Daily Archives: January 12, 2025

‘Day one of schools should be about teaching and learning’

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Picture: A Grade 12 learner looking for his name on a newspaper/Generic

By REGINALD KANYANE

12 January 2025– The Select Committee on Education, Science and Creative Industries has called on the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to focus on its primary function of school admissions and teaching on the first day of schools reopening. The committee described as unfortunate reports that Grade 12 learners paid a fee to view results.

The Chairperson of Select Committee on Education, Science and Creative Industries, Makhi Feni said the issue around paying a fee to view results is another form of extortion and should not be entertained. Feni said the first day of school is about admission, registration and allocation of stationery as per the requirements of the curriculum.

“On behalf of the committee, we trust Minister Siviwe Gwarube and her team will ensure the reopening of schools runs smoothly. South African schools will open this week for the first term of the year.

“This coincides with the release of the 2024 matric results. Lobby groups had taken the minister to court and lost their bid to block the publication of the matric results in newspapers,” he said.

Feni further called on Gwarube to bring to Parliament the norms and regulations regarding the complete implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act (BELA). He added that, they trust that Gwarube will not seek to use the regulations for political gain of BELA opponents.

“The President has ordered a complete implementation in the presidential ascension to the BELA Act. It is such a comprehensive piece of legislation that need not be viewed with narrow minds.

“The Act was about the future of South African education and not about interest groups wanting to reminisce about old South Africa. We also noted the campaigns around scholar transport and other issues like cutting teacher posts,” said Feni.

He added that these are side shows that need not impact the reopening of schools, and the necessary learner and teacher support should be provided to all schools so that they are geared for effective learning on the first day.

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SANCO calls on North West govt to address flood risks

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Picture: A man trapped in the water on N18 road near Vryburg in 2021/Generic

By BAKANG KOKOTO

12 January 2025- The South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) in the North West has called on the North West Provincial Government (NWPG) to take urgent and decisive action to reduce flood risks and improve infrastructure in our communities.

SANCO said climate change is a reality, and its effects such as prolonged heavy rains are increasingly evident across South Africa, including in provinces like North West, Gauteng, and KwaZulu-Natal.

SANCO provincial spokesperson, Mzukisi Jam said in the past two weeks, the province has faced severe flooding, causing significant damage to roads, homes, and critical state infrastructure, including hospitals. Jam said these floods have exposed the government’s inability to maintain essential infrastructure, including storm-water systems and healthcare facilities.

“For decades, communities have voiced their concerns about the deteriorating state of government infrastructure, often citing that the government of the day seems to have an attitude towards a solid foundation inherited from the former Bophuthatswana Government.

“However, instead of preserving and improving these assets, we are witnessing a decline. The health sector, in particular, highlights this neglect. Hospitals such as Thusong in Itsoseng have collapsed due to poor maintenance, leaving communities reliant on overburdened facilities like Lichtenburg Hospital and the Mahikeng Provincial Hospital,” he said.

Jam further said Gelukspan Hospital is also deteriorating rapidly and they will not be surprised should it collapse like Thusong because instead of the government responding to community requests to increase health facilities, they are failing in their face.

He added that the lack of maintenance across the province is actually threatening the sustainability of health services.

“Recent floods have worsened the situation with floods damaging the General De La Rey Hospital in Lichtenburg, forcing the transfer of patients to other facilities.

“These severe flooding also disrupted operations in the Moses Kotane Hospital, necessitating the relocation of patients. Many of these hospitals were built over 50 years ago, yet they continue to operate with outdated infrastructure,” said Jam.

He said the lack of investment in maintenance and expansion has left health facilities unable to meet the growing needs of the population. Jam said despite the North West MEC for Health, Sello Lehari’s “Rebona ka Matlho” program aimed at identifying and addressing these issues, no meaningful improvements have been seen.

“The community’s frustrations persist as services decline, with ambulance response times taking hours and patients sleeping on hospital floors due to overcrowding.

“Our hope for an improved public health sector is now in the National Health Insurance (NHI) initiative, which other people see as another project that is going to fail and be used by corrupt individuals to enrich themselves,” he said.

