NEWS: President Jacob Zuma should reinstate a deleted clause directing the Farlam Commission of Inquiry to probe the role played by government departments in the Marikana shooting, says the Marikana Support Campaign (MSC). ”We simply request that it be reinstated to the terms of reference. We are also asking why it was deleted in the first place,” Trevor Ngwane of the MSC said to reporters in Johannesburg. The campaign wants the inquiry to be extended for at least six more months instead of the mooted 34 days. On 5 May changes to the commission’s terms of reference were published in the Government Gazette. The changes extended the commission’s work until 31 July, with its report to be submitted six weeks later, and a clause relating to the scope of the inquiry was deleted.
NEWS: The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) has warned Gauteng e-toll road users to think before being “seduced” by offers from the SA National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) to register for e-tags. ”Sanral is desperate to get the over 1,3 million non-compliant freeways users to play on their turf by signing their terms and conditions,” spokesman John Clarke said in a statement. Sanral announced on Wednesday that the grace period for e-toll road users to settle their accounts and to benefit from the discount had been extended. Users would be discounted for the period of 3 December 2013 to 28 February 2014 without the alternate user tariff – which is three times the standard toll tariff for unregistered users – being applied.
NEWS: Popular house music deejay Black Coffee has launched a scholarship to be awarded to a physically disabled student with music industry ambitions, The Times reports. The R65 000 scholarship, in partnership with Bridges Music and the SAE Institute, will allow the student to complete a one-year full-time Higher Certificate in Sound Production. Applicants can register online on the SAE Institute website www.sae.edu. Black Coffee, who lost the use of his right arm following a car accident, said he hadn’t wanted people to know about his disability when he burst onto the music scene. “People with disabilities are often not taken seriously and no one really gives them an opportunity,” he said. Applicants must submit a reflective 2 000 word essay. The top five to 10 essays will be chosen, after which these candidates will be interviewed.
BUSINESS: Debt counselling has more than tripled on the platinum belt over the past four months as residents and businesses face hardships as a result of the protracted strike action in the area, Debt Rescue SA says. While small business owners, some of whom have had to close their doors, have been the hardest hit by the industrial action, food retailers Shoprite and Spar have lost 30% of sales revenue. “Most of the people approaching us for help are now more than three months behind in their payments and their creditors are demanding payment . . . Many have been threatened with immediate legal action, and going under debt review is the only way to secure their property and prevent further legal action [being] taken against them,” Debt Rescue SA CEO Neil Roets said in a statement.
ENTERTAINMENT: The hotel employee who allegedly leaked the surveillance footage of Solange Knowles attacking Jay Z inside an elevator has been fired. The Standard Hotel said the person’s employment contract had been terminated for “breaching the security policies of the hotel and recording the confidential CCTV video.” Celebrity website TMZ posted the 3-minute video on Monday that was shot last week inside a Standard Hotel elevator. The video shows Solange attacking Jay Z in Beyoncé’s presence. The hotel made a statement after the video was first aired. saying that it was “shocked and disappointed” by the security breach. Hotel management said on Wednesday that they will turn over “all available information to criminal authorities.”
ENTERTAINMENT: Popular British and US music show The X-Factor is coming to SA courtesy of SABC 1, reports Channel 24. The X-Factor South Africa comes with the words “u X ongazolveki” after the name. This has raised questions as to whether the first South African season will be in English and if the words have simply been added to distinguish it as the South African version. Lira has been tipped as a likely judge, while other judges and the host have yet to be confirmed. Auditions for The X-Factor SA will begin on 7 June in Durban, Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Polokwane, Johannesburg, Nelspruit and Pietermaritzburg and the show is due to air “this year as soon as possible.” Contestants will be required to sing two songs at the audition. No bands will be allowed and groups must contain two or more singers. The winner will get R300 000 and a Sony Music recording contract.
Additional source: Sapa