Klerksdorp – A man appeared in the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday for allegedly killing a physically and mentally disabled man, North West police said.

Seun Lerefolo, 26, was denied bail and would appear in court again on January 6, 2015, said Captain Pelonomi Makau.

Sipho Mhlahlo’s body was found in a field in Jouberton on October 12.

“It is further alleged that the deceased was found with body parts missing, including his right ear and nose,” said Makau.

Two other people alleged to involved in Mhlahlo’s murder were still at large.

Sapa

Mahikeng- A woman accused of burning a two-year-old baby with hot water appeared in the Mmabatho Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, North West police said.

The 39-year-old was granted bail of R500 and would appear in court again on January 23, 2015, said Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone.

The woman, who faces a charge of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, was arrested on Tuesday.

The toddler sustained burn wounds on her buttocks at an early learning centre on Thursday.

However, the incident was only reported on Saturday.

“It is alleged that the child soiled herself and one of the… employees washed her, seemingly with hot water,” said Mokgwabone.

Sapa

Amalia- A 22-year-old man has been shot and killed by police in Amalia, North West, after allegedly attacking officers repeatedly with a knife, police said on Wednesday.

“Police were called to attend to a domestic violence complaint where the suspect (deceased) allegedly fought with his sisters and stabbed one of them on her right hand with a knife,” said Brigadier Thulani Ngubane.

“She sustained injuries and was transferred to the hospital for medical treatment.

When police arrived on the scene at Molatswaneng village, in Amalia around 1pm on Monday, the man was very aggressive, and allegedly charged at the police in an attempt to chase them away.

“One police officer fell and sustained serious hand injuries and was transported to hospital,” he said.

“It is alleged that the suspect continued to harass and charged at everyone he came across with a knife.”

Police warned the man verbally and used pepper spray to calm him down, but neither intervention had any impact in convincing him to corporate with police.

“He further went on to attack bystanders with a knife,” Ngubane said.

“The suspect charged at a police member who fired two warning shots but the suspect did not stop.”

The officer, in defending himself, allegedly fatally shot the man in his chest when he continued approaching the officer with the intention to attack him with a knife.

“The Independent Police Investigative Directorate has been informed of the case and they are investigating the matter,” Ngubane said.

Sapa

Taung – Plans by government to start with the 2015 academic year in Taung Hotel School are well underway.

This was confirmed by the North West MEC for Tourism Desbo Mohono after her visit to the institution on Monday.

MEC Mohono confirmed that the currently under refurbishment Taung Hotel School and Convention Centre will be ready and fully operational for the 2015 academic year. MEC Mohono said that the establishment should not only be seen as a training facility, but it should also serve as a sanctuary of poverty eradication for the people of Taung.

“This institution should be a pedestal for socio-economic transformation in this area. It should bring tangible change in the ordinary lives of the people, especially the locals before it could benefit surrounding areas.

“As government one of our quest is to turn around the tide of poverty and establish this hotel school in a rural town like Taung will definitely make an impact”, said Mohono.

While addressing the current staff of the institution, MEC Mohono encouraged them to take pride in the institution.

She said that they should protect it at all times and ensure that it succeeds in all its endeavors.

“This institution belongs to you. Take care of it and in return it will also take care of you. Once it is fully operational, there will be jobs created for the locals and there will also be local economic stimulation which will greatly benefit the locals”, concluded Mohono.

Academic Manager, Herman Phetlhe said that for the 2015 academic year the school is looking at accepting about 30 students in various courses. “For that year we are going to start off with three courses of which will be offered at a two years National Diploma Level.

“We will be offering National Diploma in Professional Cookery, National Diploma in Food and Beverages and National Diploma in Accommodation Services. We will then gradually increase our academic scope and courses in due time. We will add two or three courses every year until we have a fully blown academy and faculty”, he said.

He added that there will still be major construction and refurbishments taking place at the institution. “Once completed, it is envisioned that this institution will boost a fully fledge academic complex with lecture halls and full academic staff.

There will also be student accommodation completed with recreational parks and sports field”, he said.

The Taung Hotel School and Convention Centre was officially launched in April 2014 after the North West Development Cooperation acquired the former Taung Tusk Hotel from the Peermont Group due to a need for the province to establish a second hotel school.

MEC Mohono was accompanied by the academic manager of the institution, Herman Phetlhe, acting Head of Department, Charles Ndabeni and Head of Hotel Schools Division at the North West Parks and Tourism Board: Joseph Akwa.
-TDN
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MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management in Bokone Bophirima, Gaoage Molapisi intensified road safety awareness for this year’s festive season through the Setsokotsane programme that was led by Premier Supra Mahumapelo in the Ramotshere Moiloa Municipality.

Molapisi interacted with taxi commuters and drivers at Zeerust taxi rank where he distributed pamphlets and led the road safety ambassadorship.

MEC said the awareness is to encourage safe road usage to reduce incidents and fatalities during the season. “We continue to experience high number of accidents and fatalities during this season and this leads to government losing billions of rands that could have been utilized in service delivery hence we are here to initiate a positive change on our roads caused by unbecoming attitude by road users.

We also call upon long distance drivers to take a rest in every two hours or 200km of driving because fatigue is one of the factors contributing immensely to fatalities,” said Molapisi who emphasized that the department will further intensify pedestrian safety awareness.

In their interaction with Molapisi, taxi operators and commuters shared their frustrations with MEC and informed him that they have been operating for more than 10 years without having a well structured taxi rank. The concerned operators said they have since started operating at the area on interim basis but to date they have lost hope from the municipality in building a proper rank.

They showed the MEC their facilities which included the toilets that are not working for ages and that is health hazardous. In his response, Molapisi said his department will engage with the municipality and further urged operators to work on ways of resolving challenges they are faced with through their taxi associations.

“We must work in an integrated manner to resolve these kind of challenges, I believe we share the common goal and it is important to partner in service delivery,” he said.

On the other hand, truck drivers traveling between Zeerust and Mahikeng felt the pinch of law enforcement when traffic authorities at the Zeerust weighbridge joined the Setsokotsane and ensured that all trucks passing through were compliant.

More than 100 trucks were weighed and traffic fines worth R2500 were issued in seven hours. About four trucks were found to beoverloaded and proper steps were taken to ensure that they get on the road with permisible loads.

MEC Molapisi called on truck owners to take the responsibility of ensuring that their trucks are not overloaded and sends a warning to those defaulters.

“Weighbridges are established and built as control measures to monitor truck overloading and we are aware that despite having them in the province, there are those chance takers who continue to carry excess weight but I must warn you that we will definitely catch up with you during this festive season and beyond.

We will not relent until there is no overloading on our roads and truck owners must take responsibility for ensuring that their vehicles are not overloaded from the point of origin up to its final destinations. At has to be a collective responsibility,” he said.

Molapisi said overloaded trucks damages roads and they also contribute to road incidents and fatalities.
-TDN
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Harare – South Africa’s economy is better connected to the rest of the global economy and others on the continent than its peers in the region, according to the Africa Integration Index.

However, sub-Saharan Africa economies remain “substantially unconnected” to the rest of the world, noted experts in the index that was released by Visa on Tuesday.

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