Monthly Archives: May 2025

A man sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for murder

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Picture: A man holding knife smeared with blood and still dripping/Supplied

By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI 

20 May 2025- A man sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by the Pretoria North Regional Court for stabbing a man to death. On 23 January 2024, in the evening, Tshireletso Manamela (20), went to the local tuck shop to buy cigarettes in Soshanguve Township, near Pretoria. 

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in Gauteng, Lumka Mahanjana said while Manamela was at the tuck shop, he came across the accused, Tebogo Boikie Selowa (31), who pointed at him with a knife. Mahanjana said a community member who was nearby witnessed the altercation and tried intervening, but Selowa pushed him away.  

“Thereafter, he proceeded to stab Manamela twice in the neck, and he died on the scene because of his injuries. Selowa then fled the scene. However, the following morning, he handed himself over to the Soshanguve Police Station.

“In court, Selowa pleaded not guilty to the charge of intentionally killing the deceased. Instead, he told the court that he acted out of self-defence. However, the state prosecutor Hanlie Du Preez led compelling evidence from witnesses who were on the scene when the incident happened and proved that indeed Selowa intentionally stabbed the deceased unprovoked,” she said. 

Mahanjana further said during sentencing proceedings, Selowa, through his legal representative, asked the court to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentence of 15 years’ direct imprisonment because he is young and has also shown remorse by apologising to the family of the deceased. She added that Du Preez argued against the deviation from the prescribed minimum sentence because Selowa was convicted of a serious offence that is very prevalent in the court’s jurisdiction. 

“Furthermore, she said that the deceased was a young man, who had a bright future ahead of him and in just minutes, his entire future was robbed from him. His family was also robbed of a son. Du Preez argued that Selowa showed no sincere remorse for the offence because he only apologised to the family of the deceased after he was found guilty of the offence. 

“She also handed in Victim Impact Statements (VIS) facilitated by the Court Preparation Officer, Maano Magondo, where the deceased parents stated how the death of their son left them traumatised and heartbroken, as they had hopes that their son would grow up and make them proud,” said Mahanjana.

In delivering the judgement, Magistrate Pieter Nel agreed with the state that Selowa did not show sincere remorse for the offence and continued to add that a young man’s life was taken away from him for no apparent reason. 

“Unfortunately, our country has a high criminal rate as such, the community expects the court to protect them from perpetrators such as this one, by removing them from society. The VIS clearly shows the court that the murder of the deceased left a severe and traumatic impact on the family. 

“Therefore, I found no substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentence. I also ordered that he be declared unfit to possess a firearm,” he said.

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 ‘Declare high rate of unemployment a disaster’

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Picture: The SACP Provincial Secretary, Madoda Sambatha/Facebook

By OBAKENG MAJE 

20 May 2025- The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the North West has called on the North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi to declare sky-rocketing unemployment as a disaster. This comes after North West recorded the highest unemployment rate this quarter of 40.4%. 

SACP provincial secretary, Madoda Sambatha said the unemployment in the province relates to the mining industry. Sambatha said this is one of the sectors that contributed negatively to the employment figures. 

“I was highly shocked that our unemployment statistics in the province are not decreasing. While it is not also decreasing across the province, ours is the worst component. Surprisingly, we are credited as one of the provinces that have mineral deposits still not extracted from the ground. 

“So, we call on Mokgosi to declare unemployment statistics and status in the province as a provincial disaster. Each provincial department and private sector must be convened to come up with options on how to address the disaster of unemployment,” he said. 

Sambatha further said unemployment is easily a disaster of hunger and inequality. He added that they call for the implementation of the National Development Strategy that was adopted by the government. 

The ANCYL Provincial Secretary, Brian Huma shared the same sentiments. Huma said they have noted with sadness the Q1 of QLFS and its unintended consequences on the plight of young people. 

“North West as a province forms part of the 50.2 % unemployment rate of young people in South Africa. We further note that young people face the highest barriers of entry to entering the workforce. Whilst the challenges facing young people are not new as a result they are trending negatively in many cases.

“The report by Statistics SA, makes a good point by sharing the uneven ground between the rural youth and urban youth. This is corroborated through the staggering 58% of unemployment, which is mainly attributed to the economic exclusion,” he said. 

Huma said the situation has to be turned around. He said with three public TVET colleges and 6 state colleges of agriculture, nursing and hotel schools respectively being present in our province we need to propel the revolution of making sure that young people acquire impactful skills that will contribute towards the growth of our province. 

“We have made significant points as far as the reforms are concerned in the province. The first point is on our state of SOEs and how they ought to be realigned for a better realisation of the impact they will have in as far as economic growth and job creation are concerned. 

“Further support the move for an establishment of a road agency of the province and further advancing for the absorption of many graduates and artisans that are unemployed to propel the transformation and growth agenda for our province,” said Huma. 

