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TAUNG- The two provinces of the Northern Cape and Bokone Bophirima has kick-started a process to unblock service delivery bottle necks for the community of Ba-ga Mothibi village in Greater Taung local municipality in Bokone Bophirima.

Fenny Gaolaolwe said: “This will be done through the establishment of both a political and technical task team comprising of our department, Culture, Arts and Traditional Affairs department led by Ontlametse Motshware from Bokone Bophirima as well as MEC for Cooperate Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Alvin Botes from the Northern Cape as well as their officials.”

She further said this will culminate into a protocol agreement between the two provinces with the purpose of ensuring that communities are able to access services from both the provinces without any hassle. 

Meanwhile, a service delivery blitz is organized for the community of Ba-ga Mothibi in the area next week Tuesday through the Setsokotsane service delivery programme.

Ba-ga Mothibi is an area made up of 14 villages with some areas straddling between the Northern Cape and Bokone Bophirima provinces. The two provinces work together to provide service.

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Picture: Bokone Bophirima Premier, Supra Mahumapelo 

BY REGINALD KANYANE

BOKONE Bophirima Premier, Supra Mahumapelo embarked on his enterprise development and economic growth programme on Tuesday. Mahumapelo said he will visit all local municipalities in the province over a period of four months.

“The first visits will be undertaken in Bojanala Platinum District Municipality, with Moretele local municipality targeted for today. We will spend a week at each of the province’s district where we are expected to engage with stakeholders comprising private companies, business people and chambers of commerce amongst others.

“We will also highlight on the existing opportunities for entrepreneurship development and economic growth at each local municipality’s villages, townships and small dorpies,” he said.

Mahumapelo will be joined by MEC for Finance, Economy and Enterprise Development, Wendy Nelson, District and Local Mayors as well as the Traditional Leadership.

“Targeted stakeholders at each local municipality will also have a discussion with a panel of experts and the meeting will focus on access to finance, procurement processes, and registration of companies, marketing and access to markets. Our VTSD enterprise development economic forum sessions at all the VTSD areas are not only about giving meaning to the province’s five concretes, but also seek to promote leadership accountability, encourage active engagement with the citizens about their development as well as the spirit of working together.

“For Bojanala Platinum District Municipality programme, the stakeholders’ morning engagements with me, will start at 09h00, while the afternoon panel of experts’ discussion and media session will start at17h00, at the following venues,” he said.

Tuesday, 18 April: Moretele Community Hall, next to Moretele Local Municipality

Wednesday, 19 April: Madibeng Community White Hall, Madibeng Local Municipality

Thursday, 20 April: Moses Kotane Community Hall, Moses Kotane Local Municipality

Friday, 21 April: Tlhabane Community Hall, Rustenburg Local Municipality

Tuesday, 25 April: Reagile Community Hall, Kgetleng Local Municipality

The Premier’s VTSD Enterprise Development Economic Forum engagements will be taken to Ngaka Modiri Molema District in May, followed by Dr Kenneth Kaunda in June, and will end in July at Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality.

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A COMMUNITY radio station, Vaaltar FM, from Taung recently won a South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) award for its role in uplifting the lives of poor people.

  The station manager, Kgakololo Mothei said the community radio station that broadcasts in Taung and surrounding areas were crowned the provincial winners and came as runners-up at national level.

  Mothei further said the station won the provincial leg of the SAHRC community radio competition.

  “The competition was dubbed “Stand up for human rights” and seeks to honour community radios which champions human rights issues on behalf of ordinary civilians. The SAHRC and the United Nations Human rights (office of the high commissioner) are the custodians of this awards which was held in Johannesburg on March 29.

  Vaaltar FM was honoured after a heart-breaking story covered few months ago. The story depicted the plight of rural schools which still use trees as classrooms in modern day and era. The story was about Pelonngwe Primary School which is located in Takaneng village, near Taung. There is overcrowding at that school and pupils use trees as classrooms,” she said.

  Mothei also applauded her dedicated reporters for touching the lives of ordinary citizens.

