May 27, 2000 Mboweni's bodyguard killedJohannesburg (Sapa) - The Reserve Bank confirmed on Saturday that Davis Smith, the 29-year-old bodyguard to Reserve Bank Governor Tito Mboweni, was shot dead on the Ben Schoeman Highway in Midrand on Friday afternoon. Mboweni expressed his condolences to Smith's wife Myra, his daughter and their family, a Reserve Bank statement said. The Bank said that Smith, a VIP protection official, was on his way to pick up the Governor at the Johannesburg International Airport when he was shot by an off-duty traffic official. The traffic official was being questioned by police. Earlier, police spokesman Superintendent Eugene Opperman told Sapa that the bodyguard was driving alone from Pretoria to Johannesburg when he was pulled over by the traffic officer around 3.15pm. It was not known why he was pulled over, Opperman said. He said that a shooting ensued and the bodyguard was hit. He died at the scene. Opperman said that the circumstances surrounding the shooting were unknown and the suspect had refused to talk. It was also not known if the bodyguard fired at the traffic officer. Both the bodyguard's and the traffic officer's guns were seized and two spent cartridges were recovered at the scene. The traffic officer is expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate's Court on Monday.Sapa

May 26, 2000 'We killed the Helderberg passengers'Johannesburg (Sapa) - A senior member of SA Airways' management, now retired, admitted that the carrier transported highly explosive substances and weapons aboard passenger flights in the 1980s, the Beeld reported in its Friday publication. Brian Watkins, a retired senior route manager at SAA, on Thursday told Beeld: "We murdered the people aboard the Helderberg." Watkins said following a series of articles about the 1987 air disaster which claimed the lives of all 159 aboard, he "wrestled with his conscience". He said he eventually decided the world should know the secrets he carried with him. Watkins said shortly before the launch of a commission of inquiry into the air crash, led by Judge Cecil Margo, he and his family were threatened with death should he reveal what he knew. "I am still afraid now, but I am going to speak. I am going to tell everything. I owe it to the thousands of passengers whose lives we placed in danger back then." He said he received his information from then senior route manager: freight, the late Charles Larkins. Watkins alleged that dangerous cargo such as weapons, ammunition and explosives were transported not only on the Taiwan/Johannesburg route, but also the London, Frankfurt and Lisbon routes. It was mostly billed as agricultural equipment. Watkins said the captain of the ill-fated Helderberg, Dawie Uys, appeared visibly tense a couple of days before the flight and had his will and testament reviewed. He also said farewell to his family members - something he never usually did. Watkins felt Uys new about the dangerous cargo he was to transport on his return flight. He said Larkins was asked during a meeting - attended by then SAA managing director Gert van der Veer, and representatives of Armscor and Military Intelligence - to describe the cargo space normally available on the national carrier's flights. "Mr Larkins told me he was then told to shut up. He was very worried," Watkins told Beeld. "We killed the people aboard the Helderberg. The people who were responsible must be made to answer and the law must run its course. I do not want to go to my grave with these secrets," Watkins said. Sapa

May 27, 2000 TRC to release secret evidence on Helderburg crashJohannesburg (Sapa) - The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) will on Monday deliver copies of evidence heard behind closed doors two years ago that South African Airways staff lost a crucial tape recording that could have led investigators to the cause of the 1987 Helderberg plane crash. The Sunday Times newspaper reported that the TRC will deliver copies of the evidence to the ministers of Justice and Transport and the National Director of Public Prosecutions. Former SAA chief executive Gert van der Veer, flight operations director Mickey Mitchell and a radio operator, gave conflicting versions of what happened to the tape.

The tape is alleged to contain conversations between the plane and the SAA radio room in Johannesburg hours before it crashed off Mauritius, claiming 159 lives. It would also have shed light on claims that there were two fires on board the Helderberg and would have explained why the captain did not make an emergency landing after the first. At the in-camera TRC hearing, Van der Veer was asked whether he had been handed a copy of the tape as claimed by an earlier witness. He replied that he could not remember, but could "not deny" that he had received the recordings. Van der Veer also admitted that after it disappeared he did not take his staff to task for the blunder. Mitchell said that he locked the tape in a steel cabinet. However, nobody could explain why it went missing or was mistakenly recorded over. After its inquiry two years ago, the TRC urged the government to reinvestigate the cause of the crash because its findings did not tally with those of the Margo Commission. "It is clear that further investigation is necessary before this matter can be laid to rest," the TRC said at the time. In its report, the TRC said that there were unanswered questions including - how original aircraft cargo manifests had gone missing and why the Margo inquiry failed to call any witnesses from Armscor to establish whether any military cargo was on board the aircraft. If the government decides to reopen the Helderberg investigation and it is found that dangerous cargo was aboard, relatives of the victims are likely to sue the airline for tens of millions of rands.Sapa

May 29, 2000 Govt probes presence of Foday Sankoh's wife in SAJohannesburg (Reuters) - The government said on Monday that it was investigating the presence in the country of Sierra Leone rebel leader Foday Sankoh's wife. The Foreign Ministry was seeking clarification from the United Nations on whether Fatou Sankoh, who entered South Africa on a US passport, was affected by UN travel restrictions on her husband, Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad told SABC radio. Newspapers reported that Fatou Sankoh arrived at the weekend from the United States, where she had been living for the previous 10 days. Foday Sankoh, who heads the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), is forbidden to travel outside Sierra Leone. "We are obviously investigating this matter. We will be getting in touch with the United Nations to see whether she is affected by the sanctions," Pahad said. In February, the government expelled Foday Sankoh after he entered South Africa in defiance of UN travel restrictions imposed on the RUF leadership. Sankoh is under arrest after his rebels, who last year signed a peace accord with the government of President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, triggered a fresh crisis this month by abducting hundreds of UN peacekeepers. Kabbah plans to try Sankoh for alleged atrocities committed since an amnesty granted under the peace accord.

Copyright 2000 Reuters Ltd. All rights reserved. Republication and redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

May 29, 2000 Gauteng’s 'top 10 crime suburbs' need more police - DPfrom the DPSafety and Security Minister Steve Tshwete’s conclusions about the police's latest crime statistics are questionable. In Gauteng, the situation is getting worse, not better.The top 10 neighbourhoods in Gauteng where crime is rampant are:

1. Johannesburg Central 2. Hillbrow 3. Pretoria Central 4. Booysens 5. Randburg 6. Vanderbijylpark 7. Sandton 8. Sunnyside

9. Brooklyn 10. Vereeniging

This bears out DP contentions that crime will never be beaten in neighbourhoods until the SAPS are properly resourced. The shortages at some of the police stations mentioned is as follows:Table: Shortages of functional personnel and civilians employed at police stations in GautengStation Functional personnel CiviliansJoburg Central + 43 -89Hillbrow - 170 + 24Pretoria Central - 173 -49Booysens - 185 - 43Randburg - 165 - 1Sandton - 153 - 3Sunnyside - 106 - 13Brooklyn - 103 - 38(Note: Functional personnel refers to uniformed police, detectives and intelligence officers of the SAPS)All these police stations are dramatically under-resourced. Johannesburg Central Police Station may have an excess of 43 police, but has a shortage of 89 civilians. This means that functional personnel are employed to do routine administrative work that should be done by civilians.It would make an enormous difference if these police stations had a full complement of uniformed police, detectives, intelligence officers and civilians.Another 1 055 functional personnel and 236 civilians at the above-mentioned police stations would help make a significant dent in the incidence of crime in these neighbourhoods.Tshwete must explain when these vacancies are going to be filled.

