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Demonstrating students on Wednesday set fire to a lecture room and vandalised the Tshwane South College, on the second day of protests at the Atteridgeville campus.

Three students were arrested for public violence.

On Tuesday, lecturers and other members of staff had to lock themselves in the institution’s buildings when hundreds of students went on the rampage over a lack of textbooks among other things.

Fire fighters doused the flames that ravaged one of the lecture halls at the campus.

It is understood the students returned to the building after an earlier fire had been put out.

The demonstrators locked the gates to their campus for the second time before vandalising buildings.

The fire brigade cut open the gates allowing police to enter the premises.

Hip hop artist Molemo Maarohanye, popularly known as Jub Jub, and a friend will stay behind bars until their next court appearance next week.

He appeared in the Protea Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

Jub Jub and Themba Tshabalala are facing murder and attempted murder charges following a serious accident in Soweto on Monday, in which four teenagers were killed and two critically injured.

The state applied for the matter to be postponed to next Wednesday but Jub Jub’s lawyer opposed the move and despite arguing the matter should not be postponed without bail, it was.

The state said it needed more time to speak to key witnesses and conduct technical investigations on the two vehicles involved in the accident.

Jub Jub’s father was in court to support him.

National supermarket chain guru Raymond Ackerman has officially stepped down.

Ackerman used the occasion of his 79th birthday on Wednesday to bow out of his leadership position at Pick ‘n Pay and officially hand over the reins to his son Gareth.

The founder advised his successor to remember that business principles essentially never change.

Ackerman said he burnt his fingers opening stores in Australia, but added he has great plans to open more supermarkets in Africa.

He does not want to rush the project, but announced that stores would be opening soon in Zambia, Mozambique and Mauritius.

Ackerman is adamant Pick ‘n Pay must remain a family business and keep its values of putting the customer first.

(Edited by Danya Philander)

The Democratic Alliance has called the suspension of five municipal officials in George nothing more than a witch hunt.

Recently appointed mayor, Mercia Draghoender of the Independent Democrats (ID), suspended the municipal manager Cecil Africa and four others at the weekend.

The five were set to appear before a disciplinary hearing late on Wednesday - one of the accusations was that they mismanaged a four million rand project.

However, the DA’s Western Cape leader Theuns Botha said something just didn’t add up.

“It’s very alarming what’s going on there. It seems to me that the ID and the ANC is on a rampage there with what they’re doing and I’ve approached the minister of local government in the province to immediately investigate what is going on there.”

(Edited by Danya Philander)

The family of a man who was killed in an accident involving a police vehicle told Eyewitness News on Wednesday they were considering legal action.

Denver Cocks died in the collision in Kensington in February.

Cocks’ family had consulted a lawyer and was considering its options over whether or not to sue the South African Police Service.

It was still unclear who caused the accident, but it was understood a police officer was driving recklessly when he smashed into Cocks’ vehicle, killing the man and hurting his wife and son.

There were also allegations that the officer may have been under the influence of alcohol, but police said this was still being investigated.

The family feared the SAPS would not be objective when investigating the culpable homicide case.

A relative said when he arrived at the accident scene he was told the officer and a colleague had been taken away in a private vehicle and not an ambulance, raising concerns that there could be a cover up.

(Edited by Danya Philander)

A man was sentenced to two years in jail by a court in southern Germany Tuesday for trying to extort $100,000 from former supermodel Cindy Crawford, German media reported.

Edis Kayalar, 26, surrendered to German authorities in November after he was charged in Los Angeles with trying to extort money from Crawford and her husband Rande Gerber over a photo of their 7-year-old daughter gagged and bound to a chair.

The photograph was reportedly taken by the girl’s nanny as a private joke when they were playing "cops and robbers" with the girl. It fell into the hands of Kayalar, who was the nanny’s friend, according to court documents in Los Angeles.

Judge Joachim Spieth noted that Kayalar had admitted asking for the money even though he said it was not extortion but rather "to cover costs" for his attempt to warn Crawford that the nanny was not a good influence.

"The attempted extortion was at an advanced stage and failed," Spieth told the court in the southwestern town of Kirchheim unter Teck, according to the SWR radio network.

Kayalar, who is German, contacted Crawford last summer and sought to use the photo to get money from the couple, saying tabloids would pay a lot, the court papers said.

