Pic: (Overturned truck)
Pietermaritzburg – A man was killed when a truck burst into flames in Richmond outside Pietermaritzburg on Monday morning, paramedics said.
The driver crashed into a rock embankment on the R56, said ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring.
For more http://www.news24.com
Pic: (Light bulb)
Port Elizabeth – While the rest of South Africa has been hard hit by load shedding this weekend, residents from Nelson Mandela Bay have not had to endure any planned power outages since Friday as the city’s electrical staff have downed tools in an unprotected strike.
The striking staff are responsible for implementing the scheduled outages based on Eskom’s national load shedding requirements.
Staff at the energy and electricity department of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality have downed tools in a protest believed to be related to allowance issues.
For more http://www.news24.com
Johannesburg – The ANC’s three-day lekgotla held in Pretoria at the weekend did not go into detailed discussions about President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla home following an in loco inspection by Parliament’s ad hoc committee, secretary general Gwede Mantashe said on Monday.
“It was not an issue for major discussion in the lekgotla,” he told reporters in Johannesburg,
For more http://www.news24.com
Cape Town – The pace of transformation in top management in South Africa remains slow, the Commission for Employment Equity’s annual report revealed on Monday.
According to the report, the percentage of white people in top management was 70% in 2014, compared to 72.6% in 2012 and 73.1% in 2010. The percentage of men in top management was 81% in 2010, 80.2% in 2012 and 79.2% in 2014.
For more http://www.news24.co.za
Pic: (Prisoner’s cell)
A man was critically injured after he fell from a ladder at a shopping mall in Olivenhoutbosch Avenue Pretoria this morning.
A report from the scene indicates that the man was working at a height of about five meters when he fell off the ladder.
Netcare 911 spokesperson Chris Botha said paramedics arrived at the scene and found the man lying on the ground with life threatening injuries. After the patient was stabilised at the scene they airlifted him to a specialised facility for the care that he required.
-TDN
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Pic: (North West MEC Matsemela welcomes newly-elected SGB members)
MAHIKENG- The North West Department of Education and Sports Development held a School Governing body inauguration event on Friday, 24 July 2015 at the Convention Centre to congratulate and motivate parents for taking part in the elections which took place in all public schools of Bokone Bophirima from 6 – 28 March 2015.
These elections have seen 16 473 SGB members elected into SGB structures in 1 536 schools and the theme that guided the elections was “Unity is Strength”.
MEC Wendy Matsemela noted that the department entrusts the SGBs with the responsibility of developing and adopting school policies which provide direction in managing school finances and resources.
The MEC said, “Despite massive financial injection in the education system and training provided, the department is not performing as expected as shown by some of the challenges experienced. To name a few: Underperformance of some schools, personal interest vs good governance, potholes in some classrooms, falling ceilings in some schools, broken windows and furniture”.
She further added, “Irrespective of all the challenges facing our schools, we garner strength from the words of Tata Mandela “It always seems impossible until it’s done” and remembering that “Without education, your children can never really meet the challenges they will face. So it’s very important to give children education and explain that they should play a role for their country”.
In closing MEC Matsemela discouraged in strongest terms the signing of blank cheques by the members of School Governing Bodies. She said, the signing of blank cheques is tantamount to corruption and parents must read documents thoroughly before signing.
The event was attended by well over 3 000 representatives from various schools across the province. There was a question and answer session where representatives highlighted their plight to which the MEC gave fruitful responses.`
-TDN
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Bobbi Kristina Brown has passed away at the age of 22 at the Peachtree Christian Hospice in Duluth, Georgia on Sunday (July 26).
News of the death of the 22-year-old daughter of Bobby Brown and the late Whitney Houston came in a tweet from ET.
“Bobbi Kristina Brown passed away Sunday, July, 26 2015, surrounded by her family. She is finally at peace in the arms of God,” the Houston family added in a statement to E! News. “We want to again thank everyone for their tremendous amount of love and support during these last few months.”
Courtesy of Just Jared
BY OBAKENG MAJE
VARIOUS church leaders and members attended the special ceremony organised by the Office Of The Premier to reach out to the communities of the North West province.
The initiative was brought forward by North West premier Supra Mahumapelo in quest to help the communities to deal with a number of painful encounters such as crime, inequality and unemployment.
The event was held at Jesus Christian Ministries church in Taung on Thursday.
Among those who graced the event was Mahumapelo’s provincial chaplain, Bishop Moagi Khunou and other church leaders.
Jesus Christian Ministries Pastor Elvis Thabang Moepeng said the visit will go down the history books and it is rejuvinating to see premier taking time to incorporates church leaders in taking the province forward.
“We need to make sure we invite Almighty into anything we doing as the country. We need to change the mindset that causes a major shift in people’s assessment of church.
