ANC boots councillor handed life sentence for raping girls at gunpoint

The Ga-Rankuwa Magistrate’s Court heard how Sipho Maselane would give his victims lifts in his white Toyota Corolla and drive them to secluded areas where he would rape and rob them at gunpoint.

Pretoria - Disgraced Winterveld ANC councillor Sipho Maselane has been booted out of the party after he was convicted on four counts of rape and four of robbery with aggravated circumstances and sentenced to life. Maselane was also sentenced to a total of 58 years imprisonment by the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
Maselane, who was described as a serial rapist by Magistrate Dan Mogotsi, preyed on unsuspecting victims from taverns in and around Soshanguve.
He would give his victims lifts in his white Toyota Corolla and drive them to secluded areas where he would rape and rob them of their valuable items at gunpoint.

Two of his victims were 14 when the crimes were committed in December 2014 and February 2015.
The other two victims were aged 30 and 37.
Regional party spokesperson Bafuze Yabo said the decision to expel him was taken during the first meeting of the newly-elected regional leadership convened in Arcadia on Thursday night.
Yabo said members of the regional executive committee (REC) talked at length about Maselane’s conviction before they resolved to remove him as ward 9 councillor with immediate effect.
They also recommended that his ANC membership be expunged.
“Sexual offences and gender based violence remain pernicious acts of turpitude,” Yabo said.
Perpetrators should be condemned in the strongest of terms.
He said the meeting was also used to reflect on its recent elective conference and the state of the party.
Yabo said the party resolved to bring in its former leaders to serve in its integrity commission in line with the 53rd national ANC conference.
“The ANC in Tshwane suffered a big blow in the 2016 local government election as a result of internal squabbles.
“This committee must assist the newly elected leadership to resolve non-branch related matters in addition to its prescribed work.”
He said executive members noted that business during the regional conference was not fully concluded due to unforeseen delays.
It was resolved, during the meeting, that a conference would soon be reconvened and concluded at a time to be determined by the new leadership.
“The REC will at once begin the process in earnest, with the intention to convene the last part of the Regional Conference before the ANC Provincial Conference sits,” Yabo said.

Breastmilk alone is best for the first six months------what is important follow

Image: Pixabay

It can be difficult to find reliable information online on timing and how to introduce foods – and how to balance that with breastfeeding. Here’s what the recommendations say, and the science behind them.

Current infant feeding recommendations

Our 2017 study of new mothers found many were unsure what exclusive breastfeeding meant.
The World Health Organisation defines exclusive breastfeeding as feeding only breastmilk and no other food or drinks, not even water. The definition does allow inclusion of oral rehydration solutions, or drops or syrups for vitamins, minerals, and medicines given by a doctor.
Preterm or underweight babies may need extra nutritious fluids, which are administered in consultation between the parents and treating doctors.
Some mothers may not be able to breastfeed. Others may choose to move on from breastfeeding. If a baby isn’t breastfed, or is partially breastfed, commercial infant formula should be the only other food given until six months.
Breast (or infant formula) feeding is recommended alongside solids until the baby is 12 months and, for breastfeeding, for as long as the mother and infant want to keep going.

Introducing solid foods

Parents can start introducing solids from around six months of age. At this age, the baby’s iron stores obtained from his or her mother will have started to deplete. Pureed meat or legumes and iron-fortified rice cereal, are good sources of iron and are perfect first foods.
Next, parents can introduce a variety of vegetables, fruit, and other foods from the five food groups:
New foods should be added one at a time. Gradually increase the texture from pureed initially at six months, then to lumpy, and to family food textures at 12 months of age.
Take care to still avoid hard foods that don’t break up easily to prevent choking, such as nuts and small, hard pieces of vegetables and fruit.
Cow’s milk products can be introduced, including full-fat yoghurt and cheese, but cow’s milk shouldn’t be given as the main drink until after 12 months.
Boiled then cooled tap water can be given from six months and tap water should continue to be boiled first until 12 months.
By 12 months, babies can be offered a variety of nutritious foods that are enjoyed by the rest of the family, except for choking hazards such as nuts.

Why does timing matter?

