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4995 26 July - 2 August 2012 TEL : 011 023-7588 / 011 402 - 1977

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SA’S POLITICAL AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING

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STORIES FROM THE AFRICAN CONTINENT PAGE 7

YOUR TRIAL WILL TURN INTO TRIUMPH

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More cops City of Johannesburg ofﬁcials listen to an address by Mayor Parks Tau, in which he announced the deployment of more cops.

PIC : ENOCH LEHUNG

For distribution in your shop, school, church, building, police station, etc call +27 11 023-7588.

Acting Region F director

INNER-CITY GAZETTE

NEWS

26 JULY - 2 AUGUST 2012

Moses Moyo moses@inner-city –gazette.co.za Following the City’s new Institutional Design, Region F Regional Director Nathi Mthethwa has been requested by the City Manager to co-ordinate Urban Management and Citizen Relations functions, until a group head is appointed. As the responsibilities of this function require full time commitment, an acting Regional Director for Region F has been appointed. Irene Mafuna, Regional Manager: Inner City Regeneration has been appointed as acting Regional Director: Region F until further notice. Mafuna (pictured) can be contacted on 011 376-8514or via e-mail IreneM@joburg.org.za

PIC: ENOCH LEHUNG

JMPD ofﬁcers on parade.

City deploys more cops Staff Reporter news@inner-city-gazette.co.za

oburg Mayor Parks Tau has announced that the Johannesburg Metro Police department (JMPD) will deploy over 1 300 more officers to fight crime. Tau said 10 would be deployed to each ward in Joburg, to support police presence in the sections of the city. The officers will support local police while ensuring compliance with bylaws, which included

illegal trading, land invasions and vandalism of public infrastructure. The officers would also monitor traffic flow, conduct roadworthy checks on vehicles and deal with illegal trading in alcohol. “We are taking action against law breakers and addressing petty crimes before they turn into major problems,” Tau said. The mayor said the officers’ presence in the townships would reduce, ‘the incidences of violent and economic crimes’. “Visible policing programmes will be

complemented by a sizeable number of ofﬁcers from special units, such as equestrian and canine units, as well as freeway patrol units,” said Tau. He added that the community needed to assist the ofﬁcers root out criminal elements. “Critical to the success of the approach will be our ability to mobilise community support and instil a sense of trust in the capabilities and the integrity of our multi faceted agencies,” the mayor added.

Mob kills robbery suspect Akhona Zibonti akhona@inner-city-gazette.co.za

his week an attempted murder and robbery suspect was killed when community members arrested gunmen who had tried to rob a shop in Essellen Street in Hillbrow. Police cluster spokesperson Cst Thabo

Malatji said the incident took place in Essellen Street, where one of the suspects pointed a gun at the customers and the shop owner and demanded money. “The shop owner resisted and the suspect ﬁred two shots, injuring him. The two men then tried to escape but community members chased and caught them, and in the process one of the suspects was killed,” added Cst Malatji. The other suspect was arrested and faces charges of business robbery and attempted murder, Cst Malatji adds. Meanwhile Hillbrow police ar-

rested two suspects aged 29 years for theft under false pretences and possession of suspected stolen property, according to Hillbrow police spokesperson Cst Nkosinathi Mgimeti. Cst Mgimeti says the police were approached by the complainant who pointed out the two suspects in Jorrisen Street, Braamfontein. “The suspects had a Blackberry cellphone and 68 memory cards, mostly for Blackberry cellphones. The two suspects were arrested on charges of theft under false pretences and possession of suspected stolen property.” adds Cst Mgimeti.

Gunman arrested in tavern shooting Crime Reporter crime@gazettelive.co.za

his week Joburg police arrested a 39 year-old man who allegedly shot a security guard in Jeppe Street, according to police spokesperson W/O Xoli Mbele. He explains that the incident happened at the Fattis Tavern, where the victim worked. “The suspect had an argument with someone in the tavern; he then left to fetch his gun. When he returned with a gun in his hand and

threatening to shoot someone inside the tavern, the security guard denied him entry.” W/O Mbele says at that point the gunman shot the security guard in his lower body. “Police patrolling the area heard the shot and rushed to the scene. The suspect tried to flee but police pursued and caught him in his room at Vuselela Palace.” The gunman’s licenced firearm was confiscated, and he has appeared in court facing a charge of attempted murder, W/O Mbele says.

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INNER-CITY GAZETTE

NEWS

Focus on corruption Moses Moyo moses@inner-city-gazette.co.za

ivil society group Corruption Watch is set to meet with the City of Joburg next week to find out more about its plans to fight the culture of bribery and corruption among the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officers. This comes three months after the organization launched the “No more tjo-tjo” campaign. The City of Joburg has unveiled new measures to counter corruption. The new plans seem to address some of the issues raised in the Corruption Watch report titled “The Law for Sale”, which details high levels of bribery in the JMPD. However, it is unclear if and how the City will take action against traffic officers who do not wear visible identification while on duty - one of the recommendations made when Corruption Watch met City Manager, Trevor Fowler, in April. The Corruption Watch report included five recommendations to the City of Joburg and JMPD. It also argued against the JMPD’s stance that only a few bad officers were corrupt, which contrasted with motorists reporting encounters with JMPD officers.

