North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi, has today announced the suspension of a school principal and a circuit manager in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District. Motsumi said these individuals have been served with precautionary suspension letters pending a thorough investigation into allegations of mismanagement of the departmental recruitment process within the Tshing Circuit.
She further said the allegations have been brought to her attention by media reports, involve the potential soliciting or facilitating of monies in exchange for influence in the recruitment process. Motsumi added that her department takes all allegations of misconduct seriously.
“We are committed to ensuring a fair and transparent recruitment process that upholds the highest ethical standards. As such, an independent investigation I have tasked into these allegations have commenced.
“The department will ensure a swift and thorough investigation to determine the veracity of these claims and in the main, I have taken steps to ensure minimal disruption to education at the affected school,” she said.
Motsumi said an acting principal has been appointed to maintain stability and leadership, while the investigation unfolds and in the same breath, she wish to protect the whistleblower to this effect. She said her department remains committed to providing quality education to all learners in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District.
“The department will provide further updates on the investigation’s progress as information becomes available,” said Motsumi.
The North West Department of Health said it has noted with serious concern allegations currently circulating on social media platforms saying there shortage of food in hospitals. The department said the information goes on to call on families of patients to go to hospitals to take their patients on the basis of the alleged shortage of food.
The North West Department of Health spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane said, they wish to strongly condemn this misinformed and ill-conceived call, which violates patients’s rights and seeks to cause confusion and panic in public health facilities. Lekgethwane said, while the misinformation seeks to paint a picture of total and widespread shortage of food, the department can only confirm that, a quick investigation on the matter revealed that the quantity of food was the only issue of concern.
“It turned out that some of the items of food were missing from the normal meals at Lehurutshe-Zeerust Hospital Complex, but the management quickly identified this and intervened. This challenge has been traced to inadequate supplies from the contracted service provider.
“However, the hospital was quickly authorised to procure the food items on emergency basis. The other hospitals, which were also cited in some of the social media posts including Klerksdorp/Tshepong and Witrand, all implemented an emergency procurement to beef up the food stock levels,” he said.
Lekgethwane further said the members of the public, are advice to report any issue of concern to the department for intervention before causing public panic on essential services in health facilities.
Picture: Some of items confiscated by police/Generic
By OBAKENG MAJE
Three suspects aged between 27 and 45 were arrested for allegedly transporting stolen property. The police from Northern Cape Provincial Organised Crime Investigation Unit, together with the Kimberley K9 Unit, allegedly received a tip-off regarding a suspicious vehicle that was believed to be transporting stolen property.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Sergeant Merapelo Pilane said the blue Volkswagen vehicle, was spotted at the Kimberley Tourism Centre, and the three men were found offloading large blue bags.
“Upon searching the bags, the police allegedly found the face value documents that are used for printing official documents, including temporary drivers licenses, motor vehicle licenses and vehicle registration certificates, as well as a printer with a scanner.
“The suspects could not provide a satisfactory explanation regarding ownership of the property in their possession. Further investigations revealed that, the stolen items were allegedly linked to a burglary that was reported at the municipality in Groblershoop on 19 February 2024,” she said.
Picture: Some of drugs seized during the raids in Hartswater/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
Six suspects were arrested by police for dealing in drugs in Hartswater on 12 March 2024. According to the Northern Cape police spokesperson, Sergeant Molefi Shemane, the police arrested four Nigerian nationals aged 29, 36, 38 and 54, a South African man (36) and a South African woman (22).
Shemane said the police received a tip-off regarding the alleged sale of drugs at three premises in Hartswater. He further said three identified locations were allegedly raided respectively.
“A collective group consisting of members of Vala Umgodi under the overall Command of Colonel Jacob Moloi and Operational Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Tumi Seleke, the Kimberley Tactical Response Team (TRT), Kimberley Public Order Police (POP), Crime Intelligence, Pretoria Crime Scene Management (CSM) and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) conducted the search.
