Daily Archives: April 29, 2014

Free State, Celtic, Ajax and SS United through to semis of SAFA U19 Champs


Johannesburg-SAFA U19 Championships host province Free State is through to the semi finals of the event after demolishing Northern Cape 4-0 in the last group stage match on Tuesday (29 April).

The competition is taking place at Clive Solomon Stadium in Heidedal.

In the semi-finals Free State will face Ajax Cape Town while Supersport United will take on Bloemfontein Celtic on Wednesday, 30 April.

“Both matches will be played simultaneously at 10h00, with the third place play-off scheduled for 15h30 later in the day” Matlhomola Morake said.

Free State qualified as the best runners-up after being pipped to the top spot by Ajax Cape Town who showed no mercy when they walloped North West Province in a Group C match.

“Ajax won 6-0 to overtake the host province that led the group before the start of the final group stage matches. Both sides ended on seven points but the Cape club went on top on goal difference” Morake said.

Ajax ended the match with 10 men after Dillan Fransch was sent off for dissent in the dying minutes of the match.

Northern Cape and North West finished with a point each.

In Group B Celtic made it to the last four with a 1-0 victory over Mpumalanga. The Free State club finished on nine points, three clear of second-placed KwaZulu Natal.

KZN finished on six points.

Gauteng finished third with three points while Mpumalanga failed to win a single match.

Supersport United beat the Eastern Cape 2-0 to clinch Group A with nine points, three ahead of Western Cape who defeated Limpopo 4-0.

Eastern Cape go home without a win or draw. They also did not score any goal in the tournament. Limpopo managed three points.

A total of 59 goals were scored in 18 matches.
-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Hartswater Ward Councillor Allegedly ‘moered’ By Lover


By Obakeng Maje
Hartswater-Northern Cape police confirm that the Hartswater Ward councillor Dibueng Meza allegedly opened the case of assault and malicious damage to property on Saturday. However the councillor of Ward 5 in Hartswater dropped the matter before it appears before court.

“This office confirms that, on the 26 April 2014 the local councillor
from Hartswater laid a complained of assault and malicious damage to
property after she was became the victim on the mentioned date” lieutenant Olebogeng Tawana said.

Even though Tawana could not share more information in the statement, our mole said the ward councillor was allegedly ‘moered’ by her husband who is a Warrant Officer at the same station.

“She withdrew the case few days after she laid complained
with the police in Hartswater” Tawana said.

According to our mole, the policeman allegedly went beserk and assaulted Meza and damaged her car.

Even though the cause of the fight is sketchy, our source can confirm that Meza dropped the case after negotiations.

Lieutenant Tawana could not confirm the name of the victim nor the suspect. The incident allegedly took place at Meza’s matrimonial house and the case never saw the light of the day after the two burried the hatchet.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

MEC Maloyi to hand over 330 families homes in Mahikeng


Mahikeng-MEC for Human Settlements Public Safety and Liaison Nono Maloyi will on Wednesday hand over about 230 houses to egible beneficiaries in Mahikeng and further handover 100 Community Residential Units to Mahikeng Local Municipality.

“The hand over is part of the continued departmental handing over programme. The programme will cater for legible beneficiaries who have been staying in rural villages of Mahikeng while others have been staying in rented backrooms” departmental spokesperson Ben Bole said.

According to Maloyi the programme is part of the government’s endeavor to restore the dignity of the Mafikeng community, as well as to celebrate the 20 years of democracy.

The handover will be held as follows:

Date: 30 April 2014

Time: 11H00

Venue:Mafikeng ext 39

-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Premier Modise condemns torching of Freedom Park councillor’s house


Rustenburg-North West Premier Thandi Modise has condemned the torching of a councillor’s house in Freedom Park near Rustenburg.

The latest incident that occurred on Sunday night brings to eight the number of houses belonging to councillors and municipal employees torched during violent protests across the province in the past two months.  

Premier Modise said that she is encouraged by Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa’s instruction to police to swiftly arrest those behind the wanton and senseless criminality including looting and torching of public and private properties.

“Those behind the coordinated violent protests to advance their person interests should take responsibility for their irresponsible and despicable actions. Senior leaders fingered in orchestrating the violence cannot hide behind genuine community concerns while sponsoring anarchy. The commitment to oppose bail and stiff sentences for those involved in public violence should send a unequivocal message that lawlessness will not be tolerated anymore,” Modise said.Minister Mthethwa on Monday said that police have profiled those behind the lawlessness and expect to make arrests in the near future.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

‘Taung Tusk turned into Taung Hotel School’


images (3)
By Obakeng Maje
Taung- The North West Department of Economic Development, Environment Conservation and Tourism MEC Motlalepula Rosho will hand-over Taung Tusk to the department to be Taung Hotel School.

The event will take place on Wednesday at Taung Tusk and the department said the Hotel School will train and provide learners with a necessary skill to grow the economy of Taung and North West at large.

