Daily Archives: December 10, 2025

EFF North West condemns misuse of social development fundsĀ 

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Picture: SMMEs owners receive funding from the North West Department of Social Development/Supplied

By OBAKENG MAJE

10 December 2025- The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the North West said it strongly condemns the reckless and unlawful misallocation of public funds by the North West Department of Social Development. EFF said this follows an event in the Maquassi Hills Local Municipality, where the department handed business equipment to small enterprises.

EFF provincial spokesperson, Fanon Moema said this action represents a fundamental and deliberate violation of the departmentā€™s mandate and a gross misappropriation of funds earmarked for the most vulnerable in our society. Moema said the official 2025-26 Annual Performance Plan (APP) of the North West Department of Social Development, which was tabled and adopted in the Provincial Legislature, confirms that there is no programme, sub-programme, or allocated budget for the provisioning of business equipment to SMMEs.

ā€œThe APP clearly outlines programmes for Social Welfare Services, Children and Families, Restorative Services, and Development and Research, all of which are exclusively focused on core social welfare services.

ā€œThe departmentā€™s actions in financing and distributing business equipment constitute a gross violation of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) as it is an unauthorized and wasteful expenditure on a mandate that does not belong to it,ā€ he said.

Moema further said the budgeted money the department is allegedly squandering was meant for critical social development projects. He added that these funds could have been directed to struggling Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) and orphanages that are collapsing due to a lack of funding for food, salaries and basic appliances needed to care for our people.

ā€œWhile enterprise development is crucial, it is the explicit mandate of the Department of Economic Development and other dedicated agencies. The DSD is overstepping its boundaries and using its own budget to perform functions of another department, thereby failing in its primary duty to protect and uplift the poor, the elderly, children, and persons with disabilities.

ā€œThis deliberate overreach sets a dangerous and unacceptable precedent for governance and public finance management. If this act of impunity is not addressed decisively, it will signal to all other departments that they may freely divert their budgets to programmes outside their legal mandates, leading to complete budgetary anarchy and the collapse of service delivery,ā€ said Moema.

He said the DSD must be held accountable for this unlawful expenditure. Moema said they demand an immediate investigation by the Provincial Treasury, SCOPA and the Auditor-General into this unauthorised spending, and we call for consequence management, including possible criminal charges, against the political and administrative leadership responsible for this violation.

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64 initiates rescued from illegal initiation schools

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Picture: One of the initiation schools set on fire/Supplied

By OBAKENG MAJE  

10 December 2025- The North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Oageng Molapisi has commended members of the Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committee (PICC) for their swift and coordinated response that led to the safe rescue of 64 initiates (male and female) and shut down of five illegal initiation schools, which operated in three districts.

Molapisi said the successful operation which began last week, resulted in rescuing 14 male initiates in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District, 15 in Ngaka Modiri Molema District and 24 male initiates and 11 female initiates from bogus initiation schools.

ā€œOur PICC members acted with precision and urgency.  We applaud their proactive approach in ensuring the safety of our initiates. We will leave no stone unturned in dealing decisively with unregistered and illegal initiation schools in the province.

ā€œWe urge communities and parents to remain alert and report any suspicious or unregistered initiation activities to authorities without delay. The PICC and the department have embarked on campaigns to make our people aware of the Customary Initiation Act and processes to follow to register the initiation school and comply,ā€ he said.

Molapisi further said the time for complacency is over. He added that they are going to shut down all illegal schools and safeguard the lives of the young people.

ā€œIf you want to operate an initiation you must complyā€ concluded Molapisi.

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Manthe murder case postponed for pre-trial

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Picture: Three of four murder accused persons/Facebook

By OBAKENG MAJE

10 December 2025- A murder case against a rapist and alleged murderer, Bakang Katong (32), his co-accused, Thabang Lenyai (23), Katlego Mosimege (31), and Phenyo Katong (34), was postponed to 19 January 2026, by Taung Regional Court for pre-trial.

The accused persons were arrested three years ago for allegedly killing Thabiso Mothibedi (35), in cold blood. This comes after they accused Mothibedi of stealing R20 000 cash and cigarettes worth R600 from Katongā€™s house in Manthe village, near Taung.

The North West police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Sam Tselanyane said the preliminary investigation revealed that on 29 April 2022, the deceased was at Longaneng village in Taung, when the accused fetched and ferried him back to Manthe village.

ā€œUpon arrival, the deceased was allegedly chained to a generator and assaulted. After the assault, the victim was reportedly transported to a local clinic by the accused, however, he was declared dead upon arrival.

ā€œThe accused were arrested and charged with murder,ā€ he said.

On 1 May 2022, the community members were up in arms and torched three houses and a bakkie belonging to Katongā€™s family.

