By Obakeng Maje

Mahikeng-North West Provincial Government has encouraged civil servants to serve in the public service with highest standard of professionalism and show commitment in bettering the lives of the people.

Speaking on behalf of the North West Premier, Thandi Modise at the official launch of the Public Service Week at Tosca Sports Ground on Friday, Agriculture and Rural Development MEC, Desbo Mohono said public servants need to increase the standard of professionalism and create a public service that strives towards the vision of putting people first.

“Let us work together to build pride in belonging to the public service while ensuring that the public service becomes a real life of choice.

Those who do not pull up their socks to service the people of the North West with pride must change their attitude and be better servants to the people,” Mohono said.

MEC Mohono further commended civil servants who work beyond their scope of work to better the lives of the people in the province.

She acknowledged that there are majority of civil servants who do their best to ensure that members of the community receiving good services.

“We have to admit that there are civil servants who understand the principles of Batho Pele and take a lot of efforts to ensure that that they adhere to these principles.

“There are civil servants who do not only work during working hours but provide services to the people even if they are not at work. I want to take this opportunity to thank them for the wonderful work that they do,” Mohono said.

This year’s PSW is held under the theme ’15 Years of Batho Pele: Strengthening the Ethos of Batho Pele and Recommitment towards an Efficient, Effective and Development Oriented Public Service and Empowered Citizenry.”

At the launch, hundreds of public servants gathered to provide services to the communities of Kagisano Molopo Local Municipality as part ofPublic Service Week.

Government officials from various departments were happy to assist people who had walked long distances to access government services.

Police, nurses, Home Affairs officials and other government officials in mobile units from different departments attracted scores of people who applied for identity documents, birth certificates, social grants and other services.

MEC Mohono urged members of the community to take the opportunity to utilize any service they need and also ask anything they want to know about the services provided to them by government.

Those who accessed service at the launch expressed their views about the level of services they receive from the public servants in their local offices.

Grita Matlapeng, 73, of Tosca, in the Kagisano Molopo LocalMunicipality said she is impressed about the quality of service he receives at the SASSA points.

“We do not have any problem with people who are working for SASSA. They do assist us in a very good manner,” she said delightedly.

She however asked government to build clinic in her community because they travel more than 50 kilometers to access health services.

Maleko Sehularo, 49, also from Tosca said: “We do appreciate all the service that our government provides for the community of Tosca.

“There are good people who are working for home affairs and social development who are always willing to assist us in receiving birth certificate and grants.”

MEC Mohono, also accompanied by Sports Arts and Culture MEC, Tebogo Modise and MEC for Social Development, Women Children and People living with Disabilities, Mosetsanagape Mokomele- Mothibi visited several projects around Tosca and also donated food parcels to the needy families.

Mohono promised to send a team from her department to assist a collapsed agricultural project in the area as it would contribute towards reducing high level of poverty in Tosca.

Meanwhile, teams of senior managers from different departments conducted unannounced visits at Rustenburg Police Station, Mmamogale Segale Primary School in Makolokoe and Kanana Clinic.

The unannounced visits are to be extended to other areas across the province.

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By Obakeng Maje

Lichtenburg- A 26 year-old man has been arrested in Gransfontein after he allegedly raped a seven year old girl.

Police were summoned to the scene after a 26 year old suspect stormed into a nearby house where he found four children aged from 2 to 12 and raped a seven year old girl. 

“A man was arrested after he entered a house and raped a seven year old girl. It is alleged that the mother of four left her kids in the house  and attend a function in the area” Captain Pelonomi Makau said.

According to the Police, the older sibling managed to escape the house and informed the neighbour about the ordeal.

“The boy ran to his neighbours and informed them about what tanspired in the house. The neighbours in turn alerted the Police” Makau continue.

The suspect was arrested later at the nearest tavern and he will appear before Lichtenburg Magistrate Court on Monday.

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LONDON – South Africa’s medal tally at the 2012 London Paralympics stands at 22 after Natalie Du Toit won silver in her last event ever.

It was not quite the fairytale ending to her Paralympic career that everyone was hoping for, but she bowed out of the Games with silver medal.

She finished second in the Women’s 100 metre S9 Freestyle final in a time of 1:03:45, just behind Ellie Cole of Australia.

She leaves London having captured a total of 3 gold medals and a silver.

By Obakeng Maje

Johannesburg- The South African Football Association (SAFA) has released the names of the 2012/2013 panel of Referees and Match Commissioners.

There will be re-testing of officials who failed the initial fitness test two months ago and these will take place in Gauteng tomorrow, 8 September, Western Cape, 9 September with the last one scheduled for Tanzania on Tuesday, 11 September 2012.

