By REGINALD KANYANE

An urgent bail application in a murder case against four accused was postponed until 23 January 2023 by Taung Magistrate’s Court. Last year, a local businessman and alleged drug lord, Bakang Katong (31), Thabang Lenyai (23), Phenyo Katong (34), and Katlego Mosimege (31), who allegedly brutally killed Thabiso Mothibedi (35) made an urgent bail application and their request was granted.

They were arrested in April 2022 for allegedly killing Mothibedi, who was one of their loyal customers after accusing him of stealing R20 000 cash and cigarettes worth R600 from Katong’s house at Manthe village, near Taung.

The North West police spokesperson, Capt Sam Tselanyane said the preliminary investigation revealed that on 29 April 2022, the deceased was at Lenganeng village in Taung, when the accused fetched and transported him back to Manthe village.

“Upon arrival, the deceased was allegedly chained to a generator and assaulted. After the assault, the victim was reportedly transported to a local clinic by the accused, however, he was declared dead upon arrival.

“The accused were arrested and charged with Thabiso’s murder,” Tselanyane said.

On 1 May 2022, the community members were up in armed and allegedly torched three houses and a bakkie belonging to Katong’s family. The murder case against the accused was initially postponed to 15 February 2022, but they made an urgent bail application on 22 November 2022, which was granted.

The court heard that the investigating officer allegedly received death threats. He also received a petition from a section of the community members that urges the court to release the accused.

However, the investigating officer told the court that, according to his analysis, those who signed the petition calling for the release of the accused, allegedly did that under false pretense as they want to kill them. 

He said, it will be in the interest of the accused if they are kept incarcerated.   

Meanwhile, some other community members packed the court to the rafters and submitted a petition calling for no bail against the accused.

One of the community leaders, Rapampiri Motshitshi said, they do not want to see the accused within their community because of the criminal activities they executed.

“Our youth are faced with a bleak future because they are destroyed by nyaope. The only thing that we want is to see a clean community that is free from drugs. These young boys come to our houses and steal just to feed their cravings,” he said.

taungdailynews@gmail.com

  

By OBAKENG MAJE

The family of Moretlwe in Myra village, near Taung seeks help for their son, who is suffering from Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), previously referred to as Asperger’s disorder.

Boingotlo Moretlwe said her cousin, Onkgomoditse Kitso Moretlwe (9), is attending at Myra Primary School, however, there are no changes as he continues to repeat Grade 1. She further said Kitso is repeating Grade 1 for the third time this year.  

“My brother cannot copy at a normal public school. We tried a couple of times to enroll him at Sebitloane Special School without any luck. What is painful is that, we did everything that was required by the school, such as filling out application forms.

“However, to this date, the boy is still doing Grade 1 for the third time. Kitso is not even comfortable interacting with other normal learners. We need the necessary help because we do not know what needs to be done for him to be accepted at Sebitloane Special School,” she said.

Boingotlo said, this has affected them negatively as a family. She said, what they needed was communication from both school and the North West Department of Education.

“We want to know where we failed while doing the application so that we can fix it. So, any assistance will be highly appreciated so that the boy can be enrolled at the school,” said Boingotlo.

Meanwhile, the North West Department of Education spokesperson, Elias Malindi said: “There are admission procedures at special schools as learners ought to undergo an assessment by specialists at the Joe Morolong Memorial Hospital in Vryburg, which is a specialised field for relevant diagnosis.

“Remember. The classes are limited based on the type of challenges learners have. The autism class must have fewer learners for the class teacher to copy.

“There are parents who want to impose admission without following the relevant processes. The waiting list is long due to the number of classrooms we have and scarcity of the specialised therapists,” Malindi said.

He further said, Sebitloane Special School is catering to the whole district hence the waiting lists of assessed learners.

taungdailynews@gmail.com

Ka REGINALD KANYANE

Theetso ya beile e e potlakileng mo kgetsing ya polao kgatlhanong le motshameki wa maloba o diphatsa wa setlhopa sa kgwele ya dinao sa Mighty Boys FC, yo ga jaana eleng rakgwebo, Bakang “Mahomed” Katong (31), e solofetswe go ka reediwa ke kgotlha-tshekelo ya Taung mo letsatsing la gompieno.

Kgetsi e, ene ya busediwa morago ka letsatsi la 10 Ferikgong 2023 morago ga gore mmueledi wa balatofadiwa go kaiwe fa a sa ikutlwe sentle.

Bakang yo go begwang a rekisa seritibatsi sa nyaope, o ikuela gore a gololwe ka beile ga mmogo le balatofadiwa nae, Thabang Lenyai (23), Katlego Mosimege (31) le Phenyo Katong (34). 

Balatofadiwa ba ne ba neela lekgotlha mabaka a gore, gobaneng ba tshwanetse go neelwa beile. Fela, lekgotlha le ne la lemotsha Bakang fa a na le kgetsi enngwe ya petelelo e a e sekang, mme o neetswe beile mo go yone.

Fela, o iphitlhetse gape a thulane le molao mo kgetsing e e masisi e a lebaganeng le yone ya polao.

Balotofadiwa bale bane, ba ne ba tshwarwa ka kgwedi ya Moranang 2022 le go latofadiwa ka polao e setlhogo ya ga Thabiso Mothibedi (35). Tiragalo e, e diragetse kwa motseng wa Manthe gaufi le Taung.

Go begwa fa Mothibedi yo go kaiwang fa a ne a goga seritibatsi sa nyaope, a ne a tsena kwa ntlung ya ga Katong, mme a utswa matsebetsebe a madi a balelwang go R20 000 ga mmogo le motsoko wa boleng jwa R600. Go begwa fa morago ga tiragalo eno, Mothibedi one a le botsa phokoje le go leba kwa motseng wa Longaneng.

Go ya ka sebueledi sa sepodisi mo Bokone Bophirima, Capt Sam Tselanyane, o bega fa segongwana seno sa banna ba ba neng ba tshakgetse, ba ne ba tswa letsholo le go batlana le Mothibedi. Go kaiwa fa ba ne ba mo fitlhela ale ko ga mothakga kwa motseng wa Longaneng.

“Dipatlisiso tsa sepodisi di supa fa segongwana seno sa banna, sene sa thopa Mothibedi ka dikgoka, mme ba leba le ene kwa motseng wa Manthe. Go begwa fa bane ba fitlha ba mo gokelela mo genereiteng, mme ba mo digela dingalo go utlwala.

“Dipaltisiso tsa sepodisi di supa fa banna ba, ba ne ba mo itlhaganedisa kwa kliniking ya selegae morago ga go lemoga fa a neela mowa. Go begwa fa Mothibedi a ne a netefadiwa fa tlhokofetse kwa kliniking. Balatofadiwa ba ne ba tshwarwa le go latofadiwa ka polao,” Tselanyane wa bega.

Tiragalo e, e ne ya tshakgatsa baagi ba motse wa Manthe. Ene ya re ka di 1 Motsheganong 2022, baagi ba ne ba tswa letsholo le go fisa dintlo dile tharo tsa balatofadiwa ga mmogo le go ja sejanaga sa bone sa mabaibai ka molelo.

Banna ba, ba ne ba tswelela go ka shadikanya matlho fa pele ga kgotlha-tshekelo makgetlho a le mmalwa. Fela kgetsi ya bone ene ya busediwa morago go fitlha di 15 Tlhakole 2023. Go kaiwa fa banna bano, ba ba kwa ntlo-lefitshwana, ba ne ba dira kopo e potlakileng ya beile.

taungdailynews@gmail.com