“During the search and seizure actions, the police raided the suspected drug houses simultaneously in Verwoerd and Sandrock Streets in Hartswater. A significant amount of drugs were seized, including Crystal Meth (Tik) with an estimated street value of R 286 700,” said Shemane.
He added that, mandrax tablets with an estimated street value of R 25 000, Cat with an estimated street valued of R 17 182, as well as mandrax and sachets of nyaope were also seized. Shemane said nine cellphones, three cellphone charges and cash believed to be the proceeds of drug sales were confiscated.
“The suspects will appear in Hartswater Magistrates Court soon,” said Shemane.
Meanwhile, the Northern Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, applauded the police and external role players involved in the execution of Operation Vala Umgodi for their continous efforts towards the prevention of crime in the province.
Setshwantsho: Ntlo-lehalahala e fisitsweng kwa Molelema
Ka OBAKENG MAJE
Baagi ba motse wa Molelema, gaufi le Taung, ba ikuela go masepala o mogolwane wa Taung (Greater Taung Local Municipality) gore o ba baakanyetse ntlo-lehalahala ya bone. Go ya ka baagi ba, ba tlhoka ntlo-lehalahala go tshwarela dikopano tse di farologaneng mo go yone.
Mongwe wa baagi, Mosimanegape Monoketsi (31) are ga jaana, ba tsenela dikopano fa tlase ga moago o bulegileng, gaufi le ntlo-lehalahala e. Fela, Monoketsi are seemo ka nako tse dingwe ga se letle gore ba ka dirisa moago o bulegileng, thata jang fa pula ena kgotsa mo setlheng sa mariga.
“Ntlo-lehalahala e, fa e sala ene ya fisiwa ke baagi fa ba ne ba gwantela tsela. Fela go fitlha ga jaana, ga ese e baakangwe, mme re e tlhoka thata. Jaanong, re ikuela go masepala go ka re thusa, gonne go dilo tse dintsi thata tse re di tlhokang mo motseng wa rona tse di amanang le thebolo ya ditirelo.
“Gape, kgang enngwe ke tlhokego ya metsi. Re lobaka re lela ka tlhokego ya metsi mo motseng was rona. Re bona dikomponi di fetolwa, jaaka rene re itse gore re ne re neelwa metsi ke Sedibeng Water kala-ntlhaneng, jaanong go tsene Magalies Water, fela seemo ga se fetoge. Jaanong, ga re itse gore bothata ke eng, mme go fitlha ga jaana re reka metsi ko metseng e gaufi,” Monoketsi wa tlhalosa.
Moeteledipele wa baagi kwa motseng wa Molelema, Kgosietsile Tshake are: “Ke nnete re ile ra senyegelwa ke ntlo-lehalahala ya rona fa gone go gwantelwa tsela. Ga jaana, re tlhaloganya gore gona le ledi le masepala wa rona o mogolwane wa Taung o le boneng go tswa go komponi ya insurance.
“Jaanong, ga re itse gore masepala o tlile go e baakanya leng. Dilwana dingwe jaaka disenke, diframe tsa matlhabaphefo, ga mmogo le ditswalo di ile tsa ntshiwa. Kgosi o ile a ntsha molaetsa wa gore disenke tse di neng di ruletse ntlo-lehalahala e, di dirisetswe go aga mokhukhu o dirisiwang jaaka kantoro ya mokgatlho o lwantshang bogodu mo motseng,” Tshake wa tlhalosa.
Molekgotlha wa kgorwana ya motse wa Molelema, Pico Seepamere, are ke nnete insurance e ile ya ntsha madi a kanang ka R1.6 million ele go duelela ditshenyegelo. Seepamere are ntlo-lehalahala eo, e tlile go tlhoka madi a fetang R6 million go agiwa sesha.
“Re ile ra dumalana le baagi gore ga re kitla re tsenya lenaneo la kago ya ntlo-lehalahala mo telanyetso-kabo ya setlha se (financial year). Re dumalane gore, re beye ko pele kago ya tsela ya pavement mo gare ga motse, mme re be re bua ka kgang ya metsi.
