By BAKANG MOKOTO

North West MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Desbo Mohono has lauded ‘good Samaritans’ for lending a helping hand to emerging farmers. This comes after the Mamusa Agricultural Forum donated goats, sheep, pigs, heifers, and bull to emerging farmers in the area.

Mohono said she was personally touched by the generosity of these farmers. She further said many emerging farmers’ daily livelihood patterns and their everyday means of sustaining themselves have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am completely humbled and touched by this gesture. I therefore wish to thank the forum for the initiative that they have come up with and for sharing with others what they have so they can and empower themselves. Not everybody gives out, but it is a good thing for the mere fact that they have extended a hand to help others.  

“We are grateful as the department and we would like to encourage other farmers to do the same. I urge beneficiaries to go and multiply what they have received. If you take care of them, they will take care of you,” said Mohono.

She said the humanity between farmers will help the department to grow and make the agricultural sector a more economical one thus leading to a general upliftment of the farmers and the broader communities. 

The Mamusa Agricultural Forum deputy chairperson, Kabelo Digopo said the majority of beneficiaries were young people from the Mamusa region that are actively involved in farming and other agricultural activities. Digopo added that the forum is made up of emerging farmers and was established in 2017.

“The aim of this initiative is to protect, advance the interests of local farmers and to promote the development of a viable farming industry in order to improve rural community standard of living and enhancing rural farming.

“Our vision is to see many young people taking part in the agricultural sector and the donation of these few animals is our contribution towards that vision,” said Digopo.

One of the beneficiaries, Ofentse Seane who is a young female and aspiring farmer from Ipelegeng Township in Schweizer Reneke welcomed the donation.

“I would like to applaud the forum for their kind gesture. So, on behalf of all beneficiaries, I wish to convey our genuine appreciation and heartfelt thanks to the forum for everything they have done for us.

“We thank them for reaching out to us as aspiring and emerging farmers and we want to assure them that we will not disappoint. Maybe without the help of these fellow farmers, our passion for farming would have died a long time ago,” she said.

The generosity and acts of kindness by the farmers towards fellow farmers in the province is not a new phenomenon. Not so long ago, the department welcomed a donation from a group of stud breeders in the province who donated ten Boran bulls to emerging farmers to help them improve the quality of their herds.

Meanwhile, in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality, the passion for farming also motivated six stud breeders to donate bulls to a number of emerging cattle farmers. The breeders handed over five bonsmara bulls and one bramvee to the beneficiaries.

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By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI  

African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati region welcomes the deployment of Lena Miga as the new Member of the Provincial Legislature in North West.

Miga who was sworn-in on Monday replaces the late North West Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (Coghsta) MEC, Gordon Kegakilwe who passed away two months ago due to COVID-19 related diseases.

The ANCYL regional secretary, Crespo Menyatso said: “Miga is a disciplined member of the ANC who has displayed devotement to the development of the people. She has worked tirelessly in ensuring that the ANC remains the beacon of hope to hopelessness and the revolutionary parliament of our people. 

“Miga served as the provincial secretary of the ANCWL and executive mayor of Mahikeng Local Municipality in the past. She was until recently part of the Support Staff in the Office of Premier and is currently the member of the ANC Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) in the province,” he said.

Menyatso added that the ANCYL will continue to fight for the deployment of young people and women by the ANC in positions of responsibility. Indeed our struggle will not be complete without the involvement of women, he said.  

ANC Chief Whip at the North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL), Paul Sebegoe shared the same sentiments. Sebegoe said they are confident that Miga will make a meaningful contribution towards advancing the ANC’s strategic objective and development agenda aimed at improving the lives of the people through an activist parliament that is responsive to the plight of the communities.

“Miga is a tried and tested cadre who is passionate about gender issues, community development as well as socio-economic transformation. The deployment of this principled, hard-working servant of our people will enrich debates within the ANC caucus including the provincial legislature.

“She brings with her an enormous experience as former Provincial Secretary of the ANCWL, executive mayor of Mahikeng Local Municipality and a political activist,” he said.

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By STAFF REPORTER

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the North West came out gun blazing and said it will not involve itself in factional horse-trading in municipal councils affected by the ANC’s Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) decision.

