A KZN woman drowned in strong currents at the Port Edward beach, despite heroic efforts to save her.

Durban - A 35-year-old woman who had decided to take a lunchtime swim at the Port Edward beach died on Monday, despite the heroic efforts of a guest house owner and a bather to save her life.

The unnamed woman is believed to be a local municipality employee who worked as a cleaner at the beach. She had been at the beach with colleagues and was swept out to sea by a strong rip current.

But for Peter Brereton, 58, who had been relaxing on the beach with his wife Theresa and his dogs, the day turned frantic when he saw commotion at the beach.

He left his wife, called for help and rushed to the drowning woman on his Jet Ski.

Struggling to find the person in trouble in the breakers, he shouted to a bystander, Simthembile Bitsha, 25, to hop on to the jet Ski so he could direct him to the person in trouble. They soon came across the woman in dire difficulty and Brereton handed over the helm of the Jet Ski to Bitsha, while he leapt into the water to rescue her.

“There was a strong rip and the water was really deep and the woman was really heavy.

“So I took off the life jacket because I realised that it helped me to help her. I lost her for a while and she went to the bottom for a moment, but luckily I found her,” he said.

The waves hurled Brereton and the woman back to shore. Bitsha, in the meantime had capsized with the Jet Ski.

Brereton screamed and told him to hold on to the boat to avoid another drowning and he washed up on shore safely.

“By the time we got to the shore, I was finished, people were just watching and I was calling for help, I tried to resuscitate her, but she was gone,” he said.

Brereton said he felt bad that he was unable to save the woman, and said he had successfully resuscitated two bathers 18 years ago.

Had it not been for fatigue, he believed he would have been able to save the woman.

Brereton said when the emergency services arrived, he nearly collapsed and needed to be treated for exhaustion. He took a three-hour nap after the incident to recuperate.

National Sea Rescue Institute spokesman, Craig Lambinon, confirmed that the NSRI Port Edward rescue crew was called for assistance.

Lambinon hailed the Breretons and Bitsha for their efforts. “NSRI commends Peter for his gallant effort and quick thinking today. Despite the sad outcome, every effort was made to try to save the woman’s life.

“Bitsha is commended for bravely going out with Peter on the Jet Ski and playing an integral part in directing Peter to the victim,” he said.

Daily News

The IFP has called for its members to remain calm after the killing of a member at Jacob’s Hostel, near Umlazi.

Durban - The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has called for its members to remain calm and allow police to investigate the killing of a member, and the injury of another after they were shot at Jacob’s Hostel, near Umlazi, on Sunday.

Party national chairman, Blessed Gwala, said the party had launched a branch at the hostel and in the early evening, while members were celebrating a successful launch, gunshots were fired.

Nicholas Bhengu was killed, while Thanduyise Mnyandu was hospitalised after he was hit. It is not clear at this stage how many times the two men were hit.

“Some are saying the shots were fired from a window at the upper level of the hostel, while others say the shots were fired from the crowed. We don’t know the motive for the shooting. We don’t want to say it is politically motivated because that itself could be dangerous. We call for calm, we don’t want to incite violence,” Gwala said.

Provincial MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Willies Mchunu, deplored the incident.

“This is troubling news. It is disturbing and regrettable that members of political parties are targeted by criminals. Incidents like this have the potential to undermine the gains made in bringing about political stability and tolerance in the province,” said Mchunu.

He urged anyone with information about the incident to contact the police.

Provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Jay Naicker, said:

“Investigations are on-going and we hope that witnesses will come forward and co-operate with the investigation.”

Daily News

An independent adjudicator has declared a multimillion-rand contract to guard Durban’s ICC invalid.

Durban - An independent adjudicator has declared a multimillion-rand contract to guard Durban’s International Convention Centre invalid and has ordered the entity’s bid adjudication committee to consider other bids.

The adjudicator found that Isidingo Security Services did not meet the mandatory criteria to provide security to Durban’s five-star, internationally renowned conference centre.

This was after an appeal against the awarding of the contract was launched by losing bidder, Khuselani Security and Risk Management, which had been providing security to the ICC, and the Security Association of South Africa (Sasa).

Khuselani and Sasa had objected on the basis that, among other things, Isidingo had been unfairly scored on its experience and the firm had not complied with legislation governing the security industry.

According to papers filed before the adjudicator, the invitation to tender for the contract was advertised on August 23, 2013.

Seven days later, there was a site briefing attended by representatives of 66 companies.

After receiving all the bids, the Bid Evaluation Committee sat on November 4 and found that Isidingo Security Services had the most responsive bid and awarded the company a 36-month contract worth R544 740 a month.

Sasa objected on the grounds that Isidingo Security was having its Gold Membership status with the association withdrawn over its non-compliance with the minimum legal requirements of a security service provider.

It alleged that the company had been deducting provident fund contributions from its employees, but had failed to pay the deductions as well as its own contributions to the fund administrators.

Khuselani Security contended that Isidingo Security did not have the necessary experience to provide security to the ICC and that its own bid was the most competitive and cost effective.

The adjudicator, MC Nkomo, found in favour of Khuselani and Sasa, ruling that Isidingo should have been excluded from the bid process as it did not meet the mandatory requirements. “I hereby remit the matter back to the Bid Adjudication Committee in order for them to consider all responsive bids and to award accordingly,” he said.

Enforce Security welcomed the judgment, saying it was a success not only for the appellants, but for the private security industry as a whole.