Those who pass the respective tests will be added to existing panel.

The panel is as follows:

• NATIONAL REFEREES PANEL 2012/2013• REFEREES PANEL• QONGCO KULESANDE• TINYANI PHILIP• NKOSI THABO• MTHETHO ZOLILE• MFIKI LWANDILE• BENNETT DANIEL• SMITH  ROBERT• GOMES VICTOR• SETLOBOKO EKETSANG• KGAPHOLA JIMMY• NDZANDZEKA THANDO• CHUMA SHANE• KHULEKANI THUSI• KWINDA OLANI• MAILA TSHEPO• MOGARA ITUMELENG• MOSIA BAFANA• MAPHUTHA ABEL• ANWAR ALEXANDER• NDABA PELELANI• JULIUS NAASIF First Class Referees to be retested:

• DAMON JEROME• HLUNGWANI VICTOR• SEKOPO GABRIEL• VOLGRAAF DANIEL• REZEERS ANDREW (ASSISTANT REFEREE) ASSISTANT REFEREES PANEL

• KHUMALO STEVENS• SIWELA ZAKHELE• MALGAS CLIFFORD• DE SANI EMMANUAL• PUPUMA LUVUYO• PHALE MOSES• GABELA ARTHUR• MOSHIDI JOHANNES• WINDVOEL THEMBISILE• MADIDILANI EDWARD• RABOPHARA PETER• BOLO LINDIKHAYA• DILIKANE SANDILE• NGQAMBIYANE BUYISILE• SODOLI BONAKELE• MOLEFE ENOCK• CHAUKE PETER• HOBOANE LINOS• NDONGENI ATHENKOSI• JAFTHA PATRICK• DLAMINI JANTJIE• MAMEGWA KENRY• XALAKHE SONGEZO• MNGADI LALELANI• THINANE THABO• MATIBIDI ROMEO• THWALA MDUDUZI• NYAMBI ERNEST• RAMUTSINDELA KAMOHELO• VAN WYK MERVIN• NTOMBELA THULANI• BANDA LUXOLO• MADELA AKHUXOLO• MOTAUNG CLIFFORD  Match Commissioners 

1. Mr Phil Masemola

2. Mr Ian Mcleod

3. Mr Job Smith

4. Mr Mark Lindon

5. Mr George Lobo

6. Mr Neermal Boodhoo

7. Mr Ronnie Johnson

8. Mr Stephen Moshotle

9. Mr Happy Hadebe

10. Mr Paulo Marques

11. Mr Abdul Ibrahim

12. Mr Zwelibanzi Nkosi

13. Mr Stan Swart

14. Mr Isaac Arendse

15. Mr Sharheen Salot

16. Mr Morne Daniels

17. Mr Robert Pillay

18. Mr Vincent Alie

Match Commissioners under Training

• Harry Lekitlane• Robert Sithole• Reginald Motaung• Rudzani Molaudzi

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By Obakeng Maje

Sao Paolo-The South African Football Association (SAFA) will display FIFA Fair Play banners before kick-off  and during half-time of the forthcoming friendly matches involving both Bafana Bafana and the Under-20 Men’s National Teams as part of commemorating the FIFA Fair Play Week.

According to a Confederation of African Football (CAF) circular, the final preliminary round of the 

2013 AFCON tournament to be played from this weekend until 11 September 2012 should be marked by visible Fair Play activities including flags by flag bearers marking the start of each match.

Once the teams have lined up, the public announcer will read the following message:

Today the football family celebrates the worldwide FIFA Fair Play Day. FIFA and SAFA are proud to dedicate today’s match to Fair Play and encourage all players, coaches and officials, together with fans in South Africa to play fair, both on and off the pitch, leading by example and showing fairness, impartiality and solidarity in everything they do.

So let us all join the team captains in their commitment to Fair Play.

Once the announcer has finished reading the text, the two captains will also read their respective messages which underscore the Fair Play point.

Pre-match and post-match handshakes shall take place as usual.

SAFA President, Kirsten Nematandani, who sits on the Fair Play Committee, said the gesture was a reminder that football was a beautiful game which should be played within the confines of fairness.

“Winning is critical but that should not be done at all costs. This week’s gesture is a timely reminder that above all, soccer should be played to be enjoyed,” he said.

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By Obakeng Maje

Gaborone- The South African U-20 Men’s National team (Amajita) arrived in Botswana yesterday and are ready to take on their Botswana counterparts in the first of the two friendly matches inside four days. The first match will be played at Molepolele Stadium in Gaborone tomorrow, 8 September 2012.