National Community Radio Forum provincial chairperson, Tsholofelo Moepeng said: “We want to commend the Vaaltar FM Community Radio for their achievements. The awards can be credited to dedicated staff members as well as community. They have shown resilience amid hostile economic conditions throughout the years since its establishment.”

  He added: “We applaud them for using the platform to address current challenges faced by our society in the current epoch, especially that of Digital Migration. South Africa has witnessed substantial transformation of the broadcasting sector over the past two decades. Changes are most visible when it comes to community broadcasting, as shown by the number of community radio stations that have been licenced and the increase in radio listenership.”

  Moepeng said that statistics show that many people listen to community radio stations across the country.

  He indicated that the recent figure confirmed that radio is the most listened to medium with 37 million listeners and records 256 community radio stations to date.

  “This sector needs enormous experience and skills. Advertisers invest their money where there are guarantees and Vaaltar FM has demonstrated to be one of trusted and reliable business partners. We wish the province to host the National Community Radio Forum conference anticipated to take place soon,” he said.

  The forum is where all member stations throughout the country would be descending to showcase their abilities.

  “We welcome other stations from elsewhere to the shores of the most beautiful and tourist friendly province belonging to the likes of our own dear grandparents like Mama Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, Uncle JB Marks and Moses Kotane to mention the least distinctive Africans who put the interest of their country and its people first rather than self-enrichment in the expense of the poor masses,” Moepeng said.

   Vaaltar FM can be reached online through www.vaaltarfm.com or directly tune in on 93.6 MHZ. – Newsnote

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BY KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

Eight people sustained minor to moderate injuries when their bakkie crashed through a barrier on a bridge and down an embankment along the R54 Potchefstroom-Vereeniging road on Sunday.

ER24 spokesperson, Werner Vermaak said the accident took place shortly after 9am. Vermaak said paramedics from ER24 and Tlokwe Fire Department arrived on the scene where they found the bakkie several meters down the embankment.

“Seven of the occupants, including four children (10 years old and younger), were found standing near the bridge. They were assessed and found with minor to moderate injuries. A woman was still trapped in the overturned vehicle. The Tlokwe fire fighters had to free her from the wreckage,” he said.

All the occupants were treated on the scene and later ferried to a nearby hospital.

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BY BAKANG MOKOTO

Kagisano-Molopo local municipal mayor, Bitsa Lenkopane bequeathed sports equipment to eight football teams across the municipality recently. Lenkopane handed over eight sets of soccer kits and footballs to local teams that participated in the Youth Development Sports Tournament held in Tosca sports ground in Tosca during Easter weekend.

“The tournament was one of our continuous youth support and development programmes. Our aim is to make a growing impact with every service delivery programme we undertake. We aim at fighting poverty, inequality and unemployment within our society through sport. The basic service the municipality render to our people must have impact in their lives with an everlasting change.

“The tournament was also part of response to Bokone Bophirima Premier, Supra Mahumapelo’s ten point plan addressing sports development and participation campaign. It is also the address to the obesity challenge that concerns Mahumapelo. We want to get every member of the society to actively participate in any sport activity to keep fit and healthy,” she said.

Lenkopane added that with this tournament, they brought everybody together to participate. She further said this was a stepping stone towards sport development especially in far-flung areas.

“The sport also brings families and communities together. I remember during our youth days where families will flock to sporting fields to enjoy themselves. Sport activities used to bring people together. Supporting our favourite teams used to make us a family where we built strong bonds among us and lookout for each other.

“Remember we are in a process of rebuilding our community. The donation of these sport equipment goes beyond the sport itself. The initiative also addresses five concretes of service delivery. With these activities, we aim at Reconciling, Healing and Renewal of our people. We create a platform for the village economy where local hawkers and retailers will benefit,” she said.

Lenkopane also urged teams to sustain their existence and encouraged them to recruit more young people into their ranks for a continuous participation in sport.

The second leg of the tournament will be played in Itireleng village, in ward 8 in a fortnight’s time.

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A PLAY called Itsoseng which was written by an internationally celebrated and actor and writer from Bokone Bophirima, Omphile Molusi, is currently running at the Market Theatre.