Gary Tintinger, director of Enforce Security and chairman of Sasa KZN, said non-compliance was rife in the market because large, corporate consumers were putting aside legislation in favour of cheaper services.

“This practice not only undermines the professionalism of the industry but also puts at risk the quality of security services provided, as non-compliant companies, which win lucrative tenders based on offering cheaper services, are ultimately robbing their most important assets - their security officers,” Tintinger said.

“These security officers are denied basic employment benefits such as leave and overtime pay, to name a few, which not only impacts their lives and those of their families, but also, understandably, affects their level of service.”

Tintinger said he hoped that the ruling would sway large companies to rethink their responsibility to not only the security industry and the officers employed by non-compliant security companies, but also to their stakeholders who are relying on quality security services.

The eThekwini Municipality and Isidingo Security had not respond to questions from the Daily News by the time of publication.

Daily News

A 29-year-old man has been handed three life terms plus 28 years for a series of rapes, robberies, assault and murder.

Durban - A 29-year-old man has been handed three life terms and an additional 28-year prison sentence for a series of rapes, robberies, assault and the murder of a schoolgirl committed over a 10-year period.

Simphiwe Ncube, 29, was convicted and sentenced at the Durban High Court on Friday.

Police spokesman, Colonel Jay Naicker, said the crimes were committed between 2004 and 2014 in the KwaMakhutha and eFolweni townships, south of Durban. Ncube was sentenced to life imprisonment for the killing of schoolgirl Thembeka Mkhize, who was found raped and murdered on the side of the road at Golokodo Reserve, eFolweni, in February last year.

He got two more life sentences for two separate rape cases, another 15 years for another rape, 10 years for robbery and three years for the assault of one of the victims.

Naicker said Mkhize was found half-naked, raped and fatally stabbed with her school uniform by her side.

Naicker said Ncube had attacked, raped and robbed a 36-year-old woman in October, 2010, in Zwelisha, also near Golokodo Reserve.

She was robbed of her belongings at knifepoint.

In 2004, the convicted murderer had attacked two scholars and a young woman, while using a knife as a weapon on different occasions.

“The match of the DNA samples assisted in solving a case of rape that occurred in November, 2004, where a scholar was also assaulted and raped by Ncube at knifepoint in KwaMakhutha,” Naicker said.

Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni, praised police and the Umlazi Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit for presenting fully investigated dockets, which led to the conviction and sentencing.

“We are thrilled, as this criminal will spend his life in prison where he will not be able to hurt another woman again,” she said.

Daily News

Civil rights movement AfriForum and Agri SA have signed an agreement to combat crime together.

Durban - Civil rights movement AfriForum and Agri SA have signed an agreement to combat crime together in rural and urban areas.

The agreement formalises a partnership between the two organisations that will see them working together to combat crime in a co-ordinated manner.

As part of the agreement, AfriForum would focus on urban areas, while Agri SA would concentrate in the rural areas, in order to avoid duplication.

The agreement follows a recent farm attack in Hluhluwe, where a 62-year-old farmer, Terrence Rizzato, was shot dead at his farm.

His wife and dog were struck on the head with an unknown object by a group of machine-gun wielding men, while his staff were tied up.

They broke into a safe and got away with his bakkie.

Kallie Kriel, AfriForum's chief executive, said the agreement was a “major step” to ensure the safety of communities that were affected by crime.

“This agreement was entered into because organisations within civil society have an obligation to the public to ensure that community safety actions are tackled as effectively as possible,” he said.

AfriForum was in discussion with other role players to join the agreement, Kriel said.

Kobus Breytenbach, Agri SA’s rural security committee chairman, called for farming communities to deal with safety issues and work closely with farmers’ associations.

“With this agreement an attempt is made to eliminate confusion regarding the handling of security issues, especially within agricultural communities. Agri SA has a responsibility to deal with rural safety down to farmer association level, and to clear such actions with the police within the priority committee system,” he said.

The organisations said the agreement would see them meet twice a year at national and provincial level to discuss matters of common interest.

Daily News

Aavishkar Sadanan who was shot, allegedly by police, during a car chase says he is lucky to be alive.

Durban - “IT WAS the scariest experience of my life. I am lucky to be alive.”

These were the words of 25-year-old gunshot victim Aavishkar Sadanan in an interview with the Daily News on Monday.

Sadanan was shot, allegedly by police, during a car chase on the night of February 3.

The police allege Sadanan was drag racing with his friends at Prilla Mills in Mountain Rise, a known drag race hot spot, when police swooped on them.

It is alleged that Sadanan attempted to evade police, who chased him around Mountain Rise, Northdale, and into the CBD. Police allegedly opened fire on Sadanan’s 1.4 VW Golf VeloCiti, wounding him in the back.

The bullet, which is currently lodged 2cm away from his heart, entered Sadanan’s back and penetrated his 11th rib, cut through his diaphragm, bruised his spleen and then lodged in his chest cavity.

Doctors have told Sadanan it is too dangerous to remove the bullet.

Sadanan spent several weeks recuperating in the ICU of Greys Hospital before he was discharged.

“I am in constant pain and have very little energy. I sleep for most of the day and cannot eat a lot. I am in terrible discomfort,” Sadanan said.

Speaking publicly of his ordeal for the first time since the night he was shot, Sadanan, who gave the interview in the presence of his attorney, Kameel Jagernath, said he first wanted to make it clear that he was not a drag racer, and had never participated in any drag racing event, illegally or otherwise.