Kick-off 18h00.

The second match will take place in Mbombela on 11 September and will be played as a curtain raiser for the Bafana/Mozambique game.

The two matches are part of Amajita’s preparations for the African U/20 Youth Championship qualifiers against Nigeria scheduled for later this month.

The Amajita completed the first training session in Gaborone this morning and the head coach, Solly Luvhengo feels the players are settling in well and are shaping up for the encounter tomorrow.

“We have completed our first training session ahead of the match tomorrow, we will finalise preparations with a light training session this afternoon. The players have been working hard and I feel they will be ready for the encounter tomorrow,” said Luvhengo.

“The whole purpose of these matches is to prepare ourselves for Nigeria. Our performances in these matches will show what we still need to work on ahead of the qualifier later this month.

“What I need from the team is for them to be ruthless in front of goals because that will build their confidence,” added Luvhengo

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By Obakeng Maje

Jonannesburg-The Ministry of Sport has sent a message of support to Bafana Bafana, ahead of their clash with Brazil later tonight.

In a message sent through to the South African Football Association (SAFA) the Ministry said while they are aware of the tough task that awaits the national team tonight, they were confident, under the guidance of coach Gordon Igesund, the squad would give a good account of themselves.

The message reads: “We hereby wish to express our unwavering support for the coach, Gordon Igesund and the National soccer team, Bafana Bafana as they are taking on the mighty, five-time world champions, Brazilians in Soa Paulo this evening. We are under no illusion about the enormity of the task at hand, but South Africans have always shown resilience in the face of adversity. Of course Brazil are no strangers to us, having played them home and away in the past.

The fact that they are playing a full strength team demonstrates that they are indeed out to scalp South Africa.

It is a significant occasion, given that it is Brazil’s national day and South Africa will as the 2010 FIFA World Cup hosts also symbolically hand over to the 2014 FIFA World Cup hosts. 

We are conscious that our coach had to make late changes to the team because of injuries to key players and that this impacted on preparations, strategy, etc. However, we must rise to the occasion like the proverbial phoenix, make the nation proud and restore our illustrious pedigree. We wish them well.”

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By Obakeng Maje

Sao Paolo-Bafana Bafana has completed their preparations ahead of the international friendly match against Brazil.

The much-awaited clash will take place tonight (Friday, 7 September 2012) at the Estadio do Morumbi in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

Kickoff is at 20h45.

The South Africans had a feel of the match venue, the home of Sao Paolo FC, on Thursday, 6 September and looked in great form.

This was head coach Gordon Igesund’s fourth training session since the squad started camp on Sunday – and the first where he worked with the whole squad following the arrival on Wednesday night of defenders Bongani Khumalo and Siboniso Gaxa.

“We are very confident because the players gave their all at training and I am positive we will do well against Brazil, the five-time world champions. But I am more concerned about how the players will perform on the day after we fit in three weeks of training in just three days,” said Igesund.

“We are going into the match very much attack-minded. I will be using three strikers as I don’t like to sit back and wait for them to attack us – whatever happens will happen.”

South Africa has never beaten Brazil in three meetings – all in Johannesburg. This will be the first match outside South Africa.

They first met in April in 1996 at Soccer City with Bafana Bafana going down by three goals to two – Phil Masinga and Doctor Khumalo scored in that clash.

The previous two fixtures were held at the Ellis Park Stadium – the first in December 1997, South Africa going down by two goals to one with Helman Mkhalele scoring the home side’s solitary goal.

In the third encounter a late Danny Alves goal knocked Bafana Bafana out of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in June.

“I have a lot of respect for Brazil and I am under no illusions that they are a great footballing nation but that in no way means we will just roll over and have them walk all over us. Realistically I am looking for a win but the results don’t mean much,” said Igesund.

“But what is important for me is that we need to see that change in attitude, increased passion and fantastic character and a lot of energy. If the boys can give me that and we lose then we won’t hang our heads in shame. This is a new start for everybody, a new era for South African football.”

Igesund had some words also for the supporters of the national team.

“As for the people back home I just want them to enjoy this match as much as we will. We want to make them proud and show that we really appreciate their support,” he said.

Bafana Bafana striker Benni McCarthy had a full training session after being sidelined on Wednesday by a trouble-some calf muscle strain. He has been cleared to feature in the match.

Bafana Bafana returns home on Sunday morning (9 September) and move to Nelspruit, Mpumalanga where they will play their second international friendly. This time they will be up against Mozambique on Tuesday, 11 September.