(From Left to Right Simphiwe Nanise COO of MIT, Engineering Award Winner, Lerato Semetse and Mary Bomela, CEO of MIC)

THE National Union Mineworkers JB Marks Education Trust Fund said it will continue to support deprived students through their education. The trust fund spokesperson, Jako Mokgosi said the fund also assists graduates to enter the mining, energy and construction industries and other disciplines.

“We have shored up graduates from institutions of higher learning institutions. Some of them are qualified to work in disciplines such as engineering, mining, commerce, communications and medicine. When the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) was established in 1982, a huge number of its members were illiterate.

“Through the Mineworkers Investment Trust (MIT), the JB Marks Education Trust Fund was put in place to educate dependants of NUM members to study towards any qualification of their choice. This comes with no obligation to pay back the fund once their studies are completed,” Mokgosi said.

He further said those who graduated are serving to build a better South Africa. Mokgosi highlighted that engineers among them keep the wheels of industry turning while those in the construction industry create the infrastructure needed to support the modern economy.

“We provide assistance to those their parents/guardians are members of NUM. The JB Marks Trust Fund ensures that the bursary applications are sent out in March of each year. The applications will be captured onto our system. This will enables us to keep record of all the applications.

“After the applicants have been captured, then the trust gives priority to the students with the highest marks. The dependants of the mineworkers who are retrenched or deceased are then chosen. And finally, the rest are selected by their choice of course,” he said.

Mokgosi said it was imperative to assist students as their parents have worked durably. He added that everyone needs to take a stand and play a crucial role in equipping the leaders of tomorrow.

He added that they understand the importance of education being accessible to those who need it. Mokgosi said NUM and the MIT created the fund because many black miners were illiterate and could not afford to put their children through universities.

“It is a great opportunity for other organisations to implement the same system to assist those graduates in need. We award 200 bursaries annually and have had over 1000 graduates to date. Ninety two tertiary students were honoured at this year’s 7th JB Marks Education Trust Fund Awards which took place at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg recently.

“Of the 92 students who graduated with essential qualifications, nine of them achieved top honours and additional awards for Outstanding Academic performance in the various categories.

One of the beneficiaries, Lerato Semetse from Kanana Location, in Orkney completed her National Diploma in Engineering Metallurgy. She is studying towards her postgraduate studies (B-Tech) at Wits University.

“Education is very expensive nowadays, so being raised by a single parent is a disadvantaged. However, JB Marks Education Trust Fund came in handy. We need to come together to address poverty, inequality and unemployment.

“I also want to encourage students amid the #FeesMustFall campaign to refrain from burning public properties. We need free education and let us not be blindfolded,” Semetse said.

She said all stakeholders must come forward and address this issue. Semetse said South Africa is a young democratic country and justice imbalances are at the centre stage.

Mineworkers Investments Trust (MIT) COO, Simphiwe Nanise said: “There is no easy way to achieve success unless you apply yourself to the task at hand. All of the graduates have done just that.”- Newsnote

SITUATION has calmed down at Kagisano Molopo local municipality after some residents attempted to shut down operations recently. The concerned residents want newly-elected mayor, Bitsa Lenkopane to step down.

They alleged rendered her selection null and void as they claim procedural methods were not followed.

Lenkopane has assured residents that the wheel of municipal service delivery will roll out uninterrupted.

“We met with those disgruntled and addressed their issues. We also noted with regret the incident and pointed out that such exercise negatively affected the Local Economic Development (LED). The protesters forced many local businesses to shut down for two days last week.

“If the LED is affected, this will results in a setback in a fight against the triple challenges that we are facing our society. We need to address poverty, unemployment and inequality within our society,” Lenkopane said.

She added that the residents need to unite and work together with municipality. Lenkopane also warned those who supported her that their support should never in anyway be misconstrued as an ‘ace card’.

“Your support should not mislead you and think one day you could use it against me. This is just a wave that will come to an end and I will need everyone in Kagisano Molopo to join in the saamtrek-saamwerk initiative.

“We also urge you to conceptualise the reconciliation, healing and renewal (RHR) programme as some of the concretes of the 5^th administration to build the province,” she said.

Lenkopane further said plans were in place to roll out municipal service delivery programmes this week. She added that will empower and develop communities and improve their livelihoods. 

However, those who embarked on a protest refuted the claim. The Kagisano-Molopo Concern Group leader, Sino Kebotlhale said: “The mayor does not want to cooperate. We never met with her as she is avoiding us. Instead of meeting us, she calls and set police on us.