“I am a typical male. I am a car enthusiast and I have modified my car cosmetically. But my car is a stock, standard 1.4 VW. There were no mechanical modifications made to the car for it to be considered a race car. I am not a drag racer,” Sadanan said.

Sadanan said that on the night of February 3, he was at a workshop in Allandale with friends, where one of them was working on his car.

“We left the workshop and were on our way to Monty’s Garage in Ohrtmann Road. We stopped at a red robot at Prilla Mills, and we were being boys, and messing around and revving our engines. There was no intention to race, it was just boys being boys.

“That is when one of my friends in the car behind me indicated that there was a cop car behind us,” Sadanan said.

He said his friend, Nadeem Kader, who was driving the car next to him, turned left.

Sadanan turned right towards Manchester Road and then into Greytown Road. At this point, no one was following him.

“I was travelling at a normal speed, around 60km/h, when suddenly I heard sirens and saw blue lights behind me.

“I didn’t think they were coming for me, so I continued driving, thinking they would pass me. They stayed behind me, and so I turned into Mysore Road and then again into Bangalore Road, but they continued to follow me, and then they started firing,” Sadanan said.

He said that at first he didn’t know who the police were shooting at, but then realised he was the only vehicle on the road.

“I was completely panic-stricken. I kept thinking maybe they made a mistake and were firing at the wrong guy.

“I hadn’t committed any crime for them to be shooting at me. I was so scared. All I wanted was to be seen and to get to a busy area where I could get help, and I started speeding away from the police,” Sadanan said.

In the midst of the highspeed chase, Sadanan was hit.

“With the adrenalin going through me and the trauma and shock of being fired at, I only realised I was shot when I felt my back getting wet, and then felt a searing heat going through my body. But I continued driving. I just wanted to get away from the danger,” he said.

The pursuit eventually ended in William Street, outside the Mariammen temple.

Sadanan said he had remembered it was Kavady at the temple on that night, and had known it would be busy, so he drove in that direction.

He said he was pulled out of his car and his hands cable-tied behind his back.

“I was assaulted and kicked to the ground, and a policeman was standing with his leg on my chest. I was in the worst pain I have ever felt. The cops then noticed the blood on my shirt and cut my shirt open.

“That is when they saw I was shot and called for an ambulance,” Sadanan said.

Sadanan said he was lying on the road, bleeding and in and out of consciousness for an hour before the ambulance arrived. He was then taken to hospital.

He explained that all the while he was being chased, not once was he warned to pull over.

“The way I was treated was a complete over-reaction to what police perceived to be a drag race.

“I was not drag racing, but even if I appeared to be racing that night, that still does not justify the excessive force used by police. Is this the state of the justice system?” Sadanan asked.

He said he was still traumatised when he saw a policeman or heard a police siren,.

“I just fly into a panicked state. I don’t know if I am ever going to get over what has happened to me,” he said.

Ipid is investigating charges of attempted murder against the policemen in question.

The police’s Thulani Zwane confirmed that no arrests had been made.

Daily News

A Durban principal will donate a portion of winnings from a Lifetime Achievement award to his school.

Durban - To thank pupils and staff for their continued support, a Durban principal intends to donate a portion of winnings from a Lifetime Achievement award to his school.

Principal of Verulam’s Glenhaven Secondary School, Ganasen Reddy, whose achievement was announced on Saturday at the National Teacher Awards, has held the role of principal for seven years, and has been teaching for 32 years.

The annual awards, organised by the Department of Basic Education, recognised and rewarded excellence in the country’s educators.

“It takes more than one flower to make a garland. My efforts would mean nothing without the pupils. This is why I do the work I do,” said the seasoned biology teacher.

Reddy said he was still thinking about how to thank his students, but said that they were entitled to “a little treat”.

“A percentage needs to go to the school to say thanks,” he said.

The recognition of his efforts had left him “on top of the world”.

“I’ve received accolades before, but none as big as this one. I was so shocked when they made the announcement. The venue was so large and full of people. Even (deputy president) Cyril Ramaphosa was there,” he said.

The honour had been overwhelming enough - until he realised the prize included a brand new Chevrolet Spark.

“I can’t describe the feeling as anything but euphoria. I still haven’t digested it totally,” he said. He was proud of the province’s performance in the awards.

When asked to share advice for up-and-coming teachers, he said: “This is a hard job that requires dedication. At the same time, it is a joy to see the impact you make. I have helped make engineers, doctors, lawyers, and the list goes on.”

Despite the fact that the students at the school faced socio-economic challenges, and 80 percent of them applied for fee concessions, the school had managed to maintain its high matric pass rate of between 80 and 100 percent.

“Some of our kids are the poorest of the poor: orphans, and those who survive on social grants, and generally face extreme hardships, but they do their best and we do our best to help them,” he said.

The school tried to accommodate every child who approached it.

“We have applied to become a ‘no fee-paying school’,” he said.

He extended thanks to the school’s governing body, particularly its chairman, Andre Padia, for the support and help.

Daily News

Four construction workers at the Durban harbour were seriously hurt when a steel frame roof they were erecting collapsed.

Durban - Four construction workers were seriously hurt at the Durban harbour fresh produce terminal on Monday after a steel frame roof they were erecting collapsed.

Transnet National Port Authority general manager of corporate affairs, Lunga Ngcobo, said the incident was under investigation.

“They were working on a steel roof structure at the terminal when it collapsed underneath them. There are no fatalities: all are in hospital. The Department of Labour was notified about the accident and gave the private company, which was doing the construction, the go-ahead to work after making an inspection,” Ngcobo said.

