By OBAKENG MAJE

North West Health MEC for Health, Madoda Sambatha said his department has made more than 100 beds available amid the rapid spread of COVID-19 pandemic across the province. Sambatha said the province has exceeded the 10 000 mark in the last 24 hours.

“We have experienced 638 new infections, taking the total number of infections to 10 525. The total number of recoveries has increased to 2575. Two wards at the Job Shimankana Tabane (JST) hospital together with the Rustenburg Town Clinic, which is 95 metres away from the hospital are being remodelled to make available 100 COVID-19 beds.

“The beds will be used for people who are not able to isolate at home. Those beds will also be used for patients who go to hospital for any other illness and are suspected of having contracted COVID-19 after screening,” he said.

Sambatha added that such patients are kept away from others as they are regarded as people under investigation. He said the North West Health administrator, Jeanette Hunter visited the JST hospital on Saturday to check the progress.

“Furthermore, two field hospitals are being planned in the district, which will make available 500 beds on top of the above-mentioned 100. A site on the JST hospital grounds is being prepared to accommodate 300-bed field hospital with the remaining 200 beds going to Moses Kotane hospital.

“The department has received support from mining companies in Rustenburg. Royal Bafokeng Platinum partnered with the department to build a 200-bed field hospital, which is now operational. Bleskop mine hospital has also been made available for COVID-19 with additional 100 beds,” said Sambatha.

He said tracing and screening initiative is moving swiftly thus far. According to Sambatha, the province identified 3436 contacts of which 3146 contacts have been successfully traced.

“The untraced contacts are from the new cases and only 125 contacts tested positive. A total of 1454 contacts have completed 14 days monitoring period too. The province is responding to COVID-19 at all levels and all districts are now implementing a ward-based screening and contact tracing programme.

“The department has now conducted5 409 103 community-based screening with 7770 referrals. The province’s COVID-19 laboratory confirmed cases contributes 3.7% to South Africa’s burden of the disease,” said Sambatha.

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https://youtu.be/5Xd8TSc-XNw

By REGINALD KANYANE

A 35-year-old man sentenced to two life and 15 years imprisonment by the North West High Court in Klerksdorp in connection with two counts of murder and a count of robbery aggravating. Netshiongolwe Pfunzo brutally killed an elderly couple in their residential area in Potchefstroom back in 2017.

North West police spokesperson, Lit Colonel Amanda Funani said: “The sentencing came after the accused was arrested back in 2017 for the brutal double murder of an elderly couple at their residential place in Potchefstroom.

“Pfunzo stole the victims’ vehicle during the attack. However, the accused was involved in an accident outside Potchefstroom while trying to escape. The quick response of the police led to the apprehension of him at the scene.”

Funani added that the accused has been behind bars since his arrest and he was declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act, 2000 (Act No. 60 of 2000).

The North West Police Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena welcomed sanction. He applauded the Potchefstroom detectives for the excellent investigation, which resulted in the maximum sentence.

Furthermore, Kwena said that the sentence will serve as an indication that those who do the crime, will do time in jail.

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By BAKANG MOKOTO

The North West police launched a manhunt after twelve awaiting trial detainees escaped from lawful custody in Koster on Monday. North West police spokesperson, Brig Sabata Mokgwabone said the suspects aged between 20 and 40 allegedly dug a hole through the police lawful custody and fled.

“The incident took place in the early hours of the morning today. However, two of the escapees have since been re-arrested. The escapees are facing various charges such as assault, burglary theft, and possession of suspected stolen goods.

“Investigation into the matter is underway and police request anyone who may have information that can lead to the re-arrest of the escapees to call the nearest police station or contact Koster Detectives Brànch Commander at 0823739689,” he said.

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Picture: Portfolio Committee chairperson on Tourism, Supra Mahumapelo 

By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

The Portfolio Committee on Tourism has expressed unwavering support to the sector amid COVID-19. This comes after the Minister of Tourism, Mamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane addressed the committee recently. Kubayi-Ngubane said while easing lockdown regulations in the sector was aimed at assisting businesses, it had to be done under strict conditions in reinforcing the government’s health objectives towards defeating Covid-19.
“Our focus will be on supporting domestic tourism as the first point of recovery. However, we would like to caution that the recovery of the entire tourism industry would largely depend on how travel-ready authorities were in terms of managing and controlling coronavirus locally and globally,” she said.
The Portfolio Committee chairperson, Supra Mahumapelo said: “We would like to express our full support for the department’s efforts to re-open the tourism industry. We want to also thank the department for its commitment and effort to save the industry while balancing the pressure both from industry stakeholders and the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The department has been commended for heeding the call to include the promotion of villages, townships and small towns in the District Development Model. We all have a role to play in defeating coronavirus and rebuilding the tourism industry and our economy.”

