Zuma Plot is Real

May 6, 2011 

 

ANC national executive committee member Billy Masetlha has become the first senior ruling party member to openly say the alleged plot to oust Jacob Zuma as ANC president next year is real. 

"I know who they are talking to and how they want to do this. I am not going to keep quiet and watch people destroying the organisation," he told the Mail&Guardian reported on Friday.

Masetlha's comment came on Thursday, the same day that Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale said he had instructed his lawyers to advise him on the need for any criminal or civil action to be taken, since his name appeared in reports of the alleged plot. 

A reported covert intelligence document claims that a group of "anti-Zuma" members, called the "Mvela Group", met in Estcourt on January 23 to allegedly plot the removal of Zuma. 

They allegedly include 

Justice Minister Jeff Radebe,

                                     

                                    KwaZulu-Natal premier Zweli Mkhize

ANC Youth League president Julius Malema

                           ANC treasurer-general Mathews Phosa

ANC NEC member and former ANCYL president Fikile Mbalula 

                                               Limpopo premier Cassel Mathale 

ANC Gauteng chairman Paul Mashatile 

                     ANC deputy secretary general Thandi Modise

and NEC members David Mabuza, 

Enoch Gondongwana 

and Tony Yengeni. 

Sexwale was once before implicated in a plot to remove former president Thabo Mbeki to make way for Zuma. 

Sexwale said in a statement: "What is strikingly different this time round is that rumour has a return address. This is traceable to one of South Africa's courts in Boksburg where government declassified documents containing these allegations [were] presented by Lt. General [Richard] Mdluli, Head of Crime Intelligence Division within the South African Police Service." 

 General Richard Mdluli

Mdluli, court orderly Samuel Dlomo, Colonel Nkosana Sebastian Ximba, and Lieutenant-Colonel Mtunzi-Omhle Mthembeni Mtunzi, are currently facing a charge of allegedly murdering Oupa Abel Ramogibe in 1999. He was the husband of a former girlfriend of Mdluli. 

Mdluli has claimed there is a conspiracy against him by top police officials and during his bail application submitted a letter he wrote to Zuma about this. He attached a claim that according to his information there was a conspiracy by Mbeki to take over intelligence ahead of the ANC's 2012 elective conference.

 Thabo Mbeki

Various publications, including City Press and the Sunday Independent have run articles on an alleged plot against Zuma, based on a separate document Mdluli obtained on an investigation into National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele.

 http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article1054484.ece/Zuma-plot-is-real--Masetlha

 

Minister Cwele urged to quit

2011-05-06

Opposition parties on Friday called for the removal of State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele after his wife, Sheryl, was sentenced to 12 years in jail for drug dealing.

                                            State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele

Inkatha Freedom Party

The Inkatha Freedom Party was one of the parties that called on the minister to resign immediately.

"We congratulate the NPA on a job well done. This ruling does not only send out a clear message that our criminal justice system is sound and independent, but the ruling speaks to South Africa's commitment to root out all forms of crime, especially organised crime," said IFP spokesperson on crime, Velaphi Ndlovu in a statement.

"Furthermore, we call on Minister Cwele to resign his post as minister of state security as his integrity has been severely tainted by his wife's conviction. This is yet another embarrassing blow to the credibility of the South African government."

Minister accused of incompetence

The African Christian Democratic Party urged President Jacob Zuma to fire Cwele who it charged had failed in his duty to protect the country from drug trafficking.

"It is incomprehensible that the State Security Minister can have an alleged drug trafficker in his house without him being aware of it. How can such a person be aware of drug trafficking in his community and the country if he cannot detect one in his own house?
"The ACDP believes State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele has failed the state by failing to uncover drug trafficking happening under his nose," said ACDP leader Kenneth Meshoe in a statement.

He said the fact that there were children as young as ten-years-old who were hooked on drugs highlighted the "crisis" the country faced.

The minister had failed the country and particularly its children and should therefore be removed from office. Cwele and her co-accused, Frank Nabolisa, were sentenced to 12 years for drug trafficking by the KwaZulu-Natal High Court on Friday.

First offenders

Delivering the sentence, Judge Piet Koen described their offence as very serious, saying that many lives were destroyed by drugs.

"Many families are affected by drugs which are brought here illegally. They suffer as a result of dealers who often initiate addiction by constant supply and thrive on that addiction."

The judge said he had considered the fact that the two were first offenders and that they had good prospects of being rehabilitated.

