By OBAKENG MAJE

The Economic Freedom Fighters(EFF) in the North West welcomed the postponement of a murder case against ANC Member of Parliament (MP), Sibusiso Kula.

A 34-year-old accused briefly appeared at the Orkney Magistrate’s Court on Monday in connection of his wife, Jennifer Motlhomi’s murder. The case was postponed until 27 January 2023 for a formal bail application.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in North West, Henry Mamothame said, the state intends to oppose bail, owing to the seriousness of the matter.

“The police report reveals that Kula’s wife was found murdered on 27 November 2022, in what seemed like a robbery. Motlhomi (31) was found with a stab wound on her back, but the object that was used for her alleged murder has not been recovered.

“The matter was reported by the accused, who indicated that he was not at the house when the incident occurred. Following thorough investigations by the police, the accused was linked to the alleged murder,” Mamothame said.

He further said, Kula was then arrested on 20 January 2023 and charged with murder. Mamothame added, the police investigations are still underway and Kula will remain in police custody until his next court appearance.

The EFF provincial spokesperson, Fanon Maema said: “It has come to our dismay that, Kula has since locked his children in the house and denied them education since the commencement of the academic year 2023.

“This horrific and ruthless manner in which children of the victim are being treated by the same father accused of the murder of their mother, coupled with the long-standing expressions of pain and suffering of Gender-Based Violence(GBV) by the victim on social media prior to her cold-hearted murder, point to something much bigger and it is on this basis that we are saying ‘NO BAIL FOR KULA’.”

Maema said, it is quite clear that the ANC is handling this matter with kid gloves. He said, there is no clear action from the party, despite the proof that Kula has trampled on the social fabric and fundamental rights espoused by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa by refusing his children to attend school, learn and interact with society at large.

“Furthermore, we alert the police and the prosecution team not to sleep on the job because, at this juncture, Jennifer’s loved ones and other witnesses are most vulnerable and need protection.

“Above and beyond, we wish to see the police and prosecution team do due diligence to this case because Jennifer’s family has already suffered a great loss and the ongoing legal proceedings have a tremendous bearing on their purse as they travel from outside Orkney,” said Mema.

He said, they will ensure that Jennifer’s children are granted a school transfer and receive the necessary support together with their family. Maema said the EFF’s GBV Desk in the province, will proceed with the picketing outside Orkney Magistrate Court on 27 January 2023.

“We remain firm to a heartfelt call for the end of women and children abuse, femicide, and infanticide,” he said.

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By REGINALD KANYANE  

The Grade 12 learners who stay in Picong village, near Taung, and attend school at Kebinelang Secondary School in Manthe village said, they do not feel safe anymore. 

This comes after a Grade 12 learner was allegedly raped on 19 January 2023, while walking home after extra classes. According to the North West police, a learner (20) was walking home with her friend when the ordeal occurred. 

The North West police spokesperson in Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati cluster, Warrant Officer Tryphosa van Rooyen said: “​The two female learners were walking from Manthe on their way to Picong after school and were stopped along the way by an unknown male, who threatened them with a knife.

“He allegedly forced himself on the victim. The suspect allegedly lost control of his knife and both the victim and her friend managed to run away.”

Van Rooyen further said, the suspect is unknown and no arrest has been made. She added that, the investigation into the matter continues and anyone who has the information that could lead the police to the arrest of the suspect, can call 0800 10111 or go to the nearest police station.

A Grade 12 learner, Keamogetse Makoloi, who is the eyewitness said, they do not feel safe anymore. Makoloi said, they could not board the scholar transport because of extra classes.

“We normally use scholar transport, but on the day, we were attending extra classes. So, the scholar transport left at its scheduled time and we were left stranded.

“We were walking behind the victim and her friend when the incident happened. There was a guy wearing a red overall top and a brown trouser. He was also wearing a red neck warm,” she said.

Makoloi also urges the North West Department of Education and its sister department, North West Community Safety and Transport Management to organise a scholar transport that could ferry them to their homes after extra classes.

The North West Department of Education refused to comment and said, it is the responsibility of the North West Community Safety and Transport Management to provide learners with scholar transport.

However, the North West Community Safety and Transport Management spokesperson, Alpheus Koonyaditse said: “Firstly, the North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Sello Lehari condemns in the strongest terms any violation of any child’s basic rights.

“The service provider and the school agree on a time for the transportation for learners.”

One of the parents, Ntswaki Molaolwa, said it is disheartening to see this happening, while learners trying to better themselves through education. Molaolwa said, in most cases, learners are forced to walk long distances because sometimes there is no scholar transport available or it is broken.

“The scholar transport is essential and forms an integral part of the right to basic education. However, sometimes learners suffer because they either could not get scholar transport because of its non-availability.

“The department should understand that, learners are not safe anymore as they walk home alone. Violence and criminality is a blight that continues to affect us all, but as a society, we need to work together and combat it,” said Molaolwa.  

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By REGINALD KANYANE

North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi said her department will give learners in special needs schools in the province the necessary support. This comes after the North West School for the Deaf in Leeudoringstad, near Wolmaranstad received a 0% pass rate in matric for 2022.

“Learners must be given the same opportunities to succeed in life as their peers in ordinary schools. We, therefore, accept that it is our primary responsibility to help children from special groups in our communities to escape the circumstances of their birth or parentage through quality education.

“The department will continue with its effort to improve learning in special needs schools, particularly in the North West School for the Deaf. The school was presenting matric for the second year in 2022,” she said.

Motsumi further said, they will provide additional specialist resources to these schools as they fast-track the implementation of the three-stream model curriculum.

Last year, the Pan South African Language Board (PANSALB) in North West, visited the school and said, they were shocked to find out that teachers at the school did not know sign language.