Corruption Watch executive director David Lewis said action to curb corruption rather than denial was most welcome: “If the JMPD is now taking this matter seriously, credit should go to the motorists whose voices were recorded in the report that was submitted to the City.” The meeting between Corruption Watch and the City will provide more insight on what further action will be taken on the five recommendations made to the City and JMPD. The recommendations are that the JMPD and the Metro begin to acknowledge the scale of corruption in the JMPD, officers be required to wear identification whenever they are on duty and that failure to do so be grounds for summary dismissal, the ability of the public and JMPD officers to report corruption in the JMPD be strengthened, and that a reporting system be set up independent of the JMPD, field integrity testing be instituted as a mechanism for detecting corruption, Joburg Mayor leads a campaign directed at members of the public and the JMPD reminding them that bribery is a criminal offence. The Corruption Watch organisation can be reached on 011 447 1472 or info@corruptionwatch.org.za .

Learners and staff of Mahlasedi school pose with members of the care centre in Berea. PICS : INNER-CITY PRESS AGENCY

School donates to charity Persistance Nkomo persie.nkomo@inner-city-gazette.co.za

ast week learners and staff of Mahlasedi high school of Jeppestown donated clothing to Christ Church Christian Care Centre in Mitchell Street, Berea, as part of their 67 minutes of community work. The school’s vice-principal Dumezweni Chikomo said they honoured the call to help those in need. “This is a response to inculcate the spirit of ubuntu in our learners. It is part of the school’s mission to produce a complete student academically,

who is also useful to the community. We do not only produce academics, but also socially responsible citizens. Last year we had a 100 percent pass rate and determined to continue the legacy,” Chikomo added. An educator at the school, Unthatile Makulubane said they would continue to uphold the legacy of sharing. The idea of collecting the clothes came from Grade 11 learners, Melisa and Muriel Dlamini, who said they always wanted to help the needy. Sarah Sunker, the centre’s manager said the care centre started as a soup kitchen, but due to rising need they

opened the home in July 2000. The home accommodates 38 abandoned and homeless boys and girls, providing them with basic needs. “We also work with the Teddy Bear clinic which provides counselling for some of the children from abusive homes, and those who used to be sex workers and need counselling,” Sunker said. She added that donations are welcome, and they can be ﬁnancial, foodstuffs, stationery, computers, clothing, and other household necessities. For more information about the child care centre visit www.5cees.co.za

INNER-CITY GAZETTE

LEADER

26 JULY - 2 AUGUST 2012

Don’t wait for Madiba day Many organisations catering for the less privileged beneﬁted a lot on Nelson Mandela Day. The mission was to put a smile on someone’s face giving them a hope for the future. But, should people wait for such days to help the needy in the society or it should be our tradition. Nelson Mandela led a selﬂess life for more than half of his lifetime to get the freedom of his people. I believe that we should do more for the needy in our communities not only when called to do so but everyday of our lives. Many children out there are in need for a better future and it is our duty as communities to help where we can at any time. We should not wait for Mandela Day to do good things for our communities, but we should make everyday a Mandela day. Sylvia Thabethe Bertrams

COMMENT Successful people stand out like a sore thumb against the backdrop of mediocrity that most people seem to celebrate these days. These people, regardless of their industries and backgrounds, share values they act on in order to remain successful. Successful people do not allow their time to be dictated or wasted. Deadlines and time frames establish their perimeters; which are not always favourable to them. For instance if given two weeks to complete a task, most people will plan how they will spend the next two weeks accomplishing that goal. The task might only require 20 hours’ work. The successful person will accomplish the task much sooner as they believe that a task should only take as long as absolutely necessary. If things get done as quickly and effectively as possible it may even allow accumulation of time to get other things done. Remember no one is above rolling up sleeves and getting hands dirty. The past means nothing if one does not succeed today. Successful people never feel entitled, and know that rewards come with huge amounts of effort. Years of service count for nothing, but accomplishments set people apart. Experience does not make one good at something; it is accomplishments that speak volumes. Successful people don’t need to describe themselves using hyperbolic adjectives. They can just describe themselves normally, in a humble way, by what they have done. Most have failed at some point. They embrace their failures and do not adopt a blame mentality; or blame their failure on anyone else, but themselves. They learn from failure and take full responsibility for making sure the outcome is different the next time.

Distribution – 40 000 copies free door to door delivery weekly to all households and businesses in the Joburg inner-city. Inner-City Gazette welcomes editorial contributions from readers. They may raise new issues or respond to articles published in the paper. Contributions may be sent to the editor’s address below. Published by Inner-City Gazette 149 Pritchard Street, Johannesburg 2000 Tel : 011 023 - 7588 011 024 - 8210 011 402 - 1977 Fax : 086 609 8601 Email : info@inner-city-gazette.co.za Website : www.inner-city-gazette.co.za Printed by Paarlcoldset(Pty)Ltd

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Inner-City Gazette subscribes to the South African Press Code that prescribes news that is truthful, accurate, fair and balanced. If we do not live up to the code please contact the press ombudsman on 011 484-3612 or 011 484 - 3618 or ombudsman@presscouncil.org.za .