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ā€˜Prevention of GBVF goes beyond 16 Days of Activism Campaignā€™

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: The North West MEC for Social Development, Basetsana Sussana Dantjie/Supplied 

By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

10 December 2025- The North West MEC for Social Development, Basetsana Sussana Dantjie calls on communities across the province to continue to protect the rights of women and children beyond the observation of 16 days ratified by the UN member states. Dantjieā€™s appeal comes at the time when the country observes International Human Rights Day on 10 December 2025.

She further said they mark the International Human Rights Day today. Dantjie added that as they do so, they also call on community members to continue to promote respect, observance and protection of human rights for everyone.

ā€œGender-Based Violence (GBV) is the violation of human rights. Let us therefore, take it upon ourselves to promote human dignity, freedom and security of the vulnerable groups among us if we are to sustain our human rights culture and eradicate gender based violence.

ā€œDespite the shrinking fiscus, our department is providing funding to Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs) to enable them to play a crucial role in combating gender based violence by rendering essential services and support to victims beyond the 16 days of activism campaign and other commemorative days,ā€ she said.

Dantjie said their services include community engagements, awareness campaigns, sheltering, counselling, court preparations and psychosocial support to the victims.

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Motsumi insists that learners should be given their report cards

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Picture: The North West MEC for Education Viola Motsumi

By REGINALD KANYANE

10 December 2025- The North West MEC for Education Viola Motsumi said she has noted with serious concern, the denial of issuing report cards of some learners. Motsumi said currently, schools across the province are in the process of issuing reports to learners.

She further said in some schools, learners have been denied report cards due to various reasons involving outstanding fees they owe to the school. Motsumi added that she strongly condemned those schools that deny learners report cards.

ā€œI have received numerous calls from parents and learners across the province, who complained about learners being denied their report cards. This action is highly unacceptable, and those school principals should desist from doing so. Every year at this time, I continue to repeat the same message that learners should be given their report cards.

ā€œSchools should deal with parents, not learners to ensure that they recover any outstanding money. Parents need to fulfill the commitments they make to schools,ā€ she said.

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Monna o nyeletseng o fitlhetswe a tlhokafetse

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Ka OBAKENG MAJE

10 Sedimonthole 2025- Ba lelapa la ga Othusitse Nini Mocwiri (39) wa kwa dipolasing tsa matlhotsana, gaufi le Schweizer Reneke, ba re ba belaela fa morwa wa bone a bolailwe. Se, se tla morago ga gore setopo sa ga Mocwiri se bonwe kwa nageng.

Go begwa fa Mocwiri a ile a amogela mogala go tswa go mongwe wa tsala ya gagwe kwa polasing e gaufi gore a ye go tsaya nama ya kgomo. Go begwa fa Mocwiri a ile a adima setobetobe (bycicle) ya mongwe go ragogela kwa polasing eo.

Fela, go begwa fa a sa boela gae ka lone letsatsi leo. Go begwa fa kgarebe ya gagwe, e ile ya tlhobaetsega, mme ya leba kwa tsaleng ya ga Mocwiri o neng a mo tshepisitse nama.

Mongwe wa ba lelapa, Tebogo Gabonewe, are lekgarebe la ga Mocwiri le ile la makadiwa ke gore fa a botsa tsala ya ga Mocwiri gore o mokapelo wa gagwe o kae, one a mo laela fa a tlhokafetse. Gabonewe are e ne ya re ka go makala, lekgarebe la ga Mocwiri la kokota gape, mme a botsa tsala ya ga Mocwiri gore o raya jang fa are o tlhokafetse.

ā€œKe fa monna yo, a tswa ka selepe, mme a mo lelekisa. Ka Tshipi, go ile ga tla mapodisi, mme ba ile ba tlhalosa fa ba se kitla ba ya go batla Mocwiri, mme bone ba tlile go tsaya pegelo (statement) fela. Morago ga gore mapodisi a tsamaye, baagi ba ile ba tsaya tshwetso ya go tswa letsholo mabapi e le go batlana le Mocwiri.

ā€œE ne ya re fa baagi ba tswa, ba ile ba kopana le sejanaga sa sepodisi se sengwe, mme ba se emisa. Ba ile ba neela mapodisi ao kgang e, mme ba ile ba makala ka mokgwa o mapodisi a a neng a biditswe ba tshotseng kgang e botsatsa ka teng. Mapodisi a, ba ile ba kopa dinomoro tsa tsala ya ga Mocwiri, ga mmogo le mong wa polasi e go begwang fa Mocwiri a ne a ile go tsaya nama kwa go yone,ā€ Gabonewe wa tlhalosa.

Gabonewe are baagi ba ile ba tswelela ka letsholo-patlo la bone, mme ga ba k aba bona sepe. Gabonewe are ka Labobedi, baagi ba ile ba tswelela ka letsholo-patlo la bone.