info@woza.co.za© WOZA Internet (Pty) Ltd

May 29, 2000 Golden Arrow bus driver shot dead, bus petrol-bombedCape Town (Sapa) - A Golden Arrow bus driver was first shot dead and his bus petrol-bombed in Delft near Cape Town on Monday morning, the police said.Superintendent Wicus Holtzhausen said that gunmen believed to be from rival taxi associations fired at the bus driver shortly before 6am and then threw a petrol bomb into the vehicle.The attack comes in the wake of an ongoing violent conflict between the bus company and taxi operators, who want the Golden Arrow buses out of the townships.Further details about the incident and driver were not immediately available as police were still gathering information at the scene, Holtzhausen said. "It's hectic and chaotic. People are still running around," he said.Six commuters were injured in Khayelitsha after another Golden Arrow bus was shot at while it was picking up passengers around 6.15am, he said. Five people were shot in the legs, and another person who was hit by a car while trying to avoid the hail of bullets, were rushed to a nearby hospital. They are reportedly in a stable condition.Meanwhile, Golden Arrow spokesman Jeanne Welsh said that the company's buses would continue operating from the outskirts of the townships.Last-ditch attempts to mediate between the taxi operators and the bus company failed on Friday, even with a facilitator chosen by the taxi operators present. The meeting ended after the facilitator said that the taxi operators demands were unrealistic.Hopes of resolving the conflict are now focused on new legislation designed to stop the conflict. The new laws, which will be in place by next Friday, will enable Western Cape transport MEC Piet Meyer to close taxi ranks.Sapa

May 29, 2000 Rape suspect dies while fleeing policeCrime brief - Monday/TuesdayHillbrow, Johannesburg - A rape suspect died on Saturday after misjudging the distance between two buildings and falling to his death while trying to escape from police in Hillbrow.

The SAPS received a complaint of a rape in progress at Rosedale Heights in Joubert Park on Saturday, and on their arrival they were informed that a rape was taking place on the roof of the building.When the police got to the roof, they found two men busy raping two women.When the police identified themselves the suspects jumped up and started fleeing by jumping from one building onto another.The police fired two shots warning the suspects to stop. One suspect succeeded in escaping, but the second misjudged the distance between two buildings and fell to his death from the 10-storey building.No arrests were made, and Hillbrow detectives are investigating.Couple fleeing police burnt to death after collisionSoweto - A couple driving in an Opel Monza burnt to death when their vehicle collided with a Volkswagen combi and caught fire at the border of Orlando East and Diepkloof Zone 1 on Sunday night.Orlando SAPS had a roadblock along Pela Street at Orlando West opposite Phefeni Railway station when a white Monza made a U-turn before the road block.The road block SAPS vehicle gave chase until the driver of the Monza lost control and collided with a VW Combi.The occupants of the vehicle died at the scene.The occupants of the Combi (four people) were slightly injured and were taken to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital for treatment.During preliminary investigations the police discovered that the ignitions lock of the Monza had been tempered with and that the keys in the Monza were not that vehicle's keys.The vehicle was found to belong to somebody from Protea-Glen but was not reported stolen.Police investigations continue with a case of culpable homicide.Girl, 7, raped in NgqeleniUmtata - A seven-year-old girl was raped at Mampodomiseni in Ngqeleni on Saturday afternoon. The girl was rushed to hospital, where she is being treated for injuries and shock.An 18-year-old suspect was arrested and severely assaulted by the local community, and is now under police guard in Umtata General hospital.The boy will appear in the Ngqeleni Magistrate's Court soon on charges of rape.Three appear in court for kidnapping, rape and assaultJohannesburg - Three suspects are to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Monday in connection with the kidnapping, rape and assault of a 17-year-old girl on Friday night.The victim and her 26-year-old male friend were on their way home from a shop in Eikenhof informal settlement on Friday at about 9pm.They were allegedly accosted by four armed suspects and both pistol whipped by the suspects.The friend fell to the ground and two suspects then grabbed the girl and took her to a nearby veld where all four of them took turns in raping her repeatedly until about 2am on Saturday.The incident was reported to the Mondeor police at about 4pm on Saturday.One of the suspects was arrested shortly afterwards whilst walking in a street in Eikenhof.Follow-up investigations led the police to two houses in the settlement where the other two suspects were arrested. The fourth suspect is still at large.The rape victim sustained minor injuries to her head during the rape.The police are investigating.Police arrest armed robbers in SandtonJohannesburg - Members of the SAPS Highway Patrol arrested two armed robbers in Sandton while they were busy committing a robbery on Friday evening.A security guard allegedly noticed two suspicious looking men walking up and down outside a building in Grayston drive, Sandown.A little later he saw the men forcing a man who was guarding the entrance to the building into the foyer.The security guard contacted the Flying Squad and told them what he witnessed. Shortly afterwards two members of the Highway patrol arrived and went into the building.They found a robbery in progress on the fifth floor.The two armed men who were earlier seen forcing the security guard into the building were holding the security guard as well as a 66-year-old shop owner at gunpoint.The robbers had already taken R8 300 out of the safe.The police arrested the two - aged 22 and 33 - on the spot and recovered all the money. Two fire-arms registered in the suspects' names were also confiscated. No shots were fired and no-one was injured.Sandton detectives are investigating.Bystander shot in Illovo as suspects flee policeJohannesburg - A bystander was shot in the head when three suspects started shooting at the police on Thursday at Illovo, Sandton.Members of the JHB North Reaction Team were doing crime prevention patrols in Illovo when they spotted three suspicious looking men in a white BMW.

The police switched on their car's siren and motioned the driver of the BMW to pull over.One of the men in the BMW started shooting at the police with an AK47 rifle as the car sped off.A bystander was shot in the process and taken to hospital in a critical condition, while the police vehicle was hit three times and a policeman sustained a flesh wound in his hand.The police followed the BMW but lost the car in peak hour traffic in Sandton.No arrests were made and Brixton Murder and Robbery detectives are investigating a case of attempted murder.By Jamez Manyapelo, WOZA

May 22, 2000 Crimestop.co.za changes its tacticsfrom crimestop.co.zaLocal laptop retailer, The Notebook Company, which launched a crimestop website last year in an effort to assist in combating SA's rampant crime rate, has added an innovation to its website which will see subscribers being e-mailed a list of the latest "hot goods" and "bad cheques" on a daily basis.Previously the public had to enter a stolen item's details onto the website's database and, in order to check up on stolen goods or bad cheques, had to dial into the website and actually interrogate the database. "To make things more user-friendly we have added a new, dynamic dimension to crimestop.co.za," said Christopher Riley, general manager of The Notebook Company, and the brainchild behind the crimestop website. "By sending out daily e-mail updates to our subscribers we have removed the drudgery for the general public and for our subscribers. "I believe the response to the website, up until now, would have been better if it had been this automated from the beginning." Riley said any member of the public is welcome to subscribe to the crimestop website. "The service is absolutely free. This is a non-profit organisation, but I believe, if we have the support of the public, that crimestop.co.za can go a long way towards fighting crime." Riley reminded people to write down the serial numbers of all their goods and to ensure that this information is stored in a safe place as well as to list them on crimestop.co.za. if they are stolen. This information will then be e-mailed out to the entire subscriber base, "thereby increasing the chances of recovering the stolen goods, as well as making it more difficult for criminals to get away with theft". He said it is also important that people and companies should list bad cheques on the website, as well as doing a search for bad cheques on the database before accepting any cheque. "People should also make sure they check the serial numbers of goods they purchase on crimestop.co.za. They might be surprised to find out how many times these goods turn out to be stolen."In addition, when purchasing an item, demand a crimestop.co.za certificate which states that the item was not listed at the time of the sale - especially when it comes to second hand goods. "Our system is constantly being upgraded and improved. The system will issue a certificate attesting to the fact that the serial number of the item purchased is not listed, but will also keep a record of who had the certificate issued, in case the product got sold before it was listed." Crimestop.co.za would also like to hear from large vendors if they would like to order crimestop.co.za stickers to stick on their merchandise."The bottomline is," said Riley, "that if criminals know there is a database, subscribed to by large numbers of people, that tracks stolen goods - as well as listing serial numbers - it will make their lives that much more difficult. It will certainly make it a lot harder to sell stolen goods."