They have indicated that they would appeal the sentence.
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/Minister-Cwele-urged-to-quit-20110506

Police not appreciated, says Cele

2011-05-06 

National Police Commissioner General Bheki Cele on Friday lamented the lack of appreciation shown for the police's difficult task, including by the media.

National Police Commissioner General Bheki Cele

Briefing senior officers from the various law enforcement agencies on readiness for the May 18 municipal elections, he said a major fuss was made when someone died as a result of police action, but the deaths of many police officers in carrying out their duties passed virtually unnoticed.

In the past four or five months "I think about 23 or 24 police have been killed".

"We are losing about five or four police a month. It's a crisis, [but] you don't find it anywhere. I'm not sure you knew about those figures."

’Does not make news’

Despite police officers being "brutally" killed by criminals, it did not make the news in the same way as "police brutality" did, he said.

"If somebody could stand somewhere and say, hey, these police are human beings. They have equal rights. I'd love to hear that."

Police did get out of step. There was no doubt about that. This was why many members were arrested.

"It's painful to arrest a member of the South African Police Service, but if you have committed a crime it's alright. Nothing else we can do about it."

However, nobody spoke to communities about the rights of SAPS officers.

"It looks like unless you are police, the rest of the South African populace, all of them have received the Holy Ghost.

"All of a sudden we don't have bad people out there."

Brutal society

Last year's statistics showed that some 16 000 people were killed in South Africa by "ordinary citizens", not by police.

"If that is not a brutal society itself, I don't know what it is," Cele said.

Police officers worked under extremely dangerous and difficult situations, and nobody appreciated this.

"As the members of the SAPS and all law enforcement, when we do wrong, bash us. But when we do right, recognise us. That's the request we are making.

"The only problem [is] you bash us, but when we do right you keep quiet. There's so many good things South African police members are doing. Beautiful good things."

Cele repeated that police had to protect and serve. They had to understand their role to protect citizens.

However, when confronted with hardened criminals intent on "eliminating" them, a different approach was needed.

"You [police] are put in this position to be sharp like serpents and to be kind like doves at the same time. Understand your situation and deal with it as such," he said.

Not balanced

Also, the responsibilities of communities and law enforcement agencies were not balanced at the moment.

"Communities are not told that they can't complain about break-ins, yet they buy the stolen goods.

"Those people who break in and steal your plasmas, they don't watch them all simultaneously. They don't put them on the wall, all of them, and watch them; they sell them.

"And the very people who march and complain about high crime in their communities, they buy them."

Those people "sit there, they watch and they hear people talking about crime on a stolen TV".

"Why would you complain about crime when you watch the news on a stolen TV," he said.

Public frightened

Meanwhile, the Freedom Front Plus called on Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa to break his "silence on the doubling of the number of people who have been shot dead by police", as this created the impression he accepted the state of affairs.


Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa

Cele justified the police action "because he says police members are exhausted and tense", FF Plus spokesperson Pieter Groenewald said in a statement.

Pieter Groenewald

"That 542 people were shot by the police in 2010 as opposed to 281 in the 2005/2006 financial year, should let the alarm bells sound with the minister and he owes the public an answer," he said.

The public were becoming "frightened" of the police and losing total confidence in them.

"It appears as if the minister is scared to say something because he may contradict Cele or oppose him.

"Part of the problem is that not all police members have a competency certificate in terms of the Firearms Control Act.

"To obtain a competency certificate one has to know the legal aspects for the use of a firearm. This poor training is partly the reason for the problem of police killings," Groenewald said.

Yes we are loosing about 4 to 5 policemen a month in the line of duty and 500 innocent citizens to police brutality every year, Cele do the math’s...

I can't believe the Police commisioner is complaining about the high crime rate! Mr Cele - it's your job to deal with this issue! We all know its bad and we're all tired of it! Stop complaining and do something about it! If it's too much for you then we'll find someone who can handle the job! 

Idiot!

Who are killing the members of SAPS. Is it not the very criminals you are supposed to protect the citizens of SA from. 

