BY REGINALD KANYANE

THE newly-built police station at Keimos in the Northern Cape was officially opened on Thursday. Police spokesperson, Vishnu Naidoo said this was in line with the South African Police Service’s commitment.

“Our objective is to improve public access to policing services all over the country. This further more forms part of our role in fulfilling the implementation of the National Development Plan.

“We seek to ensure greater access and improvement in the quality of public services as this is critical to achieve transformation. The station falls within the Upington cluster in Northern Cape,” Nadioo said.

He also added that the police station will serve an estimated 23 000 citizens. Nadioo further said the opening of this state of the art police station is one facet of improving service delivery.

“The need for the new police station has been identified in 1999. The subsequent engagements led to the building of the station. The project was completed and handed over by public works department September 30 back in 2014.

The police station was put in use from December 1 in 2014.

SAPS acting national commissioner, Lieutenant General Kgomotso Phahlane urged the local community to work closely with the police. Phahlane said the community members need to be part of community policing forum.

“The relevant community policing structures will assist greatly in addressing crimes that are prevalent in that area. Crime like assault, theft, housebreaking, stock theft, murder, rape and drug-related crimes are rife.

“We are planning on intensifying our projects. We want to implement projects like drug-awareness campaigns, school projects, rural safety awareness and domestic violence campaigns,” he said.

“We will achieve progress by skilling and training our members. Adapting to new ways of policing in a democratic society is not an event, but an ongoing process. This needs to be aligned with the contemporary needs of transforming our organisation. Some of the areas which have just received their own police stations are in KwaZulu-Natal, North-West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Western Cape,” he said.

-TDN

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THE North West police said that they are ready for upcoming local elections.

The elections will be held on August 3 and deputy police commissioner, Maj-Gen Patrick Asenang said their main focus is to foster co-operation between all the role-players.

“Our police are ready for the upcoming local government elections. We have the provision of man-power, training of the police in accordance with the electoral act and the independent commission acts.

“We will combat any intimidation, removal of placards and violence. During the election itself the main focus will be on effective policing of the electoral polling booths. Many police will be deployed in order to protect these booths effectively,” Asaneng said.

He said they will provide a necessary training to their members. Asaneng said this will ensure that the police were properly informed of what is expected of them.

“We will also continue to retain high visibility, maintain internal stability, combat crime through effective management of information and investigation techniques.

“We will also make sure that we maintain competent and motivated personnel. A community relation is also imperative. No carrying of carrying of firearms and other dangerous weapons into the polling booths,” Asaneng said.

ANC provincial chairperson, Supra Mahumapelo said they signed the pledge and will abide by the rules and regulations governing elections.

“As the provincial government and ANC-led government, we support the notion. We will make sure the elections run smoothly with no hindrances. We support fair and free elections.

“We have entrusted IEC and we believe is the independent body. We will make sure the integrity of the authority is protected and restored. It is one of the most important institutions in our country,” Mahumapelo said.

Democratic Alliance provincial leader, Joe McGluwa said they have signed the IEC’s code of conduct to pledge for the upcoming local government elections. The elections will be staged on August 3.

“We are excited to be part of this historic moment. South Africa is in a young democracy as a country. We recently announced that for the first time ever, the DA will be contesting all the wards and municipalities within the province.

“We want to bring change that will move this province forward. The pledge we signed today calls for free and fair elections. It calls on all participating political parties to practice a culture of tolerance and peace,” McGluwa said.

EFF provincial leader, Betty Diale also shared the same sentiments. She said EFF is ready for local government elections and will abide to IEC rules and regulations.

“We are very adamant that EFF will change the landscape of the politics on August 3. We support and adhere to the rules and regulations of IEC. We give the authority unwavering support towards fair, honest and free elections,” Diale said.

-TDN

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THE Tlokwe City Council allocated houses to elderly people in its recently completed subsidised housing allocation scheme.