  The production is about a childhood love story and life in a township (Itsoseng) formerly known as “Mooidorpie” because of its beauty during the Bophutatswana days. 

  Molusi’s talent was showcased at the Edinburgh Arts Festival where he received the Scotsman Fringe First Award, an honour which is given to the best plays at the international festival.

  Itsoseng was first published by Junkets Publishers, later by Oxford Publishers and it has been adopted as a formal set work for grade 11 drama students.

  His formal training at the Market Theatre Laboratory led him to become the first winner of the Royal Shakespeare Company Brett Goldin Bursary which enabled him to study theatre in the United Kingdom (UK) where he sharpened his skills in acting, voice and heightened writing.

  The play has toured in the UK, Ireland, America and Zimbabwe and has also played at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town.

  Molusi is also a winner of the Black Excellence Award in Chicago in the United States.

HE said that what keeps him going is his love to keep people entertained and a passion for storytelling.

  “My family also motivates me to take my work seriously and achieve even greater things as I have a loving wife and a three-year-old daughter. It has not been an easy journey though, people think that when you are from The Market Theatre Laboratory you will instantly make it. You have to keep hustling and make sure that you are always innovative and creative.”

  Molusi has also written a number of published short stories which include Cadre-based on the story of an African People’s Liberation Army (APLA) soldier, For the Right Reasons and Balalatladi.

  He also teaches writing at the Market Theatre Laboratory and is a writer for a popular television soapie on e.tv calledScandal!

  The play is currently showing at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg. It started on April 7 and will run until May 7. -Newsnote

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North West Provincial Legislature’s Standing Committee on Provincial Public Accounts (SCOPA) led by the Chairperson, Mahlakeng Mahlakeng has requested the Department of Finance, Economy and Enterprise Development and Department of Local Government to urgently assist Ditsobotla and Lekwa-Teemane Local Municipalities to develop a recovery plan that will ensure that salaries and statutory deductions are paid in the last three months of the financial year ending June 2017.

This came after the Standing Committee held an oversight meeting with Mayors and senior management of both municipalities, where they admitted to delays on payments of salaries of employees and statutory deductions including, South African Revenue Services deductions, Unemployment Insurance Fund and other Municipal Gratuity Fund Deductions dating from August 2016.

Mahlakeng said the departments should assist the municipalities in developing the recovery plan and provide key personnel who will ensure that salaries and statutory deductions are paid in the last three months of the financial year ending June 2017.

“The Municipal Public Accounts Committees should also be involved in the turn-around strategy.  There is no political and administrative leadership in both municipalities hence there were delays on such important legal payments affecting employees. In Lekwa-Teemane local municipality, the position of the Chief Financial Officer has been vacant for a long time, and consultant is being paid over R3 million to manage its Budget and Treasury Office.

“There is also no clarity on whether the more than three Provincial Government’s interventions at these municipalities yielded any positive results,” said Mahlakeng.

Local Government and Human Settlements Head of Department, Ephraim Motoko said the department is assisting with many interventions including secondment of senior managers and implementation of valuation roll,  credit control debt collection, and revenue enhancement measures.

“We are also assisting with collection of debt from different government departments. Stability in senior management positions has been a challenge in these municipalities,” said Motoko.

Linda Negovhle from the Department of Finance said both municipalities’ budget is not sustainable and they are unable to pay its budgeted obligations including creditors due to low revenue collection and high consultancy fees on finance and legal functions which are part of their organograms. 

“Both municipalities have outsourced its credit control functions however there is no improvement in collection rates. They also cannot pay Auditor General, their owing Eskom more than R14m , 3^rdParties and SARS which resulted in constant accruals.

“At Lekwa-Teemane, Equitable Share (which includes administration cost and community services) is R39 million whilst employee cost is only R57 million. In Ditsobotla the Equitable Share is R89,9 million whilst employee cost is R169.9million. Their salaries are then funded by their revenue collection which is not reliable, that is why they find themselves in this situation,” said Negovhle.

The Acting Municipal Manager at Lekwa-Teemane Local Municipality,  Mokgatlhe Ratlhogo said employees and councillors’ salaries were paid on 27 March 2017 instead of the prescribed date of the 25^ththrough the conditional grants on understanding that Dr. Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality could intervene through provision of a short-term loan of R3 million.

