One thousand millionth of a metre. Or, to put it differently: one billionth of a metre. This unfathomably small number is called a nanometre and the world of nanotechnology operates at between 1 and 100 nanometres. This is also where the North-West University (NWU) is unearthing new ways to combat disease, to help protect the environment and to develop materials that will promote sustainability.
The focus area Material Science Innovation and Modelling (MaSIM) at the NWU has endeavoured to become a leading research and development centre in the area of materials, metal initiatives and nanotechnology initiatives to solve industry-related problems on a regional, provincial and national level. In addition, research at the NWU investigating solutions to long-term food security questions extensively incorporates the use of nanotechnology, such as the development of less toxic agricultural inputs, which include fertilisation approaches. But that is hardly where the NWU’s exploits into the field of nanotechnology stop.
Professor Omolola Fayemi and her team from the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences at the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences are focused on nano sensors. Here, they fabricate electrochemical-based sensors with different nanocomposites such as green-based synthetics, chemical-based synthetics and electrospun nanofibres to sense biological molecules such as environmental pollutants, adulterants in food and contaminants in waste water.
“Basically,” says Fayemi, “we are dealing with nanomaterial for sensing applications.”
The applications of nanotechnology are nigh on endless.
“When you look at neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin in the body, we can use nano sensors to detect abnormal levels of these neurotransmitters, which in turn can help us to determine the psychological well-being of a person.” Nanotechnology also has huge implications for illnesses such as Parkinson’s disease and cancer.
“We can also use nano sensors to pre-emptively warn people not to use water that has been adversely affected by pollutants such as industrial waste. The same applies to food, which is sometimes laced with adulterants that can be detrimental to your health. Too many food suppliers are neglecting to uphold the requisite standards and nano sensors can help detect this,” says Fayemi, who was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, roughly 6 487,5 km from her office at the NWU’s campus in Mahikeng. Incidentally, that translates to 6 487 000 000 000 002 nanometres.
“I am a long way from where I was born, but the NWU is my home. It is an institution that strives for excellence in all its endeavours and one that encourages academic freedom. It is also an institution that cares. We have had great outputs in the field of nanotechnology and this helps us to spread our ethic of care to our wider community, both locally and abroad. I cannot recommend the NWU highly enough, especially if you want to pursue a career in nanotechnology.”
If ever there was a slogan for the exciting uses of nanotechnology, then it is perfectly encapsulated by Fayemi when she says: “Nanotechnology might be small, but it is mighty.” Now that is no secret.
Picture: North West Premier, Bushy Maape/ Facebook
By OBAKENG MAJE
The North West Provincial Government (NWPG) has allegedly returned the R445 million budget allocated for a conditional grant to the national treasury.
This was part of R1,063 billion during the 2021/22 financial year.
According to the Member of Provincial Legislature (MPL) and Democratic Alliance (DA) North West Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA) spokesperson, Freddy Sonakile, these conditional grant funds were intended to improve bulk infrastructure, ensure provincial roads maintenance, establish early childhood development centres and expand the National School Nutrition Programme in North West.
“It is shameful that the provincial government neglects to improve infrastructure, while the North West residents continue to experience one of the worst service delivery failures in the country.
“In response to the DA written questions, the North West MEC for Finance, Motlalepula Rosho indicated that the provincial government departments failed to spend over R1,063 billion during the 2021/22 financial year,” he said.
Sonakile said, the North West Department of Health failed to utilise over R256 million, while the North West Department of Public Works and Roads failed to utilise nearly R380 million. He said the North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development forfeited over R85 million to National Treasury.
“The failure of these departments to spend the conditional grants will have a devastating impact on residents of the province. This will also impact the conditional grant funding allocation to the province over the next financial year, resulting in less development in North West.
“The North West is in an advanced state of general decay due to the inability of the ANC-led provincial government to ensure improved service delivery and infrastructure development,” he said.
Sonakile said the residents of North West cannot afford provincial departments losing 41% of their conditional grant funding. He said the DA demanded a detailed consequence management plan from the embattled North West Premier Bushy Maape over the conditional grant funding under expenditure.
“It is Maape’s job to monitor the spending patterns of his departments. While we note that R619 million was approved by National Treasury to roll over into the next financial year, the provincial government’s track record in effective spending of conditional grant funding leaves little confidence that it would be able to spend allocated funding in the next financial year.
“Action must be taken and during the SOPA debate on Tuesday last week, we asked Maape to resign in the interest of the residents of North West,” said Sonakile.
