13 March 2025- A woman (36) was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by the Postmasburg Regional Court for murder. On 24 December 2023, the accused, Ilse Freemen, went to the victim’s shack at Maranteng in Postmasburg.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Sergeant Molefi Shemane said Freemen, confronted the victim (32), about a stolen door and gossip stories that were spread. Shemane said an argument ensued between the two women and the accused strangled the victim to death.
“The accused reported the incident to the victim’s boyfriend, who then called the police. The accused was subsequently arrested,” he said.
Meanwhile, ZF Mgcawu District management commended Investigating Officer, Detective Sergeant Tshonto Kgomonyane, for his thorough investigation work in ensuring that the accused served time for the heinous crime.
Picture: A bus crashed killing numerous people/Google
By BAKANG MOKOTO
13 March 2025- The Chairperson of the Select Committee on Security and Justice, Jane Mananiso, has noted with appreciation the outstanding assistance provided by members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) yesterday to the victims of a bus crash in Ekurhuleni. The accident occurred on the R21 near the OR Tambo International Airport where, according to media reports, 12 people died and several others were injured, three of whom later died of their injuries.
Mananiso said the presence and assistance of the SANDF members calmed and reassured the survivors of the accident.
“We are really grateful that defence force members are able to assist in emergency situations like that one. We should see more of such actions, as they reflect positively on our defence force.
“South Africans should note these kinds of acts and acknowledge them. Gauteng government leaders from all spheres quickly arrived at the site of the accident and victims were taken swiftly,” she said.
Mananiso emphasised the value of acknowledging the goodwill demonstrated by soldiers at times such as these, when they are helping society outside of conflict zones and times of war.
13 March 2025- The Northern Cape MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Bentley Vass on Thursday, met with the Implementing Agents (IAs) and contractors appointed for the 1 Billion Rand Housing Project for the Northern Cape, launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa and Northern Cape Premier, Dr Zamani Saul, in January 2024.
Vass said the project was launched to address the huge housing backlog in the Northern Cape and will deliver a total of 2500 units as part of the first phase of the project, across 13 local municipalities, in the 5 districts of the province. He further said the meeting was part of ongoing engagements with the contractors to address delays in the building process that may delay the delivery of these houses to the beneficiaries.
“There is a need for contractors to accelerate the pace and to meet their contractual obligations and agreed timelines. We are not going to tolerate undue delays or shoddy workmanship, because our communities deserve good quality houses, sooner than later, from this government.
“We are monitoring your performances closely across the five districts, and we are going to ultimately terminate non-performing contractors because we cannot continue at this slow pace,’’ said Vass.
He added that two Implementing Agents (IAs) and nineteen contractors, were appointed by the department in 2024 to be part of this project. Vass said the IAs are responsible for overseeing the entire project.
“They committed to monitoring the contractors closely and to apply necessary proactive measures to prevent any delays,” he said.
13 March 2025 – The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education said it welcomes the briefing from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) regarding the appointments of Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) board members. The committee said it has acknowledged the progress made by some SETAs, such as achieving clean audit reports, but emphasised that others still require significant improvements in their governance systems.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Tebogo Letsie said the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, informed them that the Skills Development Act is among the key pieces of legislation targeted by her department for amendment in the near future. Letsie said according to the DHET, the National Skills Authority assessed SETA boards to evaluate their effectiveness in fulfilling their fiduciary responsibilities.
“The study revealed that there are 315 board member positions across all 21 SETAs, with each SETA comprising 15 members as per the standard SETA Constitution.
“The DHET also highlighted that board members generally possess high levels of educational qualifications, which align with the specific skills and knowledge required for effective governance within their respective sectors,” he said.
Letsie further said there have been cases where SETA board members’ frequent attendance at meetings involved substantial travel and accommodation expenses. He added that this is concerning and to address these measures, lifestyle audits should be implemented to ensure transparency and reinforce boards’ commitment to public service.
“We implore the DHET to ensure the appointment of ethical board members for SETAs. We do not want individuals who view this as an opportunity to enrich themselves at the expense of the sector. Instead, they must see this sector as a vehicle for uplifting young people and driving meaningful change.”
“SETAs must critically review their annual performance plans to ensure they are not merely target-driven exercises but are instead informed by the country’s needs and aligned with the aspirations of young people,” said Letsie.
Picture: Community members of Zeerust embark on protest/Screenshot
By REGINALD KANYANE
13 March 2025 – The South African Police Service (SAPS) management in North West said it has noted with concern public violence inciting voicenotes doing the rounds on social media platforms. The voice notes, among others, allegedly notify the Zeerust and Lehurutshe community members about a march or shutdown on 14 March 2025, and warn taxi operators not to provide transport to commuters.
