The R29 million spend by municipalities across the North West Province on consultants to assist them in preparing financial statements for audit is not commensurate with 

 minimal improvement that they have registered during the 2011-2012 financial audits, Premier Thandi Modise observed on Monday.

Although Premier Modise noted that all audits including prior year backlog have been cleared from the briefing on audit outcomes that she received from Liquath Ally, Business Executive of the Auditor General SA, the Premier shared the Auditor General’s concern that municipalities are not taking action against those responsible for poor performance and transgressions.In commenting intervention and support to municipalities by Provincial Treasury and the Department of Local Government & Traditional Affairs that have resulted in 100% submission of financial statements for audit, the Premier added that skills transfer should take place to build capacity within municipalities whenever consultants are employed.

“Municipalities should crack the whip on non-performers because pervasive root causes for poor audit outcomes such as loss of documents and deviations from supply chain management processes are recurrent. It therefore cannot be business as usual. They need to take bold steps to fill critical vacancies and employ skilled and competent senior managers in to accelerate and deliver quality services to our people” Modise emphasised.

According to the report, only five municipalities in the province received unqualified audit reports,

Meanwhile, the provincial government last week resolved to invoke Section 139(1) (b) interventions in Ditsobotla, Matlosana and Maquassi Hills as part of its local government turnaround strategy aimed at strengthening their administrative capacity improve their financial stability.

Cape Town – A Norwegian exchange student was raped and her boyfriend tied up by two armed men on Signal Hill early on Saturday, police confirmed on Monday night on enquiry from the Cape Times.

The sixth attack this year on the Table Mountain range, it led to a call from the mountain safety lobby group Table Mountain Watch for police to alert the public so people could be aware of danger.

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Two of the five elephants that escaped from Sandhurst farm in Bray, North West, to neighbouring Botswana boundaries, have been returned to the farm to be hunted.

The department of economic development environment, conservation and tourism said permission was obtained by an import permit from the Eastern Cape issuing authority for the removal of calves to the Elephants of Eden destination in the province to allow hunting for the two adult elephants.

Three elephants have already been hunted following the permit application. The department was in constant communication with the farm owner to implement elephant management measures to avoid future escapes in line with the provisions of the National Norms and Standards for the Management of Elephants.

The National Norms and Standards emphasises biodiversity, ecosystems and species conservation through health and conservation principles.

“South Africa, like many other elephant range states is faced with major challenges regarding habitat availability for elephants. It checks whether there is overpopulation on state land or loss of interest to continue keeping them on private land by private landowners,” a statement from the department said.

According to the department spokesperson, Dumisa Seshabela, the province has since 2008 been engaged with various elephant owners regarding elephant management in the province, including the requirements of management plans in line with the National Norms and Standards for the management of elephants in the country.

“The first declined application to hunt elephants on Sandhurst Safaris was in 2009. The landowner instituted an application before the high court of the North West and the court ruled against the department.

“Subsequently, with current regulatory provisions, the landowners at Sandhurst Safaris opted to convert their land to other land use practices that excluded keeping elephants.

“Finding no solace from the department to remove all elephants from the farm due to lack of management plans as required, the landowners went ahead and subdivided the property without informing the department, leaving inadequate space for elephants,” Seshabela said.

Last week the DA in North West called for an independent investigation into what the party believes was illegal killing of elephants at Sandhurst Safaris in Bray, outside Vryburg.

This comes after the provincial economic development and environment department issued five hunting permits for adult elephants at the farm and approved the transfer of four calves to Elephants of Eden resort in the Eastern Cape. The DA said the killing of the jumbos and the transportation of the orphaned calves was done in contravention of environmental regulations.

For more http://www.thenewage.co.za

Rifleman Karabo Edwin Matsheka was celebrated during his funeral with shouts at a military state funeral service held at the Barolong Boo-Ratshidi tribal court in Mahikeng on Saturday.

Paying tribute to and saluting the 28-year-old late Matsheka, who was buried in an exclusive cemetery alongside the Barolong Boo-Ratshidi chiefs, Premier Thandi Modise urged poets, singers, writers and dancers to ensure that the deceased’s name was upheld by future generations.

Modise said Matsheka’s name and those of the 12 other SANDF members of the 44th Parachute Battalion, who died in the Central African Republic (CAR), would forever be engraved in the hearts of South Africans as protectors and defenders of peace, stability and democracy not only in their country but across the continent.

“South Africa has never wanted to be a ‘big brother’ on the African continent.

“As a pioneer for the construction of the Organisation of African Unity into the African Union however, we owe it to the continent to work towards the creation of peace, stability and plant seeds of development in the mother continent as it began in most African countries during the years of humiliation and oppression,” the premier said.

