Pic: (Premier Mahumapelo)
Ganyesa – The Provincial Government of Bokone Bophirima is fully committed to the core principles articulated in the Freedom Charter and continues to initiate service delivery programmes that uphold the values of the Freedom Charter.
Speaking on behalf of Premier Supra Obakeng Ramoeletsi Mahumapelo, during the 60th anniversary of the Freedom Charter in Ganyesa, Kagisano Molopo Local Municipality earlier today, MEC for Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development, Manketsi Tlhape said the Freedom Charter was significant because it paved the way for a free and democratic South Africa that we enjoy today.
“We are here to remind ourselves of how far we have come in our struggle for democracy in this country. As government we uphold the values of the Freedom Charter and it is therefore up to you as citizens to use programmes such as Bua le Puso that Government has put in place to interact with government,” said MEC Tlhape.
MEC Tlhape also called on all the residents of the Province to work with government in advancing their democratic rights and pushing away the frontiers of poverty.
The Freedom Charter was officially adopted on June 26, 1955 at the Congress of the People in Kliptown, as a statement of intent calling for a non-racial democratic South Africa and articulating important reforms and human rights thereby laying firm foundation for South Africa’s current constitution.
The signing of the Charter also served to unite an alliance of the anti-apartheid forces of the 1950s consisting of the South African Congress Alliance, which consisted of the African National Congress and its allies the South African Indian Congress, the South African Congress of Democrats, and the Coloured People’s Congress.
MEC Tlhape said it was exciting that the provincial celebration of the Freedom Charter was being held in the Kagisano Molopo Local Municipality as it came at the time when the provincial government was busy rolling out its accelerated service delivery programme Setsokotsane, to fast track the delivery of services to communities in the area.
-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_
ANC in North West solicit for truce after Marikana report
BY OBAKENG MAJE
The release of Marikana Commission Report by president Jacob Zuma is welcomed as a move to heal the wounds and bring an end to the painful event which led to the killing of forty four people, says African National Congress in North West.
ANC secretary in North West, Dakota Legoete said as the African National Congress in Bokone Bophirima they call on all affected by the events of Marikana accident to use the outcome of the report as an instrument to close that excruciating chapter.
“What happened in Marikana should be the basis for healing and reconciliation between families of those affected and the perpetrators of those acts. It should also be a lesson for those horror events not to be repeated.
“We can only hope that from now on finger pointing on the outcome of the events of those painful days will disrupt the healing process and the entire community of South Africa should support those affected by the tragedy,” he said.
ANC also call on the police to continue doing their function diligently and not to interpret the report as an instrument to victimize some of their colleagues who have been pointed by the commission but as the means of further on the job lessons.
The ANC in Bokone Bophirima said they will continue to support all those affected by this situation with the hope that Marikana will set a tone for provincial Rebranding Reconciliation and Renewal, our organization in Bokone Bophirima is aspiring for.
-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_
North West initiation school murder case postponed
BY OBAKENG MAJE
THREE men accused of murder appeared at Lichtenburg Magistrates Court on Thursday and their case were postponed, North West police said.Serei Mathe (24), David Modirwa (25) and Andrew Maake (18) briefly appeared in the Lichtenburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday for a murder of a 32-year-old man at an initiation school in Kaalagte Farm. They were remanded in custody and the case will resume on
29 June 2015 for bail application.
North West police spokesperson maj Pelonomi Makau said upon police arrival at the scene, Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) were called and certified the man dead at the scene.
“The accused were arrested two weeks ago at the initiation school. Their arrest came after the police were called to the scene by other initiates after boiling water was poured over the victim’s body, beaten and kicked to death by the accused,” she said.
-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_
Vaaltyn residents up in arms over ‘rape’ issue
BY OBAKENG MAJE
THE Community of Vaaltyn village, near Taung is up in arms after they accused Reivilo Police of incompetence. The community gathered at headmaster’s house on Friday to discuss way forward after a 19-year-old girl was allegedly raped.
According to some of the community members, the atrocity took place on Sunday and police failed to arrest the perpetrator.
Nomsa Mpomele was allegedly raped and assaulted that caused the uproar in the area.
The community says police were called after the gruesome event and when they arrived, failed to arrest the perpetrator.
Mpomele was allegedly admitted at Vryburg hospital where she is under intensive care for medical attention.
The community said they will take the law into their own hands and want justice to prevail.
It is alleged that the perpetrator is one of the criminals who terrorise the community and contributes to escalating crimes in Vaaltyn.
However North West police spokesperson, Major Pelonomi Makau said they will look into the matter and police will respond to the alleged accusations in no time.
“I will look into the matter as I’m still waiting for a response from the police station,” Makau said.
-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_
NWDC purchases Christiana hotel
BY OBAKENG MAJE
North West Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Premier, Treasury and Enterprise Development led by Raymond Elisha welcomes the decision of the North West Development Corporation (NWDC) in taking the initiative to take over the ownership and operation of Christiana Hotel known as Protea Hotel Christiana after it was liquidated.
