Daily Archives: October 16, 2026

North West Provincial Legislature Welcomes Investigation into Workplace Harassment and Gender-Based Violence

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By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

Picture: The Speaker of North West Provincial Legislature, Viola Motsumi

16 October 2026 – The North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL) has welcomed an investigation by the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) into institutional accountability and the effectiveness of measures to prevent and address harassment, bullying, sexism and violence against women and vulnerable groups within provincial legislatures. The investigation seeks to assess whether existing institutional policies and mechanisms adequately protect vulnerable employees and provide effective channels for reporting and addressing complaints.

The Speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature, Viola Motsumi said the Legislature fully supports the investigation and remains committed to promoting equality, human dignity, transparency and accountability.

“The NWPL affirms that non-racialism and non-sexism are foundational values of the Constitution. The Bill of Rights binds the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary to respect, protect, promote and fulfil all rights. 

“The constitutional right to equality prohibits conduct that undermines gender equality, while the right to human dignity recognises the inherent worth of every person,” she said.

Motsumi further said these principles were essential in combating gender discrimination, sexual harassment and gender-based violence. She added that the Legislature had established various policies and mechanisms to promote a safe, respectful and harassment-free working environment. 

“Its Workplace Harassment Policy, which has been in place since 2016, is currently being aligned with the Code of Good Practice on the Prevention and Elimination of Harassment in the Workplace, introduced in 2022. 

“The Legislature also has mechanisms to report, investigate and manage complaints involving employees, management and Members of the Provincial Legislature (MPLs),” said Motsumi. 

She said these include safeguards against victimisation, the appointment of external investigators where necessary and precautionary measures such as suspension or changes to reporting lines. Motsumi said records are also maintained of complaints, including those that do not proceed to formal disciplinary hearings. 

“The Legislature had further established the Office of the Integrity Commissioner, an independent office responsible for investigating ethical complaints by or against members and making detailed recommendations to the Speaker. 

“Members are required to uphold the constitution and the law, act with honesty and integrity, and avoid conduct that could undermine public confidence in their offices,” she said. 

Motsumi said Legislature has also introduced awareness initiatives aimed at addressing workplace harassment and Gender-Based Violence (GBV). She said these include its annual Men’s and Women’s Conferences, held for four consecutive years, which have addressed sexual harassment, workplace bullying, femicide and GBV. 

“The NWPL noted research indicating that between 68% and 76% of women in South Africa experience sexual harassment at least once during their lifetime or professional careers.

“The statement also cited University of KwaZulu-Natal studies indicating that 9.8%, or approximately 2.1 million women, have experienced sexual violence,” said Motsumi.

She said according to the Legislature, these figures highlight the importance of strengthening institutional interventions and ensuring that complaints are handled effectively. Motsumi said the institution acknowledged that gaps remain in workplace harassment prevention, employee wellness, policy implementation and organisational alignment.

“To address these challenges, the Legislature has finalised a workplace climate and culture survey instrument, which is expected to be administered in early 2027.

“It has also developed a Human Resources Change Management Strategy to guide the implementation of employee climate surveys,” she said.

Motsumi said the strategy is currently undergoing internal consultation and once approved, will provide a framework for assessing workplace culture and identifying institutional challenges. She said their corrective measures would include continuous workplace climate surveys, aligning policies with amended legislation and strengthening information and communication technology-based advocacy to improve accessibility.

“Future interventions will focus on intensifying awareness programmes on gender-based violence and femicide, workplace bullying, harassment and bystander intervention.

“The Legislature also plans to encourage victims to report all forms of harassment, develop a Protected Disclosure Policy and expand public outreach on sexual harassment and GBV,” said Motsumi.

In promoting women’s empowerment and gender equality, she said the NWPL continues to support initiatives through the Multi-Party Women’s Caucus, Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, the Women Sectoral Parliament, the Integrated Women’s Day Event and the Basadi Re Aga Setshaba event. 

“As of May 2026, the Legislature’s approved administrative establishment consisted of 322 positions, with 236 employees. 

“Management comprised 23 managers, of whom 15 were men and eight were women.
The Legislature also acknowledged that it had not yet met the 3% disability employment target and we are participating in the North West Disability Forum to address the shortfall,” said Motsumi.