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Police-not-appreciated-says-Cele-20110506 

Unlawfully Arrested

Unlawful arrest:  Case No. CAS 225 / 04 / 2011
---------------------------
Mike Johnson, 78, writes on http://www.eblockwatch.co.za 

re: The Carte Blanche programme on Sunday evening May 1 2011, during which Mr. Watts asked anyone who was unlawfully arrested, to bring it to the attention of Carte Blanche.--     

                          

Eighteen years ago my wife and I decided to play our part in combating crime by creating employment for disadvantaged people. Undoubtedly any unemployed person with dependents to feed will inevitably turn to crime, rather than see them die a slow agonizing death due to starvation. We therefore created a cost effective advertising agency: In-Touch Mailing. Not only to provide an income for those we employ directly, but also for the budding entrepreneur wanting to establish his own business. However, our efforts are often misjudged and thwarted by those that are comfortably employed.         

                                                                                   
Two weeks ago, on the morning of Thursday 7 April 2011, I was apprehended at gunpoint on a public road in Vorna Valley by two Police Officers. When I asked the reason for my apprehension, I was told it was a 'routine Police search for illegal drugs.' 

I, together with my four co-workers, were ‘frisked’ and the vehicle searched. Although nothing illegal was found, my vehicle keys and digital camera were confiscated. I was informed that I was under arrest, ordered into the Police van and transported to the Midrand Police Station; followed by co-workers in my vehicle, driven by the other police officer. 

After conferring with the Station Commander, Colonel Steven Moodley and receiving his consent. I was taken to the holding cells and charged with: ‘Police Interference While on Duty and Resisting Arrest’. I was advised of my constitutional rights in terms of: Section 35 of Act No. 108 of 1996. I was ordered to empty my pockets and remove my belt and shoe laces, (allegedly to prevent me from committing suicide).

I was then approached by a detective wanting to take a statement and take my fingerprints. I advised him that I wished to exercise my right to remain silent and to be informed at my first court appearance of the reason for my arrest, whereupon he immediately left the room. Fortunately, during the time I was being ‘processed’, I managed to make a quick cell phone call to my wife before it was confiscated. I advised her of my predicament and requested her to visit Colonel Moodley at the police station ASAP. 

My wife Margaret, arrived at the police station, accompanied by our 8 year old granddaughter, and enquired as to the reason for my detention. She was told that I was being 'uncooperative in that I refused to have my fingerprints taken or to signing the charge sheet'. She then came up to the holding cells to confer with me. Both Margaret and the granddaughter, were deeply distressed and traumatized to see me behind bars. They pleaded with me to sign the documents so that I could return home. 

However, we were then told we would also have to pay R500 bail. Neither of us had this amount available and Margaret returned home to borrow the amount from our eldest son. By the time she returned, it was late evening and the night shift had taken over at the police station. 

My finger prints were taken and I was presented with a lengthy statement to sign, which I did not read, and as I was signing it under duress, I added the word ‘without prejudice’ below each signature. I was released shortly thereafter, having spent approximately eleven hours in detention.

Friday 8 April I presented myself to the Midrand Magistrate’s Court as instructed.  I reported to the Public Prosecutors’ office with the Charge Sheet in hand to confirm my presence and to establish in which court my case would be held. The Public Prosecutor to whom I handed the document was highly amused when he saw the charges brought against me, and wanted to know what I did, at the age of 77 (correction 78 years of age) did in order to resist arrest: I said: “particularly when I was outnumbered two to one, and one of the officers was carrying a very serious looking automatic combat weapon and I was totally unarmed!”

I was told that the dockets from the police station hadn’t arrived and that I should take a seat in the reception area. Within 20 minutes the public prosecutor came to me in the reception area and told me that the charges against me had been withdrawn and that I was free to go. I asked him please to confirm this in writing on the charge sheet, to avoid any future repercussions which might occur; this he did.

I revisited the public prosecutor on the following Monday morning in an attempt to have the case reinstated.  Although this sounded like an odd request, I felt I had been deprived of the opportunity of challenging the charges brought against me. After spending a whole day in jail, I felt I had earned the right to a free and fair trial and also the opportunity to expose corruption in the police force. However this request was denied, the decision was made and could not be reversed.

  CITIZENS ARE BULLIED TO FORCE CONFESSIONS AND TO EXTRACT BAIL...  

                                     

It seems to me that police use bully tactics to extract a confession from a suspect, and the 48 hour detention period to extract ‘bail’. If, however, the suspect shows his willingness to contest the action in court and there’s any possibility of exposing corruption, the police will simply withdraw all charges. Leaving the accused and his family extremely traumatized and usually out of pocket. 

Foot Note: 'Condemnation without investigation is the height of ignorance'. 