The hotel school will fall under the Institute of Hotel and Tourism Management (IHTM) which is a collective name of institutions that provide hospitality, tourism and conservation management and skills training in the North West Province under the auspices of the North West Parks and Tourism Board.

“Our institutions pride themselves in being among the leading institutions in the country that specializes in training future leaders in the sector” the department said.

The North West Parks and Tourism Board is one of the nine provincial tourism and conservation agencies in the country. It is only one of such agencies that have developed facilities to training people in a sector that is the fastest growing industry in the world.

The institutions are THETA Accredited and with Council for Higher Education (CHE) approved programmes offered in collaboration with institutions such as Centurion Academy, the City and Guilds of London etc.

We are in the process of expanding this network of collaboration and affiliation with international organizations and institutions such as, the Birmingham Institute of Tourism, Hospitality and the Creative Arts in the United Kingdom, the Tourism Institute of Singapore and the Hotelfachschule Belvoir Park of Zurich, Switzerland” the department said.

The institutions have over the years steadily gained a reputation as one of few such institutions in country with state of the art facilities.

The Hotel Schools Division (HSD) of the North West Parks and Tourism Board (NWP&TB) consists of two schools: the Institute of Hotel & Tourism Management (IHTM) situated in Mafikeng and Ga-Rankuwa Hotel School (GHS) situated near Pretoria.

Now another Hotel School will be opened in the Greater Taung District of the Province.

The Taung Hotel School was suppose to open its doors to the first group of students back in January 2010.

The HSD operates under the auspices of North West Parks & Tourism Board Act, (Act 3 of 1997) said then plans were on foot for the institutions to function as autonomous institutions. They said this autonomy was supposed to be achieved by January 2010 or shortly thereafter.

Now the department said all plans are in place and the Taung Tusk will be handed over and be known as Taung Hotel School.

The launch was suppose to take place on Tuesday but due to president Jacob Zuma’s visit in the province, the matter was postponed for Wednesday.
“Department has postponed the Launch of the Taung Hotel School which was supposed to take place on 29 April 2014 due to President Jacob Zuma’s visit to the North West Province” departmental spokesperson Dumisa Seshabela said.

The launch has been rescheduled for Wednesday, 30th April 2014 at 10H00.
-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Debunking the Kekana rumour


Johannesburg-Social media is buzzing today with claims that Mamelodi Sundowns will be docked points for allegedly fielding a suspended player, but KickOff.com can confirm that is not the case.

It’s been rumoured for a while now that the Brazilians played Hlompho Kekana when he should have been serving a suspension.

But PSL spokesperson Lux September, while not specifically mentioning Kekana’s name, points KickOff.com to the NSL rules.

“According to article 52, a player is suspended for one match if he accumulates four yellow cards. If he accumulates another four yellow cards, it is another one-match suspension.

“However, if he accumulates 12 yellow cards in a season he will be suspended for three matches.”

It seems the confusion slipped in when people thought eight yellow cards equals a two-match suspension, when in fact it only counts for one match. 

So as it stands Kaizer Chiefs are five points behind Sundowns, who have two games remaining. Chiefs have three matches left, but will need the Brazilians to slip up against either SuperSport United or Maritzburg United.
For more http://www.kickoff.com

North West new-look RDP house launched


The North West has official launched the new look RDP house that will be the common feature of houses to be build in the North West with effect from this year. The house has more features than the previous houses that were built in the province but same in size.

The department launched the house during the recent provincial Govan Mbeki awards held in Phokeng outside Rustenburg.

“The New look house will be 45 square meters, with big windows, phase brick, plastered from inside, with gutters, both and basin inside. According the Departmental MEC Nono Maloyi the new houses will be a common feature in the province as from this financial year. He said that the houses will be of quality and will further enhance the face and the dignity of RDP houses build in the province” departmental spokesperson Ben Bole said.

“We want to make sure that whatever we are building is value for money. This is the first project countrywide, and as always we set the trend. We will continue to ensure quality and the face lift will further give our houses dignity. This will also make our beneficiaries to treasure and take care of the houses we are giving them as government,” said Maloyi.

Also who attended the event was the Minister of Human Settlements Conny September. The minister encouraged contractors to continue to assist government in making sure that deserving beneficiaries are given quality shelter and that their lives are changed for the better.

She said that what government is doing is to make sure that poor people of this country are cared for and that their dignity is restored.

MEC Maloyi called on the winners of different awards to make sure that the North West defends its title of being the number one province in the country in terms of housing delivery. He further encouraged women to work harder and dominate the field previously known to be a male territory.

The best women contractor category was scooped by Sun-Success projects for the 600 houses they build Groot Marico, while the best Community Residential Unit was won by Khenta projects which is also lead by a woman. Agisanang Developers won the best informal settlements eradication category while Tsholetsanang won the best Youth category.