“Re tla tlhaloganya gore insurance ile ya duela madi a kanang ka R1.6 million ya ditshenyegelo, mme e ile ya e tsenya mo polokelong ya masepala,” Seepamere wa tlhalosa.
Sepodisi mo Bokone Bophirima se ganeditse dipego tse ditletse-tletseng mo maranyaneng a boitapoloso tse di supang fa gona le ntja nngwe kwa toropong ya Zinniaville, gaufi e Rustenburg, e tsetse dintjanyana tse dinang le dipopego tsa motho.
Go ya ka sebueledi sa sepodisi mo Bokone Bophirima, Col Adele Myburgh, go begwa fa dintjanyana tseo di bonwe ke modiri mongwe wa legora (gardener) kwa ntlung nngwe. Myburgh are, mabarebare a, a supa fa mong wa ntlo eo, ele ene rragwe ditjanyana tseo, morago ga go iphanya ka mma tsone.
“Jaaka sepodisi, re batla go itsise baagi gore ga gona kgetsi epe e tshwanang le e, e e tlileng ya begwa kwa sepodising sa Tlhabane. Jaanong, baagi ba tshwanetse go itse gore dipego tseo ke tsa maaka, ebile ga di na motheo.
“Re ikuela go baagi go emisa ka go tswelela ba bega dilo tse eseng tsa nnete mo mafaratlhatlheng a boitapoloso. Gape, re kopa ba emise ka go tsamaisa setshwantsho seo sa dintjanyana tseo, gonne ke sa maaka,” Myburgh wa tlhalosa.
Setshwantsho: Baagi ba metse e farologaneng ba gwantetse kwa setlamong sa Magalies Water mo Taung
Ka OBAKENG MAJE
Baagi ka kakaretso go ralala metse ya Taung, ba re ba setse ba itlhobogile mo go boneng metsi a phepha, ebile a nwega. Baagi ba, ba re ba tsweletse go itewa ke lenyora le mororo masepala wa sedika wa Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, ga mmogo le setlamo se se rebolang metsi sa Magalies Water, se ba tshepisitse gore batla bona metsi a sa kgaleng go tloga ka letsatsi la Mosupulogo.
Seno se ile sa pateletsa baeteledipele ba mokgatlho wa Tlhokego Ya Metsi Concerned Group, go leba kwa dikantorong tsa Magalies Water mo letsatsing la maabane. Mongwe wa baeteledipele wa mokgatlho o, Letlhogonolo Phutieagae, are ba dirile se ele go leka go bona dikarabo mo ntlheng ya tlhokego ya metsi.
“Jaanong, re dumalane fela ka bongwe jwa pelo le baagi ba Taung gore, re tlile go bolotsa mogwanto mo letsatsing la Mosupologo wa beke e e tlang fa dingongorego tsa rona di sa sekegelwe tsebe. Re ne re le mo kopanong mo bekeng e fetileng, mme masepala wa sedika, ga mmogo le Magalies Water, ba ile ba re tshepisa gore re tlile go bona metsi go tloga ka Mosupulogo.
“Fela dipompo di tsweletse go kgala, mme ga re tlhaloganye gore sebakwa sa seno ke eng. Re ne re tsenetse kopano le ba Magalies Water mo letsatsing la maabane, fela ga ra bona dikarabo. Ke ka moo o bonang re ile ra ya kwa dikantorong tsa Batlhaping Baga Phuduhucwana go ya go kopana le Kgosi Tshepo Mankuroane,” Phutieagae wa tlhalosa.
Are masepala wa sedika, ga mmogo le Magalies Water, ba dirile maitlamo a mo pele ga kgosi, jaanong ba ne ba batla go mo itsise gore, se sene se buiwa ko kopanong ya maloba sene se sena bonnete.
