The Consumer Price Index (CPI) in April rose to 6.1% - breaching the Reserve Bank’s inflation target range. “Headline CPI annual inflation rate in...

read more Southern Africa Business News...

School Governing Body (SGB) associations have committed to help the task team investigating the alleged sale of posts in the education sector. The Acting Director-General of Education, Panyaza Lesufi, on Tuesday consulted with SGB representatives to map out plans regarding the investigation. The...

Full Story on Education portal ...

Eleven people were arrested in Pretoria on Tuesday on charges relating to an international financial fraud scam.

The individuals were among 20 individuals who were arrested in South Africa, Canada, California, Georgia, Indiana, New York, South Carolina and Wisconsin on charges stemming from cyber and mass marketing fraud schemes.

The eleven people were arrested during a joint operation between the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), SAPS Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, South Africa’s Crime Intelligence, Interpol, the South Africa Tactical response Team and the Department of Home Affairs.

HSI special agents had followed a financial fraud scam to Sunnyside in Pretoria, according to a statement by the police and US Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday.

The individuals are allegedly linked to a West African transnational organised crime enterprise, involving numerous complex financial fraud schemes over the internet. The mass marketing fraud includes romance scams, reshipping scams, fraudulent check scams, work-at-home scams, along with bank, financial and credit card account takeovers.

The investigation was initiated by HSI special agents in October 2011, after US law enforcement was contacted by a female victim in Mississippi, who was victimised in a sweatheart scam. The victim received a suspicious package in the mail requesting her to reship the merchandise to an address in Pretoria. The investigation later revealed that the merchandise was purchased using stolen personal identity information and fraudulent credit card information of persons in the US.

Investigators have so far identified hundreds of victims to this scam in the US. This has resulted in the loss of millions of US Dollars.

This syndicate went for some years purchasing shipping labels from the US Postal Service, Federal Express, United Parcel Service and DHL with fraudulent credit card information of stolen identities. Once the merchandise reached South Africa, the suspects advertised it for sale on the internet.

An eight-count federal indictment filed in the United States charging 18 individuals with wire fraud, bank fraud, access device fraud, mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, theft of government funds and money laundering.

The US District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi was granted arrest warrants for 12 individuals residing in South Africa and search warrants for associated properties in Pretoria. The suspects are linked to the global scam and are believed to have enriched themselves with illegally obtained funds.

During the operation, investigators seized computers, laptops, cell phones, notebooks and documents. The items will be surrendered to HIS for further investigation.

According to the police, the suspects will appear in the Pretoria Magistrates Court on charges of fraud and theft, before being extradited to the US to face prosecution in the Southern District of Mississippi. – SAnews.gov.za

New research from Deloitte on attitudes to the consumption of media shows that the average UK household spends £900 on media a year, with one off purchases such as books, DVDs and newspapers representing 52% of their total media spend. The new report ‘The Digital Divide’ paints a snapshot of a typical media consumer, their […]

more Book news and information ...

The Lanzarote Ironman 2014, proved to be a dynamic success for both Romain Guillaume of France and Lucy Gossage of Britain, when they both proved dominant in winning this testing event. Lanzarote Ironman over 2000 entries mark The Lanzarote Ironman had its largest entry list in history, with the entries going over 2000 for the [...]Guilliaume and Gossage take Lanzarote Ironman 2014 is a post from: Time-to-Tri


more [url=http://www.time-to-tri.com/news/guilliaume-gossage-take-lanzarote-ironman-2014Triathlon news ...[/url]

The IMPI Challenge at Hartebeespoort (North West Province) held earlier this year will be a memorable experience for Elmarie Welthagen (Krugersdorp) for two reasons: firstly it was her IMPI Challenge debut and secondly her boyfriend chose the finish line of this exciting event as the ideal spot to propose marriage.

“I was very nervous on the day as it was my first IMPI Challenge,” said Elmarie. “Although it was a lot of fun and is definitely something that I would do again, it was the last place on earth that I thought Bertus would propose. When we crossed the finish line he handed me a champagne bottle with a letter on it. I said I’d read the letter once we’d gone for our team photograph, but he insisted that I read it immediately. The next minute he’s on his knees ring in hand. We’ve set the date for 19 September next year”.

