A man has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by the Kimberley Regional Court for murder. On 11 December 2021, Emmanuel Ali (19) stabbed Itumeleng Godfrey Marekwa (20) to death.
According to the Northern Cape police spokesperson, Lieutenant Col Sergio Kock, the Marekwa was working outside Shoprite in Barkley West as a shopping trolley assistant when he was stabbed in the neck by Ali after a brief altercation.
“Marekwa died on the scene and Ali was arrested by the police. On 19 September 2023, Ali pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for murder,” said Kock.
Meanwhile, the Frances Baard District’s acting Police Commissioner, Brig Charlotte Makgari commended the Investigating Officer D/Sgt Kgositsile Taolo of the Barkly West SAPS Detectives for his meticulous investigation that led to this outstanding sentence.
The Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi said they will soon have a revised framework to guide municipalities’ administration of national housing programmes. Kubayi said the Revised Accreditation Framework for Municipalities to Administer National Housing Programmes (2023), will ensure municipalities’ progressive capacitation to perform the delegated functions without compromising delivery capacity in the short term.
The framework received resounding support and was approved on 15 September 2023 following a presentation tabled at the meeting between the Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, Deputy Minister Pam Tshwete and provincial MECs of Human Settlements (MINMEC).
“MINMEC is a quarterly meeting between the Ministry and MECs of all nine provinces. The meeting is also attended by mayors, MMCs and representatives from the South African Local Government Association (SALGA). This is a big step towards the creation of objective criteria for accrediting municipalities with a clear accreditation process timetable.
“Allowing municipalities to progressively build implementation capacity bolsters our long-term objective of creating a fully enabling environment for our municipalities to be self-sufficient in Human Settlements delivery. This way, we are capacitating them while ensuring that we reach our targets,” she said.
Kubayi further said the implementation of the 2012 Accreditation Framework, was faced with several implementation challenges encountered in some of the provinces. She added that the 2023 Revised Accreditation Framework is introducing among others, the programme-based incremental approach, wherein municipalities are to be accredited for implementing a programme or mixture of programmes that are relevant to their capacity and priority needs.
“Another major intervention in the Revised Framework is the role of intermediate city municipalities or secondary cities, which are considered crucial catalysts for more balanced and dispersed growth across the country.
“MINMEC also agreed that the title deeds programme must be prioritised through several interventions, including embarking on weekly roadshows to issue the 234,757 available title deeds nationally,” said Kubayi.
She said the discussion focused on the turnaround time by municipalities to declare townships, with an agreement to collaborate on cross-border demarcation, particularly as it impacts the title deeds rollout programme. Kuyai said the issuing of title deeds across provinces is an apex priority for the department.
“As part of efforts to clear the backlog, the municipalities were urged to refrain from storing them in their offices but to continuously make deliberate efforts to give back dignity and ensure that people become rightful owners of their homes.
“The department has been incorporating the issuing of title deeds with housing handovers given the urgency by the government to significantly unlock economic benefits. MINMEC received a report on the current fiscal environment and reflected on the response by the Human Settlements sector,” she said.
Kubayi said while the sector understands and supports the effort by the Minister of Finance to stabilise the fiscus, MINMEC emphasised the need to find a balance between service delivery priorities and fiscal consolidation. She said the sector has so far had a mix-bag of performance during the Medium-Term Strategic Framework period (2019-2024).
“The meeting learnt that so far from a target of 300,000, the sector is at 69,5% delivery with 208 358 fully subsidized houses on the ground. This is no mean feat in the face of budget cuts the department has faced. About 172 066 serviced sites have been delivered from a projected number of 190 437.
“First Home Finance has surpassed the 20,000 units mark as targeted in 2019. To date, there are 22,035 units that have been delivered. The current delivery is against the budget cuts the Department of Human Settlements has faced over the years,” said Kubayi.
She said they are making inroads in ensuring that they bring more people into the housing market thereby assisting the so-called “missing middle” with home ownership. Kubayi said, however, that for the current financial year, concerns were raised about provincial spending, wherein provinces are urged to deliver in accordance with their business plans or face redirection of funds to performing provinces.