Mahumapelo also calls on all relevant parliamentary committees to support the industry in its drive to manage the reopening of the tourism industry, but to do so cautiously without unnecessary risks to the lives of innocent citizens and the people who work in the industry. He said the department has informed the committee members that 3 861 companies and individuals had already benefited from the R200 million Tourism Relief Fund, with assistance capped at R50 000.

Meanwhile, the Tourism department Director-General, Victor Tharage confirmed that the department lost close to R1 billion in its re-adjusted budget as announced by Finance Minister Tito Mboweni. However, Tharage added that although there were difficult times ahead for the industry and those dependent on it, his department would still be able to meet all its amended targets in line with its adjusted budget.

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By OBAKENG MAJE

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to create a global disaster and impacting on economies, health, and social conditions, says the president of the Republic of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday. Ramaphosa said the country has succeeded in delaying the spread of a virus in the past 120 days.

“We delayed the spread of the virus by working together and by maintaining our resolve. But now, the surge in infections that we had been advised by our medical experts would come, has arrived.

“The storm is upon us as more than a quarter of a million South Africans have been infected with coronavirus. We know that many more infections have gone undetected. As of this evening, there are 276,242 confirmed cases in the country. We are now recording over 12 000 new cases every day,” he said.

Ramaphosa added that the coronavirus storm is far fiercer and more destructive than any they have known before. He further said it is stretching the resources and their resolve to their limits.

“The surge of infections that our experts and scientists predicted over 3 months ago has now arrived. It started in the Western Cape and is now underway in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng. Gauteng is fast approaching 100,000 confirmed cases. The Eastern Cape has passed 50,000 cases, and although the rate of transmission has slowed in the Western Cape, it will soon have 80,000 cases.

“According to current projections, each of our provinces will reach the peak of infections at different times between the end of July and late September. Yet, while infections rise exponentially, it is important to note that our case fatality rate of 1.5% is among the lowest in the world. This is compared to a global average case fatality rate of 4.4%,” said Ramaphosa.

He lauded the relatively low number of deaths in the country to the experience and dedication of health professionals and the urgent measures they have taken to build the capacity of the health system which faced a number of its own inherent challenges before COVID-19. Ramphosa said the most important measure of success is the number of lives they save.

“More than 134,000 South Africans have recovered from the coronavirus. Many of those who have recovered took personal responsibility for their health and the health of others, by self-isolating or presenting to quarantine themselves facilities. Even as most of our people have taken action to prevent the spread of the virus, there are others who have not.

“There are some among us who ignore the regulations that have been passed to combat the disease. They also act without any responsibility to respect and protect each other. In the midst of our national effort to fight against this virus there are a number of people who have taken to organising parties, who have drinking sprees and some who walk around in crowded spaces without masks,” he said.

Ramaphosa added that scientists and other scenario planners have presented them with models that project that South Africa may have between 40,000 and 50,000 deaths before the end of this year. He urged people to make it their single most important task to prove these projections wrong.

“Through our own actions – as individuals, as families, as communities – we can and we must change the course of this pandemic in our country. We are by now all familiar with what we need to do to protect ourselves and others from infection. We need to wear a cloth mask that covers our nose and mouth whenever we leave home.

“We must continue to regularly wash our hands with soap and water or sanitiser. We must continue to clean and sanitise all surfaces in all public spaces. Most importantly, we must keep a safe distance – of at least 2 metres – from other people. There is now emerging evidence that the virus may also be carried in tiny particles in the air in places that are crowded, closed, or have poor air circulation,” said Ramaphosa.

He also highlighted that the taxis undertaking local trips will now be permitted to increase their capacity to 100%, while long-distance taxis will not be allowed to exceed 70% occupancy on condition that new risk mitigation protocols related to masks, vehicle sanitising and open windows are followed. Ramaphosa suspended the sale, dispensing, and distribution of alcohol with immediate effect.

“As we head towards the peak of infections, it is vital that we do not burden our clinics and hospitals with alcohol-related injuries that could have been avoided. This is a fight to save every life, and we need to save every bed. There is clear evidence that the resumption of alcohol sales has resulted in substantial pressure being put on hospitals, including trauma and ICU units, due to motor vehicle accidents, violence, and related trauma.

