Inner City Gazette

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Est 2009 Issue 48 - 2015

10 - 17 December 2015

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Residents reclaim Rhodes park ‘It is not human nature to hate others, it is high time for those who hate others to start loving them’ A resident places a candle at the scene of the killings during the recent gathering at Rhodes park.

Johannesburg - More than 2 000 Johannesburg residents reclaimed ownership of Kensington’s Rhodes Park on Saturday, the scene of two brutal murders, rape and sexual assault after thugs attacked two couples walking through the public space on October 17.

The event, to mark the 10th anniversary of the 16 Days of Activism against Women and Children Abuse campaign, was organised by the Gauteng Provincial Government in partnership with City Parks & Zoo. The day’s activities included a cycling race and fun walk, which

culminated in a family day of fun and entertainment “to build healthy families and a caring society”.

Gauteng MEC for Safety and Security Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane said the purpose of the event was to reclaim Rhodes Park after the attack that left two men dead and their female partners emotionally drained and scarred for life. The women, described by Nkosi-Malobane as very strong, also attended the event.

Their partners were tied up and thrown into the nearby dam. The women watched helplessly as their partners battled in vain to stay alive.

One of the women was raped and the other sexually assaulted.

After the incident, which shocked the whole country, Johannesburg Mayor Parks Tau announced that a partnership would be initiated to root out criminal elements at all the City’s recreational facilities. Two men have since been arrested and have appeared in court in connection the brutal incident.

MEC Nkosi-Malobane said the late former President Nelson Mandela, who passed away two years ago, did not die in vain but left a good legacy. Quoting him, she said:

“People learn to hate but if you can learn to hate you can learn to love.”

The MEC said it was not human nature to hate others, adding that it was high time for those who hated others to start loving them.

“Having differences at home does not mean we should use violence against our women and children.

You can’t solve problems through violence. There is no love that involves violence and abuse. Mothers think raising children is the duty of one parent. Both parents should take responsibility of raising their

children, because if you don’t these children will become victims of child abuse. Let’s refrain from violence because violence begets violence. Women who are abused and raped should speak up. Professional women should also tell the world about their horrible experiences.”

Clr Zarina Motala, Chairperson of the City’s Section 79 Committee on Community Development, said by supporting the call to highlight the plight of abused women and children, the Gauteng Government and City Parks & Zoo wanted people to follow in Mandela’s footsteps.

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News

Inner-city Gazette

10 - 17 December 2015

Fun for the kids at inner-city park Councillor calls for stricter by-law enforcement Joubert Park - Over 200 children had a time of their lives last Friday when they were treated to fun and games at Joubert Park by the City of Joburg and some NGOs. The event, held under the theme “Best Life for Every Child: Island of Optimism”, was also aimed at raising awareness of HIV-Aids and increasing safety consciousness among them.

Jumping castles, marquees and gazebos were dotted around the park, with tables buckling under the weight of snacks and other delicious goodies. A DJ spun the discs of local musicians to the children’s delight and enjoyment. Story-telling sessions formed part of the activities.

Ward 59 Councillor Tjitjila Mashao said parks were public spaces where people should go to relax, and where

children should feel safe to play in and socialise with one another.

“But this is unfortunately no longer the case as vagrants use parks, especially Joubert Park, as their home. Other dodgy characters use parks outlets to sell drugs, targeting children as young as 12,” Mashao said.

The main problem, she said, was the lack of strict by-law enforcement. “Although the park is locked at night for security reasons, many of the illicit activities now take place in broad daylight. These include drug dealing, robbery and theft. Vagrants do their washing in the park and terrorise residents who use it to relax or pass through,” she said.

All these activities are a threat to the safety of the community, particularly the children, Mashao said,

Drummers entertain the youths during the event at Joubert park.

adding that JMPD needed to rigorously enforce the City’s by-laws.

The event was timed to coincide with the marking of the 16 Days of Activism against Women and Children Abuse campaign, World Aids Day and the International Children’s Day. “We need to educate children about safety when they play in the park,” she said. “We must make them aware of the dangers of talking

to strangers and/or accepting gifts from them as this can open them up for abuse, kidnapping and being exposed to drugs and alcohol. The children need to be vigilant when they play in the parks.”

She also appealed to parents and adults to keep a watchful eye on children. “Children must know they are free to play in the park. Parents and adults must help to ensure they are safe at all times,” she added.