ā€œFela go ya ka dipego, ba ile ba fitlhela setopo sa ga Mocwiri se rapaletse mo tseleng. Baagi ba ile ba letsetsa sepodisi, mme se ile sa tla le go ba kopa gore ba se shupe ope ka monona ntle le bopaki. Sepodisi se ile sa tlhalosa fa se belaela fa Mocwiri a lomilwe ke noga. Ba forensiki ba ile ba fitlha le go tsaya setopo sa ga Mocwiri.

ā€œSepodisi se tlhalositse fa se tla ntsha pegelo ya morago ga loso. Ka Laboraro, ba losika ba ile ba amogela mogala yo o supang fa pego ya morago ga loso e shupa fa loso la ga Mocwiri e le la tlholego,ā€ Gabonewe wa tlhatlhosa.

Fela Gabonewe are ka bokhutsane, balosika ga ba kgotsofalela ka mokgwa o sepodisi se tsamaisitseng kgetsi e ka teng.

Kgabagare, sebueledi sa sepodisi mono Bokone Bophirima, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone are: ā€œEe ke nnete sepodisi se a itse ka tiragalo e. Moswi o ile a begwa fa a timetse fa kgwedi ya Sedimonthole e tlhola letsatsi. Fela, setopo sa gagwe se ile sa bonwa mo letsatsing le le latelang kwa polasing nngwe.ā€

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A call for urgent action as child malnutrition deaths continue to rise

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Picture: Child malnutrition continues to rise/Generic

By AGISANANG SCUFF

10 December 2025- The Democratic Alliance (DA) is calling for urgent national intervention as newly released parliamentary replies confirm that child malnutrition in South Africa continues to claim hundreds of young lives each year. In answer to a written parliamentary question by the DA [RNW6755], the Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, revealed that between May and September 2025, 92 and 206 children under 5 years died in public hospitals with moderate and severe acute malnutrition as an underlying condition, respectively.

The DA Spokesperson on Health and Member of Parliament (MP), Michele Clarke said during the same period, 1776 and 2944 children under 5 years-old were admitted to public hospitals with MAM and SAM. Clarke said these numbers follow earlier findings that revealed that between January and April 2025, 155 children under the age of five died in public hospitals with MAM and SAM as an underlying condition and 4 759 children were admitted to public hospitals with moderate or severe acute malnutrition.

ā€œAnother PQ [RNW6979] revealed that 19 186 and 5 810 children under 5 years received treatment for MAM and SAM, respectively at public health clinics, while 30 390 children under 5 years (new cases) received food supplementation.

ā€œThese numbers highlight a system overwhelmed by preventable hunger and poor early childhood nutrition. To address this crisis, the DA is finalising the Feed the Nation Private Membersā€™ Bill, which aims to bolster the fight against malnutrition by making it easier for supermarkets and consumers to donate unsold edible food to distribution organisations and creating processes for this to be done,ā€ she said.

Clarke further said the Bill proposes clear processes to ensure food safety, accountability and efficient delivery, allowing edible food that would otherwise be discarded to reach families in need. She added that no child in South Africa should die of hunger.

ā€œMalnutrition is both preventable and treatable, and its persistence reflects a failure of governance, coordination, and political will. The DA will continue to fight for the adoption of practical, life-saving reforms and for the protection of every childā€™s right to nutrition, dignity, and survival,ā€ said Clarke.

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DA to interdict any appointment emerging from NDPP process

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By BAKANG MOKOTO

10 December 2025- The Democratic Alliance (DA) has warned that the ongoing process to appoint a new National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDDP) has gone badly off the rails. The DA alleged that the panel set up to advise the president has chosen to interview Advocate Menzi Simelane, a man already found unfit for this very office by South Africaā€™s highest court.

DA Spokesperson on Justice and Constitutional Development, Advocate Glynnis Breytenbach, who is also a Member of Parliament (MP), said it is impossible to overlook that history. Breytenbach said the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) and later the Constitutional Court, struck down Simelaneā€™s 2010 appointment on grounds that went to the heart of his honesty and integrity.

ā€œThose judgments have never been overturned or softened. To make matters worse, he was found guilty of professional misconduct in 2017, for misleading the Ginwala Inquiry and he now faces a striking-off application from the Johannesburg Bar Council. It is hard to imagine a more serious cloud over a candidate.

ā€œYet, the panel insists it is only interviewing people who meet the minimum requirements. Under the National Prosecuting Authority Act, ā€œfit and properā€ is a minimum legal requirement. The claim by the Panel collapses the moment Simelaneā€™s name appears on the shortlist,ā€ she said.

Breytenbach further said if he is treated as qualifying, then the process is irrational. She added that and if the process is irrational, it is unlawful.

