• ‘Why I killed the girl my son raped’

    Pretoria - So frantic was a Soshanguve mother after discovering that her 9-year-old son had raped her friend’s 3-year-old daughter that she bludgeoned the little rape victim to death with a rock to silence her. The mother then dumped the body in the backyard of her home next to a banana tree. The mother, her son and her daughter went to sleep that night with the body outside their bedroom window, while the family of Asanda Mbuku searched for the child throughout the night. Knowing her son had raped the child, the mother sent him to school the next day. The gruesome discovery of the body was only made after the son returned from school and called his aunt into the house. He then pointed through

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  • Mantashe: NEC members were filled with hate during meeting

    JOHANNESBURG - African National Congress (ANC) secretary general Gwede Mantashe says he witnessed hatred among members during the party’s national executive committee meeting over the weekend. Mantashe says the governing party’s members must be able to disagree with each other without harbouring hate because this will tear the ANC apart. He has been speaking at the ANC’s memorial service for the late Cuban struggle hero Fidel Castro at the Johannesburg City Hall. The ANC secretary general said on Tuesday during a press briefing after the NEC meeting that discussions were open and that no one was threatened with unemployment for calling on President Jacob Zuma to resign. However, on Wednesday

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  • EFF may be smelling blood with plan to vote Zuma out

    In the wake of President Jacob Zuma apparently surviving a bruising attempt to oust him as the ANC’s top leader, he may face a similar challenge yet again in parliament next week. According to EFF sources that spoke to IOL, the party has asked National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete for yet another urgent vote of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma to be included in the order paper of Tuesday’s sitting. EWN reported that the National Assembly had confirmed that the EFF lodged an urgent application for a vote of no confidence in Zuma. The EFF applied to have the vote included on the order paper for Tuesday’s sitting. The Speaker’s office said the matter was being decided on as Deputy Speaker

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  • Gareth Cliff slams reports that he 'spiked' Mara Louw's drink

    Former Idols SA judge and Cliff Central founder Gareth Cliff has slammed a “sensational” and “misleading” headline that said he had admitted to giving his former colleague Mara Louw a “spiked” drink. Cliff trended on Twitter on the weekend after the Sunday Times reported Cliff admitted in his book that he gave Louw the drink that led to her much-publicised behaviour on the show. As a result, her contract was never renewed. Watch the video posted on YouTube by redcementroom below: Cliff said the reporting was “fallacious” and that the matter was “in the hands of my legal team”, further urging fans to read the “actual” story of what exactly happened in his new book. This year’s season was the last

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  • Mkhwebane angers MPs

    Public Protector Busi Mkhwebane has angered MPs after questioning why parliament’s ad hoc committee is continuing with its inquiry into the SABC. Mkhwebane has also raised the ire of MPs for wanting officials from her office to give evidence on her behalf at the inquiry‚ behind closed doors. Mkhwebane went as far as questioning whether it would be appropriate for her predecessor‚ Thuli Madonsela‚ to brief the committee on her investigation report on the SABC because the report was the “property” of her office.  Madonsela is one of several key witnesses who were identified by the committee‚ which met on Tuesday‚ but might not be able to make it due to travel commitments. Committee chairperson

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  • Sbahle is turning into our new motivational queen

    Take Sbahle Mpisane for example. Yeah, she dated Itu Khune. That's how we were introduced to her. But they broke up and she's still managed to stick around. Pulane Lenkoe 'disgusted' by men with no underwear   Not because she's pretty or because she's got a hot body. Of course, that helps. But more because she works hard, takes us on her journey and shares inspirational messages. This is one of her latest ones... Life is dynamic, constantly changing, to experience all the dimensions that life has to offer we must learn to live intensely. What I mean by living intensely is to be totally aware of your body, thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Be aware of your own awareness! When you live like this

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  • Open letter from 'Afrikanerman' to Julius Malema

    Being an Afrikaner does not make one a 'visitor' in SA, Ollie Olwagen writes in his open letter to EFF leader Julius Malema. Would it be futile, presumptuous or rather extremely naive of me to address Julius in the following letter? This follows his recent reiteration that he would especially target “Afrikanermen” - the white “visitors” to South Africa - once he was in power and that he would let FW de Klerk “rot in jail” ... Dumelang, Juju! I am writing this letter to you, not with any hatred in my heart, just as I believe you are not a man of hatred but of justice. After all, you were named after the great Julius Caesar of Rome! I am a white Afrikaner male and I am nearly 80 years old. In my