Liquor Board urges responsible drinking Own Correspondent

T

he Gauteng Liquor Board has urged community members to drink responsibly during this time of the year and for liquor traders not to sell alcohol to minors.

In a statement the Liquor Board warned that traders found selling alcohol to minors will face charges for contravening the Liquor Act and conditions of their licences. “Traders may face huge fines or even a cancellation of their licences for contravening the Act. A licensee may also not allow persons under the age of 18 years to consume alcohol at the liquor outlet’s premises.”

The board added that communities rarely understand the dangers associated with drinking and the abuse of alcohol. “Many teenagers are likely to experiment with alcohol on their last day of school at events organised to celebrate the end of the school year dubbed ’pens down parties’.”

The reality is that most children will come across alcohol before they reach the legal age of 18 years. In South Africa research shows that 12% of youngsters start drinking alcohol before the age of 13 years. Since alcohol is viewed as socially acceptable in most communities, it is rarely seen nor referred to as a harmful drug, the statement says.

“Wrong information and lack of information about alcohol and its harmful effects sometimes contribute to misuse by teenagers, which results in underage drinking. There are many reasons that cause teenagers to drink alcohol.”

Liquor traders may not provide alcohol to minors.

Parents are advised to talk to their children about the misuse of alcohol and its dangers, rather than waiting until a problem arises. Parents are also advised to model good behaviour for their children by not drinking in front of them or behaving badly when they are drunk. “There are rehabilitation institutions that parents can take their teenagers with alcohol addiction such as SANCA, Alcoholics Anonymous or Department of Social Development.”

The Gauteng Liquor Board pleads with communities that if any of the liquor outlets in their communities supply alcohol to anyone under the age of 18 they should contact their offices on telephone 011 085 2265 or visit Second Floor, 124 Main Street, Johannesburg.

10 - 17 December 2015

Science centre to present kids expo

Parents have been urged to bring their children to the children’s exhibition at the Sci-bono science centre.

Own Correspondent

P

arents can look forward to the opening of the Sci-Bono Young Einsteins Exhibition for children aged between two and six.

The exhibition, sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology will aim to stimulate early investigation of science, mathematics and technology through a series of interactive experiences.

“We constantly update and expand our collection of exhibits so there is always something new to learn and explore at the centre in addition to the different programmes on offer.” says Stuart Hopwood, Exhibitions Manager.

A new Planetarium will take pride of place among the more than 350 other exhibits at the centre, and is sure to enthral and delight young and old alike.

Donated by the Chinese Embassy in SA and through the efforts of the Department of Basic Education and the China Educational Instrument and Equipment Corporation, the planetarium will give would be astronauts an opportunity to take one small step closer to their dreams.

Skatesitan will provide the centre with a new platform to teach kids about science while having fun, X Games style! Skateistan

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Inner-city Gazette

Sci-Bono will also present another and arguably the best holiday programme in over the festive season

began as a grassroots ‘Sport for Development’ project on the streets of Kabul in 2007, and is now an award-winning, international non-profit organization with sites in Afghanistan, Cambodia and South Africa.

Opening on 22 December visitors will have a chance to design one of six skateboards that will form part of the permanent exhibition. The winners will receive a year long membership to the centre for themselves and four friends.

In addition to all the exhibits Sci-Bono will also present another and arguably the best holiday programme in Jozi over the festive season, busting some myths about science and setting records straight.

This fun and exploratory holiday programme will finally give scientifically accurate answers you always had about science.

Jam-packed with different activities, science shows, experiments from amazing water tricks to instant ice-cream and squishy circuits to name just a few.

Sci-Bono is also spreading some festive cheer by inviting all registered NPO’s to bring the kids they work with to the centre for free.

Bookings for positions are essential though and NGOs or corporates can contact the centre on 011 639 8400 to make a booking.

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How to avoid getting scammed this festive season South Africa is one of the most targeted countries when it comes to online fraudsters trying to steal personal details. With the festive season approaching, what should you look out for and how can you protect yourself?

Two of the most common scams are phishing (pronounced ‘fishing’), which are e-mail scams and smishing, sms-scams.

Both are a kind of identity theft. Criminals try to get you to reveal your personal data, most commonly passwords, pin numbers, user names, account details or other information that will enable them to steal your money or make fraudulent transactions.

Typically you will receive an e-mail, sms or instant message that appears to come from a bank or other legitimate business. You’re asked to click on a link or download an attachment.

