Former SA cricket captain Clive Rice has returned home from India after successfully undergoing brain surgery.

Durban - Former South African cricket captain, Clive Rice, 65, has returned home from India, jubilant after successfully undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumour.

Rice, who arrived in Gauteng on Wednesday night, said he was delighted to be back.

The CyberKnife robotic radio surgery - a non-invasive laser alternative to conventional surgery - had gone better than he expected, he said.

Rice left for India at the end of last month for the treatment to remove the tumour at the HCG Cancer Hospital in Bangalore, India, which boasts world-class technology.

He had been staying in a hotel near the hospital while he underwent various tests last week.

He told the Daily News on Thursday that it was by no means a sightseeing tour.

“I went for treatment and tests and returned to the hotel to rest.

“There were three one-hour CyberKnife robotic radio surgery procedure sessions over three days. You then had to wait for test results,” Rice said.

“The cancer in my lung tested not active. The one in my leg came back negative. The surgery on my brain was completed,” he said.

Rice, who now plays golf, joked: “They refurbished my brain. I hope they removed my bad golf swing cells so I can play golf better.”

He said he had no doubts about going to India.

“When they tell you they can do nothing about the medical condition in SA and you are going to die, you need to have a plan B in place. That was my plan B. You have to be proactive,” he said.

“You cannot wait for something to happen. I made a fantastic decision.”

Rice said he was willing to help others who had the same problem.

He has posted on social media the details of the doctor in charge of the procedures and offered to give advice to people struggling with the condition.

“Failure is not an option,” he posted on Facebook.

He said more than 1 800 operations had been successful at the hospital.

Rice said he was recovering from jet lag and tiredness.

“With radiation attacking the cells, you have to get over the tiredness. I also picked up a stomach bug. It delayed me from coming back home for two days,” he said.

Last month, Rice had been preparing to leave home for a round of golf.

While he was bending down to put on his shoes, he took a turn for the worse. He called his wife to help him and while she was putting on his shoes, he passed out. A scan revealed he had a brain tumour.

According to the Sport Rack website at the time, Rice’s tumour was too deep in his brain for a neurosurgeon to conduct invasive surgery to remove it. He then turned to the Indian hospital for treatment.

Rice said the local press in Bangalore had created quite a stir around his hospital trip and he was swamped by hospital staff and local fans.

“I cannot count the number of pictures taken of me. India has many cricket fanatics,” he said.

Daily News

The Kloof Neighbourhood Watch has been fined for using a green light on its volunteer patrol vehicles.

Durban - The Kloof Neighbourhood Watch has been fined for using a green light on its volunteer patrol vehicles.

The green light is mounted on top of the roof and flicks on and off while the volunteer patrol car drives in the suburb.

Michael Mooney, a resident and member of the neighbourhood watch, said the organisation was doing a fantastic job keeping the streets safe.

“They patrol the area in their own vehicles at their own expense and while patrolling, make use of green flashing lights. This is both reassuring to the community and a deterrent to criminals,” he said.

The Neighbourhood Watch claim they have been targeted by the Road Traffic Inspectorate who have issued fines to several vehicles. They also complained that an RTI officer was seated in a metro police vehicle when he issued a fine.

“On one occasion, they not only charged the neighbourhood watch guys for using green lights, but also because apparently the light wasn’t working. The RTI should be stepping up their efforts to stop trucks using Field’s Hill not going into the suburbs and victimising honest citizens trying to help the police combat crime.” Mooney said.

A fine of R500 was issued to a patroller in Old Main Road in Kloof.

The patroller was charged for driving his car while using a lamp that was not authorised or prescribed by the National Road Traffic Act - green light.

Spokeswoman for the Department of Transport KZN, Zinhle Mngomezulu, said all vehicles that had flashing lights regardless of colour must have permits. “In as much as we support neighbourhood watches, we say no to green lights.” she said.

According to Mngomezulu, lights are being categorised as follows:

* White: security.

* Amber: breakdown and civil protection.

* Red: ambulance and fire department.

* Blue: traffic and SAPS.

* Green: disaster management.

Metro police spokesman, Senior Superintendent Eugene Msomi, said the regulations were enshrined in the National Road Traffic Act. He said the use of a green light was illegal.

“The green flashing lights on vehicles can only be used on disaster management vehicles. There is no specific colour for CPF vehicles,” Msomi said.

Daily News

A man charged with the murder of a KZN tow truck boss said he shot in self defence after the deceased pulled out a gun.

Durban - A man charged with the murder of a tow truck boss said he shot in self defence after the deceased pulled out his firearm in a heated argument at a crash site.

Nadieme “Boebies” Piyarilall, 30, began his application for bail at the Durban Regional Court on Thursday.

He is charged with the murder of Althaf Dawood, 46, the owner of Jumbo’s Towing and Breakdown.

It is alleged Piyarilall shot Dawood twice in the early hours of March 1, on the N3 near the Felix Dlamini (Brickfield) Road off-ramp.

This was in an altercation that allegedly broke out between Dawood and another tow truck operator over the towing of a vehicle involved in a crash on the freeway.