This comes after the IPC’s failed attempt to recall mayors, speakers, and chief whips (Troikas) in five municipalities last week. The affected municipalities were Mahikeng, Ditsobotla, Maquassi Hills, Matlosana Local Municipalities, and the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality.

However, it was reported that only six councillors have rendered their resignation letters thus far.

DA provincial chairperson, Joe McGluwa said they have written to all the DA municipal caucuses not to extend any support to any ANC candidate to replace an ANC office bearer. He said the ‘root of the rot’ in North West is the ANC in its entirety.

“We further call on all opposition political parties in the North West to support our initiative not to give credence to this futile exercise of replacing one ANC cadre with another. The time has come to let the ANC deals with the mess it has created.

“The ANC had 26 years to deliver good governance and quality basic service delivery in the province and it has failed miserably. Instead of improving the lives of people, the ANC in North West has presided over the collapse of governance and the cessation of service delivery while corruption and looting have transformed the province into a wasteland of deprivation, desperation, and despair,” said McGluwa.

He added that when the ANC’s IPC coordinator, Hlomani Chauke announced the decision on the recall, the DA warned that this move is nothing but factional battles playing out at the expense of the people of North West.

“We also warned that the ANC North West IPC’s decision will be rejected by branches and factions and that affected cadres in executive positions will challenge the decision in court.

“The DA is on record stating that the recall will fail because a similar recall just before the 2019 general elections failed miserably, and the battle lines unfolding now were exactly the same as in 2019,” he said.

McGluwa further said the ANC is trying to realign preferred factions to positions of power and access to resources to continue the looting and theft of taxpayers’ money, which is ultimately the goal of this recall. He said all of this is being done under the pretense of restoring good governance and service delivery in North West municipalities.

Meanwhile, the ANC IPC spokesperson, Kenny Morolong said the ANC Interim Provincial Working Committee convened a special meeting on Friday and noted that whilst there are deployees who have tendered their resignations, others are yet to comply with the directive of the organisation to relinquish their various positions of deployment.

“The IPWC further noted that there were some ANC members who have publicly criticised the IPC decision to recall these troikas and that a report to this effect will be compiled and presented to the next IPWC meeting.

“The IPWC is immensely perturbed by the conduct of the deployees who have demonstrated utter disregard for the authority of the organisation by refusing to resign,” he said.

Morolong said the IPWC has resolved to continue to engage the councillors who have yet to resign and urge them to comply with the directives of the organisation. He said the IPWC will meet with the affected councillors and amongst others, remind them of their duties as spelled out in the ANC constitution to observe discipline, behave honestly and carry out loyally the decisions of the majority and decisions of higher bodies.

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By REGINALD KANYANE

A 82-year-old gogo lives in fear after she was allegedly assaulted by her own children. Bella Mogwase from Setlagole village said she was caught in the middle after she tried to intervene in a fight between her children recently.

Mogwase allegedly went to the police station to seek help, but she was referred to the North West Social Development offices in Setlagole village. However, she found the offices closed and she could not receive any assistance.

“My children were fighting and in the process also assaulted me. I went to the police and they referred me to the department of social development. Unfortunately, I found the offices closed and no one was available to assist me.

“Now, I do not know where I should go to seek help. We cannot live like this because it is clear that the workers at the department prioritise themselves before us. I would like to appeal to the North West MEC for Social Development, Boitumelo Moiloa for assistance,”

 Mogwase said the situation is really bad and she is still terrified.

Meanwhile, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) deputy provincial chairperson, Leonard Chweneemang said they shut down the offices because the service point manager is purging them. He said they could not execute their duties because of favouritism and factionalism at the institution.

“We urged the meeting with the department managers to address our challenges. The reason why we are closed here is that we want a hearing of the social development principals.

“We have made countless complaints regarding what has transpired at the office in Ratlou. She told us that the district director who happens to be her immediate supervisor is her friend, so there is nothing that can be done,” Chweneemang said.  

He further said there was a clip circulating on social media where the service point manager allegedly refused to allocate the departmental vehicles to social workers to perform their official duties.

