Daily Archives: June 1, 2014

SAFCA pays tribute to Kungwane


Tributes continue to pour in for the late Isaac “Shakes” Kungwane who passed away on Wednesday afternoon (28 May). He was 43.
Among those paying tribute were the South African Football Coaches Association (SAFCA) for the former Bafana Bafana player’s contribution to South African football. He made a positive impact in his days as an industrious midfielder with Kaizer Chiefs and later in his new career as a football analyst.
“Kungwane’s sudden death is a shock to the football family and a true loss to the coaching fraternity. Football is deemed by many as a matter of life and death, but the affable Kungwane introduced an entertaining dimension to football analysis; the same approach that brought joy to millions of television viewers during his playing days,” said SAFCA President Greg Mashilo.
SAFCA views Kungwane’s death as a great loss to his family and the nation at large, but at the same time as an opportunity to reflect and draw lessons from his unique ways of doing things.
“Our role as SAFCA is to educate, train and empower people with technical matters relating to coaching, it is always a sad and devastating blow to lose one of us. Shakes has coached from the bench and went on to spread the coaching gospel through the broadcast media, we take this opportunity as the South African Football Coaches Association to convey our heartfelt condolences to the Kungwane family. We wish them strength in these difficult times,” added Mashilo.
Mashilo concluded by saying:

“Our recent on-the-field fond memories of Shakes was when he entertained millions of television viewers with his disguised passes in a legends match against the African selection at the Moses Mabidha Stadium in Durban.  Coach Clive Barker introduced Shakes in the second half and South Africa went on to win the match 3-1. Kungwane went on to play the next day against the Durban legends in a match that was staged to open the new stadium in honour of the legendary Cedric Sugar Ray Xulu in Claremont.”
Although the South African legends lost the match, Kungwane was elated to have played in honour of a legend with a magic left foot like his. He kept on reminding everyone about his common trait with Xulu, the magical left foot.
SAFCA salutes Shakes Kungwane by saying: 
IT IS NOT HOW LONG YOU LIVE, BUT HOW WELL YOU LIVE. 
-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

A cyclist critically injured in accident in Potchefstroom


By Obakeng Maje
Potchefstroom- A cyclist was found in a critical condition after a taxi on Viljoenskroon Road(R501) in Potchefstroom collided with him on Sunday.

Paramedics arrived on the scene and found the man approximately 30 meters away from his bicycle.

“Bystanders on the scene explained that the taxi collided with him ripping his bicycle in two and sending the man flying into the air before he landed back onto the road” Er24 spokesperson Werner Vermaak said.

He sustained severe head injuries and paramedics had to stabilise him on the scene before they rushed him off to Potchefstroom Provincial Hospital for further medical treatment.

Wermaak said it is understood that the man works on a nearby farm in the area.

No one was injured in the taxi. The local police and traffic services attended the incident.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_ 

Minister Mokonyane visits Bloemhof after water problem


By Obakeng Maje
Bloemhof- The Department of Water and Sanitation has over the last week or more, in co-operation with the North West Department of Health, the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality and the Lekwa Teemane Local Municipality been seized with the challenge of spillage in the area of Bloemhof including the Boitumelong township.

The spillage has led to the pollution of the Vaal River as it flows through the area, ultimately to the negative impact on the community with regard to the quality of drinking water supply.

“A number of health related challenges were experienced with around 117 people taken to hospital and treated. Over time this number reduced and stabilised at around 61 cases. What has been treated was identified as diarrhoea. The suspected cholera has not yet been identified” departmental spokesperson Katlego Mokaila said.

The matter of the one fatality in this period, suspected to be from the same diarrhoea, is still to be verified.

Part of the work that has been done includes the collection of water samples for laboratory testing.

The sampling was done at the reservoir, the school and the source.

“The laboratory tests are crucial in order to verify exactly what is affecting the community” Mokaila said.

The tests are still in incubation and the results thereof will be shared once available.

Part of the challenges relating to the quality of water supply were impacted upon by the previous social unrest, vandalisation of some of the infrastructure, as well as matters related to maintenance and operations at local level.

“The Department has been in contact with both the District and Local Municipalities and will continue to engage and assist both Municipalities in order to bring the matters of up to standard water supplies to the area” Mokaila outlines.

This assistance will continue as well in terms of the Blue and Green Drop certification processes.

In the meantime, in order to ensure the community does not continue using contaminated water, a number of steps were taken. The Local Municipality shut off the water supply to the community. This ensured no access to the contaminated supply. The community has been assisted with tankered water in the meantime. The Municipality sanitised the reservoir and pipeline, including backwashing. Since Friday 30th May, the Municipality allowed water back into the system with the main intention of flushing it in order to get it ready for normal use by Monday 02 June.

Included in these actions, has been an awareness drive with regard to water and personal hygiene to ensure that all users continue in the meantime to use water only after boiling it and taking care of issues like ensuring the washing of hands in order to reduce possibilities of further infection.

