By Obakeng Maje

Mahikeng-North West woman appeared before Mmabatho Magistrate Court for alleged theft,corruption and fraud.

Dineo Molete was arrested a month ago after she allegedly stole Absa client’s money under false pretext.

Police said Molete was masquerading as a Absa Bank employee.

“She was allegedly wearing a t-shirt depicted with Absa Bank logo. Molete allegedly targeted clients who were doing bulk depositing” police said.

She allegedly took one of the client to “her” office pretending to help him with transaction.

“Molete allegedly left the client in the office and took the money with her. After sometime the victim suspects something was wrong after Molete failed to return” said police.

A man ran outside the bank and noticed his alleged robber.

He chased her and grabbed her, where he found his cash in Molete’s possession.

She was subsequently arrested and according to preliminary investigations, Molete has pending fraud and corruption cases leveled against her in Gaunteng province.

The case was postponed yesterday to next week and she was remanded in custody.

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By Obakeng Maje

Mahikeng-Two mob justice murder accused remanded in jail by Kagisano-Molopo today.

Sopasa and Itumeleng Molefe, believed to be ring leaders appeared briefly before Mmabatho Magistrate Court for alleged murder of Boikie Molefe.

Molefe was allegedly murder by mob justice in Mahikeng.

Other six people were arrested and were subsequently granted bail of R1000 each.

Thw case will resume back in court on 23 July 2013 for formal bail application.

Boikie Molefe was allegedly stoned to death after he stabbed his girlfriend to death and was chased by community members.

“They allegedly held him and dragged him back to the crime scen where he was killed” North West police said.

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FIFA President Sepp Blatter has sent his condolences to the South African Football Association (SAFA) following the passing away of nine players in a car accident in the Eastern Cape on Sunday, 7 July 2013.

All the players are from the Inkwanca Local Football Association (LFA) in the Chris Hani region. Five of the players were laid to rest over the last weekend in Queenstown while the remaining four will be buried this coming weekend. 

“I would like to express my deepest condolences on hearing of the tragic accident that claimed the lives of nine amateur players travelling back from a game in Queenstown last week. It is so sad that the players should lose their lives at such a young age and whilst taking part in the game they love, football,” read part of the statement from President Blatter to SAFA President Kirsten Nematandani.

“On behalf of FIFA and the worldwide football community, I wish to extend our deepest sympathies to the players’ families, friends and loved ones. We would hope that, in some way, these words of support may help bring a little bit of peace and solace in this time of sadness,” concluded the statement.

The four players who will be laid to rest on Saturday, 20 July are Xola Ngema, Welile Mbhuti, Mpumezo Ntamehlo and Thembinkosi Bushula.

Anele Ntenetyana, Mzwandile Kovi, Justice April and Sakhile Mjonto were buried last Saturday, 13 July, while Abongile Msweli was laid to rest on Sunday, 14 July.

The bail application of nine police officers implicated in the death of Daveyton taxi driver Mido Macia was postponed by the Benoni Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

The court heard that alternative addresses for the accused still needed to be verified.

The matter was postponed to July 30.

Macia was filmed being tied to the back of a police van and dragged along a street in Daveyton on February 26.

Police had confronted him because his taxi was apparently blocking traffic. A scuffle ensued. He was found dead in the local police station’s holding cells several hours later.

The accused are Thamsanqa Ncema, 35, Linda Sololo, 56, Meshack Malele, 45, Motome Walter Ramatlou, 37, Percy Mnisi, 26, Bongumusa Mdluli, 25, Sipho Ngobeni, 30, Lungisa Ewababa, 31, and Bongani Kolisi, 27.

-Sapa

By Obakeng Maje

Tlokwe-The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula recently flew into Tlokwe on a South African Air Force helicopter to receive a memorandum from the South African National Civil Organisation (Sanco) and ANC members relating to party problems in the North West.

On Friday, Sanco and the ANC demanded that a memorandum calling for action against the former mayor of Tlokwe, Maphetle Maphetle be received by President Jacob Zuma. Instead, the Minister of Defence was sent and she arrived in Tlokwe on a South African Air Force helicopter.

“This trip was specifically to deal with ANC infighting and had nothing to do with the Department of Defence” Democratic Alliance Chris Hattingh said.

DA said The Minister’s use of a military helicopter for a party political engagement is an abuse of state resources and it also contradicts the Ministerial Handbook. 

According to the Ministerial Handbook:

“Air transport provided by the South African Air Force, or any other government department, may not be used by Members for party political engagements, unless such transport enables the Member concerned to fulfil important official engagements before or after the party political engagements” Hattingh said.

The DA will therefore be submitting parliamentary questions to determine the following:

•Whether the Minister had any official engagement before or after the party political engagement;• Whether the flight was approved by the Secretary of Defence, Dr Sam Gulube;• The total cost of this trip; and• Whether the South African Air Force has been used for any other party political engagements.  

The Minister must not treat the South African Air Force as the ANC’s own airborne taxi service.

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Johannesburg – A policewoman has been shot dead outside her home in J-Section, Umlazi, near Durban, KwaZulu-Natal police said on Tuesday.

Constable Gugulathu Ximba, 33, was fatally wounded in her car when she arrived home on Monday evening, Colonel Jay Naicker said.

“She was shot four times and sustained two gunshot wounds to her neck, chest and right arm.”

She was taken to hospital, but was declared dead on arrival.

Firearm stolen

Ximba was part of the Durban port security services. Her firearm was stolen during the attack.

KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni said: “I want to express my sincere condolences to the family and assure them that we will do everything within our control to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book”.

The Hawks would handle the investigation.

Captain Paul Ramaloko of the Hawks said no arrests had been made by 11:00 on Tuesday.

