 2019.

* Increase old age grants from R1 300 to R2 600 a month, the disability grant from R1 200 to R2 400 a month and the child support grant from R300 to R600.

* Subsidise electricity for industry and households; all homes shall have 200 units free basic electricity.

DA

* Create 6 million jobs.

* Speed up the expansion of housing opportunities by providing serviced plots close to urban centres.

* Ensure beneficiaries of state-subsidised housing receive the title deeds to their homes.

* Lift the restrictions on the sale of state-subsidised housing by allowing owners to sell their properties after two years.

* Housing allocations to be independent of party loyalties and determined by objective criteria.

* Ensure the social grants system does not keep people trapped in poverty.

IFP

* Build high-density housing for city dwellers close to places of employment. Residents will be encouraged to grow vegetable gardens on the rooftops to provide for themselves and to help clean up the environment.

* Deliver free basic services to all in need.

* Partner with the community, especially women, to help deliver essential services.

* Take politics out of service delivery. You have the right to clean, drinkable water, dignified toilet facilities, shelter and electricity, no matter whom you vote for or where you live.

NFP

* Phase out informal settlements and replace them with serviced sites which will be made available for ownership.

* Root out corruption in the allocation of housing and ensure a national standardised method of allocating houses is adopted, based on a means test.

* Upgrade hostels and where appropriate, convert those suitable to family units, with social amenities.

* Ensure each household has access to running water.

* Increase child-support grants to R500 a month per child.

* Introduce a widow support grant.

ANC

* Provide 1 million housing opportunities for qualifying households in urban and rural settlements over the next five years.

* Accelerate the provision of basic services and infrastructure in all informal settlements.

* Connect 1.6 million homes to the electricity grid over the next five years.

* Work towards universal access to running water.

* Accelerate the rollout of basic sanitation infrastructure in rural areas and informal settlements.

* Continue to roll out existing social grants to those who qualify.

* Finalise discussions on proposals for a comprehensive social protection policy.

Daily News

Police had to rush to the aid of SA Roadlink employees when stranded passengers’ tempers reached boiling point.

Durban - Police had to rush to the aid of SA Roadlink employees on Sunday when stranded passengers’ tempers reached boiling point as they stormed the company’s Durban kiosk threatening violence.

A Daily News team arrived amid scenes of chaos at Durban Station’s bus terminal where more than 50 passengers, due to travel to Johannesburg, threatened to riot because they had been left stranded for more than five hours after one allegedly unroadworthy bus - and its replacement - were taken off the road by police.

Midrand resident Chandra Naidoo, 52, described how her planned trip home turned into a “nightmare journey from hell” after she and other passengers boarded an SA Roadlink bus, which was pulled over by police and then escorted back to the terminal for allegedly being unroadworthy.

“We made our booking on Saturday via the internet for the 11am bus. When we arrived, all the passengers boarded the bus and everything was fine,” Naidoo said.

“The driver left the terminal and drove to the CBD to get on to the freeway. As we approached David Webster (Leopold) Street we were pulled over by the metro police.

“The policeman inspected the bus and ordered the driver to go back to the terminal because his tyres were in an extremely poor condition making the bus unroadworthy.”

Naidoo said the driver, who promised the policeman that he would change the tyres, continued to drive, making his way on to the freeway. She said the passengers became concerned and demanded he go back to the terminal, which he eventually agreed to do.

“We got back to the terminal and the driver stopped for a minute and then proceeded to the repair yard in uMngeni Road with all the passengers on board,” she said.

“After another 45-minute delay there, we were taken to Sydney Road where we were told that a replacement bus would be on standby.

“A replacement bus arrived, which was in far worse condition. People refused to travel on either of the buses, so I decided to call the police to complain.”

Her husband, Maniseelan “Jay” Naidoo, said that the police arrived and escorted both buses back to the station. There, passengers were left stranded and the company duty manager could provide no solution to the problem, he said.

“More than three hours had elapsed and the next load of passengers scheduled to leave at 2pm arrived at the station, causing further chaos.” .

People were banging the kiosk glass and counter and swearing. Others were jumping on the luggage scale. All were demanding refunds.

The police were on hand to protect SA Roadlink staff and tried to calm the angry crowd.

The duty manageress had to be escorted from the kiosk to a residence in Phoenix to get the keys to the safe so passengers could be refunded.

A policeman, who asked to remain anonymous because he is not authorised to speak to the media, told how he and his colleagues did their best to defuse the situation.