Zuma on the airwaves: the meaning of silence Whether it was government’s performance, corruption, the Limpopo textbooks ﬁasco, the youth wage subsidy, the medical parole of Schabir Shaik and Jackie Selebi, the bad blood with Julius Malema and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela or the independence of the courts, President Jacob Zuma left South Africans no better enlightened after an hour-long radio interview than before he started speaking, Ranjeni Munusamy writes.

hen the presidency acceded to an interview with Talk Radio 702, surely there was some strategic thinking about what President Jacob Zuma would be communicating. It was to be an hour-long live interview broadcast simultaneously on 702 and its sister station, 567 Cape Talk. Zuma doesn’t do media interviews very often, particularly live broadcasts, and therefore there would have had to be some tactical planning. There would be consideration given to the timing of the interview and the burning issues on the national agenda. As this was an independent radio station and the interviewer, Redi Tlhabi, was bound to focus on the running controversies, the president would have to be prepped with coherent responses and advised on how to handle the hot potatoes. He would also need to have some positive messaging on tap to counter the current negative publicity. Besides, it’s ﬁve months till he is up for re-election; surely any PR opportunity should be used to full advantage. Well, that’s what should have happened, in theory. Instead, Zuma arrived at the studio ready to wing it, with seemingly no plan whatsoever as to what he wanted to leave the nation thinking about. The non-delivery of textbooks to schools in Limpopo and government’s hopeless response to this crisis was always going to be the centrepiece of the interview. Considering the shame around this debacle and the fact that education is meant to be an “apex priority” of the Zuma administration, this is one issue he should have been on top of. The president should at least have been briefed on the status report of the textbook issue – we’re assuming there is such a thing, considering the enormity of the matter – as at 8am on Monday morning: were more textbooks delivered since the Metcalfe audit was conducted, how are the catch-up programmes progressing, is his task team advancing in the investigation? When Zuma met basic education minister Angie Motshekga earlier this month to discuss the Limpopo textbook situation, a statement from the presidency said part of the problem with managing the issue was administrative gaps arising from the national

government intervention in the Limpopo province. The presidency said a special protocol would be developed to manage relations between the spheres of government and ensure that service delivery was not affected. In Monday’s interview, Zuma could have provided new intelligence on this matter. Such things would be low-hanging fruit for the president and give citizens the impression that he had a handle on the situation. Instead, he provided no new insight on the textbook fiasco than when he was interviewed a month ago by the SABC, and his answers went along the lines of “We don’t know who is responsible and we have to look into the matter.” Despite Motshekga having apologised to Zuma over the delays in delivery of the textbooks, he is of the opinion that she cannot be held responsible for what happened. “You don’t know who’s responsible for that. You can’t say the minister, who is sitting in Pretoria in the office, is responsible,” he said, when asked by Tlhabi why he hadn’t fired Motshekga. He said he also had to follow “due process” and the “rule of law” and couldn’t act against the minister based on allegations. The problems in the education system stemmed from the legacy of Apartheid, he said. “You are dealing with a teacher that comes from the Verwoerdian system... his or her attitude towards education still needs to be worked on. We are not dealing with a problem of today; we are solving a problem of centuries ago.” And that’s as coherent as it got. On the performance of his administration, Zuma said he could not rate himself, though “I’ve tried my best”.

On delivery backlogs, he said problems built over “3,000 years” couldn’t be solved “overnight, and that weaknesses in government capacity and ability to utilise funds effectively was being “looked at and tackled.” Government viewed the matter of corruption seriously, he said. “In other countries, nobody talks about corruption – it’s a way of life. But here, we’re fighting it. We’ve got a media here that is active and exposing it, which is absolutely important.” No examples were given, lest he tread on some politically connected toes, and no firm line threatening those who exploit the state for corrupt purposes was forthcoming. Again, low-hanging fruit. A police officer called in to ask the president what he planned to do about corruption in the police service. “We need to find a way to handle the matter,” Zuma said. He had discussed the issue with the minister of police and they didn’t yet know if the problem lay in the training of officers. But they wanted to find means to detect criminals in the police service. Essentially, the president was no better informed than the cop who called in – they were both looking for answers to the same question. On perceived plans to place curbs on the judiciary, Zuma said: “No arm of government can be left alone.” “Whether you talk about the legislature, the executive or the judiciary, these are three very vibrant arms of government. To say one is going to be left unattended to is incorrect,” he said. What this means in effect is anyone’s guess. When asked by Tlhabi about government’s relationship with labour and whether it was being dictated to on issues such as the youth wage subsidy, Zuma said the nature of democracy demanded that there should be open engagement on issues. “If it is said this would disadvantage workers, we can’t say ‘To hell with you’.” From the waffle that ensued, it was difficult to tell whether the matter was now dead in the water or just on the backburner. Another hot potato the presidency should have anticipated was the granting of medical parole to former police chief Jackie Selebi and the connection to Zuma’s former financial

