A cloud of sorrow hung over the graduation ceremony for the human and social science faculty at North West University Mafikeng Campus yesterday following the death of Lesedi Motsamai.

Lesedi was set to graduate with a BA Communications degree but she died in a tragic accident on Sunday while preparing for the occasion.

She hailed from Gaara-Gaetsalwe village in Makgobistadt, outside Mahikeng.

News of her death was received with shock and sadness by the university community and members of the public.

Campus Rector Prof Dan Kgwadi told those who attended an earlier graduation on Wednesday that the university had decided to call a family member to receive Lesedi’s certificate.  

The Marketing and Communications department at the university expressed the institution’s condolences to the Motsamai family and indicated that the university shared the grief.

Lesedi’s funeral is set for Saturday in Makgobistadt.

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Bafana Bafana head coach Gordon Igesund leaves for Cairo, Egypt tonight (Thursday, 9 May 2013) to attend a symposium to analyse the 28th and 29th Editions of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations (Gabon and Equatorial Guinea 2012 and South Africa 2013).

The gathering will take place from 11 – 13 May 2013 in the Egyptian capital and will be attended by coaches whose countries participated in the two Editions. Also in attendance will be the continent’s Technical Directors.

Igesund will be among the coaches that will make a presentation about football on the continent and will share his experience with other top coaches from across the African continent.

“I am hoping to represent South Africa well and show the outside world that we were and are always great hosts. But most importantly, I will promote our league structures and showcase how strong it is. I will talk about Bafana Bafana in relation to the AFCON tournament; what was missing from the whole tournament, not just our national team but what I think should be improved overall,” said Igesund.

Also invited to the top notch seminar is Spain’s head coach Vicente del Bosque, who is expected to share some of his experiences with the delegates.

Igesund will travel together with SAFA’s Acting Technical Director, Ms. Fran Hilton-Smith.

She will be among Fifty-four (54) Technical Directors in attendance at this ground breaking event. 

“I feel honoured to be attending this event and hope to draw lots of knowledge from this momentous gathering. I also intend implementing my findings from this conference at junior national team level. I am happy that we have been given an opportunity to attend this meeting of soccer greats from our continent,” said Hilton-Smith.

“Although I was not directly involved with our own national team, I worked with the team that helped put together the CAF Technical Report for the past tournament. In Egypt we will look at the methods and the formula successful teams use in tournaments so that we can in turn use this back home for our junior national teams,” said Hilton-Smith.

The duo returns to South Africa on Wednesday, 15 May 2013.

Senior National Team coach Gordon Igesund has described as “excellent” news of Bafana Bafana climbing six places in the latest FIFA/Coca Cola World Rankings released on Wednesday, 9 May 2013.

South Africa has moved from 62 to 56 in the world rankings, while also breaking into the top 10 on the continent.

Bafana Bafana now lies on number 9 in Africa.

”That is excellent, it’s good news really. It shows we have put in the hard work and made serious progress. Building a solid side is something that takes time but it’s a clear indication that we are on the right track, we have made great strides,” said Igesund.

“This emphasises the importance of rankings. It shows that every match we play is affected whether positively or negatively. Therefore, we should take every match we play seriously. It is very critical that when we play in any match or tournament, we must have our best squad to ensure that we get positive results so we can continue the climb.”

The Bafana Bafana mentor says rankings should not be taken lightly as they play a key role.

“Come big tournaments like the World Cup, if we are not placed higher on the rankings we will not be seeded and we will end up meeting big guns in the event affecting our chances of progressing further. 

“So it is important that we strive to be high up among the best. We have an obligation and responsibility to the fans to be in the top 20 in the world and among the best three on the continent – that is our mission. I am glad that we are working towards that direction,” added Igesund.

Cote d’Ivoire is still leading the pack on the continent, followed by Ghana, Mali, Nigeria and Algeria. Completing the top 10 are Tunisia, Zambia, Burkina Faso, South Africa and Equatorial Guinea.

On the world rankings, Spain is still on top, along with Germany, Argentina, Croatia, Portugal, Columbia, England, Italy, Netherlands and Ecuador.

The next rankings will be released on Thursday, 6 June 2013.

Top 10 in Africa

Ivory Coast                   (12th in the world)

Ghana                           (22nd)

Mali                              (26th)

Nigeria                          (28th)

Algeria                          (35th)

Tunisia                          (41st)

Zambia                          (46th)

Burkina Faso                 (50th)

South Africa                (56th)

Equatorial Guinea           (61st)

The 20- year jail sentence given to a North West man by the Itsoseng Regional Court for the rape of a six-year-old should sent a strong message to perpetrators of sexual office against children that those who rob innocent childen of their childhood will face the full might of the law, North West Premier Thandi Modise said on Thursday.

“We welcome the jail term as it served justice on the perpetrator who betrayed the trust that the little girl had on him as a chorister who sang with her father in the same choir. We call upon parents to conscientise their children against the danger of accompanying people known or unknown to them anywhere in their absence or letting them into their homes in their absence,” said Premier Modise.

According to police, Peter Monoto, 23, had gone to the girl’s house on April 29 last year and asked for her father. The girl’s parents were not at home at the time. Only the victim and her two siblings aged, seven and nine were at home.

Monoto is said to have requested the girl to accompany him to her parents. The girl obliged as did not suspect anything as she trusted him.

North West Police Spokesperson Captain Pelonomi Makau alleged that instead of proceeding to where her parents were, the convicted man took the victim to his friend’s house and raped her.

After he raped her, he took her back to her house and left her outside.

“An hour later the victim’s parents arrived and found their daughter sitting outside the house crying,” Captain Makau said.

“The victim explained to her parents what happened. Her parents took her to the police station and she was taken to the local hospital, where the doctor confirmed the rape

The arrest of a Klerksdorp police officer for corruption is shameful and an insult to the dignified blue uniform that represents the integrity of the state and the fight against crime and lawlessness, North West Premier Thandi Modise said on Thursday.

In commenting the Hawks and members of the crime intelligent unit for the arrest, Premier Modise said that there is still hope that corrupt elements within the South African Police Service will be outrooted as the overwhelming majority of most men and women within the service are loyal to the pledge to serve and protect communities.

Modise called on members of the community not to perpetuate crime and corruption by bribing law enforcement officers .She called on members of the public with information that might assist police in their further investigations to come forward.

According to police, the officer allegedly withdrew traffic offenders’ tickets and cancelled their arrest warrants in exchange for money. He was arrested following a sting operation after he had allegedly told a police agent whom he had presented with a R2000 fine for an unroadworthy vehicle.

Spokesperson for North West Police, Brigadier Thulane Ngubane says the arrested officer

  offered to withdraw the traffic fine and cancel the warrant of arrest if an amount of r1 500 was paid to him.

The suspect was arrested outside the Klerskdorp Magistrates Court after receiving marked money from the undercover police agent and giving proof that the traffic fine was paid and 

 withdrawn .

Ngubane says that he was arrested after he was found in possession of state money and confirmed that there could be further arrests as investigation is continuing to establish if other court officials are involved in corruption.

The arrested officer is expected to appear in the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court soon.