Daily Archives: December 7, 2025

Seitlholo assesses urgent sanitation challenges    

NEWS Leave a comment

Picture: The Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Sello Seitlholo

By BAKANG MOKOTO 

7 December 2025- The Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Sello Seitlholo has concluded the National Sanitation Month with an oversight visit to the Tswaing Local Municipality on 3 December 2025, where he assessed urgent sanitation challenges in Sannieshof and championed key interventions to restore safe, reliable and dignified services. Seitlholo said the National Sanitation Month commemorated in the month of November, has been a country-wide drive to accelerate access to dignified sanitation, promote innovation in wastewater management and highlight the sector’s critical role in public health, environmental protection and economic development.

He further said they conducted a comprehensive inspection of the Sannieshof Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTWs), which is designed to process 770 kℓ per day, but is currently receiving inflows far beyond its capacity. Seitlholo added that this persistent overloading has resulted in severe system failures, frequent spillages and escalating environmental pollution.

“We call on both the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality and Tswaing Local Municipality, to work in earnest to turn the situation around, adding that the department will not hesitate to act where there is non-compliance or neglect. Sanitation is about dignity and each one of us deserves safe and functional services. 

“When a Wastewater Treatment Plant fails, it is families who suffer. It is children who live with the consequences. The District and Local Municipalities must move with urgency to ensure that the situation changes because we will not hesitate to act and we will enforce compliance, where needed,” he said. 

Seitlholo then led a community engagement session that formed the heart of the day’s programme, where residents spoke openly about their experiences, frustrations and the daily realities of living with failing sanitation. By listening directly to the community, he emphasised that meaningful solutions must be shaped by the people who are most affected. 

“The engagement reaffirmed that restoring trust and improving service delivery begins with honest dialogue, genuine accountability and ensuring that communities remain central to every intervention. One of the most emotional moments of the day came when I visited a family in Sannieshof. 

“The family has been caring for a teenager with disabilities while living without a toilet, forced to rely on unsafe and undignified alternatives for years. I was deeply moved by their circumstances and committed to ensuring that a Ventilated Pit (VIP) toilet will be built for the family and completed before Christmas, bringing them the dignity, safety and relief they have long deserved,” said Seitlholo. 

taungdailynews@gmail.com

Saulsville hostel massacre a senseless brutal act of terror 

NEWS Leave a comment

Picture: Saulsville hostel shooting scene

By REGINALD KANYANE 

7 December 2025- The South African Union Council of Independent Churches (SAUCIC) said it is horrified by the massacre of people killed during an attack at the Saulsville hostel west of Pretoria, which it described as a senseless brutal act of terror. The death toll rose from 11 to 12 after one more victim from the early Saturday morning shooting died in hospital.  

The Union Council of affiliated Federations of Charismatic, Evangelical Outreach Mission Ministries and Pentecostal Churches called on police not to leave any stone unturned until those responsible for the indiscriminate shooting of hostel dwellers that included a three-year-old child, 12-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl are unmasked and behind bars.

SAUCIC President Cardinal Arch Bishop Dr Patrick Modiri Shole said they wish to condemn in the strongest terms possible the horrendous and ghastly act that has sent a shockwave across all of their communities and convey their deepest condolences to the families that have lost their loved ones in such a heartrending manner. Shole said they wish the 13 hospitalised victims that survived the massacre a speedy recovery.

“South African Police Spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed that police have launched a manhunt for three suspects reportedly behind the attack. We urge communities to assist police in their investigation to ensure that the heartless murderers are speedily removed from society.

“While appealing for calm, fervent prayers and united action, we also call for intensified effort to rid our communities of proliferation of guns and senseless violence claiming innocent lives,” he stressed.

Shole remarked that violent crime cannot continue to reign havoc while terrorized communities watch helplessly. He emphasised that the speedy arrest of those responsible for the vicious killings will restore confidence in the police and the criminal justice system.

taungdailynews@gmail.com

Taung Hotel School and Convention Centre construction project marred with irregularities and disputes 

NEWS Leave a comment

Picture: Taung Hotel School and Convention Centre construction project

By OBAKENG MAJE 

7 December 2025- The Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) has raised a flag against the R28 million refurbishment and upgrades to the existing Taung Hotel School and Convention Centre construction project. This comes after the project was brought to a grinding halt due to irregularities and disputes. 

The North West MEC for Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism, Bitsa Lenkopane said the Taung Hotel School and Convention Centre construction project is one of the six projects that are all clustered together. Lenkopane said other projects are the hotel gate construction, security fence, residential area for learners and water reticulation and sewer control system. 

“Now, this is the sixth project related to the construction of the Taung Hotel School and Convention Centre. This is a multi-year project that started a long time ago. In the 2025/26 financial year, we had an audit which has to cover the work from 2016 till to date. And it revealed a number of things that the department has to undergo as part of the audit action plan.

“Amongst those would be to look into the irregularities that happened and to apply corrective measures. Yes, there is no work happening in terms of construction, but there is a lot of work that is happening to respond to the issues that were raised by the AGSA, which I think the department is almost at the point of concluding the investigations,” she said. 

Lenkopane further said her department is also in the process of concluding the dispute between the department and the implementing agency, which is Independent Development Trust (IDT). She added that they had to respond to the findings of the investigations, including things that AGSA has revealed. 