The court heard how the shooting unfolded when the investigating officer, Warrant Officer Rajen Nagesar, argued against Piyarilall being granted bail.

Nagesar told the court he had witness statements from both tow truck company employees as well as one from someone not affiliated to either. He testified that the independent witness said Dawood had arrived at the scene to check on his driver.

Upon arrival, he and another tow operator became involved in a heated exchange over the towing.

According to Nagesar, this turned into a fist fight: “The accused (Piyarilall) started the fight when he threw the first punch at Dawood. Prior to the altercation, he threatened the Jumbo driver by telling him ‘I will kill you’.”

He said Dawood attempted to back-pedal and he ran around a car as he was chased by the accused and the other tow operator.

“Piyarilall drew his firearm, cocked it and shot Dawood. He ran around and fired a second shot to make sure he was dead,” Nagesar said.

Nagesar said Piyarilall fired under the noses of policemen who were attending to a nearby crash scene.

After the shooting, the police retrieved Piyarilall’s licensed firearm and he admitted to the shooting, he said.

In cross-examination, defence attorney Ridewaan Sayed questioned Nagesar on the drawing of firearms.

The policeman admitted that the witness statement revealed that Dawood produced his firearm first and cocked it.

He argued that Dawood was scared and he was not pointing it at anyone.

Sayed told the court Dawood arrived at the scene in an aggressive manner as he parked his vehicle to prevent the towing of the vehicle.

He also argued that before the fist fight, Dawood was seen by witnesses in a boxing stance.

He claimed it was unlikely that all the witnesses would give the same account on the exchange of blows, because some could not see what was happening.

Sayed asked why, if Dawood was so scared of the situation, he did not run to the police nearby for help.

Nagesar responded that Dawood could have taken any course of action, and could not explain why he did not go to the police.

Nagesar said Piyarilall would be safer in prison as he heard “the word on the street is that he (Piyarilall) will be taken care of”, in reference to revenge attacks.

Piyarilall submitted an affidavit in support of bail, claiming he acted in self defence.

His affidavit read that people at the scene were screaming at Dawood not to pull out his firearm.

He also alleged he was beaten in custody at Mayville Police Station, and intended to lay criminal charges against them.

The application continues.

Daily News

The eThekwini Municipality put an end to all overtime pay in an effort to slash its ballooning overtime expenditure.

Durban - Cemeteries will no longer operate on Sundays, meetings at community halls will have to take place during office hours in the week and only a few beaches will have lifeguards at the weekend.

This is after the eThekwini Municipality’s Parks, Recreation and Culture Unit put an end to all overtime pay in an effort to slash its ballooning overtime expenditure that is running into millions.

Head of the unit, Thembinkosi Ngcobo, said overtime would only be paid to cemetery workers for four hours on a Saturday - between noon and 4pm - and for a limited number of lifeguards at the weekend.

“This has nothing to do with cuts. The fact is there is no money to pay for overtime,” Ngcobo said.

“Over the last three years we have been using on average R20 million in over-expenditure just to pay for overtime. From December we registered R12m overtime expenditure and the projection is that we would reach R52m overtime expenditure by the end of the financial year in June,” he said.

“We had to make a drastic decision. You can’t be spending money you don’t have.”

Ngcobo said the cuts in overtime would mean cemeteries and crematoria would no longer operate on Sundays and communities would no longer be able to hold meetings at municipal halls at the weekend.

The decision has been met with outrage by community organisations and funeral parlours.

Desmond d’Sa, a community activist with the South Durban Environmental Alliance, said his organisation had been forced to look for other venues and two after-hours meetings at the Austerville Civic Centre had to be cancelled because of the unavailability of staff.

“It is ridiculous that they have no money to pay these workers and serious questions need to asked of the city. It is impossible to call for community meetings during office hours in the week because many people have to work,” he said.

“Most of the community meetings can only take place in the evening or at the weekend.

“We, as the community, just hope the money that was usually spent on paying for overtime is not being used for factional battles taking place in city hall.”

Funeral director, Ndabe Ngcobo, of Ndabe Dignified Funerals, said the overtime cuts were having a serious impact on funeral services because most people were buried at weekends.

“It has reached a point now where we cannot rely on the city to prepare us a grave. I am having to tell my clients to consider burying their loved ones at a private cemetery in Botha’s Hill because I am guaranteed there will be a grave there and workers on a weekend,” he said.

“But this is not possible for poorer people who cannot afford the higher grave fees.

“It is affecting people who need to bury their loved ones.”

He added: “Most African funerals take place on weekends. I understand the plight of the workers because they can’t be expected to work beyond their hours and not get paid. The municipality needs to pay these people.”

Ashwin Trikamjee, president of the SA Hindu Maha Sabha, said it was inconsiderate of the municipality to close burial sites on Sundays, not only for the Hindu community.

“The Hindu community will apply for the decision to be reviewed. We will make an objection as a community because it’s almost every South African’s custom to pay their respects to their loved ones on a Saturday or Sunday,” Trikamjee said.

Abed Karrim, of the Al-Imdaad Foundation, said an end to Sunday burials would pose a major problem for the Muslim community and called for a meeting.