May 25, 2000 Rastafarian loses dagga case appealJohannesburg (Sapa) - Rastafarian Gareth Anver Prince on Thursday lost his appeal against the authorities' refusal to register him as a candidate attorney due to his use of cannabis for religious purposes. In a majority judgment, the Appeal Court in Bloemfontein dismissed Prince's contention that legislation prohibiting dagga use and possession violated his constitutional right to freedom of religion. Appeal judge Joos Hefer said such legislation was beyond doubt imposed to safeguard society as a whole. Making an exemption for Rastafarians would not leave the public adequately protected. "One shudders at the thought of the consequences of lifting the ban to Rastafarians themselves and, more importantly, to society generally," Hefer said. Legalising the use of a dagga for Rastafarians would enable them to use the drug as often and in such doses as they liked, leaving the door open for abuse.

On evidence before the court, cannabis was harmful, particularly in large doses, and was often the "stepping stone" to the use of more harmful drugs. Rastafarians had in the past been referred to mental institutions for behavioural problems linked to dagga use, the judge said. Hefer said lifting the ban partially was likely to cause an "influx of neophytes attracted to the Rastafarian faith by the prospect of the practically unfettered use of a prohibited drug". An exemption would also be impossible to police. "Consider the dilemma of a policeman who finds cannabis in the possession of a person who claims to be a Rastafarian," Hefer said. "How can he be sure that the claim is valid?" A suggestion that Rastafarians be issued with permits was also impractical, he said. "Apart from the other conceivable complications, how can a policeman who is presented with a permit be sure that the holder will use the cannabis in his possession for the right purpose?" Prince, who obtained his LLB degree in 1993, launched a legal battle after he was refused permission to register as a candidate attorney in February 1997. The Law Society of the Cape of Good Hope found him unfit to practice law in light of two convictions for dagga possession and his avowed intention to continue using the drug. In March 1998, the Cape High Court ruled that the prohibition on cannabis use was not unconstitutional, and dismissed Prince's application for a review of the society's decision. Regarding Prince's contention that the law society failed to take into account his integrity, honesty and reliability when considering his application, the Appeal Court found that these were not the only applicable traits. Candidate attorneys ought to be not only honest and reliable, but a "fit and proper person" in every respect. Appeal judges Werner Vivier, Pierre Oliver and Ralph Zulman concurred. In a separate judgment, acting appeal judge Kenneth Mthiyane said he agreed with Hefer's judgment, but elaborated on the issue of Prince's character. Should Prince have been allowed to enter the attorneys' profession, he would have to take an oath of office pledging loyalty to his country. "It seems to me that any person who wishes to be a member of the attorneys' profession and takes the oath . . . also swears or affirms loyalty to the laws of the republic, of which the Drugs Act and the Medicines Act are a part. "If the appellant declares that he will defy any of the laws of the republic, it is difficult to see how he can be considered to be a fit and proper person as is envisaged in the Attorneys Act." Prince's conduct appeared to amount to a repudiation of the oath of allegiance, Mthiyane said. The appeal was dismissed with costs. Sapa

May 25, 2000 100 Joburg traffic cops either found guilty or have pending criminal charges - reportAbout 100 Greater Johannesburg Traffic Department (GJTD) officials have either been found guilty of or face serious criminal charges, The Star reported on Thursday.Among the officials implicated on the paper's list is the acting head of the Johannesburg Traffic Department, Thabo Kgatswane, who was investigated on charges of stealing petrol while he was head of the Sandton Traffic Department (JTD). An internal inquiry found him guilty of the charge.The paper said that Kgatswane was demoted after being found guilty, but was transferred for six months before being promoted to the senior position of the deputy chief of JTD.Another officer, P Makelane, faces charges of murder for allegedly shooting and killing a motorist who refused to pay a bribe. He was released on bail and is currently employed at Sandton's traffic radio control room.Other officers facing charges include the chief superintendent of JTD, who was found guilty of fraud, at least two officers facing armed robbery charges and three officers who face charges of drunken or negligent driving.The following is a list of names, as reported by The Star, of some of the Johannesburg traffic officers who have been convicted of various charges or have them pending against them:

Thabo Kgatswane, chief superintendent, and former head of Sandton Traffic Department. He was found guilty by an internal hearing of stealing council petrol, and got demoted and transferred for six months. He has since been promoted to deputy chief of the JTD, and is currently acting chief;

B J Siqubudu, who is in jail awaiting trial for hijacking a truck while in uniform and using a patrol car;

L Mogotsi, who stole a traffic department motorcycle after a rock concert and was then arrested for drunken driving;

P Masoek and W P Ratshidi, who are currently working in the traffic department's radio room despite their pending criminal charges. They are on bail of R5 000 for armed robbery;

C C McKay, chief superintendent and spokesperson for the traffic department, used a council vehicle for two years and yet claimed for a car allowance. He was found guilty of fraud and ordered to pay the money back;

P Makelane, allegedly shot dead a motorist who refused to pay a bribe. He was charged with murder, and is on R1 000 bail. He is still working;

Freddie Hattingh was found guilty of bribery, yet is still working; Brian Hayton, now with the traffic department's dog unit, was found guilty of bribery, fraud and

theft charges; Superintendent Abrie Pelser was found guilty of drunken and negligent driving, but is still

employed as a traffic official; P M Xaba has an assault case pending, and he is also still working; V van der Westhuizen was found guilty of rape. He is still employed by the department; M Mompe has got a theft case pending; S de Lange and C Brindle have got criminal charges pending for pointing firearms; C Makhele has got charges pending for reckless and negligent driving; E Magithi has got an assault case pending; A Ramdeen is facing bribery charges; P M Mzwakale is facing fraud charges, but is still working; G Cloete has got a drunken driving charge pending; and A Lekwape was found guilty of losing two firearms, and fined R3 000 or 12 months. Four other traffic officers have been suspended for bribery and theft.

By Mahap Msiza, WOZA

May 25, 2000 Bus, taxi conflict - delivery vehicles becoming targetsThe police issued a warning on Thursday to private delivery companies operating in the Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Guguletu, Langa, and Mitchells Plein areas near Cape Town, of potentially violent attacks aimed at their drivers and vehicles.The warning by the police was issued just a few hours after a N2 highway blockade by Golden Arrow buses during peak morning rush hour. The bus drivers were protesting against the continuing conflict between themselves and taxi operators. Golden Arrow drivers dispersed after about an hour and traffic returned to normal.Their action followed the stoning of a Golden Arrow bus as it left the Philippi depot late on Wednesday, and the firing of shots at another bus early on Thursday."It has become apparent that private delivery vehicles are now also becoming targets of violence generated by the conflict between taxis and bus operators in these areas," the SA Police Service (SAPS) said.Police spokesman Lennit Max said that several delivery vehicles have been set alight and drivers attacked recently.He urged owners and drivers of delivery vehicles to contact the police station in the relevant area, or phone the police radio control at 10111, in order to check on the situation before making their deliveries.Several measures by the police, including road blocks and foot, vehicle and aerial patrols in conjunction with the SA National Defence Force and other law enforcement agencies, have been put in place to curb the violence.According to media reports, the Mitchells Plein area could be badly affected by the bus drivers' strike.Western Cape transport MEC Piet Meyer has promised to bring a speedy end to the situation in Mitchells Plein. He has indicated his intention to close taxi ranks in affected areas.By Mahap Msiza, WOZA

May 25, 2000

New methods of hijacking being used from Chief Constable Dion van Niekerk, CR Swart Police Station Two new methods of hijacking are being used. I would like to bring these to your attention so you can be proactive in your everyday life. Firstly, women at shopping centre car parks are being pushed into the boot of their cars while depositing shopping bags. They are often taken hostage and gang raped. It is advisable to walk around your car first before approaching it and be vigilant at all times. Do not lean halfway into the boot when placing parcels in, as you then become an unsuspecting target.

