Setshwantsho: Monna o latofadiwang ka go boalya lekau la mokapelo wa lone wa maloba, Olebile Jan Sereetsi
Ka OBAKENG MAJE
14 Diphalane 2024- Kgetsi ya polao kgatlhanong le monna wa kwa kgaolong ya Marikana kwa motse-setoropong wa Utlwanang kwa Christiana, Olebile Jan Sereetsi (40), e buseditswe morago go fitlha ka di 19 Ngwanatsele 2024, mme dipatlisiso mo kgetsing di tsweletse.
Sereetsi o latofadiwang ka go bolaya mokapelo wa lekgarebe la gagwe la maloba. Go begwa fa ka di 26 Lwetse 2024, molatofadiwa a ile a leba kwa ntlung ya mokapelo wa gagwe wa maloba, mme a mo fitlhela a na le lekau la gagwe, Charlie Kati (31), mme go ile ga runya kgotlhang.
Go ya ka sebueledi sa sepodisi mo Bokone Bophirima, Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Funani, go begwa fa Sereetsi a ile a tlhaba Kati ka thipa, mme a mo gogela kwa sekgweng se se gaufi.
“Go begwa fa Sereetsi, a ile a kgabetlhelela moswi ka go mo kgaola maoto le go mo segolola serwe sa gagwe sa senna. Go begwa fa Sereetsi, a ile a latlhela dikarolo dingwe tsa mmele mo molapong, ga mmogo le setopo sa moswi.
“Go begwa fa lekgarebe la moswi, le ile la lotlegela sepodisi ka se se diragetseng, mme a bega fa lekau la gagwe le timetse. Seo, se ile sa lebisa kwa sepodising go ka batlana le moswi,” Funani wa tlhalosa.
Funani are mongwe wa baagi one a loma sepodisi tsebe gore o bone Sereetsi a kgorometsa kereibaye, mme a lebile kwa molapong. Funani are, lekala la sepodisi le le sapang, le ile la bidiwa le go batlana le setopo sa ga Kati kwa molapong.
“Sepodisi se ile sa bona serwe sa moswi sa senna, ga mmogo le dikarolo dingwe tsa mmele di latlhetswe mo molapong,” Funani wa tlhalosa.
Kgabagare, Mokomishinara wa sepodisi mo Bokone Bophirima, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, o kgadile tiragalo e ka bogale. Kwena are batho ba ithute go rarabolola dikgotlhang tsa bone ntle le ntwa.
“Re rata go akgola sepodisi go ka tshwara molatofadiwa ka bonako. Re kgala tiragalo e ka bogale,” Kwena wa tlhalosa.
Picture: The former owner of the Meat Brother’s Pub, Tshwaro Mangwegape
By OBAKENG MAJE
14 October 2024- An attempted murder and murder case against former Meat Brother’s Pub owner, Tshwaro Mangwegape (41), has been transferred to the Taung Regional Court. Mangwegape, who is out on a R5000 bail, is accused of shooting and killing the NWU Soccer Institute player, Undivile “Vilo” Mdi (28) and injuring his friend, Aobakwe Ernest Kokwe (33).
On 17 December 2023, Mdi and Kokwe were amongst patrons who visited the Meat Brother’s Pub that was full to capacity. It is alleged that the security guards refused entry to patrons who did not have Identification Documents (IDs) and that led to a stampede.
Mdi and Kokowe allegedly tried to gain entry forcefully, but Mangwegape pulled out a gun and shot them. Mdi was fatally shot, while his friend was rushed to the hospital with terrible gunshot wounds.
The state also highlighted that the ballistic test results have also arrived and it is ready to go to trial. The case has been postponed until 21 January 2025.
Meanwhile, the ANCYL spokesperson in North West,
Molebang Mohlomi said in a statement that, they condemn violence meted against patrons at the Meat Brother’s Pub. Mohlomi said it is alleged that security guards and bouncers unleashed live ammunition towards unarmed civilians, who were trying to gain access to the establishment.
“This barbaric behaviour bothers public safety. This shows how business owners lack respect for their clients. A clinical approach to review licences of public places must be applied to ensure those who are bestowed with the responsibility to protect patrons are PSIRA compliant.
“We have sent our heartfelt condolences to the families that have lost their loved ones. Equally so, we call upon law enforcement agencies to speedily resolve this brutish crime,” he said.
14 October 2024– More than 1000 suspects across North West, were arrested for various offences during Operation Shanela. The police in the province in conjunction with other law enforcement agencies arrested 1 258 suspects between 7 and 13 October 2024.
