A Sasco vow to shut down 9 universities did not materialise today, with little disruption to classes despite attempts at the University of Johannesburg to block students from entering the campus. The SA Students Congress (Sasco) on Wednesday said it would shut down operations on campuses countrywide in protest action to demand free education. Apart […]
AfriForum drops grievance with Minister
Civil rights group AfriForum’s youth division yesterday wothdraw its complaint to the Public Protector against Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga. “AfriForum Youth today wothdrew its recent complaint lodged against Minister Motshekga. This was after the Minister made an appointment with us to discuss the maladministration of matric examinations and possible steps to rectify the […]
Walk-out not anti-gay – Xingwana
The widely-reported walk-out by Arts and Culture Minister Lulu Xingwana at an “Innovative Women” art exhibition organised by lesbians was not based on anti-gay sentiments, she said on Thursday. Xingwana said reports about her reaction to the exhibition, held at Constitution Hill in August last year, were “mischievous, deliberately misleading and avoiding the facts. Upon […]
S. Africa: ‘Concourt ruling supports shoot to kill’
Amendments to Section 49 of the Criminal Procedure Act, which determines when police may use deadly force, are in line with Judge Johann Kriegler’s landmark Constitutional Court ruling on the matter, Justice Minister Jeff Radebe said on Thursday. “When you see the draft … you will realise that the amendment will be in conformity with […]
South Africa: Convicts parole to be reviewed
The government is to review its current policy on medical parole, Correctional Services Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said in Parliament on Thursday. She said new draft policy on medical parole would be made public at the end of this month. The move comes amid criticism about how convicted fraudster and President Jacob Zuma former financial advisor, […]
South Africa: Unlawful arrest costs
A man who works for a law firm in Pretoria has been awarded R50 000 for damages after being arrested for allegedly being drunk in public and kept in custody overnight before all charges were dropped against him. Judge N Poswa, in the High Court in Pretoria, yesterday set aside the ruling of a Pretoria […]
S.Africa: New department to support veterans
It is all systems go for the launch on April 1 of the Department of Military Veterans, which will be partially separated from the Department of Defence. The chief of human resources for the Defence Department, Lieutenant-General Derick Mgwebi, said in Pretoria yesterday that the department would be looking specifically at the wellbeing of military […]
S.Africa: KZN's action man
The man at the helm of the Hawks in KZN, Assistant Commissioner Johan Booysen, has been honoured several times for his successes, but he remains humble, and those that know him claim this is what makes him a good leader. As a testament to his humility, when asked about his achievements during a Mercury interview, […]
Radebe insists court backlogs will get smaller
Justice Minister Jeff Radebe yesterday insisted that efficiency measures being implemented would improve the rate at which the court backlog is reduced, despite figures indicating that it would take 10 years to clear at the present rate. A media briefing was told that the backlog in regional courts had been reduced by 18000 cases over […]
Section 49 in line with J. Kriegler ruling – Radebe
Amendments to Section 49 of the Criminal Procedure Act, which determines when police may use deadly force, are in line with Judge Johann Kriegler’s landmark Constitutional Court ruling on the matter, Justice Minister Jeff Radebe said on Thursday. “When you see the draft … you will realise that the amendment will be in conformity with […]