Picture: Bokone Bophirima Provincial Government spokesperson, Brian Setswambung 

BY REGINALD KANYANE

Bokone Bophirima residents will for the next two weeks participate in dialogues that are aimed at creating awareness and affording targeted groups the opportunity to engage on issues of reconciliation and social ills.

Provincial government spokesperson, Brian Setswambung said the topics to be deliberated on include amongst others, conflicts among communities, drugs and substance abuse, communicable and non-communicable diseases and building a non-racial South Africa.

“The dialogues which are organised by the Reconciliation, Healing and Renewal (RHR) unit in the Office of the Premier in working together with the departments of Social Development and Culture, Arts and Traditional Affairs, the District Municipalities and Local Municipalities are held at all local municipalities across the province from this week until Friday 25.

“The dialogues will start at 10h00am and are part of a planned month-long RHR campaign that will culminate in a Provincial RHR Dialogue to be held in December. Furthermore, a gospel prayer festival will be held on Thursday at Mmabana Taung. This will also form part of the Taung Cultural Calabash build-up activities,” Setswambung said.

He added that the Reconciliation, Healing and Renewal programme is one of the five concretes the fifth administration of Bokone Bophirima Province has resolved to promote among the people of the province. Setswambung further said this is in the province’s concerted effort to achieve the goal of rebranding, repositioning and renewing the province.

“This concrete also seeks to advance some of the government’s priority outcomes of social protection, a long and healthy life for all, nation building and social cohesion, as stated in the National Development Plan.

“With this programme, the provincial government intends to infuse the spirit of peace and reconciliation through a consistent and intensive province-wide campaign, which promotes progressive values, conflict resolution, healthy living, social cohesion and strengthening partnerships with civil society amongst others,” Setswambung said.

He further said it is expected that the local based targeted groups that will participate in these dialogues will develop remedial actions to challenges identified per topic, which will be further discussed during the Provincial RHR Dialogue in December.

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BY BAKANG MOKOTO

Taung will be a hive of activities this coming weekend when multitudes of arts enthusiasts, communities of Taung and the surrounding areas as well as participants from the districts descend on Mmabana Taung Centre for the annual Taung Cultural Calabash.

MEC Ontlametse Mochware said they expecting firecrackers and a strong performance from a line-up that comprises local upcoming and well established musicians.

“We expecting to keep revellers on their feet on Saturday and Sunday. The Taung Cultural Calabash Festival is supported by the North West Department Culture, Arts and Traditional Affairs, Mmabana Arts, Culture & Sports Foundation and the Department of Arts and Culture.

“The department will spend R3.8m on this year’s event. We encourage our people to continue to celebrate heritage throughout. The fifth administration has taken a decision to use Agriculture, Culture and Tourism (ACT) as its economic drive,” Mochware said.

She added that the event will benefit the communities of Bokone Bophirima at large.

One of performers, Mo Molemi said: “The Taung Cultural Calabash event is an oyster for our young upcoming artists. The event also benefits the artists of Bokone Bophirima and boosts our economy especially in far-flung areas.

“I want to applaud the CATA department for support our craft. We also know that North West Premier, Supra Mahumapelo announced that they will use ACT As the economic drive for the province. My followers should expect firecrackers on Saturday.”

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Pic/Facebook: Aldrin Segale Mogotsi 

BY KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

TRIBUTES continue to pour in after the death of veteran radio presenter. North West FM dynamic presenter, Aldrin Segale Mogotsi passed away in the early hours of Monday at Edenvale Hospital in East Rand.

Premier Supra Mahumapelo has conveyed his message of condolences to Mogotsi’s family.

“On behalf of the North West Provincial Government, we send our heartfelt condolences to the Mogotsi family.  Segale Mogotsi will always remain in our hearts and minds. He was one of us, having started his broadcasting career here in Mahikeng at Radio Bop.

“As a radio personality with an impeccable record, Mogotsi kept the masses of our people informed on important issues affecting them on a daily basis,” Mahumapelo said.

He said Mogotsi clearly understood that radio was the medium of choice for majority of the people.

Family spokesperson, Sarah Phaweni confirmed Mogotsi’s death. She said the dynamic presenter was rushed to the hospital on Sunday.

“Mogotsi had been in and out of hospital for a while. He complained about aches all over his body. The family has been touched by his death. Mogotsi was crippled by the death of his two friends, Mdoo and Ken Modise two weeks ago. He was doing well until then,” Phaweni said.

North West FM station manager, David Mabusela said: “We are saddened by the death of Mogotsi. He was ok last week and he took a day off to bury his friends. Mogotsi was a seasoned broadcaster and showed pedigree. He was very intelligent and did his work perfectly,” Mabusela said.

A 47-year-old presenter was hosted the Platinum Network Cafe on Fridays between 8pm and 12 midnight and on Saturdays between 3pm and 6pm.

According to his Facebook post dated November 8, Mogotsi wrote: “Mara health. Does it have to be this painful and one be so helpless? This past week alone I lost two friends. Am I next? RIP Mdoo & Ken Modise.”

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MAPASEKA Letsike, the South African National Aids Council deputy chairman, said it was unacceptable that in 2016 there were still 290 000 new HIV infections annually.

He said HIV/Aids could be eradicated by 2030 but only if every sector of society worked together.

The Aids Council held a meeting at the Sheraton Hotel in Tshwane on Friday.

Letsike said there are 2 000 new infections per week among girls between 15 and 24 in South Africa.

“We can no longer afford that. Our young girls should be protected. They should go to school and stay there.

“We can no longer have pregnancies among teens, especially when we know about the inter-generational issues.”

Letsike said he is committed to the new strategic plan to eradicate HIV/Aids by 2030. The meeting was chaired by deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa.