advisor Schabir Shaik. Zuma clearly did not have the facts around the Selebi case at his ﬁngertips to justify the decision to release him. Despite the initial scepticism, there appears to be growing acceptance that the former commissioner is genuinely ill. Even if he had simply repeated what Minister of Correctional Services S’bu Ndebele said on Friday when he made the announcement, Zuma would have sounded more informed, and taken ownership of the decisions of his government. Instead he said the medical conditions for parole were prescribed in the law and that “I can’t make a view on each and every prisoner paroled.” Under heavy questioning from Tlhabi on the matter, Zuma retorted: “Well, I’m not a doctor.” The matter was closed with Zuma sounding riled – which need not have been the case, had he been on top of things. When questioned on discipline in the ANC and the seemingly heavy-handed way the party dealt with the Julius Malema issue, the edge in Zuma’s voice became more evident. He denied that action was taken against Malema only after he had attacked him and that he had been allowed free reign to attack other senior leaders up till then. He also denied that the ANC applied double standards in disciplining its members and that he had previously compared Malema to former ANC president Oliver Tambo. “Whatever Malema says, I do not think it will be fair to engage him... I have decided that Malema must do what he thinks is good for him... I think the ANC, not me, Jacob Zuma, has engaged him in a process...” Similarly, when questioned on Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s criticism of his polygamous lifestyle, he said he stayed away from discussing such issues. “I don’t think it is wise to discuss personal things.” When asked if his lifestyle choices had not been an “impediment” to his presidency, Zuma replied “Not at all.” But apparently if the ANC told him it no longer wanted him to serve as party leader, he would “walk away”. He claimed he’d never had an “appetite” for being ANC leader or president of the country, but that did not mean he was “serving reluctantly.” We’d hate to ﬁnd out how he would communicate if he were. Source: Daily Maverick

If you have news stories or tips please contact Akhona on 073 688 8496 or email akhona@inner-city-gazette.co.za

26 JULY - 2 AUGust 2012

INNER-CITY GAZETTE

TAYLORS MANSIONS IN CBD CNR PRITCHARD & MOOI STR OPENING SEPTEMBER 2012

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NEWS

INNER-CITY GAZETTE

26 JULY - 2 AUGUST 2012

26 JULY - 2 AUGust 2012

INNER-CITY GAZETTE

FOCUS ON AFRICA

President Atta Mills dies Accra - President John Atta Mills died on Tuesday in the capital and has been succeeded by Vice-President John Dramani Mahama who took the presidential oath hours after the death. The swift adherence to Ghana’s constitution on succession underlines the country’s reputation as one of the most mature democracies in the sub-Saharan region, said commentators. Mills had celebrated his 68th birthday last Saturday. He had won international praise as leader of a stable democracy. Ghana remains the only Sub Saharan country that Barack Obama, the US president, has visited as part of recognition for its democratic credentials. Ghana, a major African gold producer, started pumping oil in 2010 and posted double-digit growth in 2011. The president’s ofﬁce said that Mills died a few hours after being taken ill, but no further details were given. A presidential aide said the president had complained of pains on Monday evening and died early Tuesday afternoon when his condition worsened. The aide added that Mills had returned from medical checks in the United States a few weeks ago.

NEWS

Ferry accident kills 30

Zanzibar - A ferry carrying about 300 people has sunk off the Zanzibar archipelago, killing at least 31 people. Zanzibar’s Transport Minister Masoud Hamad said they had received 24 bodies, including two Europeans. This was the second such ferry disasEmmanuel Nchimbi ter in Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in less than a year. Tanzania’s Interior Minister Emmanuel Nchimbi said 124 people had been found alive and rescue operations continue. Government spokesman Yusuf Chunda said 13 foreigners were rescued. It was not clear how many other foreigners had been on board. Preliminary reports indicated the vessel may have capsized after being hit by strong winds and waves. Police said the vessel was carrying 250 adults and 31 children when it capsized near Chumbe Island. The ferry is owned by a company named Seagull, which also runs a number of other ferries. Over 200 people perished last September when the ferry Spice Islander capsized between two of the three islands that make up Zanzibar, in one of the worst maritime disasters in Africa.

John Atta Mills

Aquifer to ease water woes

Govt troops halt rebellion

Windhoek - A newly discovered water source may supply the north of the country for 400 years at current rates of consumption. Scientists say the water is up to 10 000 years old but is cleaner to drink than many modern sources. The 800 000 people who live in the area depend for their drinking water on a 40 year-old canal that brings the water across the border from Angola. They have now identified a new aquifer called Ohangwena II, which flows under the boundary between Angola and Namibia, covering about 70 km by 40 km. Project manager Martin Quinger of the German Federal Institute for Geoscience and Natural Resources (BGR), says the water would equal the current supply for 400 years. As well as providing a new source for agriculture the aquifer will augment existing potable supplies. Quinger says the discovery may be up to 10 000 years old but it is still good to drink. “The water was recharged when environmental pollution was not yet an issue, so it can be a lot better than water that infiltrates in cycles of months or years.”