There is a clip in the felt lining of your boot in the vicinity of the tail light. Unclip it. You will have immediate access to the tail light, which you can break and stick your hand through to attract the attention of other motorists. Leave your wheel spanner lying loose in the boot for this purpose. Secondly, motorists are being forced to drive over bricks and rocks which puncture their tyres. There has been a recent spate of these incidents in the vicinity of the Buccleuch area. If you feel your vehicle hitting an object, continue driving, as the hijackers need you to stop before they can approach you. Continue driving for at least one kilometre, then get out and get away as soon as you can. Your car's rims can be replaced, but not your life. Pass this message on to as many people as possible, as it may help to save a life.

Back to Saartjie

May 25, 2000 Farm couple attacked in Eastern CapeCrime brief - Wednesday/ThursdayEastern Cape - A farmer and his wife were attacked by four robbers on their farm between Rocklands and Uitenhage on Thursday morning, Sapa reports.Police spokesman Petrus Smodt said that Pieter Maritz and his wife, Louise, were watching television at around 01:00 in the morning when they heard a window break.According to Sapa, Maritz went to the window where he found that two men were trying to get into the house. While wrestling the attackers, he heard another window break. Smodt said Maritz told his wife to try to stop two other men from getting into the house.The four robbers eventually got into the house and the couple ran out of a back door. The couple later returned to the house and found that some documents and a television were missing.Police have recovered some of the stolen documents that were found near the house, Sapa reports. A manhunt has been launched by the Eastern Cape police.Joburg taxidriver wounded in armed robberyBenrose - A metre-taxidriver was shot in the right thigh by a passenger at Benrose on Wednesday night, Sapa reports.Police inspector Mary Martins-Engelbrecht said that the taxidriver was sitting in his parked car at the corner of Jeppe and Von Wielligh streets around 21:30 when he was approached by two men, who asked him to take them to Benrose.As the driver reached Barney Road in Benrose, one of the men threatened him with a gun. The driver stopped the car and jumped out, but the gunman shot him as he was running away, Martins-Engelbrecht told Sapa.The robbers then drove off in the taxi, a blue Toyota Cressida registration number JTT 166 GP.The Johannesburg hijacking unit is investigating the incident.Two arrested for ecstasy in HillbrowJohannesburg - A South African and a Nigerian citizen were arrested in Hillbrow on Tuesday for being in possession of ecstasy tablets to the value of R300 000.Gauteng Specialised Investigations Unit arrested the two in a flat, following a tip-off about the smuggling of the 6 000 tablets from Maputo, Mozambique, into the country.The unit observed them for two days and finally arrested the duo at their residence.Both suspects are expected to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Friday.By James Manyapelo, WOZA

May 24, 2000 Qualifications probe in Mpumalanga already shows number of irregularities - Fraser-MoleketiA qualifications audit, currently under way in the Mpumalanga public service, has already revealed a number of instances where qualifications presented by officials on CVs do not match the records of the universities they claim to have graduated from. This was revealed by Public Services and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi at a press conference in Cape Town on Tuesday. The audit was called for by Mpumalanga premier Ndaweni Mahlangu after widespread allegations that top government officials had provided fraudulent information about their qualifications, and that their credentials had not been checked properly before they were appointed.Fraser-Moleketi said that the Mpumalanga probe would see the qualifications checked of all employees from director level upwards. In a second phase the qualifications of assistent directors and deputy directors will be checked.

She said that her department would complete the first phase of auditing by the end of May, and the second - involving 450 officials - by the end of July. The Mpumalanga audit will be followed by a nation-wide verification of public servants' qualifications. Fraser-Moleketi said that her department would lead the "intensive government-wide initiative, aimed at improving the information it had on its employees". She said that her department would not only update information on public service employees, but would also "attempt to verify the information collected". She denied, however, that the action was a probe into qualifications of senior personnel, and said it should rather be seen as "part of the ongoing work of the government". "Government does not have the intention of casting aspersions on the integrity of senior public servants. In the few instances where particular questions are raised regarding misrepresentation of qualifications, investigations will be conducted on the basis of available evidence . . . ," Fraser-Moleketi said. The allegations about fraudulent appointments have prompted calls from opposition parties for a full investigation into the matter. One of the officials whose qualifications are in doubt is the newly appointed Commissioner of Correctional Services, the Rev Lulamile Mbete. It is alleged that the BA of Theology Mbete stated he had received from the University of Fort Hare was never issued. According to reports the university said that they have no record of ever issuing Mbete with such a qualification, and that they have no record of every having a student of that name on their registers.Fraser-Moleketi on Tuesday, however, denied that there was any truth in the allegations. Mbete has yet to comment.The qualifications of Mpumalanga's DG of administration and accounting, Shadreck Coleman Nyathi, have also been questioned after an investigation conducted by Fraser-Moleketi's department. Nyathi reportedly threatened a Sunday Times reporter saying, "if you expose me I will kill you". Nyathi's CV states that he holds a Doctorate in Business Administration, but according to reports he has only a standard 8 qualification and a diploma from a university that is not recognised.Nyati later confirmed that he had lied about certain entries on his CV.By Mathabo le Roux, WOZA

May 24, 2000 Forensic scientist rejects Helderberg nuclear claimJohannesburg (Sapa) - An independent forensic scientist, who had been investigating the Helderberg air crash for years, on Tuesday rejected a purported transcript of the voice cockpit recording stating that there had been a nuclear bomb on board the plane. If a nuclear bomb had indeed caused the disaster, the aircraft would have been vaporised, Dr David Klatzow told Sapa. "Without the . . . transcript there is more than enough information to reopen the investigation." He listed several instances of what he said were irregularities in the initial investigation, led by Judge Cecil Margo, who found nobody was to blame for the crash. A Beeld report on Tuesday said - according to what was claimed to be a transcript of a technologically enhanced voice cockpit recording of the Helderberg - Captain Dawie Uys told some of his crew "Boy George" was on board. "Boy George" was apparently a code word, emanating from "Little Boy", the name of the first nuclear bomb that fell on Hiroshima in 1945. Transport Minister Dullah Omar said he remained open to the possibility of instituting an independent inquiry into the matter. He had asked the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to ascertain as soon as possible whether the transcript was authentic. The CAA, in a statement on Tuesday night, confirmed it had received a digital recording and two transcripts - one reflecting the sequence of the recording and the other "in which the alleged statements were recorded". However, the sound quality of the enhanced recording remained "very indistinct" to the human ear. The authority said it was taking the information "very seriously" but any new evidence had to be corroborated."Accordingly the CAA is currently attempting to authenticate the transcripts as a true reflection of the digital recording and as a segment of the CVR [cockpit voice recorder] of Flight SA 295," the statement said. "Once this has been confirmed, the CAA will make a decision if the information provided requires that the investigation into the cause of the Helderberg crash be reopened." Ministerial spokesman Mike Mabasa said: "It would be very difficult to make any decisions if we are not sure of the authenticity of the transcript." But Klatzow said there was evidence of a cover-up by the CAA's predecessor, the Directorate of Civil Aviation (DCA), and the CAA itself had "hardly any credibility". He said it was a flight of imagination to link the term "Boy George" to "Little Boy".