“Where have you found qualified social workers who happen to be a service point manager refusing to release a car when there was a complaint that an elderly person and a child are being abused? Obviously, those are the most vulnerable groups in our country, and she says she does not care and she will not release a car.

“How do you expect the community to be happy in such a situation? As workers here, we want to perform our duties but unfortunately, we are unable to do so because the manager is working with factions,” said Chweneemang.

 North West Social Development spokesperson, Petrus Siko said: “We will ensure that residents receive services while we resolve issues with our workers. We are doing our best to ensure that problems at Ratlou service point is resolved.

“We would like to ensure to residents that we will do our best to make sure that they receive services while we are still engaging our employees to find a lasting solution for internal problems that are related to labour relations,” Siko said.

The Ratlou service point has been closed for more than seven days.

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By BAKANG MOKOTO

Some of disgruntled members of the African National Congress (ANC) embarked on a peaceful march in Vryburg on Friday. The march was led by the ANC Regional Secretary of the disbanded Regional Executive Committee (REC) in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati region, Gaolatlhwe Kgabo.

Kgabo said they marched because they are against the decision of the ANC Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) in the North West after it recalled troikas from five municipalities. He said even though they respect the authority and the hierarchy of the ANC, the decision of the IPC was malicious and factional.

“We have noted wild and far-reaching allegations that were peddled by the IPC coordinator, Hlomani Chauke as a reason for recalling our district troika. We were shocked that only Chauke and the IPC spokesperson, Kenny Morolong knows about the paralysis of the caucus, unbecoming conduct by the troika as well as wrongdoing by the district troika deserving punishment.

“There was never any report, allegation, or outcry by anyone in society or our communities that have lamented wrongdoing by the troika neither was there ever any paralysis or collapse of a caucus in our district municipality. We therefore assert beyond doubt that what Chauke and Morolong have been feeding our nation was a fabricated, machinated and choreographed spin devoid of truth and honesty,” he said.

Kgabo further said they have a respect for higher and senior structures of the ANC but that respect is more to the ANC constitution, its democratic principles and protocols and not respect for factional egos of individual leaders of the party who use the legitimate office to advance illegitimate endeavors. He added that the ANC is a constitutional democratic movement that is the custodian of the human rights enshrined in the national constitution of the Republic.

“There is no ANC that has ever punished anyone historically and even in recent times on the common purpose of misconduct or wrongdoing where the crime of one person becomes the crime of another by political association.

“In the culture of ANC and constitutional dispensation of our country, every person is trialed or held accountable for wrongdoing through substance and process. In the ANC, rule 25 is the route and for our common law transgression, the laws of the Republic is readily available, why does the ANC led by IPC recall and remove a person from office on the basis of allegations that were never tested by any competent tribunal, either internally within the ANC or externally by our Courts? asked Kgabo.

He said they respect the IPC as appointed by the ANC but they will not bow down and glorify its factional inclination to decision-making. Kgabo said they know as fact that it is not a coincidence that those troikas are not necessarily the worst in the province or their removal is a move to fight corruption.

“It is a common cause that all troikas removed are those whose mayors are aligned to the former PEC chairperson, Supra Mahumapelo. Their removal is intended at giving Chauke and his factional congregants’ authority and access to resources of this municipality in order to loot and fund their moribund factional program towards ANC conferences.

“We want to state in no uncertain terms that we have seen through the self-serving power smash and grab antics of the IPC. Chauke must face branches and communities of the district before gunning for the throat of a woman who occupies office at the behest of us ANC branches,” he said.

Meanwhile, the ANC Interim Provincial Working Committee had a consultative engagement on Friday after the IPC’s failed attempt to remove troikas. According to the reports, only six councillors have rendered their resignation letters thus far.

ANC IPC spokesperson, Kenny Morolong told Motsweding FM’s current affairs that the IPWC would collate and put together a report on what had transpired. He said the refusal of some deployees to resign is a sign of ill-discipline.

“ANC would look at some ways on how to approach the matter. We might send them to the Provincial Integrity Commission or use a motion of no confidence to oust them. We have only received six resignation letters out of 15 councillors,” he said.

