DA claims 6% of black votes
The Democratic Alliance said it took at least six percent of the black vote nationally, a party strategist said on Thursday.
“We are happy with this and are going to build on what we have created in this election,” Ryan Coetzee told Sapa at the IEC results centre in Pretoria.
DA leader Helen Zille at Rondebosch
“It’s a matter of momentum and growth… We want to attract much more black voters by 2014.”
He stressed the party wanted to shift black support from the ruling ANC. The DA was happy with the election turnout and confident of a landslide victory of up to 60 percent in Cape Town.
It however did not expect a win in the Nelson Mandela Bay district.
“We expected the ANC will win that council, followed by the DA and then Cope. We were hoping that if enough black voters shifted their support in this municipality, the ANC would not get its 50 percent.”
DA spokesman Gareth van Onselen said they had retained Midvaal in Gauteng, taking nine of the 14 wards. One of the wards, he said, had been taken from the ANC.
“The information is coming in slowly, but we have heard that the DA has also taken Baviaans in the Eastern Cape.”
The party said there was no indication of any corruption during Wednesday’s voting and was “pretty happy” with the election process. – Sapa
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Steve Hofmeyr pens Boer struggle song
Steve Hofmeyr has released the lyrics of his new song on Facebook. The song, “We Will Survive”, honoured the late AWB leader Eugene Terre’blanche.
Veteran Afrikaans pop singer Steve Hofmeyr has written a song honouring murdered AWB leader Eugene Terre'blanche.
Although he makes use of the word k***** in the song, he has reportedly warned that it is conditional to the outcome of Julius Malema’s hate speech court case which convenes on May 19. It is alleged that he will change the word k****** to kryger (warrior) if Malema loses his case.
Dubbing his move Boere-Karma, he reportedly said: “If Julius Malema is allowed to sing ‘Shoot the Boer’ in public, we too will sing songs that have k*****.”
Asked for comment, the ANC Youth League reportedly said: “We really don’t give a damn about Steve Hofmeyr, who does he think he is?” – IOL
Here are the lyrics to Steve’s song:
Ons sal dit oorleef – Steve Hofmeyr
“Daar’s ‘n land en ‘n volk in een taal gedoop
Met gebede en buskruit en bloed gekoop
Wat weer en weer van sy knie af moet streef
Ons sal dit oorleef…
Uit die kake van oormag deur die vuur op ons werf
Staan die engele by ons vroue en die kinders wat sterf
Elke grafsteen een standbeeld vir die wat bly leef
Ons sal dit oorleef…
My hart klop toktokkie waar hy breek vir my volk
Voor die kakie kanon of die k****r se dolk
Dit maak nie meer saak nie waar ons ons begeef
Ons sal dit oorleef…
Ek lig my oë tot die berge op
Waar sal my hulp tog vandaan kan kom
Ag my God jou woorde lê deur my geweef
Ons sal dit oorleef…
Ek staan vandag op jou plaas ou vriend
Daar hang stof oor die stilte sovêr ek kan sien
Maar die geeste van gister sal more herleef
Ons sal dit oorleef
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Best Indian Restaurant in Joburg
Winner: Ghazal
You can’t knock the atmosphere at this softly-lit banquette-lined Indian eatery, which remains a firm favourite with convivial Sandtonistas wanting to tuck into authentic fare at good prices. Order killer curries to share and don’t rush. Coachmans Crossing, Peter Place, Bryanston. Details: 011-706-9826
Or you could try…
Karma
These upmarket, modern Indian joints are effortlessly casual-cool. Tuck into creamy kormas and steaming naan breads for two or ring up Karma Katering if you want to impress your guests. Greenfield and Pineslopes. Details: www.karmakorporate.co.za
Bukhara
Once you walk into Bukhara, the stresses of your day melt away. The food rarely veers away from authentic and while some curries are toned down for Western tastes, there is still enough on the menu that packs a punch – Tandoori or otherwise. Nelson Mandela Square. Details: 011-883-5555
Bombay Blues
Bombay Blues is home to some of the best North Indian food in the city and the restaurant, while formal, is seriously plush. A brilliant choice for vegetarian fare as the meatless curries are stellar. Standard Bank Bldng, Cradock Ave, Rosebank. Details: 011-447-3210
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Audi S3 – the real Fokofpolisiekar
Watch Out!!
As you might have seen on the roads by now, the Gauteng Flying Squad has kitted itself out with 100 Audi S3 Sportbacks to help them fly even faster. The AD you see here is a clever marketing ploy for Audi by its agency Ogilvy. From 0-Crime stop in 5.5 seconds, they say. Brilliant
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Petrol to increase by 29c/l
The retail price of all grades of petrol will increase by 29 cents per litre on Wednesday May 4, the Department of Energy announced on Thursday.