He said Maape’s government’s poor performance justifies this call and should he fail to resign, the least he could do is to remove and replace his incompetent MECs with competent individuals.
Meanwhile, the North West MEC for Finance, Motlalepula Rosho said, the current challenges experienced by departments are largely on the basis of capacity including slow implementation of their procurement plans that contribute to the slow spending by the departments.
Rosho said, her department is working with those affected departments continuously to improve spending and ensure value for money.
“All risk factors that hinder spending and provision of service delivery are currently being addressed by the accounting officers of different departments and it is anticipated that the previous years’ performance would be improved.
“We assess monthly Section 40 reports of departments and provide these reports monthly to Broader Extech and Quarterly to EXCO, Provincial Legislature, and Audit Committee,” she said.
Rosho said the feedback reports to the oversight structures constitute the commitment by the provincial treasury and NWPG to improve expenditure performance through robust monitoring, evaluation, and tracking budget implementation by departments.
She said the feedback also provides an opportunity for the accounting officers to account for expenditure performance including service delivery targets.
A fraud case against Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) councillor, Betty Diale (52) has been postponed to 21 and 22 June 2023 for trial by Rustenburg Regional Court on Friday (3 March 2023). Daile, who is facing six charges of theft, amounting to approximately R700 000, allegedly stolen from the Road Accident Fund(RAF) claimants.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesman in North West, Henry Mamothame said, police reports revealing that Fidelity Funds, a body that oversees the conduct of attorneys, received several complaints from the RAF claimants, whose payments were deposited into Diale’s trust account.
“The claimants alleged that, the said money did not reach them after the payout and henceforth, reported to the police for investigation.
“Diale was practicing as an attorney, during the alleged commission of the crimes between 2009 and 2011 and was subsequently charged with six counts of theft in June 2021,” Mamothame said.
The Legal Practice Council has struck her off the roll, preventing her from practicing as an attorney. Diale is currently serving as EFF councillor at Rustenburg Local Municipality after being demoted as the Member of the Provincial Legislature (MPL) in North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL) a few months ago.
Mamothame said, the pre-trial conference was completed and the state has provided Diale with all the necessary documents in preparation for trial. He said, Diale has indicated to the court that she will be representing herself.
Picture: The Speaker of North West Provincial Legislature/Sussana Dantjie
By OBAKENG MAJE
The speaker of North West Provincial Legislature, Basetsana Dantjie will hold the Provincial Speaker’s Forum, where speakers from different local and district municipalities will discuss the turn-around plans and post-audit actions plans for the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) audit outcomes for 2020/21 financial year
The meeting is scheduled at Villa Brocant Lodge, Vryburg on Friday at 9am. According to Dantjie, different speakers and senior management from all the municipalities including councillors from Municipal Public Accounts (MPAs) committees and representatives of the North West Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), North West Department of Finance and South African Local Government Association (SALGA) are expected to attend the meeting.
The meeting will be live-streamed on the North West Provincial Legislature Facebook page.
The embattled North West Premier, Bushy Maape is set to appear before the Standing Committee of Public Accounts (SCOPA) at North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL) on Friday.
Maape is expected to respond to questions emanating from the Auditor General’s (AG) report over the 2020/2021 audit report.
The chairperson of SCOPA in North West, Job Dliso said: “We will hold Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) public hearings with the Office of the Premier and the North West Department of Human Settlements over the 2020/21 audit reports.
“The aim is to seek clarity from responses to questions emanating from the AG’s reports. So, Maape and Nono Maloyi together with senior management of both departments are expected to attend these public hearings.”
The meeting will be streamed live on the North West Provincial Legislature Facebook page. The meeting will commence at 8:30am for the Office of the Premier, while the Department of Human Settlements will be at 10:30am.
Meanwhile, the AG is also expected to brief the committed on the North West Housing Corporation (NWHC) at 2pm.
A man (26) from Mokgareng village, near Taung, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for rape by Taung Regional Court today. This comes after Cornelius Sedumoeng raped an elderly woman (66).
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in North West, Henry Mamothame said on 24 October 2021, Sedumoeng broke into the home of the complainant in the early hours of the morning, while she was asleep.
Mamothame said upon investigation, the complaint was confronted by Sedumoeng.
“The victim was assaulted before she was raped. Sedumoeng subsequently robbed her of an amount of R450 and a cell phone before fleeing the scene.
“The victim managed to recognise him, while he was robbing her. Sedumoeng’s parents were informed of the incident. He admitted to raping the elderly woman and the money and cellphone he had robbed were also recovered from him,” he said.
According to Mamothame, Sedumoeng was later arrested and the court denied him bail. Sedumoeng pleaded not guilty to the offense.