“This will place the Muslim community in an awkward position because we bury the same day. We don’t keep bodies overnight unless on rare and unavoidable circumstances.

“We are requesting the metro to relook the decision because I’m sure they don’t want to be seen as being insensitive to people’s cultures and customs,” Karrim said.

But Ngcobo said it was now up to people to change their habits.

“As far as possible, people need to find ways of booking community halls during the week and also finding other days than a Sunday to bury. If they cannot, they will have to come to us and talk, but the simple truth is we don’t have the money to pay for overtime.”

Ngcobo admitted that part of the problem for the inconvenience to the public was that city workers’ contracts were structured on a five-day office-hour week.

“The long-term solution to this problem is to look into the working hours of employees. Most of the services we provide are needed after working hours. But for some reason, their working days are from Monday to Friday,” he said.

“We have raised the issue and we are looking into it now. This may mean that new employees who join us will have to join a new scheme where their work days will include weekend work. This does not mean we will not pay people for any overtime work. People can’t work for free but there has to be money to pay them,” he said.

The city said cemeteries would be open for burials on Saturdays from 7am to 4pm and cremations daily from 10am to 4pm.

Additional reporting by Chris Ndaliso

Daily News

Two boys aged about 16 and 17 died when their bakkie and another vehicle crashed near Ladysmith in KwaZulu-Natal.

Durban - Two teenagers died when their bakkie and another vehicle crashed near Ladysmith on Friday, KwaZulu-Natal emergency medical services said.

“The fatally injured patients were two boys aged about 16 and 17 years old,” spokesman Robert McKenzie said.

“It is believed one of the vehicles was transporting children from school.”

One person was critically injured, two others were seriously injured and a fourth had minor injuries.

The cause of the accident was not yet known.

Sapa

EThekwini disaster management head, Vincent Ngubane, investigated for alleged fraud and corruption totalling R50 million

Durban - The head of eThekwini’s disaster management and emergency control unit, Vincent Ngubane, is being investigated for alleged fraud and corruption totalling almost R50 million.

The matter has been handed over to the city’s integrity and investigations department, the chief audit executive head, the city manager and, most recently, Public Protector Thuli Madonsela.

In documents seen by the Sunday Tribune, it was revealed that Ngubane:

* duplicated municipal orders to the value of R1.19m for the installation of a new fibre route from uMhlanga to Watson Circle;

* misused other municipal funds;

* inflated the cost of contracts, representing an overcharge;

* overspent the annual Exco CCTV capital budget of R2.7m by 149 percent;

* failed to comply with supply chain management policies;

* replaced qualified professionals by creating ghost work for under-qualified staff;

* awarded emergency contracts (which did not have to go to tender) to an “underqualified” company.

The documents reflect in excess of R50m worth of irregular expenditure within five months.

When asked to comment, Ngubane denied the allegations and said he was not even aware of them.

“This is a joke. I am unaware of what is going on. I refuse to say anything further.”

A well-placed source within the municipality said the allegations were brought to the attention of Ngubane and detailed information was submitted to the relevant authorities in December. But nothing has been done about it so far.

“There is proof of what Ngubane has been up to. Everything is documented. A forensic auditor needs to be appointed to get to the bottom of this. It has been four months since this was brought to the attention of authorities.”

Spokeswoman for the eThekwini Municipality, Tozi Mthetwa, said the municipality cannot discuss details pertaining to internal investigations.

“Such matters are confidential between the employer and employee,” she said.

However, the Sunday Tribune has seen proof that the documents were submitted and received by the city manager, the city’s investigations department, and the chief audit executive head for investigation.

On Friday the complaint was forwarded to the office of the public protector.

nabeelah.shaikh@inl.co.za

Sunday Tribune

While investors have been fretting whether they will get their money back, the mastermind of an alleged ponzi scheme was living the high life.

Durban - While investors have been fretting whether they will get their money back, the mastermind of an alleged ponzi scheme was living the high life.

It is believed Yunus Moolla left South Africa last November after his company, Carmol Distributors, was suspended pending an investigation by the SA Reserve Bank.

Carmol marketed itself as a company that sold petroleum products around the world. It offered investors returns of 96 percent per month.

According to a source (who is investigating privately on behalf of some investors) about 2 500 people invested more than R1billion.

Moolla has apparently spent the past few months at the five-star Shangri La Hotel in Dubai. He returned to the country on Wednesday, travelling allegedly first class.

His return was shortly after the Reserve Bank concluded that he had contravened the Banks Act. Simply put, Moolla acted as a bank when he had no authority to do so. “Carmol was instructed to pay back to its investors and KPMG was appointed to administer the repayment process,” said Hlengani Mathebula, a spokesman for the Reserve Bank.

“This matter is being handled by KPMG as the appointed repayment administrator. The Reserve Bank and KPMG must follow due legal process and compliance with the legal requirements.

“This is further exacerbated by factors such as size, volume, complexity and number of investors of the scheme. We cannot say how long the repayment process will take.”

Mathebula added that KPMG would audit the company to determine what assets and funds were available. Any refunds would depend on how much there was to pay back.

