By Lesedi Setlhodi

You hear the name Mokopi Molebatsi and you wonder no more who this person could be as she is with us in our homes, cars and offices weekdays from 9am – 12pm with her much enthralling show Bothakga on North West FM.

She also has a show on Sundays called The YesterYears and surely does take one back and has you reminiscing.

Mokopi is warmly known to her listeners as Mkp. She has a smoky voice and is habitually complimented by her listeners who engage with her for being bold enough to talk about and bring to surface things that happen in our daily lives, yet we do not want to talk about openly.

Mkp’s listeners also appreciate the advice she gives them and the music that she plays definitely lives up to the tag-line “Home of the best music” set by the station.

Astrology pronounces that Pisces women are creative, emotional, and sensitive and have a streak of mysteriousness in them and these traits do cover how Mkp is as a human being.

It further says that they (Pisces women) have a deep sight in human nature which amongst others may explain Mkp’s interest in pursuing studies about the human psychology.

Having to let her choose the virtual couch she sits on as Taung Daily News (TDN) catches up with her, she chooses the blue one without any hesitancy…

You have mentioned that you have mad love for radio; before you got to North West FM you were at Motsweding FM, could you briefly tell us how this love brewed?

I usually tell people that I fell in love with radio when I was still a foetus but I got to work in a studio in 2002 at Radio PUK (campus radio at North West University, Potchefstroom). In 2004 after I graduated I went to work at a community radio station called Radio Teemaneng in Kimberley. On the 4th November 2005, I started working at Motsweding FM and in 2012 I moved to North West FM.

How do you prepare for your shows?

Firstly I organize my playlist that consist of music that speaks to the heart and soul; to the listeners themselves and also has a message they can take from the songs.
I then make certain that there is always something I bring to the table that will inspire and move the listeners. Current affairs and getting listener’s views and suggestions is always part of the package of the shows I do.

What challenges have you come across in the radio industry?

The challenges that I came across were those ones experienced by other radio personalities like not getting any feedback after sending demo tapes. Another challenge has to do with working with managers who are not considerate.

Besides being on the airwaves, what else does Mkp do?

Apart from radio I work with a variety of women’s organizations that seek to empower us as women. I play a major role in inspiring the youth and women. I also do school visits by motivating children to take their education seriously and make something of themselves.

For someone who claims to be shy and an introvert Mkp surely seems to bite the bullet when it comes to engaging with her listeners and the community at large. Are there any projects that you are part of?

I have an annual event called Mokopi Molebatsi Games in Itsoseng that takes place in December. The event is open to a variety of games and it is aimed at helping children keep busy and not roam the streets while schools are closed.

Is Mkp married?

*chuckles* I’m not married and I don’t have kids. Those I’ll get to after completing my Psychology studies; I am however someone’s partner though.

You regard books as your “best buddies”, kindly share with us which book you are currently reading.

I’m currently reading “Nothing left to steal: Jailed for telling the truth” by Mzilikazi Wa Afrika. The book reveals the details behind Sunday Times journalist Mzilikazi wa Afrika’s exposure to the R1.7 billion lease scandal involving Bheki Cele and Roux Shabangu.

Fast cars seem to be your kind of thing, which car would you like to drive or own?

Hahahahahaa! My wish is to see myself driving a Range Rover Evoque.

Keyshia Cole’song “I should have cheated”, most of the time when you play it you are filled with amusement…is there something more to this song we don’t know about?

*chuckles* Truly speaking, I love the lyrics of the song. The way the singer explains how she is accused of cheating by her partner whereas she is the one being cheated on…these are the things that happen in life.

To engage with Mkp one could like her Facebook page Mokopi MKP Molebatsi or follow her on twitter @228mkp

-TDN

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North West Provincial Gospel Festival will return to Mmabatho after a successful run last year hosted by the Department of Culture, Arts and Traditional Affairs. The day long music festival will take place on the 11^th April 2015 at Mmabatho Civic Centre.