“Most of these and other trauma injuries occur at night. Therefore, as additional measures to reduce the pressure on hospitals, a curfew will be put in place between the hours of 9pm and 4am. Apart from people who need to travel to and from work or who need to seek urgent medical or other assistance during this time, everyone will be required to remain at home. The curfew will take effect from Monday at 9pm,” he said.

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By OBAKENG MAJE

North West MEC for Health, Madoda Sambatha has sent a red alert to the citizens of the province. This comes after the province experienced a sharp increase in COVID-19 positive cases and deaths.

Sambatha urge people to practice necessary precautions by keeping social distancing, wearing masks, sanitizing, and avoid unnecessary travels to flatten the curve.

“At the beginning of COVID-19 experience in the country, experts warned that the country is to expect a sudden surge or sharp increase, particularly during the winter season. It is the middle of the winter season and the province has indeed experienced an increase in the number of COVID-19 positive cases.

“South Africa is now standing at 224 665 positive cases and the North West is at number 5 out of 9 provinces with 7870 confirmed positive cases thus far. The province’s COVID-19 positive cases are largely located within the mining communities with Bojanala standing at 5246, Dr Kenneth Kaunda 1952, Ngaka Modiri Molema 480, and Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati at 127,” he said.

Sambatha added that the mining sub-districts take the bulk of cases. He further said the province has also seen a sudden increase in the total number of reported deaths.

“For some time, the province had one reported death, and then moved to five and on the 2 July 2020. The province was standing at 7 deaths then suddenly climbed to 36 confirmed deaths on 3 July 2020. The sudden increase in the number of reported deaths is due to the fact that each case has to be thoroughly investigated before it can be reported.

“While the province has known of certain deaths which were suspected to be COVID-19 related, such cases had to go through the process of verification before they could be reported for inclusion in the NICD database and be reported by the Minister,” said Sambatha.

He said they have observed the common primary diagnoses among COVID-19 related deaths included pneumonia, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Cardiac failure, Aspiration pneumonitis, Severe Pancreatitis, Renovascular disease, and renal failure while common co-morbidities include diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.

Sambatha said the North West province is responding to COVID-19 at all levels.

“All districts are now implementing a ward-based screening and contact tracing programme.  The department has now conducted 5 049 941 community-based screening with 6172 referrals. As part of the preparation for the expected surge, the province now has 435 standard COVID-19 beds, 33 high care beds, and 55 intensive care unit beds in public and private hospitals.

“The Dr Kenneth Kaunda District has 370 standard beds at both Duff Scott and West Vaal Hospital.  Klerksdorp Hospital will convert its XDR TB Unit into a 20 ICU beds, adding to 29 already identified and 20 high care beds,” he said.

Sambatha said the Bojanala Platinum District which is the epicenter of the virus in the province has a combined total of 82 beds of which 57 are standard, 5 high care, and 20 ICU beds.  He added that the Job Shimankana Tabane Hospital will convert 1 ward to house 12 ICU beds.

“There are additional 100 beds available at Bleskop while the old George Stegman Hospital facility will be converted into isolation facility.  A 200-bed field hospital which was recently officially opened in partnership with Royal Bafokeng has come at the right time.  The Province is also planning an additional 500-bed field hospital.

“In Ngaka Modiri Molema, the Mahikeng Provincial Hospital is to convert ward 2 into 12 ICU beds.  Ward 1 of Gelukspan Hospital will be converted in an isolation facility. In Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District, Old Vryburg hospital has been identified as an isolation site. There are 24 active quarantine facilities from both private and public facilities.  All these facilities excluding planned field hospitals have a combined capacity total of 741 beds,” he said.

Sambatha also sent his heartfelt condolences to the late MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA), Gordon Kegakilwe who passed away on Monday due to COVID-19 related disease.

Kegakilwe was buried today at Vryburg.

“I am saddened by the passing away of Kegakilwe and I wish to pass my condolences to his family, his friends, colleagues, and comrades. It is also alarming to learn that the Premier, Prof Job Mokgoro, and the MEC for Public Works and Roads, Saliva Molapisi have also tested positive to COVID-19.

“The department wishes them a speedy recovery. Contact tracing of all the cases including contacts with affected members of the Executive Council has started and at an advanced stage. I am a contact of all the three members of the Executive Council affected by COVID-19.  As a precaution, I am now in isolation with no symptoms and continue to do my work virtually. I will take a test on Friday,” said Sambatha.

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By BAKANG MOKOTO

African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) intensifies a fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV). This comes after an outcry from women across the country amid an increase on Gender-Based Violence cases against women and children recently.