Moolla’s personal financial advisor said he had travelled to Dubai to meet Moolla in December and February. The aim was to finalise a repayment plan for investors.

“Since Mr Moolla’s return to South Africa, I have spoken to him telephonically but have not met him personally,” said Robert Baichan.

He further confirmed he had invested a substantial amount of money on behalf of several people.

Meanwhile, in a separate matter, Moolla is facing fraud charges in the Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.

In court documents, it emerged Moolla faces four counts of fraud. He allegedly used a fake identity document to purchase three vehicles from Absa Bank. His lawyer Ahmad Asmal confirmed Moolla was not present in court for his last appearance on February 16. The matter was postponed to April.

He declined to comment further or provide a reason for Moolla not appearing in court.

Moolla owns a fleet of top-end luxury cars, including a McLaren, a Rolls-Royce, and several Mercedes- Benz vehicles (S65, C63, G63, and ML63), of which one is believed to be one of only six vehicles in the country, and carries a R3.5 million price tag. He also owns BMW vehicles (M3, M4, M5), a Porsche Cayenne, and a Range Rover Sport.

It is believed he owns several properties in Dubai, Mauritius and South Africa.

nabeelah.shaikh@inl.co.za

Sunday Tribune

Some of the houses built for President Zuma's bodyguards are reportedly going unused while they stay in guesthouses.

Mthatha - Some of the police houses built for President Jacob Zuma's bodyguards are going unused while they stay in guesthouses 70 kilometres away, the City Press reported on Sunday.

According to an investigation by the publication, the 14 houses cost nearly R12 million to build.

This was so that the bodyguards could be as close to the president as possible because of the high level of security threats in the remote area, which had a history of political violence.

The Presidential Protection Unit (PPU) was reportedly using three-star guesthouses in Eshowe.

“It's been an open secret all along that the president's bodyguards have been staying in town,” a guesthouse owner reportedly told City Press.

Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi was quoted in October 2012 as saying security forces needed to be accommodated on the premises “as a 24/7/365 service”.

“To base them themselves at the nearest town, Eshowe, was impractical. Parking for security vehicles would also be needed,” he said at the time.

Although the use of guesthouses by the PPU had decreased, it was still continuing, City Press said.

Sapa

Five cars, three provinces, one number plate... and just one owner who never drives outside the Durban area.

Durban - Five cars, three provinces, one number plate... and just one owner.

Brenda Shepard of Hillcrest has since October 2014 been inundated with traffic fines and e-toll bills for five different cars. All the car number plates match those of her Mercedes-Benz B-Class.

Shepard’s husband Steve is convinced that his pensioner wife is at the mercy of an unrelenting scam.

Brenda received her first “traffic fine” on 20 March last year for a silver VW Golf in Margate. The tickets have not stopped coming. She was most recently fined R500 in Mogale City, Krugersdorp, on the West Rand, on 11 February for the activities of a dark blue/black Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The C-Class was also fined in Howick and in Pretoria in August and December respectively.

The Shepards have also been receiving e-toll bills since March 2014.

Strangely, one of the bills records a “large truck” using different number plates but bears Brenda’s particulars.

She has racked up R3700 for 11 fines and R204 for e-toll bills.

Her pile of documents reveals that she had also been in different cities across KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Free State. Other vehicles include a white Hyundai i10, fined twice, a Honda, once, a “large truck” and three “unidentified” vehicles.

FRUSTRATED BY LACK OF RESPONSE

Steve said they were baffled because his wife “never drives beyond Waterfall or Kloof”.

He said he had contacted the authorities where the cars had been fined but was frustrated by the lack of response, saying only the Johannesburg municipality had assisted.

“They gave her a letter to keep in her car, with a copy at home. If she gets stopped by police at any time for the tickets, she has an official letter saying it’s a scam.”

Steve said his wife had never driven the car to Johannesburg or any of the other places because “she wouldn’t drive that far”.

He suspected that the car’s number plates had been cloned.

“We are now looking for somebody in KwaZulu-Natal, where we can go and present all these documents for them to be withdrawn, but I haven’t found anybody,” he said.

The Mercury

Inmates at Pietermaritzburg's New Prison have reportedly been unable to relieve themselves as the toilets had run dry.

Durban - Inmates at Pietermaritzburg's New Prison have been without water for the past 10 days, the Witness newspaper reported on Monday.

According to a prisoner who did not reveal his name they were being fed brown bread and the toilets had run dry.

The prisoner told the newspaper he had not been able to relieve himself for five days.

“I've been holding it in for five days now. Prisoners are getting sick.

“There are flies and the building is reeking,” he told the newspaper.

According to the report, a prison warden who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “If prisoners in Zimbabwe have rioted about bad food, I don't know what these offenders are going to do after just being fed dry bread only.”

Correctional services spokesman Thulani Mdluli told the newspaper he could not immediately respond to their questions.

Sapa

Two people have been arrested in connection with the murder of an induna (mediator) at his home, KwaZulu-Natal police said

Durban - Two people have been arrested in connection with the murder of an induna (mediator) in Kranskop, KwaZulu-Natal police said on Monday.

