Pictures: The three of four accused persons, Phenyo Katong, Katlego Mosimege and Bakang Katong/Facebook
By OBAKENG MAJE
A murder case against four accused persons is ready for trial. The alleged drug lord, Bakang Katong (32), Thabang Lenyai (23) and Katlego Mosimege (31), and Phenyo Katong (34) were arrested more than a year ago for allegedly killing Thabiso Mothibedi (35) in cold blood.
They accused Mothibedi of stealing R20 000 cash and cigarettes worth R600 from Katong’s house in Manthe village, near Taung.
The North West police spokesperson, Capt Sam Tselanyane said the preliminary investigation revealed that on 29 April 2022, the deceased was at Longaneng village in Taung, when the accused fetched and ferried him back to Manthe village.
“Upon arrival, the deceased was allegedly chained to a generator and assaulted. After the assault, the victim was reportedly transported to a local clinic by the accused, however, he was declared dead upon arrival. The accused were arrested and charged with murder,” Tselanyane said.
On 1 May 2022, the community members were up in arms and torched three houses and a bakkie belonging to Katong’s family.
Meanwhile, the court also heard that, there is a letter from the community members requesting that the murder case be transferred to the North West High Court in Mahikeng owing to its nature.
It is alleged that, the state is set to call seven witnesses, while the accused persons will call four witnesses. There were also allegations that, the accused persons intended to plead guilty. However, it is yet unknown if that is still their intention.
The North West province has recorded the country’s highest unemployment figures in the First Quarter of 2023. This comes after the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) released by Stats SA recently. The province recorded the highest year-on-year increase of 7.9% in unemployment numbers and the youth are the most affected group.
However, the North West Premier, Bushy Maape said his government has created 6406 jobs, as well as empowered 792 Small and Medium Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) and 484 Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) in the past financial year.
According to Maape, 2060 permanent jobs were created, while 4346 were realised through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).
“Recruitment of 3293 EPWP beneficiaries and 540 posts were still advertised across all departments, while 1063 employment opportunities were created through projects allocated to 37 contractors.
“At least 1070 permanent jobs were created in the education sector through EPWP infrastructure posts, ECD, HIV/Aids support workers, graduates and contract posts,” he said.
The ANC Chief Whip in the North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL), Lazzy Mokgosi calls for the Youth Enterprise Development (YED) Programme to be upscaled to support young people, who are entrepreneurs in order to unleash their innovation and creativity.
Mokgosi expressed concern about the high level of unemployment particularly among the youth.
“We applaud the recent effort to reach youth in our townships and rural communities through the SA Youth Opportunities Roadshow. This is a brainchild of Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator that was hosted recently in Setlagole in collaboration with the Department of Employment and Labour, National Youth Development Agency, Youth Employment Service (YES) South Africa and the Office of the Premier.
“We welcome the rollout of the accelerated service delivery programme aimed at delivering quality public infrastructure while mitigating the triple challenge of poverty, unemployment and inequality. We call on the provincial government to intensify partnership with the business sector in order to maximise job creation and defuse the ticking time bomb of youth unemployment,” he said.
Meanwhile, Democratic Alliance (DA) provincial leader and Member of Parliament (MP), Leon Basson said: “Decades of ANC failed governance, corruption, fraud, policy uncertainty, cadre deployment and load shedding has collapsed North West, where basic service delivery is erratic at best.
“This sustained programme of destruction by the ANC has now yielded the fruits of their nefarious labours – mass unemployment of 54% as per the expanded definition, the highest in South Africa.”
Basson further said more people in North West are unemployed than those who have a job. He added that, more than a million persons in North West are now left unemployed, desperate and destitute.
“Only 877 000 individuals have the dignity that comes with having a job, earning a salary, and taking care of their families. This is a socio-economic humanitarian crisis that requires urgent intervention to restore governance, deliver basic services, and attract investment that will result in economic development, growth, and job creation.
“The only hope for those who want to work but can’t find a job is to vote DA in next year’s election. A DA-led government in North West will restore governance, will deliver services, will attract investment that will grow the economy that will create jobs,” said Basson.
Picture: Monnapula Jan “Mabelebele” Williams/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
A 35-YEAR-OLD man affectionately known as Mabelebele, was sentenced to life imprisonment for killing a former teacher, Jaqueline Motabogi (67) in Shaleng village, near Taung. The North West police spokesperson in Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati cluster, Warrant Officer Tryphosa van Rooyen said, in the early hours of the morning on 6 February 2022, Monnapula Jan Williams forcibly gained entry into the house of the deceased.
