BY KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

THE South African National Roads Limited strengthened their working relationship with North West province. The road agency hosted an outreach programme in Mahikeng recently.

Market Square was a hive of activity when (SANRAL) visited the centre on Saturday (29 August 2015), to engage with the local community. Local radio station, Mafikeng FM was broadcasting from the centre and provided excitement with their popular presenters.

Two high schools, Leteane and Barolong pupils went head-to-head in an engaging quiz hosted by SANRAL. The representatives came out in their numbers to support the learners and were keeping scores to ensure that the competition runs smoothly and it is fair to the participants.

The SANRAL school quiz enabled the agency to engage with the community, educate people and also award the prizes to the deserving schools.

David Sebopela, a teacher at Leteane High School said: “I am highly motivated by the SANRAL outreach programme coming to schools and working hand-in- hand with the Department of Education. This initiative will enlighten students and by extension even the community about the role of SANRAL, what the agency actually does. We are very pleased by our win and that will help us in nurturing pupils to make sure they reach greater heights.”

The first prize for the winning school was a mobile library worth R25 000 fully equipped with reading material suitable for high school learners while the runners-up walked away with a R5 000 cheque. The participating schools were given SANRAL’s bi-monthly publication, By The Way, to read and prepare for the quiz. They were then tested on the contents of the bulletin.

Fezile Zozi, Barolong High School teacher said: “The initiative of bringing SANRAL to the communities will make people aware of the agency. We started with our preparations in about two weeks and the students were very excited. Even though we did not win, we are still adamant that we gave the winners a run for their money. School competition is healthy and stretches the best out of our pupils. This is an investment to our youth.”

Northern Regional Manager for SANRAL, Ismail Essa said: “It is telling that the learners have prepared very well for the quiz as this is not something they learn at school everyday. I was impressed with the level of knowledge those learners displayed. It showed that they took this seriously and read the newsletter.

The schools battled it out over six rounds of questions and both schools started out slowly before they got into the swing of things.

Leteane High School emerged victorious and claimed the mobile library with books to the value of R25 000. Barolong High School did not leave empty handed as they grabbed the R5000 cheque.

Tshegofatso Mantsi from Leateane High School could not hide her excitement after they were announced as the first prize winners. She said: “I feel so honoured, I am happy for our school. The library is going to help me a lot with my studies and possibly learn more about SANRAL.”

-TDN

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

BY KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

NORTH West premier Supra Mahumapelo said the committee has been established to oversee and monitor all projects that will be taking place within the province. According to Mahumapelo, there is a need to appraise all projects that taking place because some of the contractors leave a shoddy work behind.

“We will establish a task team that will be monitoring all projects across the province. Many contractors leave sloppy work behind and we only realize after a long time that the contractors did not deliver required work accordingly. So we want to get rid of that as the province. We will also incorporate services of private companies who will make sure they help us to monitor all that.  This will include any project in North West either within the municipalities, districts or provincial,” he said.

Mahumapelo also outlined that there are many contractors that were approved to build roads in the province, however that was done without checking whether the province has money or not. “Many contractors were offered projects to build roads within the province, but unfortunately that was done without checking if the province has money.

The residents of Ganyesa are expected to meet with Public Works MEC, Madoda Sambatha to get way-forward regarding Bona-Bona road that was abandoned by Leviro Construction Company. Another road that has caused uproar was a road between Madinonyane and Ganyesa.

Community leader, Norman Moncho said: “We will be meeting with MEC Madoda Sambatha to hear what if there is any new development. We really have a mammoth task to travel under those conditions especially during rainy season. These roads are inaccessible and the ambulances struggle to reach its destinies on time and that results in losing lives unnecessary.”

Sabambatha is also expected to meet with Manokwane residents in Taung to give them answers regarding D221 road in their area.

The community of Manokwane burned two houses belonging to headman and councilors two years ago in protest regarding the road.

One of community leaders, Benjamin Lekaowa said they want answers from MEC because he promised them that the road will be tarred during 2015 financial year. “We are now sick and tired of empty promises, what we want from MEC is to tell us when the contractor will come to the site. We want our road tarred. We cannot keep on postponing because time is not on our side,” he said.

-TDN

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

The election of a new African National Congress Youth League leader is directly linked to the mother body, national task team member Malusi Gigaba says.

http://m.news24.com/news24/SouthAfrica/Politics/ANC-has-keen-interest-in-ANCYL-leadership-20150904

The ANC Youth League North West members who tried to interdict the upcoming national congress will be disciplined, national task team co-ordinator Nathi Mthethwa has said.

http://m.news24.com/news24/SouthAfrica/News/ANCYL-North-West-members-will-be-disciplined-Mthethwa-20150903

Johannesburg – Government is trying to determine the identity of a woman who was arrested at an Indian airport after she claimed to be seven-months pregnant but was allegedly smuggling drugs.

“We are aware of the situation. The [South African embassy] is still working with the authorities to verify her citizenship,” International Relations spokesperson Nelson Kgwete told News24 on Thursday.

“They will provide normal consular services, including facilitating access to family members if that is the wish and access to legal representatives.”

For more http://www.news24.co.za

Pretoria – National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega has told President Jacob Zuma she needs more time to respond to his letter warning her of a possible suspension.

The Presidency said in a statement on Thursday – the day the deadline expired for her to respond to him – that she had informed him she was unable to do so.

“President Jacob Zuma wrote to National Police Commissioner General Victoria Phiyega on… August 20 2015, informing her of his intention to institute an inquiry into the allegations of misconduct and/or lack of fitness for the office…

For more http://www.news24.com

Cape Town – President Jacob Zuma has met with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to “strengthen relations” between the two countries.

In a statement, the Presidency said Zuma and Bashir met on the margins of the 70th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese Peoples’ War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, taking place in Beijing, in The Peoples’ Republic of China.

“South Africa and Sudan enjoy warm bilateral relations. Sixteen bilateral agreements have been concluded between the two countries to date,” said the Presidency.

For more http://www.news24.com