The facilities at the harbour were leased to different contractors, she said.

“The contracts for different tenants differ; therefore the terms and conditions are different.

“In this case, I wouldn’t know the terms of this tenant’s contract so I can’t tell who is liable for damages, repairs or maintenance,” she said, adding that a comprehensive report would be made available once the incident had been thoroughly investigated.

According to an employee at a nearby site, who asked to remain anonymous, the construction workers were raising the roof higher than its original level.

“It was before lunch when the steel structure came crashing down.

“I’m not sure if the four men were up there but I remember seeing two. When the structure collapsed, there were four of them lying there bleeding.”

Another employee, who also asked to remain anonymous, said when the structure collapsed the security personnel “chased” all the employees away from the scene.

“They even tried to confiscate our cellphones because some of us were taking pictures of the scene. The way they (security) handled the situation was harsh because we’re traumatised by the experience,” he said.

“The site is right next door so that’s scary enough to traumatise the employees.”

Ahmed Hoosen, a senior manager at the terminal, was contacted for comment but would only say: “There are no fatalities and no information is available at this stage as the accident is investigated.”

KZN Emergency Medical Services (EMS) paramedics said the employees fell about 5m to 6m.

Spokesman, Robert McKenzie, said the men were working on a steel structure, believed to be a cold storage container, where renovations were being done.

“According to paramedics on scene, part of the structure appears to have collapsed and the men fell to the ground with the structure.

“EMS paramedics and a local private ambulance service treated the injured and transferred them to different hospitals,” McKenzie said.

The Department of Labour’s deputy communications director, Nhlanhla Khumalo, said he was waiting for a report from the relevant officials.

Daily News

An elderly man accused of witchcraft was murdered in Mandaba near Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal.

Mthatha - An elderly man accused of witchcraft was murdered in Mandaba near Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal police said on Tuesday.

Colonel Jay Naicker said Mgwazeni Delwa, 73, was at his home when three people threw stones at him and beat him with knobkerries and sticks in the early hours of Monday morning.

“It's alleged that the suspects accused the deceased of performing witchcraft,” he said.

Nkandla police received a complaint of murder and on arrival they found the body of Delwa with wounds on his head.

The three, aged between 17 and 19, were arrested and charged with murder.

“They appeared in Nkandla Magistrate's Court today (Tuesday). A minor was transferred to a place of safety in Pinetown and the two other suspects were remanded in custody until March 16.”

Sapa

Police are investigating the discovery of foetuses in medical storage jars in Mariannhill near Pinetown.

Durban - Police are investigating the discovery of foetuses in medical storage jars in Mariannhill near Pinetown, a police spokesman said on Tuesday.

Police spokesman Colonel Jay Naicker said the bottled foetuses were found in an open area near an abandoned doctor's surgery.

Naicker said the doctor had died and residents had reported seeing someone recently cleaning the premises.

It was not immediately clear who discovered the foetuses or how many there were.

SABC radio news reported that it was three foetuses, but this could not be confirmed.

Sapa

They are Durban’s “hidden children” - smuggled past guards at the “women only” hostel where they live in fear.

Durban - They are Durban’s “hidden children” - smuggled past guards at the “women only” hostel where they live secretly with their mothers and guardians in constant fear of being found out.

But now 28 residents of Thokoza Women’s Hostel in Yusuf Dadoo (Grey) Street are going to court, challenging what they say are apartheid-like rules - separating mothers from their children - imposed by the eThekwini Municipality.

With the city dictating that all children living there must be gone by this Sunday the women, assisted by the Legal Resources Centre, will apply for an urgent interdict in the Durban High Court on Wednesday, preventing this pending a judicial review of the “no kids” policy.

The city is expected to oppose the application, but has not yet filed any papers. Spokeswoman Gugu Sisilana said the official dealing with the matter was not available to comment on Monday.

The hostel officially sleeps 1 000, but is home to about 2 000 people, among them Nomvula Zulu and her sisters Winnie and Xoli. They had four children living with them.

While her sisters worked, Nomvula stayed at home, baking cakes and looking after the children.

This entailed “smuggling” the older ones in and out of the hostel every day so they could attend school.

“Security at the hostel is extremely strict and residents may only enter and exit using swipe tags. Security guards are stationed at the entrance to monitor comings and goings,” she said.

“We are aware of the no-children rule, but it has not been strictly enforced and it has always been an open secret that some children live there.

“This has led to an absurd situation where the children are effectively hidden in the rooms, out of sight of the superintendent. They are not permitted to play in the quadrant and are confined to their mothers’ rooms once they return from school.”

Nomvula said every morning she let the children out using her disc except on days when the superintendent was at the main gate and they were forced to stay at home.

“We live in constant fear that the children will be barred from re-entering when they come home.

“We have been told they will be locked out and that the police’s dog unit will be called to chase us out of the building.”

She said one day last year, the guards had refused to allow the children back in the afternoon.

They were taken to a friend’s flat and smuggled back in late that night.

In January this year, the residents were told of a “crackdown”, that children had to leave and, in future, all male children older than 10 would also be barred, even from visiting during the school holidays.

The next month, the children were again stopped from entering, but were later sneaked in when no one was looking.

After intervention by the Legal Resource Centre - and in spite of assurances that this would not happen again - the superintendent “chased the children out on to the street” one afternoon.

Under threat of court action, they were let back in at 6pm.

Nomvula said they had now been told that all the children must go by this Sunday.