Van Rooyen further said, Williams forced the kitchen door open and stole a metallic Ford Fortuner and 2 cell phones. She added that Motabogi woke up and went to investigate after she heard a vehicle door opening.
“However, she was shot dead by Williams and the atrocity was reported to the police at Kgomotso Police Station. The accused was traced and arrested on the same day at Laudium. He was not granted bail and remained in custody until he was sentenced on 5 June 2023.
“The case was transferred to the Taung Regional Court. Williams was sentenced to five years imprisonment for housebreaking with intent to steal and theft, 15 years imprisonment for housebreaking with intent to rob and robbery, and life imprisonment for murder,” she said.
Van Rooyen said counts 1 and 2 will run concurrently.
Meanwhile, the acting District Commissioner, Brigadier Tshenolo Tlotleng commended the excellent investigation work done by Warrant Officer Akanyang Pitsonyane.
Picture: Former teacher, the late Jaqueline Motabogi/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
A 35-YEAR-OLD man was sentenced to life imprisonment for killing a former teacher, Jaqueline Motabogi (67) in Shaleng village, near Pampierstad. The North West police spokesperson in Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati cluster, Warrant Officer Tryphosa van Rooyen said, in the early hours of the morning on 6 February 2022, Monnapula Jan Williams forcibly gained entry into the house of the deceased.
Van Rooyen further said, William forced the kitchen door open and stole a metallic Ford Fortuner and 2 cell phones. She added that Motabogi woke up and went to investigate after she heard a vehicle door opening.
“However, she was shot dead by William and the atrocity was reported to the police at Kgomotso Police Station. The accused was traced and arrested on the same day at Laudium. He was not granted bail and remained in custody until he was sentenced on 5 June 2023.
“The case was transferred to the Taung Regional Court. William was sentenced to five years imprisonment for housebreaking with intent to steal and theft, 15 years imprisonment for housebreaking with intent to rob and robbery, and life imprisonment for murder,” she said.
Van Rooyen said counts 1 and 2 will run concurrently.
Meanwhile, the acting District Commissioner, Brigadier Tshenolo Tlotleng commended the excellent investigation work done by Warrant Officer Akanyang Pitsonyane.
Setshwantsho: Motshameki wa maloba wa setlhopha sa Mighty Boys FC, Bakang Katong/Facebook
Ka OBAKENG MAJE
Motshamekapele wa maloba o diphatsa wa setlhopha sa selegae sa Mighty Boys FC, Bakang Katong kwa motseng wa Manthe, gaufi le Taung, o tla itse ka bokamoso jwa gagwe ka di 13 Phokwi 2023. Seno setla morago ga gore mosekisi mo kgetsing e Katong a lebaneng le yone ya petelelo, a kaele le kgotlha fa a tshwanetswe ke go neelwa dingwaga dile lesome kwa kgolegelong.
Go begwa fa Katong (32), yo jaanong eleng rakgwebo, ebile a latofadiwa ka go gweba ka diritibatsi, a ne a betelela lekgarebe lengwe la kwa Buxton ka ngwaga wa 2017. Go begwa fa Katong, yo oneng a tswa kwa Johannesburg ka nako eo, a ne a neelwa lekgarebe leo ke mongwe wa bakgweetsi ba ditekesi kwa Schweizer Reneke gore a mo gorotshe ka pabalasego kwa lapeng.
Fela, go kaiwa fa Katong a ne a tsena-tsena ka lekgarebe leno, mme a feleletsa a ipagololetse mogodu. Gape, lekgarebe le, lene la kaya fa le nyeleletswe ke madi a kanang ka R2000 mo tiragalong eo.
Kgotlha-tshekelo e utlwile fa lekgarebe le, lene la fitlha la lotlegela mmagwe ka se se mo diragaletseng. Kgetsi ene ya bulwa, mme ene ya re Katong go utlwa seno, one a letsetsa lekgarebe le, le go kopana le lone kwa Taung Mall mo letsatsing le le latelang.
Katong one a fitlha a mo kopa go mo neela madi a kanang ka R2000 a go begwang a nyeletse le go mo neela R500 eleng pipa-molomo gore a ye go tsholola kgetsi ya petelelo kgatlhanong le ene.
Fela lekgarebe le, le ne la gana go tsaya madi ao. Kgotlha-tshekelo e utlwile gape fa mmagwe lekgarebe leno, yo eneng ele paki ya mmuso, a ne a tlhokafala fa kgetsi e sentse e tsweletse ka tsheko. Mmueledi wa ga Katong, one a tlhalosetsa lekgotlha fa bopaki jwa motlhekefadiwa bo sa ikanyege, gonne gona le phapang mo tshedimosetsong e a e neetseng sepodisi le e a e boleletseng kgotlha-tshekelo.
