By OBAKENG MAJE

The family of a learner, Letlhogonolo Moilwa (11) from Naledi Ya Masa Primary School in Ramotlhajwe village, near Zeerust in North West, urge Eskom to compensate them. This comes after Letlhogonolo, who was eight years at the time,  was allegedly electrocuted by Eskom transformer outside the schoolyard back in 2019

Letlhogonolo’s mother, Elizabeth Moilwa said, her son was badly injured and was forced to be amputated on his feet.

“Letlhogonolo’s future has been shattered by Eskom transformer that was on the ground. Apparently, learners were supposed to be vaccinated and they decided to run away after seeing the injection.

“So, they ran outside the schoolyard, unfortunately, Letlhogonolo was not so lucky as he touched the transformer that was on the ground and then electrocuted,” she said.

Elizabeth said she received a phone call at around 1pm informing her about the incident.  

“So, I rushed to the local clinic, and indeed, I found him in drips. The Eskom employees also came to see him before he was transferred to Moses Kotane Hospital. We slept at the hospital without getting any help.    

“The following day, we were again transferred to the Job Shimankana Tabane Provincial Hospital in Rustenburg before being taken to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Johannesburg, Gauteng,” said Elizabeth.

She alleged that, no one from the school ever visited them and never met with Eskom management to discuss the matter because the incident took place during COVID-19.

Elizabeth said, the incident has affected his son mentally because he sometimes leaves the house for days without any trace. She said, one day, Letlhogonolo left the house and went to sleep at a nearby dilapidated house for five days.

“I think the incident has affected him mentally, physically, and emotionally. He does not even play with other kids anymore. So, I urge Eskom to take responsibility including the school because the incident happened during school hours,” said Elizabeth.

However, the North West Department of Education spokesperson, Elias Malindi refuted the allegations and said the incident happened at around 3pm and 800m away from school premises.

“Yes, we can indicate that, as the department, we are aware of the incident. However, according to our school records, the incident happened after school at around 3pm.

“It also happened 800m away from the school premises. The school has been supporting the parents and also met with people that we could not mention in these interviews in a way of supporting the family,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Eskom Customer Relations Manager in North West, Ezekiel Baruti said: “We are not aware of the incident and we can only react after receiving the formal communication or claim from the family of the child.

“As soon as Eskom receives the formal claim from the affected family, we will then register it and appoint a team of experts to investigate the incident. “

Baruti further said, as soon as the report is received from the investigating team, a full formal legal investigation chaired by an external and independent chairperson will be commissioned. He added this will be a transparent legal investigation that includes all parties.

“The report of the legal independent team will also be shared with the family and subjected to all protocols and formalities. The family of the child will also be furnished with a requisite of a claim form and be directed on how to go about it.

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By REGINALD KANYANE

The residents of Blydeville, near Lichtenburg in North West, embarked on basic service delivery protests on Thursday (19 January 2023). According to one of the residents, Thabiso Molale (42), they continue to live in squalor, while the municipality fails to deliver basic services such as clean and drinkable water.

“It has been over two years since we experience a lack of water provision. I do not want to talk about other basic services like electricity, accessible roads, refuse collection, and sewage disposal.

“We have been complaining as residents over the years, but nothing is happening. Also, our youths continue to be affected by socio-economic challenges such as drug and alcohol abuse, high rate of unemployment including teenage pregnancy, while our government turns a blind eye,” Molale said.

Another resident, Ben Entshang shared the same sentiments. Entshang said they are sick and tired because of their living conditions.

“We have elderly people who stay alone here and their safety is compromised. There is no provision for clean and drinkable water including load-shedding.

“People are fed-up because of empty promises. So, we decided to take our grievances to the streets because this is the only language our government understands. We cannot even use toilets because there is no water to flush feaces,” he said.

According to Entshang, they are now forced to go to the nearest bushes to relieve themselves or go to the nearest petrol stations to use the toilets there.  

However, the executive mayor of Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, Khumalo Molefe squashed allegations that the residents have embarked on protests because of the lack of provision of water.

Molefe said the protests in Ditsobotla are not water-related.

“We have not received any complaints about the lack of water in Blydeville. Apparently, the protests in the area emanate from the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) the Afri-Sam and the Ditsobotla Local Municipality signed regarding community projects.

“It is alleged that the Afri-Sam has not fulfilled its promises to hire locals. Instead, the company allegedly continues to appoint people from outside, hence protests,” he said.

Molefe said, they condemn the torching of trucks and barricading of roads because that alone is a violation of constitutional rights. He calls on law enforcement agencies to harshly deal with perpetrators because no one has any right to prohibit anyone to go anywhere in South Africa.

Meanwhile, the North West police spokesperson, Capt Aafje Botma said no one has been arrested, but the police will continue to monitor the situation.

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By STAFF REPORTER

Farmers in North West said the fragmentary load shedding continues to have a negative bearing on their productions. This comes after more than 40 000 chickens died allegedly due to electricity supply disruptions at the Frangipani Boerdery farm in Lichtenburg.