According to Bertus Nolte, he’d been planning the proposal for at least a month. “The best thing about the IMPI Challenge is that I could do it with the love of my life. The obstacles were tough but great fun. I thought that if Elmarie and I could make it through the IMPI Challenge together, we could do anything together. My biggest concern on the day was that I’d drop the ring in the mud and not find it again. Elmarie and I have decided that this will be our thing and that we’ll do it together every year”.

NEXT UP: IMPI Challenge Gauteng #2

Date: Saturday, 27 September 2014 and Sunday, 28 September 2014

Venue: Van Gaalens Cheese Farm (Hartebeespoort / North West Province)

Categories: IMPI Challenge, IMPI Dash, IMPI Elite and IMPI Mini


EVENT INFORMATION:

Combining trail running with an adventure style obstacle course, there are four structures to choose from when entering the IMPI Challenge:

· Traditional IMPI Challenge: Conquer 18 obstacles over 10 – 12km

· IMPI Dash – Compacted Challenge: Families have the chance to compete together. The course will be 5 - 7km with 12 obstacles (ages 10 – 15 years, all adults welcome).

· IMPI Elite: The course will be 15 – 20km with 25 tough obstacles.

· IMPI Mini: This mini course will be around 1km and feature smaller versions of some of our favourite obstacles (ages 6 – 10 years, all adults welcome).

The race categories cater for a variety of athletes, from elite sportspersons, competent and beginner runners and families looking for a fun experience. Participants can enter individually or as part of a team (teams vary in size from 2 – 10 people, although team members start together, they do not need to finish together).

Best Dressed: One of the many highlights of the IMPI Challenge, IMPIs are encouraged to let creativity reign. The best dressed individual and/or team stand the chance to win awesome prizes compliments of our sponsors.

Trail Running enthusiasts taking on the 2014 FNB Platinum Trail Run presented by ISUZU in Buffelspoort (North West Province) on Sunday, 25 May 2014 can look forward to a memorable experience in the heart of the Magaliesberg. “FNB Platinum Trail Run entrants can look forward to an interesting and challenging run in the Magaliesberg,” says [...]Route for Platinum Trail Run Buffelspoort is a post from: Trail Running South Africa


read more South Africa Trail Running news

The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) is not working with the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) to check whether road users are e-tagged or not, says the agency.

According to the agency, acquiring an e-tag is optional and no road user should be stopped for having no e-tag.

Some road users have called a radio station to claim that the JMPD on city roads stopped them over the weekend and checked whether they have e-tags.

“We categorically deny that there is any partnership with the JMPD on this. No vehicles on any road are being checked to see whether they are e-tag registered. The JPMD has in the past distanced itself from this and so did we,” said Vusi Mona, the agency’s spokesperson.

“There could be people who are doing this illegally in our name or it is one of those urban legends now gaining a life of its own,” said Mona.

SANRAL urges any road user, who has been stopped purportedly to check if they have an e-tag, to contact SANRAL.

If anyone posing as a JPMD officer has stopped any motorist, such a road user must contact the JPMD.

“Getting e-tagged makes it possible for the road user to get a 48 percent discount and to have their monthly bill capped, among other benefits, but is not compulsory,” Mona said. – SAnews.gov.za

The Helderberg Mountain Challenge (HMC), now in its fifth year, is one of the most spectacular but brutal trail runs on the calendar and, with jaw dropping views, unspoilt single track and sublime technical descents, it is not for the faint hearted. The weather played along at this year’s version and, as expected, one record [...]HMC records tumble is a post from: Trail Running South Africa


read more South Africa Trail Running news

Louis van Gaal has been announced as Manchester United’s new boss, with Ryan Giggs as right hand man. The 62-year-old is will take responsibility after thisÂ* summer’s World Cup, where he will lead Holland. Van Gaal succeeds David Moyes, who was sacked in April after only 10 months in the job. Van Gaal will be [...]Louis van Gaal appointed Man U boss is a post from: Time-4-Sport


more Sports News ...