“A Special Municipal Council meeting in March 2017 has also resolved to pass a resolution to request the Department of Local Government and Human Settlements to assist with an amount of R14, 1 million for remuneration and salaries for April to June 2017 as the amount will be covered during the implementation of revenue enhancement strategies. 

“We still owe SARS for January to March 2017,” said Ratlhogo. 

He said the municipality has pleaded with both departments to assist on filing critical positions including senior managers.

The Municipal Manager for Ditsobotla Local Municipality, Tsatsi Ramagaga said due to serious cash flow challenges from August 2016, salaries and statutory deductions were not paid on time.

“Main contributors are non-implementation of credit controls and unavailability of capital budget from own revenue. Although we had these challenges, the municipality managed to pay salaries and statutory deductions with the last tranche of equitable share on 17 March 2017. 

“We have made arrangement with SARS to pay the balance in tranches as and when the funds are available.

“The municipality is owed over R348 million by government, businesses and households. The National Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs is assisting the municipality in finalising revenue enhancement plan,” said Ramagaga.

Mahlakeng said the municipalities should submit a detailed report on Councillors and municipal employees who do not pay municipal rates and taxes.

 “Municipalities should conduct consultative meetings to encourage communities to pay services as municipalities rely on revenue to improve service delivery,”M ahlakeng said. 

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BY BAKANG MOKOTO

North West under-12 Danone Nations Cup provincial soccer finals will take place on May 6 at the Alabama Stadium in Klerksdorp. Mmamitlwa Primary School of Saulspoort will be there for the first time.

Moses Mahau who is the coach, said that they entered the competition for the first time last year and they are thrilled to advance to the next stage at their second attempt. There will be 3 other regional winners competing in the province.

“We are a rural school, located in Raserapane Section, Moruleng in the Moses Kotane district. So we do not have good facilities. Even though we play on a sand field, we have the same chance as any other school of going further in the competition. Look at Benny’s Sport and Academy. They are also a rural school but they won the national finals last year and finished 14^th at the world finals, out of 32 schools,” Mohau said.

Mmamitlwa qualified after winning their regional finals that took place on 1^st April this year.

There were 12 schools competing in the regional finals and they were divided into 3 groups of 4 schools each.  One of the teams in their pool was disqualified and Mmamitlwa won one and drew the other of their pool games to finish on top of their group.

They met Segwetlhane Primary School in the semi-finals, and won in a penalty shootout.

“It was a tough semi-final. Segwetlhane scored first, but we managed to equalised. We eventually won the game on penalties. That put us into the final against Matlhware of Rustenburg Rural. That game also ended in a 1-all draw and Mmamitlwa won on penalties.

Mahau started teaching at the school in 2013. He has no formal coaching qualification, but he coaches at two local clubs and his experience has helped him with the school team.

“I am passionate about development and it is the responsibility of school coaches to teach the children the basic rules of the game. That will instill good habits at an early age to help develop them to professional level.

“It is critical at this young age to build the players’ self-esteem and confidence. That comes primarily from the home environment so I encourage parents to get involved with every aspect of the child from their school work to extra murals,” he said.

Mahau also encouraged the parents to watch their kids whenever they can. He further said he always tried to motivate and encourage them.

“I hope they will all come to the provincials as that is great motivation for the team to perform well. Although I have no idea what to expect at the provincial finals, I am pretty confident that my team has the same chance of getting into the national finals as any other school there. If we get the systems into place and stick to our structures we can do as well as Benny’s,” he concluded.

Competing schools:

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JOHANNESBURG – A champion of positivity, Ontlametse Phalatse, has passed away.

She passed away on Tuesday night at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital in Ga-Rankuwa, outside Pretoria.

The 18-year-old was one of two South African girls living with the rare genetic disorder.

Progeria causes rapid aging.

Her doctors predicted that she would only survive until her 14th birthday.

Last month, President Jacob Zuma fulfilled her wish to meet him.

The family will release a statement later on Wednesday morning.

– eNCA