The ANCWL president, Bathabile Dlamini embarked on a virtual consultative engagement with various branches in North West where she urged them to confront the scourge of GBV. She said the country is faced with two pandemics which are COVID-19 and GBV.

“We urge all ANCWL structures to take a lead in fighting challenges faced by women and the general society. We also appeal to women through ANCWL structures to occupy the centre stage while actualizing the ANC vision and bringing its service delivery programmes to the fore to address the GBV, food security, economic participation and education challenges.

“As the ANCWL, we will also emphasise more on the resolutions of the ANC and ANCWL NECs programmes addressing GBV, femicide and the abuse of children. Every branch of the ANC must work with women to identify and create awareness on cases of GBV in their locale. The ANCWL Provincial Executive Committee must capacitate structures including branch-based centres for improved ground service and outcomes on the challenges,” she said.

Dlamini added that all ANCWL branches need to establish women structures that will ensure that people receive social and economic relief grants during COVID-19 National Lockdown period.

“We call on women to regularly visit schools in the spirit of advocating for safety. Although we support the salvaging of the curriculum this year, we have the responsibility to fight for an environment that guarantees children’s safety and prioritise their lives and health first. The league is also mobilising communities for mass screening for the early detection of COVID-19 complications and infections.

“We need to strive for unity among women and show unwavering support for each other. Women must at all times give support and confront challenges facing them due to patriarchy, where women are deprived opportunities to lead, removed from positions and or not even deployed in strategic positions,” said Dlamini.

Meanwhile, ANCWL acting provincial secretary, Bitsa Lenkopane shared the same sentiments. Lenkopane said the ANCWL PEC has committed to actualise the branch submission made during the engagement with Dlamini. She said this will be incorporated into the league’s continuous programme that include awareness on COVID-19, GBV, Mayano Thursdays, Stakeholder Engagement, Economic and Psychological expert advice among others.

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Picture: North West Premier, Prof Job Mokgoro 

By REGINALD KANYANE

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the North West lambasted the North West Premier, Prof Job Mokgoro after he went to seek medical assistance in Gauteng province after tested positive for COVID-19.  DA said Mokgoro’s actions demonstrate a lack of confidence in provincial facilities, which hardly instills hope to people who have no option but to make use of North West health facilities.

Mokgoro (72) announced that he tested positive for COVID-19 during a virtual Special Provincial Executive Council (EXCO) meeting on Tuesday following the passing on of the MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, the late Gordon Kegakilwe who died from COVID-19 related disease.

Kegakilwe was buried today in Vryburg.

Now the DA provincial spokesperson on Health, Gavin Edwards said Mokgoro missed an opportunity to set an example for other politicians and public representatives to experience first-hand what ordinary citizens are faced with. He said it shows that government officials and political leaders abuse their positions to secure the best quality of services while ordinary citizens have to contend with poor and substandard services.

“The DA noted a recent hospitalisation of Mokgoro at a facility in Johannesburg, citing the “overburdened” North West health facilities as the reason for being admitted in Gauteng. This decision highlights the fact that the North West province is by no means ready to deal with the anticipated surge of Covid-19 patients.

“The 435 standard beds, 55 intensive care beds, and 33 high care beds will simply not sufficiently deal with the demand. Clearly, the Department of Health ought to focus its attention on urgently increasing hospital bed capacity, while at the same time ensuring that clinics and hospitals in the province are properly equipped and resourced,” Edwards said.

He said since the inception of lockdown, Tshepong Hospital in Klerksdorp, which is the designated Covid-19 hospital in the province, has been overcast with reports of unhygienic conditions, patients being forcibly detained and staff attending to patients without the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Edwards added that the recent suspension of Professor Variava after allegedly speaking up about medical shortages and other challenges faced by medical practitioners employed at the hospital, emphasises the poor state of this facility and its leadership’s unwillingness to address the issues at hand.

“His reinstatement was an act of admission on the Department of Health’s part for wrongfully suspending him and serves as an acknowledgment of its failure to provide the much-needed care to patients in need. The department is riddled with a high number of suspended staff facing disciplinary procedures, ambulance and medicine shortages, and R1.1 billion in accrued invoices to service providers that will, if not urgently addressed, lead to a complete collapse of the provincial healthcare system.

“It is therefore not surprising that the Premier would choose to rather be hospitalised in another province, but it is ironic that he would choose a province that is itself overburdened with high numbers of Covid-19 cases,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mokgoro spokesperson, Vuyisile Ngesi said: “Premier decided to go to a medical facility in Johannesburg for self-isolation because many people visited him at his official residential house since he announced that he tested positive for COVID-19. However, he is not incapacitated to carry out his duties as he was only presented with only one symptom -which is cough – although he tested positive.

