Inner City Gazette

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Est 2009 Tel : 011 023-7588 / 011 402 - 1977 Inner-City Gazette

Fax: 086 609 8601

Issue 14 - 2019

Email : info@inner-city-gazette.co.za

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072 824 3014

11 - 18 April 2019

Website : www.inner-city-gazette.com Inner City Gazette

Distributed free to households, churches, schools, clinics, government departments, police stations, libraries and businesses in Bellevue • Berea • Bertrams • Braamfontein • City and Suburban • City West • Crown Gardens • Doornfontein • Fairview • Fordsburg • Hillbrow • Jeppestown • Jules • Johannesburg Inner City • Kensington • Lorentzville • Malvern • Marshallstown • New Doornfontein • Newtown • North Doornfontein • Park Meadows • Rosettenville • Selby • Troyeville • Turffontein • Village Main and Yeoville .

Community concerned

with illegal abortions

Whitney Chinogwenya of Marie Stopes South Africa

Yeoville - Community members and the local police have expressed concern with unsafe and illegal abortions in the area.

Police spokesperson Captain Sifiso Mabizela said since January this year four foetuses have been found by police in the Yeoville suburb.

“Three cases have been opened and one person has been arrested. We don’t encourage abortion, but we urge the public to do it within the prescripts of the law. If it happens that the pregnant woman wishes to give up the child for whatever reason, she can visit our victim empowerment centre and social crime prevention office for help,” Captain Mabizela said.

He explained that one foetus was found at corner Stuart and Jolly streets, and the other at the Hendon and Fortesque streets intersection. “The first one was wrapped in a plastic bag and dumped in a stream. The other was found by a community member when unblocking a drain. He pulled something from the drain when suddenly the foetus fell to the ground,” Mabizela said.

He added that later at corner Kenmere

and Frances streets the body of a baby was found wrapped in stockings, left in a passage of a flat. “A resident discovered the fully developed baby with its umbilical cord still attached. The cord looked like it was cut with a sharp object. A woman was arrested and is in custody. The fourth baby was found on Grafton Street, the child had been covered with a blanket,” he said.

Constable Pile Nwoko of the Social Crime Prevention Unit said they offer support to those who seek help. “We work with NGOs that can help women who do not want their babies. There are places which receive babies without any questions asked. This includes Door of Hope on Doris Street, just ring a bell and drop the child off. Another is in Regent Street, Frida Hartley Shelter for Destitute Women and Children. Women can also come to the police station if they find themselves in that situation; we will offer the support they need,” said Nwoko.

Whitney Chinogwenya of Marie Stopes South Africa said unsafe terminations and self-induced abortions can lead to serious health complications, such as haemorrhag-

ing, septicemia, internal organ damage, tetanus, sterility and even death. “Women who don’t fall ill, often find themselves with a continued pregnancy, as self-inducing an abortion can be unsuccessful due to not knowing the relevant medication and methods for a particular woman’s health history and stage of pregnancy,” she said.

She added that women needing safe abortion services must research and find a safe and legal provider. “These unsafe ‘backstreet’ abortions are easily prevented if more women are informed of their rights.

‘Backstreet’ is also a term that can be misleading because today many unsafe, illegal providers appear somewhat legitimate, posing behind slick marketing and flashy websites promising a ‘cheap, safe and painfree’ abortion,” said Chinangwenya.

The Yeoville police Social Crime Prevention Unit can be reached on telephone number 072 456 8360, or call the victim empowerment centre on Tel: 011 481 0300.

Also call Marie Stopes on 011 463 8048, Door of Hope on 011 484 9930 or the Frida Hartley Shelter on 011 648 6005.

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Inner-city Gazette

News

For further information contact Boston on 011 551 2000 Email: info@boston.co.za Visit www.boston.co.za, or Facebook

Boston

places the spotlight on learnerships as key to South Africa’s skills shortage

Learnerships combine learning programmes with on the job learning and training. On the job training is supported by structured or institutional learning. This therefore gives you the opportunity to work while studying towards a nationally recognised qualification. With Boston City Campus & Business College’s extensive track record in corporate learnerships, and the numerous excellence awards it has received from various SETA’s, Boston is currently one of South Africa’s leading training providers and one of the industry’s leading authorities on learnerships.