The North West police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said this comes pending water restoration feedback following the North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi’s address to the community seven days ago. Mokgwabone said the police would like to send a warning to members of the community that all citizens have rights enshrined in the constitution, including the right to peacefully picket and protest.
“Shutdowns, barricading of roads, damage to properties, and other unlawful actions are unconstitutional and cannot be tolerated. In the same breath, it is the responsibility of the police to ensure that law-abiding citizens’ rights are neither infringed upon nor denied by anyone.
“As such, the police will not hesitate to take drastic steps against anyone who embarks on or incites violence, regardless of how legitimate their concerns or grievances are,” he said.
Mokgwabone further said members of the community are urged to work with the police through Community Police Forum (CPF) structures to report any acts of violence or lawlessness intended to undermine the authority of the state.
13 March 2025- The Pretoria North Regional Court postponed the fraud case against Salamina Khoza (70), to 22 July 2025 for trial. Khoza is facing charges of The Contravention of the Social Assistance Act, Contravention of the Justice of Peace and Commissioners Oaths Act, fraud and theft.
The Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) spokesperson, Henry Mamothame said these charges relate to approximately R152 000 which she received from the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) as pension payout, while she was a director of three companies which received contracts from the SAPS, valued at over R60 million between September 2014 and August 2022. Mamothame said her companies are also a subject of criminal proceedings in various courts, wherein she is charged with other accused for corruption relating to alleged irregular tenders within the SAPS.
“Meanwhile, the case against 69-year-old Devi Sigamoney was postponed to 20 March 2025, for arguments after she filed for leave to appeal on her 10 years direct imprisonment. Her new legal representative requested for a postponement in order to study all the court transcripts.
“The sentence was imposed after she was found guilty of defrauding SASSA pension payouts of approximately R135 000 while she was also a director of a company that received contracts valued at about R88 million from the SAPS. The state will oppose this application,” he said.
Picture: MECs for COGHSTA from various provinces/Supplied
By REGINALD KANYANE
13 March 2025- The Northern Cape MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Bentley Vass said he had joined other MECs of Human Settlements, from other provinces, hosted by the Minister of Human Settlements, Thembi Simelane, visited Conradie Park, in Pinelands, Western Cape, as a build up to the MINMEC (Minister and MECs) Meeting, hosted in Cape Town, today. Conradie Park is an integrated human settlements development expected to yield 3500 residential units of which 1715 of them will be allocated to the Social Housing Programme and First Home Finance.
Vass said the fully integrated precinct development will on completion include two schools, an Early Childhood Development (ECD) facility, retail and commercial space and recreational facilities. He said he was joined by the Head of the Department (HoD), Bafedile Lenkoe, Chief Director for Human Settlements, Mr Gratitude Booysen and Head of Ministry (HoM), Mayenzeke Mbekushe, at this important MINMEC.
“The MINMEC will discuss a wide range of issues related to Human Settlements including, the Human Settlements Development Grant (HSDG) performance by Provinces and Metro Municipalities; progress that has been made in the upgrading of Informal Settlements to Phase 3 (final phase) of the Informal Settlements Upgrading Program as per the National Housing Code of 2009, progress report on the Military Veterans Housing Programme (MVHP).
“This includes an account of the emergency housing operations for the 2024/25 financial year. The Human Settlements MINMEC is a strategic high-level meeting between the Minister and the MECs to discuss critical matters related to human settlements development throughout the country,” said Vass.
13 March 2025- A new weapon in the battle against malaria is emerging, and this time not from a laboratory, but rather driven by machine learning.
Researchers at the North-West University (NWU) have leveraged artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate the search for life-saving drugs, a breakthrough that could shift the tide against this deadly disease.
The researchers have focused on a specific protein that is essential for the survival of the malaria parasite. By using machine learning, they have been able to screen thousands of potential compounds that could block this protein and prevent the parasite from thriving. This approach significantly speeds up the drug discovery process compared to traditional methods.
Malaria continues to be a major health crisis, particularly in Africa, where most cases and deaths occur.
Existing treatments are becoming less effective as the malaria parasite becomes resistant to commonly used drugs.
“We need to stay ahead of the parasite by continuously developing innovative treatments,” says Dr Fortunate Mokoena from the subject group Biochemistry and one of the lead researchers.
Machine learning vs malaria
Dr Mokoena emphasises the potential impact of their work. “By using AI and machine learning, we were able to analyse a vast number of compounds in a fraction of the time it would take using conventional approaches. This allows us to identify promising drug candidates much faster.”