Picture: The residents in Marikana Informal Settlements live in dire situation/Generic
By OBAKENG MAJE
The Chairperson of Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr Fikile Xasa, said they met with the representatives of the community of Marikana Informal Settlement in Ikageng Township, near Potchefstroom on 19 September 2023 to discuss a petition sent by the community to the Speaker of the National Assembly (NA), Nosiviwe Noluthando Mapisa-Nqakula.
Xasa said in the petition, which the Mapisa-Nqakula referred to the committee, the community of Marikana asked the NA to investigate the failure of the JB Marks Local Municipality and North West Provincial Government (NWPG) to provide services to the residents.
“The municipality told the committee that, the matter of the Marikana petition was considered by the municipal council and plans to upgrade the settlement and provide all necessary services have been approved. A study by the Council for Geoscience has revealed that, some parts of the settlement are dolomitic, and only the non-dolomitic part will be developed.
The Municipal Manager of the JB Marks Municipality, Kgomotso Kumbe, told the committee that the tender has been advertised for town planning services. He took responsibility for the municipality’s failure to provide basic services such as communal taps, basic sanitation and refuse removal,” he said.
Xasa further said the North West Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA) representative, Energy Manaka said, the department concurred with the municipality’s plans and will provide all the necessary support for the establishment of a formal township in Marikana.
He added that, the committee was not convinced, however, with the responses and questioned why it has taken such a long time even when the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) reported that, the community’s human rights were being violated by government’s failure to provide basic services.
“There was no effort on the part of the municipality and provincial government to prepare responses for the committee meeting. One strong message that must be sent to both the municipal council and the provincial department is that, a letter called a petition is usually a very serious letter to the highest authority.
“In this case, it was Mapisa-Nqakula referred who referred it to us. This should have demanded a serious response to the contents of the petition – one couldn’t notice that there was any effort. The committee suggested that, there needs to be a meeting to talk about the Marikana petition by all executives – the municipal council, provincial government, and national government and that the matter must be taken seriously,” said Xasa.
He also announced that, the committee has resolved to give the municipality and the provincial government 14 days within which to provide an action plan to respond to the Marikana petition.
Picture: Police confiscate drugs and arrested alleged perpetrators/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
A man (45) was arrested for being in possession of suspected stolen property in Breipal in Douglas. The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Sergeant Molefi Shemane said a Toshiba laptop, power drill, grinder, gazebo, and a red pot that were reported as stolen, were recovered.
Shemane said this took place after the Douglas Crime Prevention Unit conducted high-density, intelligence-driven operations.
“The police received a tip-off about drugs and stolen property kept at an identified location. Armed with a search warrant, the police operationalised the information and arrested the suspect for possession of the suspected stolen property in Breipal, Douglas.
“Whilst in Kimberley, the Public Order Police conducted intelligence-driven stop and search operations in Galeshewe and Windsorton respectively, where they received a tip-off about the suspects in possession of drugs,” he said.
Shemane further said the information was operationalised, which led to the arrest of three men aged 29, 34, and 37 in Galeshewe. He added that they also arrested a woman aged 26 in Windsorton for dealing in drugs.
“In the third incident, the Roodepan crime prevention assisted by Kimberley Public Order Police, received a tip-off and operationalised it. They acted swiftly and arrested five suspects aged 30, 30, 40, 42, and 43 respectively for dealing in drugs.
“Drugs and cash believed to be the proceeds of crime were confiscated. All suspects will appear before Douglas, Kimberley, and Galeshewe Magistrate’s Courts soon. The police urged residents to work together to report drug dealers and help break the vicious cycle of drug abuse in our communities,” said Shemane.
He lauded the communities for cooperating with the police in disrupting and dismantling the stolen goods market by making it impossible for thieves to sell the items that were stolen or robbed.
Picture: The Minister of Public Works and Roads, Sihle Zikalala
By OBAKENG MAJE
The chaos erupted at the Women in Construction event in Rustenburg, where the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Sihle Zikalala was in attendance.
This comes after the protectors allegedly stormed into the building and demanded that, one of the panellists (the Chairperson of the North West Chapter of BBCBE), be removed.
They accused the chairperson of swindling money and alleged that he did not represent them. The Department of Public Works and Infratructure’s Head of Communications and Marketing, Lennox Mabaso said Zikalala attended the event after he was invited by the Black Business Council on the Built Environment, the North West Chapter as part of taking the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to various provinces.