The municipalities affected are Matlosana, Maquassi Hills, Mahikeng, Ditsobotla and Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality. Our source told us that the speaker and the chief whip at the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality are amongst those who tendered their resignation letters.

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By REGINALD KANYANE

North West Provincial government has recorded a total of R183.9 million spending on thus far. The provincial consolidated COVID-19 expenditure report was released by the North West Premier, Prof Job Mokgoro who is also the Provincial Coronavirus Command Council (PCCC) chairperson in Mahikeng today.

Mokgoro said that the expenditure for Provincial Government Departments amounts to R164 million, of which health department accounts for 51% of the total spending, followed by the department of education at 22%. He said these two departments, including social development which has spent around R16 million, account for 80% of the total Provincial Government Departments’ spending on COVID-19.

“The indication of our analysis report shows that 66.8% of service providers appointed to render COVID-19 related items to the province, were from within the province, and that 41% of them were female-managed businesses, while 35.3% were youth-led.

“Municipalities have recorded a total of R73.2 million in expenditure towards COVID-19, which was spent on procurement of various items including PPEs, decontamination and food relief,” he said.

Mokgoro further said as indicated before, they wish to reiterate the fact that the information on municipalities is presented as received from the municipalities and provincial treasury because the municipalities use a different system. He added that while the audit of the COVID-19 expenditure report is being finalized.

“Our preliminary analysis and general observation of primarily provincial departments financial reports is that, prescribed procurement processes were followed, and that our resolve to publish this information does not in any way suggest that there has been contravention of any regulation by either parties involved in these transactions.

“In instances where there are transgressions, the province will ensure that competent law enforcement agencies are engaged. The command council has once more, instructed that our procurement process must prioritize service providers from within the province, and that it must be in line with all applicable SCM regulations, in particular, the recent National Treasury Instruction Note 11 on COVID-19 procurement.  

“Basically, this means that our recovery rate has been on the rise. We are now standing at 89% recovery across the country. The announcement by the president on Wednesday that restrictions that were placed on international travel for business and leisure as well as the opening of borders are going to be lifted on 1 October also means that we, as a province, have to be ready for the influx of travellers from the SADC region,” said Mokgoro. 

He said the province is strategically located as a gateway into SADC and from SADC into South Africa. Mokgoro said healthcare workers will need to be on alert at all points of entry that link the province to the northern neighbours to stem any transnational spread of the pandemic. 

Furthermore, Mokgoro said they open up the tourism sector to both international and domestic tourists. He said this is aimed at the resuscitation of the economy and the improvement of livelihoods.

“We are confident that we have the necessary systems in place to curb any possible outbreak of the pandemic in the North West. Because of the devastating effects to the economy and livelihoods that came with the outbreak of COVID-19, I will also be announcing programmes aimed at ensuring a speedy resurgence of the provincial economy in weeks to come.

“Some of them will be aimed at bringing young people into the mainstream of economic activity and participation. As most of us are aware, the province has also since mid-August, registered a fluctuating, yet encouraging decrease in new positive cases, with the latest being at 192,” he said.

Mokgoro added that the province currently has a total of 240 COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals and they wish them a speedy recovery. So far, the North West province has registered a total of 27 721 positive cases, of which 4 014 are still active. The recovery cases continue to rise, and are standing at 23 382.

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By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

North West MEC for Health, Madoda Sambatha says they have deployed tracers across all wards in the province in quest to fight against COVID-19 pandemic. 

Sambatha said his department will be working in partnership with the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) and the North West Community Safety and Transport Management.

“This programme we are launching is the transportation of tracers across the province. It’s a minimum of 95 taxis, for now. They are meant to spread across the province. They will be transporting tracers per ward, which is a minimum of 10 and it’s around a maximum of 40 in each ward.

“They will be transported on the basis of the door-to-door tracing and also on the basis of community awareness campaigns. They will then link those that are traced to quarantine and isolation facilities. It’s meant to ensure that the department responds vibrantly in a ward where people are,” he said.

Sambatha further said the initiative will limit the movement of people who are unaware of the dangers they are posing to themselves.