The North West police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said the suspects were among others, arrested for murder, rape, attempted murder, assault with the intent to do Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) and common. Mokgwabone said this includes dealing in drugs, illegal dealing in liquor, possession of drugs, burglaries at business and residential premises and driving under the influence of alcohol.
“In addition, 81 suspected undocumented persons were taken in for processing by Immigration Officials. Of the 1 258 arrests, 421 were for wanted and circulated suspects brought to book during detectives’ suspect raiding operations.
“The operations also led to searching of 262 premises, 2 490 persons and 835 vehicles. Moreover, 385 licensed liquor premises and second-hand goods dealers were visited for compliance inspections,” he said.
Mokgwabone said the operation further resulted in the confiscation of liquor, 120 explosives (fireworks), 10 ammunition, five cell phones, 13 dangerous weapons, a variety of drugs and three vehicles.
Meanwhile, the North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, commended the police and other law enforcement officials for their relentless efforts to ensure the safety and security of the communities.
Picture: The MK Party Member of Parliament (MP), Brian Molefe
By OBAKENG MAJE
14 October 2024- Former Transnet executives, Brian Molefe, Anoj Singh, Siyabonga Gama, Garry Pita, Phetolo Ramosebudi, as well as Regiments Capital Directors, Niven Pillay and Litha Nyhonhya, Trillian Asset Management’s Director, Daniel Roy (Novum Asset Management), Kuben Moodley, and Albatime Pty Ltd owner, appeared before the Johannesburg High Court on charges of contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and fraud.
The matter was postponed to 31 January 2025 for the state to provide the accused with further particulars.
The National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate against Corruption (IDAC) spokesperson, Henry Mamothame said the charges against the accused include fraud, corruption, and money laundering stem from the locomotives transaction advisory tender awarded to the McKinsey-led consortium in 2012.
Mamothame said this resulted in the procurement of 1064 locomotives valued at over R54 billion.
“Regiments Capital was irregularly brought into the contract and benefited from Transnet’s irregular appointment, increasing the contract’s value and scope to over R305 million.
“Their services included sourcing loans from the China Development Bank and the Club loan, amounting to $2.5 billion, equivalent to R30 billion at the time, on behalf of Transnet. Additionally, the accused also face charges related to the R93.4 million payments to Trillion Asset Management in 2015,” he said.
Mamothame further said all the accused are expected back in court in January 2025 when the matter resumes.
14 October 2024- Just over 100 days have passed since the members of the Government of National Unity (GNU), were sworn into office. In that time, we have witnessed a marked increase in confidence in the direction of our country.
South Africans across society are increasingly rallying around the programme and work of the GNU. This is reflected in recent opinion polls.
In one of these polls, conducted by Ipsos, it is said that the proportion of participants who believe that the country is heading in the right direction has doubled since the last surveys were conducted in April and June this year.
There is also rising confidence in our country’s economic growth prospects by business and local and international investors. This was evident in the engagements I recently had with business leaders in Beijing and New York and that Deputy President Paul Mashatile had with business leaders in London.
In September, the Bureau of Economic Research and Rand Merchant Bank published their first Business Confidence Index since the formation of the new administration. It points to “cautious optimism” about improving business conditions in key economic sectors. It says that improved electricity supply and political certainty following the elections has likely contributed to this improved business confidence.
So how important is this improved ‘sentiment’ for our economy and country?
Sentiment is more than a ‘warm and fuzzy’ feeling. It is made possible by real developments in the economy and the country. Business confidence goes beyond discussion in boardrooms and conference halls. It is about the interest that is shown in our economy by all investors, both local and offshore. Sentiment has a direct impact on people’s lives as it can manifest itself in increased investments that can result in job creation.
Improved investment sentiment will benefit our country’s fiscus. A stronger economic outlook will improve South Africa’s credit rating, which in turn will facilitate greater access to global capital markets and lower our borrowing costs.
When we spend less money on debt servicing costs, the government has more space to increase its expenditure on building public infrastructure and providing education, healthcare, basic services and social support.
Improved sentiment has boosted the value of our currency. This reduces the cost of imports such as oil, which reduces the cost of fuel. This in turn reduces the cost of living for all South Africans.
Increased business confidence attracts higher levels of private investment in the economy. When investors are more optimistic about their business prospects they are more likely to invest more capital and expand their existing operations. Improved confidence also encourages the start-up of new businesses.
More business activity creates more jobs and opportunities for our people. As businesses grow, they need to hire more employees and are able to increase wages.
When people are more secure about their jobs and income, they spend more on goods and services, which further stimulates economic activity. Government revenues are further boosted as revenue collection increases.
