Picture: RSA President, Cyril Ramaphosa

By CYRIL RAMAPHOSA

Later this week, South Africa will mark Heritage Day, in which we celebrate the great diversity of culture, language and history in our country.

Like many South Africans, I am an avid viewer of the television series Shaka iLembe, which premiered locally in June. This spectacular and ambitious epic based on the history of King Shaka and the formation of the Zulu kingdom has become one of the most successful South African productions. It has supported skills development, job creation and localisation during six years of production.

Shaka iLembe forms part of a growing movement within the local creative industries to craft stories and histories about South Africa’s people from their perspective and through their eyes.

We have come a long way from the state broadcasting of the apartheid era, when the rich and cultural heritage of South Africa and lived realities of the South African people were marginalised.

Today, our storytellers, artists, filmmakers and other creative professionals are telling the stories of the South African people. These stories are cultural endowments for the benefit of future generations, and are integral to the ongoing task of forging national unity, inculcating national pride and promoting respect for diversity.

The success of Shaka iLembe and many other local productions should encourage creative professionals to apply their talents to the production of more such work. There are so many stories to be told, both of the past and the present.

One part of our country’s story that has not been fully told is our peaceful transition to democracy. It is a complex story with many different perspectives and competing narratives.

This past weekend, speaking at the funeral service for Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the founder of the Inkatha Freedom Party, I told mourners that the commitment of leaders like Prince Buthelezi and President Nelson Mandela to put aside their differences and work for peace was a legacy we must all strive to uphold and emulate.

One of the most remarkable aspects of South African society today is our common commitment to maintain peace amongst ourselves and our neighbours, and to preventing tribalism and ethnic chauvinism from sowing discord between us. Even when acts of racism occur, these provocations are rejected by South Africans, who won’t let them be used to exacerbate tensions in communities.

This eternal vigilance is born of bitter experience that has its roots in the political violence of the 1980s and early-1990s, and how South Africans worked together to overcome differences, pull our country back from the brink and achieve peace.

As we revel in our cultural pride and celebrate our roots with art, dance, cuisine and music, we must remember that the struggle for peace and reconciliation is a vital part of our heritage.

We remember that the children born into democracy are able to take pride in their heritage today because of the peaceful democratic transition, which produced a Constitution that guarantees rights and freedoms for all, including the right to express one’s language and culture.

Today our artists and cultural workers are able to exercise their right to freedom of expression in how they chronicle both the past and the present, and to do so without fear of censure, banning or imprisonment.

These are the fruits of freedom, but also the fruits of peace. With so many countries and societies around the world today beset by conflict, we are fortunate that the project of national reconciliation is ongoing and has not been abandoned.

I call on all our creative practitioners to play a more prominent role in nation-building through work that highlights the uplifting, inspiring and enduring aspects of our society and its history.

Contributing to maintaining peace and to advancing reconciliation is our collective responsibility as South Africans. It is the greatest gift we can bestow on the generations to come.

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Picture: The acting North West Premier, Nono Maloyi/Facebook 

By OBAKENG MAJE

The quest to resuscitate the economy of North West is on course. This comes after more than R100 billion worth of investments was pledged by different local companies and firms as well as Multinational Corporations. The pledges follow a ‘business dinner’ held by the acting North West Premier, Nono Maloyi at the Sun City Superbowl over the weekend.

Maloyi said the Members of the Executive Council, Executive Mayors, senior managers in government and State-Owned Enterprises were part of the initiative.

“The aim of the initiative was to expedite coordination of investments in the province. Its primary objective is to address high levels of unemployment in the province, which have surged to over 53%. Key to this investment drive is the establishment of mega and smart cities in the province, which will be coordinated by the North West Housing Corporation.

“They include Moretele Mega City, Matlosana Smart City, Marikana Smart City, Madibeng and Lanseria Smart City as well as Taung Mega City. We have declared that, the province is open for business. We have also implored investors to consider the province as their preferred investment destination,” he said.

Maloyi further said over and above investments in smart cities, there will be R20 billion worth of investment in accommodation facilities for students in Mahikeng, Rustenburg and Potchefstroom. He added that, a Chinese company has pledged to build a factory at Stilfontein to manufacture solar panels.

“This company has bought mining shafts in Stilfontein, but they are also investing in alternative energy. Their machinery has already arrived in the country. So, we are certain that this will bring much-needed socio-economic opportunities for our people and in particular the youth.

“Plans are already in motion to build a university, which will specialise in Mining Engineering. This university will be built in Rustenburg and it is a collaboration between the government and the North West University (NWU). This investment is part of the government’s future plans that are centred on mineral beneficiation,” said Maloyi.

He said other investment pledges were made including agro-processing, tourism, and infrastructure development.

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Ka OBAKENG MAJE

Go begwa fa moithuti kwa sekolong se segolwane sa Bore kwa Ganyesa, o tlhabilwe ke moithuti jaaka ene ka sengwe se se bogale mo legetleng. Go begwa fa go ile ga runya ntwa kwa sekolong mo letsatsing la Lamatlhatso fa baithuti ba ne ba tsenetse dithuto-tlaleletso.