“The Premier will, therefore, continue to discharge his duties albeit remotely and has instructed members of the Premier’s Support Staff who have worked with him closely in the last two weeks to test while taking the necessary precautions.”

Ngesi said the Provincial Department of Health has already begun with contact tracing in this regard. He said MEC for Public Works and Roads, Saliva Molapisi has also tested positive and is also in self-isolation.

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Picture: North West MEC for Public Works and Roads, Oageng Molapisi tested positive for COVID-19

 By OBAKENG MAJE

The North West Provincial Government squashed allegations that MEC for Public Works and Roads, Oageng Molapisi has been admitted at Klerksdorp Private Hospital on Tuesday. These allegations surfaced amid the death of MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Tradition Affairs (COGTHA), Gordon Kegakilwe due to COVID-related disease on Monday.

The Office of the Premier spokesperson, Vuyisile Ngesi confirmed that Molapisi has tested positive for COVID-19, but he has not been admitted at the facility. Ngesi said Molapisi had self-isolated himself for 14 days at his home.

“It is not true that there is another MEC from the province who has been admitted at the Klerksdorp Private Hospital. We would like to put it on record that Molapisi is currently in self-isolatednot at his home, not at the Klerksdorp Private Hospital as it was reported across various social media platforms,” said Ngesi.

Meanwhile, the North West Premier, Prof Job Mokgoro will engage in an EXCO meeting with other MECs.

The total number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in the province is 6410, with 1335 recoveries and 36 deaths. North West province COVID-19 laboratory-confirmed cases contribute 3.1% to South Africa’s burden of disease.

The breakdown of cases is as follows:

 DATA HARMONIZATION

Allocation and verification of COVID-19 confirmed cases in the North West Province is an ongoing process. The Department of Health will continuously allocate cases after verification to a specific and appropriate location within a particular municipality.

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Picture: North West MEC for COGHTA, Gordon Kegakilwe who died of COVID-19 

By REGINALD KANYANE

African National Congress (ANC) in the North West mourns the death of MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs (COGHTA), Gordon Kegakilwe who succumbed to COVID-19 related disease on Monday.

ANC Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) spokesperson in the North West, Kenny Morolong said Kegakilwe passed away on Sunday at a medical facility in Klerksdorp due to COVID-19- related illness. He said Kegakilwe’s untimely death occurs at a time when he was at the forefront of the fight against the pandemic in the province.

“Cde LeGordy as he was affectionately known will be remembered as a committed public representative whose passion for matters related to local government resulted in his appointment to the position of MEC for COGHTA during the sixth administration.

“As the ANC, we dip a revolutionary flag in mourning one of our gallant sons. Kegakilwe was a committed servant of our people and served the organization in various capacities including as ANC Regional Chairperson in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati region, Provincial Deputy Secretary of the ANC in the province,” he said.

Morolong added that at the time of Kegakilwe’s passing, he was appointed by the ANC National Executive Committee to serve in the IPC in the North West. He further said the death has robbed the ANC and the people of the North West a remarkable human being whose life was fundamentally committed to the service of his people.

“In his honour, the ANC will intensify the fight against COVID-19 and spare no effort in preserving human life. We convey our heartfelt condolences to his family, his loved ones and the entire membership of the ANC,” he said.

The ANC’s Chief Whip in the North West Provincial Legislature, Paul Sebegoe has also sent his heartfelt condolences. Sebegoe said he reacted with shock to the death of Kegakilwe.

“The ANC caucus is deeply saddened by the untimely death of an organic intellectual, revolutionary cadre and patriotic servant of our people who served them with dedication, humility, and loyalty.

“Kegakilwe was responsible for the overall provincial coordination of disaster management efforts as well as water and sanitation COVID-19 interventions roll-out to our communities. His experience in this regard and valuable contribution that he has made towards the betterment of the lives of our people including fighting the global pandemic that took his life will be sorely missed because his death is a monumental loss.”

Sebegoe said the ANC caucus as well as the executive council and the legislature will be poorer without Kegakilwe whose lifelong mission was to serve the ANC and uplift the downtrodden and historically marginalized. Kegakilwe died from COVID pneumonia after he was admitted to Vryburg Private Hospital on Sunday.

Kegakilwe was transported by ambulance to a medical facility in Klerksdorp after his health deteriorated. Meanwhile, MEC for Public Works and Roads in the province, Gaoage Molapisi has self-quarantined after he also contacted COVID-19 disease.

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