ā€œOn 7 December 2025, our attorneys wrote to the panel seeking reasons for Simelaneā€™s inclusion: how did they conclude that he meets the minimum legal threshold, and did they consider the Bar Council application? The panel did not so much as acknowledge the letter.

ā€œOn 9 December, the DA informed the president that this silence leaves us no choice. Any recommendation that comes from this process carries the same legal defect. If the president appoints anyone from the panelā€™s recommendations, the DA will approach the court to interdict that appointment,ā€ said Breytenbach.

She said they deserve a leader with credibility, independence, and courage. Breytenbach said not a re-run of a constitutional disaster.

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Police conduct crime awareness campaign

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Picture: Some of police officers during crime awareness campaign/Supplied

By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

10 December 2025- In line with the 16ā€ÆDays of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children and considering the seasonal influx of farm labourers during harvest, the SAPS Kanaleneiland Social Crime Prevention team conducted a rural safety programme on 9ā€ÆDecemberā€Æ2025, at a local farm. The visit aimed to raise awareness and curb Genderā€‘Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) and related crimes affecting workers and the broader community focusing on sexual offences, child safety, substance abuse and domestic violence.

The ZF Mgcawu District police spokesperson, Sergeant Omphile Masegela said this includes water safety and ATM scams/fraud. Masegela said these offences were highlighted because they are most prevalent among farm workers, especially fraud and scams targeting ATM users.

ā€œThe policing precinct experiences a surge of temporary labour during harvest, which historically correlates with spikes in GBV and associated crimes. The campaign forms part of the national 16ā€ÆDays of Activism effort and the SAPS Genderā€‘Based Violence Command Centre.

ā€œThe police are committed to sensitising the public, building trust, and reducing the likelihood of crime impacting our community. We urge everyone, workers, employers, and residents to report suspicious activities and support victims of violence,ā€ she said.

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Morweng concerned about blatant disregard of basic traffic regulations

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By REGINALD KANYANE

10 December 2025- The North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng, said he is concerned about the blatant disregard of basic traffic regulations by road users. Morweng said this comes after the report for the first ten days of law enforcement operations indicated that most moving violations are what should be basic traffic regulations.

He further said the provinceā€™s weighbridges have also been at the peak. Morweng added that over 1200 heavy motor vehicles had been weighed so far.

ā€œOf the 5107 vehicles that had been stopped at various operations throughout the province, almost half of the motorists have contravened one or more of the National Road Traffic Act statutes. Some of the violations include common offenses like excessive speeding, failing to obey traffic signs, seatbelt non-compliance and using of mobile phones while driving.

ā€œIn the last 10 days, 92 drivers did not have driving licenses, 11 were transporting passengers without Public Passenger Transport Permits, 240 were overloading passengers, 25 were driving unlicensed vehicles and 62 were not wearing seatbelts,ā€ he said.

 Morweng said more drivers are still speeding excessively as 112 were caught by speed cameras since the beginning of December 2025. He said worryingly, 77 drivers were driving unroadworthy vehicles for which 54 fines were issued and two of those were discontinued whilst one was impounded.

 ā€œIn total, 829 contraventions were recorded of which either fines were issued or arrests effected. I have directed that there be visibility of law enforcement on all arterial routes coming to or going through the province including local routes which statistics indicate are prone for pedestrian accidents.

 ā€œTo ensure visibility is heightened, a 24-hour law enforcement operation on all major roads has been embarked upon. A friendly warning to all who will be traveling to or through the North West is that, we will be welcoming for all who obey the law, but you will find us inhospitable for all those who will be in contravention of any regulation,ā€ said Morweng.

He said the department has purchased 37 new vehicles for traffic officers and will be used to specifically patrol N4, N12, N14, N18, R24, R30, R49, R503 and R510. Morweng said the last quarter of the year has also recorded an increased registration of vehicles.

ā€œFrom September 2025, registered vehicles in the country stood at 13 646 029 vehicles. Of these, 684 000 were registered in the North West. Added to this, is the expected number of holidaymakers who will be visiting the province as ecotourists. 

ā€œI have implored on all law enforcement officers to be disciplined at all times notwithstanding occasional provocations from some motorists. We are living in a world obsessed with and preoccupied by social media. Many people will be travelling determined to make content for their social media pages out of your behaviour,ā€ he said.

Morweng said many will provoke law enforcement officers, record their conduct and their response to their provocation. He urged the law enforcement officers not to give them the satisfaction and treat everyone with utmost respect.

ā€œDuring this period, we expect you to resist all kinds of temptations that will present itself to you. During this festive season, when the risks of impaired and reckless driving, speeding, moving violations and driver fatigue will be on the increase, vigilance and dedication and ultimate discipline from you will make a difference.

ā€œWe continue to admire your commitment to service, we appreciate your courage and implore on you to ensure South Africans Arrive Alive,ā€ said Morweng.

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