She reiterated the Legislature’s commitment to strengthening accountability, improving workplace conditions and ensuring that everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Motsumi said the North West Provincial Legislature remains committed to following up on our commitments and making your future work better — building an ethos based on equality and dignity for all.
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Kokwanopeo molao e tshwara kgotlhakgothe mabapi le go reba malwetsi a jaaka HIV le TB

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Setshwantsho: Mmusakgotlha wq Kokwanopeo molao mono Bokone Bophirima, Viola Motsumi

Ka REGINALD KANYANE

16 Diphalane 2026 – Kokwanopeo Molao mono Bokone Bophirima, e tla tshwara Palamente ya Lekala la Boitekanelo ka ga HIV le TB. Kopano e, e solofetswe go tshwarwa ke Palamente ya Lekala la Boitekanelo ya 2026 kwa motsesetoropong wa Khuma, kwa Stilfontein ka Labotlhano, maitlhomo e le go nonotsha maiteko a go lwantsha HIV le bolwetse jwa mafatlha (TB).

Mmusakgotlha wa Kokwanopeo Molao, Viola Motsumi ga mmogo le motlatsi wa gagwe, Collen Maine, ba tla etelela pele dipuisano tse. Motsumi are Palamente eno e tla tshwarwa ka fa tlase ga setlhogo se se reng:

“Re a Tlhatloga Mmogo: Batho ba le Dimilione di le 1.1 ba Kopane go Fedisa TB. E tla kopanya baagi, baemedi ba puso, kgotlhakgothe ya Porofense ya TB, mekgatlho ya setšhaba le balekane ba tlhabololo go buisana ka dikgwetlho tse di leng teng mo thibelong, go lemogeng le go alafeng HIV le TB.

“Tiragalo eno e rulaganyeditswe go simolola ka ura ya lesome mo mosong kwa Holong ya Transnet kwa Khuma ka Labotlhano.

Palamente eno e ikaelela go tshegetsa matsholo a 1.1 Million Close the Gap le End TB, mmogo le go akofisa kgatelopele ya go fitlhelela maikaelelo a HIV a 95-95-95,” Motsumi wa tlhalosa.

Are Aforika Borwa e simolotse letsholo la Close the Gap ka di 25 Tlhakole 2025, ka maikaelelo a go busetsa batho ba bangwe ba le dimilione di le 1.1 ba ba tshelang ka HIV, ba ba iseng ba lemogwe kgotsa ba ba tlogetseng go bona tlhokomelo ya kalafi, mo kalafing ya di-antiretroviral (ART) e e bolokang matshelo.

“Ditherisano gape di tla sekaseka ka fa maemo a loago le ikonomi a amang phitlhelelo ya ditirelo tsa boitekanelo le kalafi ka teng, segolobogolo mo bathong ba e kileng ya bo e le badiri ba meepo,” ga rialo Motsumi.

Tonakgolo ya Bokone Bophirima, Lazarus Mokgosi, o solofetswe go nna teng, mmogo le Maloko a Khansele ya Khuduthamaga ya Porofense (MECs), baemedi ba Khansele ya Porofense ya AIDS le badiredi ba mafapha a Badiri, Tlhabololo ya Loago, Boitekanelo le Merero ya Selegae. Ba bangwe ba ba solofetsweng go nna teng ba akaretsa baemedi ba AURUM, baagi, mekgatlho ya setšhaba le lekala la poraefete.

Maloko a bobegadikgang a lalediwa go nna teng le go bega ka tiragalo eno.

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Maloko a LGBTQ+ a ikuela go tlotliwa le go sirelediwa kgatlhanong le tlhaolele

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Setshwantsho: Mokhuduthamaga wa Tlhabololo ya Loago, Sussana Dantjie ga mmogo le maloko a mokgatlho wa LGBTQ+

Ka OBAKENG MAJE

16 Diphalane 2026 – Mokhuduthamaga wa Lefapha la Tlhabololo ya Loago mono Bokone Bophirima, Sussana Dantjie, o kopile setšhaba go tlotla, go sireletsa le go amogela batho ba setšhaba sa LGBTIQ+, a gatelela gore ga go ope yo o tshwanetseng go sotliwa, go kobiwa kgotsa go patelediwa go tshela ka poifo ka ntlha ya gore ke mang. Dantjie o buile jaana ka nako ya puisano le maloko a setšhaba sa LGBTIQ+ kwa Ipelegeng Community Care Centre kwa Schweizer Reneke ka Labone. Bangwe ba maloko a LGBTQ+ ba abelane ka maitemogelo a a tshwenyang a go tlhaolwa, go betelelwa, go sotliwa, go kgaphelwa kwa thoko le mathata a go bona thuso le tshireletso.