The improvement in sentiment is informed by the effective transition to a new administration with wide support across society and the continuation of the reform agenda started during the sixth democratic administration.
On the other hand, the sentiment is supported by actual progress in addressing some of the country’s most pressing economic and social challenges.
Nowhere has this been more evident than in the work done to resolve the energy crisis. The country has had more than 200 days without load shedding. This has made a considerable difference to the lives of citizens and the operations of businesses. This work has also unlocked unprecedented levels of investment in the energy sector.
The ongoing reforms in the logistics sector are improving the operational performance of our port and rail networks. This will have a positive effect not only on export industries and broader economic activity, but also on the lives of citizens.
It is still early days for the Government of National Unity. The growth of our economy is still to pick up pace. However, a firm foundation is being laid, our growth prospects are being revised upwards and we are heading in the right direction.
It is clear that the improved confidence of the South African people and the positive sentiment among investors are well-founded. Our task now is to work together to further encourage hope and optimism by making a real and substantial difference in the lives of all South Africans.
14 October 2024- The North West MEC for Social Development, Sussana Dantjie is fast-tracking relief efforts for a Robega pensioner, whose shack was gutted by fire on Wednesday afternoon last week. Dantjie said the raging fire destroyed the pensioner’s three roomed shack, leaving him displaced without the furniture, clothes, identity document (ID) and other important amenities.
She further said it is alleged that the fire was caused by an electrical fault.
“On Thursday, we deployed a team of social workers from our department’s Rustenburg based office to provide psychosocial support in the form of trauma counselling to the pensioner and compile a home circumstance report.
“I thank God-Almighty that the pensioner is alive. I express my profound thanks to all the stakeholders, who have worked tirelessly to intervene in the plight of this pensioner in collaboration with our department,” said Dantjie.
She added the interventions are ongoing. Dantjie said their stakeholders have already delivered blankets, mattresses and clothes to the affected family.
“Social relief of distress in the form of food parcels has already been delivered to the affected family. The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has also issued a voucher worth R2100 to the pensioner. The local residents have also brought groceries and cements to the pensioner, who is currently staying in a nearby shack.
“We call on community members to continue to take care of the elderly in their areas and to learn more about fire prevention and safety measures to avert property destruction and untimely loss of life,” she said.
Meanwhile, the law enforcement agencies are still doing the investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire.
Picture: North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi/Supplied
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
14 October 2024- The North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi convened a critical meeting with circuit managers, Chief Education Specialists (CES), school principals, and retired school managers to strategize interventions aimed at improving the performance of underperforming schools across the province. Motsumi said they held a meeting following a detailed unpacking of results from the past three terms, focused on developing collaborative solutions to elevate the province’s academic standing, with the goal of securing a top-three national position in the upcoming year-end examinations.
During the meeting, she further emphasized the importance of collective expertise and knowledge-sharing in identifying the most effective strategies to address persistent challenges.
“It is crucial that we pool our insights and experiences to close the gaps in learner performance. Our commitment is to ensure that every learner is given the opportunity to succeed, and that we lift the educational standards of our province.
“Currently, schools are implementing the “Last Push” revision program, which aims to reinforce learner preparedness as the syllabus for the year has been concluded,” said Motsumi.
She added that this program plays a vital role in addressing content gaps identified throughout the academic season and is designed to give learners the necessary tools to excel in their final examinations. In addition, Motsumi said her department has engaged key stakeholders to support learners with both electronic and hard copy study guides.
“Partners such as Vodacom have been instrumental in providing access to e-learning platforms, ensuring that learners across the province benefit from digital resources,” she said.
Picture: The delegation of the National Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Health and North West MEC for Health, Sello Lehari/Supplied
By REGINALD KANYANE
14 October 2024- The National Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Health has concluded its four-day visit to the North West Province’s health facilities in the Bojanala District. A week long oversight visit saw the members of the Committee led by its Chairperson, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo visiting Job Shimankana Tabane Hospital, Boitekong Community Health Centre (CHC), Moses Kotane District Hospital, Mogwase Community Health Centre (CHC), Koster Hospital and the Brits Forensic Pathology.
The Committee’s debriefing session held on Friday at Brits District Hospital, brought to the surface a number of issues based on their findings. Kicking off the reflections on the final day, Dhlomo, said there are a lot of positives to take out of the province’s health service delivery platform, while there are a number of areas that still need improvement.
His sentiments were shared by all the members who while advised on where to improve yet spent a significant amount of time praising the good practices.
