Picture: Ward 20 councillor, Itumeleng Maribe addressing the Women Empowerment symposium/Supplied

By OBAKENG MAJE

The Ward 20 councillor, Itumeleng Maribe said that even though women’s empowerment has been made significantly in various sectors, the marginalisation of poor women severely compromises the progress. Maribe was addressing the women empowerment symposium in Kameelpuits village, near Taung on Friday.

He further said the symposium was attributed to more than 20,000 women who marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956 in protest against the extension of Pass Laws to women. Maribe added that, since the advent of democracy in South Africa, great strides have been made in changing the status quo.

“You will remember that we celebrate Women’s Month and it was imperative to have a symposium like this. Many women, especially in rural areas continue to be marginalised. However, we call on men to stand up and eliminate any form of discrimination against women. Instead, we need to empower them without expecting anything in return.

“Women are the pillars of the society and I am happy that, they continue to break the barriers across all sectors. The least that we could do is to give them support and ensure that they succeed in that mission. Furthermore, government policies and programmes have improved the living conditions of women,” he said.

Maribe said women in rural areas should also be allowed to make inroads and occupy strategic positions. He said nationally, a number of women are taking up leadership positions in areas previously dominated by men.

Meanwhile, on 9 August 2023, the president of the Republic of South Africa (RSA), Cyril Ramaphosa said: “Together, we thank the women of South Africa for the role they play in the life of our nation. We celebrate how far we have come in building a non-sexist society, where women are free and equal and enjoy the rights guaranteed to them by the Constitution.

“We recall the suffering that women have endured for no reason other than that they are women. We remember the courageous struggles waged by women against oppression, from those who stood up against colonialism and slavery to those who risked jail rather than carry the hated dompas.”

Ramaphosa said, remember those women who took up arms against a violent regime, who organised workers to fight exploitation, who led political movements and civic organisations, and who were involved in the drafting of our new democratic Constitution.

He said, today of all days, they salute imbokodo, amaqhawekazi, the brave pioneers who marched to the Union Buildings on this day in 1956.

“We are still moved by the images of women like Lilian Ngoyi, Rahima Moosa, Sophie De Bruyn and Helen Joseph carrying armfuls of petitions from the women of South Africa. Today, all the women of South Africa, whether they are black, white, Indian, or coloured, have freedom and equal rights thanks to the bravery, activism, and sacrifices of the generation of 1956.

“Thanks to the struggles of women over the generations, all South African women have the right to vote, the right to work, the right to have control over their bodies, the right to property and equality,” he said.

Ramaphosa said despite hardship, deprivation and many difficulties, South African women continue to stand strong. He said they bring up children, many of them as single parents.

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Picture: Social media platforms across South Africa/Google

By OBAKENG MAJE

The Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies will hold a symposium to discuss the impact of digital media misinformation, disinformation, and content moderation ahead of the upcoming general elections in 2024. The chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Justice Molafo said a two-day symposium will commence at the Tshedimosetso House in Hatfield, Pretoria from 29 until 30 August 2023.  

“On the first day, the symposium will receive presentations from the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, Government Communications and Information Systems, Independent Electoral Commission, Films and Publications Board, South African Broadcasting Corporation, Media Development and Diversity Agency, National Association of Broadcasters, South African Communication Forum, as well as the Association of Comms and Technology.

“There will then be discussions in between presentations. More industry players will make presentations on day two, including Google, Meta, TikTok, Twitter, Media Monitoring Africa, and Right2Know. Once again, there will be discussions in between presentations,” he said.

Molafo further said the committee aims to assess the state of readiness of the communication sector and its capacity to meet its mandate to disseminate information relatively in the run-up to the national and provincial government elections. He added that this will include the measures it will take to guard against spreading misinformation during future elections.

“The committee considers it necessary to interrogate the role played by social media network platforms in shaping the social fabric of the country and the Southern African Development Community and will engage with all digital media platforms to explore the environment within which they operate.