Major Thulani Zwane said the two were arrested on Saturday.

An unlicensed 9mm pistol suspected to have been used to kill the induna was recovered.

“The arrested suspects, aged 20 and 33, will appear today [Monday] in the Kranskop Magistrate's Court facing murder and possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition,” he said.

“The recovered firearm will be sent for ballistic tests to establish if it was used in any other crimes in the country.”

He said Induna Bhekithemba Dlezakhe Gcwabaza was shot dead at his home on Wednesday.

“It is alleged that the suspects shot and killed Gcwabaza and fled the scene on foot. The motive for his killing is unknown at this stage.”

Sapa

A judge ruled that an expelled Kearsney College pupil, who tested positive for steroids, be allowed to attend lessons.

Durban - Drug and steroid abuse at schools was under the spotlight in the Durban High Court in an urgent application launched by the father of a Kearsney College Grade 11 pupil - who was expelled earlier this month after testing positive for steroids in a routine test - for the pupil to be allowed back to school.

And while Kearsney headmaster Elwyn van den Aardweg opposed the application, saying steroid use was a “form of cheating”, and it was important to show a strong anti-drug stance, Judge Anton van Zyl ordered that the pupil be allowed back on Monday, to attend academic lessons only, and only until the appeal against his expulsion was heard within two weeks.

The pupil, who has been a boarder at the school since Grade 8, tested positive for the steroid Sustanon, which cannot be legally obtained in South Africa at all, and faced a disciplinary hearing.

At the hearing he was deemed a “second offender” because two years ago he had been disciplined for smoking dagga while on a leadership course.

For that offence, he pleaded guilty and received a suspension. He was required to undergo ad hoc drug tests and warned that if he was caught again, he could be expelled.

In his affidavit before the court, the pupil’s father - himself a Kearsney old boy - said he and his son understood that to mean that the penalty would apply to “drug” use, not use of “prohibited substances”.

He said the two were dealt with separately in the school’s code of conduct, drugs being labelled a “major offence”, and steroids or physical performance enhancers, a “punishable offence”.

He said after the steroid test, his son had been charged with serious misconduct. At the hearing, he admitted taking Sustanon for two weeks and that it had been given to him by another pupil.

He said in expelling his son and ordering that he leave the school immediately, the school had “misdirected itself”.

“We intend to appeal… but in the meantime he is missing lessons. He is in limbo. He has a right to be educated.”

He said that school records from 2009 until the present showed that only two other pupils had been expelled for drugs and steroids, one who was believed to be “distributing”.

In one recent case the pupil had just been banned from sport for a year and the penalty against his son “induced a sense of shock”.

Van den Aardweg, in his affidavit, said the expulsion decision had been taken “with a heavy heart”.

“Steroid use is a major offence. People take it to look good and to improve performance. Apart from being a serious health risk, it is a form of cheating and damages the reputation of the school.”

He said he had chaired the hearing and had “slept on it”.

“I understood the seriousness of this on him and his family. His father is an old boy, his brother is at the school.

“It would be an embarrassment. I called in my three deputies, and we all agreed that expulsion was appropriate. He had been given a second chance. The college cannot allow the perception that it is not serious about enforcing its code of conduct,” he said, disputing that only two pupils had been expelled for drug use.

Van den Aardweg said the pupil might have a right to basic education, but he had no right to insist that Kearsney provide him that education because, as a private school, that was in terms of a contract.

Judge van Zyl said any fears that the school would appear “soft on drugs” were misplaced.

“The school has acted against the pupil promptly. The fact that he is re-admitted by order of court as a day pupil for academics only should not convey to the average person that the school does not take drugs seriously,” he said.

He ordered that the father submit the appeal papers to the school by Tuesday, failing which his order would lapse.

The Mercury

A huge revamp of the Durban metro police looms, with councillors growing frustrated with scandals plaguing the unit.

Durban - A massive overhaul of the Durban metro police looms, with councillors growing frustrated with scandals that continue to plague the unit.

They have launched an investigation, labelled a “review”, after years of “a fair degree of negative media publicity” which they say has resulted in a likely loss of confidence by the public.

City manager S’bu Sithole tabled a request last week for about R2.1 million in resources for the project, before the municipality’s executive committee. It was granted.

In the report Sithole said: “Allegations reported in the media include maladministration, abuse of powers, sex scandals, conduct that demonstrates a lack of respect for human dignity in the course of policing, leadership battles and a problematic labour relations environment.”

The city wanted to understand the nature of the challenges, he said.

The review would be conducted by a team of independent researchers and consultants led by criminology professor Monique Marks, of the Durban University of Technology. It would also include international experts.

“The team will be able to find, first hand, what the structural, cultural and leadership concerns are and what had led to them,” the report read.

Rank-and-file officers, administrators, leaders and unions would be “active participants”.

The review would also put a magnifying glass on the city's recruitment and promotion processes and disciplinary procedures.

The report said the review would conclude with a programme for “strategy change and intervention”.

“This might involve adjusting the mission and vision of the organisation, management styles, systems of accountability, career structuring, and so on,” it read.