This awareness will continue even beyond the resumption of normal water supply.

“The Minister of Water and Sanitation is concerned about the status of the water quality and the negative impact on the health of the community, thus her decision to visit the area this morning” Mokaila said.

Minister engaged with the Premier of the North West, Premier Mahumapelo, her colleagues in the province, in both the District and Local Municipalities, the responsible officials of all tiers of government, give leadership on the matter and thus bring the matter to a close. Minister Mokonyane also took time to visit some of the families of those affected by the use of the water and fell sick.

The officials at all tiers of government have been working around the clock to find resolution to the challenge as well but the critical political leadership will ensure any possible blockages in terms of inter-governmental relations are immediately taken care of and the community receives the requisite services.

Whilst the Department of Water and Sanitation will continue to assist the Local and District Municipalities, “ the Sedibeng Water Board has been brought in to ensure there’s requisite expertise in the course of action in this regard”, Minister Mokonyane said.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

A child died in a horrific accident in Mokasa


By Obakeng Maje
Taung- A case of culpable homicide is being investigated after a vehicle overturned and a 3 year-old child died instantly on Friday at approximately 17:45 at Mokasa village, near Taung.

Colonel Sabata Mokwabone said it is alleged that the driver was negotiating a curve along Mokasa gravel road when he lost control of the vehicle. 

“The injured persons were taken to hospital for medical attention” he said.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_       

A teen robbed, raped in Letlhabile


By Obakeng Maje
Letlhabile- Police arrested a 28 year-old suspect for alleged rape and armed robbery that occurred on Friday at approximately 20:00 at Extension 2, Block B in Letlhabile. 

Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said it is alleged that a 16 year-old minor was on her way home when confronted by three unknown men who threatened her with a knife.

According to information available at this stage, the suspects dragged the minor to the nearby bushes where they raped her. 

“They allegedly after raping her, took her belongings including cash and school bag. The suspects were traced and that led to arrest of one of them, and he is expected to appear in Brits Magistrates’ Court soon” Mokgwabone said.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_ 

One nabbed for robbery in Rustenburg


By Obakeng Maje
Rustenburg- A 33 year-old male suspect is expected to appear in Rustenburg Magistrates’ Court on Monday for armed robbery.

The incident happened on Friday at around 13:00 along R24 road where a 24-year old woman was robbed by three males.

“The matter was reported to the police and one of the males was later arrested. The complainant was robbed clothes, luggage bag and groceries during the incident” colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said.

The police are still looking for two other suspects.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_ 

12 murdered, 22 raped across North West


By Obakeng Maje
North West police arrested a total of 721 suspects through various operations in the past seven days between 25 May and 1 June 2014 for Contact, Contact related, Property related, trio and many other crimes.

The arrests include 12 for Murder, 22 for Rape, 119 for Assault GBH and assault common, 27 for burglary residential and business, 27 for shoplifting, 14 for robbery aggravating, 20 for driving under the influence of liquor and 61 for drug related crimes.

Forty three undocumented persons were also arrested.   

“The police managed to seize goods such as 3 vehicles, counterfeit cigarettes, a number of drugs, 19 firearms and various electrical appliances during operation. Most of the suspects have already appeared in different courts while others are expected to appear on Monday, 2 June 2014” colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Premier Mahumapelo condemns gender-based violence


Marikana- North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo has called for an intensified effort to fight the scourge of gender-based violence. This follows the alleged beating of a woman to death by her 33- year old boyfriend who later turned a gun on himself at Nkaneng Informal settlement near Marikana on Saturday.

“We wish to condemn in the strongest terms possible the callous act and call on men who are experiencing pressure in their personal relationships to seek counselling and professional advice instead of resorting to violence,” Premier Mahumapelo said. In conveying condolence to the families that lost their loved ones in the incident, Mahumapelo called on real men to stand up to be counted in the fight against the scourge of gender based violence which he said transcends class and race.

He said that the strike which has cost mining companies about R20.4 billion in revenue and R9, 1 bn in lost earnings for employees has impacted negatively on the economy and might also be putting families and personal relationships under severe pressure. According to police, the man allegedly beat his girlfriend to death with an iron rod at the informal settlement’s Sangoma section in the early hours of Saturday.

Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said that the woman was found dead in one of the shacks.

“The matter was reported to the police who attended the scene. Police launched a manhunt with the assistance of the community after being informed that the suspect was hiding in the area,” Colonel Mokgwabone said.

“The suspect shot and killed himself on arrival of the police at the shack where he was hiding.”

Mokgwabone said the motive of the incident was unknown at this stage but it seemed to be a domestic dispute.

“The case is not linked to the current mine strike in the platinum belt. Investigation into the matter continues,” he said.

Members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) at Lonmin, Impala and Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) have been on strike since January 23 demanding a basic monthly salary of R12 500.

They rejected the companies’ offer that would bring their cash remuneration to R12 500 by July 2017.

The strike now on its 129th day, has been marred by violence and intimidation.-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_