“We arrived around 2pm and our priority was to ensure the angry crowd did not take the law into their own hands,” said the officer.

Staff members did not want to comment and refused to explain why no one could get through to the customer service department.

According to the passengers, their tickets cost from R200 to R250 a person.

SA Roadlink’s chief operating officer, Joe Mushwana, today acknowledged there was a problem with the tyres on both buses.

“But the buses did have the necessary permits and licences to be on the road,” he said.

He added that the delay was caused by the replacement bus being in Villiers.

Daily News

KZN Wildlife anti-poaching unit staff shot and killed two poachers at KZN's premier game reserve Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife anti-poaching unit staff (APU's) shot and killed two poachers last weekend at KZN's premier game reserve Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP). This was one of three poaching incursions confronted over the past four days.

The poachers had shot and killed a White Rhino at Manzimnyama (near Memorial Gate) but Ezemvelo's field staff had heard the shots and confronted them. The one poacher was killed instantly while the second was wounded and later died.

An axe, a .375 rifle and two white rhino horns were found in their possession.

Cedric Coetzee, Ezemvelo's Rhino Security Manager, said while the level of poaching was “undoubtedly” escalating with three rhino carcasses having been found over the past week (Tembe Elephant Park, a private game ranch and HiP), Ezemvelo's new joint operations with the SAPS was proving “highly effective”.

“I have absolutely no doubt that since the amounts being paid to these poachers has increased, so the number of incursions has escalated. But in collaboration with the SAPS, we are meeting them head on. We will not be standing back; not for one moment. Our intelligence is improving all the time.”

Based on this improved intelligence, Ezemvelo set up a number of ambushes at Ozabeni (iSimangaliso Wetland Park) last Friday where Field Rangers confronted a poaching suspect. While the poacher escaped, Ezemvelo was able to seize a .375 bolt action rifle along with ammunition and a silencer.

A similar incident occurred at Tembe Elephant Park on Sunday where two poachers were intercepted by the SAPS. They, too, escaped but a .375 rifle with silencer was recovered.

Over the past month the Joint Operations Command has undertaken eleven further Cordon and Search operations. These resulted in three arrests, the recovery of two firearms, large amounts of ammunition and the seizure of huge amounts of wildlife contraband (animal skins, horns and the like).

“What's important is the accuracy of our intelligence. We are increasingly identifying the syndicates associated with rhino poaching. We are on to them - and they should know that,” said Coetzee.

The total number of rhino poached in KZN this year has risen to 33 (29 White Rhino and four Black). 28 arrests have been made and 20 firearms have been recovered.

* Richard Compton is based in Kloof, KwaZulu-Natal

The daughter of murdered sugarcane farmer Peter Hackland told the court she was repeatedly slapped by one of the men accused of murdering her father.

Pietermaritzburg - The daughter of murdered KwaZulu-Natal sugarcane farmer Peter Hackland told the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Monday she was repeatedly slapped by one of the men accused of murdering her father.

Louise Hartwig said she had been partially blinded by pepper spray and while being slapped, heard a gunshot, Hackland shout, a second shot, then her 62-year-old father wail in agony, a Sapa correspondent reported.

She was giving evidence before Acting Judge Thoba Poyoo-Dlwati, who had earlier heard Nkosinathi Mngadi, 29, and Sifiso Ngubane, 24, plead not guilty to all charges.

Besides Hackland's murder, the two men were also facing charges of aggravated robbery, and the aggravated assaults of Hartwig and Margaret Fennell, Hackland's secretary.

Hackland, a sugarcane, timber and citrus farmer from Ixopo in southern KwaZulu-Natal, was murdered in May last year.

Hartwig told the court that Mngadi and Ngubane were demanding money when Fennell began singing a hymn, which led Ngubane to slap her extremely hard.

Hartwig said she told Ngubane to leave Fennell alone as she only worked there. Hartwig earlier identified Mngadi and Ngubane as the men who attacked them.

She said she was studying in the house when she heard her father shout from outside.

Upon going outside, Hartwig saw Mngadi, in possession of a firearm, holding Hackland's right arm and Ngubane his left as they struggled.

Ngubane let go of Hackland's arm, grabbed Hartwig and forced her into the house.

Hartwig, who twice broke down during her testimony, said she was afraid she was being taken away from her father.

It was then Fennell came out of her office. Ngubane grabbed her around the neck and a struggle ensued.