The link will direct you to a fraudulent website, which looks genuine. Here you’ll be asked to provide details which are used to access your accounts. Attachments contain a virus or malware which criminals use to access your computer and all your personal information.

The variety of scams are vast and as soon as the public is warned about one, the next is already launched. Here’s DirectAxis’ guide to some of the most common scams and tips on how to protect yourself: Banking scams You receive an e-mail or SMS alerting you to a notification of payment. You click on the link and are taken to what seems to be a bank’s website.

You are asked to provide your account details and other information such as your pin number in order to confirm the payment. The fraudsters then use this information to raid your account.

There are variations of this scam, including a message, apparently from your bank, asking to confirm your details.

No responsible bank or financial institution should ever send you an e-mail, sms or instant message which directs you to a website asking for your account and other confidential information and you should never reveal your pin number.

Personal loan scams This scam invites you to apply for a low-interest loan and asks for a fee upfront. The fee requested is usually for administrative, legal or other seemingly reasonable costs.

The very low interest rates are usually why people respond, and although you pay the fee, you never receive the loan.

Marlies Kappers, DirectAxis head of marketing, warns not to assume an email is legitimate just because it carries a logo, a company registration number or other details such as a headoffice address. Many fraudulent e-mails look like the real thing.

Identity theft Not all phishing and smishing involves getting your account details or luring you into making a payment. Some scams only try to get enough information to be able to open a fraudulent store, online shopping or loan account.

Again the request for information usually seems reasonable – a financial institution, retailer or online shop asking you to confirm some information.

Identify theft scams can be more difficult to spot because they don’t seem to be asking for sensitive information, but be suspicious of emails asking for details that a company should already have. Be extra suspicious if the request comes from one with which you’ve never done business.

Lottery and competition scams These are probably the best -know scams, but still catch plenty of people every year.

Typically you’re told you’ve won a lottery or competition and are asked to provide information such as your ID number and banking details to claim the prize. You may also be asked to pay a fee for administration costs.

The inheritance scam is a variation of this.

You’re told you’re about to receive a large inheritance and need to some provide personal information and a payment for the transaction to proceed.

A third version is the hard-luck story. Usually the scammer poses as a wealthy businessman or politician who needs your help to transfer a large amount of money.

These scams assume greed will overcome reason. Rather than asking why you’re winning a lottery you never entered, are inheriting money from a relative you don’t have or a stranger is entrusting you with a lot of money, the anticipation of being rich makes you push doubts aside.

How to spot a scam • You are offered money for nothing. All

you have to do is click on a link, download an attachment or provide some personal information.

• The e-mail or SMS is not personalised.

You’re addressed as Sir, Madam or Customer. Communication from legitimate sources is more likely to be personalised.

• You are pressurised into responding. This tactic is often used in lottery, inheritance and competition scams and aims to pressure you to reply before you have time to think. Alternatively scammers can try to scare you into providing information and threaten to close an account or suspend a service if information is not quickly provided. If in doubt, always first check with the company.

• Upfront payment is required. This is common with loan and competition scams. Never provide any upfront payments, no matter how genuine the e-mail or SMS seems.

• Personal or account information is required. Do not respond to an e-mail asking for personal or financial details and never click on a link to provide these details. If you need to transact or want to open an account, type the company’s address into your browser.

• The e-mail or SMS you’ve received is from an unknown sender or someone with whom you’ve never done business.

If you’re an FNB client and you receive a payment notification from another bank, it’s probably a scam.

• You are urged to open an attachment. If your bank has never sent you an attachment before, be suspicious. Most financial institutions or retailers do not send attachments. High risk attachment file types include: .exe, .scr, .zip, .com, .bat.

Look out for the unusual. If the logo looks slightly different, the website address seems odd – it is co.th rather than co.za – brand and product names are incorrect, the spelling and grammar is poor or the message has been sent to multiple recipients then the SMS or e-mail you’ve received could be a scam.

For more information and an infographic on how to spot a financial scam visit the website www.directaxis.co.za

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News

‘Down with Nyaope’ campaign Ga-Rankuwa - “I have almost no hope left. My grandchild is terrorising the whole family. We cannot leave our doors or cupboards unlocked because when we return something will be missing because of this plague called Nyaope,” said eighty-six-year-old Stokie Jacobeth Ntlatleng.

This came after the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) adopted the Ntletleng and the Mokotsi families from Ga-Rankuwa as part of a ‘Down with Nyaope’ campaign in the community.

