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Taung – Premier Supra Mahumapelo says the North West Province requires
a total budget of R8.6billion to deal with the province’s entire road network
of 19 786 kilometers, adding that more could be needed due to damages caused by
the severe rains and floods that the province has experienced over the recent
weeks.

Mahumapelo
said this yesterday, at Taung Sports Ground, where he was delivering his State
of the Province Address during the Official Opening of the North West
Provincial Legislature.

“The department of Public Works and Roads will prioritise Villages, Townships
and Small Dorpies’ unpaved or gravel roads badly affected by the rains and
floods. Focus will be put on strategic economic roads that connect villages to
villages, villages to townships and villages to small dorpies,” said Premier
Mahumapelo who told the Provincial Legislature that Ngaka Modiri Molema and Dr
Ruth Segomotsi Mompati Districts have unpaved or gravel roads in the majority. 

Highlighting
progress in respect of other strategic road construction projects in the province,
Mahumapelo said, “While the contractor for the much awaited Nelson Mandela
Highway that is linking Lichtenburg and Mafikeng is already on site, other projects
that would be going on tender before the end of the first quarter of the new
financial year include Lebotlwane Road, Molatedi to Derdepoort, Dudfield to
Gelukspan, Setlopo – Dithakong – Mantsha to Mareetsane,  Lokaleng – Mogosane – Tlapeng to Mmasutlhe, and
Delareyville – Ganalaagte – Kopela to Mareetsane.

The
Premier emphasised that in the spirit of “bietjie-bietjie maak meer”, no
contractor in the Province will be allocated a road tender which is more than
20km with effect from the beginning of 17/18 Financial year.

Mahumapelo
said there is a growing need for the provincial government to double its efforts
to secure private sector funding for the building of roads, as it is becoming
increasingly difficult to rely exclusively on public funding given the
pressures on the budget.

taungdailynews@gmail.com

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JOHANNESBURG – Online sales website Gumtree said Monday that it had banned advertisements offering donkeys in South Africa to prevent inhumane killings of the animals to meet Chinese demand for their skins.

Donkeys are being increasingly slaughtered in South Africa to supply smugglers who export the skins to China, where they are believed to have medicinal properties.

“Gumtree has decided to ban the sale of all donkeys and mules on the site, not just the hides and byproducts,” the company said.

“We hope that this will play a small part in reducing animal cruelty.”

Gelatin-rich donkey skin is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat ailments such as insomnia, and is also an ingredient in a treatment said to delay menopause in women.

Donkey meat is also eaten in some parts of China.

South African police say there has been a surge in the illegal slaughter of the animals since last year, with thousands of hides found hidden in warehouses and backyards.

The illicit trade has also extended to neighbouring countries, including Botswana and Namibia.

According to the South Africa’s National Council of Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the donkeys are stolen from owners and often bludgeoned to death with hammers or even skinned alive.

The organisation welcomed the move by Gumtree, saying it would help raise awareness of the slaughter.

“It is a meaningful step in the prevention of cruelty to animals and the protection of them by removing a specific market or forum for those who trade in them or their parts,” it said.

No donkeys appeared to be for sale on Gumtree late Monday.

– AFP