Breastfeeding has many benefits for the mother and baby. It protects babies against infection, obesity, and chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes later in life.
Breastmilk has all the energy and nutrients babies need in the first months of life. Even when exclusive breastfeeding doesn’t work out as planned, every extra day a baby receives any breastmilk is beneficial. Breastmilk contains antibodies and helps to mature the infant’s gut.
At six months, babies also need solid foods to help meet their energy needs for growth and development, and specific nutrient requirements. Iron deficiency anaemia is common in infants, mainly due to a low intake of iron-rich foods after six months of age.
By six months, babies usually show signs they’re ready for food. These include sitting up, controlling their head, eyeing your food when you eat, and reaching out for food.
In our 2016 study of mothers and their children, we found babies introduced to solid foods at six months were less likely to experience feeding difficulties than babies who were given solids between four and six months of age.

Top tips for nutrition in the first year

1) Seek advice on breastfeeding when you need it. Talk to a lactation consultant, breastfeeding counsellor, or community health nurse. They help parents and caregivers work out the best approach to infant feeding and support mothers to reach their breastfeeding goals.
2) If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Don’t worry if your baby refuses new foods, that’s normal. Babies need to be offered new foods many, many times before they learn to like them.
Fussiness can cause meal-time struggles for parents, but repeated tasting in a positive environment and role modelling can help babies learn to accept unfamiliar but nutritious foods, such as vegetables.
It’s also important to respond to your baby’s cues to know how much food to give them. Forcing them to “clean the plate” can erode their ability to follow their appetite and hunger cues.
3) Focus on developing healthy eating habits as a family. Mothers and fathers who have healthy eating habits are more likely to have children with healthy eating habits.

Legal poser for Duduzane Zuma's lawyer

Duduzane Zuma, the son of scandal-plagued former president Jacob Zuma, arrives at the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crime Court on charges of corruption. Picture: Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters

More than a decade ago Acting Judge Mike Hellens made a ruling that helped to define the law around legal causation. But now that he has returned to his position as a defence advocate, and has chosen to take on Duduzane Zuma as a client, Hellens may have to argue against his own ruling.
In 2006, Hellens was the presiding officer in S vs Tembani, a case involving a Tembisa man who shot his girlfriend in a fit of rage.
She was taken to hospital, but received negligent medical treatment and later died.

Tembani tried to argue that he should not be charged with murder - rather attempted murder - because of the hospital’s negligence, but Hellens ruled that a poor health-care system did not absolve the attacker of responsibility for her death.
It is this case law, which was later backed up by a Supreme Court of Appeal ruling that agreed with Hellens, that has enabled the State to charge Zuma with a second count of culpable homicide.
Appearing on Thursday at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court, Zuma stands accused of being responsible for the deaths of two people after his reckless driving led to a crash between his Porsche 911 and a minibus taxi.
While the first charge concerns how Zuma was responsible for the death of Phumzile Dube, the second concerns another passenger, Nanki Mashaba, who died five months after the 2014 incident.
The State suggested that Mashaba’s death was caused by the trauma she sustained during the accident, and has even used S vs Tembani to initiate the charge.
It’s a bizarre situation for Hellens, who if he decides to argue against the principles of S vs Tembani, will be disagreeing with himself.
“It’s entirely possible, and legal. He has different functions in this matter.
“Defence advocate Mike Hellens could argue against Acting Judge Mike Hellens,” said one legal expert directly involved in S vs Tembani, who asked not to be named.
The expert said there was room to argue that the case was wrongfully decided, but that it may not be required if Hellens chooses to argue the facts of the case, instead of the principles set by S vs Tembani.
It’s understood that Zuma’s defence team will argue that Mashaba’s death was unrelated to the crash, challenging the State’s causal links.
The State would likely have to prove that injuries sustained during the incident led directly to her death.
It will also have to explain why the National Prosecuting Authority failed to initiate prosecutions for four years since magistrate Lalita Chetty, in an inquest in 2014, found that Zuma was driving recklessly and could be held accountable for the deaths.
The case was postponed until August 8 to allow disclosure of the State’s evidence to Zuma’s defence team.
Duduzane Zuma also appeared in the Commercial Crimes Court in Johannesburg on Monday.
He was charged with corruption for his alleged role in attempting to bribe former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas, seemingly at the behest of the controversial Gupta family.

