North West Premier Thandi Modise has ahead of the announcement of the provincial matric results appealed for learners who had written their matric in 2013 to be given support irrespective of the results they would have obtained.

“We wish those who have passed all of the best in their career choices and those who did not make it not to give up. Our youth is our future in whom we have invested our hope and aspirations. We believe in them to overcome their anxiety, hurdles and to seize opportunities availed for them to pursue further studies as they focus on a future that is ahead of them,” said Premier Modise.

The Premier is scheduled to deliver the keynote address and co-officiate with the MEC for Education and Training, Wendy Matsemela at the official announcement of to be held at the Royal Ballroom South Conference Hall at Sun City at 10:00 am tomorrow 7 January 2013.-TDN

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Bafana Bafana will have a full complement of players when they have their training session this afternoon (Monday, 6 January 2014) at the Santos training field in Landsdowne starting at 16h00.

This comes after the arrival of four Kaizer Chiefs players as well as Moeneeb Josephs from Bidvest Wits.

The quartet – Itumeleng Khune, Bernard Parker, Siphiwe Tshabalala and Tefu Mashamaite – and Josephs are currently undergoing medicals in Cape Town as required by the tournament.

Head coach Gordon Igesund is still contemplating a replacement for the injured Tsepo Masilela from Chiefs, who has since been withdrawn from the squad.-TDN
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By Obakeng Maje
Mahikeng-Premier Thandi Modise’s excuses for buying a R1.3 million BMW 750i is a slap in the face for the people of North West, says DA Chris Hattingh.

Three months ago, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan promised South Africans that government would spend less on wasteful and luxurious items like expensive cars and alcohol.

“Premier Modise simply ignored the new policy and bought herself the most expensive car she could find. Her excuse that the car had been ordered before Minister Gordhan’s announcement is complete nonsense.
All it would have taken to cancel the order is one phone call to the dealer in Mahikeng. Instead, Premier Modise went through with it, even after the Treasury suggested a more affordable BMW 530 instead” Hattingh said.

According to DA politicians in President Zuma’s ANC always go for the most expensive and luxurious option at the tax payers’ expense and it must stop.

“This waste cannot continue while people live in poverty without proper service delivery. The Premier must appear before the North West Provincial Public Accounts Committee to explain her decision to buy the car” concludes Chris Hattingh.-TDN
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Mahikeng-The vehicle purchased for North West Premier Thandi Modise was not acquired in defiance to a cabinet directive as alleged in an article published on the front page of The Sunday Times of Sunday 5 January 2013 under the headline,“ Premier cocks snook at Pravin’s cost cutting on cars,” the Office of the Premier retorted on Monday.  

Kgwele said in dismissing the article as not only disingenuous, but a mischievous piece that is aimed at tarnishing the image of the Premier as part of a cheap political ploy, the Office of the Premier said that the allegations are not only absurd but malicious because the vehicle was already on order when the Minister of Finance announced austerity plans in his the mid-term budget speech delivered on the 23 October 2013.

The said vehicle was not purchased on the Premier’s instruction as the article suggests.

“The decision to purchase the BMW 750i that cost R1,3 million was taken by the Provincial Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport and was below the 70% limit prescribed by the ministerial handbook as the official vehicle that was used by the Premier’s predecessor had exceeded the maximum 120 000 kilometers it had to travel and experienced constant mechanical breakdowns that compromised the security of the Premier” said Kgwele.

Premier had for the past four months used the official vehicle allocated to the MEC for Public Works, Roads and Transport and had not put MEC Raymond Elisha and any official under pressure for the ordered vehicle to be delivered.

“We wish to dismiss with the contempt that it deserves the suggestion by Democratic Alliance Provincial leader Chris Hattingh that officials were put under pressure to deliver the vehicle before the Premier’s birthday on the 25 December” said Kgwele.

Kgwele said although Premier Modise was not well and did not enjoy much of her birthday and Christmas festivities, she would have found better things to do than celebrate her birthday in a state vehicle.

“Hattingh is clutching at straws in his usual theatrics and political opportunism because it is common knowledge that the vehicle could not have been delivered by the 12 December if it was ordered after the 23 October 2013”.

The paper and Hattingh’ disappointment is that no additional extras were ordered with the vehicle which was ordered through the national treasury contract hence no mention this is made of this in the article, says Kgwele.

“We challenge Hattingh to prove allegations of extravagant expenditure by Premier Modise which are unfounded and a figment of his imagination aimed at discrediting her track record of clean governance, fighting greed and corruption” Premier spokesperson Lesiba Kgwele said.

Kgwele said the statement that Premier Modise was one of group of ANC leaders that unsuccessfully campaigned for the current political leadership to be ousted when she accepted nomination towards the Mangaung conference raises the question whether the Sunday Times understands ANC internal democratic processes.

“It also raises the question as to whether the paper is part of those in the media who are pursuing an agenda to project the ruling party as a weak and divided ahead of elections” concludes Kgwele.-TDN

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(Edited By Obakeng Maje)