Regarding further references to "a bomb in the back", Klatzow said that it could mean anything to a layman, which was what a pilot would be, regarding chemical substances. It could easily refer to "highly flammable cargo" as well. "This is irresponsible journalism. It takes the debate no further. It damages further serious inquiry." The scientist said it was possible to technologically enhance the audiotape to a great extent, but he questioned the source of the so-called transcript. Furthermore, he said, big chunks of the Helderberg had been pulled from the sea. If a nuclear bomb had exploded on board, it would have vaporised the plane. Klatzow called on the relevant minister to reopen the investigation, and said the South African Airways should make its staff available for cross-examination. United Democratic Movement justice spokesman Masilo Mabeta called for an immediate high-level investigation. The ramifications of the latest revelations went far beyond the involvement of the CAA, he said. It appeared that "a previous judicial commission of inquiry was subverted by the apartheid regime," he said. "This alone is cause enough for a new judicial commission of inquiry." The Helderberg crashed into the Indian Ocean 160km from Mauritius in 1987, killing all 159 people aboard. In its report, the TRC said its own investigation into the matter "raised significant questions about the incident itself as well as the subsequent investigations that were conducted." Jimmy Mouton of the Flight Engineers Association and a friend of the flight engineer killed in the crash, told the TRC that the lawyer acting for the then DCA, as well as Margo himself, had asked the FEA to withdraw its submission indicating that there might have been two fires on board the plane, the commission's report said. Also, the recording of the conversations between the Helderberg and South African air traffic control went missing shortly after the incident and was never recovered, the TRC said. "In a letter to the commission, a United States marine said that the CIA had a recording of this conversation. The commission wrote to the director of the CIA asking him to confirm this and make a copy available. No response was received." The commission also found that neither eyewitnesses of the crash nor members of Armscor were called to give evidence before the Margo Commission. Over the years several theories had been put forward on the cause of the disaster. Media reports last week stated that, following technological enhancement of the partially enhanced voice cockpit recording, it could be deciphered that Uys had told his crew there was a "deadly material" on board. When then state president FW de Klerk told parliament in 1993 that South Africa had made and dismantled six nuclear bombs, he said the country's scientists had developed the bombs themselves without any outside help. In its probe the TRC found there was no reliable list of what cargo was being transported by the Helderberg when it crashed. "It was suggested that Armscor may have had a goods consignment on the Helderberg that could have been responsible for causing the fire," the report said. "Interviews with SAA pilots indicated that there was a belief among pilots that passenger flights were frequently used to transport armaments and components for Armscor," the TRC said. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party called on Omar to "urgently appoint a new independent commission of inquiry". It said such a commission should be given a clear mandate and specific powers in order to subpoena witnesses and forensic specialists who were involved in the original investigation. "It is in the public interest to ensure that the families of victims of this blight on our aviation history will finally know the truth of the events that unfolded in November 1987," said the DP. Sapa

May 24, 2000 Journalist hacks his mother to deathCrime brief - Tuesday/WednesdayUmtata - A 39-year-old Daily Dispatch journalist hacked his mother to death at Mhlanganisweni in the Eastern Cape on Tuesday evening.It is alleged that the suspect had a quarrel with his 72-year-old mother before hacking and also stabbing her with a bushknife, killing her instantly. The suspect then handed himself to the police in Libode.He is to be charged with murder and will appear in court on Thursday.Police kill man during escape attempt Orange Farm, Johannesburg - Police shot and killed a man who tried to run away from them after being arrested in Orange Farm on Tuesday, Sapa reports.Police spokesman Mary Kramer said that David Mvundla, who had been arrested for stocktheft, was shot in the left leg and died on the way to hospital.According to Sapa reports, Mvundla fled after trying to stab a policeman. He was then ordered to stop before the police fired warning shots, shooting him in the leg.

Suspect in serious condition after shoot-out with policeSoweto, Johannesburg - The police returned fire on a man who ran away after spotting them at Orlando West in Soweto on Tuesday.The Orlando police were patrolling the area when they saw the man running away. The police gave chase and verbally warned the suspect to stop.He ignored the warning, then allegedly pulled out a firearm and started shooting at the police when they were about to arrest him.The police returned fire and shot the suspect in the chest, shoulder and stomach. He was later taken to hospital for medical treatment where his condition is described as serious but stable.The suspect is facing charges of attempted murder and armed robbery after a 9mm pistol was found in his possession with three rounds of live ammunition.It was later established that the suspect earlier robbed someone of his cellular telephone, hence fleeing when he saw the police.He will appear in court as soon as he is out of hospital.Joburg man killed in car robberyKibler Park, Johannesburg - A man was shot dead and his wife's car stolen in an armed robbery in Kibler Park, south of Johannesburg on Tuesday evening.Jacques Buitendag (27) was trying to assist his wife and his sister after an unknown man held them both at gunpoint when they got out to open the gate.Buitendag, who witnessed the incident from the house, emerged to help his family, and was shot in the chest.Two other suspects then jumped into his wife's blue Toyota Conquest while the suspect who fired the shot took off in a waiting Toyota Corolla.The victim later died at the Mulbarton hospital.No arrests have been made. The Johannesburg Hijacking Unit is investigating.Man killed, wife injured in armed robberyFourways, Johannesburg - A man was shot dead while his wife and stepson sustained slight injuries during an armed robbery on Monday evening.A German citizen in the country for 20 years, 57-year-old Heinz Wolhard Buttkewitz of Fourways and his 11-year-old stepson were walking in the direction of their home after parking his vehicle when they were confronted by five unknown men who were allegedly hiding in the garden.Buttkewitz was robbed of his firearm and then shot about five times in the body by one of the suspects with the victim's gun. A second suspect allegedly also fired shots at Buttkewitz.The suspects then forced the child into the house before he was tied up together with his mother. The suspects then took jewellery and allegedly fled on foot.Brixton Murder and Robbery Unit are investigating.Joburg man wounded in armed attackAlan Manor, Johannesburg - Another man was shot and wounded when he arrived at his house in Alan Manor on Monday evening.It is alleged that the victim was getting out of his car when two armed men in the street outside his house started shooting at him, but fled on foot as he fired one shot at them, because he was also armed.The victim was wounded twice in his shoulder and leg. He was taken to hospital where he is reported to be in good condition.The motive for the attack is unknown since nothing was stolen and no arrests have been made.Mondeor detectives are investigating.By James Manyapelo, WOZA

May 24, 2000 Journalist hacks his mother to deathCrime brief - Tuesday/WednesdayUmtata - A 39-year-old Daily Dispatch journalist hacked his mother to death at Mhlanganisweni in the Eastern Cape on Tuesday evening.It is alleged that the suspect had a quarrel with his 72-year-old mother before hacking and also stabbing her with a bushknife, killing her instantly. The suspect then handed himself to the police in Libode.He is to be charged with murder and will appear in court on Thursday.Police kill man during escape attempt Orange Farm, Johannesburg - Police shot and killed a man who tried to run away from them after being arrested in Orange Farm on Tuesday, Sapa reports.Police spokesman Mary Kramer said that David Mvundla, who had been arrested for stocktheft, was shot in the left leg and died on the way to hospital.