“Many of us do not have anywhere to send our children. We once tried to relocate them to an informal settlement near Umgeni Road, renting a shack for R1 200 a month. But we brought them back because the conditions were unsanitary and dangerous.

“If our children are barred from the building, they will be homeless,” she said.

In correspondence attached to the court papers, the hostel’s superintendent, Siyabonga Mkhize, said the current structure of the building ‘does not permit for children’, but there were plans to upgrade it to allow residents to live as families.

He said some residents complained that children damaged cars, left taps running, and babies cried all night, disrupting sleep.

Workers at the building complained about an increased workload and systems were overloaded because of overcrowding.

‘I gave residents a grace period of seven days to comply with the no-children policy. At no point did I mention that I would evict tenants that have children in the building,’ he said.

The Mercury

Angry people protested outside the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court where five people accused of kidnapping a baby appeared.

Durban - Dozens of angry men and women protested at the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Monday where five people accused of kidnapping a baby appeared.

Some carried young children as they stood at the gates of the court, opposing the bail application of the suspects arrested in connection with the abduction of a 6-month-old boy.

The protesters, from Durban and Etsheni Elimnyama, in Mariannhill, where the baby lived with his parents before being kidnapped - held placards, reading, “Down with baby stealers”, “No bail”, and “We want justice”, while singing and chanting.

Later, they went inside and watched the proceedings and show support for the kidnapped baby’s mother.

The accused - Tazley Msweli, Sbongile Ndimande, Thembi Cele, and husband and wife - Catherine Ramlatchman, 36, and Rajendra Ramlatchman, 38 - were appearing on allegations of kidnapping and child trafficking.

The court heard that Cele, a domestic worker for the Ramlatchmans, was the alleged link between the accused child kidnappers and the alleged “buyers”.

The investigating officer from the Pinetown Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit said the baby, kidnapped outside a shop on October 29, had been handed back to his parents.

Catherine Ramlatchman, who allegedly bought the child from the kidnappers with Rajendra, was in tears during the bail hearing.

The investigating officer said that all the accused had been co-operative during their arrest and she had not intended to oppose bail.

“I did not intend to oppose bail for accused one (Msweli) because she co-operated. But now the court has to decide because she did not disclose her previous convictions,” the officer said.

She denied that Rajendra had handed himself to the police, saying that he was arrested when he went to visit his wife at the Pinetown police station.

“They (the Ramlatchmans) had no fixed address or property registered to them and they are not staying at their own homes. They are renting.

“If you are a tenant, you can go whenever you want,” the officer said.

The policewoman said Rajendra had not been physically involved in stealing the child.

She could not confirm how much the child had been bought for, or if it was for money.

However, according to media reports last week the baby was sold for R5 000.

The policewoman said she could not prove that the baby had been mistreated by the Ramlatchmans.

“(T)he condition of the baby was satisfying when he was found,” she said, adding: “(The couple) told me that they (Msweli and Ndimande) stole the child.”

The Ramlatchmans’ legal representative, Ridewaan Sayed, said that his clients would not evade trial.

Rajendra’s passport was for work purposes because he travelled outside South Africa, he said.

The Ramlatchmans had voluntarily brought their passports to court, he said, adding that the child’s immunisation card had also been given to the investigating officer.

Zinhle Mashaba, representing the other accused, said her clients had no passports to declare, but they had fixed home addresses.

Magistrate Ambigabatha Kisten adjourned the bail application to later this week.

Daily News

Businessman’s alleged accomplice in love rival murded conceded he was a drug addict, alcoholic, thief, fraudster, extortionist and an embarrassment to the SAPS

Pietermaritzburg - A crime accomplice, who turned State witness in the murder trial of Pietermaritzburg businessman Ravijee Soni, on Tuesday admitted he was a drug addict, alcoholic, thief, fraudster, extortionist and an embarrassment to the SAPS.

Witness Sugen Naidoo, who for three days testified against Soni, was being cross-examined by Soni's attorney Narend Sangham in the Pietermaritzburg High Court.

Naidoo has alleged that Soni offered R150 000 to have Dr Bhavish Sewram killed. Sewram was shot dead as he left his surgery in May 2013.

The State alleges that Soni in fury orchestrated the murder, believing that Sewram had an affair with his wife.

Naidoo said in court that Soni told him he had made the offer to former policeman Brian Treasurer, who will also stand trial for the murder.

He was the alleged conduit of money to hitmen.

Sangham said that when Naidoo committed crimes and circumstances became “too hot” for him he became a section 204 witness for the State in respect of the crimes in which he took part.

He would get paid off for agreeing to testify in court against people.

Sangham said that when people were injured in a road accident Naidoo corruptly, suddenly became an “injured passenger hurt in the accident” and received payment from the Road Accident Fund (RAF).

Naidoo said that there was widespread corruption in RAF, some involving doctors and attorneys.

Naidoo admitted that once when he was corruptly paid off R300 000 he “blew” the money on gambling and drugs.

Sangham said that Naidoo was charged with 19 others for corruption and Naidoo was charged with 17 counts of petrol theft. Naidoo said that the charges against him were withdrawn.

Sangham said that a Mountain Rise crime unit headed by Naidoo's partner Captain Norman was nicknamed “Money Market”.

Naidoo admitted that for R3000 a crime docket could be bought.

At Mountain Rise when a person was charged for a serious crime, for which only a court could grant bail, bribes were paid to a senior officer to release the suspect. Attorneys sometimes paid the bribes.

Sangham said that sometimes, when a crime victim wanted the perpetrator to be charged in court, the investigator was bribed. It sometimes happened that the perpetrator would also buy off the charge.