Maj-Gen Titus Matlakeng said the SANDF would pursue the services of the fallen heroes.

“Their lives speak for the strength, dignity and decency of those who served and that is how they will be remembered.

“Let us draw strength and courage in the wake of the loss and sacrifice in the line of duty and grieve the loss of our colleagues, compatriots and friends while celebrating their lives in the service of the South African nation,” Matlakeng said.

Matsheka’s cousin, Keresepe Moncho said his cousin was a man of discipline and would be remembered by his family for his reserved stature.

Matsheka is survived by his 95-year-old grandmother, 44-year-old mother, his fiancée and a three-year-old son.

The South African Football Association (SAFA) has noted with concern reports from certain sections of the media that it is dictating to the government issues related to the impending independent judicial commission of enquiry into match fixing.

For the record, in the meeting held on Friday, 5 April 2013 at the Home of FIFA in Zurich, Switzerland, attended by FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke, SAFA President Kirsten Nematandani and Minister of Sports and Recreation SA, Honourable Fikile Mbalula, the three parties reached a concrete conclusion to set up an independent judicial commission of enquiry.

According to the agreement by the three parties, ‘the mandate of this judicial investigation will be limited to matters related to the case of irregularities related to friendly matches of SAFA in the build-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup’ 

(click here for Friday, 5 April 2013 FIFA match-fixing media release).

In the same meeting, ”FIFA also proposed that the judicial body of the FIFA Ethics Committee, represented by its independent Chairman Michael J Garcia, should be part of this special commission. This proposal is backed by SAFA as well as the Minister of Sports but is subject to constitutional approval by the government”.

It is therefore disturbing, malicious and inaccurate to see certain reports insinuating that SAFA is dictating to the government with regards to the scope of the imminent independent judicial commission of enquiry.

What the SAFA NEC did in its meeting on Saturday, 6 April 2013 was merely to ratify the accord reached in Zurich without making any amendments to that agreement.

“We as SAFA are highly disturbed by some members of the media who seem intent on pushing certain agendas. As gatekeepers of society, we expect journalists to be objective and non partisan,” said SAFA President Kirsten Nematandani.

By Obakeng Maje

Taung- North West police arrested a 23 year-old man in connection with robbery and theft.

Police said a man was sleeping in his house in Maphoitsile when he heard his window thumped.

He ran for his life when he was allegedly confronted by two suspects.

“Two suspects allegedly forcefully entered a house in Maphoitsile, near Taung and found a man asleep” captain Adele Myburgh said.

The suspects allegedly stole TV set, blankets and other house belongings including groceries said police.

“A victim return to his house the following day(today) and found his house belongings stolen” Myburgh said.

The police arrested a 23 year-old man after he was traced. 

The house belongings were allegedly found in his possession.

He will appear at Taung Magistrate Court soon and police investigations continue.

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Durban – More than 6 000 junior and senior police officers in KwaZulu-Natal do not have driving licences.

Provincial statistics show that 2 896 constables, 614 sergeants, 2 896 warrant officers, 888 captains, 256 lieutenant colonels and 103 colonels were not licensed drivers.

In reply to a parliamentary question by DA MP Dianne Kohler Barnard, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said 16 584 police officers nationally did not have licences.

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Gauteng Government is training people for free,for a 4years Diploma in General Nursing(Psychia­try,Community) and Midwifery with Universityy of Witwatersrand (UJ),students will be paid a stipend of +-R5000 per month and qualify for any other Government employees benefits like medical aid,etc.All you need to do is make atleast 3 certified copies of all your qualifications.­Matric is a prerequisite.Ma­ke certified copies of all certificates after matric even if irrelevant to nursing,id copies,marriage­ certificate if married and take them to The Department of Labour in town(JHB) to apply.If still in matric,take your certified copies of Grade 11 report and ID copies to the Gauteng Government Colleges which are Chris Hani Baragwanath Nursing College at Soweto,Diepkloo­f,SG Lourens Nursing College at Pretoria (at HF Hospital),Ann Latsky Nursing College at Auckland Park,Johannesbu­rg.

closing date is this Friday 12/April/2013 @ 12 noon

Visit your nearest department of labour: https://­www.labour.gov.z­a/

Free State – “I worship the ground Madiba walks on – why would I wish him dead?” This is the question asked by Professor Jonathan Jansen, rector of the University of the Free State, reacting to a report in Beeld on Monday quoting him as saying he wishes Nelson Mandela would die.

“Do you honestly think I would say something like this, knowing my deep admiration for the man?” he asked.

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