The North West Provincial Government is still awaiting feedback on its request for dedicated funding for emergency relief as it shares the concern of farmers in the province who are affected by drought, North West Premier Thandi Modise said on Thursday.

Premier Modise said that the province had in April estimated that R37,2 million was needed for fodder supply to mitigate the effects of drought for livestock in the province but worsening conditions dictate that more should be considered as crops are also affected.

“We are confident that our request will be favourably considered as there is appreciation that food security might be affected if there is no intervention as we are the food basket for the country,”highlighted Modise.

The Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development had identified the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the National Disaster Management Centre and National Treasury as possible funders.

In considering the department’s motivation, Exco had earlier applauded the extend of immediate intervention by the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to mitigate drought through provision of emergency fodder to 6553 farmers in Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati and Ngaka Modiri Molema Districts.

One thousand three hundred and forty-two tons of fodder was distributed across 43 villages within the two districts at the cost of R7.2 million during the 3rd quarter of the past financial year.

The districts were the hardest hit as the province has experienced below normal rainfall for the past twelve months with nine dam levels ranging from moderately dry to extremely dry.

Extremely hot temperatures are forecasted during autumn, which will aggravate the drought conditions currently experienced in the province, the effects of which will be predominant during winter and spring.
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The situation at Lonmin Platinum Mine calls for management and labour to negotiate and engage each other in good faith to find win-win solutions instead of screaming threats at each other, North West Premier Thandi Modise said on Thursday.

“While AMCU’s strike action threat is not helpful, Management should make an effort to rebuild trust to ensure that the negotiation process is not confrontational but is aimed at resolving disputes as speedily as possible. Strong arm tactics, divide and rule and violence should not characterise negotiations in the mining sector,” stressed Premier Modise.

The Premier said that the provincial government is encouraged by NUM’s call for peace, stability and worker unity.

Modise had earlier in the week condemned violent conflict that has claimed the lives of about six people around the mines and called for the parties to denounce violence and commit themselves to peaceful coexistence at Lonmin and other mines around Rustenburg.
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Following two cancelled flights, a bumpy road trip to Yaoundé and missing one day’s training session, Bafana Bafana have vowed to put the setback behind and focus on the task at hand.

The Senior National Team takes on the Central African Republic (CAR) in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying match to be played on Saturday, 8 June 2013 at Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo.

Kick-off is at 15h00 local time in Yaoundé (16h00 SA time).

Slovakia-based defender Ricardo Nunes who was recalled and played a major role in the 2-0 win over Lesotho, will fill in the gap left by injured Tsepo Masilela. Nunes said he was happy to be back in the mix of the national set up.

“It was good to return to the national team after such a long time. The Lesotho game was a good match and a very good feeling for me,” said Nunes.

“For now, we want to put the recent (travelling) events behind us. We do not want to think about them at all. It was a horrible trip but it is done and dusted and we are now focussing on what we have to do here in Yaoundé.”

Nunes was not part of the squad that beat CAR in March in Cape Town but knows what to expect.

“I saw the highlights of the match; we created a lot of chances and should have won by a bigger margin. They also showed some glimpse of brilliance, so we have to very cautious in our approach, but with the quality of the players in the squad, I am very confident that we can get a positive result on Saturday. It will be very hard but we have to believe in ourselves,” added the Bafana Bafana left back.

“This is a very important match for us if we want to realise our dreams of going to the World Cup in Brazil. The good thing is that it is in our hands and we have to make it happen. In our minds, there is nothing on offer other than victory.”

Bafana Bafana will have their last training session at the match venue on Friday, 7 June in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, match officials for this match will be from Ghana.

The match officials are:

Referee: AGBOVU William Selorm (Ghana)

Ass Ref 1: SALIFU Malik Alidu (Ghana)

Ass Ref 2: LARYEA David (Ghana)

4 th Official: NUNOO Thomas Micah (Ghana)

Match Commissioner: MBOMBO SEIDOU Njoya (Cameroon)
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Farmers in the central part of the North West have suffered losses amounting to almost R2bn due to the prevailing drought conditions, Beeld reported on Thursday.