Go ya ka sebueledi sa sepodisi kwa Sedikeng sa Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, Warrant Officer Tryphosa van Rooyen, moithuti wa dingwaga dile 19 one a dutse mo phaphosi-borutelo fa a ne a kgorogelwa ke baithuti bangwe ba babedi.

“Go begwa fa baithuti ba babedi ba, ba dingwaga dile 17 le 21, ba ile ba itelekela mo phaphosi-borutelo, mme ba fitlha ba tlhasela moithuti jaaka bone. Go begwa fa moithuti o, a ne a tlhabiwa ka sengwe se se bogale mo legetleng fa a ne a siela kwa ntle.

“Go filha ga jaana, ga go itsiwe sebakwa sa ntwa, mme dipatlisiso di tsweletse. Sepodisi se butse kgetsi ya go teketa kgatlhanong le baithuti bao. Fela go fitlha ga jaana, ga gona ope o tshwerweng,” van Rooyen wa tlhalosa.

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Picture: The body of a man covered with plastic discovered in a bakkie/Generic

By OBAKENG MAJE

Two suspects were arrested for murder on Sunday. It is alleged that, the police spotted a suspicious charcoal Nissan NP 200 bakkie along R511 road in Kameeldrift, outside Brits. The North West police spokesperson, Lieutenant Col Amanda Funani said the police allegedly made a U-turn and chased the vehicle.  

“The vigilant police arrested two suspects aged 45 and 47 in the early hours of Sunday morning in the R511 Road outside Brits. According to information, the police were conducting routine patrols at around 2am when they saw a suspicious charcoal Nissan NP 200 bakkie.

“They made a U-turn to chase the vehicle. The police managed to pull the vehicle over and eventually conducted a search. As a result, they discovered the lifeless body of a man aged 45  covered with plastic bags at the back of the vehicle,” said Funani.

She further said the suspects tried to run away but were arrested. Funani added that the suspects allegedly assaulted the man, who was on their farm to fetch water.

“The suspects are expected to appear before the Brits Magistrate’s Court on 19 September 2023 facing a murder charge. The investigations into the matter continue,” she said. 

Meanwhile, the North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, applauded the Assen police for their vigilance and commitment that led to the swift arrest of the two suspects.

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Picture: The embattled mayor of Greater Taung Local Municipality/Tumisang Gaoraelwe  

By OBAKENG MAJE

The winners of the Greater Taung Local Municipality (GTLM) 2023 Mayoral Cup competition have not received even a cent almost three months down the line. The GTLM Mayoral Cup competition that took place at Taung Agricultural College sports ground in June 2023, was organised by the embattled mayor, Tumisang Gaoraelwe.

One of the recipients who refused to be named for fear of reprisal said: “We are so disappointed by how the municipality is treating us. We had high hopes that the money would assist us financially in the long run.

“Now, what we are getting from the Office of the Mayor are excuses and empty promises. We have been trying to be civil with this matter and avoid involving the media in it, but nothing positive came out of those talks.”

The Dikgwamolelo FC won the soccer tournament after beating Mogopela Wonderous FC 1-0 in the final. The Ditshilong-based team was rewarded with a whopping R50 000.

The Greater Taung Local Municipality (GTLM) spokesperson, Ricky Oliphant said: “It is true that there has been a delay in payments for the mayoral cup. We understand that, 89 soccer teams and 22 netball teams participated in the competition and 8 soccer teams and 4 netball teams were eligible to receive prize money.

“In soccer, the winner was eligible to receive R50 000, the runners-up were supposed to get R25 000, 3^rd and 4^th were supposed to get R20 000 each. The 5^th, 6^th, 7^th and 8^th positions were supposed to get R5000 each. In netball, the winner was supposed to get R25 000, while the runners-up were supposed to get R15 000. The 3^rd position was supposed to get R10 000, while the 4^th position was supposed to get R5000.”

Oliphant further said the administrative process, which includes the submission of required documents and the approval process caused the delay. He added that, a total of R435 000 has been spent over two years in this competition.

“The mayoral competition assists in keeping young people off the streets for a while and gives them an opportunity to work towards realization of their dreams. It also exposes local talent to scouts and opportunities for informal trading are some of the benefits for the municipal area,” said Oliphant.

Meanwhile, one of the scouts at the cup competition, the Sekhukhune United FC Technical Director, Themba Sithole said during the interviews with Taung DailyNews that, the municipality should help the players by improving facilities. He said, if they want to see good football, the players should be given good surfaces to play on.

“It is important to have one or two surfaces, which are good so that these kinds of tournaments can be played in. When I was with Free State Stars FC, they signed a defender from this area. So, that is why when I was invited I said, let me come and see.

“However, on Saturday when I arrived, I thought it was a waste of time until the last game was played. So, today, the semi-finals and finals were quite good even though the majority of the teams were a little bit defensive,” Sithole said.