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Patients sleeping on the floor at Ganyesa Hospital 

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Picture: Some of patients sleeping on the floor at Ganyesa District Hospital/Facebook

By OBAKENG MAJE 

20 May 2025- The North West Department of Health is under scrutiny after patients were found sleeping on the benches and floors at Ganyesa District Hospital. It is alleged that some of the waiting patients have chronic diseases. 

One of the community members in Ganyesa, who refused to be named for fear of reprisal said, he believes that the North West Department of Health is at the ‘brink of collapse’ because this has been going on for a long time. He further said what is happening is uncalled for and the hospital management seems not to care. 

“Patients continue to be subjected to harsher treatment at the hospital and nothing is being done. We call on the North West MEC for Health, Sello Lehari to launch a high level investigation into the matter. 

“These patients have left their homes and come here so that they can be reviewed. Even though the hospital provides transport for them to go to tertiary hospitals, I think it must also provide them with beds to sleep in when waiting overnight for transport to other hospitals,” he added. 

Meanwhile, the North West Department of Health spokesperson, Tshegofatso Mothibedi said following a concern raised on social media related to patients sleeping on the floor, while awaiting transportation to Klerksdorp, the facility managed to source out 30 beds and 60 blankets to be utilized by these patients. Mothibedi said the Nursing Manager responsible for the night shift will supervise the process daily and report in the morning during handover.

“The institution would like to report that the reason for accommodating patients in the Outpatient Department (OPD) is that the identified area for overnight stay was damaged by fire on 30 November 2024, and is currently under renovation. So, due to limited space overnight, the patients await OPD and arrangements have been made for accommodation of patients from 13 May 2025,” he said. 

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Monna o thopilwe ka dikgoka 

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Ka KEDIBONE MOLAETSI 

19 Motsheganong 2025- Sepodisi sa Taung se batlisisa kgetsi ya go thopa ka dikgoka le kgothoso. Se, se tla morago ga gore monna wa dingwaga di le 61, a kgorogelwe ke banna ba le bararo fa a ne a robetse kwa ntlung ya gagwe kwa motseng wa Lokaleng, gaufi le Taung ka Lamatlhatso bosigo. 

Go begwa fa banna ba ba sa itsiweng ba, ba ile ba tsenya monna o mo sejanageng sa gagwe le go mo amoga karata ya gagwe ya banka le mogala wa letheka. Go begwa fa ba ile ba tsamaya le ene, mme ba ile bam o latlhela kwa motseng wa Cokonyane, gaufi le Taung, le go tshaba ka sejanaga sa gagwe. 

Sebueledi sa sepodisi mo sedikeng sa Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, Warrant Officer Tryphosa van Rooyen are: “Ga gona ope o tshwerweng go fitlha ga jaana mabapi le kgang e, fela dipatlisiso di tsweletse.”

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Seminal review of white paper on local govt welcomed  

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Picture: The Chairperson of Portfolio Committee on COGTA, Dr Zweli Mkhize 

By REGINALD KANYANE 

19 May 2025 – The Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) said it has welcomed the launch of the seminal Review of the 1998 White Paper on Local Government, hailing it as an important step towards more accountable and efficient local governments, resulting in better service delivery.

The Chairperson of the Committee, Dr Zweli Mkhize and several committee members attended the launch event in Johannesburg on Monday. Mkhize said the review was launched under the theme: “Every municipality must work – A call to collective action”.

“The review is long overdue, as a lot has changed in local government since the first White Paper, with many municipalities struggling and dysfunctional. 

“The vision for local government as an important lever in addressing historical injustices and improving people’s lives has not aligned with the lived realities in communities over the years,” he said.

Mkhize further said the review provides an important pause to reinvigorate and chart a new trajectory of growth, development and efficiency for the municipalities. He added that they have invited all stakeholders to make their voices heard in the planned consultations that will follow, as the review is set to address service delivery challenges in municipalities and the funding model for local government, among other things.

“The committee is looking forward to interacting with the review process of the White Paper on Local Government. The review is expected to be finalised by March 2025,” said Mkhize. 

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‘Something bad happening at the airport’

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Picture: The GD Montshioa International Airport

By OBAKENG MAJE 

19 May 2025- The consultative engagement between the North West Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety and Transport Management regarding the GD Montshioa International Airport saga has opened a ‘can of worms’.  

Last week, the North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng made a startling discovery that there are individuals who are ‘illegally’ utilising the aviation facility at the airport. The Guardian newspaper understands that 11 individuals who allegedly occupied the airport were verified. 

The department allegedly found one British national, one Ghanaian national, eight Nigerian nationals and three South Africans at the airport.   