Crawford and Gerber contacted authorities, prompting Los Angeles police to launch a criminal probe.

Kayalar was arrested in September and deported to Germany for being in the United States illegally.

But in November he again phoned Crawford and Gerber and demanded $100,000, which led to him being charged with extortion.

Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane on Tuesday warned communities to treat service providers with care after a female medic was raped at the weekend.

Mokonyane visited the families of two West Rand paramedics who were attacked in Durban Deep on Friday night.

The women were treating a young burn patient when they were overpowered by three men.

Some Kagiso residents said they were tired of ongoing women abuse.

“Justice must be done because we are sick and tired of these cases,” said one resident, while another commented that they did not feel safe.

Meanwhile, Mokonyane also visited the families of four teenagers who were killed in a dicing accident in Protea North on Monday.

Hip hop star Molemo Maarohanye, popularly known as Jub Jub, and another motorist were racing on Mdlalose Road when they crashed into a group of high school pupils.

Mokonyane said no one is above the law.

“For me local artist or an international artist, the law is the law and it must apply to everybody,” said the premier.

Vice President Joe Biden said on Tuesday the United States is concerned that Iran is becoming more of a military dictatorship and insisted that Tehran will not be permitted to acquire a nuclear weapon.

Biden also said he was unsure how much power hard line Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wields during an interview with MSNBC’s "Hardball" program conducted while he was in Jerusalem on a Middle East tour.

"The question is, we’re not even sure what he controls," Biden said of Ahmadinejad. "The question, is how much of the security apparatus does he control day to day? There’s a lot we don’t know."

Biden added: "There is some concern that ... this is becoming more of a military dictatorship. But the truth is, no one knows for certain."

The United States has not ruled out any options for dealing with Iran, including the military option, but is emphasizing diplomacy in its long-running feud with Tehran and is seeking support from the U.N. Security Council for tougher sanctions.

Washington and its allies accuse Iran of seeking to develop a nuclear weapon, a charge denied by Tehran.

"We are doing everything that is within our power, and we will do everything, to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, having the capability to use a nuclear weapon," Biden said.

Washington believes sanctions are the best way to avoid conflict and destabilizing arms races.

Thousands of motorists could soon be able to collect their driver’s licence cards following a delay of almost one month.

The company that manufactures the cards has been refusing to release them due to outstanding payments.

Prodiba, based in Pretoria, claims that various municipalities have not been paying their fees. The company was awarded a tender to produce licence cards more than a decade ago.

A senior traffic official told Eyewitness News he had been making excuses to irate motorists for almost a month, while another senior official said Prodiba has been holding traffic departments at ransom by refusing to release the cards.

Western Cape Transport spokesperson Solly Malatsi acknowledged the debt and added that many departments would have to wait a while longer to get their cards.

“It’s quite a substantial figure, hence Prodiba is holding up the cards,” said Malatsi.

Prodiba has declined to comment on the matter.

Durban businessman and convicted fraudster Schabir Shaik used to own one third of the company.

Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney will be fit for Wednesday’s Champions League second leg match against AC Milan, manager Alex Ferguson said on Tuesday.

Rooney was a doubtful starter after missing Saturday’s 1-0 Premier League win at Wolverhampton Wanderers with a knee injury picked up on England duty.

Ferguson feels his return is a major boost as they plot a course to the quarter-finals and said the England forward’s availability was not something he could take for granted.

"It was a worry. His injury prevented him playing on Saturday and on Friday I didn’t think he had any chance but he’s progressing. He has made a rapid improvement from Saturday," Ferguson told a news conference ahead of the last 16 game.

Rooney, who has scored 23 Premier League goals this season, proved his fitness after coming through training on Tuesday.

United, who won the first leg of the first knockout round tie 3-2 in the San Siro, are without England defender Wes Brown who could be sidelined for up to six weeks after scans revealed he broke a bone in his foot during the victory over Wolves.

"Unfortunately, his career has been blighted with injury. He has got another one and will be out for four to six weeks but I hope I can get him back for some of the season," Ferguson added.

United will also be missing suspended midfielder Michael Carrick and injured duo Michael Owen and Ryan Giggs.