Kgabagare, molekgotlha kwa masepaleng wa Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, Pico Seepamere yo ebileng a ikarabela ka mafaratlhatlha kwa komiting ya ga majoro are: “Re tla itsise baagi gore re okeditse dirori tse di neelanang ka metsi mo Taung. Gape, re emetse ditanka di le 15 tse re tlileng go diphasalatsang le metse e farologaneng ya Taung.
“Se, se tlile go re thusa gore metse yotlhe e fitlhelele metsi. Jaanong, re kopile ka tswedintswe gore, baagi ba ba kgonang gore beela ditanka tse mo dijarateng tsa bone, ba dire jalo. Seo se tla thusa gore metsi ao a se kgotlhelege.”
Seepamere are mo bekeng e e fitileng, ba ne ba tsenetse kopano le setlamo sa Vaalharts.
“Re dumalane le bone gore re tshwanetswe gore re okeletswe metsi. O tla gopola gore, diperesente di le 70 tsa metsi are a bonang, a fetela kwa temo-thuong. Jaanong, seo se re tlogele ka diperesente di le 30 tsa metsi a nowang.
“Maswabi ke gore, le one metsi ao, re a kgaoganya le balemi ba mo Taung. Jaanong, seo se dira gore go nne le tlhokego e e tseneletseng ya metsi. Fela re setse re kwaletse ba lefapha la metsi ga mmogo le kgelelo-leswe, gore ba re okeletse metsi,” Seepamere wa tlhalosa.
Seepamere are masepala o tsweletse ka go aga madutelo, mme mangwe a one a tla dirisetswa go tlhatswa metsi. Seepamere are, metsi a bonwang kwa Taung, ana le iron e ntsi go fitlha ga jaana.
The police in North West said Operation Shanela continues to clean-up the streets of the province. This comes after 974 suspects were arrested for various crimes between 7 and 10 March 2024.
The North West police spokesperson, Lieutenant Col Amanda Funani said during last week’s operations that were conducted, 974 suspects were nabbed for various crimes. Funani said the suspects were amongst others, arrested for rape, murder, assault GBH, malicious damage to property, burglary residential.
“This includes business premises, possession of drugs, theft out of/from motor vehicles and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Of the 974 arrested suspects, 258 were wanted for contact crimes like murder, attempted murder, rape, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, assault common, house robbery and business robbery.
“Furthermore, 47 undocumented persons were taken in for processing. The arrests were effected through execution of several actions, which included stop and searches, road blocks, Vehicle Check Points (VCPs), visiting and inspecting of licensed liquor premises and second-hand goods dealers, tracing of wanted suspects and many others,” she said.
Funani added that the operations also culminated in the confiscation of drugs such as mandrax tablets and powder, crack cocaine, crystal meth, heroin, nyaope, precious metals, dagga, and 10 handguns.
Meanwhile, the North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, has once more praised all women and men in blue and other law enforcement agencies for the successes and continuous efforts to ensure the safety of the community.
Picture: The Amajita head coach, Raymond Mdaka/Google
By OBAKENG MAJE
The South African U-20 Men’s National Team (Amajita), will begin their programme for the year in March 2024 with a week-long training camp under the stewardship of the newly-appointed head coach, Raymond Mdaka. The camp will be held on 21- 28 March 2024 at the SAFA Technical Centre in the south of Johannesburg. The gathering will be the first of many ahead of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers in September 2024.
Mdaka will be working alongside Donald Mojaki, who is currently coaching Sol Plaatje University, Karabo Mogudi from the University of Johannesburg’s Varsity Cup and ABC Motsepe League coach and former Bafana Bafana international, Reneilwe Letsholonyane. These coaches will form part of the technical team under the guidance of SAFA Technical Director, Walter Steenbok.
Mdaka, who spoke to www.safa.netahead of the camp said: “We are looking forward to building a great team. We have selected players that are currently doing very well in their respective leagues.
“We believe that we have a comprehensive plan for the next two years. Following the SAFA Methodology workshop, which was hosted in January 2024, we have a very good understanding of the mandate set for us as the U20 national team.”