SAPA

North West Premier Thandi Modise has challenged young farmers to reclaim their space in the agriculture sector, saying they must open their horizon and dream big about agriculture. Premier Modise made the call on the first day of the three-day Provincial Youth Development Symposium that commenced in Mahikeng yesterday.

“You must know that when you are in this sector, you are in a scientific world, and must therefore take the lead in agricultural research and production. Never be afraid to be adventurous”, highlighted Premier Modise.

More than two hundred young farmers attending the symposium maintain that as a food basket of the country, the North West Province’s landmark must be agriculture.Young farmers expressed their willingness to innovate and take agriculture to the next level, by committing themselves to looking at diversified farming.

“It is the youth’s target to portray agriculture as a firm base for economic development, and through this symposium, the potential benefits of youth entrepreneurship would be stimulated”, said BAYOFA Chief Executive Officer Mr Poiho Ramotlatsi.

Representatives from agriculture institutions such as Productivity SA, NewStart Eco-Garden, Industrial Development Corporation and commercial banks, shared information with the youth about productivity trends in the agricultural sector, the organic way of production and how to access funding for their projects.    

The objectives of the symposium are amongst others, to showcase the agricultural potential, to promote the importance of agricultural entrepreneurship among the youth, examine the importance of self-employment, assess the current status of youth-run enterprises and identify challenges faced by the youth entrepreneurs.

Outlining the expectation about the symposium, the MEC for Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Desbo Mohono, said the youth must come up with legacy youth development projects, as some of the tangible outcomes of this symposium. 

The theme for the symposium organised by the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in collaboration with Black African Young Farmers (BAYOFA), Youth in Agriculture and Rural Development (YARD) as well as the North West University-Mahikeng campus is “

Fostering the next generation of Agriculturalists for sustainable development”.

North West Department of Health employees will celebrate Nelson Mandela day on 18 July 2013, with various activities in hospitals, clinics and old age home to mark world renowned unifier’s 95 birthday. 

“The Health Promotion and Oral Heal Team will dedicate their 67 minutes of goodwill to elderly people at Lapa La Bohle, old age home in Lonely Park near Mafikeng while administrative staff will read for kids, clean, paint and help feed patients at various hospitals across the province” departmental spokesperson Tebogo Lekgethwane said.

MEC Dr. Magome Masike will join teams at Witrandjie and Phalane clinics near Mogwase within the Moses Kotane Municipality. 

“At Witrandjie Clinic the team will replace doors, windows, paint entire clinic both in and outside including ceiling, patch cracks in the waiting area and consulting rooms, and replace bulbs and porch ceiling” MEC Magome Masike said. 

The team at Phalane Clinic will paint the entire clinic including the roof.

The resolve to channel energy at Witrandjie clinic this Mandela Day follows MEC Masike’s visit to various clinics in the province to assess the conditions in which people receive healthcare and conditions in which nurses work on. 

Masike was not impressed by conditions on some of clinics visited and demanded that they be attended immediately. 

To date various clinics received a facelift while others are being constructed as they are beyond the state of refurbishing.   

“We want our nurses to be productive and the best way of getting them to be productive is to improve their working conditions” MEC Magome Masike said.

“Our facilities must reflect a healthy environment and they must be seen from outside as places of healing,” MEC Masike said.

The department is vigorously channelling energy towards improving Primary Health Care. This will improve conditions of primary health care facilities with maintenance backlog and provide accommodation for health professionals at health facilities in rural areas, Masike said.

(Edited by Obakeng Maje)

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The Office of the Premier has vehemently dismissed media reports that Premier Thandi Modise will be recalled as malicious and baseless.

It was earlier reported in the media that the Premier will be recalled.

The Office of the Premier would like to put on record that there is absolutely no truth to the allegation.  The rumours are completely unfounded and can only be entertained by those who want to divert the Premier’s attention from focusing on faster delivery and intensifying the fight against corruption and maladministration.

Premier Modise has been steadfast in cleaning out the province of corruption and maladministration and it is therefore possible that the allegations are being spread by those people who are involved in corrupt activities.

The rumours come as no surprise as it has always been clear that there are people who are hell-bend in discrediting the premier to thwart her effort to rid the province of corruption and ensure that the provincial administration was transparent, efficient and delivers to the people of the North West province.

Early this year Premier Modise’s office expressed a concern at a corruption syndicate that is committed to discredit the premier in order to divert attention from its corrupt activities.

But the Premier is not deterred by the rumour as her record of turning around the situation and bringing about an efficient and transparent government speaks for itself.

Royal families and parties that had lodged traditional leadership disputes and claims are to be briefed before a public pronouncement is issued on the outcome of finalised investigations, North West Premier Thandi Modise and the Provincial Committee on Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims agreed in Mahikeng on Monday.

Premier Modise said that the approach is in keeping with protocol and respect for the institution of traditional leadership which is the custodian of tradition and culture.

Though the Premier 

had up to 60 days to study the Bahurutshe Ba-Moiloa Boo Ramotshere Chieftaincy Dispute report she received last week Friday, she has applied her mind to 

the findings and recommendations of the committee and will be issuing a recognition certificate to the successor to the late Kgosi Monnaamere J Godfrey Moiloa 

and rightful heir to the chieftaincy.The outcome of the Bahurutshe Ba-Moiloa Boo Ramotshere chieftaincy dispute investigation will be among those to be announced next week Tuesday. The dispute was on the request of the Premier Modise prioritised by the Provincial Committee for urgent finalisation.  The Commission for Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims was established in terms of the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act 41 of 2003 to restore the dignity and integrity of traditional communities and the entire institution of traditional leadership across the country.