Mabasa said Zikalala condemns the disruption in the strongest possible terms. He said the event was also attended by entities which fall under Zikalala’ Portfolio such as the Construction Industry Development Board, Council for the Build Environment, departmental Branches such as the Construction Project Management, Expanded Public Works Programme, and Human Capital Development.
“The aim was to engage with women entrepreneurs, who requested to be capacitated on programmes to enable them to take advantage of opportunities in the construction and infrastructure sector. The confrontation had nothing to do either with Zikalala or his department, but Black Business Council’s internal issues.
“While we are not going to be drawn into internal ructions of the Black Business Council, it believes that it is inexcusable to deprive many women, who had converged at the event of an opportunity to benefit from information and knowledge that would have assisted their businesses,” he said.
Mabasa further said Zikalala has been leading the programme of economic inclusion within the construction and built environment sectors, especially focusing on women and the youth. He added that, the cry for people to be included in the sectors of the economy is the priority, which Zikalala has elevated and will continue to pursue across the country as part of the Economic Recovery and Reconstruction Programme.
Mabasa said while the event proceeded, Zikalala urged all the aggrieved parties to resolve their internal differences without impacting negatively the community at large, especially the vulnerable sectors that still need to be propelled in sectors such as construction and infrastructure which still exclude the majority and are dominated by males.
He said the police managed to calm down the situation. Mabasa said Zikalala has warned that the government would not be held at ransom by people who have grievances of whatever nature.
Picture: One of the suspects, Sibongiseni Ngubane who allegedly killed a prominent businessman in Rustenburg
By OBAKENG MAJE
A murder case against one of the suspects who was arrested for allegedly killing a prominent businessman, Ben Gumbi (49) outside a coffee shop in Rustenburg on 23 August 2023, was postponed by the Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court until 27 September 2023.
Sibongiseni Ngubane (33) briefly appeared before the Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court today. Ngubane was arrested by the Members of a multi-disciplinary team, which was established after the ruthless murder of Gumbi.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in North West, Henry Mamothame said Ngubane was arrested on 12 September 2023 in Germiston after attending a court case in which he is facing a charge of armed robbery.
“He was out on R3000 bail and also has a pending case of possession of a firearm and ammunition in Alberton, wherein he was granted an R1000 bail. The suspects, who allegedly killed Gumbi, fled the scene with a blue Volkswagen Polo vehicle found abandoned at the Corner of Helen Joseph and Lourie Streets a few minutes after the incident.
“The vehicle was confirmed to have been stolen and the number plates on it were false. The case was postponed for the continuation of bail proceedings and consultation. Ngubane’s attorney read an affidavit in court citing reasons for him to be granted bail,” he said.
However, Mamothame further said the state strongly opposed the granting of bail, to which the investigating officer was called to the stand to cite reasons for disagreeing. He added that, amongst other reasons cited by the investigating officer, was the seriousness of the offence as the accused is facing a Schedule 6 offence of premeditated murder.
“He further alluded to the safety of the accused against three other suspects who are on the run and may endanger his life. The accused was also pointed out at an identity parade by several witnesses.
“The state further highlighted the community’s interest in the matter, following the circulation of a recording of the alleged incident on social media platforms. The state also urged the court to consider the gruesome manner, in which the alleged murder was committed,” said Mamothame.
Meanwhile, police investigations are ongoing to apprehend the other suspects who are on the run.
Two farmers who were allegedly arrested for murder briefly appeared in Brits Magistrate’s Court today. Louis Coetzee (47) and Jaco Kemp (45) were arrested in the early hours of Sunday morning after 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 Coetzee and Kemp in the early hours of Sunday morning in the R511 Road outside Brits. According to information, the police were conducting routine patrols 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 Dumisani Phakathi (45) covered with plastic bags at the back of the vehicle,” said Funani.
She further said Coetzee and Kemp tried to run away, but they were arrested. Funani added that the accused allegedly assaulted the man, who was on their farm to fetch water.
“The accused were remanded in custody and their case was postponed until 26 September 2023. The third suspect who was linked in this case was also arrested at Brits this morning and will appear before Brits Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday,” 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.