According to Dr Deonita Damons, HOD Learnerships at Boston, some of South Africa’s top companies will participate in learnerships over a vast terrain of disciplines. One of the outcomes of participation in the training becomes immediately evident in the contribution the corporates make to the economy through upskilling those who are underprivileged, unemployed or currently employed.

Learnership agreements are entered into between the Learner (Employee), the Company (Employer) and the Training Provider, with each party having a vested interest in the success of the training intervention.

These learnerships hold numerous other benefits for all parties involved.

“Companies who run corporate learnerships receive major tax benefits. In financial terms this means that the employer can claim R80 000 off their gross profit for each employee they have put through a corporate learnership programme, and for each disabled employee they get R120 000 as a rebate from the SA Revenue Service. Learnerships are a real way to impart skills and to gain work-place experience, whilst at the same time addressing the aim to alleviate youth unemployment,” says Damons. “It is vital that this effort includes a substantial financial reward to the company”.

Damons explains that employers

Dr Deonita Damons with a payroll of or more R500 000 per annum, must pay a 1% skills levy to SARS. This levy is then distributed to Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) within the sector they operate. Companies must plan their skills development interventions (training) in advance by completing and submitting a Workplace Skills Plan(WSP) to their appropriate SETA. The due date for these plans is 30 April annually.

With the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) codes South African businesses have little choice but to participate in corporate learnership programmes. Otherwise it will be impossible for them to reach their BBBEE score card points.

According to Damons, six percent of the company’s wage-bill must also be spent on training black employees in line with the BBBEE scorecard. Many companies do see the benefit in this as they’ve grown tired of the recruit, train and head-hunting cycle and realise that learnerships are a great way to grow and maintain their own talent pipeline.

A learnership qualification runs for 12 months, with 30% being knowledge based through training contact time, and 70% is experience based through work-place training. While the corporate selects its desired training provider for its employees, unemployed youth are encouraged to approach their SETA to apply for a corporate funded learnership.

“South Africa has a fundamental skills shortage and SETAs work with their sectors to reduce the skills barriers. Organisations must find ways to equip their employees with the correct skills, and plan ahead by submitting their workplace skills plans (which include plans to run learnerships) to their appropriate SETAs. There are an estimated 4.3-million people who are unemployed, and most of these individuals require skills training. Many Grade 12 learners who leave school every year require additional skills to enter the formal work sector of the economy. Graduates with university degrees who are also unemployed find a learnership is an excellent way to enter the formal world of work,” says Damons.

For companies it becomes a question of which training provider will best meet the need to empower their employees. To this Damons says that “firstly it’s all about successful placement. Boston’s corporate learnerships for example, are so successful that a 70% placement rate is achieved for its Debt Recovery learnership. It’s also important to offer greater flexibility, especially whereby learnerships can be scheduled over weekends or in a shift programme or by offering the programme at the employer’s place of work. As important is the scope of different programmes on offer”.

Boston currently offers 46 different programmes under the learnership auspice, and including Boston’s occupational framework.

To find out more about Boston’s corporate learnerships programmes, please visit www.boston.co.za

11 - 18 April 2019

‘While the plan gives us confidence that we may go through winter with no or limited load-shedding, we are mindful of the potential of risks on a very tight power system which may result in shifts on the power system and which could result in load-shedding’

Eskom chief executive Phakamani Hadebe

Load shedding risk in

Eskom’s winter plan Johannesburg - Eskom has appealed to consumers to use electricity sparingly as colder weather is expected to increase the risk of load-shedding.

“The winter plan indicates a higher demand, with three days being extremely tight, with a high risk of load-shedding. South Africans can make a huge difference by rallying towards the common cause of using electricity efficiently, having the collective potential of reducing demand by up to 500MW and saving the equivalent of one unit at a power station.”

Eskom group chief executive Phakamani Hadebe said they have an extensive winter plan and review of the power system, and have identified the problems.

“While the plan gives us confidence that we may go through winter with no or limited load-shedding, we are mindful of the potential of risks on

a very tight power system which may result in shifts on the power system and which could result in load-shedding. We have mapped out scenarios that show that we will implement load-shedding in cases where unplanned breakdowns increase to more than 9 500MW, delays in returning units from planned maintenance or in cases of unanticipated disruptive events,” he said.