He said he was happy that they saw what they wanted to see. Sithole said they were going to take either eight or ten players for further assessment in Johannesburg.

“We will continue to keep in contact with local coaches. We have also selected two players, who are still doing Grade 12 and they will join us in December,” he said.

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Picture: The fire engulfed Cabanas Hotel in Sun City Resort/Screengrab

By OBAKENG MAJE

The sporadic fires targeting critical infrastructure within the North West continue to grow. This comes after the fire gutted Sun City’s Cabanas Hotel and Manyane Resort near Rustenburg on 16 September 2023.

According to the Sun City General Manager, Brett Hoppe the fire broke out in the kitchen at around 2:30pm.

“A fire broke out in the Cabanas Hotel kitchen at about 2.30pm on Saturday afternoon. The staff noticed a small fire which they extinguished, but it had already spread through the extraction ventilation to the reception area,” he said.

In a separate incident, the North West MEC for Department of Economic Development Environment Conservation and Tourism (DEDECT), Virginia Tlhapi said Manyane Resort also suffered the same fate of the fire outbreak.

“There were no injuries reported in the two incidents and DEDECT as a custodian of tourism in the province, is working closely with the management of Cabanas Hotel and Manyane Resort to establish the root cause of the fire outbreak. 

“These unfortunate incidents happened during the Tourism Month when the North West province is preparing itself to host the World Tourism Day from 26-27th of September 2023. It is equally important to indicate that, the fire outbreak in Sun City happened immediately after the North West Government held a successful Premiers Investor Dinner,” she said.

Tlhapi further said the importance of the tourism sector in the economy of the province cannot be overemphasised as such. She added that they are working hand in glove with the management of Sun City and Manyane Resort to try and normalize the situation.

“The Manyane Resort is currently closed until further notice. However, the Park Mahala Week Programme, which started from 10-17 September 2023 is continuing in other parks of the province,” said Tlhapi.

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By OBAKENG MAJE

Three suspects were arrested for dealing in drugs and kidnapping. This comes after a high-density, intelligence-driven operation in Breipal, near Douglas

conducted by the Douglas police, assisted by De Aar Public Order Police, Provincial Murder and Robbery Unit, and Douglas Neighborhood Watch.

The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Sergeant Molefi Shemane said they received a tip-off that led to the arrest of three suspects aged 22, 23, and 37 respectively for dealing in drugs and kidnapping.

“The crystal meth and cash believed to be the proceeds of crime were also confiscated. The three suspects will appear in the Douglas Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

“The police will continue with their collaborative efforts in the fight against crime and encourage community members to report any criminal activities to the police. All information will be treated confidentially,” said Shemane.

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By OBAKENG MAJE

A man who is linked to six cases of burglaries and robberies in Vryburg is expected to appear in Vryburg Magistrate’s Court today. Deflin Julies Visser (21) was arrested during a Crime Intelligence driven operation on 11 September 2023.

North West police spokesperson, Lieutenant Col Amanda Funani said the police conducted the operation after receiving a tip-off about Visser’s whereabouts. Funani said although the Visser ran away upon spotting the police vehicle, he was eventually arrested next to the railway line in Huhudi Township, in Vryburg.

“The preliminary investigation linked Visser to six other cases through forensic leads such as the DNA and fingerprints. The cases include business robberies and residential burglary, which were reported at Vryburg Police Station between November 2020 and August 2023.

“He made his first court appearance on Wednesday and investigations into the matter, including the tracking of Visser’s accomplices are underway,” she said.

Funani further said Visser abandoned bail during his second court appearance at the Vryburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

Meanwhile, the North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, applauded the police, who were involved in the operation for a job well done.

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Picture: The late socialite and former Vaaltar FM presenter, Tshepang Seelo/Facebook

By OBAKENG MAJE

The Modimong murder case is expected to resume today at North West High sitting in Vryburg. Two men from Modimong village, near Taung, Rebaone Malekanyo (33) and Tumelo Tlonkwe (32) are on trial facing a murder case for allegedly killing the former Vaaltar FM presenter and a socialite, Tshepang Seelo (32) back in 2021.

Malekanyo and Tlonkwe are allegedly charged with premeditated murder, assault, kidnapping, and defeating the ends of justice.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in the North West, Henry Mamothame, Seelo was allegedly killed on 31 October 2021, while walking from a local tavern with his girlfriend.

“The deceased allegedly saw the duo stealing roof sheets from a certain house and blew the whistle. Then the accused allegedly assaulted, kidnapped, and killed him before dumping his body in a furrow near Khibitswane village near Taung.

“Seelo’s girlfriend allegedly ran away and escaped unharmed. The deceased’s lifeless body was found floating on 3 November 2021. It is alleged that his body was also mutilated and his eyes and tongue were missing,” Mamothame said.

He said the two accused partners were arrested on 2 November 2021 after they handed themselves over to the police.

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