The study identified several compounds that show strong potential in targeting the malaria parasite. “One compound, called FTN-T5, emerged as a promising candidate. In laboratory tests, FTN-T5 demonstrated its ability to kill the malaria parasite while remaining safe for human cells. However, further optimisation, including pre-clinical trials, is necessary before it can be developed into an approved treatment,” adds Dr Mokoena.
The use of artificial intelligence in drug discovery marks a significant shift in how scientists approach finding treatments for diseases such as malaria. Traditional drug development can take years, but AI-driven methods can streamline the process, identifying viable compounds more efficiently and cost-effectively.
Despite the progress, challenges remain. The researchers stress that additional funding and collaboration with pharmaceutical companies will be crucial in advancing these findings toward real-world applications. Clinical trials, regulatory approvals and large-scale manufacturing are still hurdles that must be overcome before a new malaria treatment reaches patients.
“These findings provide a strong starting point for developing new malaria drugs,” says Dr Mokoena. “Our goal is to create medicines that are not only effective but also have a lower risk of resistance. Our interest is to develop affordable medicines for neglected African populations.”
The research highlights how technology is transforming medicine, offering a glimpse into the future of drug discovery. If successful, this AI-driven approach could pave the way for faster and more efficient treatments, not just for malaria but for a wide range of infectious diseases.
13 Mopitlwe 2025- Ba lelapa la ga Omphile Kgosinyana wa kwa motseng wa Lokgabeng, gaufi le Taung, ba tlhalosisitse fa ba mo utlwaletse golo gongwe kwa Pampierstad. Se setla morago ga goee ba tlhalose fa ba sa itse kwa Omphile a leng teng, mme ba ikuela go baagi mo mafaratlhatlheng a farologaneng jaaka sefatlhego sa buka go ba thusa go batlana le Omphile.
Go begwa fa Omphile a ntse a dula kwa Extension 6, mono Taung.
Mmagwe Omphile, Gloria Seimelo, are ba batlana le Omphile mabapi le ngwana wa gagwe o amogetsweng kwa bookelong ka ntlheng ya pobolo.
“Re itumeletse dithuso tse re di boneng mabapi le go batlana le Omphile. Re ile ra amogela mogala go mongwe go tswa kwa Pampierstad, mme a re tlhalosetsa fa Omphile a le koo. O begile fa a dula le lekau, mme re tlhokile madi a go ya go mo tsaya.
“Ke belaela fa re ka dira jalo mo nakong e e sa fediseng pelo,” Seimelo wa tlhalosa.
13 March 2025- North West Department of Health said it joins the global community to observe the World Glaucoma Week. The department said this year’s theme is: “Uniting for a Glaucoma-Free World” and focuses on bringing communities worldwide to fight together against glaucoma blindness.
The North West MEC for Health, Sello Lehari said Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness, but with early treatment, the damage may get limited and sight may be
saved. Lehari said Glaucoma Awareness Week is a dedicated to cast a spotlight on the growing
prevalence of glaucoma and the need for early detection and management.
“The awareness campaign seeks to educate the public about the disease, its risks, and the
simple steps individuals can take to protect their vision. Through community outreach, medical advocacy and public health initiatives, the month emphasises awareness as the first step toward prevention.
“This global call to action unites individuals, healthcare professionals and organisations in a shared mission to reduce the impact of glaucoma worldwide” he said.
Lehari urges members of the public to pay attention to
their eye health and to undergo regular tests. He said his department promote regular testing and also want glaucoma patients to get their relatives involved, as the chances
of them getting glaucoma are higher than someone with no glaucoma history in their
close family environment.
“An overview of glaucoma
Glaucoma is a progressive eye disease that damages the optic nerve, often due to
elevated pressure within the eye. Left untreated, it can lead to irreversible vision loss,
starting with peripheral vision and potentially resulting in blindness.
“What makes glaucoma particularly insidious is its asymptomatic early stages, which often delay diagnosis until significant damage has occurred.
There are several types of glaucoma, with open-angle glaucoma being the most
common,” said Lehari.
He further said this form develops gradually and is often painless, making routine eye
exams critical for early detection. Lehari added that Angle-closure glaucoma, in contrast, presents
more abruptly and can cause sudden eye pain, blurred vision, and nausea, necessitating immediate medical attention.
“Other forms include congenital
glaucoma, secondary glaucoma, and normal-tension glaucoma, each with unique
characteristics that underscore the complexity of this condition,” said Lehari.
The Guardian 