FERGUSON OPTIMISTIC

Ferguson’s team were knocked out at the semi-final stage by Milan in 2007 and the Italians also progressed from the first knockout stage at United’s expense in 2005.

But Ferguson is full of optimism ahead of the game with Leonardo’s side despite Clarence Seedorf’s late strike cutting their advantage to just one goal in the first leg.

"I can understand that Milan are fairly confident after getting that second goal. It will give them encouragement. If they hadn’t got that it would have been very difficult for them.

"Three years ago they beat us well but the preparation was completely different. Physically we weren’t ready for that kind of match.

"They’d rested players on the Saturday. It’s a completely different scenario. My team has got to produce and they will produce," he added.

"Historically, they are one of the best teams of all time in Europe and it was a landmark victory for us in Milan."

Hugh Masekela’s son has told Eyewitness News he wants to pay tribute to his father in film.

 

Sal Masekela, who lives in Los Angeles, is a presenter for E! Entertainment channel and ESPN.

 

Sal is working on a script about his famous father’s life.

 

“I have a script in development that is based on my dad,” said Masilela.

 

He said he wants it to honour his the South African musical icon.

 

“My dream would be to do a proper Hugh Masekela documentary,” said Masikela.

 

Masekela will be in South Africa to cover the 2010 FIFA World Cup for ESPN.

Nigeria must prosecute those behind a weekend massacre and address underlying issues of poverty and discrimination if it is to end a cycle of violence in the zone between its Muslim north and Christian south, rights groups and diplomats said.

The United Nations, United States, Human Rights Watch and opposition politicians all urged the authorities to ensure those responsible face justice after attacks Sunday on three Christian villages in which hundreds are feared to have died.

Residents of Dogo Nahawa, Zot and Ratsat, about 15 km (9 miles) south of the central city of Jos, buried dozens of bodies including those of women and children in a mass grave Monday following the attacks, which they blamed on Muslim herders.

The raids were in apparent retaliation for four days of violence around Jos, the capital of Plateau state, in January which killed several hundred people, many of them in an attack on the mostly Muslim settlement of Kuru Karama.

"Better security is clearly vital but it would be a mistake to paint this purely as sectarian or ethnic violence, and to treat it solely as a security issue," U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said.

"What is most needed is a concerted effort to tackle the underlying causes of the repeated outbreaks of ethnic and religious violence which Nigeria has witnessed in recent years, namely discrimination, poverty and disputes over land."

The latest unrest at the heart of Africa’s most populous nation comes at a turbulent time, with Acting President Goodluck Jonathan trying to assert his authority while ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua remains too sick to govern.

Jonathan deployed troops to quell January’s unrest and pledged that those found to have "engineered, encouraged or fanned" the violence would be brought to justice.

But a dusk-to-dawn curfew was still in place when Sunday’s attack took place. Some villagers were hacked to death with machetes as they tried to flee their homes after hearing gunfire. Others were burnt alive.

U.S.-based Human Rights Watch said the military deployment had been limited to major roads and failed to protect small communities. It called for a credible investigation into what it said had been a massacre of at least 200 Christian villagers.

Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang blamed the military, which took control of security in January, for failing to respond to his warning that movements of armed men had been reported by villagers shortly before the attacks.

"The army should live up to expectations and stop the carnage in Plateau. If they cannot then they should as well get out of the place," Jang told reporters in Abuja.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on political and religious leaders to find a "permanent solution" to the crisis in Jos. The United States urged the government to ensure those responsible faced justice in a "transparent manner."

"CROCODILE TEARS"

Plateau state lies at the crossroads of Nigeria’s Muslim north and Christian south and fierce competition for control of fertile farmlands between indigenous groups and settlers from the north have repeatedly triggered unrest over the past decade.

Its position on Nigeria’s main ethnic and religious fault line means it is viewed as a microcosm of the wider country, a patchwork of more than 200 ethnic groups.

The instability underscores the fragility of Africa’s top energy producer as it approaches the campaign period for 2011 elections with uncertainty over who is really in charge.

"The killings are more political than religious ... The government is the problem. It has the power of arrest and prosecution. It has the ability and resources to gather intelligence," the opposition Action Congress party said.

"Concrete action to stop the cycle of impunity, rather than crocodile tears, will end the violence," it said.