Hartwig told Fennell that the two men were armed and she should not provoke Ngubane any further.

Hackland and Mngadi were still shouting as the two men demanded money.

The women said they did not have money, leading to them again being hit.

Hartwig's grandmother then appeared but soon disappeared after being pepper sprayed.

Hartwig said she gave Ngubane credit cards but he threw them down. Mngadi then handed her some keys and told her to open a safe, but she told them they were the wrong keys.

Mngadi pointed a gun at Hartwig and threatened to shoot her if she did not open the safe, but she showed them they did not work.

The two men took a cellphone, made a call in English then ran out of the house.

The trial, set down for two weeks, continues on Tuesday.

Sapa

Four men were arrested after a housebreaking, robbery and a car hijacking in Durban.

Durban - Four men were arrested after a housebreaking, robbery and a car hijacking in Durban on Monday, KwaZulu-Natal police said.

“Police received a complaint of housebreaking in progress in Jacaranda Avenue at Isipingo Hills,” said Captain Thulani Zwane.

“When police arrived, the suspects sped off in their getaway vehicle towards the N2 northbound.”

Police caught up to the car with the four men inside, and instructed them to pull over, but they drove faster.

Police gave chase and the men crashed their car along the N2 near a petrol station.

“They abandoned their vehicle and fled into the nearby bushes,” said Zwane.

“Police arrested all of them with the assistance of police dogs. The suspect's vehicle was hijacked in Bayview last month and police recovered housebreaking implements and stolen property inside the vehicle.”

The men were expected to appear in the Durban Magistrate's Court soon.

Sapa

A Samwu shop steward narrowly escaped with his life when fellow union members attacked him after he pulled out a gun.

Durban - A shop steward from the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) narrowly escaped with his life when fellow union members attacked him on Monday.

The attack happened as more than 3 000 Samwu members gathered at Curries Fountain Stadium in Durban for a feedback meeting with council officials on the conditions of service dispute.

In September, the Supreme Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the workers, which meant that the council had to revert to conditions of service that were in place before new conditions were implemented in 2007, when municipal entities merged.

The council has been working on a solution, as some workers were owed money and leave as a result of the changes.

After the meeting, the fired-up crowd moved on to Dr Pixley KaSeme (West) Street, where they emptied bins and blocked roads.

The workers were enraged when Durban mayor James Nxumalo told them the conditions of service matter would be discussed only next Thursday.

“We acknowledge that people have to be paid, and we look at whether we have the budget and how much needs to be paid. We can’t take a decision without exco (executive committee),” he said.

Nxumalo told the crowd that they were just appealing for more time.

Electricity department employee Sifiso Ransom Hlongwa sparked chaos when he pulled out a gun after “losing his temper” at the mayor’s comments.

When union members saw the gun, they went straight for Hlongwa and started beating him with whatever they could find. He was kicked repeatedly.

It took a few minutes before police freed him. Police officers pointed weapons at the crowd.

Hlongwa was whisked away to a police vehicle, where he was attended to by Health MEC Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo and exco members.

Owing to the volatile situation, the mayor and his entourage had to use a back route out of the stadium.

Samwu provincial secretary Jaycee Ncanana said Hlongwa was known to have a short temper.

“His conduct gives the union a bad name. We will have internal disciplinary measures against him,” he said.

Some suggested, however, that Hlongwa was trying to protect the mayor from other union members.

The union’s regional secretary, Nhlanhla Nyandeni, said it was unfortunate that people would only get benefits for three years and not seven years, as they had expected.

He also said members who had leave owed to them wanted to sell it, but the municipality was only willing to pay 50 percent.

Mayoral spokesman Sthe Mshengu said they had taken note of the incident and the disruptions in the city centre.

“Members of the executive committee will tonight (Monday night) have a special meeting to resolve the matter. The results will be announced tomorrow (Tuesday),” he said.

The municipality said on Monday: “Since the Supreme Court of Appeal ruled on the matter, the municipality has been engaged with labour on how the decision of the court should be implemented.

“The negotiations have resulted in agreements on most of the issues by all the parties concerned.

“Today, labour decided to embark on an unlawful and violent protest action.

“The municipality is committed to finding an amicable solution, and to that end, negotiations are under way with the provincial and National Treasury and the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs.”

The Mercury

Staff and pupils at a KZN primary school were shocked and heartbroken after their principal allegedly hanged himself.

