Picture: Hip Hop artist, Flizzy The Tone 

By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

Music plays a pivotal role within the society and people cannot live without it. Taung emerging hip hop artist, Modiri Thebeyagae (17) from Pudimoe Location in Taung said music is so important in the contemporary society.

Flizzy The Tone as Thebeyagae is affectionately known in music fraternity said he fell in love with hip hop genre while he was only 4.

“I was inspired by the likes AKA, Cassper Nyovest and other world renowned artists. Music plays an important role in everyday life. I started to develop interest while I was in Grade 4. I worked with various artists across North West including my former producer, Da Ruse Mavest.

“It is hard to be an artist especially coming from Taung which is a predominantly rural. We come across many challenges in the industry. There is a lack of exposure especially from Taung. However, I am still young and I anticipate great things. My main objective is to become one of the finest artists across the country,” Flizzy The Tone said.

A 17 year-old musician said music is a prevailing art that need to be nurtured well. Flizzy The Tone further said music is an autonomous art form, functioning independently from social, political, economic, technological, and ethical developments.

“Music does much more than depicting or embodies values. Music is active and dynamic, constitutive not merely of values but of trajectories and styles of conduct. It plays an important role in shaping society and identities. The scope of music reaches far beyond the concert hall.

“I am currently doing Grade 10 at PH Moeketsi High School and looking forward to continue with my studies. My upbringing was just normal and I believe that we can achieve a lot through discipline, dedication and determination. I also want to urge our youth to focus more on their education and fight poverty, inequality and unemployment,” he said.

Flizzy The Tone added that music provides parameters that can be used to frame experiences, perceptions, feelings, and comportments. He released a Mix Tape last week and expects to release an album soon.

“We are having challenges as artists in Taung. The area is predominantly rural and there is lack of opportunities here. We want to urge provincial government to support our craft and ensure that we grow. We have also realised that government alone cannot not afford to support us. However, private sector needs to come on board and invest in us.

“Music is no more a hobby, but a career. There are so many different roles, functions, and positions within the music industry. South Africa is blessed with abundance of talents and that need to be nurtured. We must learn to bring music into philosophical, sociological, and various cultural perspectives. Music is placed in a socio-cultural context,”

taungdailynews@gmail.com

BY BAKANG MOKOTO

Greater Taung Local Artists Forum organisation (GTLAF) said it is adamant that it will receive positive outcome from Mmabana Foundation management. The organisation submitted a memorandum to Mmabana Taung on Friday. The GTLAF chairperson, Modisaotsile Lebitse said they embarked on a march after local artists were excluded from prestigious Taung Cultural Calabash event.

“This is a matter of urgency and we demand answers. We, as GTLAF demand that our local artists be recognised for Taung Cultural Calabash event. We also demand urgent arrangement of transport to collect all local artists as they are ready to perform and explore their talents. The organisation also demand that the Mmabana Taung pay R10 000 to each soloist and R15 000 to groups that consist of more than one artist.

“There are artists who were allegedly not paid during last year’s edition. We demand new system to be used in organising the event. Our traditional leaders in our villages, forums representatives and community leaders need to be consulted two months prior the event. Taung Cultural Calabash event shall not be tendered to individuals too.

“We want to see our local communities benefiting from the event in terms of Local Economic Development (LED). There is no social responsibility from service provider and we demand plough back percentage,” Lebitse said.

Tsibogo Ya Taung Civic organisation shared the same sentiments. TYT coordinator, Goitseone Legodu said as a civic organisation, they support the interest of the community. Legodu further said the Greater Taung Local Artists Forum (GTLAF) has a point as far as Taung Cultural Calabash event is concern.

“We do not see economic growth and local artists do not get formal assessment from Mmabana Foundation. TYT also want to know how Villages, Townships and Small Dorpies (VTSD) implementation fits in this programme. We have structures like Local Economic Development (LED), but local service providers are constantly excluded.

“Our aim is to see every local service provider benefit from R3.1m injection. We understand that Taung Cultural Calabash is a provincial event as MEC for Culture, Art and Traditional Affairs department (CATA) Ontlametse Mochware said. However, the provincial government highlighted that 70% of its procurement will be dedicated to VTSD areas,” he said.

Legodu added that the security company appointed for the event is from Johannesburg. He said the sub-contract appointed, Khanyapr is also from Johannesburg too.

“The department has also not shed more light on the originality of companies providing stage, marquees and sound system. So, it is clear that event manager failed dismally to consult beneficiaries which are the community members of Taung.

“We want to know if the North West province at large does not have capabilities to provide that kind of services? How does provincial government will grow the economy of Taung while using service providers outside the province? We are crystal clear as Tsibogo Ya Taung Civic organisation that the event will not go ahead if our grievances are not addressed in terms of compliance,” he said.