“Next year, South Africans will head to the voting stations to elect their public representatives at provincial and national levels for the seventh time since the beginning of the country’s democratic dispensation. The emergence of digital communication platforms in the 21^st century has transformed the communications landscape, including the way information is disseminated,” said Molafo.

He said with this transformation, however, the troubling power of disinformation campaigns also grew. Molafo said in the interests of holding free and fair elections and protecting South Africa’s democracy in the digital age, Parliament must begin to debate the guidelines that will ensure fair and impartial communications during election cycles, notwithstanding the proliferation of digital communication platforms.

“The symposium will cover various themes, including, amongst others, digital media platforms and their influence on the integrity of electoral processes in South Africa, the practical dangers posed by digital media platforms around user-data misappropriation, and the measures put in place to protect digital media platform users.

“Digital media platforms’ self-regulation and the policies in place to promote the protection and personal privacy of the end-users, budget allocations for identifying misinformation by social network platforms for South Africa in contrast to profits generated in the country as well as political advertising on digital media platforms,” said Molafo.

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Picture: Some of the drugs allegedly seizure from three Nigerians/Supplied

By OBAKENG MAJE

Three Nigerian nationals aged 32, 36 and 40 were arrested during a clamp down on Candy P project on Friday. The North West police spokesperson, Brig Sabata Mokgwabone said in March 2022, the police received a tip-off regarding a group distributing drugs in Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp and Ventersdorp.

He said as part of effectively dealing with drug traffickers and ridding the communities of drugs, a multi-disciplinary takedown operation by provincial Organised Crime, Crime Intelligence and Potchefstroom Visible Policing was assembled.

Mokgwabone further said, that through crime intelligence, it was established that the supply was coming from Fochville in Gauteng Province. He added that the suspects were identified and several transactions were conducted with them (suspects) between July and October 2022.

“In the process, a variety of drugs were seized. The suspects were eventually arrested during transactions on 25 August 2023. As a result, drugs such as CAT, Crystal Meth, and Ecstasy to the value of R150 000 were seized.

“The total estimated value of all drugs seized since the beginning of the project is R400 000. The suspects are expected to appear in the Potchefstroom Magistrate’s Court on 28 August 2023. They will be facing charges relating to the contravention of Section 5(1) (a) & (b) and 4(1) (a) & (b) of the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act, 1992 (Act No.140 of 1992) and Section 49 (14) and (15) of the Immigration Act, 2002 (Act No. 13 of 2002),” said Mokgwabone.

Meanwhile, the North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena applauded the police for their tireless efforts, which resulted in the arrest and confiscation of the drugs. Kwena pointed out that, the work to expose and apprehend more drug traffickers will continue also taking into consideration drug-related complaints raised during the recent Deputy Ministerial Imbizo in Ikageng, Potchefstroom.

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Setshwantsho: Molatofadiwa mo kgetsing ya go teketa, Poloko Sekgopi/Facebook

Ka OBAKENG MAJE

Kgetsi ya go teketa kgatlhanong le monna mongwe wa mogwebi kwa Vryburg, e buseditswe morago go fitlha di 13 Lwetse 2023. Poloko Sekgopi (39) one a lelelwa ke ditshipi morago ga go latofadiwa ka dikgetsi dile pedi tsa go teketa.

Sekgopi o buseditswe kwa ntlo-leftshwana go emela letsatsi la tsheko. Go kaiwa fa Sekgopi a ile a lelelwa ke ditshipi morago ga go bonwa mo video e tletse-tletseng mo mafaratlhatlheng a boitapoloso a teketa lekgarebe kwa Shell Garage e teng kwa Vryburg ka di 13 Phatwe 2023.

Go ya ka dipego, Sekgopi one a tsena kwa Shell Garage a hupile tedu kwa a fitlhetseng lekgarebe le teng, mme a le tlhasela. Go ya ka sebueledi sa sepodisi kwa sedikeng sa Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, Warrant Officer Tryphosa van Rooyen, Sekgopi one a tlhasela le motlhokomedi wa tshireletso yo oneng a leka go tsereganya.