Consultants would collect data through interviews and unit document analysis. Another method would be through “participant observation”, where the researchers would observe roadblocks, patrols, crime prevention, briefing meetings and social events.

In a media statement, Sithole said: “We want to use a scientific process to try to get to the bottom of what is happening… We want to look at whether we have enough police officers, are they properly deployed to meet the needs of citizens, the issue of discipline of police, their well-being, concerns about harassment meted out to citizens…”

Opposition parties welcomed the move.

IFP councillor and exco member Mdu Nkosi said the investigation was “long overdue”.

“We support it. No matter how much we’ll spend. We need it to be a thorough investigation. Divisions (in the metro police) are deep-seated - it is used as a political tool. This is well-known,” he said, adding that rotten apples needed to be removed.

DA caucus leader Zwakele Mncwango said his party was happy that the municipality had finally heeded its calls.

Asked if he was convinced that officials would co-operate, he said: “They have to. Over the years you’ve seen officers protest against their boss - they are not stupid. Now to find the reason.”

Institute for Security Studies researcher Dr Johan Burger said: “This is absolutely the right way to do it. I’m glad that there are experts from abroad to assist, because there is much to be learnt from international experience.”

The Mercury

Thirteen passengers were injured when a minibus taxi rolled through a fence on Sunderland Road in Bellair.

Durban - An accident on Monday morning involving a taxi in Bellair in KwaZulu-Natal left 13 passengers injured.

The taxi rolled through a fence on Sunderland Road in Bellair.

ER24 paramedics, along with other services, found the taxi on its side, lying on the embankment, with the injured passengers sitting on the nearby pavement.

“On assessment, paramedics found that two patients had sustained moderate injuries while 11 others had sustained only minor injuries,” ER24 said.

The passengers were treated for their injuries and transported to various hospitals for further treatment.

The cause of the collision was not known but local authorities were on the scene for further investigations.

ANA

Three people were arrested for attempted murder in Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal police said.

Durban - Three people were arrested for attempted murder in Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal police said on Monday.

“Durban Hawks members have arrested three suspects aged between 39 and 50 for two counts of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder,” said Major Thulani Zwane in a statement.

On February 14, 2006, the suspects allegedly broke into a house in Mevamhlophe area and opened fire on the sleeping occupants.

No one was injured.

They would appear in the Empangeni Magistrate's Court on Monday.

Provincial Commissioner Lt-Gen Mmamonnye Ngobeni congratulated police officers for the arrests.

“We are pleased that our members did not give up in this investigation and the suspects are finally brought to book,” she said.

Sapa

The chilling discovery of bodies in mass graves on KZN’s South Coast has triggered an in-depth investigation.

Durban - The chilling discovery of bodies in mass graves on KwaZulu-Natal’s South Coast has triggered an in-depth investigation by authorities.

Provincial spokesman Thami Ngwenya said in a statement at the weekend that a memorandum was presented to KwaZulu-Natal’s executive council, informing it of the discovery of the graves on Glenroy Farm in Dududu.

The number of bodies could not be confirmed on Monday morning, but a media report has put the figure at 100.

Authorities were alerted to the presence of the graves by a local sangoma.

“This is the farm that was known for using prison farm labourers. A task team comprising representatives from the Office of the Premier and Department of Arts and Culture was established to look into this matter.”

Ngwenya said the National Prosecuting Authority, Department of Home Affairs and others would be enlisted for further forensic investigation to determine the identities of those buried.

“Such an investigation should not be limited to the identification… of those remains in the mass graves, but must include documentation of the history and effects of influx control laws.”

Private forensics consultant Dr David Klatzow said the discovery had been a “disturbing one”.

Klatzow has lent his forensic investigation skills to other prominent cases such as the Helderberg crash, the shooting of Chris Hani, the Piet Retief massacre and the murders of the Gugulethu Seven.

“The scene - and the wider area around it - will now need to be sealed off and frozen in time. There must be no disturbance of it with a front-loader or shovel… It must be excavated as one would an archeological site,” he told the Daily News on Monday morning.

He said experts would need to determine if they all died at about the same time.

Klatzow, who holds a PhD in Medical Biochemistry, said a joint operational command centre needed to be set up to ensure the scene remained protected.

“There should be nobody coming or going… without a reason to be there. The scene needs to be rigorously controlled,” he said.

He said every item, be it a button, newspaper, document or piece or type of clothing needed to be documented, positionally fixed and bagged to keep the chain of evidence intact. The bodies needed to be examined to determine roughly when they died, he said.

“The remains will go to the mortuary where DNA from the long bones or spinal column can be extracted and tested. The challenge would be comparing it to living relatives. They need to be notified that their family members have been found,” he said.

Klatzow said that people who lived in the area would need to be canvassed for information to piece together what might have happened.

He said that if the men had been prisoners, they might have had poor family connections, meaning that nobody had been looking for them.

He said a number of unconfirmed reports of mass graves, filled with victims of “hit squads”, had emerged in recent years ago but no evidence had been found.

