Picture: North West MEC for Social Development, Boitumelo Moiloa and the Head of Department, Relebohile Mofokane/Google   

By OBAKENG MAJE

North West Premier, Bushy Maape has placed the North West MEC for Social Development, Boitumelo Moiloa and Head of Department, Relebohile Mofokane on special leave for a month. This comes after a recent squabble between Moiloa and Mofokane over the ‘irregular’ awarding of R133 million security tender.

Almost a month ago, Moiloa suspended three employees. She said her department has established prima-face information that led to the suspension of these employees. It is alleged that, Mofokane signed off R133 million security tender, even though the Provincial Internal Audit warned about some discrepancies in bid documents.

Maape said, over the past months, he has been coordinating the implementation of directives on professionalisation of the public service, which includes amongst other things, a system of delegations between Executive Authorities (MECs) and Accounting Officers (HOD’s).

“Unfortunately, this has not been successful in the North West Department of Social Development leading to a near administrative paralysis, which risked finalisation of the Annual Performance Plan (APP), Departmental Budget for the 2023/24 financial year, and potentially the submission of the Annual Financial Statement (AFS) as well as the Annual Performance Information (API) for 2022/23 financial year.

“This discord has the potential if not managed to paralyse service delivery and harm the poor and vulnerable persons who are serviced by the department. I am compelled and required by the constitution as the person vested with the Executive Authority of the province to intervene on behalf of good governance and for the sake of the poor and the marginalised, whose livelihoods are dependent on the services offered by the department,” he said.

Maape further said, the North West MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport & Recreation, Kenetswe Mosenogi has been appointed as acting MEC for Social Development, while Obakeng Mongale will be acting Head of Department. He added that, they have constituted a team of experienced senior public servants led by the Office of the Premier to assist Mosenogi and Mongale during their acting, with a particular mandate being on managing the very important audit process, which resumes from 1 June 2023.

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Setshwantsho: Reoikantse Shuping ga mmogo le moeteledipele wa gagwe (supervisor), Eileen Pooe

Ka OBAKENG MAJE

Reoikantse Shuping ke motlhatlheledi wa Setswana mo Yunivesithi ya Bokone Bophirima, mme o dumela gore mekgwa ya ga jaana ya tshwanafatso kgotsa tolamiso ya mokwalo wa Setswana e tlhoka go lejwa sešwa. Ka la 17 Motsheganong, 2023, ke fa Shuping a aloga, a rwala kola ya M.A. (Setswana) gone mo Yunibesiting ya Bokone Bophirima.

O falotse dikerii eno ka dinaledi mo hisetoring ya Lefapha la Setswana la NWU, Khemphase ya Mafikeng. Ke ene motho wa ntlha go rwala kola ya M.A. ka maemo a dinaledi. Go ya ka dipalopalo, Shuping ke Motswana wa boraro go dira jalo. O gatile mo motlhaleng wa ga Mme Theriso Tsambo (Motlhatlheledi wa maloba) le Ngaka Queen Motsepe (Motlhatlheledi wa ga jaana). Le bone ba ile ba falola ka dinaledi mo serutweng se kwa Yunibesiting ya UNISA.

Shuping are, le fa Setswana e le puo e e sa bolong go kwalwa dingwaga di le dintsi tse di fetileng, mokwalo le mopeleto wa sona ga o ise o tsepame mo go kgotsofatsang.

“Bothata bo tsalwa ke mekgwa e e farologaneng e ka yona batho ba tsayang taolelo le teseletso ya mokwalo le mopeleto ka teng. Fa go tla mo taolelong, go na le bothata mabapi le mokgwa o ka ona go fitlhelelwang ditshwetso tse di feletsang. Dilo tseno, ke tsona di bakang diketsaetsego le dikganetsano tse di sa tlhokegeng mabapi le mokwalo le mopeleto wa mafoko.

“Bontsi jwa batho ga bo ganane le gore, go nne le thulaganyo e e tlhomameng ya mokwalo wa Setswana e e ka fokotsang diketsaetsego le dikganetsano tse di bakwang ke teseletso. Ke ka moo patlisiso ya me e atlanegisang mokgwa wa go tsaya ditshwetso ka molebo wa tumalano o o tserweng mo go tiori ya tumalano (Consensus Theory) ya masosioloji,” Shuping wa tlhalosa.

