NEWS FLASHES

KIMBERLEY A second accused has been added to the charge sheet in connection with the alleged business robbery that took place at Emis7 Plus supermarket in Schmidtsdrift Road on February 16.

Local businessman, Shukri Darries, along with Nuruddin Darries, appeared in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Shukri Darries was released on R300 police bail prior to his first court appearance on February 18. His co-accused, Nuruddin Darries, was released on a police warning.

The matter was postponed to April 11 and has been referred to the senior public prosecutor for a decision as to whether the matter will be prosecuted. GALESHEWE The Department of Labour, through Public Employment Services, held an exhibition at the Bantu Hall yesterday to engage with job seekers, youths who had completed their schooling and new entrants into the labour market on careers, employment, learnership and internship opportunities in the public sector. PROVINCE The ANC has hit back at its critics after opposition parties disapproved of some of the names on its candidate lists for the upcoming national general elections.

The ANC provincial list, to fill seats in the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature, includes controversial former Sol Plaatje executive mayor Mangaliso Matika, Gift van Staden, who was a business partner of former ANC provincial chairperson John Block in the salt mining debacle, and Kenny Mmoeimang, who was accused of domestic violence.

ANC provincial secretary Deshi Ngxanga said the party believed in the law of “being innocent until proven guilty”.

He pointed out that the allegations against Matika and Van Staden were made “in the public domain”. “No criminal charges were ever laid against them.”

He pointed out that the charges against Mmoiemang were withdrawn. “Therefore it is incorrect to assume that the ANC does not take matters involving women abuse seriously.”

Ngxanga stated that the candidate nomination lists included women and young people, in line with the ANC guidelines that required a 50 percent split between females and males.