The North West police request the community members’ assistance to locate a missing girl (15) who resides at Monageng Street, Cyferskuil, near Makapanstad.
The North West police spokesperson, Lieutenant Col Amanda Funani said Karabo Monyama was last seen on 5 March 2023 at around 1pm. Funani said Monyama left her home to watch soccer at the nearby field.
“However, she never returned back home. A search was conducted around the neighbourhood and Cyferskuil precinct without any success.
“During her disappearance, she was wearing a white crop top, green mini skirt and black Adidas sneakers. She is light in complexion with a slender body structure and black hair,” she said.
Funani further said, anyone with information regarding her whereabouts can contact the Investigating Officer, Sergeant Edward Moeng of Cyferskuil Detectives on cell: 082 569 4455. She added that anonymous tip-offs can be communicated via the MySAPS App or phone Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
Picture: Water system allegedly vandalized by community members/Facebook
By OBAKENG MAJE
Some residents allegedly vandalised the water supply infrastructure in Vryburg. The Naledi Local Municipality mayor, Cooper Groep said the recurring ‘acts of sabotage’ continue to hamper the municipality’s ability to supply adequate water to the people of Naledi.
“The residents deliberately sabotaged and vandalised the water supply infrastructure. So, we hereby notify the community about the above-mentioned matter.
“As previously indicated on a publication, the information communicated on this platform seems to give the perpetrators a map to the municipality’s pursuits and success in relations to operations,” Groep said.
He further said, just last week, the municipality had successfully refurbished all the boreholes. Groep added, yet again, some individuals have gone on to totally annihilate the Swartfontein transformer resulting in a loss of all the pumps in the said precinct.
“It is against the aforementioned that Vryburg town, Kismet, Colridge, Huhudi and the Extensions are experiencing a lack of water supply. The community members are encouraged to report any suspicious activities witnessed,” he said.
Recently, the residents of Vryburg embarked on protests demanding water. They also accused some government officials of corruption. It is alleged that some government officials closed the valves of reservoirs so that water tankering systems can be put in use.
It is alleged that the municipality spends over R2 million every month on the water tankering system.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu said, his department has prioritised communities with critical water shortages in the province.
“The North West Provincial Steering Committee has received an assessment report on the state of water and sanitation service provision in the province and has instructed the Committee’s Technical Task Team to start prioritising critical projects that will ensure immediate restoration of water in areas with existing infrastructure in the province.
“The assessment report was tabled to the Steering Committee attended by the co-chair, North West Premier, Bushy Maape, Deputy Minister David Mahlobo, executive mayors from both district and local municipalities, the Magalies Water Board, traditional leaders and community leaders from various municipalities in the province,” he said.
According to Mchunu, the report has painted a clear picture that the province has enough sources of water, both on surface and groundwater to support domestic and other users, however huge infrastructural challenges in various parts of the province impeded the resource to be transferred to the users.
He said, most of the challenges identified stemmed from lack of capacity, skills and budget to carry out operations and maintenance, illegal connections, incomplete projects and infrastructure vandalism in the Water Service Authorities (WSAs) and municipalities’ reticulation systems.
“The task team will now start the process of prioritising projects for immediate interventions and get commitments from all role-players to enable the work to go ahead as we need to pump water to the people and put this water crisis in the North West behind us.
“There is extensive work lying ahead, and this collaborative process will enable our plans to take off with speed to restore water and sanitation services in the province. The task team should be able to provide us with this roadmap soon,” said Mchunu.
Picture: The graduates from Potchefstroom College of Agriculture/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
A total of 63 students from Potchefstroom College of Agriculture have recently graduated in mixed agriculture. The graduations took place at the college on 3 March 2023.
The North West MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Desbo Mohono said the college has obtained a 63% pass rate with 63 students conferred. Mohono further said 63 students pursued a Diploma in Agriculture in Mixed Farming.
“The last year of experimental learning took place at an approved enterprise thus completing the requirements of their qualification. So, I want to commend these students for their commitment and collaborative work that resulted in the achievement realised on this auspicious day.
