TWENTY-SEVEN people died in separate road accidents that happened across the province since the beginning of April.

  The figure may be more given that some of the incidents may not have been officially recorded by the time of printing this article.

  During the easter weekend alone, nine (9) people lost their lives, an increase from last year’s eight during the same period.

   Community Safety and Transport Management MEC, Dr Mpho Motlhabane expressed concern that campaigns done to raise road safety awareness seem to be ignored.

  “We have seen more increase on fatalities this year. Last year we had eight fatalities, while we are standing at nine just for the long weekend. Our preliminary investigations show that the province experienced 19 accidents with 27 fatalities, 18 serious and four slight injuries. Twenty three of these fatalities happened in a week between April 7 and 12,” he said.

  The nine cases recorded during the easter weekend were mostly isolated incidents.

The worst accident recorded happened on April 8 along the Ottosdal/Wolmaransstad road where 13 people died after a taxi and a private vehicle collided head on.

  Of the 13 who died, bodies of 11 people were burnt beyond recognition and need DNA tests to positively identify them.

  Their funerals are expected to be held after a number of weeks as forensic pathologists are said to be busy with the identification process.

  Most of the victims were coming from a church meeting in Mahikeng, going back to Wolmaransstad.

  In Stilfontein, near Klerksdorp, four people died after their vehicle went out of the road and rolled several times on April 10.

  ER24 paramedics who attended to the scene said that at the time of their arrival, they found four people lying about 10 to 15 meters away from the mangled vehicle.

  MEC Motlhabane said that a number of traffic law violations were also recorded during the same period.

“We managed to stop and check more than 499 vehicles across the province for roadworthy. Forty seven summons were issued for traffic violations with monetary value at R38 500. Our police also managed to arrest a suspect for being in possession of suspected stolen 30 litres of diesel and 16 litres of petrol,” he said.

  The MEC further said they conducted roadblocks in various high spot areas like Taung on N18, Delareyville, Zeerust and Klerksdorp.

  In some instances, they found three unlicensed motor vehicles with others failing to display vehicle discs in Taung.

  “One motorist was charged for overloading while impounded 9 vehicles in Delareyville. Ten taxi were travelling without permits, 14 other vehicles had no disc license. One motorist was fined for driving on barrier line, three fined for overloading and one failed to stop on the stop sign,” he said.

  A total of 299 motorists were fined for various offences on the road, showing that drivers still need to comply.- Newsnote

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ALL roads will lead to Olympia Park Stadium in Rustenburg next month for a marathon event which seeks to promote healthy living and exercise.

   Bojanala district municipality – in partnership with Athletics North West North (ANWN) – will host a 21.1km championship on 13 May as part of efforts to encourage community members to adopt healthy lifestyles through taking part in sport.

  For those who might find the 21.1km race too much of a grueling proposition, there is an option to take part in the 5km Fun Run/ Walk while there will also be a 1mile race for the younger ones.  

  Entries for the races, which drew a significant number of competitors when they were held last year, are already open.

  Organizers of the event have revealed that there will be special medals for everyone who manages to finish the events and that, as an added incentive, the first 1 500 entries for the 21.1km race will receive t-shirts.

  The championship is in line with calls by North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo for communities to prioritize activities that help in bringing down obesity levels and teach people to place more value on their health. 

  For more information, prospective participants are requested to contact ANWN on 014 594 2895.

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

CHAIRPERSON of North West Transport Investments (NTI), Phatudi Maponya has come out gun blazing to clear his name after claims by the Democratic Alliance claim that he was re-appointed to the institution through the backdoor.

 The DA alleged that Maponya was reappointed by Premier Supra Mahumapelo despite having been fired on graft related grounds.

  Speaking through his lawyers, Maponya dismissed the DA claims as absurd and distasteful.

He indicated that his dismissal by former premier, Thandi Modise was found to be fundamentally flawed hence he is back with the entity.

  “The court application was initiated by the North West Transport Investments in the Labour Court for confirmation of my dismissal. The application was vigorously opposed by me and the Court agreed. It is for this reason that any insinuation that I was dismissed by the NTI lacks merit since the Court reinstated me to my employment.

It is therefore untrue, false and dishonest that Mahumapelo re-appointed me after being dismissed at NTI. The Exco, through Mahumapelo, merely re-called and re-appointed me after my initial dismissal was set aside by a competent court of law. I was reappointed by Exco based on my experience and knowledge regarding the operations of NTI,” he said.