Van Rooyen are, motlhokomedi o, le ene one a bula kgetsi ya go teketa kgatlhanong le Sekgopi.

“Ke nnete, go butswe dikgetsi dile pedi tsa go teketa kgatlhanong le Sekgopi. Mongwe wa ba ngongoregi mo dikgetsing tseno, ona le dingwaga dile 33. Sekgopi o tlhageletse ka bo ripana kwa kgotlha-tshekelo ya Vryburg mo letsatsing la gompieno.

“Dikgetsi kgatlhanong le ene di ne tsa busediwa morago go fitlha ka di 13 Lwetse 2023. Ga re itse fa bosekisi botla kopanya dikgetsi tseo, kgotsa di tla seka ka go farologana,” van Rooyen wa tlhalosa.

Lekgotlha gape le ne la utlwa fa Sekgopi ane a bonwa molato mo kgetsing enngwe ya go teketa ka Motsheganong 2023. One a neelwa kotlhao ya dikgwedi dile tharo kwa kgolegelong e ene ya beelwa thoko sebaka sa dingwaga dile tlhano.

Kgabagare, mokgatlho wa baagi wa South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) mo Bokone Bophirima, o kaile fa o goeletsa gore molatofadiwa a se neelwe beile ke kgotlha-tshekelo. Sebueledi sa SANCO mo porofenseng, David Xolile Kham are ba kgatlhanong le tshotlakako ya bong.

“Ke ka maswabi go bona motho wa mme a bediwa ke rakgwebo o itsagaleng go tswa kwa North World Circles. Tshotlakako kgatlhanong le bong e goeleditswe jaaka leroborobo mo Afrika Borwa. Jaanong, re rotloetsa banna ba ba dikgoka go ka thusa go aga setshaba se se tsepameng.

“A banna ba atle bomme gona le go ba teketa, kgotsa go ba bolaya. Seo se botsha fa tshotlakako ya bong e sentse ele tlhoba-boroko. Re tlile go ikuela go lefapha la katlatlelo-loago go ka netefatsa fa ba ba sotlakakiwang ba bona bosiamise,” Kham wa tlhalosa.

O kaile gape fa mokgatlho wa SANCO o tlile go sala morago tiragalo e, le go netefatsa fa ba ba molato ba rweswa maikarabelo.

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Picture: The burst sewer pipe causes health hazards to residents/Facebook 

By OBAKENG MAJE

The residents of Seweding and Ramosadi villages, in Mahikeng, urge the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality to fix the burst sewer pipe that continues to emit bad odours in their areas. The residents embarked on a protest this week.

One of the residents, Kealeboga Tau said it has been months since the sewer pipe burst, but the municipality is not doing enough to fix it. Tau further said the bad odour continues to affect their health and the sewer spillage overflow into their yards.

“The situation continues to be hazardous to our health. We have children who cannot cope with the bad smell we are subjected to on a daily basis. We call on the municipality to ensure that, this mess is fixed because we cannot take it anymore.

“The summer season is also creeping in and this means our yards will be insect and rodent-infested in no time. The government should always ensure that its infrastructure is maintained. However, we heard stories that the sewer pipe burst because it is old. What kind of leadership do we have, if they are going to wait for a mess to happen before they could react?” she said.

Meanwhile, the executive mayor of Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, Khumalo Molefe said they are working around the clock to fix the sewer pipe. Molefe said that would be temporary because the sewer pipe is asbestos and it needs to be replaced.

“The replacement of a broken 6km sewer pipeline is imminent. However, the municipality will need around R65 million to do that. At the outset, we met with the community of Ramosadi and Seweding, who were impacted severely by the bursting of our main sewer pipeline.

“As a result, many of the houses submerged under sewerage, and therefore, the health of our people was really compromised. We really want to unconditionally apologise for this incident. However, after the protest, we had to negotiate in a very protracted manner with the community for the contractor to return to the site because, one of the reasons that exacerbated the situation is that, during protest action, the contractor left the site,” he said.