Antananarivo - The army has seized a rebel military camp close to the airport, and also killed the leader of the rebellion, Cpl Koto Mainty. Chief of staff Gen Raphael Ramasy said Cpl Mainty was the bodyguard of former Defence Minister Noel Rakotonandrasana, who was arrested after taking part in another mutiny in 2010. Gen Ramasy said the other mutineers surrendered or were arrested, together with four civilians. An ofﬁcer sent to negotiate with the soldiers was shot dead. The army launched its assault to wrest control of the camp after the attempt for negotiations failed. Flights in and out of Ivato airport were suspended. The island has been wracked by political turmoil over the last three years since the ousting of president Marc Ravalomanana, who is exiled in SA. Then-opposition leader Andry Rajoelina led violent protests against Ravalomanana and eventually seized power in March 2009 with the help of dissident army ofﬁcers. The rivals are scheduled for reconciliation talks this week in the Seychelles.

Ponatshego Kedikilwe

Beneﬁt from diamond alliance Gaborone - The ‘Debswana,’ opartnership with De Beers has helped boost a robust economy and one of the highest per capita incomes on the continent. The state mines the country’s riches as an owner, getting a share in addition to taxes like many other African governments. This arrangement has allowed Botswana to make signiﬁcant investments in

education and health care. Bank of Botswana governor Linah Mohole says since the partnership they have a lot to show from a community development standpoint; and that this model can be emulated in other parts of Africa. The industry looks set for a further boost after De Beers decided to shift its rough diamond trading operation from London to Gaborone,

which is expected to bring an extra $6 billion of diamond sales. Minerals Minister Ponatshego Kedikilwe says dependence on diamonds however raises concern as they are exhaustible.

Andry Rajoelina

If you have news stories or tips please contact Persie on 074 064 0210 or email persie.nkomo@inner-city-gazette.co.za

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INNER-CITY GAZETTE

26 JULY - 2 AUGUST 2012

INNER-CITY GAZETTE

COMMUNITY

Some of the children at the centre.

Centre cares

for the kids Akhona Zibonti akhona@inner-city-gazette.co.za The Johanna Malan early development childhood centre, a division of Abraham Kreil in Yeoville admits children from two to six years old. The centre’s principal, Betsie Momsen says since the pre-school was started it has served the urgent needs of the surrounding community. “This centre was built and managed by the women’s auxiliary of the Dutch Reformed Church of the Highveld synod,” she says. The centre is visited by Social Devel-

opment ofﬁcials at least once a year to check the wellbeing of the children, and by the manager Childcare Services at Abraham Kriel Childcare once a term, says Momsen. She says the centre keeps the children busy by providing them with a fun ﬁlled and positive experience every day. “We take the children on outings that are linked to the themes that they learn about, and bring shows to the school, so to shield them from what is going on around them.” The centre can be reached through tel 011 648 - 2200 or via email betsiem@abrahamkriel.org .

VIRAL HEPATITIS - A MAJOR GLOBAL HEALTH PROBLEM Hepatitis kills around one million people every year Flavia Masekwameng July 28 is officially recognized as World Hepatitis Day to raise awareness of viral hepatitis, as it is now one of four disease related official days. Hepatitis kills around one million people every year. Millions more suffer immediate sickness or longterm ill health. Definition Hepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver caused by the Hepatitis A virus (HAV). Description Hepatitis literally refers to any inflammation of the liver. In fact, there are six forms of acute viral Hepatitis that are often clinically indistinguishable from one another. These diseases are unrelated to each other except by the fact that they all cause liver damage. It is important not to confuse hepatitis A with any other viral Hepatitis. Each has its own mode of transmission and associated risk factors. Hepatitis A, for example, is transmitted by the fecal-oral route, whereas Hepatitis B is often transmitted through sexual contact or IV drug abuse. In South Africa, Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B are endemic. Causes Hepatitis A is spread via feacal-oral route, directly or indirectly from contaminated food, raw shellfish, drinking water, cooking utensils or someone else’s fingers. It can also

be caused by some medications and chemicals that damage the liver. Who is at risk? People most at risk are children who go to day care, international travellers, military personnel stationed abroad, homosexual males, and close contacts of people infected with hepatitis A. Symptoms The most common symptoms of hepatitis A are fatigue, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, rash, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin). Symptoms appear two to six weeks after infection. Hepatitis A is considered an acute condition. Prevention To prevent hepatitis A, remember to do the following: • Practice good personal hygiene • Wash hands well after using the toilet and changing the baby’s nappy. • Dispose urine and faeces in a sanitary manner • Eat only fresh and thoroughly cooked foods. • Control ﬂies in your home environment. • Use water from the tap/safe water supply or else boil the water. • Wash raw fruits and vegetables thoroughly before cooking and eating. • Get a hepatitis A vaccination before travelling to endemic areas such as Mexico, the Middle East, Asia, Central and South America and Africa.

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Tenant Sarah displays her ﬂat to reporters at the Casa Mia apartment building.