In aggravation of sentence, the state prosecutor, Tecia Khula urged the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment, as the accused took advantage of an elderly woman, whom she knew stayed by herself.
Magistrate Buti Zulu agreed with the state and remarked on the prevalence of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and the responsibility the courts have in protecting the most vulnerable members of society.
Sedumoeng was further sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Meanwhile, the Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari welcomed the conviction.
“We lauded the collaboration of the prosecutor and the investigation officer in ensuring that the victim and her family are provided with justice, especially at a time when gender-based violence is on a rise”, she remarked,” Makhari said.
Picture: North West Premier, Bushy Maape took his shoes off/Facebook
By OBAKENG MAJE
The call for embattled North West Premier, Bushy Maape to resign has intensified. The Democratic Alliance (DA) in North West is the latest political party to call for Maape’s resignation.
Other political parties are F4SD and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). DA Member of Provincial Legislature (MPL) and Caucus Leader in the North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL), Freddy Sonakile said the remarks made by Maape about the state of roads in this province and service delivery in his hometown, Vryburg was irresponsible and have left residents rightfully aggrieved.
“Maape failed to provide a concrete and clear plan during his State of the Province Address (SOPA) on Friday on how he intends to turn the tide in this province.
“His speech had little to offer the residents of this province, despite the falsehoods he made in parliament during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) debate on 9 February 2023,” he said.
Sonakile said, as if that was not enough, Maape went onto Motsweding FM on 17 February to continue with his assertion that service delivery in Vryburg was at its peak. He added that, yet Maape was able to come to the North West Provincial Legislature and give a vague and embarrassing SOPA.
“However, the blame does not lie solely with Maape. The African National Congress (ANC), which deployed him to the Office of the Premier, is a problem in this country. It has run out of ideas on how to improve the lives of the residents of this province.
“The Members of the Executive Council, Heads of Departments, CEOs, and Boards of Entities convened for a two-day Lekgotla in Rustenburg to make inputs to Maape’s 30-minute SOPA. But it was empty and had no concrete plans,” said Sonakile.
He said Maape’s address shows,” there is no leadership in the ANC.
“While residents continue to be in the grip of rolling blackouts, Maape in his address spoke about an energy strategy that still needs to be kick-started.
“Load shedding is not a new phenomenon and provinces like the Western Cape in their SOPA, set aside R1 billion to counter load shedding. Yet North West businesses and residents have been left on their own. They have been instructed by Maape to go and buy their own generations,” said Sonakile.
He said, water and sanitation have been an issue in the province. According to Sonakile, over a million residents still do not have access to water and sanitation.
“Maape talked about a steering committee, meaning his government is still in the boardroom trying to find solutions. In the meantime, residents shouldn’t expect their lives to improve anytime soon.
“Maape in a radio interview alleged that he was aware of high-ranking officials who are responsible for the water infrastructure sabotage in Naledi. We call on him to lay charges against those who tamper with water infrastructure,” he said.
Sonakile said Maape should remember that, access to clean drinkable water is a basic human right, and sabotage of that is a human right violation. He said the province has continued to degenerate under Maape and that is why they call him to resign.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Maape is expected to respond to the MPLs. In his SOPA, Maape said 2023 is the year of ‘service delivery’.
Picture: ANC deputy president, Paul Mashatile/Google
By OBAKENG MAJE
One of the aggrieved ANC members in North West said, he has opened a perjury case against the ANC deputy president, Paul Mashatile at Mmabatho Police Station in North West on 28 February 2023.
Sello Molefe alleged that, Mashatile has lied to the North West High Court in Mahikeng under oath. Molefe is one of the aggrieved ANC members who filed a case requesting the North West High Court to nullify the ANC Provincial Elective Conference that was held in Rustenburg in August 2022.
“On 20 August 2022, an urgent application was instituted against ANC in which, I am the 4th applicant. Mashatile duly representing ANC opposed the urgent application as authorised by the ANC.
“At the centre of the dispute under case number UM 160/2022 before the North West High Court sitting in Mahikeng is the lapsing of the term of the Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) of the North West,” he said.
Molefe further alleged that, the ANC constitution prescribed that, the election of PEC, which has been dissolved, shall be called within nine months from the date of dissolution. He added that, in this case, the nine months period lapsed by the latest on 29 April 2020.
“Mashatile deposed to an answering affidavit under oath on behalf of the ANC. Mashatile in his answering affidavit attached a purported resolution of the ANC, which resolution stipulated that the ANC at its meeting of 26-29 July 2022, the NEC decided to formally dissolve the PEC in terms of Rule 12.2.4.