Maponya added that his clean record maintained by NTI during his initial stint as the Executive Chairman of the Board, speaks a volume. He further said he filed a court order that was granted by the Pretoria High Court against City Press and Sunday Times newspapers.

“City Press had falsely reported that I sold company assets (aircraft) without following procedures to the detriment of NTI. The application was heard in the urgent court and the presiding judge made an order in terms of the settlement agreement attached hereto. In essence, City Press withdrew the unfounded allegations relating to me being a dismissed official of NTI.

Furthermore, City Press withdrew their conclusions that the aircraft was sold without following procurement procedures. It was accepted by City Press in Court that I was reinstated by Labour Court. Secondly, it was accepted that a procurement consulting company (Lonsa Capital) was appointed to facilitate the sale of the aircraft to the highest bidder,” he said.  

Maponya said he had issued a summons against City Press and Sunday Times for the recovery of pecuniary losses and damages suffered as a result of the deliberate false allegations publicised by them.

The DA Provincial Leader, Joe McGluwa said: “We want to gain access to forensic audit report and be made available for public. We are no longer going to beg the Premier, Supra Mahumapelo to display transparency. We have been struggling to hold provincial government accountable.

  “There were no consequence management and Mahumapelo needs to be held accountable. We have many forensic reports and we have a summary of forensic report. The DA also has information regarding NTI forensic reports not being tabled. The report has been commissioned by the former Premier, Thandi Modise and fired Phatudi Maponya. However, Mahumapelo brought him back,” he claimed. –Newsnote 

THE second biggest region of the ANC in the country, Ngaka Modiri Molema District of the North West Province, held ordinary meeting to assess the current developments in our country and the progress made towards the Regional Conference.

 ANC in Ngaka Modiri Molema, wishes to express their condemnation of the continued attempt by the white monopoly capital in the form of Save SA and Opposition parties to circumvent political processes of the Republic. They actively seek to co-govern with the elected executive by using courts and our people as platforms for pursuing mostly political positions.

  There is no truth to the political claim that is being peddled by the opposition and the beneficiaries of white monopoly capital that the government of the ANC and its President has lost a moral compass and has abounded the struggle of non- racial ,non -sexist, equal, Democratic and prosperous Nation.

  The African National Congress has remained faithful to the cause of Freedom. It leads the national struggle for the emancipation of all oppressed and exploited black people. It stands for a new order in South Africa where racism shall be a thing of the past and human dignity and equality shall prevail in the life of our country.

The ANC notes the call of impeachment of our President through a motion of no confidence as a demonstration of the political opportunism of the DA, EFF, COPE ect. They advance an argument about a ‘conscience vote’ in national parliament against the ANC when they can’t observe the same framework in their parties.

  Whereas the ANC appreciates and asserts that our parliamentary framework requires for Members of Parliament to approach matters of the House from the party-line, the mouth pieces of the rich DA and EFF has made noise about the need for MPs to defy instructions of their party. This they say in their continuous but useless bid to have the President of the Republic removed through a Vote of No Confidence, foolishly goading ANC MPs to lead a mutiny against their own leadership and mandate.

  South Africans have bestowed upon ANC the leadership responsibility to make a success of the country. This requires committed and focus action amongst members and leaders of the organisation, working hand in glove, with all societal partners. It further calls on the movement to unite all our people in a common cause – pushing back the frontiers of poverty, reducing inequality and reversing the tide against unemployment. The ANC therefore at all times should focus on common and national challenges in the interest of the people and to advance their aspirations.

  Accordingly ANC calls on its members and leaders to display unity of purpose at this time. From time to time there shall be divergent views on the nature and means to achieve the type of society we wish to construct. This is an inalienable characteristic of the broad church that defines the character of the African National Congress. Diversity and plurality of views does not mean division but robust and necessary engagement within our movement in our quest to deliver on our responsibility to our people.

  Members and leaders of the organization are expected to focus more on what contributes to unify the nation than what divides us. In this regard the leadership of the RTT unequivocally calls on our members to stop using funeral of our stalwart cde Kathy, may his soul rest in peace to air dissatisfactions. Our members are as always expected to display the highest levels of integrity, selflessness, trustworthiness, honesty and commitment to serve our people in the execution of their duties.