Police spokesman Mohammed Lerama said 93 people had been arrested after Sunday’s violence.

But Plateau state has been here before. Large numbers of arrests have not translated into large numbers of prosecutions.

More than 300 people were arrested in January and about half of them were due to be sent to the capital Abuja for prosecution, but it is unclear how many actually faced justice.

Local officials said many of those responsible for January’s violence were the same people arrested but not prosecuted after similar unrest in November 2008.

Many of Nigeria’s prisons are overcrowded and the legal system overburdened with cases. It is not uncommon for communities to punish criminals themselves and blame their actions on the country’s weak judicial system.

Legendary singer Tom Jones said on Wednesday it was important that his music appeals to people of all ages.

The Welsh singer who released top hits including It’s not Unusual and Sex Bomb, was performing in Cape Town and at Sun City in April.

Jones told Talk Radio 702’s David O’Sullivan he enjoys being on the stage.

“I love to sing. I love going to different countries and I love doing live shows,” said Jones.

A Pennsylvania woman has been charged with plotting to kill a Swedish man and trying to recruit fighters via the Internet to commit violent attacks overseas, the U.S. Justice Department said on Tuesday.

Colleen LaRose, who also went by the pseudonym of "Fatima LaRose" and "JihadJane," was charged with conspiracy to commit murder overseas, conspiracy to provide support to terrorists, making false statements and attempted identity theft.

LaRose posted a comment on YouTube in June 2008 that she wanted to help "the suffering Muslim people." She sent emails to unnamed co-conspirators offering to become a martyr as well as to use her American background to avoid detection, according to the indictment filed in a federal court in Pennsylvania.

The indictment accused LaRose of agreeing in March 2009 to marry a co-conspirator from a South Asian country and try to obtain residency in Europe. He urged her to go to Sweden, find the unnamed Swedish man "and kill him."

Also on Tuesday, Irish police said seven people had been arrested there in connection with a plot to kill a Swedish cartoonist, Lars Vilk, over a 2007 drawing depicting the Prophet Muhammed with the body of a dog.

The U.S. Justice Department declined to comment on whether the cases were connected.

"Today’s indictment, which alleges that a woman from suburban America agreed to carry out murder overseas and to provide material support to terrorists, underscores the evolving nature of the threat we face," David Kris, head of the department’s national security division, said in a statement.

The Obama administration has grown increasingly worried about Americans and foreigners living in the United States taking up the cause of anti-American militants and launching attacks here or abroad.

Two recent cases have fuelled those concerns: the arrest of a Chicago man accused of helping plot the 2008 Mumbai attacks and an Afghan immigrant living in Colorado who pleaded guilty to plotting a bomb attack on the New York subway system.

In the Pennsylvania case, LaRose was accused of travelling to Europe in August 2009 and tracking online her intended murder target in Sweden, according to the indictment. It also said she tried to raise money over the Internet, lure others to her cause and lied to FBI investigators.

"This case also demonstrates that terrorists are looking for Americans to join them in their cause, and it shatters any lingering thought that we can spot a terrorist based on appearance," Michael Levy, the U.S. attorney in Pennsylvania, said in a statement.

After returning to the United States, LaRose was arrested in October 2009 on a charge related to the theft of a U.S. passport, court documents showed.

If convicted on the four counts in the indictment, which was dated March 4, 2010, LaRose could face a sentence of life in prison and a $1 million (666,500 pound) fine.

As Julius Malema was slammed on Wednesday for singing a song about shooting Boers, it emerged that it was not the first time he had sung the song in public.

While addressing students at the University of Johannesburg on Tuesday, Malema mimicked pointing a gun using his finger.

In the song, he says the cowards are running away, shoot the Boer.

In 2009 he also sang the song in Balfour, while addressing residents who were demonstrating over poor service delivery.

Malema also used his platform at UJ on Tuesday to lash out at the opposition, calling Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille satanic and saying no man would marry Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille.

Analyst Nhlanhla Mtaka said Malema was clearly trying to divert the public’s attention from his financial problems.

“What is unfortunate is that South African politics have shifted from discussing serious economic issues. Now it is taking about individuals,” said Mtaka.