Many thanks and kind regards, 

Mike Johnson. 

 http://www.eblockwatch.co.za

http://censorbugbear-reports.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00%2B01%3A00&updated-max=2012-01-01T00%3A00%3A00%2B01%3A00&max-results=50 

Male Genitalia Tops Witchcraft List

May 6 2011

Male genitalia are the most sought-after human body part for use in harmful traditional practices, including witchcraft, in South Africa and Mozambique. 

This is according to a research report released by the Mozambican Human Rights League in partnership with Childline South Africa in Durban on Thursday. 

The study also found South Africa had created a market for body parts trafficked from Mozambique. 

The research showed that at least one mutilation occurred in both countries every two weeks during the 14 months of the study between 2008 and 2010. 

Male and female genitalia, tongues, ears, heads and breasts were among the body parts that topped the list of those most sought after in the two countries. 

According to the research project’s manager, Simon Fellows, the vast majority of mutilations, 89 percent, took place in Mozambique. However, 75 percent of the parts removed from a body ended up in South Africa. 

Fellows said this indicated that South Africa was on the receiving end, while Mozambique was the supplier of human body parts. 

The research concluded that body parts were trafficked regularly and organs often taken from victims while they were alive or directly after they had been murdered. 

Fellows said the project hosted 59 workshops and worked with 48 focus groups. About 327 people were interviewed and the workshops were attended by 1 949.

He said many participants in the research believed the body parts were to be sold or used for activities relating to witchcraft, muti (medicine) or harmful traditional practices. 

“The belief was that the use of body parts in muti was to create powerful traditional medicine based partly on human body parts,” said Fellows. 

Traditional healer Bongani Shangase, speaking at the launch of the report, said he and other traditional healers did not dispute the findings, but they did not agree with statements that traditional healers used body parts. 

“We want this research to differentiate between witches and traditional healers because we do not use body parts to carry out our calling. Witches do that,” he said. 

Other traditional healers criticised the study, saying it painted them in a bad light and asking for more conclusive research to be done so people could understand how traditional healers worked.
http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/kwazulu-natal/male-genitalia-tops-witchcraft-
list-1.1065078 

Commuters Torch Buses

May 5 2011

Angry commuters set alight two buses in Rustenburg on Thursday, North West police said. 

Captain Adele Myburgh said commuters were unhappy that there were not enough buses to take them home. 

“Two buses were completely burnt down and one was stoned.

“The situation is tense. As we speak, the police are monitoring the situation,” she said. 

Commuter Lebogang Pule said the last bus left for her home village of Manamela, in the Madikwe area, at 1pm. 

“I bought a monthly ticket at R600 and a scholar ticket for R280. Now I cannot go home, because there are no buses,” she said. 

“We are not fighting with the bus company. All we want is to be treated with respect. 

“I do not know where will I sleep tonight,” she said, adding that she had no alternative transport. 

Another commuter Itumeleng Modise, from De Brak, said they were angry at not being given alternative transport after the company's buses were pulled off of the road. 

“Some of us have bought monthly tickets, and now we do not have transport to take us home,” he said. 

He said the bus company had sold them tickets even though it knew its vehicles were not fit to be on the road. 

Rustenburg municipal spokesman Butler Matlapeng said 49 buses belonging to Bojanala Bus Service were impounded for operating illegally after their permit expired. 

The bus company operates in the greater Rustenburg area, transporting people to villages around the city. 

Captain Myburgh said no arrest had been made.

http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/commuters-torch-buses-in-rustenburg-1.1065007 

Police Killings Double

May 6, 2011

The number of people shot dead by police officers has nearly doubled since 2006. 

Beeld newspaper quotes figures released by Gareth Newham, head of the crime and justice programme at the Institute for Security Studies. 

Newham said 281 people were shot dead by the police in 2005/2006. 

That number increased to 568 in 2008/2009 

 and 

524 in 2010. 

"Many more people get shot dead by police than what we hear about," said Newham. 

"Andries Tatane's death was the trigger that turned the attention to police brutality. The difference between Tatane and somebody else who was killed by police, is that Tatane's death was captured on camera." 

SABC television news footage shocked the country last month when it showed a group of policemen beating Tatane at a protest in Ficksburg in the Free State, before shooting him dead.

Eight policemen are currently on trial for the assault and murder. 

Did Cele not say that these were isolated incidents, just a week ago.