  Our bedrock is unshakeable.We must unite and follow in the footsteps of our martyrs – in the footsteps of the men who fell in the frontline in South Africa and Zimbabwe and in other countries. Let us think of all the patriots languishing in Vorster`s dungeons – Mandela, Mbeki,  Bram Fischer, Ahmed Kathrada, Goldberg. Others like Kalushawho were killed in prison, and many more have been killed and continue to die in jail. They go unheralded but confident that we will avenge their death.

  We note with appreciation that a number of millions supporters of our cause now pin-point the source of the problem causing perpetuation of the economics system – that is, the ever-growing collaboration between the Washington and London to destroy countries that opposes the old way of doing things.

  The downgrade of South Africa’s sovereign rating by credit rating agency, Standard and Poor (S&P),this decision must and does give impetus on our ANC led government to redouble its efforts to use its BRICS membership to fast-track the establishment of BRICS rating agency.

  The RTT remains firmly committed to promoting sound and prudent financial management. We have full confidence in the newly appointed Minister of Finance, Comrade MalusiGigaba and the Deputy Minister of Finance, Comrade Sfiso Buthelezi and other Ministers and Deputies.

  The RTT in Ngaka Modiri Molema is gravely concerned about the serious breach of confidentiality between ourselves and our Alliance Partner, the South African Communist Party (SACP). This follows from a leak of discussion held in confidence in a bilateral meeting between the two parties.

  Furthermore, we are seriously concerned about the call of SACP to contest elections, it proved that through the sacrifices, and in the face of brutal enemy repression and persecution was wasteful. This claim reveals a moral and ideological weakness committed by the SACP.

We congratulate our President for keeping communists leaders in his cabinet, as this shows that the alliance unity is of paramount importance to the organization though they are not trustworthy.

  RTT in Ngaka Modiri Molema categorically condemns the behaviour of COSATU. The ANC does not meddle in the election of leadership of COSATU and its affiliates, instead supports and works with whatever collectives elected.

  The ANC is currently engaged in an extensive organizational process to establish a common understanding of the problems of the movement amongst our structures. This we do so that,    “Through the eye of the needle”, we may reach a collective appreciation on the nature of leadership required to take our organisation forward. Our alliance partners are expected to reinforce this strategic work of fostering unity amongst ANC structures and the Alliance broadly. Members of Cosatu and its affiliates, in their capacity as members of the ANC, are therefore encouraged to participate in this process.

  The act of driving the movement into competing pronouncements about leadership preferences deviates our attention from the crucial political task of building this collective understanding. Our organizational unity has to be built on solid political and theoretical grounds about the substance and depth of our challenges as a revolutionary movement before venturing into secondary matters of leadership selection.

  Part of the political tradition of the alliance is the mutual respect of each other’s internal processes. Whilst we appreciate the interest of our allies in the substance and form of the direction of our revolutionary political programme, we reject their misguided undermine of the ANC’s control over its own internal organizational matters.

  We implore Cosatu leadership to reign on their affiliates and assert an understanding that the succession debate of the ANC will be led by the ANC at a moment organizationally determined by the ANC.

  The RTT confirmed its confidence in the processes leading to the regional conference, to rise to the challenge of charting a path for the movement for the next years, to unite and strengthen the movement, and to adopt policies and programmes that make a real difference to the lives of all residents of Ngaka Modiri Molema, particularly the poor.

  In the conference, which will be held soon, delegates will be required to faithfully reflect the views of the general membership of the ANC. Delegates will also need to demonstrate the discipline and commitment to this task that the structures who mandated them will expect.

It is important that participants at conference, whether delegates, observers or guests, desist from any conduct that may be divisive, disruptive or otherwise deviate from the democratic traditions of the movement.

  The RTT encourages members of the ANC to rededicate them to the struggle to liberate South Africa from the chains of white monopoly capital and smash this monster.

  Members must arm themselves with the willpower and fearlessness of Ngaka Modiri Molema: the endurance and vision of Cde Jacob Zuma, the courage and resourcefulness of Cde SOR Mahumapelo; the farsightedness and dedication of S.P. Makgatho, Sol Plaatjies, Langalibalele Dube, Isakaka Seme and all founding-fathers of the African National Congress.

  Let the dream of President Jacob Zuma who cherish a great alliance of African people to resist their separate conquest come true in our lifetime.

  Let us fight for Economic Freedom. The white monopoly capital enemy in South Africa can and must be defeated. Let the courage and inspiration spring from those fallen heroes who have already set us a good example on the battlefield.

Victor Tsie is ANC regional task team coordinator for Ngaka Modiri Molema. 

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