This was during a preliminary oversight visit the committee conducted at the hotel, as part of the “O re bone, Re go bone” Campaign which means “You see us and we see you” aimed at taking the legislature to the people to strengthen oversight and public participation and to promote accountability and transparency in government.
The purpose of the visit was to determine the value for money in buying the hotel, the processes that unfolded on the acquisition of the hotel and its assets, and the state of readiness of the hotel.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NWDC, Lemogang Moletsane gave a brief overview of the purchasing of the hotel, stating that it was an opportunity that the cooperation seized as part of rebranding, re-positioning and renewal of the province to purchase the hotel to create an economy that can be viable for growth in the province.
“This opportunity can create a good platform for cooperatives such as the youth and military veterans to have job opportunities and create a sustainable environment for themselves,” said Moletsane.
The Acting Manager of the hotel Moses Seriti stated that the former director of the hotel was unable to pay the owner and this led to the hotel going for an auction which cost the NWDC R38 million to purchase it.
“The previous director whom we traded under could not manage to pay off the owner of this place, and it has not been operational since last year 25 November 2014 and this led to the auction which took place on the 12 March 2015,”said Seriti.
Thus far, the NWDC has managed to pay R6.4 million as deposit and are anticipating to pay off the balance by the end of June this year. The CEO stated that the NWDC did not budget for this endeavor as part of their Annual Performance Plan, but managed to acquire most of their budget from their reserves and also were assisted by the Department of Finance, Environment and Enterprise Development with an amount of R11 million.
They also mentioned that the amount is inclusive of all assets, lock, stock and barrel inclusive of the game farm.
It was noted that staff that was previously working at the area had been retrenched with packages, but would be given first preference in time for recruitment processes and will also allow opportunities in hiring young people who have hotel management expertise in the province.
The cut-off date for the full operation of this hotel is the 01 September 2015, as it is still under maintenance and renovations. The Chairperson of the Committee, Elisha welcomed this initiative is a good platform for opportunities in growth of the economy as well as creating sustainable job opportunities for the community, but requested the CEO to provide a thorough report for the committee as part of strengthening oversight to ensure transparency and accountability.
“We welcome the good initiative for this pursuit by the NWDC, but we also have a requirement to perform our duties as part of our mandate to conduct oversight so as to protect and ensure that the public purse is effectively and efficiently used in benefitting our communities,” said Elisha.
The committee requested the CEO to issue a detailed report on the value for money for the acquisition versus the expenditure, profits made since acquisition, to compile an asset register including assets of animals at the game farm, feedback on staff that have been retrenched and hired since inception of business, a detailed operational plan and the process that unfolded on the auctioneering of the hotel.
Elisha also said that the next meeting that will be scheduled in the next quarter would include the Portfolio Committee on Tourism as the facility forms part of conservation and serves as a tourist attraction site.
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_
A man gets life for raping a six-year-old girl
Grahamstown – A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Grahamstown High Court for raping a six-year-old girl, Eastern Cape police said on Wednesday.
Captain Stefanie Smith said Piet Seekoei, 47, was convicted and sentenced last week.
The man raped the girl at Middelburg, Eastern Cape on December 20 last year, he said.
ANA
Sex worker says rape accused ‘insane’
Picture: (Police found dead)
Pietermaritzburg – An emotionally charged woman, who claims she was raped by a policeman, has labelled him “insane”, and told a court he is a murderer who hunts down prostitutes.
“It is in his blood,” the woman screamed.
The former sex worker, who is testifying in the kidnapping, rape, robbery and attempted murder trial of Hilton policeman Riaan van Rensburg, made the comments under cross-examination by Van Rensburg’s advocate, Brad Osbourne.
For more http://www.iol.co.za
‘We had no idea Bashir was on flight’
Pretoria – The government had no idea that Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir was among the passengers in the plane that took off from Waterkloof Air Force Base shortly before noon on June 15.
His passport was not among the passports handed over by representatives of Sudan to the immigration officials, and his name was also not included on the passenger list.
This is according to an affidavit filed by the government, following an earlier order by Judge President Dunstan Mlambo, who demanded answers as to how it came about that Bashir left South Africa in spite of a court order prohibiting this.
For more http://www.iol.co.za
Marikana: Lonmin hails ‘milestone’
Johannesburg – Lonmin, the world’s fourth-largest platinum producer by value, responded on Friday to a report condemning its role in the massacre of striking workers at its Marikana mine in South Africa by saying it had worked hard to improve safety and wellbeing for its workers, but still had a long way to go.
The 2012 “Marikana massacre”, where 34 miners were gunned down by police, shocked the world.
The 640-page report into South Africa’s worst police killing since the end of apartheid was released by President Jacob Zuma on Thursday and blamed Lonmin, police and unions for the “horrendous tragedy”.
The report faulted Lonmin on five counts, including an insistence that miners who were not on strike come to work while it could not guarantee their safety at the mine near Rustenburg.
For more http://www.iol.co.za
The Guardian 