Fela magistrata Buti Zulu, ga ka a ganana le kgang eo, mme a tlhalosa fa ese pateletso gore bopaki jo bo neetsweng sepodisi bo ka botsolotswa, fela se se botlhokwa ke se motlhekefadiwa a se boleletseng kgotlha-tshekelo. Gape, se se ileng sa makatsa lekgotlha ke gore, Katong o ile a kaela beng ba mokgatlho wa ditekesi fa a iphantse ka thobalano le motlhefediwa, mme fela o ile a kaya fa seo se diragetse ka tumalano.
Fela Katong, one a kaela mmueledi wa gagwe fa a sa iphanya ka thobalano le motlhekefadiwa. Seo, sene sa baya Katong mo mosing, mme le kgotlha la mo bona jaaka motho o o sa ikanyegeng. Zulu one a tlhalosetsa Katong fa go sena sepe se se supang fa motlhekefadiwa a ka batla go mo bopela kgomo ya mmopa, gonne ba sa itsane.
Zulu, one a bona Katong molato mo kgetsing ya petelelo.
Kgabagare, lekgotlha lene la kaela Katong fa e se sa ntlha a thulana le molao, gonne ka ngwaga wa 2006 one a tshwarwa mme a bonwa molato mo kgetsing ya go itaya ka maikaelelo a go ntsha dikgobalo tse di masisi. Gape, go begwa fa ka 2013 le 2015, Katong a ne a tshwarelwa go gweba ka diritibatsi, mme a duela kotlhao mo dikgetsing dile pedi.
Katong gape o lebane le kgetsi ya polao e e diragetseng kwa motseng wa Manthe.
The police officer arrested for theft was granted a R500 bail by the Vryburg Magistrate’s Court. It is alleged that Captain Baile Mokgoro was arrested after he allegedly went to a petrol filling station in the Central Business District (CBD) in Vryburg and filled up a state motor vehicle.
The North West police spokesperson, Brig Sabata Mokgwabone said Mokgoro allegedly filled up the state motor vehicle with 40.14 litres of petrol amounting to R926.43. Mokgwabone further said, he also reportedly filled up his private generator with 25 litres worth R577.
“The total amount paid by the state was R1503.45. Subsequent to reporting the incident, the Provincial Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit (ACIU) launched an investigation.
“Mokgoro was arrested and briefly appeared at the Vryburg Magistrate’s Court. His case was postponed until 4 August 2023,” he said.
Meanwhile, the North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, applauded the ACIU members for their swift reaction, which led to the arrest of the police officer for theft. Kwena added that, the dishonest employees have no space in the South African Police Services (SAPS) and will be dealt with effectively to sound a warning that improper conduct cannot be tolerated.
Setshwantsho: Motshameki wa maloba o diphatsa wa setlhopa sa kgwele ya dinao sa Mighty Boys FC, Bakang Katong/Facebook
Ka OBAKENG MAJE
Katlholo mo kgetsing ya petelelo kgatlhanong le motshameka-pele wa maloba o diphatsa wa setlhopha sa kgwele ya dinao sa selegae sa Mighty Boys FC, Bakang Katong kwa motseng wa Manthe, gaufi le Taung, e solofetse go tswelela mo letsatsing la gompieno.
Katlholo mo kgetsi eno, ene ya busediwa morago gonne mmueledi wa ga Katong (32) yo o bonweng molato mo kgetsing eno, a se iponatse kwa kgotlha-tshekelo ya sedika ya Taung mo letsatsing la di 6 Seetebosigo 2023.
Go begwa fa Katong, yo jaanong eleng rakgwebo, mme gape a latofadiwa ka go gweba ka diritibatsi, one a betelela lekgarebe lengwe la kwa Buxton ka ngwaga wa 2017. Go begwa fa Katong, yo one a tswa Johannesburg ka nako eo, a ne a neelwa lekgarebe leo ke mongwe wa tekesi kwa Schweizer Reneke gore a mo gorotshe ka pabalasego kwa lapeng.
Fela, go kaiwa fa Katong a ne a tsena-tsena ka lekgarebe leno, mme a feleletsa a iphantse ka thobalano le lone kwa ntle ga tumalano. Go kaiwa fa lekgarebe le, lene la kaya fa le nyeleletswe ke madi a kanang ka R2000 mo tiragalong eo.