Naidoo admitted he and his partner would take crime dockets home.

Naidoo would be able to read dockets that his partner brought, Sangham said.

The case continues.

Sapa

Years of neglect of the city’s ailing water infrastructure have left the eThekwini Municipality with a R300m problem.

Durban - Years of neglect of the city’s ailing and crippled water infrastructure have left the eThekwini Municipality with no option but to take drastic steps and pay big money.

More than 15 000 households contribute nothing to the city coffers for the water they use.

This was the frank observation by eThekwini water and sanitation head Ednick Msweli in a detailed report tabled before the city’s executive committee on Tuesday.

To address the water loss nightmare, the city would have to pay R300 million a year for the next five years.

In the report, Msweli said 35% of water leakage was due to faulty taps, overflows at storages and “leakages on service connections up to point of customer metering”. He said the R300m would be used to replace ageing pipes.

The auditor-general’s report released in January revealed how the city was losing 237 million litres of water a day because of leaks. It stated the losses amounted to R602.6 million a year.

The municipality’s executive committee expressed concern last week about the growing water loss challenge and requested a presentation from the water and sanitation unit.

A breakdown of the losses includes “unbilled metered”, “unbilled authorised”, “illegal” consumptions and metering inaccuracies, among others.

He said the primary reason for the municipality’s precarious situation was that infrastructure had not been replaced on time.

Illegal connections spiralled with communities not taking advantage of water amnesty programmes. Other contributing factors were:

* Unmetered connections.

* Connections not in Coins (billing system) or not monitored.

* Inadequate capacity (human and financial resources).

* Vandalism of infrastructure.

Mwseli’s report also noted “community behaviour” in some areas, citing KwaMashu’s L Section, where city workers were “unable to work”.

According to the report, the city’s billing system was fraught with irregularities. For example, 40 187 water accounts were active but were billed “zero consumption”.

He said 406 600 meters were billed and he was confident that “95% were good reads”.

He said the city’s infrastructure was at the lowest level, which meant it needed to be replaced.

“We need to invest - either fixing or rehabilitating,” he said. At this point, councillors interjected, asking: “How much?”

He said the department would need R300m for the next five years.

“Our infrastructure is failing. We are recording 285 faults (bursts) a day… Unless you replace or rehabilitate - the 285 will become 385 and so on. This is just on the water network; on the connection side, it’s another 280 leaks a day,” he said.

The report said the city needed to eradicate water and sanitation backlogs in five to eight years. It also urged the city to promote water amnesty programmes.

DA caucus leader Zwakele Mncwango welcomed the report, but lambasted contractors. He said the city should investigate some of them as he believed they “sabotage” the municipality. He said someone needed to be held accountable.

ANC councillor Zandile Gumede appreciated Msweli’s frank talk, but said there needed to be emphasis on community education.

The Mercury

A man who was trapped in his car with metal stuck in his abdomen is lucky to be alive, says the surgeon who freed him.

Durban - A Durban man who was trapped in his mangled car for more than three hours with metal stuck in his abdomen is “lucky to be alive”, according to the surgeon who was flown to the site to free him.

The 30-year-old driver, who has not been named, had crashed into a pole in Umgeni Road on Saturday.

He underwent orthopaedic surgery at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital on Tuesday night and is said to be doing well.

Dr Mike Faurie, a trauma surgeon and a trainee specialist surgeon – who helped free the man with a team of paramedics and firefighters – has been praised by KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo for saving the man’s life.

The 37-year-old doctor was flown to the crash scene by helicopter to perform emergency surgery on the patient.

A piece of metal had pierced the man’s abdomen.

“In terms of actual surgery, I’ve never done something like this before, not on the roadside,” Faurie said yesterday.

“When I arrived, I noticed that he had a piece of metal that had pierced the abdominal skin. Fortunately, it had gone through the skin and the soft tissue and did not enter the abdominal cavity.

“I gave him some local anaesthetic around the penetration of the metal and pain control so he was able to breathe for himself,” said Faurie, a Westville Boys’ High School old boy.

He said experience gained helping crash victims while doing his community service, had helped him with the operation.

“He is lucky to be alive, he was very seriously injured. It’s thanks to the good job of the paramedics and the fire department, a good team effort overall, that resulted in a positive outcome for this patient,” Faurie said.

The on-scene surgery took about 10 minutes. A further 15 minutes were needed to free the driver because his legs were still trapped in the car.

Dhlomo hailed the rescue team.

“This could not have been possible if it were not for the team effort of our health practitioners as well as the high level of competence by our surgeon. Thanks to them, the man is alive and recuperating well in hospital,” he said.

Daily News

This is what Musa Sokhela is asking after his son and father were injured and his mother was killed in their home.

Durban - “What kind of a human being pulls a trigger and pumps a bullet into a 3-year-old?”

This is the question a devastated Musa Sokhela is asking after discovering his toddler son, Siyanda, lying bloodied and injured on the floor of their home.

Sokhela’s elderly mother, Wezi, was murdered while his father, Thiyephi Sokhela, was injured in a hit apparently meant for the 28-year-old on Tuesday.

This comes barely three weeks after Sokhela was shot in the head and left for dead. He was discharged from hospital six days ago.

Sokhela was in a nearby house in the quiet, rural area of KwaNgcolosi near Hillcrest when he heard shots just after 1pm on Tuesday.