Durban - Staff, pupils and the Westville Senior Primary School community are shocked and heartbroken after the death of their school principal of almost 16 years.

Eugene de Bruyn’s body was found on the school premises by the school caretaker before school opened on Monday morning.

It is believed he hanged himself.

Colleagues and pupils described De Bruyn, 52, as “wonderful” and a “great teacher and principal”.

He was said to have been suffering emotionally since the death of his wife about six years ago.

De Bruyn leaves his two children, one at high school and another studying in Pretoria, and his parents who live in a retirement home.

Trevor Hall, the principal of Westville Boys’ High School, who had worked with De Bruyn for many years, said his wife had suffered “very badly” from cancer and De Bruyn had not recovered from the trauma of her death.

“I knew he was quite torn up about it,” Hall said. “It is a huge shock to us. He was such a wonderful man and a great teacher and principal.”

Parents of pupils at the school were told of the principal’s death via e-mail and SMS. However, the school did not divulge details of how he died.

Tim Tyrrell, chairman of the school’s governing body, said the pupils were informed that De Bruyn had died, but were not told how.

“We do not believe it was appropriate for them to know the how; this is a very sensitive matter… Everybody is reeling. This came as a very unexpected shock. Everything is raw and hurting a lot.”

Staff members were also struggling to come to terms with De Bruyn’s death, some coping better than others.

Although he would not say whether the trauma of De Bruyn’s wife’s death led to his suicide, Tyrrell confirmed that she had died a few years ago and it had “hit him hard”.

Psychologists had been made available to staff, pupils and parents, who might require assistance, Tyrrell added.

A parent of one of the pupils said she was “heartbroken and shocked” to hear of De Bruyn’s death.

“He was a man of honour who led our school with clarity and conviction, and his passing leaves a hole in our community.

“It is a tragic next instalment for a family who have already suffered too much, and my prayers are with his children.”

One parent said it was believed that De Bruyn left home at 1.30am and drove to the school.

She said a note had been left for his girlfriend before he had left home.

SAPS spokesman Thulani Zwane said police had opened an inquest docket and a post-mortem would be conducted, although De Bruyn’s death was believed to have been by hanging.

Muzi Mahlambi, a spokesman for the Department of Education, said it would also send a psychological team to the school to debrief the staff and pupils.

Education MEC Neliswa Peggy Nkonyeni sent her condolences to the family, colleagues and pupils.

“We fervently pray that God gives them strength during this difficult period,” she said.

Mahlambi said teaching had not been affected by the tragedy, and the school was “100 percent operational”.

Counselling was also recommended for the staff member who found De Bruyn’s body, he said.

bronwyn.fourie@inl.co.za

The Mercury

The man charged with culpable homicide in a hit-and-run crash in which a two people were killed, will also be charged with theft.

Durban - Durban driver Kerwin Malgas, who is charged with culpable homicide in connection with a hit-and-run crash in which a mother and infant were killed, will also be charged with stealing a car.

Malgas, 28, of Wentworth, appeared briefly in the Durban Regional Court on Monday.

He is charged in connection with the deaths of Salahia Dawood, 30, and her 9-month-old daughter, Maseehah. Junaid Dawood, who had been driving the car, was injured. The Dawood family were going home after spending a day with relatives when Malgas, who was driving a VW Golf, allegedly crashed into their car in Merebank in April last year.

Prosecutor Krishen Shah said Malgas would also be charged with theft of a motor vehicle or, alternatively, in terms of Section 36 of the Criminal Procedure Act, with being in possession of suspected stolen goods. He would also be charged with two counts of culpable homicide, reckless and negligent driving, failing to stop after an accident, failing to render assistance and failing to report the incident to police.

He said witness statements had been handed to Malgas’s attorney, Shameer Goolabjith.

Goolabjith said Malgas had had a problem with the trial being heard before magistrate Trevor Levitt as he believed that he had been convicted by the magistrate in another case.

“This conviction does not reflect in his SAP 69 (a police record of criminal convictions),” the attorney said.

Levitt said he would assign the case to another court if Malgas had a problem. Malgas then said he would not have a problem with Levitt dealing with the trial.

During his bail application, the court heard that Malgas fled after the accident and was traced by a SIM card which had been left in the Golf. A police officer also testified that the vehicle’s number plates were false.

The case was adjourned to next month for a pre-trial conference to be held. Malgas is out on bail of R5 000.

The Mercury