Municipality spokesperson, William Maphosa said that all houses were handed over to deserving people, particularly the elderly.

“The current allocation process is being used to establish a vibrant and complete community consistent with any normal society with all age groups. The youth, adults and elderly people were fairly represented.

“One of the strategic goals of the municipality is to enhance growth. However we will achieve that through integrated and interactive planning. We also want to develop vibrant communities that enjoy safe and secured environment,” Maphosa said.

He added that the municipality will continue to create a sustainable environment for its people.

“This process of allocation is aimed at addressing this strategic goal. Subsidised stands are currently being allocated in accordance with the housing allocation policy and the recently published waiting list. The comprehensive housing waiting list currently stands at 14 737.

“From this total number, the list was narrowed down to 1 400 names. This list will be used to allocate 900 subsidised stands in Ikageng Extension 9 and Promosa Extension 4. This project is intended for first time home owners only,” Maphosa said.

The scheme targeted the pension bracket while young people were also catered for.

“The most prominent and positive aspect of the list is that the age group in the range 60 – 90, which comprises 17% of the shortlist, will ensure that all the elderly people of Tlokwe are now properly housed.

“The youth portion from 23 – 30 age group form 11% of the list. The municipal housing policy provides that a person as young as 18 can be included in the waiting list. However, such a person can only enter into contractual agreement with the municipality when they are 21 or older,” Maphosa added.

The spokesperson pointed out that the current subsidised housing stands allocation was earmarked for households earning a combined income of no more than R 3 500 per month.

He said that beneficiaries cannot transfer their benefits to the next of kin, so those who die while waiting cannot be allocated houses posthumously.

“If a person on the list passes on or for one reason or another is no longer keen on the allocation, they forfeit the right to apply or to pass the opportunity to someone else. The re-allocation or re-organisation of the list in this regard solely rests with the municipality,” he said.

-TDN

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UNDERPRIVILEGED pupils across Taung received school uniform and shoes.

The donation was made possible by popular DJ, Orapeleng “DJ Nation” Mokgwabone.

Dj Nation said the initiative is annually and want to assist disadvantaged pupils’ especially young kids.

DJ Nation Annual Event is hosted annually at Taung Coverground. Mokgwabone said they have donated 250 pairs of shoes so far.

“We saw a need to give back to the community. It is very sad to see young kids walking barefooted to school in winter. The project was initiated four years ago. Those pupils from abject poverty get affected emotionally and mentally.

“This will lower their self-esteem and eventually push them out of school. Some are being satirised. So it is a societal matter which needs to be addressed,” he said.

Mokgwabone added that schools that benefited were Sediba-Thuto primary school in Magogong village, Raipela intermediate school in Maphoitsile village and Nhole primary school in Taung.

“We also have three students that we are paying for their tuition fees at Taung Agricultural College. Dj Nation Annual Event also pays tuition for another student from Taung at University of Johannesburg. The student is currently studying chemistry,” he said.

Mokgwabone further said that they sometimes do not get correct sizes from teachers at some schools and hope that more schools would be open to the donations.

Local non-governmental organisation (NGO), Positive Youth of Taung’s chairperson, Phemelo Mohutsiwa said it is very imperative for parents to be part of their children’s upbringing. He urged parents to work together with other stakeholders in improving the lives of children.

“We need to support our children through their education. We also need to make our children to be more resilient. Producing crop of good cream will benefit our country in the long run. Children are our future leaders, so we need to help them bounce back from whatever life throws at them. It is about being strong inside and able to adapt well to changes and difficulties. It is about flourishing in life, despite our circumstances.

“If children are resilient they will be able to cope better with problems. They will have better health and also be happier and more fulfilled. Children will also be less likely to develop emotional problems like depression or anxiety,” Mohutsiwa said.

-TDN

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EDUCATION and sport development MEC, Sello Lehari said attention is on the province reaching unprecedented achievements with the 2016 Grade 12 class.