He further said, that the contractor has returned to the site and they have roped in additional engineers and also extended the scope of the contractor. Molefe added that, there are some detractors who use the service delivery protest for their political gains, however, the community has identified them.

“We want to commend the community for identifying instigators who wanted to be peacetime heroes, whereas they have a hidden political and so-called business agenda. The community has isolated them and taken the responsibility at hand, which is to ensure that the burst sewer pipeline is fixed.

“We will continue to monitor the situation and in addition, we are bringing on-site a mobile clinic and added engines to help the engine used by the contractor. This is in the immediate term and in the medium and long term, we have taken a decision to replace a 6km pipeline, which will cost us R65m,” said Molefe.

He said even though they do not have this kind of budget, they are working cooperatively as a government to find the needed money. Molefe said they will also ensure that poor asset and record management is rectified and plan properly to replace inevitably aging infrastructure.

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Picture: The suspected stolen cattle in a trailer/Generic

By OBAKENG MAJE

Two men who were arrested for allegedly stealing cattle were remanded in custody until 29 August 2023. Moses Matsheho (37) and Lucas Serole (46) were arrested by Mabeskraal Visible Policing during a crime intelligence operation for allegedly being in possession of stolen cattle worth R60 000.

The North West police spokesperson, Capt Aaftje Botma said the incident took place in Seolong village. Botma further said the police received a tip-off after the suspects were allegedly seen loading cattle into a trailer.

“The preliminary investigation revealed that, the initial brand marks on the cattle had been tampered with. The police from the Madikwe Stock Theft and Endangered Species (STES) Unit seized the cattle, the vehicle, and the trailer for further investigation.

“Matsheho and Serole briefly appeared before the Mogwase Magistrate’s Court on 24 August 2023. They were remanded in custody and expected to do a formal bail application on 29 August 2023,” she added.

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Setshwantsho: Sarasanta wa sepodisi o a bolailweng, Keitumetse Masilo

Ka REGINALD KANYANE

Baagi ba motse-setoropo wa Ipelegeng kwa Schweizer Reneke, ba kaile fa go bolawa ga lepodisi la bone kwa Kimberley, Sarasanta Keitumetse Masilo (45) ele poelo morago mo twantshong kgatlhanong le bosenyi. Ba re le fa Masilo a ne a dira jaaka motlhankela wa sepodisi kwa Kimberley, ba ne ba le motlotlo ka ene, gonne one a fofisa folaga ya motse-setoropo wa bone kwa godimo.

Mongwe wa baagi, Jennifer Motsei o ikuela mo puso go ka dira ka natla go netefatsa fa mapodisi a sireletsegile ka dinako tsotlhe. Motsei are, go botlhoko go bona mapodisi a bolawa ke disinyi, mme molao o sa tsengwe tirisong.  

“Nna ka nosi ke ne kere a katlholelo loso e busediwe gonne bosinyi bo ile magoletsa. Mapodisi ga a sa tlhole a itse gore a dire eng, gonne molao o sireletsa disinyi. Ba kgona go bolawa fela ba ntse ba tshwere dithunya, gonne fa ba di dirisa, molao o ba isa kgolegelong kgotsa ba latlhegelwa ke tiro,” Motsei wa tlhalosa.  

Masilo, yo one a direla lephata la sepodisi le le rebang bosinyi jo bo kwa godimo, one a thuntsiwa le go bolawa ke rasethunya ga mmogo le modiri ka ene, Konsetabole Okaetse Mandindi yo a tlhagang kwa motse-setoropo wa Pampierstad fa bane ba le mo tirong.

Ene ya re ka Labobedi, Mandindi le Masilo, ba sala morago sejanaga sengwe se sene se begwa se utswitswe kwa Bloemfontein. Mme ene ya re molatofadiwa, Daniel Wilfred Alberts (38) go lemoga ha sepodisi sele mo motlhaleng wa gagwe, one a leka go le botsa phokoje ka sejanaga.