Local chief Mjokwana Mqadi said there had long been stories about killings on the farm. “We would hear that people were slaughtered on that farm and sometimes prisoners would escape and run through our area in their escape.”

He said although they had always thought these to be folk tales, they were not surprised when, late last year, a sangoma told the tribal authority of her visions of buried bodies.

He said the family who had owned the farm were well known to the community but after the farmer died about 20 years ago, the land had been sold to a sugar manufacturing company.

“The community is in shock that they have been living with all these restless spirits for all these years. We would like to see the bones being returned to their families so that their spirits will rest,” Mqadi said.

Department of Arts and Culture spokesman, Lethukuthula Mtshali, said the sites of three mass graves had been found on the property. One of the sites had distinguishable separate graves, but no headstones.

He said the sangoma who alerted them to the site had been interviewed by the department’s oral history unit.

The unit was commissioned by Arts and Culture MEC Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha to document “the untold stories of KZN’s history”.

Daily News

A man died on the N2 near the Mandeni toll plaza after being stung by bees while picking fruit.

Durban - A man died on the N2 near the Mandeni toll plaza after being stung by bees, KwaZulu-Natal Emergency Medical Services said on Monday.

Passing motorists said the man told them he had been picking fruit from a tree next to the road when he was attacked by a swarm of bees, said spokesman Robert Mckenzie.

He then apparently ran to his car and drove for about one kilometre before his car left the road.

Passing motorists helped the man and called paramedics.

“When paramedics arrived on scene they found a car on the side of the road, but with little damage to the car.

“When they assessed the driver, an elderly man estimated to be in his late sixties, they found that he had sadly already passed away.”

Police were on the scene and would investigate the exact cause of the man's death.

Sapa

Thousands of litres of raw sewage flowed into a plush Glenashley property after a malfunction at a pump station.

Durban - Thousands of litres of raw sewage flowed into a plush, multi-million rand Glenashley property after a malfunction at a nearby pump station last week.

The disaster happened after the power tripped at the pump station, causing the water to back up and flow into the home, which is at the lowest point in the road.

The family say that sewage water flows into their Ypsilanti Avenue property on a regular basis, causing damage to three rooms and discomfort to the family.

Homeowner Waseem Chowan, a property developer, said the problem had been persistent since they moved in five years ago.

They have experienced sewage overflows at least once a month, and Chowan showed the Daily News some 10 complaint reference numbers that he had from the eThekwini Municipality.

On one occasion, he claims he had 40 pockets of cement destroyed by sewage.

On Thursday afternoon, he again noticed sewage flowing out of the underground sewer drainpipe at the back of the lower level of his three-storey, R15m home.

He said he complained to the municipality, but they only sent a team out the next day.

“My family of six could not eat at home. We could not flush our own toilets. We closed the windows at night to rely on fans and the air conditioners.

“The stench was unbearable. None of the officials at the municipality cares about the problem. They have not offered us a solution,” Chowan said.

He has three living quarters for his domestic workers and another room for his office, as well as children’s playrooms on the bottom floor of his home.

The sewage filled up more than two metres high in a passage before flowing into the rooms, damaging bed linen, beds, children’s toys and clothing, computers and office goods and tools.

“This is the third bed I have replaced thus far. My workers had to throw their clothes and bed linen away,” he said.

When the Daily News arrived, an eThekwini Municipality storm and sewer pipe blockage team had begun to clean up. They told Chowan about the power tripping at the pump station.

By Friday afternoon, the blockage team had used buckets of disinfectants and cleaned out Chowan’s three flooded rooms on the bottom floor.

He has previously put in damages claims to the municipality and said he would do the same for the latest damage. He was still waiting for a payout for the 40 ruined pockets of cement, he said.

“We’ve had enough of this,” Chowan complained.

The eThekwini Municipality had not responded at the time of going to press.

Ward councillor Heinz De Boer said the sewerage pump station was working “fine.”

However, it seemed there may have been a blockage in the system. The municipality had installed some diversion overflows to prevent it re-occurring, he said.

Daily News

Suspended Ezemvelo boss, Dr Bandile Mkhize, will remain at home longer after his enforced leave was extended.

Durban - Suspended Ezemvelo boss, Dr Bandile Mkhize, is to continue to remain at home after his enforced leave was extended indefinitely recently.

The move, questioned by his lawyer, means he continues to draw his R1.6 million salary while an investigation goes on.

Mkhize was suspended on December 1 by the MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Mike Mabuyakhulu.

He said Mkhize and his chief financial officer, Darius Chitate, would face disciplinary proceedings over the restructuring of management salaries (the so-called “migration” process) at a cost to Ezemvelo of about R20m.

This came after Mabuyakhulu’s appointment of a task team to investigate.

He said Treasury regulations prohibiting expenditure without following authorised process.

Earlier this month, Mkhize was informed in writing that his suspension would continue indefinitely, said his legal representative, Ivette Calitz.

“A continued, indefinite period of suspension is not permissible in terms of labour law,” Calitz said.

“Generally, a period of 90 days is stipulated - or if not stipulated, is regarded as reasonable. Ezemvelo do not appear to be abiding by applicable legislation and fair labour principles.