“He attached the answering affidavit, where he alleged that the ANC NEC has re-appointed the IPC, which was appointed by the ANC NEC at the meeting held on 26-29 July 2019. Mashatile alleges in his affidavit under oath that, the ANC NEC as per the purported resolution taken on 26-29 July 2022, purported to dissolve and re-appoint members of the IPC who were deceased and some members who had previously resigned at the time of passing of the purported resolution,” said Molefe.
He alleged that, however, some members of the IPC were deceased as of 26-29 July 2022, when Mashatile claimed the ANC has re-appointed them as IPC members.
According to Molefe, the former executive mayor of the City of Matlosana, who was also a member of IPC succumbed to the COVID-19 pandemic on 16 July 2021, while Sophie Maine died on 6 June 2021 after a short illness.
“Johannes Tselapedi died on 6 June 2021 after a short illness. It is common cause that other members of the IPC resigned before 26-29 July 2022. Former North West Premier, Supra Mahumapelo resigned as a member of the IPC on 30 September 2019 and was deployed by the ANC to the National Parliament.
“Job Mokgoro who was appointed as ex officio member of the IPC on 26-29 July 2019 by virtue of his appointment as the North West Premier on 22 June 2019 and resigned on 26 August 2021,” he said.
Molefe said not only did the term of the deceased IPC members end on 29 April 2020, whilst they were still alive, and their ANC members lapsed as at the respective dates of their passing.
He said, yet Mashatile alleged in the answering affidavit that the ANC NEC purportedly resolved on 26-29 July 2022 to re-appoint these deceased ANC members into the IPC notwithstanding the fact that they were late.
“According to Mashatile in the answering affidavit, he deposed under oath, the purported NEC meeting convened from 26-29 July 2022, dates which conveniently tally with the dates of the original NEC meeting held on 26-29 July 2019.
“It is clear from the reading of ‘ANC11’ that Mashatile simply copied the minutes and resolution of the 26-29 July 2019 and paste it into the disputed minutes of the purported minutes and resolution of the meeting held on 26-29 July 2022,” said Molefe.
He said, according to the NEC calendar of 2022, there was no NEC meeting held on 26-29 July 2022. Molefe said, Mashatile was the ANC acting Secretary-General during 26-29 July 2022 and he was fully aware when he deposed to the answering affidavit on 24 August 2022 that there was never such meeting during that period and there was never any resolution taken by the ANC NEC during the period in question.
“I deposed and filed a supplementary affidavit at the North West High Court on 7 February 2023, where I brought this alleged fraud by Mashatile to the attention of the North West High Court.
“On 23 February 2023, Mashatile deposed to a confirmatory affidavit in terms of which he admitted that the ANC NEC meeting of the 26-29 February 2022 never took place and apologized unreservedly for alleging that the meeting took place on 26-29 February 2022,” he said.
Molefe said Mashatile could not explain how the purported resolution taken by the ANC NEC on 26-29 July 2022, however, what he is certain of is that Mashatile was the SGO of the ANC at the time and he deposed to the answering affidavit under oath in terms whereof and attached the fraudulent resolution and committed perjury confirming the authenticity of the fraudulent resolution, whilst he was fully aware that the resolution was never taken.
“The motive of Mashatile was to mislead the North West High Court into believing that the ANC NEC complied with Rule 12.2.4 of the ANC constitution by appointing an interim structure, a false allegation made by Mashatile in order to circumvent prayer 6 of the relief we sought in terms of the notice of motion, where we seek an order.
“He seeks order in terms that the ANC be ordered to appoint an interim structure in terms of the ANC constitution instead of the North West Provincial Executive Committee, pending the election of a lawfully constituted PEC of the ANC in the North West.
“Mashatile heavily relied on the fraudulent NEC resolution purportedly taken at a meeting held on 26-29 July 2022 in order to persuade the honourable court to find in the ANC’s favour,” said Molefe.
According to Molefe, had they not brought this alleged fraud committed by Mashatile to the attention of the High Court in a form of a supplementary affidavit, Mashatile would have succeeded in misleading the court and therefore prejudicing the applicants.
The ANC national spokesperson, Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said: “The ANC has noted reports of a case opened by someone who is said to be a member of the ANC in the North West Province.
“We wish to place it on record that leaders of the ANC act and discharge their responsibilities on behalf of the organisation, and not in their personal capacity.”
Bhengu-Motsiri said, consequently, any member of the ANC who has a grievance emanating from organisational processes should utilise the ANC’s dispute resolution mechanisms that are in place.
