Category Archives: NEWS

Reports: Dr Ruth Mompati municipality spent R100m on consultants

NEWS Leave a comment

DSC_0013 (2)

Tender-rigging and mismanagement of ratepayers’ money running into hundreds of millions of rand in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality in Vryburg. 

North West – The Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality has spent more than R100 million on consultants but failed to get value for money.

One of them was the former chief financial officer of the municipality, David Thornhill.

Thornhill was paid R39 000 for assisting the current chief financial officer Segomotso Phatudi to compile the annual financial statement a few days before the auditor-general’s office arrived in August last year to conduct the audit.

At the time, Thornhill was employed as a chief financial officer at Naledi Local Municipality in Vryburg. Thornhill is a former chief financial officer of the district.

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

R1 500 blood money outrage

NEWS Leave a comment

Quku murder

North West – R1 500. That’s how much the man accused of shooting and killing a man he suspected of stealing from his farm near the North West town of Koster wanted to pay the deceased’s family.

Cornelius Geldenhuys, through his legal representative advocate Vernon Strauss, approached Solomon Cquku’s family on Monday and offered them the cash to help with funeral arrangements.

Geldenhuys is accused of shooting and killing Cquku while he was on his bicycle on Friday. He claimed the man had stolen property from his farm.

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

TDN

‘I will not apologise for nude Zuma’

NEWS Leave a comment

Nude Zuma

Durban – Ayanda Mabulu will not apologise for his latest controversial painting of President Jacob Zuma instead he has vowed to continue using art to express his frustration.

“Those who find the painting offensive are the comfortable middle class, not the poor,” the artist said.

Mabulu’s painting, titled Spear Down My Throat (The Pornography of Power), depicts Zuma with his penis down the throat of a woman, who the artist says represents the country, while she is being penetrated by a hyena in a Victorian suit.

TDN App

At the same time, the woman is also being milked into an urn with an ANC label.

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

Search for missing DA leader continues

NEWS Leave a comment

Petro+Nel

BY KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

NORTH West premier Supra Mahumapelo said that the provincial government wish Petrol Nel a safe return after the light flight she was in disappeared in Nepal. Mahumapelo said that they had reacted with shock to the news about the DA deputy leader in North West who has gone missing in Nepal.

“As the North West provincial government, we pray hard for her safety and that the family and the Democratic Alliance must have faith in the Almighty who is in charge of all situations.” Mahumapelo said.

The party leader in North West, Joe McGluwa said that the party remained deeply distressed at the missing of Petro Nel.

TDN

“Search was called off as we still raising the money needed. The family must come up with 5 000 US Dollar (R70 000) so that the search could be resumed. We have managed to rose close to R30 000 and we would like the public to help where they could.” McGluwa said.

He said that the night vigil was held on Saturday and the family awaits positive news from Nepal.

“Nel was really looking forward to that holiday trip in Tibet, and we hope she can be found and returned home safely. She was one of the hard workers the party has and to all broader community, let keep her in our prayers. Nel is and has been a pillar of the party in the North West, and our only thoughts now are for her safe return.”

-TDN

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

‘Koster farmer gets R5000 bail after shooting’

NEWS Leave a comment

Pic: (Prisoner's cell)

Pic: (Prisoner’s cell)

BY REGINALD KANYANE

A murder case against farmer was postponed after he appeared before Koster Magistrate’s Court on Monday. Kornelius Geldenhuis, 48 allegedly shot dead a cyclist on Saturday after he accused him of theft.

North West police spokesperson, Captain Paul Ramaloko said that Salomon Quku(35) from Mountain View in Koster was fatally shot few kilometres away from Geldenhuis’s farm.

“Quku was riding his bicycle between Rustenburg and Koster road on Friday at around 4pm when he was confronted by the farmer. Geldenhuis allegedly shot him after accusing him of theft. Geldenhuis allegedly stopped the deceased and demanded to search him. The farmer’s house was broken into, and lost few portable items,” Ramaloko said.

Ramaloko said the farmer searched the man’s bag and allegedly found First Aid kit, a pillow, a cap and a pair of shoes which was said to be stolen from the farmer’s house.