A relative, who asked not to be named as she feared for her life, said she had been sitting in the house with the elderly couple, Sokhela’s son and a 2-year-old niece when two men knocked and came inside.

“They asked us where Musa was or if we could give them his cellphone number.”

She said Sokhela’s father got up to call his son rather than lead the men to him, but one of them insisted on going out with him, saying he wanted to smoke outside.

“I don’t know what happened outside… I just heard a bang. We were in such shock we just sat there.”

The suspects then pointed the gun at her and the niece, but did not shoot. Instead Sokhela’s mother was shot at point blank range. “Her head just fell,” said the relative, her voice shaking.

The gunmen then turned the firearm on Sokhela’s son who was sitting on the floor and fired.

Wearing a neck brace as he recovers from his own shooting, Sokhela said he heard shots in quick succession and closed the windows to the house he was in, just metres away.

After running up a small embankment separating the houses, he had to break a window to enter the house as his bewildered relative had locked the door after the gunmen “casually” walked out.

“My mother just looked like her head was bowed but she was still and I knew she was gone,” he said. “My father and son were still moving.”

On Monday Sokhela had accompanied police to point out the scene of his own shooting.

On February 18, he was picked up by men known to him and driven around before they stopped at a secluded area near Inanda.

One man asked to use his phone, but opened the car door and pointed a gun at Sokhela.

In the spilt second it took a petrified Sokhela to turn around to give a questioning look to the other man next to him, a shot was fired.

He fell out of the car and the men drove off, leaving him for dead.

The bullet entered the back of his head, went through his lip and out his right cheek.

Police spokesman Colonel Jay Naicker said the boy and his grandfather were in a critical condition in hospital and police were investigating cases of murder and attempted murder.

Daily News

A ringing cellphone in an arrested man's pocket led police to two house robbers in Ladysmith, KZN police said.

Johannesburg - A ringing cellphone in an arrested man's pocket led police to two house robbers in Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal police said on Wednesday.

Police arrested two men on Bombay Road, Leonardsville, after finding alcohol and suspect stolen goods in their bags on Tuesday afternoon, Colonel Jay Naicker said in a statement.

While police were driving them away, a cellphone belonging to one of the men rang. A police officer answered the call and realised the two men had been on their way to meet the caller.

At the meeting point police arrested two other men suspected of having robbed an elderly couple in their house in Madras Road minutes earlier. The couple sustained minor injuries.

Police confiscated cash, cigarettes, cellphones, clothing, liquor and knives from the four men, aged between 27 and 30.

The four would appear in the Ladysmith Magistrate's Court on charges of house robbery and possession of suspected stolen property soon.

Sapa

Victims of the RTI recruitment drive fitness test that claimed the lives of eight people, say they want justice.

Durban - Victims of the RTI recruitment drive fitness test that claimed the lives of eight people two years ago, and led to the hospitalisation of hundreds more, told the Daily News on Tuesday that more than being compensated for the tragedy, what they wanted most was justice.

They were speaking after the KwaZulu-Natal transport department made cash payments to some of the victims of the fateful fitness test.

Department of Transport head, Sbu Gumbi, confirmed that last month 18 people who had not suffered lasting effects from their injuries were paid R10 000, in line with the recommendations by the commission of inquiry into the tragedy.

In accepting these payments, the victims signed a document precluding them from pursuing any further legal action against the department.

Gumbi said actuaries would soon visit the families of the dead to determine how much they would receive.

Sabathile Mhlanga, mother of Simangaliso, 30, who ran on December 28 and collapsed and died at the stadium, said she was anxious about how much she was going to receive.

“How is someone going to come to my house and calculate how much I deserve? You can’t put a price on my child. But the money is not even that important to me, the people responsible for my son’s death must be punished. We want justice,” she said.

Cedrick Maduna, who ran the race on December 27 and landed in hospital with heat stroke and dehydration, said he was satisfied with the monetary compensation of R10 000. “We are thankful that the government recognise the suffering we endured, but at the same time, the people who put us at risk must face the might of the law. They could have killed many more people with their negligence,” he said.

More than 34 000 people had qualified to apply for 90 RTI trainee posts that were advertised by the department in 2012.

Of these, 15 600 applicants attended a fitness test at the Harry Gwala Stadium on December 27 that year, and the rest the following day.

Weather conditions on the first day were about 30C with 60 percent humidity, and on the second day about 27.2C with humidity of about 50 percent.

Scores of people were admitted to hospital after taking part in the 4km run to test their fitness. Seven died of dehydration and heatstroke, while the eighth apparently committed suicide after failing to pass.

The recommendation by the RTI Commission was that transport officials who erred in the organisation of the event should have disciplinary action brought against them.

Set up in March 2013, the commission’s findings included that the organisers had:

* Failed to comply with the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act;

* Omitted to officially book a stadium for the event;

* Failed to arrange adequate medical measures. Only two ambulances had been requested in an informal manner;

* Failed to provide sufficient ablution facilities for the number of participants; and

* Failed to ensure the 13 000 capacity of the stadium was not exceeded.

The commission further found that there was insufficient water for the participants, and that there was no control of alcohol within and around the route of the activity around the stadium.

Gumbi said the officials in question had yet to face disciplinary hearings, as these were “complicated processes” and that charges were currently being formulated against them.

“Reports need to be compiled before any hearing can take place,” he said.

The officials at the centre of the RTI tragedy have been identified as Sibusiso Sithole, Miranda Zwane, Fanana Sibiya and Hamilton Nzimakwe, who has since passed away.

No criminal charges have been opened against them.