Mdaka further said he is confident that they will be able to deliver on it. He added that they are very excited about the first camp, where we have called up 41 players.
Picture: The DA caucus leader in North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL), Freddy Sonakile/Facebook
By OBAKENG MAJE
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in North West said the provincial government budget speech that was delivered by the North West MEC for Finance, Motlalepula Rosho, was loaded with empty promises and certain failures.
This comes after Rosho tabled the budget amounting to R53,7 billion for the 2024/25 financial year last week.
The DA caucus leader in the North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL), Freddy Sonakile said, the provincial government makes big promises it cannot deliver. According to Sonakile, the bulk of the provincial budget is earmarked for the public sector wage bill.
“In short, 63% of the budget goes to compensation of employees, leaving a mere 37% to fund service delivery and infrastructure maintenance and development. In addition, the ANC-led provincial government is in the process of borrowing R2 billion through ‘frontloading’, thus using future housing grants as collateral.
“We are concerned about the impact this loan would have on the next government’s ability to fund and deliver public services in an already constrained environment. An additional R70 million is allocated to Public Works and Roads for resealing and pothole patching of our roads,” he said.
Sonakile further said this includes the promise of re-establishing Asphalt Material factories in all four municipal districts. He added that, however, no mention was made about the state of these factories established previously.
“The ANC in government is notorious for launching projects, but then failing to extend the necessary support to ensure long-term viability, through which millions of rands are funnelled. All the bakeries initiated by the North West Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism (DEDECT), as well as the bricklaying plants have closed shop leaving no return on investments, resulting in fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
“An investment of R6,98 billion was poured into roads and infrastructure over the last 5 years, yet the general state of provincial roads and public infrastructure is of decay and dilapidation. All we got for almost R7 billion was more potholes,” said Sonakile.
He said interestingly, Rosho announced yet another financial rescue plan, now called the Financial Recovery Plan (FRP). Sonakile said, despite all the attempts over the past 5 years through the Section 100 interventions, task teams, financial recovery plans, the financial state of the provincial government remains dire.
“There are still no clean audits in the North West, while every single municipality has practically collapsed and continues to fail residents by not supplying basic services such as clean water and electricity.
“Budgetary pressure is not an excuse for poor service delivery. Budgetary pressures have existed since the start of this government’s term, and quite frankly, the ANC in government caused these pressures themselves through fraud, corruption, malfeasance, coupled with their destructive economic policies,” he said.
Sonakile said Rosho has allocated R450 million towards scholar transport. He said they reiterate their concerns about the manner scholar transport is managed in this province.
“Especially considering the damning findings by the SIU last year against the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management for irregularly awarding scholar transport contracts. The department awarded several new contracts late last year, and we have already received several complaints about the poor state of this service from learners, parents and teachers,” said Sonakile.
Meanwhile, Rosho said: “Government has made positive strides, particularly in the past five years, to ensure that services reach all corners of the province. The 6th administration strove to make the most of limited resources, supporting economic growth, core services, and social welfare.
“In 2019, the 6th administration made a commitment to the people of this province that it will continue to deliver services better, faster and smarter in order to build a performance-oriented state. Guided by these imperatives, the government has implemented a range of initiatives that responded to the eradication of the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment, and inequality.”
Rosho said since 2019, there has been a somewhat improvement in audit outcomes and that the project to improve the number of departments achieving clean audits is gradually gaining momentum. She said the province has registered significant progress in relation to the delivery of social and economic infrastructure.
“An investment of R6,98 billion in roads infrastructure was made over the last 5 years, whilst investment towards health care facilities for the past five years amounts to R3.51 billion.
“The province invested R4.44 billion in building new schools over the last five years and has delivered 22 075 housing units and 27 930 service stands to people at a total investment of R4.473 billion for the past five years. Despite the hardships, the outgoing administration emerged victorious and reaffirmed that the government is committed to continue with its efforts of creating a better life for all.
The Guardian 