In the western part of the province, farmers were even worse off, Agri North West CEO Boeta du Toit, said.

“As the harvest comes in, it’s becoming obvious that our farmers are even worse off than we previously thought. In the central part of the province, farmers have lost more than 50% of their maize crop.”

Du Toit said damage to the province’s sunflower crop was about the same, and in the western parts, many livestock farmers had been forced to reduce their herds at lower prices.

“In addition to the situation with poor or no crops, farmers’ input costs over the past year increased by 19%, not including the more than 50% increase in the minimum wages of farm workers.

“Most towns in rural areas depend on agriculture – it’s the largest generator of jobs in those areas,” he said. 

SAPA

A thousand youth volunteers from across the North West Province are to give disability centres a makeover. The cleaning and painting of Ikalafeng and Folang Disability centres is part of the Proud to Serve Youth Campaign to be launched in Kanana Township outside Klerksdorp in the North West Province today.

In appreciating the enthusiasm of the youth involved in the Proud to Serve Youth campaign 

led by the Youth Development Support in the Office of Premier and the National Youth Development Agency, Premier Thandi Modise has called the campaign it to be sustained as it affords youth with the opportunity to emulate patriotic and historic sacrifices of the 1976 youth generation.

The Campaign is part of the June Month programme aimed at promoting good citizenship and social cohesion amongst young people.

The programme is also aimed at acknowledging youth contribution in the transformation of South Africa, highlighting programmes for youth development in the province, educating youth about the history of the country and communicating government strategies on promoting youth development.

The programme for the day includes a memorial lecture by the Planning Commissioner in the Office of the Premier, Darkey Africa on the role of the National Development Plan in addressing youth unemployment will be held as at the City of Matlosana Municipality Auditorium in Klerksdorp as from 5:00-6:00pm 

 The Provincial event to celebrate Youth Month 2013 under the theme:“ Working together for youth development and drug free South Africa” 

to mark the 37

th Anniversary of June 16 Soweto uprisings is to be held at the Mmabatho Stadium in Mahikeng next week on Saturday the15th.

Two officials involved in the capture of nine elephants in Tosca near Vryburg have been placed on precautionary suspension, the North West provincial government said.

Spokesman Lesiba Moses Kgwele said an independent investigation commissioned by conservation and tourism MEC Motlalepula Rosho had recommended that the officials be charged for violating norms and standards outlined in the National Environmental Management Act, when they allowed hunting of adult elephants that had calves.

“The two allegedly captured the elephants on March 12. Four elephant calves were taken to the Eastern Cape. Two of the elephants were culled during the process,” said Kgwele.

One elephant was unaccounted for and two had been hunted.

He said Rosho also announced the withdrawal of the permit issued for exporting elephants to the Eastern Cape.

“In terms of the position adopted by Rosho’s department, the calves which were translocated have to be returned, as arrangements have been made for them to be placed with adoptive parents in Limpopo.”

Kgwele said hunting permits for big protected species in North West would no longer be issued in regions but at a centralised point.

A provincial committee would be mandated to issue all environmental-related permits.

This was to curb illegal hunting in the province.

He said application for hunting would still be received at regions but issued by the provincial committee.

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Bloemfontein – A school teacher has been suspended for alleged racism and displaying offensive material, including the old South African flag, in his classroom.

According to a report via ENCA, the South African Human Rights Commission and the Free State education department were investigating the claims.

It comes after two white pupils told their father how a teacher allegedly abused their black classmates.

A visit from the Education Department brought a Wilgehof Primary School teacher’s day to an abrupt end.

Howard Ndaba of the education department said: “We have suspended the teacher, with immediate effect. This is to allow the process of the investigation to take place without any impediment.”

The SAHRC said pupils were warned not to talk to investigators if the principal wasn’t present, forcing the commission to conduct one-on-one interviews with affected children.

Both the department and the commission hope to conclude their investigations in the coming weeks.

The school principal has declined to comment.