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Four suspects nabbed for armed robbery

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Picture: A man arrested in connection of murder in Vryburg/Generic

By REGINALD KANYANE

12 January 2025 – Four men who were arrested by the Rustenburg Flying Squad police for alleged armed robbery, possession of suspected stolen goods and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, are expected to appear in the Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court soon.

The suspects were arrested at approximately 9:15am on the R510 road on 11 January 2025.

The North West police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said they were arrested after allegedly robbing two men of their cell phones and undisclosed amount of cash. Mokgwabone said the victims who are operating a business at Extension 5, Boitekong, were on the way to Rustenburg when the suspects’ navy blue Volkswagen Polo overtook and immediately blocked their car, thus forcing it to stop near Ramochana.

“The suspects got out of their car, pointed at the victims with a firearm, then robbed them of cash, cell phones and fled from the scene. Due to apparent reckless driving and movement of the suspects’ car, the vigilant Flying Squad members, who were performing Operation Shanela duties, chased and stopped it. 

“The victims who arrived while the suspects were still being searched and interviewed, informed the police that the men robbed them. As a result, nine cell phones and an undisclosed amount of cash, two firearms and ammunition were found. The suspects were apprehended,” he said.

Meanwhile, the acting North West Police Commissioner, Major General Patrick Asaneng, welcomed the arrest and applauded the members for their vigilance and directed that no stone should be left unturned to ascertain if the suspects are not linked to other robberies committed in the area.

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Monna o latofadiwang ka go bolaya lekgarebe la kwa Pudimoe o tshwerwe

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Setshwantsho: Moswi, Boingotlo Makaota/Facebook

Ka OBAKENG MAJE

12 Ferikgong 2025- Monna wa dingwaga di le 40, yo o latofadiwang ka go bolaya mosetsanyana wa dingwaga di le 16, kwa motseng wa Matlhako 2, gaufi le Pudimoe o tshwerwe. Se se tla morago ga gore setopo sa ga Boingotlo Makaota , se bonwe kwa lebitleng le le seng boteng kwa nageng kwa motseng wa Matlhako 2 mo letsatsing la Labotlhano.

Sepodisi se begile fa Makaota a ka tswa le bolailwe ka Labone bosigo.

Go begwa fa moagisani wa mmelaelwa, a ile a begela sepodisi fa a utlwile segajaja sa lekgarebe mo bosigong jwa Labone kwa ntlung ya mmelaelwa. Go begwa fa moagisani o, a tlhalositse fa gape a ne a bona mmelaelwa ga mmogo le ditsala tsa gagwe ba kgorometsa kereibaye e go bontshang fa ene e pegile sengwe mo teng mo mosong wa Labotlhano.

Sebueledi sa sepodisi mo Bokone Bophirima, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone are: “Sepodisi se ile sa tswa letsholo, mme seo se ile sa lebisa kwa go epololweng ga setopo sa lekgarebe mo letsatsing la gompieno.

“Go begwa fa setopo seo, sene se thatilwe ka kobo, mme moswi one a supiwa ke ba lelapa la gagwe jaaka Boingotlo Makaota. Dipatlisiso di shupa fa setopo sa ga Makaota, se ne se na le dintho mo tlhogong, mo diropeng ga mmogo le mo maotong.”

Mokgwabone are dipatlisiso di ile tsa bolodiwa kwa lelapeng la mmelaelwa, mme diaparo tsa moswi di ile tsa fitlhelwa teng. Mokgwabone are, mmelaelwa o tshwerwe mo letsatsing la maabane morago ga gore a ineele kwa sepodising.

“Monna o, o ile a isiwa ke morwa-rragwe kwa sepodisi, mme a tshwarwa. Sepodisi se ile sa botsolotsa monna mongwe o bonweng a tsamaya le mmelaelwa fa a ne a kgorometsa kereibaye,” Mokgwabone wa tlhalosa.

Kgabagare, Mokomishinara wa Sepodisi wa nama o sa tshwere mo Bokone Bophirima, Major General Patrick Asaneng, o kgadile ka bogale tiragalo e. Asaneng are polao eo ya go tlhorontshiwa ga bong e kabo e efogilwe fa baagi ba ne ba le Malala-a-laotswe.

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