According to Sapa reports, Mvundla fled after trying to stab a policeman. He was then ordered to stop before the police fired warning shots, shooting him in the leg.Suspect in serious condition after shoot-out with policeSoweto, Johannesburg - The police returned fire on a man who ran away after spotting them at Orlando West in Soweto on Tuesday.The Orlando police were patrolling the area when they saw the man running away. The police gave chase and verbally warned the suspect to stop.He ignored the warning, then allegedly pulled out a firearm and started shooting at the police when they were about to arrest him.The police returned fire and shot the suspect in the chest, shoulder and stomach. He was later taken to hospital for medical treatment where his condition is described as serious but stable.The suspect is facing charges of attempted murder and armed robbery after a 9mm pistol was found in his possession with three rounds of live ammunition.It was later established that the suspect earlier robbed someone of his cellular telephone, hence fleeing when he saw the police.He will appear in court as soon as he is out of hospital.Joburg man killed in car robberyKibler Park, Johannesburg - A man was shot dead and his wife's car stolen in an armed robbery in Kibler Park, south of Johannesburg on Tuesday evening.Jacques Buitendag (27) was trying to assist his wife and his sister after an unknown man held them both at gunpoint when they got out to open the gate.Buitendag, who witnessed the incident from the house, emerged to help his family, and was shot in the chest.Two other suspects then jumped into his wife's blue Toyota Conquest while the suspect who fired the shot took off in a waiting Toyota Corolla.The victim later died at the Mulbarton hospital.No arrests have been made. The Johannesburg Hijacking Unit is investigating.Man killed, wife injured in armed robberyFourways, Johannesburg - A man was shot dead while his wife and stepson sustained slight injuries during an armed robbery on Monday evening.A German citizen in the country for 20 years, 57-year-old Heinz Wolhard Buttkewitz of Fourways and his 11-year-old stepson were walking in the direction of their home after parking his vehicle when they were confronted by five unknown men who were allegedly hiding in the garden.Buttkewitz was robbed of his firearm and then shot about five times in the body by one of the suspects with the victim's gun. A second suspect allegedly also fired shots at Buttkewitz.The suspects then forced the child into the house before he was tied up together with his mother. The suspects then took jewellery and allegedly fled on foot.Brixton Murder and Robbery Unit are investigating.Joburg man wounded in armed attackAlan Manor, Johannesburg - Another man was shot and wounded when he arrived at his house in Alan Manor on Monday evening.It is alleged that the victim was getting out of his car when two armed men in the street outside his house started shooting at him, but fled on foot as he fired one shot at them, because he was also armed.The victim was wounded twice in his shoulder and leg. He was taken to hospital where he is reported to be in good condition.The motive for the attack is unknown since nothing was stolen and no arrests have been made.Mondeor detectives are investigating.By James Manyapelo, WOZA

May 23, 2000 Omar may reopen Helderberg inquiryJohannesburg (Sapa) - Transport Minister Dullah Omar would consider reopening the inquiry into the Helderberg aircraft disaster, his spokesman said on Tuesday after newspaper reports that the aeroplane was carrying a nuclear bomb when it plunged into the sea off Mauritius in 1987. According to what is claimed to be a transcript of a technologically enhanced voice cockpit recording of the Helderberg, Captain Dawie Uys told some of his crew "Boy George" (apparently a code name for a nuclear bomb) was on board, Beeld newspaper reported on Tuesday. Omar's spokesman Mike Mabasa said the minister had asked the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to ascertain as soon as possible whether the transcript was authentic. "It would be very difficult to make any decisions if we are not sure of the authenticity of the transcript." Omar remained open to the possibility of instituting an independent inquiry into the matter, Mabasa said.

The Helderberg, a Boeing 747 Combi, crashed into the Indian Ocean about 160km north-east of Mauritius on November 28, 1987, killing all 159 people on board. A three-year inquiry led by Judge Cecil Margo found that nobody was to blame for the crash. In its report the TRC said its own investigation had "raised significant questions about the incident itself as well as the subsequent investigations that were conducted". The TRC said unanswered questions included the missing cargo manifests and the disappearance of a recording of the conversations between the Helderberg and South African air traffic control. In a letter to the commission, a US marine said that the CIA had a recording of this conversation. The commission wrote to the director of the CIA asking him to confirm this and make a copy available. No response was received, the TRC said in its report.Jimmy Mouton of the Flight Engineers Association and a friend of the flight engineer killed in the crash, told the TRC that the lawyer acting for the then Directorate of Civil Aviation, as well as Margo himself, had asked the FEA to withdraw its submission indicating that there might have been two fires on board the plane. Sapa

May 23, 2000 Abe Williams testifies in corruption hearingJohannesburg (Sapa) - Former minister of welfare and population development, Abe Williams, on Tuesday sketched his background to the Cape High Court, after entering the witness stand to testify in his own defence on corruption, fraud and theft charges. He told the court of his struggles to generate funds for his political activities, as MP for Mamre, the west coast and Atlantis. Williams said he initially received funding from the then military intelligence (now renamed national intelligence), but later had to generate private funding when the intelligence source of income stopped. He told the court his constituents involved impoverished communities, who often approached him as their political leader for money. "In politics you have to care about others and it is nothing strange for parents to ask for money for school fees, or for people to ask for money for funerals or for a sports organisation to approach me for financial assistance. "If you are the leader in a community you have to help them, especially if you are a cabinet minister and people see you driving a flashy car," he said. Williams has pleaded not guilty to four counts of corruption, 35 of fraud and one of theft, all involving about R600 000. Williams told the court he lived in Rondebosch East and was still the MP. He told the court he left school after completing Standard 8 and trained to become a primary school teacher. He said he matriculated some years later through part-time study and then obtained a BA degree at the University of the Western Cape before graduating with an education qualification from the University of Stellenbosch. He told the court he spent most of his life as a teacher and retired from teaching as a principal of a primary school. He had also been very active in sport, including cricket and rugby. Williams' attorney Frikkie Erasmus told the court that the defence would first deal with Williams' background, and on Wednesday deal with the specific charges against him. Williams took the witness stand after public service and administration minister, Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, had testified about her stint as deputy to Williams in 1995. The hearing continues. Sapa

May 20, 2000 UDW vice chancellor should be charged for murder - AzascoPretoria (Sapa) - The Azanian Student Convention (Azasco) on Friday said that it had instructed its Durban branch to lay murder and attempted murder charges against the vice-chancellor of the University of Durban-Westville Mapule Ramashala following the Tuesday death of a student and injuries to scores of others. Michael Masopha Makhabane was killed during a clash between the police and protesting students over the deregistration of 517 fellow students after they failed to pay their registration fees. Azasco, in a statement released in Pretoria, called on Education Minister Kader Asmal and the university council to suspend Ramashala with immediate effect. The student body sent their condolences to the Makhabane family, and said, "We cannot pretend to know what it's like to send your child to acquire education only to return as a corpse."

Azasco spokesman Letuba Mampuru said that they were opposed to the exclusion of black students on financial grounds, saying that this would not yield the required results for country's development. "We feel that the lack of funds suffered by students are no faults of either them or their parents. Most of them are unable to pay fees due to abject poverty and other factors, including retrenchments. These factors are well known and cannot be ignored."Sapa

May 19, 2000 SAA bans sexpest diplomat from all flightsJohannesburg (Sapa) - South African Airways has thrown the book at senior South African diplomat Jerome Barnes, including banning him from ever flying on any of the airline's services worldwide and laying criminal charges against him. In a statement on Friday, SAA said it had decided on the action after a careful and thorough investigation into what had happened on a May 6 flight to London. Barnes allegedly behaved in an unruly and disruptive way during the flight. He is accused of fondling a flight attendant, insulting a purser by calling her a "f*cking white bitch", and putting passengers' safety at risk by walking around demanding a drink and cigarette when passengers were asked to buckle-up. SAA described Barnes' actions as "unruly and very abusive to two of our flight attendants". Barnes, a first secretary at the High Commission in London - could not be arrested at Heathrow because he had diplomatic immunity. SAA spokesman Victor Nosi said: "The said passenger will not be allowed to travel on any of South African Airways services anywhere in the world." SAA had also laid charges against Barnes in terms of the South African Aviation Offences Act. Moreover, it had lodged a formal complaint against Barnes with the high commission in London, and would assist its employees who wished to lay individual charges if they so wished, Nosi said. "We would like to make it clear to anyone that SAA will not tolerate any disruptive behaviour, by anyone on our flights, that will jeopardise the comfort and safety of all our staff and passengers. "I do hope that the judicial system will assist the airline in rooting out this kind of unacceptable behaviour," Nosi said. The department of foreign affairs announced that its chief director for Europe, Gert Grobbler, had been appointed to investigate the allegations against Barnes. Grobbler was appointed in terms of the public service's disciplinary code and procedures. High Commissioner in London, Cheryl Carolus, had also met representatives of SAA and New Scotland Yard's diplomatic section to discuss the incident. Foreign Ministry spokesman Dan Ngwepe said on Friday that Barnes was still at his desk and was expected to be given a five-day notice of the investigation against him. Ngwepe said there were public services procedures to follow, and the department's actions would not change in the light of SAA's actions against Barnes. Sapa