The festival’s programme aims to promote peace, reconciliation, nation building as well as social cohesion. It also aims to create future professional musicians and practitioners in the province which will market and promote performing arts by creating a platform for artists to display their artistic excellence with regards this genre.

Performances will also include participants by people with disabilities and out of school youth, with an estimated number of 1500 performers from across Bokone Bophirima. The music festival will be preceded by an Inter-Denominational Church Service which will be held under the banner of One Love, One Church, One God at the same venue.

“We are organising the festival to recognise the diversity of music within Bokone Bophirima today and to strengthen intercultural ties through showcasing gospel music from different parts of the province” said MEC for Culture, Arts and Traditional Affairs Mme Tebogo Modise

“I would like to encourage all  Gospel Groups including tap and dance from all Districts and Service Points to organise themselves and contact the Department for future performances at the Music Festival,” further said MEC Modise

The event has been scheduled to take place as follows:

Date: 11^th April 2015

Time: 09h00

Venue: Mmabatho Civic Centre

-TDN

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Picture By Obakeg Maje: (North West MEC for Tourism, Desbo Mohono)

North West MEC for Tourism, Desbo Mohono said Local Tourism should be the starting point on our way to developing bigger plans to attract international tourists in marketing destination North West. Mohono said this after the two day Local Government Tourism Conference in Gauteng.

According to Mohono the North West province is rich in Agriculture, culture, and other tourism products that could be explored during this Easter by Holiday makers.

“As a Department we want to urge and encourage the people of the North West to visit places they have never been to in the province. We have heritage sites that we know that most of the people who visit those sites are people from outside the province. Our intention is to ensure that our people know and advocate the wonders of this province in other provinces and the world. We may not have the beaches, but we have the big five and rich culture to be explored,” said MEC Mohono.

“We will continue to engage with our local authorities including our traditional councils. That approach will assist in carrying our objective of going back to basics, as most of our tourism products are based within municipalities. The relations between us and the municipalities will have to be further strengthened and also encourage them to include tourism issues on their Integrated Development Plans and Budget. In that way we will be sure that locals will harvest from tourism products,” said Mohono.

MEC Mohono said that her Department will start profiling small dorpies which most have rich history. She said that small towns like Groot Marico, Ventersdorp and others have a rich cultural back ground and can be of great interest to most tourists.

“We need to increase Tourism Infrastructure Investment to grow the Tourism Economy. This includes the provision of roads, ICT, energy and water infrastructure,” she said.
MEC Mohono called on the people of the North West to take the Short Left and visit local products.

-TDN

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Rustenburg – Three men have been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a taxi operator, North West police said on Thursday.

Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said China Moloi, 39, Nkululo Vava, 29, and Dalikhaya Nompojwane, 30, were sentenced by the North West High Court, sitting in Mogwase near Rustenburg on Tuesday.

“The accused were found guilty of the planned murder, instigated by China Moloi who had sold his Corsa bakkie to raise funds in order to pay his friends R20 000 for killing the man,” said Col Mokgwabone.

For more http://www.iol.co.za

Rustenburg – Two men and two women arrested for possession of suspected stolen cars will appear in the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrate’s Court next week, North West police said on Thursday.

Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said Ben Masilela ,46, Motlhoiwa Lucas Motau, 55, Julia Gadifele Mokhondo, 52, and Elsie Shabangu, 49, would appear in court on Tuesday to apply for bail.

They were arrested on March 27, along the N4 road in Brits after the Rustenburg flying squad reacted to a complaint of motor vehicle theft from one of the car dealers in Rustenburg.

For more http://www.iol.co.za

The Northern Cape Department of Transport, Safety & Liaison has begun with intensified road traffic operations as traffic volumes are expected to increase with the Easter Weekend soon approaching.

Transport, Safety & Liaison MEC, Martha Bartlett, has called upon all road users to take personal responsibility on the roads. 

“I call upon all of you road users – private motorists, cyclists, pedestrians and public transport operators (short and long distance) – to take personal responsibility for your safety on our roads during the Easter and School holidays,” said MEC Bartlett.