Why the MeerKAT – and astronomy – matter

 
Deputy President David Mabuza unveils a plaque to mark the completion of the MeerKAT 64-antenna radio telescope during its official launch as a precursor to the SKA telescope in Carnarvon, Northern Cape. Picture: Siyabulela Duda

Astronomy in Africa took a giant leap forward with the unveiling of the 64-dish MeerKAT array in South Africa on July 13. The MeerKAT is the largest and most sensitive radio telescope in the southern hemisphere until the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is completed.
Why is this such a big deal? After all, Africa has many challenges more pressing than exploring the universe. But, as my colleagues and I recently argued in an article for Nature Astronomy, astronomy occupies a special place among the many efforts to address development challenges. It has a unique ability to stimulate thoughts of “what is possible” in the minds of marginalised communities, women and children.
Astronomy connects philosophical, cultural and inspirational elements with the cutting edge of science and technology. This affords the discipline a unique advantage to foster socioeconomic development. For instance, astronomy has been used in Sierra Leone to improve middle school pupils’ literacy. It worked because they loved what they were learning.

Astronomy techniques are also used across sectors from conservation to medical imaging. The International Astronomical Union’s Office of Astronomy for Development uses astronomy to drive positive developmental change. It has ten regional and language centres. Three are in Africa, in Ethiopia, Nigeria and Zambia. The global coordinating office is situated in South Africa.
Our challenge as astronomers is not only to grow the discipline in Africa. We also need to ensure that this growth is accompanied by the educational, technology transfer and societal engagement initiatives that can drive the continent’s development priorities.
Skills training
The funding we disburse has been used to run a number of programmes aimed at developing skills among school and university students.
One of these was the Madagascar Astronomy Python Workshop in 2017. It focused on practical coding in the Python programming language for university students and lecturers. The aim was to build on astronomy tools that participants can develop for their own research and teaching, not necessarily in the field of astronomy.
At school level the Girls Astronomy Camp was held in Abuja, Nigeria earlier this year. This not only dealt with education. It also tackled the large gender disparity in science, technology, engineering and maths fields, which can be a complex, socio-cultural issue in many regions.
It’s crucial for educational interventions to address the fact that astronomy students often find employment outside the field. Students must learn science in a way that allows them to build their repertoire of transferable skills.
So the Office of Astronomy for Development has funded a number of Joint Exchange Development Initiative workshops in Namibia, Mozambique and Mauritius. These workshops focus on direct transfer of specific skills in an informal but intense learning environment. They’re also excellent for data science skills, which are particularly important for economic growth and jobs in emerging markets.
To support this need and bridge the data science and astronomy communities, the Office of Astronomy for Development hosts a repository for data science resources and code examples.
Beyond disciplinary boundaries
Astronomy can also be put to use in perhaps surprising ways to boost development.
One of our projects, Accessible Citizen Science for the Developing World, has married health issues with astronomy skills through running a proof-of-concept type intervention. Retinal defects are common, but curable. Peek Vision, a social enterprise that works to bring better vision and health to everyone, developed a retinal imaging device that can be easily used, even in rural Kenya, with an Android phone.
But there weren’t enough qualified ophthalmologists at hand to use the app to diagnose retinal problems. So Peek Vision teamed up with astronomers at a citizen science portal called the Zooniverse. In the same way that the citizen scientists had previously worked to classify thousands of galaxies, they were called on to learn how to identify retinal problems on the Zooniverse portal.
Such partnerships are quintessential examples of working together across disciplinary boundaries to achieve development outcomes.
Creating spaces
There are numerous other initiatives that contribute to development through astronomy. Large astronomical infrastructure investments like MeerKAT aim to stimulate the technology industry and advance the development of technical skills.
International aid initiatives with a science focus like Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy (DARA) and its sister project, DARA Big Data, are using the momentum generated through the SKA programme to develop skills and train more astronomy students for the continent.
Of course, the few examples illustrated in this article hardly begin to address the myriad challenges facing Africa and the world. Technology and science can only do so much: these challenges have solutions that are, at least in part, driven by human values.
That’s why conversations that span natural and social sciences are key to making development progress on the continent. The Office of Astronomy for Development is one of the spaces hosting these conversations. We’re challenging astronomers and other scientists to reach across the disciplinary boundaries to explore how their skills can help Africa meet its development goals.
* Vanessa McBride is an Astronomer at the International Astronomical Union's Office of Astronomy for Development.
** Author’s note: the article on which this piece is based first appeared in Nature and was co-authored by Ramasamy Venugopal, Munira Hoosain, Tawanda Chingozha & Kevin Govender.