“Your skills must be used for the betterment of your communities. Beyond graduating from this incredible institution, you still have a lifelong responsibility to continue learning to continuously change the lives of our people,” she said.
Mohono further said, the modules completed include Agricultural Management, Agricultural Engineering, Animal Production, and Plant Production.
Meanwhile, one of the graduates, Aluwani Manyabwe (23) from Limpopo, who completed his experimental learning at Vukani Piggery said, his three years of studying were tough, but he managed to graduate first class despite the challenges he faced.
“Truly, working and living on the farm assisted me in acquiring artificial insemination, boar, and dry sow management skills and knowledge,” Manyabwe said.
Another student, Olivia Ngwanatheko Mariri (25) declared PCA as her college of choice because it was the only college she found that offered both animal and plant production and aspires to become an agricultural entrepreneur.
“I also want to impact the lives of young people in our communities, because I have realised that agriculture is not regarded as a profession or a career.
“You can still be successful even though you didn’t study courses are normally viewed as being for success,” she said.
Picture: The North West MEC for Finance, Motlalepula Rosho/Facebook
By OBAKENG MAJE
The North West MEC for Finance, Motlalepula Rosho said the 2023/24 budget proposals set out the funding proposals for various service delivery programmes that will be executed as part of the 2023 (Medium Term Expenditure Framework) MTEF.
Rosho tabled the provincial government budget at the North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL) in Mahikeng on Tuesday.
“This budget embodies the accomplishments and pledges made since the commencement of our journey in 2019. When the current administration began its term in 2019, it inherited the administration with huge service delivery challenges, which were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
“Despite these challenges, the government continued to ensure sustained funding for key service delivery programmes. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the province revised the 2020/21 budget thrice, which was unprecedented,” she said.
Rosho further said, the budget had to be reprioritised to provide for socio-economic relief, increased public health spending and a vaccine rollout. She added that, this budget aims to showcase the government’s commitment towards funding service delivery programmes.
“It will also set a solid foundation for the next administration to sustain the execution of the programmes meant to eradicate the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality.
“We pledge to use public funds responsibly by reducing unnecessary spending, increasing efficiency and savings through the appropriate use of technology and economies of scale,” said Rosho.
She said the greatest contributor to the province’s economy in 2021 was the Bojanala Platinum District, which contributed R98.3 billion, which is a reduction from R106.7 billion in 2019. Rosho said, however, the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District was the lowest contributing region, which contributed R19.8 billion in 2021.
“The overall allocation for the province is R50.856 billion, R51.932 billion and R54.379 billion in 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years respectively.
“The allocations to Departments and NWPL, included in the main allocations per year are increases in conditional grants of R742.197 million in 2023/24, R49.185 million in 2024/25 and R83.977 million in 2025/26,” she said.
According to Rosho, these increases are mainly attributed to Health, Education and Public Works & Roads. She said the NWPL receives an amount of R503 million.
“Included in this allocation is an additional R12.8 million of which R5.8 million is for improvement in conditions of service and R7 million for general budget pressures and revision for organisational structure.
“The Office of the Premier receives an amount of R482 million. The ICT transformation in the province has been allocated R119 million each year to enable connectivity across the province in most public institutions including schools, libraries, clinics and hospitals and upgrading of the government ICT systems,” she said.
Rosho said the provincial treasury receives an amount of R565 million to continue with the provision of technical support to municipalities, departments and public entities.
She said the Department of Community Safety and Transport Management is allocated R2.333 billion.
“The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs is allocated an amount of R659 million to effectively monitor, support and promote local government and institutions of traditional leadership through a cooperative governance system.
“The Department of Health receives an amount of R15.219 billion. The Department of Education is allocated a budget of R20.575 billion. The Department of Social Development is allocated R1.713 billion,” said Rosho.
She said the Department of Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation receives R742 million, while the Department of Public Works and Roads receives R1.087 billion.
“The Department of Human Settlements is allocated R1.999 billion and the Department of Economic Development,
Environment, Conservation and Tourism receive an amount of R1.009 billion.
“The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is allocated an amount of R1.229 billion. The province has been experiencing high rainfalls resulting in floods in some parts of the province,” she said.
The Guardian 