He urged all South Africans to work towards the new plan.

Ramaphosa said he is looking forward to a generation free of HIV.

– Daily Sun

​Owen Da Gama Announces Bafana Line-Up To Face Mozambique

Acting head coach, Owen da Gama has announced his Bafana Bafana starting line-up ahead of the national team’s international friendly encounter against Mozambique tonight, at Estadio Nacional do Zimpeto in Maputo.

Following head coach Shakes Mashaba’s suspension on Sunday, after the team claimed a 2-1 victory over Senegal in their second 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying encounter, assistant coach D Gama was instructed to take charge of the bench leading into Bafana’s international friendly against Mozambique in Maputo.

In a press-release issued by the South African Football Association, Da Gama hinted that he would look at making a few changes to different positions in the squad, in order to give players a chance at good competition.

The 55-year-old also revealed that defender, Rivaldo Coetzee has been ruled out of the squad due to an ankle injury, which will give Da Gama a chance to assess the other available defenders for the centre-back position.

Here’s how they will line-up:

Ronwen Williams, Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Erick Mathoho, Clayton Daniels, Thulani Hlatshwayo (C), Daine Klate, Tiyani Mabunda, Hlompho Kekana, Thuso Phala, May Mahlangu, Lars Veldwijk 

Subs: Brighton Mhlongo, Itumeleng Khune, Asavela Mbekile, Keagan Dolly, Mpho Makola, Ayanda Patosi, Sibusiso Vilakazi, Thulani Serero, Eleazar Rogers, Bradley Grobler

The match is scheduled take place at 19h00.

Source: http://www.soccerladuma.com

BY KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

Bokone Bophirima MEC for Tourism Mme Desbo Mohono with Bojanala Platinum District Municipality Executive Mayor Mme Fetsang Mokati during the Bojanala District Tourism Lekgotla currently underway at the Rustenburg Civic Centre.

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Swimming South Africa is concerned about the number of children who drown each year. (REUTERS)

Swimming South Africa is calling for the Department of Education and other relevant stakeholders to take swimming lessons seriously, especially for disadvantaged children in rural areas.

This is as high temperatures are experienced in some parts of the country this summer.  Due to scorching heat children are tempted to swim in dams, quarries and rivers to cool down, forgetting the risk of drowning.

According to Swimming South Africa, Mahikeng in the North West is reported to be more exposed to drowning incidents.

Recently one child drowned in a quarry in Moshawane village in Mahikeng while swimming with his friends.   

According to the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), from December 2015 to January 2016, there were 22 fatal drowning with about 14 adult incidents and 8 children incidents.  

Over the 2015/16 festive season the NSRI rescued a total of 141 people in 123 cases.  

South African experts say drowning is caused by the lack of swimming skills due to lack of relevant facilities for children in their schools, particularly in rural areas.

Swimming South Africa’s Nelly Silenp says swimming is not only a sport but it also plays an important role, more particularly during floods

The North West is one of the provinces that also experiences a high number of drowning incidents, mostly during festive seasons.  However, Swimming South Africa says this is due to lack of facilities in and around the villages and townships where young people could be trained for swimming.

Swimming South Africa’s Nelly Silenp says swimming is not only a sport but it also plays an important role, more particularly during floods.

“I think swimming is a survival skill and also a recreational matter. It is very important especially now because we experience floods which we know are very dangerous when it comes to children just wanting to have some fun within the water. It is very important for children to have proper swimming lessons because it is a life skill.”

Silenp says they have tried to engage the Department of Education and Sports to come up with plans on how to bring swimming facilities to rural areas. Silenp says it is important that children should be taught swimming from a young age.

“Number one is safe swim facilities, it should be safe and it should be properly maintained and the public must have access to those facilities. These facilities must be in close distance of where children are living because if there are no facilities they go to dangerous areas, and that is where drownings take place.” 

In 2015 three people drowned on New Year’s Day in different incidents in the North West. However the North West Department of Education says they have programmes in place that are aimed at averting drownings.

Departmental Spokesperson Freddy Sepeng says although the department has not yet built any facilities in rural areas, plans are ahead for such programmes.

“We having what we call learn teaching programme in partnership with swimming North West accredited by the National swimming federation and SASCOC and through this programme what we are doing, we are busy teaching members of the community including learners themselves about how to swim. What we have done is that we have identified places where there are swimming pools and then we transport those kids to such places where they can be taught how to swim.”

The World Health Organisation lists drowning as one of the top causes of unnatural deaths amongst children in South Africa, with lack of supervision playing a major role. Globally the highest drowning rates are among children between one and four years old followed by children aged five to nine.

Source: http://www.sabc.co.za

Former Motsweding FM presenter, Aldrin Segale Mogotsi passed away. More details will follow.

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Cape Town – The remains of Democratic Alliance (DA) North West deputy leader Petro Nel, who went missing in Nepal just over a year ago, has been found, the Himalayan Times reported.

The wreckage of the ultralight aircraft that Nel and Russian pilot Valeri Putin used for a scenic flight over the Himalayas in October last year has been found near Mount Machhapuchhre in the Kaski district of western Nepal on Sunday.

Chris Hattingh, a DA councillor who is supporting Nel’s family in Klerksdorp, told Netwerk24 someone in another light aircraft recently flew over the area, spotted the wreckage and took pictures.

A Nepalese rescue team we deployed to the scene on Sunday morning.

The aircraft has been positively identified as the one Petro was in,” Hattingh said.

He said the family was still too distraught to speak to the media.

The chief of Pokhara Airport, Bhola Prasad Guragain, confirmed to the Himalayan times that the remains and the wreckage were found in a gorge at an altitude of about 3 600m in a very remote area on Sunday.

The remains will be sent for forensic testing to verify the identities.

Source: http://www.news24.com