  Lehari said this when met with all school principals at Mmabatho Convention Centre in Mahikeng yesterday (Wednesday).

  “We had convened an interaction session with over 300 high school principals from across the province. This gathering was organised to look on the half year reflection session. We also outlined our overall expectations.

  “Boosting the staff morale and sharing the best practice on how to improve year end results was imperative. We cannot achieve this without the principals’ support. With positive attitude and determination, we will reach our mark,” Lehari said.

  He highlighted that it was an open secret that principals are important people in the society who need to maintain professionalism and ethics.

   “We need to advance the curriculum for the benefit of an African child. Aiming for gold is an ideal. We should envisage for position two, however being at the summit will be a bonus.

  “Fifty schools need to obtain 100 percent pass rate. The syllabus should be wrapped up by August 2016. And I will also like to commend school principals for a progress they made to advance curriculum for North West learners,” he said.

   The North West has 398 high schools and 35 519 candidates are registered for 2016 year end examinations.

   Michael Motsosi, a principal from Ramotshere-Moiloa Technical School said: “The meeting was very informative. MEC Lehari encouraged us to work hard and behave like role models. He also urged us to sideline other unsolved issues to have more time to prepare for mid-year examinations. He sound very wonderful and we will work together to achieve the objective. He came up with a new approach and it is clear what he expects from us.”  

  Another principal from Micha Secondary School in Kgabalatsane, Sydney Madisha said: “MEC does not put pressure on us. His vision is achievable and from my person point of view, I like his approach. Teaching profession is a tiring field; however he created a conducive working atmosphere for us.”

-TDN

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PREMIER Supra Mahumapelo said that government will do its best to assist Tlokwe residents have addresses so that they can vote without difficulties.

Mahumapelo said that government entities like Sassa, local government and human settlements and social development departments will assist the provincial electoral commission (IEC) to get necessary addresses before the August 3 elections.

The IEC was ordered to correct its voters roll for Tlokwe following a court challenge that threatened to mar the local government elections.

“We want fair, honest and free elections. So we will assist IEC to get required addresses for our voters. The constitutional court ordered that the local government elections should go ahead as scheduled.

“However, the same court ordered the IEC to rectify address issues in Tlokwe. We want to make sure that the elections run smoothly with no hindrances. We have entrusted IEC and we believe is the independent body. We will make sure the integrity of the authority is protected and restored. It is one of the most important institutions in our country,” Mahumapelo said.

Ndependent candidates in Tlokwe took the IEC to court after the 2013 by-elections complaining of vote rigging and bussing in of people from other wards.

They alleged that the ANC ferried people with buses to vote for the party and results of the by-elections in affected areas were then nullified.

The Electoral Court had given a judgment that required the IEC to get addresses of all registered voters and this led to all pending by-elections getting frozen. Danger was that even the August 3 elections could be flawed if the IEC used the same voters roll.

The IEC then filed an application with the Constitutional Court in April, asking it to set aside an Electoral Court ruling which it said could see millions of people disqualified from voting. The court ruled that elections will go ahead but the IEC had to do the necessary corrections.

IEC provincial chairperson, Dr Tumelontle Thiba said they are busy with training to their staff. She said they will embark on a quest to get addresses from close to 25 000 voters in Tlokwe.

“We are providing a necessary training to our field workers. Later on they will visit voters to engage with them. However our offices will be opened on Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 5pm.

“The objective is to assist those registered voters to verify their addresses. We want to be ready for local government come August 3. So far everything is running smoothly with no hindrance,” Thiba said.

Independent candidates’ representative, David Kham said they welcomed the Concourt ruling.

“We welcome the ruling by Concourt. This is instils trust into our justice system. We want to see fair, honest and free elections prevailing. So the IEC needs to do what is right. We do not want to have a situation where illegitimate voters be voting in wrong wards,” Kham said.

-TDN

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