“However, we will never budge and we still maintain that she needs to vacate the mayoral seat. Her selection was invalid as we did not vote her in. There are many challenges that are still pending and she refuses to address community grievances.”- Newsnote

Picture: North West Premier, Supra Mahumapelo

NORTH West Premier Supra Mahumapelo said his visited to China and India last month was an accomplishment. Mahumapelo said they will strengthen business opportunities with those countries.

“One of the agreements of business partnership was donkey business. The Chinese have capabilities in making use of donkey skin in different ways. They have the biggest Science Complex where they use it to deal with donkey skin to boost the economy. We have already identified few hectares where we will open a factory to deal with donkey skin business. We have reached an agreement that we will not send the donkey meat and skin abroad, but open a factory instead.  

“Our National Transport Investment (NTI) also engaged with Chinese government to discuss the possibilities of opening a bus factory. We will work together with all stakeholders in transport industry including taxi industry. We want to upgrade infrastructure especially in far-flung areas. The Chinese agreed to provide necessary training to our people by imparting skills,” he said.

Mahumapelo added that people need to have access to free Wi-Fi across the province. He further said they will also identify few youth who will be ferried to China, Brazil, Russia and India to be equipped with training.

“All those who will be identified, they will to go and get training abroad through BRICS countries. They will also learn the languages used in those countries. We will encourage them to visit our province frequently so that they can share their expertise while studying,” he said.

Mahumapelo said their main objectives were to eradicate unemployment, inequality and poverty which are triple challenges. Most community members need to have cooperatives to be employers rather than employees. We are targeting 70% of our youth to be employers instead.

“We will make announcement next year in 2017 regarding the deal. We also went to India to negotiate with them. The Indian economy is the most and fastest growing economy in the world thus far. They also have good infrastructure in agriculture. We have invited water specialists from India to come and assist us in addressing water challenges.

“The province has experienced water shortage through drought last year. We believe that our farmers will also benefit from that deal. They will educate them on how to reach underground water without spending more money. The Indians are using the easiest method to water their plantation too. They also have magical trees that make rain to fall and have water recycling methods through technology,” Mahumapelo said.

“We will be working closely with law enforcement authorities to address donkey-theft. We also want to applaud the police on arresting those who were involved in drugs selling in the province. We also want to highlight that most of our public servants are doing a great job. However, there are some of those who are involved in corruption and fraud. Their actions derail service delivery and we requested Provincial Government Director-General, Lydia Sebego to address that.

“Our province has reduced its wasteful expenditure from R900 million to only under R10 million currently. We have agreed with Audit General to apply PFMA and we will take drastic measures against those who found guilty. We have also completed the qualifications audit investigations,” Mahumapelo said.- Newsnote

AGRICULTURAL Sector in North West province will receive the necessary support from the World Bank. The bank representatives from United State of America visited Manamolela village on Wednesday.

A Senior Agriculture Economist of the World Bank, Dr Guo Li said: “Developing rural agricultural economies is essential. We go to rural areas to see how we can develop those areas. The World Bank sees the importance of South Africa’s Agri-parks as they offer comprehensive services along the various commodity value chains.”

Dr Li brings abundance of expertise as he worked on the bank’s East Asia Region for eight years focusing on rural development and poverty. He added that they will also visit Mpumalanga, Western Cape and Eastern Cape.  .

The programme was organized by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform. The provincial head of department for Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development department (READ), Dr Poncho Mokaila said the initiative offers a one stop shop for agro-production, processing, logistics, marketing and training within district municipalities.

“Government says the initiative will contribute to developing 300 000 new small holder farmers and 145 000 jobs in agro-processing. The National Developmental Plan (NDP) sees agriculture as having the potential to create close to one million jobs by 2030.

“It states that commercial agriculture has the potential to create 250 000 direct jobs and a further 130 000 indirect jobs. The Agri-parks programme is just one way towards realising these jobs targets,” he said.

Bokone Bophirima’s Department of Rural Environment and Agricultural Development (READ) recently invested R50m on rehabilitation of the silos in Springbokpan near Itsoseng last year.

A processing plant and warehouse is also being built there. The department also has another park in Makapanstadt.

Bokone Bophirima’s premier, Supra Mahumapelo says agriculture is very important in developing hard to reach areas and is a way of fighting unemployment, poverty and inequality.

He added that it affirms some of the fifth administration’s concretes which are; Agriculture, Culture and Tourism (ACT), Villages Townships and Small Dorpies.

“The Launch of the 2016 Letsema Le Bolotse cropping season at Manamolela did not only see farmers receive mechanisms, but it was also an opportunity to discuss the economic benefits of agriculture.

“(VTSD) and Saamtrek Saamwerk which means working together with white farmers to build a brighter future for our country,” Mahumapelo said.-Newsnote