“We consider the continued suspension unreasonable, and we have only been given extremely vague reasons for his continued suspension.”

She also queried the terms of the suspension itself.

“In terms of his contract with Ezemvelo, Dr Mkhize had to report directly to the board, and execute all instructions of the board. The entire migration process was overseen by the board.

“Therefore we cannot understand why action is being taken against Dr Mkhize, but the board which ordered the process, and oversaw the process, is still in place.

“Only Mkhize and the Chief Financial Officer (Chitate) are being pursued.”

She added: “We do not think there is anything substantial in the task team’s report that points to any malpractice on Dr Mkhize’s part. The report makes bold statements but does not offer firm evidence of how it came to those conclusions.”

Mkhize, who took up the chief executive officer (CEO) post at Ezemvelo in 2008, was feeling the strain of having had his reputation impugned and being denied an opportunity to clear his name, Calitz said.

“We have been given no indication of what charges he faces, or any date when a hearing may be held.”

Neither Mabuyakhulu’s office nor Ezemvelo would provide details of the case against Mkhize, what charges he faced, or when any disciplinary procedures would be held.

Mabuyakhulu’s spokesman, Bheko Madlala, referred all queries to Ezemvelo.

Ezemvelo spokesman, Musa Mntambo, said: “The issue of disciplinary process of our CEO, Dr Mkhize, is an internal matter and will not be discussed in the media until it has been finalised. This is done out of respect of all stakeholders involved.”

Two weeks after Mkhize’s suspension, Mabuyakhulu announced that the former head of SANParks, David Mabunda, had been appointed acting CEO of Ezemvelo.

It has emerged that the six-month contract involved Mabunda’s consultancy, Nselenduna Consulting.

“It is standard practice for professionals to have their salaries paid in tax-efficient entities,” Mabunda said in a written reply to questions.

Mntambo said: “It is not the first time that Ezemvelo enters such a contractual arrangement. The agreement was cleared by our legal services and the board.”

Ezemvelo refused to answer questions on how much Nselenduna Consulting is being paid for the six-month contract, or provide details on the cost of further perks for Mabunda.

A senior inside source told the Daily News that the consultancy was being paid R120 000 a month.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source also questioned the awarding of the contract. In terms of procurement rules, a contract of this value (at the alleged value of R720 000 for the six months) should have been granted via an open tender process. There is no indication this was done.

Ezemvelo was invited to respond to this claim, but had not done so by the time of publication.

On a report that Mabunda has been given furnished accommodation and VIP bodyguards, and a luxury sedan had been ordered, Mntambo said: “The furniture, at a cost of R60 000, was bought for Mantuma Resort in Mkhuze Game Reserve.

“The items were then released for the use of the CEO for a time being, and they will be returned to the resort when his contract comes to an end.”

On the car, Mabunda said, “I have not ordered any car and don’t need any. I use my personal Ford Ranger DC.”

Concerning the bodyguards, Mabunda said, “The security situation is real and serious. It is not up for public discussion.”

Daily News

A Durban man is helping the people of the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu recover from Cyclone Pam.

Durban - A Durban man is helping the people of the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu recover from Cyclone Pam, which, according to international NGO, Oxfam, is one of the worst in history to hit the region.

Colin Collet van Rooyen, 53, Oxfam’s director in Vanuatu, described the cyclone which struck on Saturday as “devastating”.

The category five cyclone had wind speeds of more than 300km/h and destroyed most communication channels in the country, making it harder to do a proper assessment of the damage, he said on Sunday.

Many houses in the country which are made of wood and woven palm leaves have been hardest hit, with those made of bricks fairing better.

Van Rooyen said they were trying to get aerial views of the devastation but as things stood, it would take years for affected locals to recover.

“People here grow their own food and crop cycles have been destroyed.”

To help with recovery they are receiving emergency supplies from the government of Australia.

Van Rooyen has been in contact with his family via satellite phone to update them and assure them that he is fine.

The former lecturer at the then University of Natal said that despite the devastation, people were picking themselves up. “The sharing here is amazing. People are not clearing their own homes, but are going to help their neighbour.”

The humility and how people cared about each other reminded him of the spirit of ubuntu in South Africa, he said.

“People here are not materialistic. So far in my stay here I have not seen even one BMW,” he said, adding that he believed that the power of humility kept people together.

Vanuatuans are considered to be some of the happiest people in the world. In 2006, they were rated the happiest nation in the world, according to the Happy Planet Index by the New Economic Foundation. People use the Wantok system where those who speak the same language are instantly considered to be family.

Van Rooyen, who has been working in the country for the past six months, said he missed Durban. He said he had always had a passion for working with people and communities and while he was a lecturer he worked with Oxfam in South Africa as he had been doing research on HIV/Aids.

In 2004, he started to work for Oxfam full time.

He has worked for the organisation in East Timor and had longed to work in Vanuatu. And, when the opportunity arose, he took it with both hands, he said.

“People from South Africa have a lot to share with the world,” he said.

“South Africans understand active citizenship. We understand human rights and we come with a suitcase full of knowledge and skills.”

Daily News