Shuping are, setlhogo sa tlhotlhomisi ya gagwe ke kanoko ya teseletso le taolelo mo mokwalong le mopeleto wa Setswana mo Aforika Borwa. Are ka tiori ya tumalano, mme o dumela gore ke patlisiso e e tla tshwaelang go utlwala mo maitekong a go samagana le dikgwetlho tse di itemogelwang mo tolamisong ya mokwalo le mopeleto wa Setswana.

“E tlaa nna gape motheo o o tsepameng o baithuti ba Setswana, badirakapuo le setšhaba se se buang Setswana ka kakaretso, ba ka agelelang mo go ona go rarabolola mathata a mokwalo le mopeleto mo Setswaneng. Ke patlisiso e e tlhalosang le go atlanegisa mokgwa o o botoka wa go rerisana ka mathata le go fitlhelela tumalano e e tsepameng pele go tsewa ditshwetso, kgotsa go tlhongwa melao.

“E tla nna mosola thata mo batlhaming ba dipholisi tsa puo le ba ditheo tse di jaaka Yuniti ya Bosetšhaba ya Dithanodi tsa Setswana (Sefala), Komiti ya Dipuo ya Porofense ya Bokone Bophirima le Lekgotla la Bosetšhaba la Puo ya Setswana. Tse tsotlhe, mmogo di na le seabe sa botlhokwa mo tsweletsong le tolamiso ya dipuo mo Aforika Borwa,” Shuping wa tlhalosa.

O kaile gape fa loeto lwa go kgonana le phitlhelelo eno, lo ne lo se bonolo kaa ile a kampana le dikgwetlho di le mmalwa mo tseleng. Shuping are, mongwe wa mepakwana e a neng a tshwanelwa ke go e tlolakaka ke leroborobo la COVID-19 le le neng la wa fela fa a sena go ikwadisetsa dikerii ya MA ka 2020.

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By OBAKENG MAJE

North West MEC for Health, Madoda Sambatha said the province has registered two cases of cholera. Sambatha said the laboratory cases are of two men aged 38 and 68 respectively.

“These cases were confirmed at Madibeng and Moretele Local Municipalities. Both patients presented with vomiting and diarrhoea, which are symptoms of cholera. The department urges the public not to panic as cholera is preventable and curable. All people who experience cholera symptoms, with or without local or international travel history are advised to visit their nearest health facility.

“Cholera is a diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Individuals generally become ill 12 – 48 hours after exposure. Some of the common symptoms include diarrhoea, cramps, nausea, vomiting and low-grade fever,” he said.

Sambatha further said, among people who develop symptoms, the majority have mild or moderate symptoms, while a minority develop acute watery diarrhoea with severe dehydration. He added that this can lead to death if left untreated.

“The department would further like to urge the public to take extra precautionary measures and maintain proper hand hygiene as the country experience an outbreak of diarrhoea disease or gastrointestinal infection, and the rising number of laboratory-confirmed cases of cholera,” said Sambatha.

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Picture: The acting chairperson for North West Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Social Development and Health Mmoloki Cwaile

By OBAKENG MAJE

The North West Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee for Social Development and Health said, there are structural challenges that need to be addressed at the embattled Bophelong Provincial Hospital in Mahikeng, North West. The committee visited the hospital on Monday after the video of newly-born babies being placed in cardboard boxes was circulated across social media platforms.

The incident took place on Saturday. The acting chairperson of the North West Portfolio Committee on Social Development and Health, Mmoloki Cwaile said, they were equally shocked to see newly-born babies being placed in cardboard boxes due to a shortage of cribs and incubators.

“Of course, we were equally shocked to learn that, the newly-born babies were placed in cardboard boxes, while others were sharing incubators and cribs. We have sought to have a critical meeting with all role players including management, nurses and unions. They have presented to us what are the challenges and is for that reason that we have encouraged the North West MEC for Health, Madoda Sambatha to interaction with his team at a level of management and labour organised unions.