Legodu further said they want Section 195 of the constitution to be implemented. He added that the constitution says the needs of the communities need to be properly addressed.

“It also states that all documents need to be disposed before us in terms of transparency. The company that is running the event is Molite which had a three year contract with the Mmabana Foundation. However, they are in their final year and we believe that it does not have the interest of Taung people at heart.

“We also want to know the strategy used to appoint all service providers regarding the calabash. Mahika Mahikeng event came after Taung Cultural Calabash, however it receives R16m budget. The Taung Cultural Calabash event receives a meagre R3.1m and people from Mahikeng still benefit from it,” Legodu outlines.

He said what kind of policies the provincial government has that guide the Taung Cultural Calabash, but fails to be implemented while running Mahika Mahikeng event. Legodu further said the provincial government shall always comply and implement transparency at all times.

“If VTSD vision is not implemented in this regard, then let the initiative be scrapped across all projects in Taung. The event was not properly planned because inter-governmental relations are non-existence in Taung. The organising company, Molite had a three year contract with Mmabana Foundation to organise the Taung Cultural Calabash. However, Mmabana Foundation interjected them last year for non-compliance.

“The company has never given any audit report for their programme. We wonder why the company is given any priority after failing to present an audit report. Mmabana Foundation terminated their contract, but they approached the court instead and won the case,” he said.

Legodu highlighted that the aim of the organising company was to be compensated.

taungdailynews@gmail.com

Picture: North West MEC of CATA, Ontlametse Mochware 

BY KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

RESIDENTS of Taung will embark on a massive march on Friday in support of local artists. The artists alleged that they were excluded from Taung Cultural Calabash event that will be taking place on Sunday at Taung Sportground in Taung.

Greater Taung Artists Forum organisation (GTAF) coordinator, Modise ‘Disco’ Lebitse said the gathering will commence at the Hoax Sportground in Ditshilong village in Taung on Friday at 9am.

“We will embark on a protest in solidarity to our local artists. Taung Cultural Calabash has lost its meaning and value. The event was supposed to benefit the community of Taung. Most of our artists are excluded from the main event. We will march from Hoax Sportground to Mmabana Taung and hand over memorandum.

“We demand answers from the Mmabana Foundation and Culture, Art and Traditional Affairs department (CATA). As residents, we cannot sit back while the rights of our people are violated. We urge every citizen to join us in quest for justice and claiming what is rightfully ours,” Lebitse said.

He further said the event only benefit people from outside Taung.

Forum 4 Service Delivery (F4SD) also shared the same sentiments. F4SD spokesperson, Elias Mogoru said they are aggrieved as the people of Taung and the entire province. Mogoru said local event management companies as well as artists are constantly overlooked on the organising and performing in as far as the Taung Calabash is concerned.

“CATA MEC, Ontlametse Mochware blatantly lied to over 3 million Motsweding Fm listeners about the Calabash. (F4SD) would like to put it categorically clear that the company that is organising the Taung Cultural Calabash is none other than Mabala Noise, owned by the ANC Treasurer General, Reggie Nkabinde.

“This has turned to be ANC Cultural Calabash. F4SD would also like to place it on record that our artists have been ignored and excluded because the Taung Calabash has been reduced to yet another ANC’s ‘get rich quick’ scheme where our artists in the North West are crooked by the same government that promised people a “Better Life” since 1994,” Mogoru he said.

He further said the party noted the inclusion of some of North West artists. Mogoru added that platforms like the Taung Cultural Calabash were meant specifically for the development and support of artists in the province.

“What the main event line-up suggests to us is that criminals have decided to staff-ride the Calabash. The platform is no longer beneficial to the people of this province. Mochware told the nation green lies on the Motsweding Fm current affairs. She said she was only told that the organising company is from the North West.

“She refused to give the name of the organising company and said the caller must come to Taung Cultural Calabash on Sunday to get the name of company. Really MEC? You were ‘only told’? Now let’s tell you MEC that the company that is organising the ANC (Taung) Cultural Calabash is the Mabala Noise owned by Reggie Nkabinde, the ANC Treasurer General. Got it?,” Mogoru added.

He said they will write a letter to the MEC in terms of the Promotion of Administration Justice Act 3 of 2000. Mogoru said they will also challenge the MEC, Ontlametse Mochware and North West Premier, Supra Mahumapelo in an open public engagement on this matter.

“We have evidence of wrongdoing by CATA under the watchful eye of the Premier as per his instructions. F4SD further calls upon residents of Taung and the province to boycott this ANC corrupt activity. When will it come to an end that artists in the province, have to leave for places like Johannesburg in search of opportunities?

