Monthly Archives: May 2014

‘Elections are running smoothly in Manthestad’


By Obakeng Maje
Taung-The voting stations opened its doors early in the morning on Wednesday for diligent voters who weathered the even weather to cast their vote.

In Manthestad village, Taung voters were seen going up and down some of them being excited while some of youth were just sitting in the sun.

Our crew spoke with various presiding officers in different voting stations and they shared their thoughts.

“We are elated as people are coming out in numbers. There are no challenges so far as everything is running smoothly”said Presiding Officer Grace “MamaG” Setuti-Maje at Kebinelang Middle School Voting Station.

Maje said they expecting more than 700 people.

Nkone Chakane said the voting are smoothly run and even though people are not coming as expected, they still believe they will come later on.

Our crew also passed by Baga-maidi Tribal Authority and found the voting running smoothly too.

“We are expecting more than 1000 people and so fa so good. There are no challenges we encountered” Nthabiseng Bareetseng said.

Most youth did not show conscientiousness with mixed feelings whether to vote or not.

Few of ‘Born-frees’ did not show up as expected, but maybe that will change later on.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

A man died after bludgeoned to death


By Obakeng Maje
Potchefstroom- A 48-year-old suspect was arrested for allegedly stabbing a 54-year-old man at Wilgeboom Farm along Viljoenskroon road on Sunday.

Captain Pelonomi Makau said the victim was stabbed with a knife in his chest and died on the scene after an argument with the suspect” Makau said. 

The suspect appeared in Potchefstroom  Magistrates Court on Tuesday. He was remanded in custody until Friday for bail application.
-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

A 20 year-old man shot over a distasteful joke


By Obakeng Maje
KLERKSDORP- A 49-year-old male suspect appeared in Klerksdorp Magistrates’ Court for attempted murder that occurred on Sunday at a local taxi rank.

“It is alleged that a 20 year-old victim was found lying and bleeding at a taxi rank. The suspect allegedly got angry when the victim joked with him, and he took out the firearm and shot the victim. The latter was transported to the hospital for medical treatment” captain Pelonomi Makau.

He will appear again on 26 May for further investigation and was granted bail of R800.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

A parolee re-arrested after raping his sister


By Obakeng Maje
Klerksdorp- A 37 year-old suspect who was on parole  also appeared in Klerksdorp Magistrates’ Court on Monday for rape.

“It is alleged that the suspect raped her 23 year-old sister at Extension 1 in March 2014 after he called her to his bedroom” Captain Pelonomi Makau said.

According to the information available at this stage, the suspect was allegedly released on parole in January 2014 for raping the same victim in 2002. 

The suspect was remanded in custody and will appear in court again on Monday for bail application. Investigation continues.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

 

North West tradional healer arrested for rape


By Obakeng Maje
Klerksdorp- A 42 year-old man appeared before Klerksdorp Magistrate Court after he allegedly raped a woman.

Captain Pelonomi Makau said a 27 year-old went to see a traditional healer for consultation and was ordered to take off her clothes.

“A woman was allegedly raped by a traditional healer and a case of rape was launched. A traditional healer appeared before court and his case was postponed until Friday” Makau said.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Man with disability and dependents receive three houses and electric powered wheelchair


The dreams of a 51-year- old Zeerust man with disability who has no feet and hands became a reality when he and 16 members of his family received three newly built houses from North West Premier, Thandi Modise at Ikageleng Township on Tuesday.

“I did not believe that government will respond speedily to our plight and with such splendour after the Premier visited the dilapidated shack we were staying in less than three months ago. We feel so special,” said the overjoyed Pontsho Ndlovu who also received an electric powered  wheelchair from Premier Modise.
Ndlovu who was relocated from Kruisrivier outside Zeerust to his electrified and fully furnished two bed roomed home said that the wheelchair will assist him to move with ease.
In handing over the houses, Premier Modise said that government wants to restore the dignity of every citizen.

“As a caring and compassionate government, we were touched by the abject poverty and inhumane conditions under which the family lived without necessary documentation to access grants and other essential services from government. We are grateful to the Regional Secretary of the ANC in Ngaka Modiri Molema, Priscilla Williams who drew our attention to the plight of the family during the Provincial Lekgotla,” Modise said.
The Premier also expressed appreciation to the integrated and coordinated intervention by the Departments of Human Settlements-Public Safety and Liaison, Home Affairs, Social Development and Health and Palesa Manche of Sun Success Construction Projects CC who was contracted to build the houses.
Manche who recently completed 600 housing units at the Groot Marico Human Settlement Project and was winner of the Best Woman Contractor category at the Provincial Govan Mbeki Awards also donated furnisher for Pontsho Ndlovu’s and curtains for all three houses.
Premier Modise who was accompanied by MEC for Human Settlements-Public Safety and Liaison, Nono Maloyi and Ramotshere Moiloa Mayor, Councillor Afrika Thale announced that Ndlovu is to receive prosthesis after completing physiotherapy.
Modise said that Ndlovu’s nephew who suffered an epileptic fit and fell into a fire while preparing food for him has been placed on correct treatment and will also receive  physiotherapy  and undergo a skin graft operation to mask his burn injuries.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Ethiopia clash, start of big things for SA U20 – Mashaba


Johannesburg-The South African Men’s U20 National Team, Amajita, are in camp ahead of their crucial African Youth Championships qualifier against Ethiopia on Sunday, 11 May 2014 at the National Stadium in Addis Ababa.

This second round first leg clash will kick off at 16h00 local time in Ethiopia (15h00 SA time).