Hadebe added that the first few days of April had given reassurance of the integrity of their plan.

“We managed to avoid load-shedding on three days where it was forecast due to good performance of our plant. We managed to go through periods of high demand in the evening peak without using a lot of diesel,” he said.

Eskom expects to gain additional power over the next two months from generation units that have been out for planned maintenance.

11 - 18 April 2019

Inner-city Gazette

Gunmen kill seven in ‘turf war’

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News

‘Two bodies were found with gunshot wounds at the dumpsite in the morning; that afternoon the bodies of two other men were found, where two other people were also injured during an attack by a group of about eight people who shot at people randomly’

Johannesburg - Seven people have been killed in suspected clashes between rival gangs involved in collecting waste materials at the Rietfontein dumpsite and a drug turf war in KwaThema. Seven other people suffered gunshot wounds and were admitted to hospital.

Gauteng provincial police Commissioner Lt-Gen Elias Mawela has appointed a multidisciplinary task team to find the shooting suspects.

The incidents happened in Springs, Tsakane and KwaThema.

Police spokesperson Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said two of the bodies were found with gunshot wounds at the dumpsite in Springs in the morning of April 5. “That afternoon the bodies of two other men aged 27 and 30 were found in Tsakane, where two other people were also injured during an attack by a group of about eight people who shot at people randomly. One vehicle was also damaged in the process.”

It is suspected that the armed group were travel-

ling in two vehicles. “Although the motive for the shooting and killing is still being investigated, police are looking at the possibility that some of the killings may be related to rival gangs involved in collecting trash at the Rietfontein landfill,” Captain Dlamini said.

Three people aged between 26 and 41 were killed and five others were

rushed to hospital after eight people were attacked in a shack at an informal settlement in KwaThema.

Lt-Gen Mawela said police are following positive leads on the killers and expressed confidence that the killers would soon be arrested.

“I also appeal to the communities to isolate criminal gangs and work with the police,” he said.

Police urge people with information to contact their nearest police station or call 08600 10111.

“Information will be treated anonymously and confidentially. A reward may also be offered for any information that may lead to the successful arrest of the killers and other people involved in the violent crimes,” Captain Dlamini said.

Lt-Gen Elias Mawela

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Inner-city Gazette

News

11 - 18 April 2019

Shop owners face looting kids Staff Reporter

D

Some of the students in the streets during the march.

ozens of students allegedly raided shops in the Joburg CBD and Hillbrow after a Congress of South African Students (Cosas) protest on Monday, and the owners faced them in violent confrontation.

Thousands of schoolchildren marched to the ANC headquarters where they handed a memorandum demanding, among other things, the end to violence at schools, fast-tracking of infrastructure and removal of teachers who are known to be sexual predators.

The students involved are almost unrecognisable on CCTV footage. The first clip was shared by anticrime activist Yusuf Abramjee, showing pupils piling into businesses and causing chaos on the streets.

The business owners gave chase. Punches were exchanged and items thrown at each other. Authorities in Hillbrow said no arrests have been made yet, but an investigation is underway.

There were more reports of the looting in the Joburg CBD, where shops, liquor stores and street

vendors lost some of their stock to the looters. The owner of Bree Hardware was attacked by looters who then stole stock from the shop. An electronics store spokesperson said over 30 cellphones were stolen. Spat Tops of Newtown and Spar Supermarket in Hillbrow were also looted.

Rany Hair and Beauty Space hair salon owner Gift Onyia said her handbag and wig stock, Brazilian hairpieces, nail sets and hair machinery were stolen.

The ANC condemned the looting. ANC acting national spokesperson Dakota Legoete said lawlessness detracted from the noble objectives of the march and the legitimacy of students’ demands.

“We are disappointed that some of the marchers deviated from the commitment given by Cosas leadership to conduct the march in a disciplined manner.

We urge Cosas to assist law-enforcement agencies to identify the culprits. There is nothing noble or revolutionary about looting and damaging public or private property,” Legoete said.

Cosas provincial secretary Teboho Magafane distanced his organisation from the chaos, blaming homeless people for taking advantage of the march.