“Overall, we are satisfied with a lot of what we have observed in the health facilities that we visited. However, overall, the department needs to ensure that the non-negotiables like medicine availability, contraceptives and ambulance response are addressed.
“We commend the department for having helipads at small district hospitals, which is good for emergency referrals to bigger facilities and for the fact that there have been no maternal deaths at Koster and Moses Kotane hospitals,” he said.
Dhlomo further hailed Koster Hospital for its excellent patient care. He added that while Koster Hospital has an old structure that still needs renovations, he was happy at the level of care.
“We interviewed patients and all of them were pleased with the level of service. As the Committee, we visited various units like the Outpatient Department, Casualty, X-ray unit, Pharmacy and others and all of them were good.
“The only issues that needed improvement at this facility are security, minor maintenance and replacement of the old roof was recommended. We are also impressed by the Brits Forensic Pathology, which has been visible interventions to improve on its state,” said Dhlomo.
He commended North West MEC for Health, Sello Lehari and his management for addressing all the issues that were recently raised in the media and public domain. Dhlomo said these issues which included inadequate fridge capacity for storage of bodies, leading to overcrowding of corps and bad odour have been addressed.
“I commend this mortuary for camera surveillance. We know that if ever there can be a story about missing body parts it won’t be at Brits Forensic Pathology. I have gone around and noticed that there is sufficient backup water, heating capacity, adequate space, backup generators, a waiting area and overall clean environment,” he said.
Meanwhile, in his response, Lehari commended the Committee for their thoroughness when conducting oversight, and thanked them for not only looking at the challenges but also highlighting areas of excellence which others can learn from.
“We have listened to the Chairperson and the members’ observations and recommendations. I can promise that I will work together with our team to address the issues raised,” he said.
Picture: A scholar bus ferrying learners to school/Generic
By OBAKENG MAJE
14 October 2024- A Grade 10 learner from Moreri Secondary School in Tseoge village, near Ganyesa, was allegedly killed by a scholar bus on 9 October 2024. It is alleged that the incident took place after school.
Kgosiemang Teto (18), was allegedly trying to catch a moving bus when the incident happened. He was allegedly run over by the driver.
The North West Department of Education spokesperson, Mphata Molokwane said: “The department has been informed of the tragic passing of Teto, who was involved in an accident after school.
“Following the incident, Teto was promptly transported to the nearest clinic. However, he unfortunately succumbed to his injuries approximately 20 to 30 minutes later.”
Molokwane further said the medical team reported that internal bleeding was identified as the cause of his death. He added the department is currently conducting a thorough investigation into the matter and appropriate measures will be implemented to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.
“A loss of any learner is unacceptable. North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi extends her heartfelt condolences to both the family and the school community during this profoundly distressing time,” said Molokwane.
Meanwhile, the North West police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said the police are investigating the incident that occurred at approximately 2:30pm, outside school premises. Mokgwabone said no one has been arrested thus far.
14 October 2024 – The Standing Committee on the Auditor General engaged with National Treasury on the more than R1 billion in audit fees owed to the Auditor General South Africa (AGSA) by auditees such as financially distressed municipalities. The committee invited the National Treasury to brief it on the interventions to assist the AGSA with regards to the outstanding audit fees, especially audit fees owed by financially unviable municipalities.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Wouter Wessels said the National Treasury explained the current interventions to resolve this issue which could, if not effectively attended to, have dire consequences to the fulfilment of the Chapter 9’s constitutional mandate of overseeing the expenditure and the management of the public purse.
Wessels further said one intervention is to defray excess audit fees from auditees that are in financial difficulty as a direct charge against the National Revenue Fund. He added that a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the National Treasury and the AGSA was signed for the implementation thereof.
“The committee heard that these outstanding fees are due to the constrained fiscal environment. Members of the committee highlighted that municipalities and government entities’ failure to pay creditors within the 30 days as stipulated in the PFMA constitute financial misconduct.
“The committee said the National Treasury should consider deducting the fees owed to AGSA from either the Equitable Share or National Revenue Fund allocated to the provincial budget of the municipality concerned,” said Wessels.
He expressed his grave concern for the lack of clear strategic interventions to deal with the matter at hand. Wessels said what the committee is worried and concerned about is how the outstanding audit fees are increasing and how this can be detrimental to the continued independence of the AGSA.
“The committee said if nothing is done to address the R1 billion audit fees owed to AGSA by some municipalities and government entities now, this amount will easily escalate to more than R2 billion in the next five years.
“The committee called for decisive plans and interventions to address this in order to keep the AGSA independent, and ensure transparency and accountability regarding public funds,” he said.
The Guardian 