“Now, we urge the community to bear with us because we are at the point where immediately after the conclusion of the dispute between the department and the IDT, we are intending to explore other avenues of coming up with implementing agency that will then carry the contract of the Taung Hotel School and Convention Centre construction project.

“The contractor was not fired, but he could not reach an agreement with IDT, which is the implementing agency that appointed him. However, this matter is between the two, but where we are as government, we are confident that in the new commencement of the year, we would have then dealt with all these issues that were raised and have new implementing agency, which would be able to sped up the process,” said Lenkopane.

She said the Taung Hotel School and Convention Centre construction project is also in line with Taung Skull where they also have six projects. Lenkopane said they have other projects like Thomeng toilets that were abandoned due to investigation surrounding it since 2014.

“However, as the department, we will proceed upon conclusion of the investigations and disputes, which are unavoidable,” she said.

taungdailynews@gmail.com

A child neglect case transferred to regional court 

NEWS Leave a comment

Picture: Former local artist, Masego Sebigi/Facebook

By OBAKENG MAJE

7 December 2025- A child neglect case against a former hip hop artist, Masego “Meezy” Sebigi (28), was transferred to the Taung Regional Court until 8 December 2025. Sebigi was arrested for allegedly leaving her daughter (10) alone in her rented room in Extension 7, near Taung, on several occasions.

It is alleged that in August 2025, Sebigi’s daughter approached the state prosecutor at around 8:30pm, who is also residing in the same vicinity and requested her to call the landlord, so that she can give her mother’s contact number. The said prosecutor assisted the child.

It is alleged that in two weeks, the same scenario repeated itself again. It is alleged that Sebigi, who left her child alone at the time, highlighted that she was in Kuruman.

The prosecutor called social workers for intervention and a child neglect case was opened. It is alleged that the social workers found the rented room filthy.      

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in the North West, Sivenathi Gunya said: “It is true that a woman is facing a child neglect case and the case has been transferred to the Taung Regional Court. 

According to http://www.scielo.org.za child maltreatment rates in South Africa are extremely high. The Non-Government Organisation (NGO) said this fact is attributable to excessive levels of poverty and wide-spread violence.

“The United Nations (UN) and its signatories acknowledge that children are a vulnerable group and provide some guidelines on how children and their rights should be protected by signatories to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

“Parents are urged to take all appropriate social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation including sexual abuse.”

The website said the Article 19(2) of the Convention makes it clear that measures used to protect children need to be protective and preventive and should encompass the identification, reporting, referral, investigation and treatment of child abuse. It said Article 16 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child [11] echoes the obligations set out in the UN Convention.

“The Charter obligates the African Union (AU) and its signatories to establish special monitoring units and to provide the necessary support for the abused child and his/her caretakers.

“The South African Constitution [12] explicitly addresses the rights of children and affords them specific protection. Section 28(1)(d) holds that every child has the right to be protected from maltreatment, neglect, abuse and/or degradation,” said Scielo.

taungdailynews@gmail.com

Shortage of orthopaedic implants caused by influx of patients 

NEWS Leave a comment

Picture: Klerksdorp/Tshepong Complex Hospital

By OBAKENG MAJE 

7 December 2025- The family of Lesego Daniel Sebego (71) from Moretele village, in Taung, said it is concerned regarding his deteriorating health at Taung District Hospital. According to one of the family members who did not want to be named for fear of reprisal, his family member was admitted at Taung District Hospital on 4 November 2025, with a broken hip. 

“However, he is still flagging at the hospital bed without any assistance. We do not get a straight explanation on why he has not undergone operation yet. However, we heard some allegations that there are shortages of orthopaedic implants at Klerksdorp/Tshepong Complex Hospital due to unpaid invoices of the suppliers.  

“This has left Sebego in a predicament with prolonged pain. Sebego is already losing hope and he is now developing bed sores. We just hope that these delays will not lead to permanent disability due to the progression of his conditions, while awaiting treatment,” he said.

The North West MEC for Health, Sello Lehari said the Taung District Hospital acknowledges receipt of the enquiry regarding a patient who is currently admitted at the facility. Lehari said the hospital is fully aware of his case and continues to monitor his condition closely.

“The patient has not yet been transferred to the Klerksdorp/Tshepong Hospital Complex due to supply-related challenges. At present, the Complex does not have the required orthopaedic implant necessary for his surgical procedure. 

“It is important to clarify that this delay is not due to bed shortages or a lack of surgeons, but rather a supply chain issue affecting the availability of the specialised implant. The hospital management is doing everything possible to resolve the supply constraints and to ensure that the patient receives the required surgical intervention as soon as possible,” he said.

Lehari further said the Sebego family has been informed of the situation, and communication channels remain open to provide regular updates and reassurance. He added that they regret the distress caused to the patient and his family and reaffirm their commitment to ensuring that all patients receive timely and appropriate care.

“The challenges are caused largely by exceptionally high demand from orthopaedic intervention. The Klerksdorp/Tshepong Complex Hospital has been receiving a significant influx of patients from outside its jurisdiction including Free State, Northern Cape and Gauteng provinces, as well as foreign nationals from neighbouring countries.

“So, this is the reason why we are having this challenge. However, there are measures in place to ensure that patients receive timely and adequate treatment which includes correct referral pathways through the gatekeeping, adequate budget and proper revenue collection especially on those who can afford according to their financial classification,” said Lehari.

taungdailynews@gmail.com