From hijacked building to comfort Moses Moyo moses@inner-city-gazette.co.za

hen a middle-aged woman lived in a “hijacked” building in Johannesburg’s inner city, things was pretty rough. In fact, for seven years she battled her way through a mineﬁeld of daily health and safety risks and challenges just to have a place to call home. “Living in a hijacked building is a nightmare as you never know what’s going to happen next. You pay rent, but you live in a terrible environment and receive little or no services for your money,” she recalled of her time as an abused tenant. But the quality of her life took a massive step forward when she moved to the Raschers Building in Loveday Street,one of ten buildings in the inner city that have been transformed into quality residential complexes by the Johannesburg Social Housing Company (JOSHCO). Since she obtained a place in the

eight storey Raschers Building three years ago, Sarah’s standard of living has improved dramatically in many ways. Once a commercial building, the Raschers Building was acquired by JOSHCO in June 2010 and redeveloped into a residential building with 87 rooms. “The difference is huge. I now feel safe and live in a clean environment that has proper services that are delivered by people who care and who look after the building,” added Sarah. “Through my own personal experience I can appreciate the value of what JOSHCO is doing for people in the inner city. There is a big difference between paying rent and getting nothing for it and paying rent and getting a safe, clean and well managed place to call home.” Fittingly, after being very active in trying to improve conditions for tenants when she lived in a hijacked building, she todays works for JOSHCO as a building supervisor in the building where she lives.

“Giant rats, cockroaches everywhere, sewerage and litter problems, water and electricity supply problems, drugs, corruption, prostitution, police always raiding the building ……it was horrible and I don’t want to think about it. I feel very sorry for people who still live in hijacked buildings.” As a building supervisor, she sees her job as “taking care of the building and its people”, ensuring that tenants get the services they are paying for, sorting out day-to-day problems that may occur, and liaising with contractors. Unfortunately, this woman’s ordeal in a hijacked building is just one example of what is still being experienced by thousands of people in Joburg’s inner city every day. JOSHCO and other Housing companies continues to make huge difference in the lives of many people, but there is still much to be done to rehabilitate dozens of buildings in which tenants are paying rent to live in unacceptable circumstances.

Robbers and murderers held Crime Reporter crime@gazettelive.co.za Alleged murderers and robbers were among the 53 suspects Joburg police arrested in last weekend’s crime combating operations in the CBD, police spokes-

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person W/O Xoli Mbele says. “Among the suspects four were on allegations of common robbery, ﬁve for armed robbery, one for business robbery and one for attempted murder. The rest of the suspects were arrested for crimes that included perjury, arson, busi-

ness breaking, attempted business breaking, assault common, assault GBH, possession of dagga, shoplifting, fraud, possession of counterfeit DVDs, theft, malicious damage to property, drinking in public, drunk and driving,” W/O Mbele adds.

INNER-CITY HUMAN SETTLEMENTS SUMMIT All inner city community based organisations that focus on housing issues are invited to attend Inner City Housing Summit organised by the Inner City African National Congress Zone (12) to be addressed by the Minister of Human Settlements, Gauteng MEC for Housing,City of Johan-

nesburg Executive Mayor, MMCs (Housing, Finance,and Economic Development) ICPS -Inner City Property Scheme. The summit is scheduled to take place on 18 and 19 August 2012. RSVP the Zonal Secretary through email sasabonam@ gmail.com or call Msindisi on 011 834 5973 by 31 July 2012

INNER-CITY GAZETTE

THE ARTS

26 JULY - 2 AUGUST 2012

It’s the sparkling choreography, wonderful music, swashbuckling pirates, gorgeous slave-girls and colourful costumes that enchant the audience

American ballerina Michaela DuPrince in a move with SA’s Andile Ndlovu.

Tammy Ballantyne

t was the first time the fulllength ballet of Le Corsaire has been performed in South Africa at The Joburg Theatre. This is the first ballet season of the merged South African Mzansi Ballet - SAMB (formerly South African Ballet Theatre and Mzansi Productions); the first time visiting ballerina, 17 year-old Michaela DePrince from the USA, has ever performed in a full length ballet and it occurred on SA soil. Dirk Badenhorst and Iain MacDonald, CEO and artistic director respectively of SAMB, were visibly moved. Affirmations flowed throughout the evening while guests and VIPs dug deep and pledged financial support for the next three years. Corporates such as Mango Airlines, TWF Travel, Altron, Vox Telecom, MAC and Air Products made their pledges public while patrons of the SAMB, Tito Mboweni (Anglogold Ashanti) and Mary Slack committed further monetary support. Badenhorst articulately made a

Historic fundraising gala event

case for ballet in South Africa to be acknowledged as an integral part of arts education for all South Africans. “It is ﬁrst world and we should be proud of that; it should be representative of all people in South Africa. Our training programmes reach approximately 500 children every year, there is so much learning and productivity. In Cuba, ballet is a pride and joy, we should follow that example,” he said. He also used DePrince’s extraordinary story of a Sierra Leone war orphan who realises her dream to become a ballerina as an example of how South African children who have known hardship and trauma can also be encouraged to pursue their passion and make dreams a reality. The ballet itself, loosely based on Byron’s poem, The Corsair, traces its beginnings to a production in Paris in 1856. The story is easy to follow with pirates, a love story, sword ﬁghts and deceit and although the main characters could be seen as one-dimensional, it’s the sparkling choreography,