KZN born entrepreneur launches R350m apartment hotel

DURBAN - KwaZulu-Natal born Siyanda Sabelo Dlamini has made his first foray in the hotel industry with the of launch the R350 million Regency Apartment Hotel.
The Regency Apartment Hotel is according to Dlamini an apartment block that fully serviced one and two bedroom apartments. The property also has a restaurant on site that serves meals 24 hours a day and they also offer a venue that can be used for conferences.

The exterior of the Regency Apartment Hotel Photo: Supplied

Dlamini who was raised by his mother was born and brought in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, later moved to Cape Town to study hotel management at the Cape Town Hotel School.
After graduating he moved into management. He has held a variety head of department positions at various hotels.
He has worked at three different Cape Town hotels including Victoria Junction, The President Hotel and The Marriott Crystal. He then moved on to work for a Pretoria based hotel management company where he was the Director of Sales. His job at the Pretoria based hotel management company was his last employment before he decided to launch the Regency Apartment Hotel.
About his experience in the hotel industry, Dlamini said, "The overall experience thought me a lot about discipline, hard work and dedication".
He added that over the years he has created a lot of relationships and connections within the hotel industry and outside and the very same relationships have been useful in his current venture.

The interior of the Regency Apartment Hotel Photo: Supplied

On the idea behind the building the apartment hotel, Dlamini said that he wanted to offer the market something different from the norm in terms of accommodation. He said, " Apartment hotels are fast becoming the most ideal choice for travelers for the convenience they offer in terms of space, fully equipped kitchens etc".
The building of the entire project took two years and the apartment hotel cost R350 million. He said that he was able to get funding through investors and a loan from the bank but the municipal red tape was a real challenge.

One of the rooms at the Regency Apartment Hotel Photo: Supplied

The businessman who counts Patrice Motsepe as his business role model is planning on having two or three more additional apartment hotels. He is also planning on adding a few apartment blocks into his portfolio in strategic locations in major cities in the country.
Another business venture for Dlamini is a procurement company that will specialise in hotel design. According to him, they are planning on launching the company soon.

One of the rooms at the Regency Apartment Hotel Photo: Supplied 

Jessica Alba finds it 'challenging' to lose her baby weight

File photo: Jessica Alba Picture: AP

Jessica Alba,27, actress gave birth to her third child Hayes six months ago and has admitted, although she's been working out regularly and trying to eat healthily, she is struggling to lose the last 15lbs (7kgs) - even though she didn't gain as much weight this time around as she did the two previous pregnancies with Honor, 10, and Haven, six. 
Taking to her Instagram Stories, the brunette beauty uploaded a boomerang picture of her toned tum and wrote: "Still got 15 lbs to go - this is my most challenging considering I didn't gain as much w Hayes. 6 months postpartum. (sic)"
Meanwhile, Jessica recently admitted she has a "terrible habit" of being "unhelpful" whenever her children have lost something by telling them it's "up their butt."
She said: "I have this terrible habit: Whenever my kids ask me to find something, they're like, 'Mom, where's my...' you know, backpack, toothbrush, whatever. And I just say, 'Up your butt,' and that's probably bad parenting. But they get to a certain age where I'm like, 'That's where it is: It's up your butt."
But it isn't all jokes in Jessica's home, however, as she wants her brood to see her outside of her "comfort zone" by making mistakes and owning up to them. 
She explained: "I want my kids to see me push outside my comfort zone. And sometimes that means making mistakes and admitting them, which is especially hard in front of your kids." 
The 'Fantastic Four' actress and her film producer spouse Cash Warren - who wed in 2008 - often battle hectic schedules, and so they have established Family Fridays, in which they always spend the day together.
Jessica said: "It's our game night. We get on teams and play Clue. Honor is really good. I love when she wins - she's strategic."