She highlighted that “Easter reminds us of God’s never ending love… Let us strive during this period to increase respect for human life and treat road carnage with the seriousness it deserves:  to obey the traffic rules on the roads.”

MEC Bartlett made a clarion call that amongst observing road safety on the roads, all road users should refrain from using alcohol on the roads and cautioned for people not to drink and drive,  and Arrive Alive.

The Head of Department, Mr Steven Jonkers, said the Road Traffic Fraternity will be out in full force leading to the Easter Weekend, with intensified support from the National Traffic Police joining forces with the Province. 

“We will maintain our zero-tolerance to lawlessness on our roads and caution all road users to abide by the rules of the road,” said Jonkers.

He said it was important for people to follow the Do’s and Don’ts of the road to ensure their safety. 

“We caution our road users to buckle up, not to drink and drive, to drive within the speed limits and avoid dangerous overtaking – this we do because it will help save their lives and ensure they arrive safely at their different destination,” added Jonkers. 

He added that all road users must exercise caution and patience on the roads.

“Our cyclists and pedestrians are also important road users, and we appeal to them to remain visible on the roads and for motorists to be considerate of them on the roads,” said Jonkers adding that road safety was everyone’s responsibility.

-TDN

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By Obakeng Maje

A 30 year-old woman from Lesotho was arrested on Wednesday at a road block on N8 during Operation Paseka.

The suspect was a commuting in a taxi from Free State to Kimberley, the taxi in which she was travelling in was stopped at road block and searched during the search the suspect’s luggage was searched and three plastic bags containing compressed dagga weighing 8.5 Kg worth street value R20 000 was found in her possession.

“The suspect has been charged with possession of dagga and she will appear before the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court soon” Lieutenant Olebogeng Tawana said.

Meanwhile in another road block on N12 the police also confiscated two trailers which were suspected to have been stolen.

“We shall continue with Operation Paseka to ensure that criminals are brought to book” Tawana said.

-TDN

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Rustenburg- The young Kaboentle Mabe of Geelhout Park in Rustenburg received his 6-months birthday present when the Bokone Bophirima Community Safety and Transport Management MEC Gaoage Molapisi handed him a car seat during the official launch of the recent Easter Arrive Alive Campaign held in Rustenburg.

Kaboentle was identified while travelling with his parents during the Road Safety Campaign roadblock that was conducted on the Dr James Moroka road.

Handing over the car seat to the young Kaboentle, MEC Molapisi appealed to his parents to ensure that the child enjoys the seat comfort while travelling with him. He said the seat will ease the parents as it will reduce the risks and safe the child’s life if anything happens.

About three car seats which were donated by the Road Accident Fund (RAF), were handed over to children traveling with their parents.

In his address to hundreds of people at the Rustenburg taxi and bus rank MEC Molapisi said one death on the roads of the province is too many. Our people are perishing, parents are losing their children, women become widows, men become widowers, children become orphans and the country is left poorer.  Our roads are painted with blood of our beloved ones because of stubbornness, selfishness, impatient and bad attitude.  This has to come to an end and it  must end today.

Those who will be found on the wrong side of the law they would be dealt with harshly and locked behind the bars,” warned Molapisi.

He said traffic law enforcement officers would no longer hide behind trees and trap motorists but they will always be visible on the roads.

The departmental MEC signed the pledge with transport stakeholders which included the taxi associations, buses and business structures in the province. He said the stakeholder participation in support of road safety will play a critical role in saving the lives of the people on the roads and that will reduce the number of accident and incidents.

“The signing of this pledge means that you must make sure that your drivers are mentally fit and sound, your buses, taxis and trucks are roadworthy, they have breaks, tyres and lights, he urged.

The Transnet Freight Rail pledged to increase its rail way safety campaigns in an endeavour to curb the high rate of accidents at railway level crossings.