Now, the Chairperson of North West Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee, Freddy Sonakile, who had an engagement with the department said, there are more questions than answers. Sonakile said they have resolved to have a follow-up meeting with the department on 3 June 2025. 

“We will summon the implicated aviation companies, including the South African Police Services (SAPS) because I also believe they have a case to answer in terms of intelligence. 

“The department’s report indicates that the verification process took place only after the MEC went there. So, most definitely, we have to call SAPS,” he said. 

Sonakile further said, he is more confused than ever.  

“Most definitely, the consequence management will take place because we cannot have a situation like this and behave like it is normal. So, heads must roll. Someone must account and if there were payments, they were paid to whom? 

“The department must bring a comprehensive report that is crystal clear. We have also told the department to go and implement consequence management on its part,” he said. 

Sonakile added that they will determine what will happen next after they have received a detailed report.     

The EFF Member of Provincial Legislature (MPL) in North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL), Fanon Moema said they have prodded into many issues that are taking place at the airport and they are not happy with the department’s response. Moema said there is an aviation activity taking place there, but the department was unable to collect revenue because the company that had a contract with them is allegedly collecting rental money on behalf of the department, even though their lease with the department has long been terminated. 

“So, a lot of revenue that was supposed to be utilised for other services was lost in between. We strongly feel that the department has failed, yet the province is faced with a backlash in terms of revenue collection, high rate of unemployment and poor service delivery. 

“The department could also not give back in terms of corporate social investment in what it has done directly, except saying it will give us answers in writing,” he said. 

Moema said if these individuals are not identified, that means they can utilise the national key points such as airports to process drugs and other criminal activities.

Umkhonto Wesizwe Party Member of Provincial Legislature (MPL), Lerato Tsholo shared the same sentiments. Tsholo said she is totally disappointed regarding the response they received from the department. 

“The department’s response lacks accountability and responsibility in its entirety. You cannot have issues that have taken place since 2014, and no one is there to account. 

“There is something sinister happening at the airport and who knows that there were drugs being peddled at this airport in the name of an aviation school?,” she asked.       

Meanwhile, the North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng said: “The African Union Aviation Academy does not have students at the moment. Another aviation school operating at the former air force base is called Paramount Aviation and is owned by Kaela Seoe-Okafor, who is a South African and her husband who is a Nigerian national. 

“Similarly they had a contract with the management company that had an agreement with the department. The department’s contract with the management company has ended and after their departure the two schools continued to operate without any agreement with the Department.”

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Mokgosi to establish committee to address Bahurutshe Boo Mokgatlha tribal disputes  

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Picture: North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi

By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

16 May 2025- The Standing Committee on Legislative Review and Implementation of House Resolutions held an oversight meeting over a petition submitted by Molefe David Mooketsi on behalf of the petitioners from Bahurutshe Boo Mokgatlha. The North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi together with North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Oageng Molapisi together with the departmental officials were present at the meeting where the petition was submitted by Mooketsi on behalf of the community of Koffiekraan in Moses Kotane Local Municipality in Bojanala District.

Mooketsi said the Bahurutshe Boo Mokgatlha from Mokgatlha (Koffikraal village) raised concerns regarding tribal disputes on traditional leadership dating back from 1993 to date. Mooketsi informed the Standing Committee that there has been a concern about the current leadership’s legal standing and how it was elected without a tribal council.

“We request the legislature to intervene in ensuring that the rightful leadership be appointed as we do not recognise the current Kgosi. We’ve had multiple commissions on the matter through the provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and Office of the Premier which deals with traditional leadership disputes but the matter has not been resolved.

“There are rumours that there are unsigned close-out reports on the matter but we have not received any formal feedback from the provincial government. We do not have a properly constituted royal family and tribal council where the community is also represented as per prescripts of the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act and which receives the relevant community support,” he said.  

Mooketsi further said they will give the committee all support with all the out structures in place. He added that they welcome Mokgosi’s plan to establish the dispute committee.

Mokgosi said the provincial government will establish a dispute committee where the matter will be investigated. He said they commit as the government that they will establish the committee within the next two weeks with relevant terms of references, where it will work with all the relevant stakeholders to explore and investigate this matter as part of Section 59 of the Traditional and Khoisan Leadership Act.

“The committee will be given three months to conduct its work and make proper recommendations. We promise as the provincial government that we will prioritise this matter and give it urgency,” said Mokgosi.

Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Standing Committee, Tebogo Modise also welcomed the suggestions of the provincial government.

“We hope that this matter can be resolved in the near future and are happy that there is commitment from the head of the provincial government,” said Modise.

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Zimbabwean sentenced to life for rape

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By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

16 May 2025- The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said it welcomes the sentence of life imprisonment for rape handed down by the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court to a Zimbabwean national, Mulero Nyangero (32), from Pretoria West. Nyangero was further sentenced to five years imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances.

