Johannesburg – The ANCYL and the YCLSA will form a human chain around Luthuli House on Wednesday ahead of a march by the Democratic Alliance for “real jobs”.

“[We] regard the planned DA march to the ANC headquarters as an act of provocation,” said Mzwandile Masina, national convenor of the African National Congress Youth League. “[The] ANCYL… will be out in full force to form a human chain and defend Luthuli House.”

The Young Communist League of SA said the ANC had done a lot in the past 20 years to better the lives of South Africans.

The DA said it would march for “real” jobs. It initially planned to march to Luthuli House but it was thwarted by metro police.

The party would instead march to Beyers Naude Square, a block away from Luthuli House.

In a statement on Tuesday, Arendse said the DA had repeatedly said it would hold a peaceful march in downtown Johannesburg.

“Any security precautions we are taking are defensive, not offensive.

“These precautions are based on a responsible assessment of the risk to our own members and activists,” he said.

“We are all too mindful of the inability of the SA Police Service and the Johannesburg metro police department to protect our members.”

The ANC filed an urgent application in the South Gauteng High Court for a protection order against the DA. It lost the application.
– SAPA

In an effort to encourage learners to perform with excellence and to assess the schools readiness for the start the new academic year, MEC for Finance, Paul Sebegoe, visited schools in Madikwe where he was deployed for back to school campaign. This was to ensure that learning and teaching takes place on the first day of the schools calendar year and that no time is lost.

Sebegoe shared a word of encouragement with the learners in Thebeyatlhajwa Secondary School in Koffiekraal and told them that the class of 2013 has raised the bar for them in terms of matric pass rate and they have to ensure that they put everything in their studies to surpass the current provincial pass rate.

He encouraged particularly the matriculants to work harder and emulate the 2013 class, which exceeded the target percentage set by the provincial education department. North West is the second best performing province after Free State.

“You are in the spotlight currently and a lot of pressure will be placed on you, from the society at large, family members and the school itself, so start planning now to avoid finding yourselves falling in the trap of being anxious and not able to give much attention to your studies” he said.

Thebeyatlhajwa Secondary School obtained a pass rate of 92% in 2013, an improvement of 5% pass from 2012. Learners were urged to work hard and achieve a 100% pass rate which can be accomplished with much discipline and dedication from both learners and educators.

He emphasized the importance of prioritizing one’s school work in order to start developing your career, “be interested in what you want to achieve and be passionate about your dreams.”
He said although North West is predominantly rural, the level of commitment displayed by the class of 2013 showed that you do not necessarily have to be in urban areas to achieve great things.

“Do not find yourself doing things out of compliance reasons, but let it be a matter of passion for learning and wanting to make something of yourself,” he said.

“In producing good results at the end of the year, your chances of receiving a bursary to further your studies are much higher, that will result in a much brighter future for yourself. It all starts with you and much dedication.” said MEC.

Sebegoe told them that the provincial government will do everything in its power to ensure that 2014 becomes yet another year to be proud of in terms of supporting learners and teachers to produce the best result at the end of the yeAR.-TDN
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The North West Provincial Government has noted with dismay a media article published in The New Age of Tuesday 21 January 2014 that suggested that teaching and learning were interrupted as school children in some schools around Zeerust were allegedly being sent home as an alleged ploy to highlight water shortages in the area.

It is especially disappointing that this iniquitous action comes just days after the Office of the Premier had publicly announced over R2 billion reprioritised project intervention implementation plan to address water challenges in all areas experiencing water challenges across the province and a memorandum of understanding was signed off by Premier Modise and Minister of Water Affairs and Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa.

It is not only irresponsible but also unlawful to use children in this manner, it absolutely against the Children’s Act. Our children are not inanimate objects.

The provincial government sympathises with the plight of communities facing water shortage particularly in the heat wave being experienced across most parts of our province and has raised the matter with Ngaka Modiri Molema District as the Water Service Authority which has since met with School Governing Bodies and extended water supply to schools and clinics in the area.

A direct engagement with the Water Service Authority instead of resorting to exploitation of children would have averted the inconvenience of interruption to learning and teaching.

It is not justifiable for any individual, institution or organization to use children to advance their cause. The welfare of children and their education should be placed above all other interests.

Using children in any form of protest or to advance narrow political agendas is not only immoral but also tantamount to abuse, which is against the Constitution and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.-TDN
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North West Premier Thandi Modise is saddened by the deaths of seven people who drowned due to flooding as a result of the heavy rains experienced in Dr Ruth Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District.

“We wish to convey our condolences to the families that have lost their loved ones in these tragic incidents and also wish the 97 who were injured when their mud houses collapsed across the province a speedy recovery. Our hearts and prayers are with the three families who are still waiting for the bodies of their loved ones to be recovered,” Premier Modise said.

Modise said that those displaced after their mud houses collapsed will be considered for social emergency housing and those in need will be assisted to access social relief of distress grants after Social workers and SASSA officials have concluded needs assessments.

The District Disaster Management Centre is distributing blankets, food parcels, cottage tents and arranging temporary shelter to those who are displaced. Four bridges are reported to have been washed away affecting about 26 villages.

BonaBona, Morokwenf and Pomfret were inaccessible on Friday due to flooding.

A joint Operating Centre has been activated to operate 24 hours.