The ANC better apologize to the Apartheid government in this regard! Even with the "fight for freedom" waged against them, their old SAP couldn't muster 100 dead in over 20 years! 

 http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article1053218.ece/Police-killings-nearly-double-since-2006--Report

Judge throws the book at Cwele

May 6 2011 

The faces in Court A said it all. For family and friends it was shock that Sheryl Cwele - the wife a cabinet minister - had been found guilty of drug-dealing. 

Sheryl Cwele, the wife of State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele, was found guilty of drug trafficking by the Pietermaritzburg High Court. The judge said it was clear that Cwele and her co-accused Nigerian Nabolisa had worked together to recruit two women to work as agents to transport drugs. The two had pleaded not guilty to dealing or conspiring to deal in drugs, procuring a woman called Charmaine Moss to collect drugs in Turkey, and procuring another woman, Tessa Beetge, to smuggle cocaine from South America. Beetge, of the KwaZulu-Natal south coast, was arrested when 10kg of cocaine was found in her luggage in Brazil in 2008, and is serving a jail sentence in Sao Paolo.

For state advocate Ian Cooke, who had earlier braced himself for an acquittal, it was surprise and relief. For Cwele - who just hours earlier had professed her innocence and maintained her faith in God - there was no emotion. 

So, too, her co-accused, Frank Nabolisa, who remained impassive as Judge Piet Koen found them each guilty of one count of drug-dealing.

Frank Nabolisa

Before judgment on Thursday, Cwele told The Mercury: “I’ve prayed enough and whatever happens it’s all in God’s will. 

“But it wouldn’t be fair (conviction), because I haven’t done anything.” 

While many had expected Judge Koen to acquit Cwele, he was in no doubt that there was a “pattern of complicity” that the two accused had recruited young women as drug mules. 

Cwele, the director of health and community services at the Hibiscus Coast municipality, and Nabolisa, a Nigerian national, now face possible 15-year jail terms. 

They will be sentenced on Friday, but it is likely that they will appeal against the conviction and sentence. 

Cwele and Nabolisa recruited two South Coast women, Tessa Beetge and Charmaine Moss, on the pretext of overseas jobs, although the plan was to smuggle cocaine into South Africa.

Moss turned down the offer after Cwele told her the “job” was to bring a parcel for Nabolisa.

But Beetge accepted. 

She was later arrested for drug trafficking after Brazilian authorities found 10kg of cocaine in her possession at Sao Paulo airport. She is serving a jail term of eight years in that country. 

So convinced was the State of a possible acquittal, that it made an eleventh hour application on Wednesday to reopen its case. 

It had wanted to call witnesses to testify about the authenticity of intercepted phone calls between Cwele, Nabolisa and Beetge, but Judge Koen turned down their application. 

For those in the court room it appeared that Cwele might just walk free after all. 

In his judgment on Thursday, Judge Koen rejected the cellphone call evidence, saying it had not been proved by the State. 

Cooke looked dejected, but later perked up as it became clear that a conviction would indeed be secured. 

On hearing the verdict, Cwele remained impassive. 

Accompanied by family - there was no sign of the husband State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele - she left the High Court building to return home. 

She ignored requests for comment from the media. 

An angry relative told journalists: “It’s enough now, are you now going to follow us all the way to the car?” 

In their reaction, Beetge’s parents, Marie and Gert Swanepoel, said they were happy that justice had been done. 

An emotional Marie,who had to stop herself from crying, said she was happy that Cwele and Nabolisa had been convicted. 

“God has been with us all the way. I’m just glad for my daughter’s sake and will phone her as soon as I can, but I’ll wait until tomorrow (today). I want to hear everything tomorrow (today) before I phone her.” 

Marie said she had trusted Cwele, but had been duped. 

“She pulled the wool over our eyes and she could have done it to anybody. I even said to her jokingly in her office that I hope you (Sheryl) have a job for me too,” she added. 

The minister’s spokesman, Brian Dube, declined to comment, asking why the minister should have to react to his wife’s conviction. 

Asked how a minister in his position could not have been aware of his wife’s illegal activities, Dube again replied with a “no comment”. 

Hibiscus Coast municipal manager S’bu Mkhize said that the municipality had noted the judgment, but was aware that Cwele could appeal against the conviction. 

“However, the fact of the conviction is very material to her status as an employee of the municipality. We have established systems of due process to deal with such matters appropriately and we will begin to do so,” Mkhize said.

http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/kwazulu-natal/judge-throws-the-book-at-cwele-1.1065075