The NYDA will be working with the families and local authorities to aid in the recovery of their members through rehabilitation and skills programmes.

The sons, Keabetswe Ntlatleng, 26 and Jerry Mokotsi, 25 are recovering Nyaope addicts who NYDA Executive Chairperson, Yershen Pillay hands work at a local car wash over groceries to Stokie Jacobeth Ntlatleng with Joy as a means to their escape Dlakavu from Aga Sechaba Community Projects. addiction. “Young people must lead the war against my dream is to start my own carwash with drugs which is ravaging our families and my friend as my partner,” said Keabetswe. communities. We are trying a new tactic to The NYDA plans to support the rehabilitacombat drug abuse in Ga-Rankuwa through tion journey that Jerry and Keabetswe have working with families, recovering addicts begun while motivating them through busiand local authorities but we must take a zero ness development training and support. tolerance approach to drug dealers,” said “Our goal to fund a car wash for them to NYDA Chairperson, Yershen Pillay. run but before this we need to make sure Keabetswe said that a fix of Nyaope costs that they are clean. We will work with their him R108 per day while he only makes R15 families to support their rehabilitation while for every that car he washes. “Initially I exposing them to skills development prostarted smoking Nyaope because I enjoyed grammes. We have also embarked on an the feeling of being high but now I have intense drug awareness campaign. Our mesdays where I feel like I can’t continue withsage to youth is to abstain and be vigilant of out this drug. I am trying my best to stay the dangers of substance abuse and choose a clean, I hope and pray for strength because brighter future into 2016,” said Pillay.

Inner-city Gazette

10 - 17 December 2015

News Briefs from around SA

Safety MEC Willies Mchunu

Festive season safety concerns

A group of initiates march at an initiation school.

Initiation death toll rises in province Queenstown - Three more initiates have died in the province, pushing the toll in the first two weeks of the initiation season to 16.

Traditional leaders said the situation forced them to look for alternative circumcision processes, but they were adamant male medical circumcision would not replace traditional initiation.

The three latest deaths were reported in Tantergate and Thornhill near Whittlesea in the Chris Hani district and in Barkly East, which falls within the Joe Gqabi district.

Of the 16 deaths so far, nine have been reported in areas in the Chris Hani district, with the remaining ones shared among various areas in the province.

House of Traditional Leaders chairman Chief Ngangomhlaba Matanzima said the deaths were due to dehydration, assault, one died after an asthma attack while another is believed to have taken his own life.

“You cannot in this hot weather deny initiates water; you are just killing them if you do that,” said Chief Matanzima. Daily Dispatch

Municipality distributes fire emergency kits

Cape Town - The City of Cape Town has issued over 800 enhanced emergency rebuilding kits to its fire-affected residents.

The kits have cost the city over R4.2 million since the start of November, said Human Settlements MMC Benedicta van Minnen.

She noted that the city experiences a surge in fires, and said that this year’s fire season was unusually dry. “Fires are a particular danger for residents living in informal settlements.

The high density of these settlements and the highly flammable building materials result in the rapid spread of fires. In addition, the layout and the density of these settlements make it very difficult for the City to effectively re-

spond to fires,” said Van Minnen.

The kits consists of nails, poles, galvanised corrugated steel roof sheets, a door with a lock set or padlock, and a window to enable residents to replace housing structures that were affected or destroyed by fires.

Van Minnen said fires affecting residents included recent fires over the weekend in Sea Winds, near Lavender Hill and in Elsies River. The City also provides fire awareness and education campaigns to educate residents on the dangers of fires and how to prevent them.

On December 1, the City of Cape Town’s Mayor, Patricia de Lille launched the Misa Umlilo Stop the Fire campaign. ANA

Durban - As KwaZulu-Natal prepares to welcome holiday visitors for the festive season, last year’s Christmas holiday death toll figures are a sobering reminder of the risks on the road, with the province recording the highest death toll in the country.

Crash scene investigator for 15 years, Stan Bezuidenhout, said he did not expect people to change their behaviour. “People comply with road rules only when they saw the police, but once police were out of sight, they deliberately break the rules,” he said.

AA spokesman, Layton Beard felt there was still not enough law enforcement on the road. Many accidents were caused by poor driver behaviour and people who find drinking and driving acceptable, he said.