May 19, 2000 Police starting to win the war on crime - TshweteCape Town (Reuters) - The police and security services are starting to win the war against crime, Safety and Security Minister Steve Tshwete said on Thursday. "Our operations are already bearing fruit," he told parliament. "Peace and stability and freedom from fear will prevail in our country. Let criminals of every shade and colour know that we shall give them no quarter." Tshwete said that since the security services switched tactics and began concentrated policing in key target areas under the codename Operation Crackdown earlier this year, the rate of successes had been remarkable. "A total of 82 553 suspects have been arrested, while 3 473 stolen vehicles, 2 509 illegal firearms, 38 261 kilograms of dagga and 68 019 mandrax and ecstasy tablets have inter alia been seized," he said. He stressed that all this had been achieved in an operation that has only been running since the end of March this year, yet in some target areas crime had already dropped by up to 20 percent. "The first indications are that this approach is also starting to impact on our crime tendencies in general," he said. He noted that murder was down 22.1 percent, attempted murder down 9.9 percent, and arson down 17 percent compared to the same period last year. "Four of the eight property crimes, namely housebreaking, stock theft, shoplifting and theft of motor vehicles show decreases between 1999 and 2000," Tshwete said.

Plea for combined effort Close to three farmers a week are murdered in South Africa, and opposition parties have accused the government of neglecting the rural areas and focusing on the urban areas where its supporters are concentrated. But Tshwete rejected the criticism, noting that in the first three months of the year violent attacks on the farming community had dropped by one-third from the comparable 1999 period. He also pointed to successes from international cooperation that had helped crack a major Asian-based drug counterfeiting operation, as well as destroying illegal weapons dumps in Mozambique that had been fuelling the crime wave. He accepted that the workload on the country's 120 000 police - of whom about one-quarter are functionally illiterate - is tremendous, and promised a recruitment drive and money for more equipment. He also admitted that complaints to the Independent Complaints Directorate against the police had risen by more than 50 percent in the past year to 4 380, but noted that deaths in police custody had dropped 10 percent to 681. "Crime is not a political toy, but rather a matter of life and death which impacts upon all levels of society," Tshwete said. "I therefore make an earnest plea to work together in a concerted effort to eradicate the scourge of crime from the streets and homes of our wonderful country."

Copyright 2000 Reuters Ltd. All rights reserved. Republication and redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

May 23, 2000 Plot to kill Mandela, cancer experiments revealed at Basson trialJohannesburg (Sapa) - A highly-qualified veterinary surgeon told the Pretoria High Court on Monday that he and chemical warfare expert, Wouter Basson, had often discussed ways of killing former President Nelson Mandela and the late SA Community Party leader Joe Slovo in the 1980s. Daan Goosen, also a toxicology specialist, said these assassination discussions took place at the Roodeplaat Research Laboratories (RLL), which he helped Basson to establish after resigning from the Pretoria Academic Hospital's animal research laboratory. The RLL was a private company which mainly did research and development for SA Defence Force (SADF) chemical and biological agents, he said. "There were repeated discussions about, amongst others, important figures in the African National Congress and SACP, and who and what one could use to take them out," said Goosen. "We talked, for example, about leaders such as a Joe Slovo or a Nelson Mandela, to whom access might be limited to a few minutes. From our point of view it would have been good if such a person could, for example, develop cancer before he was released." He said that they did "that sort of development and research" and thought about carrying out "such projects [of eliminating Mandela and Slovo]". Goosen said it was natural for him to leave the hospital and join the SADF front company because there were many national servicemen working at the laboratory. At the time, he was involved in several research projects with countries such as the United States, France, Germany and Austria, and already had several scientific publications to his name.In 1983, Goosen was approached by the SADF front company, Delta G, claiming it manufactured chemicals used in swimming pools, and wanted him to carry out basic experiments on laboratory animals. He and Basson, who later became a confidante, often discussed his [Goosen's] research on trauma injuries and about using certain substances in a war situation. "At that stage, South Africa was involved in a confrontation. There was internal conflict that could not easily be controlled. We were all involved in the military effort and often talked extensively about the possibilities and uses of chemical and biological weapons." Goosen said in mid-1993, Basson talked to him about forming a facility to test chemical and biological weapons. "It was clear then that we would need sophisticated facilities and top scientists. It's accepted worldwide and justifiable today to create such a facility." He said initially it was decided they only test substances provided from outside, but it later changed. "In August 1983, Basson asked me to provide him with mamba toxin . . . they had access to an enemy of the state. At the time, our enemies were many and I didn't have problems with fighting them.

"Basson said they had means to get close to the enemy to give him something in a drink. They would then push him down and inject him with Mamba toxin. They would press his teeth in and then kill the mamba. "At the time we were working on a project about snake bites for the SADF, and we had mambas and cobras available. It was easy to get mamba toxin and test the dosages on a baboon." One morning, he met Basson and another scientist at the RLL, they injected the baboon with mamba poison and it died within minutes, he said. "I was very nervous, and spilt the remaining toxin on the floor, but was able to recover a deadly dose with a syringe because I did not want to milk the mamba. "I handed the poison, the mamba and a few mice to Basson with instructions on how to feed the snake, known as Fielies." The snake was later shot dead because it no longer served a purpose. Several other witnesses testified that they severally saw the snake in a cage at SADF's special forces offices. Testifying in exchange for possible indemnity, Goosen said Basson eventually concluded that the scientists should never know the intended victims' identities, but they would be provided with other details, such as the conditions under which the product would be used. He said: "We worked on a need to know basis, but one can accept that most people knew broadly with what and for what we were working. "The scientists were worried about how the victims were chosen. Basson and I sometimes agreed that it should be legitimate targets and they be state enemies. I accepted that Basson and the persons higher up would carry out that responsibility." He admitted that he supplied Basson with a toxin which, when tested on baboons, caused them to develop the same symptoms and a quick fatal pneumonia as some trauma patients. "Basson and I looked at possibly using this toxin as a weapon." Goosen was closely involved in animal experiments at the RLL and he later helped in the research and development of biological weapons. "Sometimes one knows that you do things under circumstances that you should not have done." He said he and Basson talked about developing a physiology laboratory where they could increase the population, but limit the number of "people of colour". Although the private laboratory was directly funded from the secret fund controlled by former head of state PW Botha with the SADF as its main client, it was decided that it should be established as a clandestine operation which used private contract work as a front, he said. The RLL were equipped with the best and most sophisticated equipment, and top scientists were lured by attractive salaries and the opportunity to do private research, he said. "My main contact with the SADF was Basson, but there is no doubt that the Surgeon General at the time, General Niel Knobel, was fully aware of the activities." He said he and Basson had often discussed developing a James Bond type of biological agent which could, for example, install a door handle which would kill anyone who touched it. The research project that followed focused on making a toxin which often caused farm animals and even people to die. "It was very important to them that the toxin could not be traced and - most importantly - that it would not be traced back to the SADF," said Goosen. The RLL began intensive tests and research in 1986. Goosen was suspected of receiving a R25 000 kickback from the architect who designed the RLL at the end of 1985. Basson investigated the matter and fired Goosen as managing director of the laboratories. The trial continues. Sapa

May 22, 2000 I never accused the judiciary of racism - NgonyamaCape Town (Sapa) - The African National Congress had never accused the judiciary of racism, ANC spokesman Smuts Ngonyama said on Monday. He was reacting to opposition party outrage over his reported comments in a weekend newspaper, in which he was quoted as saying that Allan Boesak's conviction and sentencing was a result of racial bias in the judiciary. Ngonyama said that, during an interview on the transformation of the judiciary, he had said "there were perceptions in our communities" that the judiciary was racist and biased when handling cases involving members of different races. "I further said that the inconsistency in sentences imposed on members of such race groups were not assisting our efforts to correct such perceptions." Ngonyama said he had used Boesak and Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging leader Eugene Terrre'Blanche as examples "given by those who accuse the judiciary of racism to justify their perceptions".