Picture: Municipal Manager at Naledi Local Municipality, Modisenyane Thompson Segapo/Facebook
By OBAKENG MAJE
This appointment of Municipal Manager, Modisenyane Thompson Segapo is invalid and unlawful, says the North West High Court sitting in Mahikeng. This comes after Thabo Appolus, Lerato Setlhake Lebogang Jacobs and Vuyiswa Morakile launched an application on an urgent basis challenging the appointment of Segapo.
The matter was heard a month ago, but the ruling was reserved until today. Now, Judge FMM Reid said the application was brought on an urgent basis, essentially seeking the setting aside of the appointment of Segapo as the Municipal Manager, with ancillary relief that the meeting on 10 March 2023, in which such decision was taken, be declared to be unlawful and invalid and set aside as such.
Reid said dispensing with the Rules relating to forms, services, and time periods as prescribed by the Uniform Rules of this court and directing that the matter was enrolled and heard as an urgent application in terms of Rule 6 (12).
“The applicants requested the court to declare the council meeting held by the municipality on 20 March 2023, to be unlawful and invalid. Declaring that all resolutions taken at the council meeting held on 10 March 2023 are unlawful and invalid. The first and second respondent be ordered to re-advertise the position of the Municipal Manager and commence the recruitment process de novo.
“That the municipality’s funds must not be used to defend these proceedings. Any respondents opposing the applicants be ordered to pay the costs of the application on an attorney and own client scale. So, the municipality opposed the relief sought,” he said.
Reid further said that in October 2022, a vacancy for the Municipal Manager was declared by the municipal council, which triggered the commencement of a recruitment process. He added that, in September 2022, an advertisement for the vacancy was issued in accordance with the Resolution of the Council.
“Amongst others, Segapo and the 1st applicant were candidates competing for the position. This application was initially heard by this court on 24 March 2023. At that stage, the appointment of Segapo that was sought to be set aside was submitted to the North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA) or Minister Cooperative Governance and Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs to be considered.
“At the time, that the application was heard on 24 March 2023, the MEC had not revealed its findings on the appointment of Segapo as Municipal Manager. As such the urgent application on 24 March 2023 was found to be premature and it was struck off the roll for lack of agency,” said Reid.
He said the report from the MEC has now been received and the MEC does not support the appointment of Segapo as Municipal Manager. Reid said the report of the MEC is dated 26 April 2023 and titled: “Report on the process of appointing the Municipal Manager at Naledi Local Municipality.”
“The finding of MEC is that the appointment of Segapo as Municipal Manager is not supported on the basis that, MEC found the procedural and substantive requirements in relation to the appointment of municipal senior managers, submitted as per Regulation 17 (4) not to have been complied with.
“Amongst others, the following issues of non-compliance were highlighted in the MEC’s report. Interviews were conducted 44 days after the screening process, which is 23 days more than the period that is allowed in terms of Regulation 15(1),” he said.
Reid said Regulation 15 (1) which deals with the appointment and conditions of employment of senior managers was not complied with. He said the screening report attached to the submissions to the MEC was incomplete and there is no letter from the National Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs or evidence from the municipality that the request for security screening and vetting was sent to the National Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs.
“The MIE screening results are dated 1 July 2021, which is prior to the vacancy date of 31 October 2022, and as such irregular. The minutes of the shortlisting process are non-compliant with the requirements in that the minutes attached to the report sent to the MEC did not mention the names of all the shortlisted candidates.
“The minutes only referred to the re-advertisement of the post. The minutes of the interview process are non-compliant in that it does not mention the top three candidates and those recommended to undergo competency assessments. There was no written confirmation attached by the successful candidate that does not hold any political office,” said Reid.
He said the term of the contract as reflected on the letter of appointment is non-complaint as it exceeds the term of the council by four months. Reid said the MEC found that the appointment of Segapo is contrary to the provisions of Section 54 (3)(b) of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 2000.
“The MEC concluded that the appointment of Segapo is not supported as Municipal Manager. Correspondence followed between the former acting Municipal Manager, the mayor, the MMC of Finance and Corporate Services, and the Whip of Council in which the above-mentioned irregularities were highlighted.
“No steps were taken to remove Segapo as Municipal Manager, despite his appointment being in conflict with the regulations as highlighted in the report of the MEC. In application of the facts to the law, the appointment of Segapo has to be set aside as it was not done in terms of the legislation and without the MEC’s approval,” he said.