The NPA regional spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana said the court ordered that the sentences should run concurrently and he must be declared unfit to possess a firearm. Mahanjana said on 14 August 2020, in the afternoon, the victim was running on Kloof Street in Pretoria West, when three men came out of the nearby bush, approached and dragged her into the bushes, where Nyangero raped her.

“While Nyengero was raping her the other two men were assaulting her and threaten her with a knife.  Thereafter, they forced her to transfer money to them via cell phone banking, tied her hands and fled the scene.

“The victim untied herself, ran to the road, where she got a lift home from a vehicle passing by. Thereafter, she went to Pretoria West Police Station, where she reported the matter,” she said.

Mahanjana further said after investigations, Nyangero was arrested on 21 February 2021, at a tavern in Pretoria West and has been in custody since. She added that, in court, Nyangero pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him and denied ever committing the offences.

“However, the state prosecutor, advocate Chester Molaba, presented compelling evidence by the investigating officers and the victim, which proved that indeed Nyangero committed the offences.

“During sentencing proceedings through his legal representative, Nyangero asked the court to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentences because he is married and has two minor children that he needs to provide and care for,” said Mahanjana.

She said, furthermore, he asked the court to consider the fact that he has been in custody for four years since his arrest. Mahanjana said Molaba, however, argued against the deviation from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment because Nyangero showed no remorse for the serious crimes of Gender Based Violence (GBV) he committed, which are prevalent in the country.

“Molaba argued that the offences were inhumane, vicious, and brutal against a defenceless woman. In delivering the judgment, Magistrate Themba Ndwandwe, agreed with the state that the crimes committed by Nyangero were inhumane and that he showed no remorse.

“He said that his actions showed that he had no respect for women because he treated the victim like an animal. Therefore, he found no substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentence,” she said.

Meanwhile, the acting Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) advocate, Marika Jansen Van Vuuren, applauds the work of the prosecutor and the investigating officer, Captain Mkhonto, which led to this conviction and sentence. Van Vuuren said she hope that this sentence reaffirms the NPA’s commitment to prosecuting crimes of Gender Based Violence (GBV).

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Motlhabi aims to address challenges facing various projects

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Picture: The Lekwa-Teemane Local Municipality mayor, Sebang Motlhabi

By REGINALD KANYANE

16 May 2025- The Lekwa-Teemane Local Municipality said it proceeded with the Mayoral IDP/Budget consultative Imbizo at Boitumelong Sports Ground in Bloemhof on 15 May 2025. The municipality said the event critically fostered community participation and transparency.

The Lekwa Teemane Local Municipality mayor, Sebang Motlhabi emphasized the importance of active community engagement in shaping local development initiatives. Motlhabi said the municipality outlined the draft budget for the 2025/2026 financial year.

“Our presentation detailed the financial allocations and strategic priorities intended to address the community’s needs. This draft budget is a crucial element in ensuring resource allocation aligns with the community’s expectations and development goals.

“It is important and necessary to cooperate between municipal authorities and residents for effective governance and development. I also provided updates on significant developmental projects within the municipality such as the ongoing progress of the Bloemhof Mall and the thriving Salamat Shopping Complex,” he said.

Motlhabi further said the sewer outflow project aimed at resolving spillage issues, which underscores the municipality’s commitment to infrastructure improvement and environmental health. He added that, the mayoral imbizo represents a continuous effort by the municipality to engage with residents, ensuring that their voices contribute in shaping the municipality’s developmental trajectory.

“This collaboration between the government and its citizens is essential for ensuring sustainable growth and a higher quality of life for all community members,” said Motlhabi.

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SA U20 men’s national team reach AFCON final

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Picture: Amajita players celebrating against Nigeria/Generic

By OBAKENG MAJE

16 May 2025 – Amajita are through to the final of the U20 Africa Cup of Nations after beating Nigeria 1-0 in a tense final at the Suez Canal Stadium in Egypt on Thursday night. A lone strike from Tylon Smith in the 66th minute, assisted by Neo Rapoo, sealed the victory for the South African U20 men’s national team.

Amajita coach, Raymond Mdaka’s team started their AFCON campaign with a defeat to the hosts Egypt, but they regrouped to eventually march to the final for the first time in 28 years. Their last appearance in the AFCON finals was back in 1997, where they lost against Morocco.

Mdaka congratulated his players and said they have grown with each passing game in the tournament and shown a lot of character.

“Yes, another win, congratulations to the boys. What a good job, good character, very disciplined, sticking to the agreements, tactical, technical. We really appreciate it.

“As much as it was not easy, our boys are growing in each and every match, growing in character and growing in everything. Thank you so much and well done boys and well done for the country,” he said.

Meanwhile, the SAFA president, Dr Danny Jordaan, congratulated the team on their achievement.

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