Picture: The accused, Caswell Mthombeni briefly appeared at Mahikeng Magistrate’s Court/Supplied  

By OBAKENG MAJE

A fraud and money laundering case against Caswell Mthombeni (52) was postponed to 27 July 2023 by the Mahikeng Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. In October 2015, Mthombeni was allegedly appointed by the North West Community Safety and Transport Management to help the department in achieving its road safety objectives, which included training unemployed matriculants and empowering accredited driving schools in various pilot areas.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in North West, Henry Mamothame said: “Mthombeni’s duties also included training and developing driving schools and learner drivers. An amount of over R21-million was paid to him for the commencement of the programme. Over 40 driving schools allegedly signed contracts with the accused’s company as beneficiaries of the programme.

“It is further alleged that, these driving schools used their funds to participate in the programme, in anticipation that the accused will compensate them. Mthombeni allegedly failed to honour his contractual agreement with the driving schools and spent the money on himself. As a result, the department incurred losses to the tune of over R21 million.”

Mamothame further said, Mthombeni was arrested by the Hawks Serious Corruption Investigation assisted by Priority Crime Specialised Investigation and Tactical Operations Management Section on 26 June 2023 in Pretoria. He added that, Mthombeni was granted a R50 000 bail after appearing in the Mahikeng Magistrate’s Court.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Head for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Major General Patrick Mbotho and the Director for Public Prosecutions, Dr Rachel Makhari commended the collaboration between the investigation team and prosecution leading to the arrest of Mthombeni. Makhari and Mbotho vowed to continue working together in clamping down on corruption in the province.

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Setshwantsho: Batshameki ba kwa sekolong sa Sebitloane mo Taung

Ka OBAKENG MAJE

Baithuti ba sekolo sa Sebitloane kwa Taung, ba baneng ba ile go emela sekolo kwa metshamekong e e kgethegileng ya sejana sa lefatshe kwa toropong ya Berlin,  kwa nageng ya Germany ba amogetswe ka boitumelo mo letsatsing la gompieno. Sekolo se ne se ba diretse moletlo-gadi morago ga diphenyo tsa bone.

Setlhopha sa kgwele ya dinao sa basimane, ba fentse metale wa gauta, fa naledi mo motshamekong ya tense, Innocentia Msikinya go tswa kwa motseng wa Manthe, a fentse metale wa selefera le wa gauta. Msikinya are, le fa gone go se bonolo, o itumeletse phenyo ya gagwe.

“Ke itumetse thata fa ke kgone go fenya metale wa selefera le wa gauta. Gone go se bonolo, mme re ile ra kgona go fenya le fa re nnile le dikgwetlho,” Msikinya wa tlhalosa.

Mokaptein wa setlhopha sa kgwele ya dinao se se fentseng metale wa gauta, Kabo Kgomo (22) are, ba tswile mo Afrika Borwa ba ipaakantse go utlwa. Go ya ka Kgomo, se se ileng sa ba rotloetsa go itsotsoropanya ke gore, ba ne ba shebile gore fa gona le setlhopha sengwe sa kgwele ya dinao se se tla nnang lekgatlhego mo go bone, se ba kwadise.

“Ditlhopha dile dintsi di ne di sa dumele gore re tswa kwa Sebitloane Special School ka mokgwa o reneng re tshameka ka teng. Gona le ditlhopha tse di ne di sa tshameke sentle le rona, fela reile ra fenya,” Kgomo wa tlhalosa.

Mogokgo wa sekolo, Boipelo Mmokwa are ba motlotlo jaaka sekolo go bona baithuti ba bone ba dirile matshitshi.

“Rona jaaka botsamaisi jwa sekolo se, ke sa lebale le lekgotlha-tsamaiso la sekolo, re lebogile thata. Ebile, ga ke itse gore ke tla shupa boitumelo jwame jang mo go se se diragetseng. Bana ba, ba ikatisitsi go utlwala le fa ba ne ba sena ditlamelwana tse di maleba.

“Re tsweletse jalo, re ba tshegeditse le fa gone go se bonolo. Fela, re ne re itse gore Modimo o teng o tla re fitlhisa. Bana ba, ga ese ba itshupe jaaka bana ba ba sa itsholelang. Ga se ba tsamye ba latlhegelwe mo metshamekong e. Ba tshamikile kgatlhanong le dinaga tse dinang le bokgoni, fela ba ile ba fenya go ntse fela jalo go fitlhela ba fenya metale wa gauta,” Mmokwa wa tlhalosa.

Gape, o kaile fa ka di 21 Phukwi 2023, ba tlile go direla bana ba moletlo o mo tona. Are, Msikinya le ene o dirile go utlwala le fa a ne a sena ditlabakele tse di lekaneng. Mmokwa are, tona kwa kantorong ya mopresidente, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma yo a ikarabelang mo go bomme, basha ga mmogo le batho ba ba tshelang ka bogwele, o kaile fa bana ba ba tlile go memiwa ke mopresidente wa naga, Cyril Ramaphosa go ya go ja dijo tsa motshegare le ene.