“We do not need to flock to churches in droves only during tragedy. There is just something about churches that society finds in times of tragedy and hardship. This always fascinates me because general public embrace church during a time of crisis, but in times of peace and prosperity, the church seems to become irrelevant again,” Moepeng said.
He further said regardless of this double standard, the church keeps people grounded, flushing out the burden of life by providing a bedrock of faith and answers to humanity’s deepest needs.
Bishop Khunou addressed the congregation that was singing, clapping and dancing during the special reconciliation ceremony.
He said this ceremony helps the communities to deal with slew of tragedies which have cast a dark stain on the province.
“We must adhere to the message of God to guide us as our lives belong to him. We need to always upheld his morals and values, because without God nothing was created,” Khunou outlines.
He also encourages people to refrain from committing things that will demoralise the society. He also advised people to have humanity and selflessness must be instilled in their heart.
“We need to follow on the footsteps of our late president, Dr Nelson Mandela. Mandela was a man of integrity and always put people first,” he said.
Denoted their different church regalia, some of said they appreciate the role played by premier Mahumapelo.
One of attendants, Boichoko Phakedi has this to say “We believe in what the premier has rolled out. You will remember that this reconciliation and healing programmes were rolled out in various part of the province and paid dividends. So to premier Mahumapelo, please keep doing what you doing because North West will be a better province because of you,” Phakedi said.
-TDN
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BY OBAKENG MAJE
VRYBURG police are looking for three of five men who are suspected to be behind House Robbery and the Rape of a 36-year-old woman in the early hours of Thursday at Monotomosetlha Village in Huhudi.
North West police spokesperson sergeant Kealeboga Molale said it is reported that the victim was sleeping with her husband and they were woken up by sound of people talking outside.
They called the husband by name and he went to open the door.
“The suspects told him they were looking for a Plasma television. The man told the suspects he does not have the plasma they are looking for. While the victim was being interrogated by one suspect the other four went into the house and took turns in raping his wife,” Molale said.
She said the suspects fled the scene on foot. “The two suspects were arrested on Friday and police are still searching for the other three.”
-TDN
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BY STAFF REPORTER
Democratic Alliance in North West said they are concerned that the use of mayoral vehicle to visit taverns compromises the office of the mayor and damages the reputation of the council.
This came about after allegations that Greater Taung Local Municipality mayor, Kaone Gavin Lobelo visited a local tavern using a municipality’s vehicle.
Democratic Alliance MPL in North West Provincial Legislature, Dr Tutu Faleni said his party has been informed by concerned community members in Taung that Greater Taung local municipality mayor, Kaone Lobelo allegedly used a council vehicle to go to a tavern named Kgano Bar (Ma-Kehilwe) in Taung.
“According to reports that we have received, the Mayor used a council vehicle to go about drinking at a local tavern.
“It is alleged that the mayor used a BMW (white) car belonging to the municipality to visit Kgano Bar (affectionately known as Makihilwe) in Lokaleng village in Taung on Sunday (12 July 2015) around 20:30pm,” he said.
He said some members of the public, who were disturbed by seeing a mayoral vehicle at a tavern, took the pictures and circulated them on social networks.
“The Democratic Alliance is of the view that a mayoral vehicle is allocated to the mayor to use it for official council business and that it is improper for the mayor or whoever to use a council vehicle for personal entertainment and social leisure.
“Besides the fact that it a statutory requirement that state resources such as council vehicles should be used for council business, it gives a bad impression to see a council vehicle being used to visit a shebeen.
“It’s bad for the reputation of the council especially for the position of the major and it compromises the integrity of the office of the mayor,” concludes Faleni.
However Greater Taung Local Municipality mayor, Kaone Lobelo refutes the allegations. He said he does not deny the fact that he was indeed at the above-mentioned area, but did not go there on a drinking spree.
“You will remember that at Kgano Bar, there is a restaurant too, so yes I remember that I visited the area but I went there to buy food. I did not even spent more than 20 minutes there. I would believe those who provided information wanted to mislead the public and discredit me,” Lobelo said.
South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) Regional Secretary, Mika Moeti said they would not like to comment much so far until they receive a report regarding the issue, however they condemn the act.
“We would like to get a report regarding the issue before we could put our comment across. However, we would say all government vehicles need to be monitored.
“All public servants need to be accountable if found to be misusing state properties. We hope mayor has good reason on why he was at that area at that time, so before we hear his side of the story, our comment will be reserved,” Moeti outlines.
The mayoral vehicle made headlines two months ago after the Sunday newspaper (Sunday Times) reported that the Greater Taung Local Municipality forked out staggering R1m to purchase it.
-TDN
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The Guardian 