BY REGINALD KANYANE

A Public violence case against six people who were arrested during protests in Bloemhof was postponed until this coming Friday. They appeared in Bloemhof Magistrate’s Court yesterday in connection with unrest in the area two weeks ago.

Three women were granted a R500 bail each, while their male counterparts were granted R1000 bail each.

North West police spokesperson, Col Sabata Mokgwabone said that the residents embarked on an illegal protest and barricaded N12 road with objects.

A Nissan 1400 bakkie was torched during the violent protests.

“The protesters allegedly looted foreign-owned shops at Ext 4, in Boitumelong location. Police reported that some of protesters pelted passing by cars with stones during the protests,” Mokgwabone said.

The community demanded that the Lekwa-Teemane municipality council be disbanded. They also wanted to be relocated to Kenneth Kaunda municipality district from Dr Ruth Mompati district.

-TDN

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BY KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

SANITATION and water department in North West will beef up its security system after experiencing vandalism to its infrastructure recently. The department spokesperson, Sputnik Ratau said fifteen people stole cables from the transformer and switchgear room at Orkney Waste Water Treatment Plant last week.

He said thieves allegedly tied-up the security guards before misdemeanor. Ratau said this was not for the first similar incident took place.

“Another incident took place in Delareyville where cables were stolen at a pump station. The station supplies water to town and that caused inconvenience. The thieves also damaged some of the switchgear when stealing the cables.

“As department, we are very concern because these crimes are increasing. Our infrastructure has been vandalised and the lives of the staff working at these plants are also at risk. As part of the emergency intervention, the department will refurbish and repair the dysfunctional infrastructure,” Ratau said.

He said they will ensure that better security measures are put in place. Ratau said they also urged all South Africans to work together to preserve the infrastructure.

“We urge our community members to report any crimes they may witness to the departmental hotline on 0800 200 200. We need to realise that the destruction of infrastructure is not only a criminal activity.

“We will be working hand-in-hand with the police to curb this pandemic. Vandalism upsets service delivery. It is a democratic right for people to have service delivery, so we need to work together in preserving infrastructure,” he said.

Meanwhile water and sanitation department, chief director of revenue, Norman Mudau urged unregistered water users to come forward and register. He said activities such as water use for allocation, monitoring and assessing water resource availability and use, planning and implementation of catchment management strategies, institutional development and public participation, water conservation and demand management, management of water quality, water resource protection, management of floods and droughts and water abstraction must be billed for.

“The department does not make profit from billing water users. We only benefit through generation of water use charges from economic water users which ensure the construction, operation, maintenance and completion of water infrastructure and the management of water resources. All unregistered water users were handed over to the department’s debt collection agency from April.

“We will also pursue legal actions against them. We urge all economic water users to contact the department’s toll free number which is 0800 200 200 for any enquiries related to applying and registering on the departmental database. The database provides an accurate picture of water use throughout the country,” Mudau said.

-TDN

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BY KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

NEWLY-Purchased hotel in Christiana is ready for business. A R38m worth hotel is expected to boost the economy in Dr Ruth Mompati region. The hotel invited group of invited tour operators and travel agents to have full experience of the newly re-opened Christiana All Seasons Resort.

NWDC acting CEO, Lemogang Moletsane said they took tour operators on a tour to experience the atmosphere at the hotel. Moletsane said the hotel is along N12 highway and that makes it easy to be accessible.

“We have upgraded the hotel and we have phase 1 where we can be able to host conferences, weddings and leisure travelers at the five available conferencing venues. We also have sparkling outdoor pools.

“We also have phase 2 which will entails upgraded caravan park. Camping activities may commence at the resort. We also have heated indoor pool and spa for which the resort was popularly known for in the past,” he said.

Moletsane said they received positive respond from the tour operators. He said they expecting tourists and travelers to make use of the hotel.

“Christiana hotel is an all season resort. The most amazing part is that it is situated on the N12 Highway. It is only 3 kilometres outside of town and that makes it an ideal to travellers en-route to Kimberley and Cape Town.

One of the tour operators, Kagiso Legobe said the hotel will bring more tourists to the area. He said they will make use of the game farm around the area to make the visit of tourists more exciting.

“As a tour operator, I think the opening of the hotel will bring more tourists. It is well-situated along N12. You know the highway starts from Witbank until Cape Town. So the hotel will form integral part of our marketing,” Legobe said.

The purchasing of the Christiana hotel was part of North West premier, Supra Mahumapelo’s vision. Mahumapelo said they will continue to uplift the local economy. He said 6% of the government budget will be dedicated to Village, Townships and Small Dorpies.

-TDN

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BY REGINALD KANYANE

TWO suspects aged 37 and 46 respectively were arrested yesterday for stock-theft at Swartdam outside Potchefstroom.

North West police spokesperson, Col Sabata Mokgwabone said police received a tip-off few days ago from the community members. He said the police acted on it by infiltrating the suspects who wanted to sell cattle.

“A stock-theft unit member was used to execute the operation by posing as a buyer. The police applied an entrapment procedure in terms of the law. The suspects were allegedly busted during the early hours of Tuesday.

“Police recovered 18 stolen cattle and areas like Ventersdorp, Lehurutshe, Mahikeng and Wolmaransstad are dubbed to have an uptrend tendency when coming to stock-theft. The suspects are expected to appear in the Potchefstroom Magistrate’s Court on Thursday,” Mokgwabone said.

-TDN

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BY REGINALD KANYANE

A 58-YEAR-OLD police officer was arrested at Itekeng Township near Biesiesvlei on Monday for stock-theft. The suspect was arrested after a tip-off. Provincial police spokesperson said the suspect was found to be in possession of sheep carcass.

“The police received a tip-off from one of the community members about a stolen sheep. The suspect was allegedly found with sheep carcass in his car after being stopped. However he failed to give proper account of the carcass. He is expected to appear in the Lichtenburg Magistrates Court on Wednesday,” Mokgwabone said.

North West provincial commissioner, Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane applauded the members of the community. She said their cooperation with the police yields success.

“Working together with community members, we will be able to succeed in a fight against stock- theft and other crimes. The police will not dither to deal with its own members who commit crime as it happened with the arrested police officer,” Motswenyane said.

-TDN

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