Morulaganyi wa porogerama ya diporojeke tse di kgethegileng kwa kantorong ya ga majoro kwa masepaleng wa selegae wa Greater Taung, Tebogo Morweng are ba motlotlo. Morweng are maikutlo ke a tseisang manya go bona bana ba, batla ka dimetale.

“O tla gopola gore majoro wa rona, Tumisang Gaoraelwe o ile a kaya fa a tlile go tshegetsa sekolo se sa rona sa Sebitloane. Re ile ra nna le tshono ya go etela bana ba pele ga ba leba kwa Berlin kwa Germany le go ba neela mafoko a thotloetso. Jaanong, jaaka motho a ka bua fela are, senampa sa ngwana wa kgosi re se bona mogang bojale bo a loga.

“Jaanong, botsetsi jo rene re bo beile bo fedile, gonne bana ba boile. Re tlhaloganya gore gona le batsadi ba ba ikobonyang ka go nna le bana ba ba tlhokang tshegetso e e kgethegile. Fela, re ikuela go bone gore ba tlise bana bao le bone ba kgone go rebolola talente tsa bone,” Morweng wa tlhalosa.

Kgabagare, Kgosi Lehatshe Mankuroane are bana ba, ba beile naga ya Afrika Borwa ga mmogo le motse wa Taung kwa setlhoweng.

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Picture: The acting North West Premier, Nono Maloyi with North West MEC for Public Works and Roads, Oageng Molapisi along with delegates monitoring Nelson Mandela Drive road project/Supplied   

By OBAKENG MAJE  

Road infrastructure continues to be a challenge in North West. Currently, Mahikeng is duped as the ‘capital city of potholes’. Now, the North West acting Premier, Nono Maloyi, who visited the Nelson Mandela Drive road construction project said, he will visit and monitor all road construction projects across the province.

Maloyi further said, his visit was to acknowledge the progress being made and offer solutions to accelerate the delivery of road projects timeously. He added that Nelson Mandela Drive is one of the roads identified for this purpose.

“Road infrastructure is key to the developmental trajectory of the province and one of the apex priorities of the government. Today, we are visiting Nelson Mandela Drive in Mahikeng to receive an update on this road construction project. Initially, this project was supposed to be completed by September 2023.

“We are very worried including business people and the community at large over the snail pace at this project going. We met with the contractor and he gave us a report on when will the project be completed,” said Maloyi.

He said they are satisfied, but they are going to monitor progress fortnightly. Maloyi said they are going to embark on a similar approach with other projects to see to it that, service providers meet their contractual obligations.

Meanwhile, the North West MEC for Public Works and Roads, Oageng Molapisi said: “The department is geared up to curb any delays on road projects. We understand the negative impact of the delays on our projects and the inconvenience to motorists and other road users.

“In line with the accelerated service delivery plan, we will be re-visiting this project in the next two weeks as per the instruction of the North West acting Premier, Nono Maloyi. We will do everything in our power to see to it that, we complete this project on time.”

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Picture: The doctors posing for a photo after a successful cardiac operation on a patient/Supplied   

By OBAKEN MAJE

North West MEC for Health, Madoda Sambatha is beaming with pride following a successful cardiac operation on a patient (21), who was treated at Job Shimankane Tabane (JST) Hospital in Rustenburg. Sambatha said the patient was successfully treated for a congenital cardiac condition called Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) using a percutaneous technique in the catheterisation lab for closure of the defect. 

“Atrial Septal Defect is a hole between two chambers of the heart causing the mixing of blood, if not closed in time it can cause serious complications in the future. 

“Traditionally, this kind of operation is fixed through an open heart procedure. However, due to technological advancement in catheterisation techniques, allows it to be done in a cath lab as a day procedure with no open surgery needed,” he said.

Sambatha further said this collaborative effort between the JST and Life Peglarae medical teams, truly augurs well as they look to the future with the National Health Insurance (NHI). He added that the procedure was done in the Cath Lab of Life Peglarae Hospital in Rustenburg jointly with the JST medical team. 

“I would like to congratulate the team of Cardiologists that carried out this procedure Dr Mogwera, Dr Msiza, and Dr Raphala along with Dr Pege. The Anaesthetist, Cardiac Technologists, Radiographers, and Nurses.

“This is the first of its kind in the public sector in the province and it is indeed a model of NHI in action,” concluded Sambatha.

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Picture: The North West Social Development logo/Google

By OBAKENG MAJE

The North West Social Development has terminated the contract of the acting Chief Director, Lorato Gasealahwe. The acting Head of Department (HoD), Obakeng Mongale said this comes after the intervention aimed at stabilising the department.