“Ga go ope yo o tshwanetseng go sotliwa, go ganwa kgotsa go patelediwa go tshela ka poifo ka ntlha ya gore ke mang,” ga rialo Dantjie, a kopa gore go nne le maiteko a magolwane a go sireletsa ditshwanelo le seriti sa batho ba LGBTIQ+. Puisano eno e ne ya naya maloko a setšhaba sebaka sa go tlhagisa dingongorego tsa bone ka tsela e ba tshwarwang ka yone kwa magaeng, kwa dikolong, kwa dikerekeng le mo setšhabeng ka kakaretso.

Ba kopile gore go nne le ditsereganyo tse di nang le mosola go rarabolola dikgwetlho tse di amang pabalesego le boitekanelo jwa bone. Maloko a, a tlhagisitse matshwenyego ka go tlhaolwa ga bone mo mafelong a botlhe le go kgaphelwa kwa thoko ga batho ba ba nang le boitshupo jo bo farologaneng jwa bong ka ntlha ya manane a go kwadisa batho a a sa akaretseng boitshupo jwa bone.

Ba tlhalositse gape gore ka dinako dingwe maitemogelo a bone a tsenngwa mo dipegong tsa puso, mme go sa nne le puisano e e lekaneng le bone kgotsa diphetogo tse di bonalang mo maemong a bone.

Maloko a setšhaba a kopile gore ditirelo tsa boitekanelo jwa thobalano le jwa pelegi di tokafadiwe, go akaretsa go fitlhelela dikhondomo, didirisiwa tsa go sireletsa thobalano ya bomme le bomme (dental dams), dikhondomo tsa menwana le tshedimosetso e e tletseng ka boitekanelo jwa thobalano go thusa go thibela malwetse a a tshelanwang ka thobalano.

Ba kopile gape gore go nne le kamogelo e kgolwane mo ditheong tsa bodumedi, ba gatelela gore ba tshwanetse go kgona go obamela ka kgololesego kwa mafelong a bone a kobamelo ntle le poifo ya go tlhaolwa, go kgala kgotsa go ganwa.

Mongwe wa maloko a setšhaba sa LGBTIQ+, Seoketsi Mooketsi, o lebogile Dantjie ka go ipha nako ya go buisana le bone ka dikgang tse di amang matshelo a bone a letsatsi le letsatsi.

“Re leboga mokhuduthamaga ka go re naya sebaka sa go tlhagisa matshwenyego le ditlhobaelo tsa rona. Se se tlhagileng sentle mo puisanong eno ke dikgang tse di jaaka bonno jwa tshireletso, tlhaolele le tirisodikgoka ya bong e e dirwang kgatlhanong le rona.

“Ga go ope yo o tshwanelwang ke go sotliwa, go ganwa kgotsa go amogwa ditshwanelo tsa gagwe ka ntlha ya tshekamelo ya gagwe ya thobalano kgotsa boitshupo jwa gagwe jwa bong,” ga rialo Mooketsi.

Dantjie o rotloeditse maloko a setšhaba sa LGBTIQ+ go dirisa diphala go tlhagisa kotsi le go kopa thuso fa ba ikutlwa ba le mo kotsing, kgotsa ba iphitlhela ba le mo seemong se se sa babalesegang. O gateletse gape gore ditshwanelo tsa batho ba LGBTIQ+ di tshwanetse go sirelediwa go ya ka Molaotheo wa Rephaboliki ya Aforika Borwa, o o tlhomamisang tekatekano le tshireletso kgatlhanong le tlhaolele e e sa siamang.

Ka nako ya dipuisano, Lefapha la Merero ya Selegae le netefaleditse gore maloko a a LGBTQ+ a ka etela diofisi tsa lone go botsa ka ditsela tsa go fetola matshwao a bong mo ditlankeng tsa boitshupo le go dira dikopo tsa diphetogo tseo, go ya ka ditsamaiso tse di maleba, ntle le go tlhaolwa.

Tirelo ya Sepodisi sa Aforika Borwa (SAPS) e itsisitse bokopano gore go tlhomilwe diphaposi tse di diretsweng go thusa batswasetlhabelo, tse di nayang batho ba ba itemogetseng tirisodikgoka lefelo le le babalesegileng, la sephiri le le ba tshegetsang gore ba kgone go bega dikgetsi tsa tirisodikgoka.

Dantjie o rulaganyeditswe go tsweletsa dipuisano le dithapelo tse di malebana le tirisodikgoka e e ikaegileng ka bong le dipolao tsa basadi (GBVF) kwa dikgaolong tse dingwe mo kgweding ya Diphalane, e leng karolo ya lenaneo la gagwe la maemo a a kwa pele la Re thuse re go thuse ka nako ya Kgwedi ya Tlhabololo ya Loago.

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