The price of both 0.05% sulphur diesel and of 0.005% sulphur diesel will increase by 16 cents per litre.
Wholesale paraffin will increase by 15 cents a litre, and the price of illuminating paraffin (SMNRP) will rise by 20 cents per litre.
There will be a 53 cents per kilogram increase in the maximum retail price for LPGAS.
During the period under review, the average international product prices of petrol, diesel and illuminating paraffin increased.
The average rand/US dollar exchange rate strengthened when compared to the previous period.
The average rand/US dollar exchange rate for the period 01 April 2011 to 27 April 2011 was 6.7701 compared to 6.9512 during the previous period.
Petrol 95 ULP octane in Gauteng will now cost 10.25 rand a litre from 9.96 rand before, while at the coast it will cost 9.95 rand per litre compared with 9.66 rand previously.
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‘Who is Malema at war with?’
ANC Youth League president Julius Malema arrives at the Johannesburg High Court surrounded by bodyguards armed with military assault rifles. Picture: Tiro Ramatlhatse
Malema created a stir on Monday and set tongues wagging when the burly men, devoid of any insignia or logos, threatened lawyers involved in his court case, and some positioned themselves outside and inside the court.
Malema was accompanied by ANC veteran Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
In what could have easily been a scene from a Hollywood action movie and what could be a first in South Africa, Malema was escorted into the courthouse accompanied by these men armed with Dashprod SAR M14 rifles. But the posse of armed bodyguards should not have been allowed into the court.
Equality Court Judge Collin Lamont had to stop proceedings to order the removal of “people carrying guns” in his courtroom after being told about their presence.
The evictions came shortly before Roelof du Plessis, a co-complainant in Malema’s hate speech case that is before the Equality Court, told Sapa that he had been prohibited from entering the court, “by people who were bodyguards, or who are not people with the court”.
While ANCYL spokesman Floyd Shivambu was earlier quoted in the Citizen as saying the guns were for crowd control, when approached by the Pretoria News for comment he refused to speak about security issues regarding Malema “as they are none of your business”.
Police spokesman Colonel Vish Naidoo also declined to comment about the armed guards outside court, saying it was not a police matter.
“It is up to the Justice Department to comment on why people were allowed into the court with firearms,” he said.
Justice spokesman Tlali Tlali failed to return cellphone calls or SMSes at the time of going to press.
Malema’s use of the heavily armed guards, who police said did not work for the SAPS, has been lambasted by security and military analysts.
The Institute of Security Studies policing specialist, Johan Burger, said the sight of Malema being escorted into court resembled something out of a gangster movie.
“This is completely out of place with present day South Africa. Not even the level of crime we have in South Africa warrants this kind of blatant show of force, which creates a threat in its own.
“If you look at the armaments the bodyguards are carrying, one would be tempted to draw the conclusion that there was a very serious threat against Malema.
“If this is the case he must tell us what kind of threat he has received, which has warranted this overboard protection,” he said, adding that the guns being carried were offensive military weapons used in war zones.
Burger said that in cases of threats to personal safety, police would be called in to do a threat assessment and would, if a threat was detected, provide security.
“Clearly, in this case the police feel that there is no threat to Malema as they have not provided him with a security detachment.
“Of further concern is how the bodyguards will guarantee that innocent people will not be killed if they have to open fire on a so-called threat.
“Malema must justify to all South Africans the need for such force and the reason for sending out such a threatening and intimidating message of force,” he said.
Military analyst Helmoed Heitman said the use of such weapons was a “gross overkill”.
“Most people don’t need bodyguards and for the few that do a pistol is perfectly adequate form of protection.
“This sort of rifle for the protection of someone like a president would be understandable, but definitely not in the case of Malema,” he said.
“These are fire support weapons which are used as a ‘back-up’ if things go really wrong and would usually be used by special forces operatives in areas such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Serious questions need to be asked, especially if these are fully automatic weapons. If they are, then someone needs to explain how these guards came into their possession.
“These guns are not something you want any Tom, Dick or Harry carrying around, and unless they had special permission to have these weapons and carry them in public, the police should have arrested them on the spot.
“One needs to know how well trained these ‘guards’ are and how well they can shoot, because if you are shot with this weapon you are, for all intents and purpose, dead,” he said.
SA Gunowners’ Association spokesman Martin Hood said having a gun in a court was against regulations and having an exposed weapon was against the law.