“The winners will represent the province at the national Govan Mbeki awards. The Govan Mbeki  awards are meant to motivate all stakeholders in the Human Settlements space to harness the human and other resources in accelerating delivery. The awards are further set to honor role players in the housing value chain that have committed to partner with government in building sustainable human settlements” Bole said.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_               

Malema thanks ANC for firing him


Johannesburg – Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema is grateful that the ANC expelled him from the party, The Star reported on Tuesday.

Speaking to a crowd in Moloto, Mpumalanga on Monday, he said: “We want to thank the ANC for expelling Julius Malema.

“Without that, we would not have known the true revolution. The ANC only talks about positions… but we speak of true messages. We thank them for expelling us. It was a nice thing,” Malema was quoted as saying.

Malema, who headed the ruling party’s youth league, was expelled in 2012 after he was found guilty of sowing divisions within the party.

He promised the Moloto community that he would deliver on reportedly unfulfilled promises President Jacob Zuma made to them in 2011.

“We spoke about this killer road (while) speaking about the suffering of the people here,” Malema said, referring to the notorious Moloto road.

“Here is the road killing people day in and day out, but nothing is being done.”

He promised to expand the road and construct a railway line which would link Limpopo, Gauteng and Mpumalanga.

“We will introduce a speed train to transport you to Pretoria in less than 30 minutes,” Malema said.

  
– SAPA

“White employer accused of ill-treating workers”


By Obakeng Maje
Zeerust- The Congress of South African Trade Union in the North West province condemns the continued exploitation of workers by Zeerust Metro.

“Since the merging of the previous owners, Cash and Carry, and the current one, Metro Cash and Carry, the workers have been complaining about their future with the current employers.
Workers have been dismissed unfairly; others took packages and others were retrenched” warns Cosatu North West provincial secretary Solly Phetoe.

Cosatu said workers are currently racially exploited by the current white management and they work under very bad conditions with no protective clothes.

One of the workers worked for thirty years and continues to be exploited and being treated as a new comer.
COSATU North West visited workers during the May Day mobilization and election program and found that workers are being exploited; many of the security work under bad conditions and when it is raining they are expected to work under the tree with no shelter.

“As the federation in the North West we demand that the current employers explain to workers who is their real boss and why workers are exploited in the manner that they are racially exploited.
We call on the DoL to do an inspection as a matter of urgency and take action against the poor conditions of workers and non-compliance of the company, including making sure all racist cases are registered with the Human Rights Commission” Phetoe said.

Cosatu also call on the company to release its report on employment equity and their program for skills development for the workers.

The COSATU Provincial Secretary, with the SACCAWU leadership visited the company on 23rd April 2014 at 14h30.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

“Zeerust Toll gate remains expensive”


By Obakeng Maje
Zeerust- The Congress of South African Trade Unions say they are highly disappointed with office of the Minister of Transport and the acting DDG of that office.

“It is on record that both the office of the minister and the office the acting DDG are playing delaying tactics. Since 2011 we have been promised that they are convening task team meetings to deal with the current challenges we are facing with the expensive toll gate of Swartruggens” Cosatu North West provincial secretary Solly Phetoe said.

Phetoe said they have submitted memorandums since 2011. “We have been at that toll gate picketing, demonstrations, blocking the toll gate peacefully, since 2011 up to now, and we have been promised that the task team dealing with the expensive toll gate, the alternative road and the state of our roads in the North West.”

Cosatu said they are disappointed that dates of meetings are planned and then postponed just a day before the meeting. They say this has happened more than ten times. Phetoe said it is on this basis that they must now start being unruly for the minister to act.

“We are convinced that being peaceful protestors does not give government time to act on our demands. We have been very patient and respecting the office of the minister, not knowing that we are wasting our time, not knowing that we are talking to leaders who do not respect the views of our poor working class” he said.

Cosatu said at their last action or protest action on 21st Feb 2014, the office of the minister made promises that they will convene the task team meeting and that the toll will not being increased until there has been a meeting with COSATU and other stake holders.

The meeting was convened for 24th March and postponed to 16th April 2014 and then postponed further to 15th April 2014 until further notice.

According to cosatu, this is clear disrespect and being undermined by their own government.
“We call on all our members to take the action against the expensive toll gate seriously, as resolved in our last PSSC, that we will intensify our campaign against the e-tolling system, the expensive toll gate and labour brokers.”

“We are aware that we are punished for being peaceful, for being respectful to our government. We are punished for following the procedure of applying and following the Gatherings Acts” he said.

He said by then that they will go back to the N4 road and the expensive toll gate on (25th April 2014) from 13h00 until the next day.

“We now demand that the minister come and explain to the masses of the poor people and the road users why she has been treating us like kids for the past four years and why she is not able to respond to our call and respond to our memorandums”.

Cosatu call on all the people of the North West to start boycotting all the toll gates on the N4 road. Cosatu call on the people of Botswana who are using that toll gate almost every day that they must support them by boycotting the fees of that toll gate.

The alliance also call on all the taxi industry, all truck drivers and all farmers to bring their taxis, trucks and tractors to support their action against the expensive toll gate.

“We are pleading with alliance and MDM structures to support our campaign” he said.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_