Daily News

An alleged dirty cop believed to be involved in the Wentworth drug and turf wars, has again been granted bail.

Durban - An alleged dirty cop believed to be involved in the Wentworth drug and turf wars, facing a series of charges, has been granted bail for the second time in under two months.

Suspended Captain Larry Heslop, 44, a policeman with 21 years’ service, was on Tuesday granted bail of R5 000 at the Durban Magistrate’s Court.

He is being charged with four counts of attempted murder for his alleged role in a Christmas Day shooting in Alabama Road, Wentworth.

This follows him being granted R10 000 bail for separate matters where he is charged with attempted murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition relating to a shooting outside the Hip Hop Palace nightclub in Wentworth on New Year’s Day, and a charge of pointing a firearm in public relating to an incident outside the Keys on Florida Bar in Durban in December.

Heslop has indicated he intends to plead not guilty to all the charges brought against him.

His alleged crimes are now under investigation by the Hawks, who have taken over from Wentworth SAPS.

Lieutenant Muntomuhle Mbhele, the investigating officer from the Hawks, on Tuesday testified against Heslop being granted bail.

He told the court Heslop’s actions in the alleged shooting of four men on Christmas morning were related to the fight over territory and drugs that has besieged Wentworth.

Meanwhile the DA ward councillor for Wentworth, Aubrey Snyman, said the courts were not hearing the cries of the Wentworth community, which has been dogged by drugs and gang-related murders.

Daily News

Allegations of corruption and extortion by enior SAPS members at Mountain Rise police station were heard in court.

Durban - Startling allegations of mass corruption and extortion of epic proportions by police officers and senior members of the SAPS at Mountain Rise police station were heard in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Tuesday, during the cross-examination of ex-cop Sugen Naidoo.

Naidoo is testifying in the murder trial of local businessman Rajive Soni, 37, who is accused of orchestrating the murder of his former best friend, Dr Bhavish Sewram.

Soni has pleaded not guilty before Judge Jacqueline Henriques and assessor Gerhard Barnard to Sewram’s murder, and five other counts arising from an alleged campaign to make the late doctor’s life a “living hell”.

The State alleges Soni was motivated by revenge because he suspected the doctor of having had an affair with his wife during 2012.

Sewram was gunned down as he left his surgery in Chota Motala Road on the night of May 13, 2013.

Under cross-examination by Soni’s advocate, Narend Sangham, the ex-Mountain Rise policeman and self-confessed drug addict told the court the police station was an environment where corruption was rampant, and people were extorted daily.

Naidoo revealed that the Mountain Rise station commander, Brigadier Frances Bantham, was a “good friend” of Soni’s, and subsequent to Sewram’s death had commented that Soni was not guilty and “would walk this case”.

Naidoo alleged that Bantham had also encouraged him not to make a statement to the Hawks regarding the murder.

Described by Sangham as “the scum of the earth”, “a disgrace to the SAPS” and “a pathetic, pathological liar and thief”, Naidoo agreed with all these descriptions of himself, and laid bare his entire ”notorious career”.

Responding to questions put to him by Sangham, Naidoo revealed that his wife was a senior officer at Mountain Rise, Captain Norman.

Naidoo admitted that he had defrauded, extorted and deceived many members of the public in his career, and had been charged with corruption and theft on numerous occasions, but had charges against him withdrawn.

“In fact, you defended me on charges of attempted murder and assault, Mr Sangham, and got me acquitted. It’s because of you that I was still a policeman,” Naidoo said.

Sangham responded, saying he could not recall ever acting on Naidoo’s behalf.

Naidoo also conceded under cross-examination that he had been part of a scam at Mountain Rise police station in which he stole police dockets, extorted money from the people involved, and would then destroy the dockets.

He denied Sangham’s suggestion that he and his wife, Captain Norman, were involved in the scheme together.

Sangham put it to Naidoo that it was Captain Pipes Haffajee who was tasked with investigating the missing docket scam in an undercover operation. Naidoo laughed at this and said this was incorrect.

The former policeman admitted to also being part of a scam to defraud the RAF.

He is also a Section 204 (accomplice) witness in that case, in which he is charged with Dr Terence Govender and Msunduzi ward councillor and attorney, Nalini Atwaru.

Naidoo revealed that he and Atwaru had been involved in a “long-standing affair”.

The cohorts allegedly created imaginary accidents and submitted false claims to the RAF, along with medical reports from Govender. Naidoo claimed he benefited by about R400 000 from this scam.

He also admitted taking money from attorneys who wanted to secure bail for their clients. Naidoo said he would negotiate a price with the attorney and be paid.

“Every attorney walking into Mountain Rise police station after hours knew how the station operated. Everyone at Mountain Rise station is corrupt,” Naidoo said.

Naidoo claimed that his drug habit had consumed his life, and he needed the money to fuel his addiction. He said at one point in his career, he had smoked eight jaws of cocaine a day. One jaw is worth R1 000.

Naidoo said he had been “clean” for two years.

Referring to Soni, Naidoo said he had first become close friends with him in the early 90s, when he assisted one of Soni’s policeman friends to plant drugs on another person and charge him.

Sangham said Soni would deny this, and this was just another figment of Naidoo’s very active imagination.

“He (Soni) is going to deny everything I say,” Naidoo said.

Sangham also put it to Naidoo that Soni was in fact a victim of Naidoo’s extortion scams.

Naidoo made an exclamation of disbelief and said: “That is a lie. Everybody is lying right now except me.”

The trial continues.

Daily News