Slain TUT student remembered



Dismayed Family amembers and friends during a memorial service of Gopolang Ngobeni

Alfred Makhubela

Hundreds of Tshwane University of Technology students and staff members paid tribute during a memorial service of slain student Gopolang Ngobeni who was allegedly shot and killed by police officials last Saturday at Caltex Garage in Randfontein.

Ngobeni’s campus life and times was described as the family of the deceased occupied the front row with sombre faces, weeping as the quivering voices of students recited poems and sang spiritual hymns.Speakers condemned  the police’s action which resulted with the  22 year old’s life being cut shot.

Micheal Ngobeni, Gopolang's uncle during a memorial service of Gopolang 

Emotional resident manager Willemina Mosomane said that Telkom residence where Ngobeni resided has lost not only a student but a family member and it took her time to accept the fact that he’s a victim of police killings. “It is very sad to lose a student and it was difficult to confirm that really he is gone. We built a strong bond together as I took him as my son and he called me mother. It took only minutes to take him away”, said the distraught manager.

Academic Department representative Professor MC Mashige said that the Department of Applied Languages and Language Practice is under serious attack as reports of sexual assaults and death rate escalate. He consoled the Ngobeni family and condemned the May 25^th shooting. “Gopolang’s death was not a natural death, he was killed by police. Nevertheless to the Ngobeni family we will celebrate his life and cherish the good times we had while he was still with us.” he said.

It is alleged that on 25 May Ngobeni and his four friends were travelling to the funeral of their friend’s father in Mohlakeng, West Rand. According to a media statement released by the Department of Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) the five students did not know the direction and they got lost. They then followed a security vehicle which had come in front of them. After the security vehicle made a U-turn at a cul-de-sac, the students also made a U-turn.

 While driving towards a Caltex Garage with the intention of asking for directions, another security vehicle from the same company cut in front of them. Both security vehicles stopped next to a marked SAPS vehicle. The students drove on to the filling station. It is alleged that within a short space of time, the police vehicle (with its blue light on), as well as the security vehicles, followed the students to the filling station, which is near where they were.

The students were ordered to get out of their vehicle by the police. While trying to get out of the vehicle, Gopolang Ngobeni was shot by a policeman with an R5 rifle. The victim was declared dead at the scene. The vehicle in which the students were travelling was searched and nothing illegal was found, read the statement.

 Family spokesperson Michael Ngobeni said that the family wants answers of why Ngobeni was shot. The 30 year old constable will appear in court on the 3^rd of June for a possible bill application.

 

Cosatu general-secretary Zwelinzima Vavi will continue to serve in his position, the trade union federation said on Wednesday.

"There is no question that can arise about any of the leaders here," Congress of SA Trade Unions president Sidumo Dlamini told reporters in Johannesburg.

"They have been elected at congress... They are not deterred or embargoed to perform their duties, including the general-secretary of the federation."

Cosatu was briefing the media after holding its central executive committee (CEC) meeting earlier this week.

Vavi said the CEC took a special resolution to continue "discussions" about the allegations of corruption in the sale of Cosatu's headquarters building, which allegedly implicated him.

He said it was "grossly unfair" to ask him to step down before the probe had been concluded.

He could not discuss whether there had been any calls in the CEC meeting for him to step down.

"No organisation works like that. It is an internal discussion."

The CEC had agreed that it was important to complete the discussion of "some problematic ideological, organisational, and administrative issues" that arose at an earlier CEC meeting.

Vavi said former president of the SA Municipal Workers' Union Petrus Mashishi and labour lawyer Charles Nupen were requested to facilitate discussions on these issues at that meeting.

"They gave the CEC a report of the meetings which had taken place -- and some which had not taken place -- and some problems which had arisen, which had led to the process failing to resolve the issues under discussion."

Vavi said the CEC resolved that the internal process continue, and all affiliated unions and Cosatu national office-bearers could make submissions.

"The facilitators will provide an opportunity to all accused of wrong-doing to respond to any allegations contained in the submissions."

Auditing firm Sizwe Ntsaluba Gobodo had been appointed to do a forensic audit on the building's sale.

The CEC had resolved that the firm would be handed a file containing the background of the sale, which would form a part of his own submission.

The auditors would conclude their report at the end of June. The CEC would meet in July to discuss the reports, he said.

In March, there were calls for Vavi to be investigated after allegations of corruption in the acquisition of Cosatu's new headquarters.

He denied that unity in Cosatu was beginning to collapse and that the organisation was split.

"After a thorough two-day-long discussion the CEC resolved to fight harder than ever before for the workers," he said.

"We have to show them that we are not splitting or paralysed, as the media and their 'sources' want us to believe."

Allegations that he was involved in the headquarters building sale were given to the media by "ghost" sources.

"We do admit that an environment has been created in the public that there is something amiss in the sale and purchase of the building," Vavi said.

"If any union has something about that matter it has an opportunity to go directly to the auditors."

He said it was natural for any organisation to have internal differences.

"No such [perfect] organisation exists in the world. There will never be a world where individuals do not debate before agreeing on tactical and strategic issues," Vavi said.

"Even my own twins at home can never agree to everything."

Vavi again denied being involved in any corruption.

"All I know is that I have done absolutely nothing wrong as an individual. That is why... I have said anyone who can produce evidence that indeed what the sources are saying is true, then they won't see me here.

"There will be no hearing, there will be no divisions in the federations, there will be no commission of inquiry. If such evidence is produced I will do want I always ask people to do: save Cosatu, [and] walk," he said. Timeslive

http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2013/05/29/vavi-will-continue-to-serve-cosatu

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Sexual assaults in South African universities

By Alfred Makhubela, Ntsako Mashaba and Ernest Mabasa

Several sexual assaults have been reported in various universities in South Africa. The main perpetrators are lecturers who take advantage of vulnerable underperforming students in search for marks to boost their academic records.

Reverend Ramokgadi of Tshwane University of Technology student Support and Development said female are not the only victims. He said that in most cases the weak are overpowered by the powerful of any gender. “Sexual assaults are mostly done by those who are powerful, either in positions or physic and doing it to the vulnerable it can be either male or female”, he said.

Ramokgadi emphasised that strong messages should be distributed for society and perpetrators to know that what they are doing is bad and eventually might stop abusing. He advices students to report sexual abuse to the relevant people.

Bandile Ngobese , a 3^rd year Education studentsaid that to  avoid sexual abuse people should start by respecting themselves. “It all starts with respect, we should respect our selves. We should respect our bodies by dressing appropriately”.

A month ago, secretes  about alleged sexual predation at University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg were exposed. After a series of leaks, a Sunday newspaper, Sunday Times that would see the mass spilling of a public shame. The academic institution celebrated for its research ability and for producing four Nobel Prize Laureates stood accused of a sexual scandals.

Audiohttp://soundcloud.com/sounds-of-alfy/students-views-on-sexual

Related stories linkshttp://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2013/04/22/wits-sends-second-sex-pest-packing
http://www.wits.ac.za/prospective/studervices/ccdu/11490/sexual_harassment.html