By OBAKENG MAJE

The residents of Dryharts village in Taung welcomed the re-opening of Molehabangwe as a Primary School. The school was shut down a few years ago as part of the urgent need for redress in rural schooling.

One of residents, Maki Modisapudi (34) said the opening of the school will make sure that children access education at their doorsteps. Modisapudi further said learners are travelling a long distance to Molemoeng Primary School.

“Our village is growing faster and that makes human settlements drift towards Vryburg whereas the only primary school is in the opposite direction. We then approached the Baga-Phuduhucwana Tribal Authority chief, Kgosi Tshepo Mankuroane for intervention.

“We are happy that our plea has been answered. The additional primary school will promote the culture of teaching and learning. Our children are also wildly enthusiastic to have a school in their backyard,” she said.

Another resident, Pauline Setlhapo said they believe that learners will capture what they are taught effectively and efficiently. Setlhapo said even though the school is not ‘larger and better resourced’, it will contribute to the development and poverty alleviation in their area.

Few years ago, the Basic Education Department adopted a rationalization and redeployment policy to address the inequalities in education created by apartheid. There were an excess of educators in historically advantaged schools and a shortage of teachers in historically disadvantaged schools.

Meanwhile, North West Education spokesperson, Elias Malindi said: “Mankurone met with the Dryharts community after they requested him to assist them for the resuscitation of Molehabangwe as a Primary School.

“The reasons were that the community is growing faster since the establishment of the new settlement towards Vryburg. Learners are now traveling a distance to Molemoeng Primary. Mankuroane wrote a letter to the Director of Education at the district and we sent a team to research.

“Indeed, there was a need for the re-opening of the school and the district sent the report to our head office for the registration process after the permission was granted.  The school has 306 learners and 10 educators currently,” Malindi said. 

He added that the department has appointed an acting principal and recruitment processes are underway. Malindi further said the department spent almost R400 000 for the refurbishment of the school.

“The school is registered and will receive its allocation in the ensuing financial year on 1 April 2021,” said Malindi.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) Constituency Head in the Greater Taung Local Municipality and Member of Parliament (MP), Sello Seitlholo said the re-opening of the school is a victory for the community of Dryharts. 

“DA in the Greater Taung submitted a petition in parliament calling for the re-opening of Molehabangwe Middle School as a Primary school in 2019 after we were approached by the community leaders for assistance.

“The concerns were raised about the dilapidating building and the prospect of it being used as a criminal hub. In February 2020, the North West Department of Education presented a report during the Basic Education Portfolio Committee meeting acceding to the call by the DA to indeed re-open the school in 2021 academic year.

“Although the school is experiencing some administrative and budget relates challenges, we are hopeful that these will be dealt with as time goes on,” he said.

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By OBAKENG MAJE

North West province has incurred R3.7 billion and R3.8 billion in irregular expenditure in 2017/18 and 2018/19 financial years respectively. The startling revelation was announced by the chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Section 100 Intervention, China Dodovu on Sunday in a statement.

Dodovu said the committee received a briefing from the National Treasury and the Office of the Auditor-General (AG) on the financial position of the province and audit reports since the intervention.

“The committee highlighted that despite the fact that the province incurred R3.7 billion and R3.8 billion in irregular expenditure in 2017/18 and 2018/19 financial years, there is little or no movement in consequence management against those that irregularly awarded contracts outside legislation.

“We are concerned that there is an insignificant movement regarding the consequence management against those that have been identified to have committed financial misconduct in the province,” he said.

He said some of the concerning causes for irregular expenditure are that the Department of Education had issued a tender of R25.4 million that was not evaluated by the evaluation committee and the Department of Public Works and Roads had issued contracts worth R371 million without following proper procurement processes.

“Also, the Office of the Premier had issued a contract worth R19.8 million without a competitive process, and the Department of Health had contracts worth R1.1 billion in which it deviated from competitive processes, and had continued with expired contracts worth R707.8 million.

“Despite the intervention, the committee raised concerns over the continued underspending by the province that impacts directly on the lives of the people of the province. Primarily, the committee is concerned that only R1.5 billion from the R45 billion of the province’s budget is planned for infrastructure development, a major driver of economic development,” said Dodovu.  

He further said, as a result, the committee is concerned that a considerable budget is lost to the National Treasury as a result of underspending. Dodovu added that the province lost conditional grants allocations for the Department of Education amounting to R125.373 million in 2018/19 and R225.621 million in 2019/20.

“The Human Settlements department also lost grant allocations amounting to R100 million in 2020/21. The stopping of conditional grant allocations reflects poor planning and delivery on projects within the respective departments.

“Furthermore, the committee highlighted concerns that even the Department of Agriculture is underspending on its conditional grants, in a province that depends on agriculture as a driver of its economic activity. The committee has called on the intervention team to work towards ensuring prudent and maximal spending of budgeted resources,” said Dodovu.

Meanwhile, the committee has called on the Office of the AG to utilise provisions of the Public Audit Amendment Act to recoup some of the losses incurred in the province. Dodovu said the committee has also considered issuing a certificate of debt for suspected material irregularities found during successive negative audits.

“While the committee acknowledges that since the intervention there has been an appreciated downward trend in irregular expenditure from R3.8 billion to R2.6 billion, it has called for consequence management to discipline those in the wrong and safeguard the resources of the state.