Kgotlha-tshekelo e utlwile fa lekgarebe le, lene la fitlha la lotlegela mmagwe ka se se mo diragaletseng. Kgetsi ene ya bulwa, mme ene ya re Katong go utlwa seno, one a letsetsa lekgarebe le, le go kopana le lone kwa Taung Mall mo letsatsing le le latelang.
Katong one a fitlha a mo kopa go mo neela madi a kanang ka R2000 a go begwang a nyeletse le go mo neela R500 eleng pipamolomo gore a ye go tsholola kgetsi ya petelelo kgatlhanong le ene.
Fela lekgarebe le, le ne la gana go tsaya madi ao. Kgotlha-tshekelo e utlwile gape fa mmagwe lekgarebe leno, yo eneng ele paki ya mmuso, a ne a tlhokafala fa kgetsi e sentse e tsweletse ka tsheko. Mmueledi wa ga Katong, one a tlhalosetsa lekgotlha fa bopaki jwa motlhekefadiwa bo sa ikanyege, gonne gona le phapang mo tshedimosetsong e a e neetseng sepodisi le e a e boleletseng kgotlha-tshekelo.
Fela magistrata Buti Zulu, ga ka a ganana le kgang eo, mme a tlhalosa fa ese pateletso gore bopaki jo bo neetsweng sepodisi bo ka botsolotswa, fela se se botlhokwa ke se motlhekefadiwa a se boleletseng kgotlha-tshekelo. Gape, se se ileng sa makatsa lekgotlha ke gore, Katong o ile a kaela beng ba mokgatlho wa ditekesi fa a iphantse ka thobalano le motlhefediwa, mme fela o ile a kaya fa seo se diragetse ka tumalano.
Fela Katong, one a kaela mmueledi wa gagwe fa a sa iphanya ka thobalano le motlhekefadiwa. Seo, sene sa baya Katong mo mosing, mme le kgotlha la mo bona jaaka motho o o sa ikanyegeng. Zulu one a tlhalosetsa Katong fa go sena sepe se se supang fa motlhekefadiwa a ka batla go mo bopela kgomo ya mmopa, gonne ba sa itsane.
Zulu, one a bona Katong molato, mme a mo kaela fa ka letsatsi la di 6 Seetebosigo 2023, a tlile go ntsha katlholo. Fela, seo gas a direga, mme kgetsi e buseditswe morago go fitlha ka letsatsi la di 12 Seetebosigo 2023.
Lekgotlha lene la kaela Katong fa e se sa ntlha a thulana le molao, gonne ka ngwaga wa 2006 one a tshwarwa mme a bonwa molato mo kgetsing ya go itaya ka maikaelelo a go ntsha dikgobalo tse di masisi. Gape, go begwa fa ka 2013 le 2015, Katong a ne a tshwarelwa go gweba ka diritibatsi, mme a duela kotlhao mo dikgetsing dile pedi.
Kgabagare, Katong gape o lebane le kgetsi ya polao e e diragetseng kwa motseng wa Manthe.
Picture: Baga Mothibi LGBTQI+ members during an awareness campaign
By OBAKENG MAJE
The LGBTQI+ members in Taung said people should stop their coercion to try and change their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. They said these kinds of attempts lead to emotional, physical, and mental damage.
One of the LGBTQI+ members, Kegomoditswe Phillips from Magogong village, near Taung said, for the longest time, they have encountered challenges about conversion attempts from people over their sexuality.
“In most cases, people will try to shame or ill-treat us. Some people will attempt to put pressure on us to change our sexuality, gender identity or gender expression. Most of our LGBTQI+ members have also been excluded from their communities.
“Our mission as Baga Mothibi LGBTQI+ community is to fight for the rights of the vulnerable and marginalised within the queer community. We also conceptualize to be in a free and safe environment as a queer community,” she said.
Phillips further said, their organisation is founded by strong-willed members, who wanted freedom and inclusion in society as a whole without being judged about their sexual orientation or having to explain themselves to the public.
She added that their organisation also fights the crime and injustices committed against queer people.
“So, the aim of this initiative was to clear the myth because a lack of knowledge is a disease. Many people misunderstood the LGBTQI+ community. They need to understand that, being a lesbian or gay is not a sickness, but that’s who we are.
“However, we are grateful that the message is slowly disseminated, even though there are challenges with the dressing quote, especially when we attend funerals. They expect us as lesbians to wear dresses, while gays are expected to wear jackets,” said Phillips.
Another LGBTQI+ member, Mpho Sekharume (39) shared the same sentiments. Sekharume said, they are concerned because some of the LGBTQI+ community are being killed for who they are.