Now, a poultry farmer, Herman Du Preez said, he is suing Eskom for R1.5 million as a recourse. Du Preez further said the problems started in mid-December after their transformer broke down.

“I filled in a form with Eskom for loss of income. The number of volts that we received in our lines, differs from 410 to 330. So all our lines were not consistent with power.

“The problem started to appear on 14 December 2022. So, the transformer on our line broke down and since then, Eskom has put us on another line. However, our voltage fluctuated so much and that caused a failure on our computer in my chicken house,” he said.

Du Preez added, the computer allegedly failed to respond due to insufficient power. He alleged that, this led to the loss of his chickens.

“At this point, it is difficult to know the exact death toll as chickens are still dying. The birds were not ready to be slaughtered, but if they were ready to be slaughtered I would have lost from R1.6 to R1.8 million.

“We called Eskom and reported this voltage problem, but they failed to fix it. We can’t continue like this as we stand to lose everything. Our farms and motors, everything is on the line here,” said. Du Preez.

However, Eskom’s Customer Relations Manager in North West, Ezekiel Baruti, blamed the incident on copper theft and said they are investigating.

“Eskom always responds to and addresses the supply interruptions on the network. In some cases, alternative supply points are used to restore power supply to the customers as quickly as possible, while repairs are being arranged.

“So, during November and December 2022, we experienced ongoing copper theft and vandalism on the infrastructure resulting in intermittent power supply,” Baruti said.

He said, the area is currently running at normal capacity, however, intermittent supply has been an issue due to theft and vandalism. Baruti said, with technicians already dispatched on-site to work on the problem, power will be restored to its normal operation.

“The claim forms have already been forwarded to the customer, upon receipt of the completed form. Eskom will embark on its technical investigation.

“Once a report with recommendations has been completed and sent to the claims committee, feedback on whether the claim has been entertained or rejected will be provided to the customer in writing,” he said.

Baruti said, at this stage, they do not want to pre-empt what kind of decision the Claims Committee will be. He said the claims process normally entails the technical report of what has been looked into by the multi-disciplinary team of experts.

He also refuted claims that, Eskom is reactive instead of being proactive to avoid unfortunate situations.

“Eskom does not wait for an unfortunate incident to happen before it acts. And indeed, Eskom tries to address defects found from the inspections it conducts on sites,” he said.

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By OBAKENG MAJE

The ANC Member of Parliament (MP), Sibusiso Kula is expected to appear at Orkney Magistrate’s Court on 23 January 2023. Kula (34) was arrested on Friday in connection with the death of his wife, Jennifer Motlhomi (31).

The former ANCYL member allegedly stabbed his wife at their matrimonial house in Kanana Township, near Orkney on 27 November 2022.

The national police spokesperson, Brig Athlenda Mathe said: “The North West Police have arrested a man in Klerksdorp for the alleged murder of his wife. The incident happened on 27 November 2022 at the home of the suspect in Kanana Township.

“The suspect is facing a charge of murder and will appear before the Orkney Magistrate’s Court on Monday.”

The ANCWL in North West said it is paralyzed with shock following the arrest of Kula. The ANCWL Provincial Task Team (PTT) Convenor, Bitsa Lenkopane said, Motlhomi’s brutal murder depicted another disturbing picture of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) among many women, who are subjected to it in the locale.

“This is another case of women abused, violated, and brutally attacked in the comfort of their living spaces. A complexity painted by one of the police reports in the year, where these vile activities happen among acquaintances and or romantic partners.

“Motlhomi was a vibrant young woman, who spent her entire life participating and leading the struggle structures of the youth and students in the ANC,” she said.

Lenkopane said, Motlhomi’s activism comes from the Bojanala Platinum region, where she led the Congress of South African Students (COSAS) from that region and later in the province. According to reports, Motlhomi was also actively involved in the Young Women activities in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda region before her untimely death.

“The ANCWL would like to call for calm among interested parties and Jennifer’s loved ones to give trust and space to the justice administration to process this matter and speedily finalise it.

“Mostly, GBV cases take too long to conclude with often instances of suspected perpetrators slipping through the justice system’s fingers leaving victims not redressed. However, we hope Motlhomi and her family will receive the justice they deserve,” said Lenkopane.

She added that, the perpetrator should receive the maximum punishment on a guilty verdict.

Meanwhile, the Economic Freedom Fighters(EFF) in the North West also welcomed the arrest of Kula.

The EFF provincial secretary, Papiki Babuile said: “We are concerned with the sad state of affairs and rise of patriarchal relations perpetuated by the political elites in the province and the country at large.

“Undisputedly, our country has been through a long history of systematic subjugation, violence, and abuse. Sadly, to date, women and children are yet at the receiving end of heinous and horrific acts of hetero-patriarchy, sexism, rape, rampant GBV, Femicide, and infanticide, not only by habitual criminals in general but also men tasked with the responsibility to lead, protect and shower them with love.”

Babuile said the high levels of victims in cases of this nature is proof enough that the criminal justice system ceased to exist and protect the vulnerable members of society. He said it is quite dismaying that political elites in this country enjoy impunity at the expense of the lives of the people.

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