Meanwhile, the North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Sello Lehari said: “The partnership with the taxi industry will assist in the fight against COVID-19. We value the partnership that we are launching today with our taxi industry. This initiative will indeed assist the province in ending this pandemic.”

SANTACO’s provincial chairperson, Herman Sebegwe welcomed the programme. Sebegwe said the taxi sector is ready to provide transport as it is a requirement. He said it is expected from them as the industry and the initiative came at the right time.

“Most of our long-distance operators have been negatively affected by COVID-19 because even now they are not able to operate at full taxi capacity,” said Sebegwe.

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By OBAKENG MAJE

South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) in NorthWest says it supports the decision of the ANC Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) to remove troikas at five municipalities.  

SANCO’s Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) held a media briefing in Mahikeng on Tuesday. SANCO provincial secretary, Packett Seaketso said they believe that the action was taken by the ANC IPC will go a long way in restoring confidence in the masses and fast-track delivery of quality basic services to the people. 

“We believe that this decision will improve financial management, deal decisively with fraud and corruption, ensure accountability, compliance, and consequence management for poor performance as well as to bring about capable political leadership and improved oversight,” he said. 

Seaketso also lambasted those who call for the disbandment of the ANC IPC. He defended the structure and said the ANC IPC like any other structure is not perfect.  

“It has its challenges many of which are deliberately manufactured through the convention and coordination of meetings organised in very dark corners some known past and current leaders. The many currents choreographed calls for the disbandment of the IPC has a similar hallmark of the recently choreographed national call for the removal of the President. 

“Those who make this call has a pre-Nasrec pre-occupation at the time when our people are confronted with poverty, unemployment, inequality, and the cancer of corruption and poor service delivery. It is clear by their continued call for the deportation of the IPC coordinator, Hlomani Chauke that we are dealing with people who have a Bophuthatswana hangover,” he said.  

Seaketso added that the ANC IPC has a task to supervise and guide all ANC caucuses and its deployees without fear or favour. He further said they are encouraged that the ANC IPC has been very relentless in the execution of this important task in the interest of the people who voted for no individual but the ANC.  

“As SANCO, we are alive to the reality that there is a concerted campaign to deface the work of the ANC IPC by making it difficult for it to operate. We are aware that there are people targeting certain ANC IPC members through smear campaign and character assassination. 

“SANCO and its allies will continue to support and collaborate with the ANC IPC as long as it carries its mandate without any equivocation. We also call on the ANC National Executive Committee not to be deluded by this proliferation of political choreography,” said Seaketso. 

He also launched a scathing attack on the ANCWL acting provincial secretary, Bitsa  Lenkopane. Seaketso said that the ANCWL in the North West has defined itself as a representative and advocate of a particular group of some fictionally anointed women. 

“When the North West Premier, Prof Job Mokgoro was about to pronounce a reshuffling, the same ANCWL celebrated despite the fact that several women were going to be affected by the reshuffling and being replaced by some ANCWL’s preferences such as Bitsa Lenkopane despite her horrendous criminal record.  

“We call on the ANC IPC to take disciplinary action against Lenkopane for agitating for mass defiance of structural resolutions. This group of the ANCWL is obsessed with defending five women at the expense of service delivery of thousands of women and children in our province,” he said.  

ANCWL acting provincial secretary, Bitsa Lenkopane said: “I must indicate that I am an acting ANCWL in the province and I am a product of a conference. I have branches that the ANCWL in the province is leading and respond to the needs of majority within the communities of the province on daily basis.  

“So, do not tell me about a structure sa mahamba ka ntlwana (makeshift structure), where everybody can wake up and say I am SANCO and I’m leading. However, what I am communicating here is a position of a legitimate structure that is the league of the ANC.  

“When you tell me about those people who even alleged that I am a convicted criminal and all that, this is personal and I will deal with them personally. It is not what they use to do with their handlers and masters to dent me thinking that they were killing me,” Lenkopane said.  

She also threatened to take legal action against those who alleged that she is a convicted criminal. Lenkopane concluded that SANCO provincial leadership that held a media briefing today is ‘bogus’ and she will call on the ‘legitimate’ SANCO structure to respond.

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