“Transnet Freight Rail has a national campaign which will be running during this Easter period, we would like to appeal to the community in eradicating these tragic and unnecessary incidents by obeying traffic laws governing rail level crossing laws at all the time,” said Transnet Executive Manager Johan Bouwer.

SANTACO provincial chairperson Mr Thomas Matsomela said the association continues to encourage its members to service their taxis, not to drive at night and treat commuters with respect.

This year’s Easter Arrive Alive was launched under the theme; “heightening of the 365 Road Safety programme”.

-TDN

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BY OBAKENG MAJE

TAUNG CPF and other stakeholders such as Department of Social Development, National Prosecuting Authority, Greater Taung Municipality, Department of Safety and Transport Management, Taung Business Holdings as well as Taung Youth Battalion, embarked on awareness campaign.

The campaign started with a motorcade from Taung SAPS through Taung CBD, a loudhailer was used to address the community on the need to be vigilant at all times, to reject and report stolen goods and to correctly mark their properties for identification purposes after they have been stolen.

“The campaign specifically targeted theft out of motor vehicle crime which has been on the rise within Taung CBD, businesses around the area closed their businesses for one hour to support the campaign, and business owners joined the motorcade, as a result the motorcade captured the attention of a substantial number of customers” Pudimoe Police Station spokesperson, sergeant Tebogo Thebe.

Captain Jebetle, speaking on behalf of the Cluster Command encouraged the community at large to play an active role in crime prevention particularly the Youth through the recently introduced initiatives of Youth Crime desks at police Stations around the country.

A small formal event took place in front of Shoprite and the event became a success.

-TDN

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ER24 welcomes the new regulation to the National Road Traffic Act that aims to protect children by use of a child car seat.

The use of a child car seat for all children under the age of three will be compulsory from May 1, 2015. Motorists that have children under the age of three unrestrained in a vehicle will be issued a fine.

Several motorists still refuse to take seriously the constant warnings and calls by emergency services and authorities to have children properly restrained in vehicles.

On a daily basis while on the road you will find young children jumping on back seats, hanging out of windows and sitting on passenger’s laps. Upon speaking to parents some will tell you that they never grew up with child car seats and they survived. Parents may also tell you that their children do not like being restrained and cry constantly. Some parents insist you not tell them what to do with their children. Times have changed.

The number of vehicles on the road today has increased drastically. With the number of cars, buses, bikes and other modes of transport we are surrounded by everyday and the number of distractions on the road, there is no better and safer option but to have your child restrained. If your child does not like being restrained take responsibility and make them understand that it is not up for discussion.

The sad truth is ER24 and other emergency services attend to horrific collisions involving children on a weekly basis. Majority of unrestrained children are flung out of vehicles and either sustain critical injuries or die in collisions. For those parents who cannot afford new car seats, remember that there are organisations that sell second hand car seats or hand them out for an affordable donation.

While the law forces parents to use child car seats for children under the age of three, this does not mean that adults should ignore the need to restrain older children. Make sure they are restrained appropriately.

Remember you cannot undo death. The choice you make could be the difference between life and death. Make sure your child is appropriately restrained.

What is the appropriate restraint for your child?

ER24 offers the following advice:

• Infants should ride rear-facing at least until they are a year old. Once they exceed the weight or height limit set by the manufacturer of the infant safety seat, they should continue to ride rear-facing in a convertible safety seat. It is best to keep toddlers rear-facing as long as possible.
• When they have outgrown this seat, they should use a forward-facing safety seat with a full harness. This should be used until they exceed the weight and/or height limit set by the manufacturer of the seat.
• Children who have outgrown a convertible safety seat should use a booster seat until they are at least four feet.
• Children who are tall enough to wear an adult seat belt should still ride in the back seat until they are 13 years old. Adjust the seat belt so the lap belt crosses the child’s upper thighs and the diagonal belt crosses the upper chest at a point between the neck and shoulder.

ER24’s Emergency Contact Centre can be reached 24 hours a day on 084 124.

-TDN

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