Hood said rifles were restricted firearms and getting a licence for them was difficult. “Who is this company and are they registered?” asked Hood. “I take particular exception to weapons like this being taken into a court… What they did is illegal and… the police either messed up… or they turned a blind eye.” – Pretoria News
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Vodacom vs Cell C: Red VS black
Network provider Cell C is on a mission to make a point in their tongue-in-cheek campaign, poking fun at the recent rebranding of Vodacom. This campaign features Trevor Noah saying that it takes more than a lick of paint to change your performance. Amazing!
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Africa’s largest undersea Internet cable to land this month
A new undersea telecommunications cable to boost Africa’s Internet access will land this month, mobile service provider MTN said on Thursday, calling it the continent’s largest data pipeline yet.
The 14,000-kilometre (8,700-mile) West Africa Cable System (WACS) fibre optic line is scheduled to reach South Africa’s Western Cape province on April 18, linking the continent’s Internet providers directly to the servers of Europe and boosting the bandwidth of the world’s
least-connected region.
The cable starts in London and will connect 15 points along Africa’s western coast, said MTN, which has a $90-million (€63-million) stake in the $650-million system and is the project’s single largest investor.
The new link is the latest in a series of submarine cables that hold the promise of an Internet explosion for Africa, where only 9.6% of people are web users, compared to 65% of Europeans.
The capacity of Africa’s fibre optic cable connections has expanded almost 300-fold since 2009, when the continent relied mainly on excruciatingly slow satellite connections, and will expand another 23% with the launch of the 5,120-gigabit WACS.
“WACS will … go a long way towards catapulting Africa into the digital age,” said Karel Pienaar, managing director for MTN South Africa.
“Lack of bandwidth on the continent has arrested the development of Africa and has constrained the continent from achieving its full potential.”
MTN said it has been allocated an initial 11% of the cable’s capacity when it goes live for commercial use in the second quarter.
Only 9.6 percent of Africans are web users
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17th Annual MTN South African Music Awards
As SA music’s biggest night, the 17th Annual MTN South African Music Awards will now be held at Monte Casino, Fourways in Johannesburg on Friday the 20th and Saturday the 21st May 2011.Dubbed as ‘Joburg’s Number 1 Entertainment Hotspot’, Monte Casino will be taken over and transformed by the SAMA Organisers into a weekend-long live music celebration with multiple stages. Across both Friday and Saturday nights’ Award Shows as well as the myriad of surrounding events and parties across the weekend, Monte Casino will be an accessible and prestigious host for MTN SAMA17.
They will for the first time in its history also make SAMA even more accessible to the fans by hosting MTN SAMA17 at Monte Casino, making more tickets available to the fans to both the Friday and Saturday Awards Shows including selective VIP packages, adding more events and live performances in addition to the extensive windows and content on TV, radio, online and mobile webcasts.” the SAMA organizers explained.
“MTN is thrilled to be participating once again in this year’s 17th Annual MTN South African Music Awards.Be sure to get your tickets this is a weekend of fun not to be missed.
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Mind your language – shake-up at universities
Pretoria – Every university student in South Africa could be required to learn one African language as a condition for graduating, Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande said on Tuesday.
An advisory panel had been tasked with looking into the issue, Nzimande said in Pretoria at the launch of the teacher education and development plan for the next 15 years.
“One of the things we are looking into is… to what extent should we consider that every university student in South Africa must at least learn one African language as a condition for graduating,” he said.
This was “very, very critical”.
Speaking in isiZulu, Nzimande said: “Akukwazi ukuba yithi kuphela ekuthiwa sifunde isingisi nesibhunu bakwethu, kodwa ezethu iyilimi nabanye bangazifundi [We can't be expected to learn English and Afrikaans, yet they don't learn our languages]“.
He said the issue of the development and teaching of African languages in universities was something he was taking up as a special ministerial project.
The advisory panel would look at how to strengthen university teaching and expansion of African languages, which was in a serious decline.
The launch of the strategic planning framework for teachers aims to improve the quality of teachers and teaching in the country in line with calls over the years by teacher unions.
The plan identifies the availability of qualified and capable African language foundation phase teachers as particularly problematic.
Nzimande said this had “severe implications” for the development of early numeracy and literacy, which was the foundation for all future learning.
“African language learners in the poor, rural context are mostly severely impacted,” he said.
A European Union-supported programme to strengthen foundation teacher education was already being implemented by the higher and basic education departments.
It would increase the number of universities involved in foundation phase teacher education from 18 in 2008 to 20 by 2014, said Nzimande