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  • Thandiswa is 'not surprised' by sister Ntsiki's Twitter outbursts

    Ntsiki has made headlines several times this year for her rants and shade-fests on social media. "When my sister voices her opinions, I am not surprised. It runs in the family," Thandiswa said. Thandiswa said that their mother was also outspoken and, if she were still alive, would "probably be in a (political) party like the EFF".

    Times LIVE q

  • WATCH: Caster Semenya has a stinging message for you haters

    A video of athlete speaking during her acceptance speech at the SA Sports Awards on Sunday night has made its way onto social media. In her speech, Caster held nothing back when she told haters to "tsek". “They say she talks like a man, she walks like a man, she runs like a man… ‘tsek,” Caster. Despite being the subjected to an incredible amount of hate over her hyperandrogenism condition, Caster has never directly addressed the hate.

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  • Details: The powerful players in the anti- and pro-Zuma camps

    The anti-Zuma coalition Ministers Led by Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom, a shock motion of no confidence was tabled against Zuma on the first day of the NEC meeting on Saturday. Hanekom was backed by several other ministers, who are understood to be pushing for change within the ruling party by calling for Zuma to quit. Click on the red tabs in the image below to see who these ministers are: Party officials ANC economic transformation committee chair Enoch Godongwana voiced his approval of the motion of no confidence against Zuma. Gwede Mantashe has said if he were in Zuma’s shoes, he would follow his conscience and resign. Mantashe is understood to be against Zuma’s decision to finish his term

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  • Angelina Jolie banned Brad Pitt from seeing kids over Thanksgiving

    LOS ANGELES - Angelina Jolie allegedly banned her estranged husband Brad Pitt from seeing their children over Thanksgiving weekend. The 52-year-old actor ran off to the Turks and Caicos Islands to spend the annual holiday with his "buddies" after the By the Sea star reportedly told him he wasn't allowed to spend time with their six kids Maddox, 15, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and eight-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne last weekend. A source told the New York Post newspaper's Page Six column: "He was at Amanyara in Turks and Caicos over Thanksgiving in a private villa [because] Angie wouldn't let him see the kids. Brad was with one of his male buddies for the weekend." It was initially thought

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  • Zimbabwe: Mugabe Pays Tribute to Castro

    Havana — PRESIDENT Mugabe has described the death of the leader of the Cuban revolution and founding father of the nation Commandate Fidel Castro Ruz, who passed on on Saturday night, as a loss not only for the people of Cuba, but many communities and leaders in Africa where the Commandante's legacy of liberation and assistance endures. Addressing the media on arrival at Jose Marti International Airport here yesterday morning, President Mugabe chronicled how Cuba, under the leadership of Cde Fidel Castro, was unencumbered by the albatross of an illegal Western blockade to help liberate and develop the human resource capacity of several countries in Africa and South America. "In short I can just

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  • Derek Hanekom 'no lesser comrade because he is white'

    Former president of the SA Students’ Congress (Sasco) Mbulelo Mandlana came out in defence of Minister of Tourism Derek Hanekom on Tuesday. This after some members of the ANC labelled him a racist for tabling a motion of no confidence against President Jacob Zuma. Some argued that he didn’t have a right to table this motion against the president because he is white, and that, as a white person (despite his having been in the struggle), he had benefited from apartheid. The former Sasco president argued that Hanekom, who is part of the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC), is no lesser member of the party merely because he is white or because he raises views on the embattled president that some may not agree with.