Fela, Masilo le Mandindi, ba ne ba mo baya marebele.

Sebueledi sa sepodisi kwa Northern Cape, Brig Brig Mashay Gamieldien are, Alberts one a leka go siela kwa setheong sa Transnet, mme a thula ka sejanaga seo.

“Molatofadiwa one a thuntsa Masilo ga mmogo le modiri ka ene, Mandindi. Molatofadiwa one a le botsa phokoje ka maoto, fela one a direlwa sakana la nkope ke sepodisi, mme a tshwarwa moragonyana,” Gamieldien wa tlhalosa.

Sebueledi sa lephata la bosekisi kwa Northern Cape, Mojalefa Senokoatsane are, Alberts o lebaganeng le ditatofatso tse pedi tsa go bolaya, ditatofatso dile thato tsa go tshwara poo le maikaelelo a go ntsha dikgobalo, bogodu jwa sejanaga ga mmogo le bogodu.

“Ha Alberts a ne a tlhageletse kwa kgotlha-tshekelo, o ile a kaela lekgotlha fa a sa tle go dira kopo ya beile. Molatofadiwa o tla romelwa kwa bookelong jwa batho ba malwetsi a tlhaloganyo go ya go mo lekola tlhaloganyo,” Senokoatsane wa tlhalosa.

Senokotsoane are seno se tla morago ga gore Alberts a kaele lekgotlha fa a tlile a amogelwa kwa ditheong tsa malwetsi a tlhaloganyo mo nakong e e fetileng. Are molatofadiwa o ka tlhagelela kwa kgotlha-tshekelo ka tiriso ya mafaratlhatlha (virtually) fa a boela kgotlha-tshekelo ka di 5 Diphalane 2023, mme dipatlisiso di tsweletse.

Tirelo ya phitlho ya ga Masilo e tlile go tshwarelwa kwa ntlo-lehalahaleng ya baagi kwa Ipelegeng Multi-Purpose Hall ka Tshipi, 27 Phatwe 2023 ka ura ya bo supa mo mosong, fa Mandindi a tla bolokwa kwa dirapeng tsa baswi tsa Pampierstad mo bekeng e e tlang, 2 Lwetse 2023.

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By OBAKENG MAJE

Two people were sentenced to life imprisonment by the North West High Court sitting in Klerksdorp for murder. Moses Thamae (45) and Chakale Lesenya (35) were further sentenced to 100 years each on six counts of attempted murder, three counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of a firearm, and possession of ammunition. They pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in North West, Henry Mamothame said armed Thamae and Lesenya were arrested after they stormed into a house wearing face masks at Tshing Township, near Ventersdorp on 25 December 2020. Mamothame said Thamae and Lesenya then ordered the occupants, who comprised three female siblings, their mother, a male companion, and a 12-year-old daughter to one of the women, to lie down on the floor and subsequently demanded money.

“Two of the occupants remained seated on the couch. The two intruders took cell phones from all the occupants and subsequently fired shots and one of the women who was seated on the couch, was fatally wounded. The male companion was also shot but survived the ordeal.

“The minor escaped with a scratch, while the elderly woman was unharmed. While this incident was in progress, two of the boys who were identified to be sons of two of the women in the house, entered the yard with another male companion, and the intruders started shooting at them. They managed to escape unharmed,” he said.

Mamothame further said the police investigations led them to the arrest of Thamae at his workplace in Germiston on 14 January 2021, while Lesenya handed himself over to the police on 25 January 2021 after learning that, the police were looking for him.

He added that, the two were denied bail and remained in custody for the duration of the trial.

Thamae was identified as an ex-boyfriend of the deceased.

In aggravation of the sentence, the state prosecutor, Adv Kokeletso Phetlhu, urged the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment. He argued that this incident would be a painful reminder to the family every Christmas Day, as they lost a loved one and survived death.