“Many people looted pretending to be students. It’s the homeless who pretended to be students. If it were students they would be arrested by now.”

Escaped Jeppe murder

suspect re-arrested Johannesburg - A murder suspect who escaped from a Johannesburg court in December has been found, according to police.

Police spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo said the suspect, Sibonelo Thwala, 27, escaped on December 5 last year while appearing in court for a murder that was committed in Jeppestown in April 2018, and possession of an unlicensed firearm. “After his escape, a team of detectives has been working tirelessly to apprehend him. Police received information about his possible whereabouts and went into the house in Tsakane on Thursday morning where he was arrested.”

Captain Masondo added that during his rearrest, Thwala was found in possession of two unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

“He faces a charge of escaping from lawful custody, Sibonelo Thwala Pic: SAPS and is also expected back in the high court for the initial charge of murder and possession of unlicensed firearm.

Gauteng police Provincial Commissioner Lt-Gen Elias Mawela thanked the community for assisting police in locating the wanted suspect.

Life jail for cop killers

Johannesburg - The South Gauteng High Court Gauteng recently handed down life sentences and 146 years to three men who killed a police officer at Park Station in 2015.

Provincial Commissioner, Lt-Gen Elias Mawela applauded the investigating team for their sterling job done in ensuring that the murderers are apprehended, convicted and sentenced for the brutal murder of a police constable.

Police spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo said Constable Malesela Ledwaba was killed by an armed gang after police responded to a business robbery in progress at the Park Station Bakery on 24 March 2015.

Captain Masondo said on Wednesday last week Nkululeko Ndebele, 39, Siyabonga Mkhize, 42, and Thokozani Mtshali, 43, were handed life sentences each for murder, and a joint 146 years imprisonment for armed robbery as well as possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

“The other two accused, Mike Dube and Sfiso Dlomo, escaped from custody in February 2018. Dlomo died due to natural causes while on the run and Dube is still at large,” he said.

Police are still appealing to anyone who might have information about Dube’s whereabouts to contact the nearest police station or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.

11 - 18 April 2019

Inner-city Gazette

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11 - 18 April 2019

11 - 18 April 2019

Inner-city Gazette

The Arts

Zahara ‘wants her money’ ‘I don’t want to be like other artists who don’t tell the truth. Some of my peers suffer from depression, some have thrown themselves into drug abuse, others into the arms of men simply because they are scared of admitting that they have no money, because the record labels are not paying us’ Arts Correspondent

A

fropop musician Zahara, whose real name is Bulelwa Mkutukana, says she does not want to become like some of her peers in the entertainment industry and become another statistic.

On her Instagram account she wrote that she is tired of lying about herself and the industry.

“I’m not here to be praised but to inspire and tell my story now, I’m ready to tell the truth, I don’t want to be a statistic.”

She added that fans deserve an explanation from her.

“These are the people who buy my music and put me in this position. I don’t want to be like other artists who don’t tell the truth.

Some of my peers suffer from depression, some have thrown themselves into drug abuse, others into the arms of men simply because they are scared of admitting that they have no money, because the record labels are not paying us,” she said.

The Umthwalo Wam hitmaker said she has gathered her legal team and they are busy with this.

“I just wanted to show other artists that you don’t have to suffer for something you did not do. We have strange ways of destroying ourselves instead of facing the real issue.”

She alleged that this fight has taken many forms, one of them being the assassination of her character.

“Do you remember when I was said to have been struggling with alcohol addiction? But there never seemed to be any photographs of me in the act. Have you ever even seen someone posting on social media that I’m at a bar and Zahara is here too? My story was a little too perfect, that they wanted to destroy me.”

Zahara said she wants her money from the records that she has created. “I want my money from the albums Mgodi, Phendula and Country Girl. One of the things that affect artists is that they never want to speak out. I didn’t just sing that song Umthwalo Wam, it’s because I have been going through these hard times.”

She explained that one of the ways she has been able to survive for so long is through the money

she got from the South African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO). “SAMRO has thankfully always made the payments. What I am talking about now, are my album sales royalties,” she said.

Zahara has claimed her former record label TS Records owe her millions of rands. TK Nciza of TS Records however said her top three records combined could not have made the amount she is claiming. “Now that things are going bad she wants to make excuses and point fingers,” he said.