PANSALB provincial chairperson, Goitsemodimo Seleka said: “What is happening there undermines the rights of these learners that are enshrined in the constitution. When these learners go to school, they expect to be taught in the language that they understand.

“It is difficult if teachers who were supposed to use sign language as the medium of communication at the school do not know the language.”  

Meanwhile, Stephinah Semaswe, who is North West Education’s Head of Department (HoD) said: “I took it upon myself to visit the special schools last year. So, the teachers at the North West School for the Deaf are qualified, but given the special nature of the children there, they are deemed not properly trained for the learners.  

“We have about 12 teachers there that need training. We have also taken advantage of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed between the North West Provincial Government (NWPG) and North West University (NWU) for this training.”

Semaswe further said, they have tried in the past to secure the right service provider, who could provide these teachers with training, especially in terms of sign language. She added, now, they will put into use the MoU that they have signed with the NWU to provide teachers at the school with the proper and relevant service provider to train them.   

“However, this does not mean these teachers are unqualified. They are qualified and they are able to teach other subjects. The other issue is that, we normally appoint interpreters for all teachers in that school, especially those who are new.

“We only have one interpreter at the moment, hence other teachers are experiencing challenges. So, from February 2023, these teachers will be trained, especially in sign language because learners are taking sign language as their home language.

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The principal at Marubising Secondary School allegedly forced a lesbian learner to wear skirt

By OBAKENG MAJE

A parent of a Grade 9 learner at Marubising Secondary School in Cokonyane village, near Taung alleged that his daughter (15) was mocked and discriminated against by the school principal because of her sexual orientation.

The parent (34) said, on 18 January 2023, her daughter, who is a lesbian was allegedly chased out of school by the school principal, who forced her to go and wear a skirt.

“My daughter grew up as a lesbian and wears boys’ clothes. However, the school principal insisted that, she must wear a skirt. Now, last week, my daughter refused to go to school because she was forced to wear a skirt, which is something that she is not comfortable with.

“I urge the North West Department of Education to take necessary steps against the principal because he is abusing his powers. The principal said, he only welcomes female and male learners at his school, not ditrase (which is an insulting name against people of the same sex orientation),” he said.  

However, the North West Department of Education spokesperson, Elias Malindi said, the allegations are untrue and unfounded. Malindi said the learner was never denied the right to attend school at any point given in time since her registration last week.

“The principal requested the learner to call her mother on 12 January 2023 after an observation that, she was not wearing a proper uniform as expected by the school for all girl learners.

“After questioning her, she indicated that the mother was still working on getting the school uniform and was never refused to attend school. On 18 January 2023, the principal requested her to go and call the mother, since she promised the uniform would be organised very soon,” he said.

Malindi further said, instead, the learner came back with a community member who was arrogant and disrespectful.

“The principal only called the mother because there was never any orientation made or disclosed to the office about the sexual orientation of the child, which he deemed very essential for him to prepare other educators and learners.

“The parent didn’t come to the school to make the principal and management aware of the learner’s sexual orientation. The department wishes to make it clear that the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI) community is welcomed in all schools within this province,” said Malindi.

However, the father described Malindi’s remarks as absurd because no community member accompanied the learner to the school He also said, his daughter had a proper school uniform prior the incident.

The LGBQTI chairperson in Taung, Tshepiso Polisane said: “If that was the case, then the school is not fair. Any learner at any school must feel free at all times, irrespective of her or his sexual orientation.

“We do have policies that are in place and the department must recognise them. Let learners wear something that is comfortable with and stop this homophobic attack against the LGBTQI community.”

Meanwhile, Congress of South African Students (COSAS) Secretary-General, Bongane Ndlovu said, no learner in any school should be treated differently or valued less because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

“No person whether he or she is a teacher, a principal, a parent, or another learner is allowed to treat any learner differently because of the manner in which, they express their gender, or because of the persons they are attracted to.

“To do so would amount to an infringement of their rights to equality and dignity. Such conduct is prohibited by our constitution and I would like to advise the parents to go and open a criminal case against the principal,” Ndlovu said.

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By OBAKENG MAJE

The water crisis continues to persist in Vryburg and has affected the smooth-running operations at Joe Morolong Memorial Hospital. Now, the hospital is diverting patients that were to be referred to Joe Morolong Memorial Hospital.

The North West MEC for Health, Madoda Sambatha told Taung DailyNews that, the only patients that will be accepted and assisted are those with referral letters, booked patients, and those who need emergency.

According to Sambatha, walk-in patients will be triaged based on history and clinical signs.

“No patient requiring emergency care will be refused hospital treatment, however, patients who do not meet the above-mentioned criteria are advised that they will be not prioritised.

“It is suggested that, they seek a first point of care at the available primary health care facilities such as Huhudi Community Healthcare Centre (CHC), Gateway clinic, and Coldrige,” he said.

Sambatha further said, the hospital is highly affected by the water crisis. He added they have been tinkering for the past two weeks, but that is not sustainable enough.

“So, we have instructed the hospital and the provincial office to do a process of projecting, where we should send patients in the future and move the ones that we have.

“This is to avoid a situation, where infection control comes and haunts us because we are delivering services without water. The availability of water to healthcare is a primary source,” said Sambatha.

He said, however, because of the non-availability of water, they have decided to reduce the patients that are available at the hospital and also stop admitting new patients on a basis to decide on the management plan for the ones that are already admitted.

“Plans have been made to who we admit and which type of patients. So, this will not affect patients, but their families in terms of where would their patients be admitted, instead of Joe Morolong Memorial Hospital.

“We will use the district hospitals that we have in our sub-districts. So, this is a temporary measure due to the unavailability of water,” he said.

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