South Africa, who got a bye in the first round, go into this qualifier against an Ethiopian side that defeated the Seychelles 5-0 on aggregate in the first round (0-2 and 3-0).

Amajita head coach Ephraim ”Shakes” Mashaba has put together a squad that comprises a mixture of players that won the U20 COSAFA Cup in Lesotho last year and some talented youngsters who took part in the SAFA U19 Championships in Bloemfontein last week.
Mashaba said he had picked eight players from the tournament.

The squad held two training sessions on Tuesday (6 May) at the Eldorado Park Stadium and leaves South Africa for Addis on Thursday.

“We have an almost full compliment of players, with only one or two absentees. The boys are showing good touches. We are getting where I want the team to be and I believe we will go and compete in Ethiopia. There are three players we wanted but their clubs couldn’t release them but it is not a problem because I believe we have enough arsenal to do well,” said Mashaba.

The U20 coach said he was happy with the work being done by regions and provinces in producing talent adding that the team was trying to get a practice match before departure.

“I will be satisfied if we can get that friendly match so that we can judge how far we are in terms of our preparations because this match in Ethiopia is a big clash. It will herald a start of good things to come. If we do well there, it shows we are getting somewhere in terms of our development,” concluded Mashaba.

Amajita will have another workout on Wednesday, 7 May at the Nike Football Training Centre in Pimville, Soweto at 09h00.

The return leg will be held in South Africa on the weekend of 23/24/25 May at a venue still to be announced.

The 19th edition of the African Youth Championships will be held in Senegal from 8 – 22 March in 2015. The semi-finalists in the tournament will represent Africa at the 2015 FIFA U20 World Cup tournament in New Zealand.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Taung child accidentally hanged self


By Obakeng Maje
Taung- A 3 year-old boy has died after he allegedly hanged himself while playing with his friends.

Bongani Makhanana,3, who resides in Buxton village, near Taung allegedly visited his front opposite neighbours to play with his friend as usual.

“They always used to play together. As neighbours, we always take care of our kids as when Bongani visited their house they will call us when he want to sleep or maybe they leaving with his friend” said dithered auntie.

Bongani’s auntie said the kids were playing together this morning and at around 11:00 am, a man arrived at her neighbour’s house driving a red vehicle.

“I was sitting next to the house with clear view of our neighbour’s house. The man allegedly quarreled with the mother of Bongani’s friend and the man left afterwards. I went into the house and after sometime, I saw the mother of Bongani’s friend leaving the house” she outlines.

According to Bongani’s auntie she asked the other woman where is Bongani, but she could not answer.

Bongani was allegedly found hanged from a suspended rope from the tree at his friend’s house.

Joyce Makhanana who is the mother of the deceased could not help, but cry hysterically.

The distraught mother did not want to speak to our crew as she was still in shock.

Makhanana was allegedly rushed to the nearest clinic after being removed from the rope. He was allegedly confirmed dead and police were called.

Taung police arrived two hours late and when arrived at the crime scene and there was a divisive situation as they tried to dissuade our reporter for not taking pictures.

“Two police named Mojanaga and the other one with out a name tag arrived on the scene and tried to prevent us from taking pictures. We refuted as it is our job to cover the news, but they wanted to have none until we call colonel Sabata Mokgwabone who is North West police spokesperson” said our reporter.

A case of inquest was registered at Taung Police Station and investigations continue.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Don’t spoil your vote, editorials urge


Cape Town – The Cape Times and Cape Argus in Cape Town published an almost identical editorial on Tuesday imploring their readers not to spoil their vote.

Commenting a day before the national elections, the newspapers mentioned the recent campaign by former intelligence minister Ronnie Kasrils and former deputy health minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge to get South Africans to spoil their votes or to vote for smaller political parties.

They were not referred to by name but as “ANC (African National Congress) dissenters” in the Cape Times and “ANC malcontents” in the Cape Argus.

“Spoiling your vote, and thus squandering your birthright, is not a demonstration of voter power but a deliberate act of powerlessness. It is the surest way to give yourself no say in how – or by whom – you are governed. By all means let your choice be guided by your unhappiness (or contentment), but do make a choice.”
The papers stated that spoiling a ballot or refusing to vote amounted to silence.

“In politics more than anywhere else, silence is interpreted as consent.”

The editorials stated that because readers were “mature, independent” adults, it would be presumptuous to tell them how to exercise their democratic right.

It was impossible to propose a “one size fits all” solution as to which political party should be supported in a society as diverse and divided as South Africa.

“But what we will implore you to do is vote. Participate. Make a stand. Speak and be heard. It matters more than you know.”

The Daily Voice, also a regional newspaper, did not publish an elections-related editorial and instead dedicated a double page to the choice of political parties and their promises.-Sapa

Nkandla gets most coverage – survey


Johannesburg – President Jacob Zuma’s private Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal received the most media coverage by political parties in the lead up to the general elections, media survey group DDI said on Tuesday.

In the past 24 hours, the African National Congress’s coverage of Nkandla in the local media amounted to 24.4%, while the Economic Freedom Fighters’ focus on the homestead amounted to 22%.

The Democratic Alliance focused more on job creation (20.91%), but the party’s stance on Nkandla still received 20.6% of its focus.

“It is the first time since we have started monitoring the elections that the major political parties’ focus areas have passed that of Nkandla,” DDI said referring to the statistic on the DA.

According to the survey, job creation, education, and service delivery were some of the secondary issues the three parties focused on in media coverage.

The data was compiled from social media platforms, which included blogs, forums, social networks, and commentary.

It also included data from global online newspapers, South African print publications, and radio and television stations.

– SAPA