BY REGINALD KANYANE

MORE than 150 needy pupils from Keagile Primary School in Ikageng location, Potchefstroom, received new pairs of shoes on Friday.

The shoes were donated by two healthcare workers, Kagiso Mojanaga, a paramedic and Mzukisi Jam, a professional nurse.

Mojanaga said it was imperative to plough back to the community to develop the high-quality future leaders. He said seeing kids going to school barefooted touched his heart.

“We will continue to show support to other schools. Our intentions are to make sure that the pupils have confidence when walking to school. By so doing they will produce better results. We hope this will play a pivotal role in the development of these learners,” he said.

Muzikisi Jam also highlighted that they were assisted by other doctors also working at Potchefstroom hospital.

It was all smiles for pupils who received the shoes.

Jam said they were on their way to work when they saw kids walking barefoot to school and decided to do something about it.

“We offered them a lift and ask why are they were not wearing shoes. Some of them highlighted that their parents are not working. And the other one said he was promised a new pair of shoes only in December.

“We went to the school and met with teachers. They identified 250 needy kids and we went on to buy 150 pairs of shoes. However we will continue to work hard to achieve our target,” he said.

Keagile Primary School Principal, Tefo Thabane said: “This is indeed a gesture of Ubuntu. This brings happiness to the needy. Seeing ordinary citizens doing such an extraordinary work is amazing. We highly appreciate the contribution at the school.”

-TDN

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BY REGINALD KANYANE

MORE than 1 000 former Aquarius Platinum Mine workers in Kroondal, near Rustenburg received food parcels from Association of Mineworkers Construction Union president, Joseph Mathunjwa on Saturday.

The former mine workers said they have been living in abject poverty since their dismissals.

One of the former mine workers said: “We have been surviving by eating cats, jackals, rats, hares and wild spinach. Some of other miners died because of hunger. We have been living in abject poverty.

“We are sick and dying from poverty. We have tried all avenues to try to get our jobs back but with no avails. However we believe AMCU’s intervention will bear fruits.”

Another former mine worker from Lesotho said he could not visit his family because he has no money.

“Some of our compatriots have died here and we could not be ferried them to the country of birth because we are destitute,” he said.

In his address, Mathunjwa said that the situation the former mine workers are living in is appalling.

He said he will now urge the Mineral Resources Minister, Mosebenzi Zwane for intervention.

“I am not here to try to drop names but to save the situation. These are our fellow blacks and fathers who deserve better. I wrote a letter to the Minister of Mineral Resources, Mr Mosebenzi Zwane requesting a meeting to discuss how to address the situation.

“This is temporary, not permanent and it is not sustainable. These workers have skills and they can be employed around.  We have been told by them they have been blacklisted.” Mathunjwa said.
He said the former mine workers were dismissed back in 2009.

Mathunjwa added that it was reported that many of the former miners died without receiving compensation.

The mineworkers were allegedly dismissed after embarking on an unprotected wage strike.

-TDN

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BY REGINALD KANYANE

THE North West Film Commission (NWFC) met with upcoming filmmakers in the province during its recent road-show campaign.

NWFC spokesperson, Pieter Kruger said that the tour afforded them an opportunity to meet with various filmmakers and film production companies.

“We conducted our road shows in Rustenburg, Mahikeng, Vryburg and Klerksdorp since last week. The dearth of the sector robbed North West people many opportunities in the past.

“Some of the challenges came across was that the province was poorly resourced and lacked skill pool to grow and develop the film and television sector. Hover most people were grateful to see the emerging of NWFC. They stated that the province will now play its role in utilising talents,” Kruger said.

He added that many implored the NWFC to mobilise financial grants, lobby government departments and facilitate distribution and marketing of their film projects.

NWFC has already held high-level meetings with MICTSeta. Kruger said the discussions were underway for the establishment of transformational relationship between the two bodies.

He added that Big Fish Production Company was another partner they will foster a relationship with.

“The Big Fish Production Company will provide training to local filmmakers.

Plans are afoot to fast-track the sector development. We also met with Zidaka to collaborate filmmakers and production companies in North West. This will result in a number of locations be identified for shootings.

“We will create opportunities for trainees and internships for North West talent. Five projects will form the core of this relationship between NWFC and Zidaka,” he said.

NWFC said they will also support the Mafikeng International Film Festival that will take place in August. Kruger said they will also meet with organisers of Bojanala Film Week.

Zidaka chief executive officer (CEO), Jeremy Nathan said: “The discussions about the province’s participation at major film festivals national and international as well as the national premiere release of the world acclaimed “Mandela’s Gun” are at an advanced stage.”

-TDN

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BY REGINALD KANYANE

STAFF at Mmabana Foundation embarked on a strike at all the parastatals offices across the province on Friday.

The employees alleged that the Mmabana Foundation exploited them and downgraded their salaries.

Provincial coordinator for the strike, Portia Phadi said they embarked on a protest because the management ignored their call.

She said they urged Mmabana Foundation to engage with their union (NEHAWU) before they could downgrade their salaries.

“We were guaranteed the certificate to embark on a strike by CCMA hence we shut down all entries leading to Mmabana Foundation Head Offices. As employees, we are paid meagre salaries. Employees were also not part of the decisions taken by the institution.

“They alleged that there institution does not have enough money in their account. We want to know where the money went to because we are aware that the culture, art and traditional affairs department (CATA) is injecting money into the institution,” Phadi said.

She added that the institution receive budget from the department of CATA however they could not even get salary increment as employees.

One employee said: “I have 26 years as an employee at Mmabana Foundation. However I am ready to go on pension, but I do not have enough money. I am living in abject poverty, yet I am working.”

Another worker said the CEO and management get exorbitant salaries while they living in poverty.

NEHAWU provincial spokesperson, Cassper Nanto urged provincial government to investigate discrepancies at Mmabana Foundation.

“How relevant it is for the CEO to get R1.4m salary while workers are starving? It is the time now for the provincial government to enter into the fray and investigate exactly what is happening at Mmabana Foundation,” Nanto said.

However CEO for Mmabana Foundation, Sipho Nkese disputes the allegations levelled against him. He said the employees embarked on illegal strike.

“It is not true that the management is paying themselves exorbitant salaries. The union has salaries of everybody in the organisation. Our salaries are in line with what the government is paying its employees. So there is no one earning R1.4m at Mmabana Foundation,” Nkese said.

-TDN

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BY REGINALD KANYANE

THE manager at Taung Hotel School and Convention Centre, Herman Phetlho has been suspended.

North West Tourism Board acting CEO, Charles Ndabeni said Phetlho was put on suspension to allow for investigations into his conduct.

“We can confirm that Phetlho has been suspended for administrative purposes. However I cannot get into details because the matter is now sub-judice. We have already started with investigations and we hope to complete them soon,” Ndabeni said.

More than 200 hotel students embarked on a strike three months ago after they were promised bursaries.

One of the students who spoke on condition of anonymity said they were sold empty promises by Phetlho.

“We are been ill-treated at the school by the management. We hope the NWTB will resolve our challenges because the management at the hotel school turned a deaf ear. We are also working abnormal hours and knock off late with no transport to get home,” she said.

However, the contractor is busy building accommodations at the hotel school for students after the tourism department intervened to resolve accommodation issues.

Efforts to reach Phetlho were futile.

-TDN

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