The Premier has called on members of the public to exercise extreme caution when they cross flooding rivers and streams and for those in low lying areas to take precautionary measures and to keep authorities informed of threatening conditions for early intervention.

Emergency relief efforts are being coordinated to support over 700 families affected by flooding reported in several areas across the province due to heavy rains experienced over the past few days.-TDN
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The North West Department of Finance is continuing with its annual campaign where it calls on individuals and communities to provide their budget tips before the tabling of the provincial budget.

In order to encourage north west citizens to be active participants in the budgetary process, the MEC for Finance Paul Sebegoe calls on every citizen in the province to send him their budget tips on what key issues they would like the provincial budget to address, that is, where should more funds be allocated in order to improve the quality of life of our citizens.

MEC Sebegoe will table the annual provincial budget at the provincial legislature at a date that will soon be announced. He calls on every citizen of the province to have a voice through the engagement of sending budget tips to the department. MEC Sebegoe is interested in finding out what are the issues that the citizens would like to see addressed by the budget that would be allocated to the province.

“I am encouraging people to take part in the budgetary process by sending through their budget tips that will inform the provincial budget. The tips have in the past helped us a lot as government to allocate resources where they are in great need as well as to address development and service delivery backlogs in parts of our province. This is one way of making ours an inclusive, people driven and participatory democracy that takes
into account the wishes and interests of its citizens. Together we can do more to move towards sustainable development and financial accountability in all our communities South Africa forward”.

The country is celebrating twenty year of democracy and although much has been done to change the lives of our people we believe that a lot more still needs to be done and this can be achieved with the co-operation of the masses of our people.

MEC Sebegoe says although there has been a large influx of budget tips from the public in the past not all of them could be included in the speech and therefore each and every tip received will be most valued and assessed by the officials.-TDN
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North West Premier Thandi Modise is today meeting with the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) and other law enforcement agencies to follow through on implementation of recommendation of investigation reports into maladministration, fraud and corruption.

The meeting is among others also going to deal with referral of new matters that need urgent investigation raised by communities in their engagements with the Premier.

These include payments for incomplete projects, allegations of fraud and corruption that Modise has vowed to uproot in provincial government departments and municipalities.

“It makes a mockery of us to uncover corruption and not see action taken against those implicated. We would want to see properties forfeited to the state as proceeds of crime, every cent recouped and people arrested,” Premier Modise said ahead of the meeting. -TDN
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Zeerust-Driving on the bumpy, sandy and muddy roads of Reagile Village near Zeerust is now a thing of the past. This follows the official opening of paved internal roads in the area recently by North West MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs Manketsi Tlhape, who was accompanied by Mayor for Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality Africa Thale. The roads include a paved road that runs through the village and improved gravel roads.

MEC Tlhape said “We are today witnessing a groundbreaking achievement in the history of the small Reagile village. The residents here can now testify that they have tasted the sweet fruits of 20 years of democracy. We need to develop and deliver services to such communities no matter how small they are. It’s now important that you take care of the roads and don’t destroy them when you are embarking on protest actions”.

“Without proper roads there is no connection with the outside world. These roads will bring good opportunities to this area. Business people will now come to Reagile village, public transport will now access the area with no difficulty and our vehicles will now have a prolonged life because of the good conditions of the roads” said MEC Tlhape.

R8 million rand internal roads project employed 35 young people who attended a one week training course for stone pitching and paving break lying. They were later employed in the project to construct a paved road that runs through the village. Some of them are Letlhogonolo Khunou (21) and Thabo Mokgofa (25). They both say they are happy about the opportunity given to them as well as the skills and the certificate acquired, which according to them will go a long way in changing their lives.-TDN
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Hebron-An intergovernmental team tasked with finding solutions to the development needs of the Kgabalatsane community is to visit the area on Wednesday.

The visit of the task team is a sequel to Premier Thandi Modise’s commitment made when she addressed rioting residents in Kgabalatsane and Hebron on Monday afternoon.

Water provision, land ownership and traditional leadership dispute are some of the issues that were raised with Premier Modise and her entourage for intervention.

Departments of the Office of the Premier, Local Government & Traditional Affairs, Public Works, Roads & Transport, Education, Rural Development & Land Reform and Madibeng Local Muncipality are part of the multi-sectoral task team.

Modise had also made an undertaking that investigations will be conducted on the abandoned mini-sports ground development, swimming pool and non-functional high mast lights projects which were undertaken by Madibeng Local Municipality in Hebron.

The Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport would as per Premier Modise’s undertaking also assess and identify internal access roads that should be graded and regraveled as a short term intervention.

Premier Modise reported that a handover of the site to contractor awarded the access bridge project which had been on tender will be in the next few weeks.

An assessment will also be done by the relevant provincial departments to determine the level of service and the staff requirement for the effective functioning of the clinic in the area.

“Exercise your right to protest within the confines of the law, without destroying private and public property so that your service delivery needs are not misrepresented by violence,” Modise said.

Modise reminded the protestors that the councillor against whom they had raised numerous complaints was elected through a political process led by her political party.

“Complaints against her therefore should be directed to her political party and the Speaker of Council who should ensure adherence to the code of conduct for councillors,” Modise said

The community also agreed that the cleanliness of newly built police station would be regularly monitored by the Provincial Human Settlement -Public Safety & Liaison Department.-TDN
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