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By STAFF REPORTER

South Africa continues to be plagued with rising levels of violent crime. According to the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the North West, areas such as Sannieshof, Mahikeng, Zeerust, Lichtenburg and Vryburg are the hotspots of organized crime in the province.

DA MP, Carin Visser said these business areas are no longer safe for residents to shop or even just visit the bank or post office. Visser said the local economies of the smaller towns are particularly negatively affected.

“The recent incident, where Botswana residents were attacked with a knife and escaped a hijacking respectively as they travelled through Vryburg, highlight the impact that the crime has on local economies along the N14.

“Due to the high risk, tourist businesses recommend travellers not to stop in Vryburg, while driving through. It is a death knell for restaurants and accommodation facilities that depend on tourists,” he said.

Visser further said the ‘incompetent’ SAPS, has long lost the battle against well-established crime syndicates and allegations that certain SAPS officials are involved are weakening their ability to combat crime effectively.

“The DA will submit written questions to the Lehari and the MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Mmoloki Cwaile, requesting them to provide a list of municipalities to which patrollers have previously been deployed.

“They must provide reasons why such contracts have not been renewed, if and when they will be renewed, and what the joint plan between the two departments is to address this growing concern effectively,” he said.

Meanwhile, North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Sello Lehari said: “The department will continue strengthening the fight again crime by ensuring that communities of the province live in a crime-free environment. We will appoint patrollers in many crime hotspot areas.

“We are intensifying efforts to fight crime and we are doing so by engaging our communities because we are working on an integrated effort to create a crime free environment for our communities.”

Lehari added that for the 2021/2022 financial year, they will continue to implement community safety patrollers program in four districts. He said for this financial year, the department has set aside the total budget of R4.9 million to implement the safety patrollers programme.

“In last financial year, the department managed to appoint 583 community safety patrollers for six months during the third quarter of the year due to COVID-19 regulations.

“And to achieve this, the department will continue forging partnerships with other government departments and municipalities in implementing Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) programme,” said Lehari.

He said this has been done through de-bushing, clearing of grass and shrubs, as well as walk-ways at identified crime hotspots in many communities.

taungdailynews@gmail.com

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By ORAPELENG MATSHEDISO

Comrade Walter Sisulu was born on the 18^th May 1912, just five months after the official formation of the ANC in Mangaung in Free State, had he lived, he would have turned 109 years old. 

Sisulu was a selfless leader and a true cadre who embodied the membership declaration of the ANC as outlined in its constitution. He accordingly understood that ANC members and cadres ought to serve the people “without motives of material advantage or personal gain”. 

Comrade Sisulu worked and served as a loyal member of the ANC until his last breath. He also placed his energy and skills at the disposal of the movement and the people of South Africa. 

Sisulu understood and unreservedly carried out the organisational mandate and tasks with the utmost diligence, dedication and discipline.

Sisulu further defended the unity and integrity of the ANC at all material times. He did all these because he was taught within the ranks of the congress movement that, the ANC must be an “effective instrument of liberation in the hands of the people”.  Hence he ensured that under his leadership, the ANC becomes a campaigning and mobilizing organisation.

As the Secretary-General of the ANC, he became part of the first ANC leaders to be arrested during the 1952 defiance campaign. Sisulu has selflessly and fearlessly led the destitute and downtrodden masses of our people.

Comrade Xhamela was selfless, because after he was elected the Secretary-General of the ANC in 1949, he was paid five pounds on monthly basis and at times, the ANC had no money to pay his salary and travelling fees.

History reveals that, once upon a time, comrade Z.K Matthews was tasked to communicate with the Secretary-General informing him that he would not be paid his monthly salary for a particular period. Apparently, some comrades thought the SG would resign but, instead, he engaged his wife, comrade Mama Albertina Sisulu who was a nurse and also an activist and a member of the movement.

She committed to using her salary to buy comrade Walter a monthly railway ticket to attend to the organizational tasks and meetings. Sisulu indeed served the movement without expecting material gain or personal benefits.

Today, we have a state capture commission and many of the leaders and members of his organisation, the ANC, are implicated in a rampant corruption that poses a serious threat to the legitimacy of the ANC-led government.

It is evident that, the renewal and rebuilding of the ANC needs leadership traits of Walter Sisulu and Mama Albertina Sisulu and many other selfless leaders and members.

He was an activist of note and a rooted leader amongst the toiling mass. Sisulu used to assist men in his community, who could not read or write with letters to their wives and children for free of charge. 

During his spare time, he would attend community activities such as weddings, funerals and church meetings.

This was a strategy he employed to understand the plight and aspiration of the people and provide leadership where necessary. Sisulu was a unionist whose mind was never on vacation and led workers with dedication and commitment. 

He never sold-out workers with intentions to facilitate, solicit money or senior position in the management at the expense of workers’ interests.

Sisulu chose to be suspended from work than to be bribed.

In 1940 at age of 28, he was formally recruited into the ANC by a unionist comrade Alfred Mbele, because of his activism amongst the toiling masses of the people and he was later elected as a Treasurer of the Orlando branch of the ANC. 

Sisulu assisted the branch with recruitment and the membership of the ANC in that branch and it grew from 100 to 200.

At the age of 30, he became the only delegate representing the Orlando branch at the ANC National Annual Conference. At the conference, Sisulu carried out the mandate of the branch and went back to give feedback. 

He believed in the accountable leadership and his pedigree won him more confidence amongst members of his branch and community in general.

In 1942, he was again delegated to the National Annual Conference (NAC) of the ANC. Sisulu also played a very critical role in the formation of the ANCYL in 1944, where he even used his delegation to the 1942 and 1943 ANC National Annual Conferences to advance the debate to convince the ANC leadership to agree to the initiative to establish the ANC Youth League.

Apparently his ANC branch qualified for more delegates, but due to financial constraints, he had to attend alone. Sisulu was the most trusted leader of the branch. 

So, as the ANC starts with the elections of the branch, regional and provincial leadership at conferences, members must elect selfless and rooted leaders who adhere to the ANC membership declaration and understand the aspirations and the plights of the masses.

Orapeleng Vanilla Matshediso is a member of the ANC in Dr Ruth Mompati Region, a Deputy Executive Director of Higher Education Transformation Network and Employee of Dr Ruth Mompati District Municipality. He writes in his personal capacity and the views raised here do not necessarily represent Taung DailyNews and its stakeholders.

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