KZN Department of Transport spokesman, Kwanele Ncalane, said it was not only the government’s responsibility to ensure road safety. The public also had an important role to play.

“The roadblocks we use are not all about law enforcement, but are about educating people as well.”

Ncalane said KZN MEC for transport Willies Mchunu has tabled a plan for the festive season to the KZN cabinet. He said the plan focused on the N2, N3 and provincial highways. The departments would be assisted by the SAPS. The department would partner with the South Africa National Taxi Council where they will inspect the roadworthiness of taxis. Daily News

Minister of Police Nkosinathi Nhleko addresses the community during the opening ceremony.

New police station for Yeoville Yeoville - Minister of Police Nkosinathi Nhleko recently opened the newly-renovated Yeoville police station and urged the community to make full use of its facilities.

The police station underwent a major transformation from a four-roomed Hillbrow satellite station to a fully-fledged station which will now service the Yeoville community. It has among its many services, a detective crime centre, community service centre, victim empowerment centre, holding cells that can take up to 50 people at a time and a gym.

Nhleko noted that the reopening of Yeoville Police Station was happening a day after the release of the Victims of Crime Survey by Statistics SA. “Constructing a police station is a direct response to the need to have

citizens who are safe and feel safe. What this means is that we have to accelerate delivery of this infrastructure to as many people as possible because we have evidence that police stations add to the feeling of safety and they improve police visibility in the area, thereby decreasing some of the crimes which cause debilitating fear,” he said.

MEC for Community Safety Sizakele Nkosi Malobane, urged police officers to use the police station to protect the community of Yeoville. “Let us use these facilities to make sure our communities receive services when it comes to responding to reported crime. Let us also be proactive officers by patrolling the streets and making sure our people are as safe as possible,” she said.

Gunman gets 50 yrs for murder Johannesburg - The South Gauteng High Court has jailed Yunis Yusuf Mohamed, 32, a Somali national for the murder of a man in Mayfair last year.

Mohamed was found guilty of murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, and jailed for 50 years. Warrant Officer Xoli Mbele of Johannesburg police says Mohamed shot Elias Mohamed Adbimalik once in the upper body.

“It is said that the deceased was playing a pool game with his friends in Mayfair when Mohamed came in.

They had an argument and Mohamed shot him with a Magnum revolver. Adbimalik later died on in his way to hospital. Mohamed was on the run until he was apprehended in December 2014 in the Burgersfort area,

Mpumalanga through the help of the community,” Warrant Officer Mbele says.

On the same day the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court handed down a jail term to teenage murderer Nkosikhona Mngadi, who is aged 19.

He was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. According to Warrant Officer Xoli Mbele of Johannesburg Central police Mngadi stabbed and killed Sibusiso Gwala, 35, at corner Lilian Ngoyi and Klein streets in May. “The conviction was a result of diligent work by the investigating officer. We would also like to thank community members for being our eyes and ears in the fight against crime,” Warrant Officer Mbele said.

10 - 17 December 2015

News

Inner-city Gazette

Focus

on

5

Africa

Coup boss charged with Sankara murder

A comedian celebrates the end of the deadly Ebola virus in Monrovia.

Country to be declared free of Ebola Monrovia, Liberia - The country has released its last two known Ebola cases from hospital and started the countdown to being declared free of the virus for a third time, authorities said on Friday.

The patients, released from a treatment unit (ETU) are the father and brother of a 15-year-old boy who died on 23 November.

“As far as we know there is no case in the ETUs in the entire republic,” Tolbert Nyensuah, head of the Ebola response, told state radio. “There is no new transmission, based on our epidemiological investigations.”

Nyensuah said 165 potential contacts of the family, 34 of them high-risk, are going into the third week of the 21-day observation period, with none showing signs of illness. Liberia was the last country affected

by the two-year west African outbreak, with Sierra Leone declared free of transmission in November and Guinea’s last known case recovering three weeks ago.

The patients’ recovery triggered a 42-day countdown, twice the incubation period of the virus, before Liberia can be declared free of transmission. Ebola has left over 11 300 people dead since December 2013.

Liberia registered almost 10 700 cases and over 4 800 deaths. The country was first declared free of transmission in May, only to see the fever resurface six weeks later, and officially credited with beating the epidemic for a second time in September.