Collecting Krugerrands: Know the story, understand the value

First minted in 1967, Krugerrands are the most popular 1oz gold bullion coin in the world. Over 60 million coins have been sold to date and are the most highly traded gold coin in the world.
As a hedge against the rand and as a store of value and wealth Krugerrands have no equal. This is particularly relevant for South Africans who have seen
the rand devalue by 95% since 1967.
One hundred and fifty million gold coins have been minted since then including the Canadian Maple Leaf in 1980 followed by the Austrian Philharmonic, the Chinese Panda, the Australian Nugget and the USA $50 coin.
Millions of these coins have changed hands many times over. We have traded billions of rands worth of coins by matching buyers and sellers.
In 1967, the price of gold was $27.50 per oz. Gold has had its up and downs over the past 50 years reaching a high of $1 950 and is presently trading at over $1 300 /oz.
In contrast the rand has consistently depreciated form R1.30 to the dollar to 8c over the same period.
It is the 50 years of international marketing and worldwide trade that has made this coin one of South Africa’s most famous and valuable exports.
Gold coins have a market value of approximately $2.5 trillion, and this excludes gold bars. 
It is relatively easy to buy and sell gold coins but prices fluctuate daily. 
Krugerrands have become as part of modern culture as pop songs and have been rated as one of the top 300 brands in the world.
There are hundreds of coins from time immemorial to the modern collectable coins. They range from Queen Elizabeth’s Inauguration coins in 1952 to her
Golden Jubilee in 2002 to her Platinum wedding in 2017.
Proof Krugerrands have also been minted since 1967. Fifa Soccer coins will be minted for this year’s event in Russia. Both Summer and Winter Olympic Coins have been celebrated by the host countries’ mints. Nobel Peace Prize medallions have become one of the most enduring and unique Numismatic
programmes in history.
Gold bullion bars themselves have become rare collectables selling at huge premiums to their intrinsic value.
The major mints of the world, some of whom have been in existence for 1 000 years produce coins annually. Private mints and gold coin companies are at the forefront of numismatic design and innovation including new and improved security features.
These numismatic items in every corner of the world collectively make it an $80 billion market.
There are purported to be 300 million coin collectors worldwide and you can collect coins from as little as 25c to as much as $10 million a coin.
The intrinsic value of the metal has no bearing on the actual value of the coins.
The rarity, condition, eye appeal, historical significance, provenance and supply and demand eventually determine the value of the coins.
Coins are independently graded today and this has revolutionised the coin market with 100 million slabbed to date. While it has helped dealers and collectors to purchase with more confidence. It has inadvertently attracted more and more investors.
Coins may become more valuable and desirable over time but it all depends on demand. Too few coins create little interest in the secondary market very
much like a thinly traded share. Popular coins with a high initial mintage can flood the after-market. 
The 450,000 US$20 coins minted by the US Mint in 1933 and ultimately withdrawn during the depression, left a coin population of just 10 coins in existence today. One was sold by Sotherby’s in 2002 for $8M.
The current unpopular or the unloved or unwanted coins like the 1931 Tickey and the 1980 fractional Proof Kruger Set become more desirable over time and
consequently more valuable.
Fashion, tastes, supply and demand, the gold price, the local and world economy, wars, political uncertainty, interest rates, stock market crashes, recession, depression, and tax rates affect prices. The popularity of other asset classes that are the flavour of the month like holiday houses, Bitcoin and offshore investing can also impact on demand.
Gold has longevity and is the ultimate store of value with a 6 000-year history. (Half the shares included in the Dow Jones index 100 years ago are not
included today.) This makes the case for accumulating a diverse collection of coins so compelling (even the proverbial farm in Eloff Street is not so desirable
anymore).
The coin market is made up of collectors of gold, silver, platinum, copper, bronze, and other precious metals.
It consists of World Mints, wholesalers, dealers, marketers, auction houses, as well as casual and serious collectors’ short and long-term investors,
speculators and even stags.
Who wins and loses is often determined by time as in most markets. The longer you hold onto your coins the more chance they will appreciate but there are no guarantees. They nevertheless make one of the best gifts you can make to your loved ones in your lifetime or afterwards.
The tax benefits of all collectible classes such as art, classic cars, silver, ceramics, books and stamps are appreciated by many collectors.
Every year the Mint of Norway mints the actual Nobel Peace Prize Medal. By the authority of the Nobel Institute medallions of the winners have been
minted. 

Medallions celebrating the winners have been minted by authority of the Nobel Institute for the past 25 years. From Al Gore to Woodrow Wilson, Desmond Tutu to FW de Klerk, Malala Yousafzai to Eli Wiesel, and from Nelson Mandela to Martin Luther King.
Royalties of R40m have been generated to the Nobel Institute and the winners’ foundations.

COLLECTING vs SPECULATING
If you buy collectables to make a quick return you may well be disappointed.
This is true of all collectables. If you do buy gold coins as a currency hedge, you lose the hedge when you sell them. 
For 40 years we have encouraged collecting and accumulation of both bullion and collectible coins.