He added that there was no way his company could have misappropriated her royalties because they were made by another big name company. “We work with credible companies; we don’t even pay her directly.”

Warner Music marketing director Adrian King said they have a good working relationship with the Afropop musician. “We have an exclusive license agreement with Music Live Here (MLH) records, to which Zahara is signed as a recording artist. All statements and accounting to Music Lives Here are up to date,” King said.

Kcobodo Training Center aka KTC College hosted graduation ceremony for her outgoing IT: End User Computing Level 3 and IT: Technical Support Level 4 students at Drill Hall Johannesburg CBD. It was a colourful and memorable event that attracted personalities across the country. Mrs. Mpumi Vundisa representing Services SETA, Gcina representing City of Johannesburg, Temby Mlisa, Mrs. Francina Monama, Abigail Matsi, Evangelist Johanna Matli, Mr Nehhi Ezenwa, Mr. Basil Orji president OEDASA and director BEEGEE Café, Chief Obinna Akujinwa Ochiri na South, Mr. Charles Opara chairman OOACASA and the entire members of Old Ohuba Autonomous Community Association South Africa, KTC College past and present students, KTC College Directors: Mrs. Barbara Hills, Christian Duru and Ms Yvonne Mhlauli, staff members, friends, families and well-wishers attended the ceremony.

Graduates received their National Certificates and awards which put smiles in the faces of the winners.

The Programme Director Prince Michael Kelechi Nzuruike promised to add more courses to the college to enable their graduates to be employment creators instead of job seekers (self-reliant and entrepreneurs by starting up their own busi-

nesses). Mrs. Mpumi in her speech advised the graduates not to keep their certificates in a file but turn them into valuable items. She told them to always knock at her door to receive free career advice as she is a HR specialist. One of the graduates Ms Lindelani Mzizi thanked the management and staff of KTC College for changing their lives, for giving them hope and remolding and igniting the light in them, especially their dedicated and passionate teachers who work tirelessly ensuring their achievements are certain.

Ms Caroline Mukumba one of the 2018 beneficiaries of KTC College Free Skills Empowerment Programme on her speech expressed her gratitude on behalf of her colleagues to KTC College management for giving them the opportunity to study for free. She also stated that the college needs help both financially and materially to enable them to continue helping the less privileged citizens; and called on government and private donors to come to their rescue. One of KTC College Director’s Ms Yvonne Mhlauli assured the graduates that the management will do everything possible to help them gain employment.

Afropop musician Zahara

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Safa president lauds Banyana Sports Reporter

Safa president Dr Danny Jordaan has applauded Banyana Banyana for an outstanding performance at Moses Mabhida Stadium where they played to a 1-1 draw against the Jamaican Reggae Girlz.

The on Sunday was the farewell match for Banyana as it was the last game on home soil before they jet off to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Dr Jordaan said Banyana have changed the face of women’s football in this country.

“Previously we played at smaller venues so that fans from around

the area can just walk to the stadium and watch you play, but over the last few months it has become very clear that supporters are willing to follow you everywhere and anywhere, that is a huge shift and achievement for women’s football in this country, bearing in mind that we will soon be launching the National Women’s League. You need to be proud of the work you have all done for the future generations of women footballers.”

He added that Banyana has played a key role in lifting the mood of the citizens in the country.

About the World Cup tournament, Dr Jordaan said he is happy

that South Africa was drawn in a tough group, as it would show their mettle.

“I am glad because South African players have a mentality of looking down on other teams. If you are drawn with Tahiti or Swaziland, already there is expectation to win, like you have to arrive and walk over, which is what we saw with Bafana Bafana vs Seychelles in the away match. How does one explain 6-0 in the first leg and 0-0 in the second? It all boils down to mental strength,” said Dr Jordaan.

“But when it’s a tough group you see the real South Africa, a case in point is your match in the

Safa president Danny Jordaan

2017 COSAFA semi-final against Zambia when you were 3-0 down and you came back and won, also when Bafana Bafana needed a win recently against Libya away, so it is a case of mental strength, how much do you want it. We believe in you, the whole country believes in you and now you have to believe in yourself when you get to France,” Dr Jordaan said.