The World Health Organisation said that investigations into the origin of the latest cluster of cases were ongoing. AFP

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso - Authorities history and the charge have charged a general who led a failed coup against Diendere could represent a breakin September with complicity in the 1987 assassination of President Thomas Sankara, through in a case that has haunted senior security sources say. the country for de“General Gilbert Diendere is formally cades. It follows a charged in the Thomas Sankara case,” a pledge by the transisenior security source told Reuters.

Mathieu Some, Diendere’s lawyer, said tional government to investigate the murhis client had been charged over Sankara’s der and a decideath and he would prepare his legal desion in May fence. Ten others less senior officers have already been charged. The security to exhume the remains official said most were soldiers in of a body the elite presidential guard of former President Blaise Compaore, who Ex-coup leader Gilbert Diendere believed to was ousted in October 2014. be Sankara’s, Sankara took power in a coup in 1983 and which was buried at a cemetery on the outskirts of the capital. Diendere was Compursued a philosophy of Marxism and panAfricanism that led him to be called “Af- paore’s intelligence chief and right-hand man. In September, he led the presidential rica’s Che Guevara”. He was known for his trademark red beret and rejection of the lav- guard in a short-lived coup in which soldiers took transitional President Michel Kafando ish lifestyle typical of some African leaders.

In October 1987, he was murdered in a coup hostage. The coup failed and the presidential that brought Compaore to power. guard was disbanded and Diendere sought Sankara’s murder is one of the most high- refuge at the Vatican embassy. He is in deprofile killings in Africa’s post-independence tention, charged with murder. Reuters

Govt troops kill 100 Boko Haram Jihadists

French officers deny genocide allegations Kigali, Rwanda - French army officers have denied allegations by rights groups that the country’s peacekeeping force knowingly failed to prevent the killing of hundreds of thousands of Tutsis in 1994.

Three groups, including the International Human Rights Federation, have called for two French officers to be charged with aiding and abetting genocide by failing to rescue Tutsis who were later massacred.

The genocide claimed at least 800 000 lives.

The officers involved are Jacques Rosier, who was commander of special forces, and Marin Gillier, head of marines in France’s

UN-mandated Operation Turquoise force, led by Jean-Claude Lafourcade.

France has repeatedly denied the accusations. The allegations relate to one incident in which hundreds of Tutsis were killed in Bisesero hills in June that year.

A judicial inquiry was launched in 2005 after a survivor filed a complaint against French troops. Rwandan President Paul Kagame has accused France of complicity in the genocide because of its support of the Hutu government that carried out the mass slaughter. Relations between the countries were frozen from 2006 to 2009. Agencies

Contact Lorraine Makgale on:

Defence Minister Joseph Beti

Yaounde, Cameroon - Government troops have killed about 100 Boko Haram Islamist fighters from Nigeria, freed almost 900 hostages and seized Islamic State (IS), the defence ministry said.

“A special clean-up operation against Boko Haram fighters in the border area with Nigeria neutralised more than 100 jihadists”, Defence Minister Joseph Beti Assomo said in a statement broadcast on national radio.

The sweep enabled troops to release almost 900 hostages, seize a large stock of arms and munitions as well as black-and-white Islamic State flags, the statement added, without providing details on the identities of those freed.

No independent confirmation of the statement was immediately available from the region, which is inaccessible to the media. Some security sources reached by telephone confirmed the raid took place but were unable to confirm the figures released in the statement. AFP

President Omar al Bashir

Foes brace for

more fighting

Khartoum, Sudan - Government forces and rebels in Sudan’s war-torn border regions say they are preparing for another bout of fighting after the latest talks in Addis Ababa failed to reach a deal.

The AU-mediated talks ended last month without a temporary ceasefire being agreed in Darfur, mired in conflict since 2003, and South Kordofan and Blue Nile states, where rebels have been battling since 2011.

Now the rainy season that leaves roads in the regions impassable has ended, both sides are braced for more fighting.

“We are preparing to defend ourselves,” said Arnu Lodi of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, based in South Kordofan and Blue Nile.

Sudan’s military also says it is on high alert. “We know that they are preparing and we are preparing too,” said spokesman Colonel Ahmed Khalifa al-Shami.

The military had been tracking the rebel movements during the talks, Shami said.

The latest negotiations came during a period of calm in Sudan’s conflict-hit peripheries.

President Omar al-Bashir announced a two-month ceasefire in September to persuade rebels to join a national dialogue. The period coincided with the wet season, when torrential rains usually halt fighting, but the SPLM-N accused Khartoum of carrying out air raids. “Despite the military’s commitment to the ceasefire, it hasn’t abandoned its duty to train, mobilise and protect the country,” Shami said.