Judge Samkelo Gura agreed with the state and remarked that the shooting of the deceased with more than 15 rounds of ammunition indicated the cruelty in which the offense was perpetrated. She further alluded to the trauma that was suffered by a minor, having to witness the gruesome killing of his mother.

Meanwhile, the Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari, lauded the prosecutor and Sergeant Thabiso Suping from the SAPS for their collaboration in bringing the perpetrators to book.

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By OBAKENG MAJE  

In an intriguing joint announcement, the Walter Sisulu and North West universities unveiled the astounding results of their pre-clinical trials for a ground-breaking combination vaccine against Tuberculosis (TB) and COVID-19.

The universities reported an unprecedented 100% protection in vaccinated animals – a significant step forward in the unrelenting battle against tuberculosis, one of the world’s most devastating diseases.

A global Biotech and Pharmaceutical expert and Project Manager of the South African Vaccine Platform for Infectious Diseases (SAVAC), Prof Anne Grobler said: “TB is not just a local problem. It is the leading cause of death in South Africa and many other countries. This is the SAVAC initiative for both universities, which successfully commercialised another home-grown technology in bio-agriculture on an international scale.

“To imagine we might be on the brink of defeating this insidious disease is truly electrifying. The Walter Sisulu University Medical School, whose research is informed by essential national health priorities, collaborated with the North West University, a trailblazer in drug development and research, on this project,” she said.

Grobler further said that, initiated eighteen months ago, their collaborative research was also bolstered by a CHIETA (the Chemical Industries Education & Training Authority) grant. She added that at the forefront of this multi-purpose vaccine development is the esteemed Prof Markus Depfenhart, the inventor and driving force behind the concept and development of the vaccine.

Last year, Depfenhart, who holds extraordinary appointments as a professor at both universities, was honoured with a Walter Sisulu University honorary doctorate for his pioneering work in vaccine and gene therapy in Africa.

Reflecting on the revolutionary nature of this vaccine, Depfenhart said: “The DNA vaccines have incredible potential due to their stability and adaptability. By marrying their strengths with the high efficacy of mRNA vaccines, we are breaking new ground. This union brings out the best of both worlds and could herald a pivotal shift, especially for regions like Africa.

“The results from three different immunogenicity studies in two animal models led to, and justified the performance of an effectivity study in an animal model that mimics tuberculosis in humans.”

He said the key deliverable of the study, which was carried out at the high-security Biosafety Laboratory (BSL3) of the preclinical imaging facility of the South African Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure (SANuMeRI) housed at NECSA (South African Nuclear Energy Corporation), was survival. 

Depfenhart said indeed, that the study showcased a 100% protection rate for the vaccinated animal subjects, a feat not previously described in the literature. He lauded the NECSA team for declaring: “The dedication and sacrifices made by the NECSA team during this intense study period were invaluable.”

“A standout feature of this vaccine is its unique ability to mirror bacterial protein production, potentially bypassing certain human protein modifications. This ensures that the immune system is introduced to the most authentic version of the antigen, essentially acquainting it with the true enemy.

“When confronted with a real infection, the immune system can then respond more swiftly and effectively. This novel approach, developed by me, could be ground-breaking and may well explain the vaccine’s notable efficacy against TB,” said Depfenhart.

He said with such remarkable results, the next step is to move swiftly into human trials. Depfenhart said preparations for discussions with the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) are underway to determine the requisite standards and protocols.

Meanwhile, the Walter Sisulu University Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Rushiella Songca encapsulated the prevailing optimism. Songca said they are not merely talking about another vaccine, but this is a beacon of hope.

“Given TB’s unyielding onslaught over the years, standing on the precipice of a tangible solution is epoch-making. Through this venture, our scientific community is signalling that no challenge is insurmountable,” she said.

Elaborating on the collaborative spirit of the initiative, North West University (NWU) Executive Dean of Health Sciences, Prof Awie Kotze, extended his profound gratitude to Depfenhart, Grobler, and the entire collaborative team.

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