Picture: North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng/Supplied
By REGINALD KANYANE
31 October 2024- North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng met with the department key stakeholders, SANSBOC and SANTACO to address issues that will harmonize the working relationship with the bodies.
The first meeting was with SANSBOC to deal with scholar Transport claims and late payments which has been a thorn that also worried Morweng as the matter can affect learners who rely on the service.
He further resolved that outstanding payments to scholar transport operators should be given priority and those that are claimed are outstanding be brought forward and be dealt with. Morweng added that the second meeting was with SANTACO, which was on commuter transport and the role SANTACO should play in the industry, as well as what is due to them as per agreement.
“We resolved that a meeting that is expected to take place next week on Monday between SANTACO and Commuter Bus companies, the Head of Department (HOD), and other relevant parties, must come up with a workable solution.
“All participants of the two meetings appreciated how we handled their matters and they were grateful about the outcome of the meetings,” he said.
Picture: The North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi
By BAKANG MOKOTO
31 October 2024- In efforts to mobilize parents and communities in supporting learners, particularly during the demanding examination period, the North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi, held a crucial engagement session with School Governing Bodies (SGBs) and ward councillors from underperforming schools at Victory Primary School in Mahikeng on 30 October 2024.
The department is making a heartfelt appeal to parents to step forward and support learners by providing vital assistance at school incubation camps, which require additional manpower to operate effectively. Motsumi emphasises that the role of SGBs should extend beyond administrative tasks to focus on enhancing teaching and learning quality.
“When we launched the last push campaign in September, we called on all stakeholders including the parent component to rally behind our candidates during the examination time to acquire the desired results at the end of the year.
“Now, we need to take action on the last push we launched knowing that it takes a village to raise a child. I urge every SGB member to prioritise the learners’ best interests above all else. We need SGBs that are committed to fostering a curriculum that truly supports our learners,” she said.
Motsumi further said the session underscores that many SGBs in underperforming schools dedicate excessive time to administrative responsibilities, often overlooking their critical role in actively managing and monitoring educational quality, which is essential for improving learner outcomes. She added that simultaneously, similar engagement sessions are taking place across all four districts in the province, led by senior officials from the department, to ensure a united effort in addressing educational challenges at all levels.
“The department is encouraged by the commitment of newly-elected SGBs in schools facing performance challenges. Their active involvement will be pivotal in enhancing school operations, addressing community needs, and improving learner success,” said Motsumi.
31 October 2024 – South African Football Association (SAFA) President, Dr Danny Jordaan and several of his counterparts from the COSAFA region have endorsed Dr Patrice Motsepe to be re-elected as Confederation of African Football (CAF) President.
Jordaan welcomed Botswana Football Association, President Oabile Tariq Babitseng, Zambia’s Andrew Kamanga, Eswatini’s Peter Simelane and Malawi’s Fleetwood Haiya to SAFA House in Nasrec on Wednesday and they all said they are backing Motsepe to be appointed for a second term during the CAF elections in March 2025.
Jordaan said while most of the 14 member countries of COSAFA were not present at SAFA House, they are fully behind the re-election of Motsepe and have already confirmed their support.
“I’ve spoken to all of the Presidents in the region and some of them could not be here with us, but they did send messages of support, and we want to explain why we are supporting the name of Motsepe.
“We did so the first time he served a term in 2021 and now he is going for the second term. I think from our perspective, from their own perspective (the Presidents), there’s been significant improvement in CAF not just from a financial point of view because very often you only look at the financial aspect, but also from a football point of view.
“We now have a CAF schools’ competition which starts in COSAFA and of course SAFA are the champions of both schools’ girls and boys. Then there is the Under 20 Championship,” he said.
Jordaan further said football on the continent has grown in leaps and bounds under Motsepe’s watch, with both the women’s and the men’s game continuing to show rapid development. He added that football has really shown exponential growth under the leadership of Motsepe.
“From a CAF perspective, you know that CAF started off with a huge deficit. Andrew Kamanga sitting here next to me is the vice-chair of the CAF Finance Committee. He gave the financial report to the CAF Congress in Addis, Ethiopia, recently, and he can give you details on how that recovery happened.
“But simply to say that the most financially successful Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) was the recent one in Côte d’Ivoire (in the beginning of the year) and it was a huge success, in terms of television viewership, in terms of revenue, ticket sales, global reach, all of it was just phenomenal,” said Jordaan.
He said given the background and the achievement over the period, they thought it’s best for them to endorse Motsepe again for a second time.
Meanwhile, the regional Presidents that were present at SAFA House, echoed Jordaan’ sentiments and said, Motsepe came in during a challenging period for CAF in 2021, but he managed to turn things around and the continental body is heading in the right direction.
Kamanga said: “So, the time that Motsepe has been with CAF since 2021, the results are there to show. And for the sake of continuity and believing that we will even do much, much better, we think we need the stability and continuation of leadership. For that reason, we’ve resolved as members of COSAFA to support his candidacy to the next election in March 2025.”
31 October 2024- A man (29) who was arrested for murder remanded in custody until 1 November 2024, for formal bail application. It is alleged that Jeremy Bosman assaulted and killed his stepson, Charvandre Kieran Everson (3), after he wet the bed in De Aar.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in Northern Cape, Mojalefa Senokoatsane said Bosman is also facing assault with the intent to cause Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) charge against the child’s mother, Charmelle Thys (29). Senokoatsane said on 19 October 2024, following an incident where the young victim urinated in bed, Bosman allegedly reacted violently by repeatedly striking the child on the head with his hands.
“It is further alleged that he used a broom to assault the boy and subsequently slammed his head against a wall. Witness testimonies and preliminary investigations suggested that these actions left the child unable to eat or open his mouth properly.
“Following a second incident of urination, Bosman again assaulted Everson, resulting in blood being observed in the child’s mouth and him losing control of his bodily functions. Reports indicate that the toddler was left weak and unable to move his legs,” he said.
Senokoatsane further said realising the severity of his actions, Bosman reportedly instructed Thys, the mother of the child not to disclose anything about the incidents and took the injured child to the De Aar New Hospital. He added that upon arrival, medical personnel determined that Everson had already succumbed to his injuries.
“During the examination, staff noted multiple bruises on the child’s body, particularly on his back, prompting them to contact law enforcement due to suspicions of foul play. Following an investigation, the police charged Bosman with murder and assault GBH.
“Bosman will remain in custody until 1 November 2024, where he is expected to formally apply for bail. However, the prosecution intends to oppose bail in this Schedule 6 bail application, citing the seriousness of the charges,” said Senokoatsane.
He said the investigations into the matter continue and NPA is committed to ensure that justice is served.
The Guardian 