Reid said as far as the setting aside of the meeting dated 10 March 2023 and all resolutions taken in that meeting, this court cannot determine whether the meeting was correctly constituted and mandated.
He said the applicants did not make out a substantive case to grant the relief to have the meeting and the resolutions (save for the appointment of the Municipal Manager) set aside.
“This is the position since there are several factual disputes relating to the mandates, proxy, and other issues which this court is not going to entertain in this urgent application.
“The court dispenses with the Rules relating to forms, services, and time periods as prescribed by the Uniform Rules of this court and directs that the matter be enrolled and heard as an urgent application in terms of Rule 6 (12),” said Reid.
He said the appointment of Segapo as the municipal manager from 10 March 2023 is set aside as invalid and unlawful. Reid said the municipality is ordered to advertise the position of the Municipal Manager and commence the recruitment process de novo.
“The respondents which opposed the application are ordered to pay the costs of the applicant individually and severally, the one paying the other to be absolved on a scale as between party and party. The costs are to include the cost of two counsel where so instructed,” he said.
A woman from Mothanthanyaneng village, near Taung is in need of a wheelchair for her daughter (6). Boipelo Rajoele said her daughter was born with clubfoot and now she is disabled.
“My daughter is in need of a wheelchair and any kind of donations to buy it will be welcomed. Next year, she will be doing Grade 1 and she will be in need of a wheelchair.
“I am unemployed and taking care of her daily. I have to always carry her around and it is a struggle. No one is assisting us financially, so I want to go and look for a job,” she said.
According to www.nhs.uk, clubfoot is described as a range of foot abnormalities usually present at birth (congenital) in which your baby’s foot is twisted out of shape or position. In clubfoot, the tissues connecting the muscles to the bone (tendons) are shorter than usual.
“Clubfoot is a fairly common birth defect and is usually an isolated problem for an otherwise healthy newborn. Clubfoot can be mild or severe. About half of children with clubfoot have it on both feet. If your child has clubfoot, it will make it harder to walk normally, so doctors generally recommend treating it soon after birth.
“Doctors are usually able to treat clubfoot successfully without surgery, though sometimes children need follow-up surgery later on. If your child has clubfoot, the top of the foot is usually twisted downward and inward, increasing the arch and turning the heel inward.”
The website says the foot may be turned so severely that it actually looks as if it’s upside down. It says the affected leg or foot may be slightly shorter.
“The calf muscles in the affected leg are usually underdeveloped. Despite its look, clubfoot itself doesn’t cause any discomfort or pain. More than likely your doctor will notice clubfoot soon after your child is born, based on appearance. Your doctor can advise you on the most appropriate treatment or refer you to a doctor who specializes in bone and muscle problems (pediatric orthopedist).”
*Anyone who would like to assist Boipelo Rajoele can contact her on 0630514087
Picture: The fire that ravaged Cabanas Hotel in Sun City Resort in Rustenburg/Screengrab
By OBAKENG MAJE
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in North West calls on the South African Police Services (SAPS) Organised Crime Unit to investigate the sporadic fires in North West.
The DA spokesperson on Community Safety and Transport Management in North West, Freddy Sonakile said they have written to the North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, requesting that he allocate a Task Team to investigate ongoing fires targeting critical infrastructure in the province.
“This request follows an earlier view by the DA that, the ongoing fires in the province indicate possible signs of economic sabotage. A fire gutted the Pilanesberg Airport last month. This weekend, a fire gutted the Manyane Resort.
“The DA expects the task team to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the fires throughout the province and make specific reference to the Mmabatho Palms, Pilanesberg Airport, Christiana Clinic, the Manyane Resort, and the offices of the Department of Social Development,” he said.
Sonakile further said the Manyane Resort fire, strengthens their suspicion of economic sabotage. He added that, over the last two years, there have been several incidents of unexplained fires targeting critical infrastructure.
“The Police Task Team must investigate each of these fires and produce a comprehensive report. Individuals identified, either through negligence or deliberate economic sabotage must be charged and prosecuted.
“These fires have destroyed critical infrastructure and resulted in the loss of millions of rands, which the North West Provincial Government (NWPG) is unable to rebuild,” said Sonakile.
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.
The Guardian 