Meanwhile, the police national spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe confirmed that, there is a criminal case opened against Mashatile and the Hawks has taken it over for investigations.
Picture: North West MEC for Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation, Kenetswe Mosenogi/Facebook
By OBAKENG MAJE
North West MEC for Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation (ACSR), Kenetswe Mosenogi has come under fire after taking the media launch of the much-anticipated Mahika Mahikeng Cultural Festival to Sandton in Gauteng Province, instead of Mahikeng.
Many residents believe that taking the media launch to Sandton is ‘irrelevant’ and a snub to the North West province. They say the event will take place in Mahikeng, but instead of putting the capital city on the map, they will rather market Sandton.
The renowned entrepreneur and Mahikeng Digital Innovation Hub, Joepac Ndaba said: “I don’t like commenting about issues tsa Mahikeng (sic). I spend a lot of time defending Mafikeng…. Maara e yone ke nonsense nje.
“I tried to be open-minded and listen to Stone trying to explain the reason behind this mediocre, but I must say, I don’t hear anything concrete he is talking about.”
Ndaba further said, media houses will not come to Mahikeng because, instead of placing Mahikeng on the map as event marketers, they rather market Sandton. He added that the department should rather let the media houses come to Mahikeng and show the world how it is.
“This is just false advertising about Mahikeng and a total disrespect to media houses in the North West. This is also disrespectful to places like Sun City, Mmabatho Convention Centre etc like what happened ka #FillUpMmabathoStadium.
“In 2018, the media launch was at Mmabatho Palms, in 2017, the media launch was at Barolong Boo Ratshidi and both events went super well. The disrespect that this decision is placing on us by our fellow business partners based in Sandton,” he said.
According to Ndaba, some business people in Sandton also questioned the relevance of taking Mahika Mahikeng Cultural Festival media launch to Sandton.
He said one of them asked him: “So Mr, in the whole of North West province, you do not have venues to host a media launch? Your decisions are affecting our credibility.”
Ndaba encouraged people to take Mahikeng seriously and let them be forward thinkers.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) secretary in North West, Papiki Babuile shared the same sentiments. Babuile said, there is nothing that the ANC-led government can do, which is in the interest of the people and ensure that the province is developed.
“Currently, we have Mahika Mahikeng Cultural Festival, where the service provider is appointed to organise the event, launching it in Sandton.
“I mean, do we not have venues in Mahikeng, which can host the launch and make sure that atleast our people are benefiting? As when these venues are booked, the hospitality industry is going to benefit,” he said.
Babuile said Small Micro Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) owners will also benefit from this process. He said those who are currently benefiting from Mahika Mahikeng Cultural Festival are people in Gauteng, while using the money from this province.
The Member of Provincial Legislature (MPL) and Democratic Alliance (DA) Spokesperson on Arts, Culture, Sports, and Recreation in North West, Winston Rabotapi said they demand transparency in the R40 million Mahika Mahikeng Festival contract.
“We demand full transparency over the three-year R40 million contract awarded to Mega Works Trading Enterprise 200 (Pty) Ltd for managing the Mahika Mahikeng Festival.
“Although we welcome, in principle, the event’s comeback following an extended hiatus brought on by the COVID-19 outbreak and the opportunity it presents to display and promote North West talent as well as the province’s economic benefits, concerns about the tendering procedure still exist,” Rabotapi said.
He said the Mahika Mahikeng Festival was initially scheduled to take place in December 2022, but it was postponed amid allegations that the owner of Mega Works Trading Enterprise 200 (Pty) Ltd, Molefi Setlalaleng, irregularly enjoyed preferential consideration during the tender-bid process.
“We have written to Mosenogi requesting the full details of the bid adjudication process that led to Mega Works Trading Enterprise 200 (Pty) Ltd awarded this R40 million three-year contract.
“We want to know how many bids were received, the names of each company, cost of each bid, the names of the members of the bid adjudication committee and their record of decision,” said Rabotapi.
Meanwhile, the North West MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation, Kenetswe Mosenogi said: “The department has noted the concerns from the North West community around the media launch that is scheduled to take place in Johannesburg on March 1, 2023.
“It is therefore important for the department to provide context and clarity regarding our communications roll out and the purpose of the media launch for Mahika Mahikeng 2023.”
Mosenogi said, the purpose of the media launch is to brief the broader media community around the plans for Mahika Mahikeng 2023. She said this is an important milestone as it provides a platform to
promote the event nationally and create awareness about the festival, with the intention to encourage people from all over the country to attend this event.
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