A hat-trick from Nicklas Bendtner helped Arsenal to a 5-0 thumping of Porto on Tuesday as they overturned a first-leg deficit with nonchalant ease to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Samir Nasri and Emmanuel Eboue were also on target as Arsenal completed a 6-2 aggregate victory to reach the last eight for the third consecutive season.

Bendtner was guilty of a series of bad misses in the Premier League win over Burnley at the weekend but he answered his critics in style with a commanding performance to crown a dazzling display by manager Arsene Wenger’s side.

"It shows how quickly football can change," Wenger told Sky Sports. "I hope it won’t give him too much confidence now.

"But it’s good for him especially after Saturday. I hope it will give him the desire to work even harder."

Porto had never won a European fixture in England before but Arsenal’s poor record of overturning first-leg deficits, a feat they had not managed for more than 30 years, gave the Portuguese side hope of defending their 2-1 advantage.

CHILLY NIGHT

That hope did not last long on a chilly north London night as they were completely outclassed.

"They controlled the match," Porto coach Jesualdo Ferreira told reporters. "They played very well but I don’t think we deserved to lose by five goals.

"Arsenal are very good at provoking the opportunities they need and they have the quality to seize those moments. This defeat hurts."

Injured Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas, whose midfield playmaking role was filled superbly by Nasri, said in his programme notes he hoped Bendtner had saved his goals for Porto after his blunders against Burnley.

After 10 minutes the Danish striker duly obliged when he slotted the ball into an empty net after keeper Helton had bravely denied Andrei Arshavin who had been released by Nasri.

Arshavin’s pace and trickery teed up Bendtner for his second on 25 minutes as Arsenal moved ahead on aggregate.

Porto enjoyed a brief spell of pressure early in the second half but after Falcao failed to convert their best chance of the night after being set up by Hulk, normal service was resumed.

Two goals in four minutes just past the hour killed off the visitors. After 63 minutes Nasri ran at pace into the Porto area and dribbled past three mesmerised defenders before steadying himself and planting a shot inside the far post.

Then Arshavin carved Porto open and his reverse pass allowed Eboue to skip around the despairing Helton and roll the ball into an unguarded net.

Bendtner completed his first Arsenal hat-trick with virtually the last kick of the game, firing a low penalty into the corner after Eboue was brought down.

Porto may have had Hulk in their ranks but for one night at least, the much maligned Dane was Arsenal’s super-hero.

An alleged Vredendal child pornographer was denied bail in the local magistrate’s court on Tuesday.

The state argued that the 49-year-old man would still be in contact with children in Vredendal should he be granted bail.
 
The prosecution also added that it feared the suspect would flee once released.
 
The court wanted to make an example of him due to the seriousness of the case, which has sent shock waves throughout the community.
 
The man allegedly manufactured and distributed child porn.

It was alleged that on the day of his arrest he had sexually assaulted a 15-year-old boy.
 
Investigators have been combing through computer equipment seized at his house in search of incriminating evidence.

The man was expected to go on trial towards the end of March.

South African Airways has denied claims that it is undermining Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises.

The committee called off a briefing by the national carrier on Tuesday when it failed to present a full delegation - including the new CEO Siza Mzimela.

SAA was supposed to brief the committee on a range of issues, including allegations of collusion and missing baggage.

The carrier said it considered the committee as a key stakeholder, therefore denying claims that it was not taking them seriously.

SAA Spokesperson Vimla Maistry said there may have been miscommunication.

“We certainly did not ignore the committee and its request for SAA to present to them,” she said.

The committee rescheduled the briefing for March 16th.

Almost seven years after his departure from Manchester United, David Beckham was set to return to Old Trafford on Wednesday.

 

United hold a 3-2 advantage as they face AC Milan in the return leg of their last 16 Champions League tie.

 

In Wednesday night’s other match, Lyon will have to protect a 1-0 lead against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.

Several liquor traders staged a sit-in at the Khayelitsha Police Station on Wednesday.

There was a tense stand-off as the traders demanded that authorities to retract notices forcing illegal traders to shut down their operations.

The traders vowed they would not vacate the police station.

Police officers issued dozens of notices on Tuesday to illegal traders in the area, ordering them to close their businesses with immediate effect.

Representatives of the Liquor Traders’ organisation were in discussions with the station commander in order to find a solution.

Shebeeners however were adamant that shutting down was out of the question.