wonderful music, swashbuckling pirates, gorgeous slave-girls and colourful costumes that enchant and delight the audience. SAMB’s version is produced by Angela Malan after Marius Petipa with additional choreography by MacDonald and Malan. On opening night, Conrad, the pirate, was performed with panache and vigour by Michael Revie, who continues to bring a high standard of ballet to our stages. Humberto Montero, as Birbanto, is suitably dashing and suave while one of our adoptee favourites, Cuban Luis de Castro, is a marvellous Ali, Conrad’s slave. Medora, danced by a light, serene and beautiful Burnise Silvius, is matched by the precocious, conﬁdent DePrince as Gulnare. Although young, she embodies near-perfect line and balance and glides effortlessly, lands soundlessly and seems weightless in her grand allegro sequences. Andile Ndlovu (courtesy of the Washington Ballet) as Lankedem the slave trader, is precise and bold but seemed a little off-

balance in some of the lifts during the pas de deux with DePrince. Keke Chele’s rendition of the Pasha is swaggering and funny and the three odalisques in Act 1 are delightful – statuesque Anya Carstens, a controlled Kitty Phetla and Nicole Ferreira. Act 2 is a delight on the eye as Andrew Botha’s divine design really comes to the fore. The pas de trois with Revie, Silvius and de Castro was rivetting and the pasha’s dream with a garden full of flowers and children is a real highlight. The children are drawn from various outreach programmes and studios and fill the stage with colour and movement; the tutus are fabulous and the performances lively and assured. There is much to be excited about but it will also be, at times, a difficult journey to completely merge these companies. The strengths are evident as seen on stage by the quality of the performances. The show is currently on at The Mandela Theatre at The Joburg Theatre until Sunday July 29.

R336 Per 1 000 Flyers / Pamphlets

Keoikantse Motsepe (right) with Faye Huddleston in Burn The Floor PIC : JAMES MORGAN

Sizzling show back in Joburg ‘The show’s new ending will blow any perceptions you have, I guarantee that this ain’t your grandma’s ballroom!’

Claire Pacariz

he Burn the Floor-The Temperature Rises Tour, is currently on at The Mandela at Joburg Theatre until August 19. Director and choreographer, Jason Gilkison said he re-choreographed numerous numbers, changed five songs and re-costumed the second act. “I guarantee that this ain’t your grandma’s ballroom. You will also witness the rise of a new South African star.” Since last year’s tour, South African champion dancer Keoikantse Motsepe joined Burn the Floor as a fully-fledged member of this hit international dance sensation. Motsepe completed his formal dance training in Latin American and Ballroom and Contemporary at Corenergy Dance Centre, Craighall Park, with Rafick Hoosain and Lorcia Cooper. He has represented South Africa since 2003 in all major Latin Dance Championships and was the South African representative at the World Latin Championships in New York in 2010. Burn the Floor - The Temperature Rises Tour has just completed a hugely successful tour of the USA, China and Australia. The show features 18 international championship dancers - including some of last year’s favourites alongside new sensational dancers. “It takes the performance to a whole new level, feel and energy,” says the show’s creator, Harley Medcalf. For more info call 082 653 1338 or email collett@joburgtheatre.com

PAMPHLET DISTRIBUTION Call 076 681 0577 * Minimum One Thousand

26 JULY - 2 AUGUST 2012

INNER-CITY GAZETTE

THE ARTS

Overwhelming SA’s social response to and political masters expo well being The artists are acclaimed for their contribution towards freeing the artist from the traditional responsibility to depict the human body naturalistically, by adopting a subjective approach to reality and a new focus on innovation and personalised expression Gilly Hemphill

he Standard Bank Gallery in Marshalltown, currently exhibiting 20th Century Masters: the Human Figure, will extend its weekend opening hours until 16:00 on Saturdays. Head of Arts Sponsorships Mandie van der Spuy (pic) says they have been overwhelmed by the public’s positive response to the exhibition. “We would like as many people as possible to have a chance to see this remarkable collection of art works.” The exhibition comprises a selection of approximately 50 works from the collections of France’s leading provincial cultural institutions. Curated by Sylvie Ramond, director of the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, the exhibition includes works by some of France’s most acclaimed modernists, as well as more contemporary French artists and a few other giants of the international art world who have connections with France. The exhibition offers a fascinating survey of various ways in which mainly French artists have depicted

the human body over the last 100 years through painting, printmaking, ﬁlm and photography. Some of these artists like Fernand Leger, Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Félix Vallotton, Victor Brauner and Wilfredo Lam, are renowned pioneers of early modernism. They are acclaimed for their contribution towards freeing the artist from the traditional responsibility to depict the human body naturalistically by adopting a subjective approach to reality and a new focus on innovation and personalised expression. The exhibition also showcases works by 19th-century greats such as Gustav Courbet, Jean-Francois Millet and Edouard Manet, and artists associated with Impressionism including Berthe Morisot, Edgar Degas and August Renoir. Free Public Walkabouts will be conducted by art historian Marion Dixon, every Friday between 13:00 and 14:00, for the duration of the exhibition. This exhibition runs until 15 September, and is organised as part of the France-South Africa Seasons 2012 and 2013. For more call 011 631 4467.

