Go 17 June 2021

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EL singer Zahara
fined for missing
court appearance
SIPHOSIHLE DYONASE
East London-born singer
and songwriter Bulelwa
Mkutukana, better known
by her stage name Zahara, was
found guilty by the
Johannesburg Commercial
Crimes Court for failing to
appear in the Palm Ridge
Specialised Commercial Crimes
Court in April.
Mkutukana failed to appear
in court on April 19 and the
court issued a warrant for her
arrest on that same day.
She then appeared in court
on June 7.
“The magistrate first heard
evidence for her failure to
appear in court in April.
Thereafter, the court proceeded
Faces charges related to non-submission of
personal and company income-tax returns
with the case where she is
charged in her personal
capacity, as well as a
representative of her company,
Zahara Trading (Pty) Ltd,” said
NPA regional spokesperson
Phindi Mjonondwane.
“In this case, she faces
charges related to nonsubmission
of personal and
company income-tax returns to
the South African Revenue
S e r v i c e .”
“'The state prosecutor,
Nerissa Reddy, argued that the
singer’s reasons for not
appearing in court were highly
unreasonable.
“She [Reddy] said
Mkutukana only appeared in
court when the commercial
crimes investigators began to
trace her whereabouts.”
Reddy reportedly argued that
Z a h a ra ’s celebrity status did not
give her immunity from facing
justice.
“Justice should be meted out
equally, as everyone is equal in
the eyes of the law and should
be treated as such,” she said.
“The magistrate warned her
to appear in court at the next
appearance date on June 25.
“The matter was postponed
for disclosure of the contents of
the docket to her legal
r e p r e s e n t a t ive ,” said
M j o n o n dwa n e .
“Her bail conditions were
that she must hand in her
passport to the commercial
crimes officers within 24 hours
and to report to the Roodepoort
Police Station twice weekly on
Tuesdays and Thursdays,
between 8am and 6pm,”
she said.
BUSTED: EL-born musician Zahara has been fined for failing to
make her court appearance Picture: ALON SKY
BCM dams
are still
struggling
MATTHEW FIELD
SIGNAL LOST:
A cellphone
tower in
Amalinda.
Telkom has
blamed poor
connectivity on
theft P i c t u re :
RANDELL
ROSKRUGE
The dire state of BCM’s dams
continues, with only one dam
reporting an increase in level
according to the latest figures
available from the department
of water sanitation.
The dam in question is
Gubu, which rose from 85.7
points to 87.7.
In contrast, Nahoon Dam
plunged 1.4 points to 40.6%
capacity, followed by Bridle
Drift which currently sits at
25.9% capacity.
Rooikrans also saw a drop,
although it remains comfortable
at 96.5% capacity.
The last two dams saw no
change in levels between
department readings.
Laing dam not only stayed at
99.6%, but it is also the
best performing dam in the
area.
Telkom urges community to support
all efforts to combat network theft
MATTHEW FIELD
Telkom has urged community
members to assist it in combating
theft at its base stations and towers,
which it blames for ongoing
connectivity problems experienced
by users.
According to Telkom, 2020 saw
the company lose nearly 8,000
batteries due to theft.
“Telkom could have built about
35 new base stations with the
money lost from battery theft. This
vandalism destroys back-up power
that should keep communications
active when lights go off,” they said.
Telkom said the theft could also
end up having negative impacts on
the country’s economy.
“Access to the Internet and the
❝We could have built
about 35 new base
stations with the money
lost from battery theft.
This vandalism destroys
back-up power that
should keep
communications active
when lights go off
mobile telephony are essential
services, even more so during the
coronavirus pandemic, and the
destruction of the towers destroys
these services as well.”
Companies that rely on stable
communications and internet
connections would be negatively
effected by the theft, and it disrupts
educational certain programmes,
especially for students forced to
learn from home.
“The result of poor Internet
connection, and often no calls, can
also negatively affect an event of a
life and death situation,” Te l k o m
said.
For example, someone needing
to urgently call for an ambulance
would be put at serious risk if the
system was to fail due to theft of vital
components.
“Communities need to stand
together in ensuring that the plague
of theft and vandalism does not
affect people’s lives further and
accessibility to a world that is
rapidly changing,” said Telkom.
Community members wishing to
report network vandalism, battery
theft or any inappropriate acts of
network fraud or sabotage can do so
in the following ways:
● Call the Telkom hotline at 080-
012-4000
● Visit the Be Honest website at
https://behonest.co.za/
● Add Telkom on WhatsApp at
081-222-5999
● Email
Te l k o m h o t l i n e @ b e h o n e s t . c o . z a
● SMS 48691
● Sending a post to Address:
BNT165, Brooklyn Square, 0075
● Alternatively, they can report the
issue to their local police station.