“Importantly, we will have a clear view of what has transpired after our site inspection. Where we are, we have taken note of the multiplicity of problems that relate to the structures, human resources, personnel, and capacity of professional nurses. On the day of the incident, there were almost 57 neonates in the unit that is capacitated to accommodate only 25,” Cwaile said.

He further said, this has been a trend for some time and there were no available cribs and incubators. Cwaile added that, they have also realised that, there were challenges in relation to infrastructure.

“Even if you are getting more of what you need, but you will know that neonates are newly-born atleast up to six days. So, it is not our view that it will be possible to deliver the babies quickly and refer them to another facility without necessary observations.

“What we have realised is that there is a challenge of infrastructure, shortage of professional nurses and midwives, especially those who are well-trained on neonates. So, we believe that the outcome of the investigations should not be punitive, but to deal with all challenges inclusively,” he said.

Meanwhile, the North West MEC for Health, Madoda Sambatha said: “I am satisfied with the progress registered. Firstly, with the team that is conducting the investigation into the incident. Secondly, I believe that my meeting with union leaders yesterday paved the way for implementing key interventions that will improve operations at the hospital.

“The meeting acknowledged challenges that contributed to the situation as systemic and structural. For example, the issue of limited space in the hospital which I have already highlighted in the budget speech.  I stated that, the hospital will be expanded with additional 100 beds and this was also acknowledged as a contributing factor and suggestions on other solutions were provided.”

Sambatha said, as part of further increasing space in the facility, the hospital management has already started engaging the provincial infrastructure to procure a park home, which will provide enough space for the neonatal unit. He said such a move should not mean a delay of additional 100 beds.

“The hospital had already advanced with the procurement of additional cribs and baby incubators. It was also acknowledged as a sign that the hospital had anticipated the need to address the challenge of space for newborn babies. The meeting emphasised the need to find solutions and stop pointing fingers at individuals.

“In that spirit, both the union leaders and I agreed that the suspension of the employees directly involved was not meant as a punitive measure, but a precautionary suspension. Not even I can conclude that the suspended employees are guilty without due process,” said Sambatha.

He said he has been consistent in saying that, the suspension was precautionary. Sambatha said a precautionary suspension is often given when the employer thinks the employees may interfere with an investigation because of them being directly implicated, but no one can say they are guilty when the investigation is still ongoing.

A consolidated hospital improvement plan is expected to be presented when the meeting is re-convene on Wednesday at the hospital.

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Picture: The former Northern Cape MEC for Public Works, Roads and Transport, John Block/Google

By OBAKENG MAJE

The former Northern Cape MEC for Public Works, Road and Transport, John Block has been arrested by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation Unit at the Correctional Services facility in Kimberley for fraud and corruption. The imprisoned Block is implicated in a corruption, fraud and money laundering case along with the former Head of Department of the Northern Cape Roads and Public Works, Roads and Transport, Patience Mercia Nokhwezi Mokhali.

It is alleged that the duo awarded a tender to build a mental hospital to Babereki Consulting Engineers (PTY) LTD, even though it did not meet the necessary requirements. The Director of a liquidated company, Babereki Consulting Engineers (PTY) LTD, Tshegolekae Motaung was also arrested for fraud and money laundering.

The Hawks spokesperson in Northern Cape, Nomthandazo Mnisi said, Block will briefly appear at Upington Magistrate’s Court today. Mnisi further said, in 2003, the Northern Cape Department of Health together with the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport, allegedly embarked on a project to construct a new mental health hospital in Kimberley. She added that, the original contract was to an amount of R290 million.

“It is further alleged that, some of the constructed buildings faced possible demolition after R420 million was paid to a liquidated contractor on a project that was originally budgeted for R290 million. It was discovered that the company that was appointed did not have the capacity to render the service and the contract was terminated, whilst money was already paid.

“Work on the project has since been halted, leaving the facility incomplete and unusable, and at a considerable cost to the Department of Health. Officials did not follow the normal procurement procedures when appointing the consultant,” said Mnisi.

She said the project was marred with maladministration and there was no value for money.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Head of the Directorate, Major General Stephen Mabuela welcomed the arrest.

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