When asked his views of transformation, he had said the process was on track and that members of the public wanted it speeded up. The Democratic Party has accused Ngonyama of defaming the country's judiciary, and want a special debate on the issue in parliament. Ngonyama reportedly told the Saturday Star that he and many colleagues in the ANC were frustrated at being forced to stand by and watch one of their heroes jailed for crimes they believed he had not committed. "We believe the judiciary is totally biased. We, at the ANC, are calling for an overhaul of the judicial system. The system is not transparent and democratised and there are racist stereotypes embedded in it," he was quoted as saying.

Ngonyama’s statement constitutes criminal defamation - DP Sapa

May 22, 2000 Police defuse bomb outside Sea Point restaurantPolice defused a bomb outside a Sea Point restaurant in Cape Town on Monday morning, SABC Radio News reports.The police acted on a call from a member of the public, who reported a suspicious-looking packet outside the restaurant on Main Street. The bomb was reported to be home-made, but it was not clear whether the device resembled the pipebombs used in explosions which have plagued the mother city over the past two years. The device has been taken away for forensic analysis.In the meantime, eight members of vigilante group Pagad (People Against Gansterism and Drugs) were arrested in Cape Town for the possession of illegal firearms and for public violence and convening illegal gatherings, Sapa reports.Pagad members have long been suspected of being behind the spate of urban terrorism in Cape Town, but the group has dismissed these allegations as demonisation of Muslims. Arrests have yet to be made in connection with the bomb explosions which have claimed about 20 lives in Cape Town over the past 18 months.WOZA reporter

May 22, 2000 Sapohr threatens govt with court action over prisoner overcrowdingThe SA Prisoners Human Rights Organisation (Sapohr) has threatened to take the department of correctional services to the Supreme Court or alternatively, to the Constitutional Court if the issue of prison overcrowding is not taken seriously.In a statement released on Monday, the prisoners' union said that it had given the government 30 working days to respond to its demand that prison overcrowding be stopped. "As a prisoners' human rights organisation we cannot allow the violation of human rights to go on unabated . . . It is in the light of this that we are considering taking the department to the high court and if needs be, to the Constitutional Court."Sapohr accuses the government of "blatant violation of human rights", with prisons filled to maximum capacity.". . . prisoners must be held in cells which meet the requirements prescribed by regulations in respect of the floor, space, lighting, ventilation, sanitary installations and general health conditions. With the current overcrowding levels, this is impossible," the union's president Derrick Mdluli told WOZA.Mdluli said that it had become "acceptable" for prisoners to sleep on the floor. He said conditions in prisons were contrary to the provisions accorded by the constitution.In a letter sent to the minister of correctional services on Monday by the union's legal representative Pienaar and Pretorius, the law firm reiterated the union's accusation that prison facilities currently were a violation for human rights.The firm said that " . . . many Sapohr members are forced to share beds with fellow inmates, and we have had complaints of inadequate toilet and bathroom facilities".Pienaar and Pretorius said that it could provide in-depth details on the issue if they are required by the department, to substantiate its client's findings.Sapohr said that it had sought legal assistance as the matter was now of concern and needed urgent attention.The department of correctional services could not be reached for comment.By Mahap Msiza, WOZAMay 22, 2000

SA sexual violence report wins top accolade at conference from Community Information, Empowerment and Transparency The report of a South African research project was singled out as the best among more than 400 international papers presented from 68 countries at a World Health Organisation conference in New Delhi last month. The Community Information, Empowerment and Transparency (CIET) Africa report focused on the role of the police in cases of sexual violence, and shows how only one rapist is convicted for every 400 women raped in south Johannesburg. "The CIET study is the largest and most detailed body of evidence on sexual violence in Africa," said Dr Natalie Mayet of Johannesburg's Southern Metropolitan Local Council (SMLC) who presented the paper at the conference. The findings about the police and judiciary provide an important backdrop for efforts to prevent sexual violence. "The low conviction rates give out misleading messages that rape is okay or that perpetrators have little to worry about," said Mayet. The lead author of the report, CIET executive director Professor Neil Andersson, explained that the focus of this study was how sexual violence might be prevented. "We need to see decisive efforts by the police and legal system to increase convictions. As the message gets through that there is a price to pay for being sexually violent, community-based prevention strategies will become far more effective," he said. The initiative of CIET and the SMLC covers the whole south metropolitan region, including Orange Farm, Lenasia, Eldorado Park, Soweto, Mondeor, Glen Vista, City Deep and Hillbrow. Some 4 000 women, 2 100 men and more than 12 000 schoolgoing youth were interviewed about their experience of sexual violence and more than 100 focus groups discussed how it might be prevented. "The aftercare of victims and punishment of perpetrators are really important and must continue. But the CIET-SMLC project really makes the case for investment in prevention. Communities want to see a change and they want to start working towards that," Andersson said. Marc Van Ameringen, regional director of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) that funded the project, said that the CIET initiative is the flagship of a new type of social research. "This uses the highest quality academic research methods, but it applies these methods in the communities, with the communities. People change their views by being part of the research, but at the same time it produces hard data needed for policy," he added. The Prevention of Sexual Violence Project was one of the IDRC's top ten reports in its Best of Reports Online 1999. The full report, which includes views of women, men and youth about a way forward, will be published in June this year. The findings on role of the police have already been submitted to the office of President Thabo Mbeki.

I doubt, whether South Africa has another 20 years to go. The currency is under pressure, the economy is screwed up, over 1,000,000 workers, or 40% of the labour force are unemployed, over 75% of the population are living below the breadline, and one in four are HIV positive. Crime is rampant, the stock market has dropped and will continue dropping, government corruption is a normal part of being in power (just another perk on the gravy train), anarchy is evident in several sectors of the population, large crime syndicates and gangs already rule over large sections of the population. South Africa is the murder and rape capital of the world ie., some 500 murders are committed each month in Johannesburg alone. Costs are spiralling, workers are striking, inflation is rising, interest rates are poised to rise to sky-high rates... All of the above, is happening right now!!! And then, there are the farm attacks, skilled workers leaving in droves, public services are collapsing, some 87% of motorists can expect to be hi-jacked, the South African Revenue Service is in such a mess that, the auditor general recently refused to sign off their books. This is only the tip of the iceberg! Mandela's successor has no hope of emulating him. Mbeki is a little puppet, way out of his league.Many members of parliament have criminal convictions for crime ranging from theft, fraud, conspiracy to assault, manslaughter and murder! Taxi violence . . . what? Is this the democracy that these clowns voted for? If you disagree, with another's right to conduct business in a free market, you go out and shoot them, blockade the roads, assault other citizens (even kill them), hold the community to ransom, conduct civil disobedience campaigns, disregard the law because, you now consider yourself to be above it... yeh, when you drive your Zola Budd you are indeed head and shoulders above the rest, so you are above the law... I could go one, but will spare you all. No, we will not last another twenty years. Twenty months maybe, but not twenty years. TA-ta Mbeki, ta-ta ma Afrika.