“On Monday, the committee will interact with the National Prosecuting Authority, Special Investigating Unit and the Asset Forfeiture Unit to get an update on the causes of delays in prosecuting alleged wrongdoers,” he said.

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By BAKANG MOKOTO

The beleaguered Lekwa-Temane Local Municipality mayor, Mpho Pilane has succumbed to pressure and resigned. This comes after the Forum 4 Service Delivery (F4DS) at the municipality subsequently submitted the motion of no confidence against him recently.

Pilane (36) was arrested for allegedly raping, abducting, and sexually assaulting two teenage girls from Christiana on 8 December 2020. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson, Henry Mamothame said Pilane appeared at Delareyville Magistrate’s Court on two charges of rape, sexual assault, and two of abduction.

“The two complainants are allegedly minors aged 15 and 16 years. The case was opened in Christiana but transferred to Delareyville where the incident allegedly occurred. Pilane handed himself over to the police where he was charged and later appeared in court.

“The matter was remanded to 22 February 2021 for further investigations and the accused is out on R1000 bail,” he said.

F4SD provincial secretary and the Chief Whip at the municipality, Lenyatso Legabe said: “We welcome the resignation of Pilane as the mayor and Speaker of the municipality. Pilane has fallen on his sword amid calls by us for him to resign pending the court outcome.

“F4SD has subsequently submitted a motion of no confidence against Pilane in case he did not heed our call to resign. F4SD herein reiterates its call for the North West mayors implicated in wrongdoings to voluntarily resign or else F4SD deployees in councils will continuously move to unceremoniously force them to resign.”

Meanwhile, the ANC Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) coordinator, Hlomani Chauke said they welcomed Pilane’s decision. Chauke said Pilane’s decision is in the response to the directive by the IPC for him to relinquish his position as a mayor.

“The IPC took this decision in the aftermath of his court appearance. We reiterate our view that whilst the ANC respects the legal principle of presumption of innocence, the charges that he is facing are of a grave nature and have the potential to harm the image of the ANC.

“We are encouraged by Pilane’s decision and his co-operation in carrying out the instructions of the IPC. The 54^th ANC National Conference enjoined us to strengthen our understanding of our values, ethics and morality and the demands that the people, the constitution, and the rule of law place on us as the guardians of the state, and its resources,” he said.

Chauke further said they recommit themselves to the destruction of patriarchy in all its forms and manifestation. He said they vow to strengthen their fight against the abuse of women and children.

Lydia Duiker was appointed as the new mayor of the municipality. Duiker said she will instill the spirit of unity and working together at the municipality and ensure that services are rendered to communities.

“My plan is to foster unity and working together amongst all role players in our municipality such as all councillors from all parties, administration, labour, and other sector departments.

“We will also work with the private sector in order to realize the objectives as outlined in our strategic document, which is the IDP. We know that the demands are high in the municipality and the resources we have are limited. Therefore, we need to work together to mobilise additional resources and utilise them in a sustainable manner to our intended collective objective,” Duiker said.

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By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

The ANC Women’s League in the North West said it is ‘concerned’ after the arrest of the Head of Special Commercial Crimes Unit in Mahikeng, Advocate Jeanette Neveling on allegations of shoplifting.

Neveling who is responsible for handling high profile cases including the case of fraud against the former North West MEC, Wendy Nelson was arrested for allegedly stealing grocery items and clothes at a Woolworths store at The Crossing Shopping complex in Mahikeng on Tuesday afternoon.

Now, the ANCWL acting provincial secretary, Bitsa Lenkopane said the charges levelled against the supposed law pigeon has left eyebrows rigidly raised and they wonder if this is not a fool at forty.

“With this development, the league notes that the next court appearance of Nelson is on Monday. We, however, get more worried after the reports of this arrest and release on bail of Neveling, who is also a leading figure of prosecution in Nelson’s case.

“While the league understands a principle of innocent until proven otherwise, Nelson has been made to suffer by the external incidents which are not directly related to her case,” she said.

Lenkopane added that their conviction is that the delay in Nelson’s court case would deny her justice due to Neveling’s arrest. She said the arrest of Neveling creates doubts on the credibility of the NPA including the charges formulated against Nelson.

“The league has always raised a concern on the domination of factional tendencies of interference by some said to be politicians in the province, which leads to the disadvantage of women and the minority like Nelson.

“Our concerns have been witnessed in the mishandling of Nelson and ill-treatment to her prosecution formulated by a person with questionable integrity, leaving us asking if it is really fair or is it not a political influence by common factional tendencies in the province,” said Lenkopane.

She further said the ANCWL members will be in attendance of the next court appearance of Nelson to support her entirely, and expressing their dissatisfaction with how NPA issues are processed.

Meanwhile, the NPA regional spokesperson, Henry Mamothame said: “The NPA confirms that indeed Neveling was arrested and charged for shoplifting. We are currently studying the docket to make a determination on whether the matter warrants prosecution.”

Neveling was granted bail without a court appearance or the next court date.

The embattled Nelson who is out on R20 000 bail, was arrested by the Hawks’ Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation unit for the alleged irregular appointment of a senior official in the province.

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