“You will remember that, the North West Premier, Bushy Maape assembled the intervention team on 30 May 2023. We can also confirm that, we have lifted the suspensions on the five employees. This decision is a culmination of intense engagements between the intervention team, legal and labour experts, who studied the background, as well as processing all the details that emanate from disciplinary proceedings and records pertaining to Gasealahwe and the other five employees.

“With regard to the five employees, the immediate lifting of their suspensions will allow the intervention team space for a proper review process to start off their alleged transgressions. The intervention team will determine whether correct procedures were followed as prescribed by the law,” Mongale said.

He further said, the affected employees have been informed of the decision to lift their suspensions effective from 19 June 2023. Mongale added that, with regards to Gasealahwe, the merits of the decision to terminate her contract, will be further ventilated at the Public Health and Social Development Sectoral Bargaining Council for Conciliation (PHSDSB) following her previous referral of the matter to the same council.

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Ka OBAKENG MAJE

Kgetsi ya go tlola molao wa bofaladi kgatlhanong le banna ba le babedi kwa motseng wa Maphoitsile, gaufi le Taung, e buseditswe morago go fitlha di 3 Phukwi 2023. Banna bano, ba ne ba tshwarwa dibeke dile pedi tse di fetileng mabapi le go sa nne le ditlankana tse di siametseng go nna mo nageng ya Afrika Borwa.

Ba ne ba tlhageletse fa pele ga kgotlha-tshekelo ya taung go sale gale. Baagi ba ba shakgetseng ba kwa Manokwane, ba dumela fa banna ba, ba amega mo polao ya basadibagolo ba le babedi ba ba bolailweng kwa sekgweng kwa Manokwane fa bane ba ile go rwalela dikgong mo dibekeng dile pedi tse di fetileng.

Go begwa fa Kelebogile Mirriam Mokgalagadi (70) le Mapulana Polinah Mmusi (80), ba ile ba tlhaselwa le go bolawa ke batho ba ba sa itsiweng. Go ya ka dipego tsa sepodisi, Mmusi le Mokgalagadi ba ne ba tswa kwa malapeng a bone go ya go rwalela dikgong kwa nageng.

Fela, ba masika a bone ba ile ba se nnisege fa Mmusi le Mokgalagadi ba palelwa ke go boela gae ka tlatlana.

Baagi ba ile ba tswa letsholo la go ba batla, mme ene ya re ka ura ya bongwe masigo a sa, bane ba bona masetlapelo. Go kaiwa fa ditopo tsa bone tse dineng di na le dikgobalo tse di masisi dine tsa bonwa kwa nageng. Gape go kaiwa fa baswi ba ka tswa ba beteletswe gonne, ditopo tsa bone di ne di sa apara marokgwe a kha teng.

Gone ga tshwarwa banna bale bararo ba batswa-kwa, kwa motseng wa Maphoitsile, fela go fitlha ga jaana, ga go bopaki jo bo ba golaganyang le kgetsi e ya polao.

Sebueledi sa sepodisi mo Bokone Bophirima, Col Adele Myburgh wa tlhalosa: “Ga gona ope yo o tshwerweng go fitlha ga jaana mo dikgetsing dile pedi tsa polao kwa Manokwane. Re le ba sepodisi, re sentse re ikuela go baagi go ka re thusa ka tshedimosetso e ka lebisang kwa go tshwarweng ga balatofadiwa mo kgetsing e.

“Mongwe le mongwe yo o nang le tshedimosetso, a ka letsetsa mobatlisisi mo kgetsing e, eleng Warrant Officer, Peace Babe mo dinomorong tse di latelang 0824438680. Gape ba ka letsetsa dinomoro tsa 08600 10111. Mongwe le mongwe o sa batleng leina la gagwe le itsiwe a ka romela molaetsa go MySAPS App.”

Mongwe wa baagi, Eddie Mogorwe are se ba se itseng jaaka baagi ke gore, balatofadiwa ba ba tshwerweng ba golagangwa le kgetsi ya polao ya bagodi ba. Mogorwe are, Manokwane Community Forum e ne ya tsamaya le mapodisi go ya go tshwarwa balatofadiwa bao.

“Re tlhaloganya gore diaparo tsa mongwe wa balatofadiwa di ne di na le madi. Gona le bopaki jo bo tsepameng jo bo ba golaganyang le dipolao tse. Gape go dilo di le dintsi jaaka dipolao tse di diragalang mo Taung, mme rele baagi, re tshwanetse go ema ka dinao.

“O mongwe wa balatofadiwa, o ntshitswe kwa kgolegelong mme ga re itse gore jang. Gape gona le mme mongwe o o neng a tlhaselwa le go bolawa kwa sekgweng kwa motseng wa Maphoitsile mo dikgweding tse di fetileng.       

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