“This is the reason why Cassper Nyovest has deserted this province. North West never made him, he made himself. We have artists who have previously won SATMAS and some are even nominees, artists that can perform in the main event, but they’ve been sidelined. This is again yet another reason why we advise people not to vote for ANC, a party that care less about those who votes for it,” he concludes.

taungdailynews@gmail.com

BY BAKANG MOKOTO

NORTH West Provincial Government spokesperson, Brian Setswambung lambasted those who allege that Premier Supra Mahumampelo want to control National Interfaith Council of South Africa (NICSA) structure in the province. This came up after a three day NICSA’s fourth annual provincial conference that was supposed to take place at Taung Hotel School and Convention Centre was called off on Tuesday.

Leadership from various churches were seen stranded at Taung Hotel School and Convention Centre after unpaid accommodation. The NICSA leadership claimed that North West Provincial Government office was supposed to book for them. However, provincial government spokesperson, Brian Setswambung refuted the claims.

Setswambung said NICSA provincial leadership requested the Office of the Premier to fund the conference.  However, he further said the NICSA representatives sent a ‘letter of request’ to the office of Reconciliation, Healing and Renewal (RHR) director, Tebogo Ramashilabele late.

“Ramashilabele received a letter on the 18^th of September 2017. The letter from NICSA requested a sponsorship for a conference that was supposed to start on the 19^th of September 2017.

“Unfortunately government does not work in that manner as there was virtually no time available to consider the request. Therefore, it must be clear that there was no partnership on the supposed conference. There was also neither commitment nor agreement to sponsor it,” Setswambung said.
NICSA provincial treasurer, Adam Mohammed said people who promised them to sponsor the conference disappointed them. Mohammed further said it was useless to cry over spilled milk.

“We need to look for other ventures and revenues for future purposes. NICSA is not affiliated to the North West Premier, Supra Mahumapelo. The idea was proposed by President, Jacob Zuma back in 2009. Zuma appealed to all religious leaders to form a structure that will assist government to deliver services to the grassroots.

“NICSA is a Section 21 Company consisting of all faith based organisations in South Africa. Our vision is to take an inter-faith approach to building a new society with new moral values and attitudes. Therefore, we aim to strengthen, restore and re-build the integrity of the family and human values through interfaith dialogue and cooperation, as well as other interventions aimed at promoting national social cohesion and prosperity,” he said.

Mohammed further said the structure promotes moral regeneration for social development rather than moral regeneration for its own sake. He added that they need to ask themselves to what extent the moral values contribute to social development and a cohesive civic community.

“South Africa has emerged from its violent, racial, unequal apartheid past and has not addressed these issues in a systematic manner. The consequences of our past are dehumanisation, the loss of identity, African spirituality, and human dignity; landlessness, poverty and unemployment.

“Colonialism uprooted African people from their cultural and traditional moral value systems and they were socialised into Eurocentric and Judeo Christian value systems which essentially undermined and distorted the Ubuntu principles that shaped the moral character of the African community. The resultant anger of the violent apartheid past lingers in the sub-conscience of the majority of the African people,” he said.

taungdailynews@gmail.com

BY REGINALD KANYANE

RESIDENTS of Modimong village near Taung are living in fear after a leopard went on the loose.

According to community members, the leopard has allegedly been roaming the area for more than a week, attacking their livestock.

One of livestock owners, Ishmael Tedi, 83, said: “We are living in fear because of this wild animal. The leopard attacks our livestock and we have nowhere to turn to. We urge government to assist us by tracing the wild cat and take it to the zoo. I have cattle and goats now I cannot imagine losing them.”

Another resident, Christopher Tong said they have requested the men in the area to embark on a search for the predator but they refused fearing for their lives.

“We are worried because of a tiger on the loose. We do not know when it will strike. Our children and people at large cannot walk freely in the area anymore. However, the Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development department (READ) has installed a cage to trap it.

“We have requested men to embark on a hunt and kill the leopard, but most of them refused. They say the leopard is too dangerous and they cannot take that risk. Only few men agreed and we visit the veld constantly searching for it. The livestock we have is only our means survival,” Tong said.

He further said that Modimong village is predominantly rural and the economy heavily relied on livestock.

Tong said crime like livestock theft has also crippled them.

READ spokesperson, Emelda Setlhako said they have heeded the call to capture the leopard.

Setlhako urged community members to be cautious too.

“We have installed the cage at the identified area where the leopard was seen. We believe that we will capture it soon. The department also urges our people to be extremely careful. So far, we cannot tell where the leopard comes from,” Setlhako said.

taungdailynews@gmail.com