Pertinent allegory for nationalistic divisions Arts Correspondent Ariel Dorfman’s play, Delirium, is to be presented at the Market Theatre’s Barney Simon between 21 August and 23 September. This is a pertinent allegory for the ethnic and nationalist divisions across the world. The divides are perhaps at their most astute in postapartheid South Africa, making a staging of Delirium an exciting opportunity to highlight the absurdity of manmade boundaries. Directed by Greg Homann, and starring, David Dennis, Fiona Ramsay and Fezile Mpela, it is set against the backdrop of invented lands at war. The three characters hang onto a series of delusions as a means to survive against the insanity of bor-

ders that have been created by state and family. Furthermore, the play explores the far too common practice of suppressed people and languages. The politics of South Africa’s past and the dominance of English over indigenous languages is a relevant topic for our theatre. The play will be staged at The Market Theatre with a top South African cast and creative team, and with the support of a major media partner. The world-premire of the play will be presented in the Barney Simon Theatre over a five week period coinciding with the Mail & Guardian Johannesburg Literary Festival. The festival includes panel discussions that examine realities of living in Joburg as portrayed in fiction, speculative fiction and non-fiction.

Cathy Pisanti

n the Drama for Life Crossing Borders Festival at Wits, the play The Kid Just Vanished was staged up to 27 July at the Wits Nunnery; directed by Lamar Bonhomme (pic) and Jesse Dullabh in collaboration with the cast. This is a piece about the political and social wellbeing of South Africans. This is the journey of four individuals, as they explore their own personal engagements with each other, and reﬂect on their own situation and how the current situation in South Africa affects them. Ideologies surrounding homelessness are addressed in unique ways that highlight the current situation in South Africa. Bonhomme is an emerging director and actor from Wits University. Bonhomme has spent numerous hours developing his ability to un-

derstand the dynamics that lie between film and theatre. This has led him to being cast as a main character in a short experimental film entitled Cane directed by Jordache Ellapen. Other achievements are directing two independent shows entitled Finding Nemorena 1 and 2 which were showcased at the National Arts Festival in 2012, as well as being cast for the ANC 100 years celebration which was broadcast on SABC 1 in January 2012. He is going to the US in January 2013 to complete his MFA at the New York Film Academy. Jesse Dullabh is a Wits University graduate majoring in TV and film. He has spent his four years understanding the dynamics of

theatre and the contribution that theatre plays in the film medium. This has led him to being cast in Cane where a mutual understanding of work and ideologies were met with Bonhomme. He has been a National Arts festival technician and was one of six South Africans selected for the NSSE Exchange, which allowed 12 young filmmakers from Ghana, South Africa and Finland to travel and develop four short documentary films in four months.

NPO hosts visual art seminar Arts Correspondent Art Source SA, in partnership with Artspace Johannesburg, will conduct a Professional Practice Seminar for the visual arts, hosted by the Bag Factory. The seminar entitled: Building your career as a Visual Artist, supported by the National Arts Council, will be conductred at the Bag Factory in Mahlathini Street, Fordsburg on 16

and 17 August. Founder Les Cohn says achieving success as a visual artist is not only about making ‘good’ art. “It takes a considered combination of delivering quality art, grasping opportunities as well as astute management to turn a talent into a career. Managing the sometimes complicated opportunities can be intimidating for artists.” This year saw an expansion of this programme into the SADC with sem-

inars presented in Botswana at the Thapong Art Centre and supported by the US Embassy. The seminar challenges artists to take decisions about their career paths and artistic objectives. It looks at how to set and achieve goals and what strategies need to be applied to reach these. It will also talk to the business side of the art world and discuss how to engage with it. For more info call 011 447 2855.

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Mandela Cup action at Barnato School ground.

SPORT

The winning Benoni Clover team displays the trophy. PIC : INNER-CITY PRESS AGENCY

Mandela Day Cup tourney

Persistance Nkomo persie.nkomo@inner-city-gazette.co.za Inner-city Ambassadors FC in partnership with Inner-city Football Association held the third annual Mandela Day Cup tournament at Barnato Park high school in Berea over the weekend. The tournament was sponsored by the Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Lindsay Saker, Tata Consultancy Services, City of Joburg, South African Police Services among others.

SAPS Capt John Maluleke said the tournament seeks to instil discipline to the youth through soccer and keep them away from drugs and crime. “Youngsters have nothing to do during the school holidays and this tournament is meant to keep them busy and stay away from crime and drugs,” said Capt Maluleke. Capt Maluleke explained that they focus on children because they are easily guided to an ideal future. “It also helps the police to get a platform to interact with the children and make them not see police as enemies but

people they can talk to.” Benoni Clover FC won the under 12 cup against Inner City Ambassadors in a penalty shootout by 4 goals to 3. Mitsi Kekane was crowned the top goal scorer for the under 12 division. In the under 14 division, Inner city Ambassadors took the cup after they won 4-0 against Benoni Clover. The top goal scorer for the division was Onke Maletse who scored 15 goals in the tournament. Maletse said he is ready to take his game to the next level.