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  • Nigeria: Churches Drag El-Rufai to Court Over Regulation of Preaching

    The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, has instituted a case before Justice Hajara Gwadah of Kaduna State High Court against Governor Nasir el-Rufai and two others. PFN asked the court to declare as null and void a controversial executive bill before Kaduna State House of Assembly, which seeks to strengthen a moribund 1984 Kaduna State law that regulates preaching in the state. The case, filed by President of PFN, Professor (Rev) Femi Ehinmidu, through the Counsel of PFN, Sunday Akani, joined Kaduna State House of Assembly and Attorney General of the state. The PFN filed the case on August 12, and it came up for hearing yesterday. In the suit, the PFN, made up of all Pentecostal churches

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  • 'Doom belongs to God': Prophet explains why insect spray 'heals' his flock

    On Monday Rabalago said this is the rationale behind using hazardous materials when praying for healing. “We are glorifying God. We want God to be seen. We are saying with God anything is possible.” The 24-year-old pastor from Limpopo‚ who also calls himself the Detective‚ was photographed spraying Doom on worshippers during a service and a prayer meeting for healing at the weekend‚ causing an outcry on social media platforms. Rabalago told TMG Digital he first debuted his Doom can at a prayer gathering on Friday night. Limpopo pastor sprays Doom on congregants to 'heal them'  “It's not a matter of inspiration. When one is inspired you are copying. It's not a matter of inspiration. No one inspired

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  • Chiefs have Khumalo back for City‚ Twala and Mkhabela ruled out

    Kaizer Chiefs’ forceful left-back Sibusiso Khumalo will return from injury in Tuesday night’s Premier League match-up against Cape Town City at FNB Stadium. The defender got injured in the 2-1 league defeat against Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus Versfeld on November 19. “Khumalo is back and will play some role in tonight’s match‚” Chiefs coach Steve Komphela told the club’s website. “We are happy he recovered in time for this match to give us more options in our selection.” Komphela added: “[Winger] William Twala is still out with an ankle injury. He is involved in light training at the moment and shows good signs of returning soon. “Despite the injuries‚ we have prepared well for this game. We

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  • New Bond Notes Plan Sparks Protest

    Opposition officials in Zimbabwe say several activists were either abducted or arrested Friday ahead of a planned protest over the introduction of controversial bond notes. By late Friday some activists could not be located. Police moved in large numbers to the venue of the protest against the bond notes President Robert Mugabe’s government wants to introduce this month to ease the country's cash shortages. Two vehicles were burnt early Friday that were carrying activists coordinating the protests. Patson Dzamara, an activist who was abducted and later released, said the assailants took him into their vehicle and later dropped him naked in some bushes after assaulting him. Speaking on his hospital

    AllAfrica.com q

  • PICS: Zimbabwe’s new currency is bright green

    Harare - Zimbabwe launched a “bond notes” currency which held its value against the US dollar on Monday, despite warnings that it could cause hyperinflation and suggestions it could bring down President Robert Mugabe. The bright green bond notes, introduced by the southern African nation's central bank to try to ease a shortage of dollars, were accepted by most businesses and black market traders. At the Road Port bus station in the capital Harare, an informal foreign currency market, traders said the $2 bond notes were trading, as planned by the central bank, at 1:1 with the dollar. That will provide some relief for Mugabe as many Zimbabweans fear the bond notes will quickly lose value and some

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  • Zuma turns to conspiracy theories as he defends himself from call to quit

    The president’s outburst came at a meeting of the African National Congress’s National Executive Committee near Pretoria, where officials including some cabinet ministers said he must step down, said a person who attended a three-day gathering and asked not to be identified because the party hasn’t commented. “Following robust, honest, candid and at times difficult discussions, the NEC did not support the call for the president to step down,” ANC Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe told reporters Tuesday. Zuma, 74, strongly defended himself, saying he wasn’t responsible for the ANC’s worst electoral performance since the end of apartheid when the party lost control of the capital, Pretoria, and the biggest city, Johannesburg, in local elections in August, according to the person.

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  • A Church Divided: Cardinals challenge the Pope

    At the beginning of last week four cardinals made public a private letter that they had written to Pope Francis. The four were questioning the pope’s recent document on family life entitled Amoris Laetitia. In the document, released in April after two global gatherings of bishops in Rome in October 2013 and 2014, Pope Francis offers a much more understanding and inclusive response to issues such as divorce, remarriage and the reception of communion and homosexuality. Pope Francis also emphasises the importance of individual conscience in matters pertaining to faith and morals. The four cardinals claim that their letter is an act of “justice and charity” and is in response to the pope’s expressed

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