“We have received complaints from some of our members from different schools that they are being forced to wear skirts even though they are comfortable wearing trousers. People should accept us the way we are and stop calling us derogatory names like twin plugs.
“We would also like to urge the traditional authorities to stop ill-treating us because we have never created ourselves the way we are. I think this awareness campaign will assist us in disseminating the message, especially to the traditional authorities as they still living in dark ages,” she said.
Taung District Hospital continues to experience the highest teenage pregnancy rate, the youngest was only 13. In 2021, the number of children born to teen mothers at the hospital was 257, while 243 children were born in 2022. The number dropped drastically in 2023 and the hospital has so far registered 45 children born to teen mothers in 2023 alone.
The North West Department of Health spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane said: “Indeed, the hospital is experiencing deliveries above the target. We can confirm that 545 pregnant teenagers have been admitted to the hospital since 2021 and the youngest was only 13.
“In comparison between other hospitals in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District, the data is available at the district office and it can be accessible. However, there are strategic measures in place to address this.”
Lekgethwane further said, even though the response is for the province, the affected hospital and Sub-District have the outreach programs targeting the age group to prevent teenage pregnancy. He added that the issue is being addressed together with the Department of Basic Education (DBE).
“Meetings are ongoing, which includes other departments such as South African Police Services (SAPS) and the North West Social Development,” said Lekgethwane.
Meanwhile, the Save the Children organisation said it is concerned about the well-being of both mothers and babies. The Save Children South Africa’s Health and Nutrition Thematic Manager, Marumo Sekgobela told the Relief Web organisation that, early pregnancy and motherhood in South Africa force many girls to drop out of school.
Sekgobela said it also traps many in a cycle of poverty dependent on public assistance.
“This leaves many stigmatised by society for being teenage mothers or forced into early marriage. It also creates a greater risk in terms of maternal complications resulting in low survival rates of babies and forces many girls to prematurely take on an adult role, which they are not emotionally or physically prepared for.
“This has devastating social and economic costs. Watching a child turn into a mother is heart-breaking. Children need to be children, not birthing them. It’s particularly devastating to learn that many of the girls who gave birth last year were barely teenagers,” he said.
He said the global pandemic risks being a time of irreversible setbacks and lost progress for girls. Sekgobela said, unless the country can act fast and decisively, the impact on girls’ futures – and on all our futures – will be devastating.
“There has never been a more important time to empower teenagers to take control of their sexual health and stay safe. Save the Children calls on the government to ensure that adolescents, regardless of gender, have access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information and services.
“We also call on families, communities, religious & traditional leaders to support reproductive health rights of teenagers. It is time that we dismantle the barriers to accessing services,” said Sekgobela.
He said unintended pregnancy among adolescents requires holistic approaches that build girl’s empowerment, help them make decisions about their lives, including around sexual and reproductive health, engage the support of men and boys in their lives, and offers them real opportunities so that motherhood is not seen as their only destiny.
Sekgobela said a key factor contributing to the sexual and reproductive health risks that adolescents face in South Africa is the lack of access to Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), as well as access to affordable, and appropriate health services.
A 25-YEAR-OLD man was sentenced to life imprisonment on Wednesday by the North West High Court sitting in Mogwase for murder. Kamogelo Molorwe stabbed his girlfriend, Busisiwe Jaki (34) to death with a knife in the early hours of the morning on 30 June 2022 after an argument.
The North West police spokesperson, Colonel Adéle Myburgh said the atrocity took place at the victim’s rented room in Unit 4, near Mogwase. Myburgh said Jaki was working as a teacher at the time of her death.
“Molorwe was traced and arrested the same day. He has been in custody since his arrest after bail was successfully opposed. The convict was found guilty on 5 June 2023 after pleading guilty and eventually given a life imprisonment term. Molorwe was also declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act, 2000 (Act No. 60 of 2000),” she said.
The State Prosecutor, Advocate Jessica Molefe, argued that the accused grossly deprived the children of the deceased of their right to have a mother. Molefe further said the actions of the accused were devoid of mercy.
“His actions against the deceased were perpetuated, whilst a child (4) was present in the house. Such a child still harbours vivid memories of the mother, whose life was cut short at the hands of the accused,” she said.
The North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena and the Director for Public Prosecution (DPP), Dr Rachel Makhari welcomed the life term handed down to Molorwe. Kwena and Makhari applauded the Investigating Officer, Sergeant Masego Kgake of Mogwase Detectives and the Prosecutor, Advocate Jessica Molefe, for their collaboration and dedication that resulted in the conviction.
They added that sentence will definitely send a clear message that crime, including Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), will not be tolerated.
The Guardian 