Bashir has been battling ethnic insurgents in Darfur for 12 years, after they rebelled, complaining of marginalisation. Reuters

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Contenders get ready for TKO final

Kaizer Chiefs and Sundowns action in a previous encounter.

Rofhiwa Lihaiwa

K

aizer Chiefs defender Keegan Ritchie says their MTN8 final defeat to Ajax Cape Town earlier this year was a wakeup call ahead of their Telkom Knockout final clash against Mamelodi Sundowns next week Wednesday.

Amakhosi will meet the Brazilians in the Telkom Knockout final at Moses Mabhida Stadium looking to avoid a second successive cup final defeat after going down 1-0 to Ajax almost 12 weeks ago.

Ritchie has now warned Sundowns that there is no way they will lose two finals in a row.

“The first one we didn’t play well.

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That gave us a bit of a wakeup call to come out and just give everything, and leave our hearts on the field against Sundowns,” said Ritchie. “There is a lot of pressure now, but the boys are used to that in this game. I think we are up for the challenge.”

With Chiefs failing to find consistency in their form this season, the 25-year old has warned people against reading too much into it and says they cannot be written off so early. “The league is a marathon; it is not how you start but how you finish. A lot of the teams in the second half of the season tend to lose form and they go through a dip.

While in the second round we play

Amakhosi will meet the Brazilians in the Telkom Knockout final at Moses Mabhida Stadium looking to avoid a second successive cup final defeat after going down 1-0 to Ajax almost 12 weeks ago

a lot better. Let’s see what happens in the second round, and I think we will pick up points.

“I just want to say that people must not write us off yet, we still have a chance of winning the league.”

Meanwhile Kickoff.com reports that Mamelodi Sundowns’ preparations for the Telkom Knockout Final are well underway as they line up two more practice matches this week. The Brazilians have undergone an extensive preparations for their upcoming clash with Kaizer Chiefs on December 16, also known as Day of Reconciliation.

Pitso Mosimane’s side attended a training camp in Rustenburg last week, where they beat TVET

College and Platinum Stars, before handing Bloemfontein Celtic a 3-1 defeat upon their return to Chloorkop this weekend. This week, Sundowns will have confirmed two more friendly matches against Jomo Cosmos on Wednesday and Witbank Spurs on Thursday.

The PSL is currently in its third week of recess due to the national under-23 team’s participation in the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Senegal.

Sundowns next host the Amakhosi in their penultimate fixture of 2015, before hosting Orlando Pirates in an Absa Premiership fixture at the Loftus Versveld Stadium on December 20 to end off the calendar year.

WBA champ Paul Kamanga

Dazzling display at the Palace

Ron Jackson

B

oxing champion Paul Kamanga of DRC registered an impressive victory over Roman Zhailauov of Kazakhstan, stopping him in the fifth round to take the vacant WBA Pan African welterweight title at Emperors Palace last Tuesday.

However, Kamanga had to come back from a knockdown in the second round when he became overconfident and was caught with a short left hook that dumped him on the canvas.

Kamanga (66.40kg) dominated the fight as he varied his attack to land thumping left and rights to the head and body.

Early in the third round Zhailauov (66.25kg) began to show the effects of Kamanga’s power shots as his right eye began to puff up. In the fourth round the sustained beating continued with the gutsy Zhailauov refusing to give in, but at this stage his eye was a mess and the referee should have stopped the fight or his corner should have thrown in the towel.

Going into the fifth round the slaughter continued until referee Jaap van Niewenhuizen rather belatedly waved the fight off at 2 minute 18 seconds into the round.

Kamanga improved his record to 18-0; 9 and Zhailauov’s record dropped to 15-2; 9.

In the best fight of the night, in a super lightweight contest, former South African champion Warren Joubert (63.30kg) scored a narrow eight rounds points victory over Jason Bedeman (62.50kg). The scores were 77-76 and 77-75 twice.

Other bouts: Super lightweight: Dair Zhailauov w pts 4 Akano Dibi; Super flyweight: Joshua Studdard w tko 1 Edward Disoloane; Super welterweight: Brandon Thysse w tko 2 Murendeni Nenungwi; Light flyweight: Deejay Kriel w tko 3 Thabo Moabi. The Box and Dine tournament was presented by Golden Gloves Promotions. supersport.com