“An altercation ensued between the farmer and the deceased. The farmer shot Quku twice, and the cyclist succumbed to the shot on the scene.  The farmer alerted the police and his firearm was confiscated.” he said.

Geldenhuis was granted a R5000 bail and his case was postponed until December 7.

d886541c5cc045f2b92ccbf7ecd3efeb

Provincial South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) secretary, Packett Seaketso said that they condemned the fatal shooting of the cyclist in the strongest possible term.

“The use of violence without regard for the rule of law within our farming communities is worrying. Such horrendous acts of vigilantism should be discouraged and stamped out,” Seaketso said.

He further appealed for calm while the criminal justice system is dealing with the matter.

 

“We should not allow such acts of violence to undermine reconciliation, social cohesion and nation building efforts,” he added.

-TDN

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

‘Schweizer Reneke hospital will not be closed’

NEWS Leave a comment

SCHWEIZER

BY REGINALD KANYANE

THE North West Health department refutes the claims that the Schweizer Reneke hospital was at the brink of being closed. The department spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane said that there was no intention of closing down the hospital, and urged the residents of Schweizer Reneke to be at ease.

“There was a proposal from a private company and presented that the Schweizer Reneke, Bloemhof, Taung, Vryburg and Christiana are too close to each other, so it does not make any sense to have a hospital in each area. The presentation was declined after a series of discussions.

TDN3

“We can confirm to the residents of Schweizer Reneke and surrounding areas that the hospital will remain operation even though there are renovations taking place there,” Lekgethwane said.

-TDN

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

100 unemployed youth trained in plumbing and welding in Taung

NEWS Leave a comment

YouthBuild Taung (1)

BY REGINALD KANYANE

MORE than 100 unemployed youth benefited from a YouthBuild programme that was kickstarted by The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) in partnership with the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality in the North West province on Sunday.

YouthBuild programme involved 100 unemployed rural youth from Taung and its surrounding villages who were being trained in plumbing and welding.

NYDA executive chairperson, Yershen Pillay said: “This programme is another example of the real work carried out by the NYDA in rural areas with life-changing impact for the participants. As the agency, there is nothing more fulfilling than witnessing young people involved in building a better South Africa for all.”

Pillay said that the YouthBuild volunteers were embarked on possibly one of the greatest skills transferred programmes of their lives for what they were about to learn is practical, real-world expertise.

IMG-20150822-00003

 

“This programme represents the very first of its kind in this community. The project, which the NYDA has contributed over R1.9 million towards, involves unemployed young people who are becoming prone to risky behaviours due to being out of school and unemployed. The youth will commence short skills development training using the YouthBuild programme model to learn technical skills that they can use to empower themselves and generate income for themselves and their families.” he said.

According to Pillay, the YouthBuild project was a comprehensive programme that integrated academic achievement, work experience, social action, leadership development, and personal transformation in a single project. He said that they had witnessed all of the above being imparted to previous YouthBuild participants in communities around the country with life changing effects and were confident that the same results will be delivered in the North West.

Victoria Mohale from Leshobo Village, 15km from Taung who was one of the beneficiaries said: “I joined the NYDA YouthBuild programme to learn the plumbing trade, which I was first exposed to in primary school where artisan training was part of our curriculum. I have already started a plumbing cooperative with other young people from my community so when I heard about the YouthBuild programme in Taung I knew I had to be a part of it.”

Mohale completed matric in 2011 and has been unemployed since then, but she said that she kept herself busy with various volunteer opportunities to gain work experience and skills.
The training identified for the project will be an accredited construction skills programme at NQF level 3 and it will be in the plumbing and welding trades as identified by the municipality. The programme was part of the Building and Civil Engineering Qualification approved by the Construction SETA.

According to NYDA, a total of 2 342 young people participated in structured YouthBuild programmes implemented by the NYDA in partnership with various other stakeholders such as the Human Settlements and Extended Public Works Programme back in 2014.

-TDN

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Police in search for suspects after supermarket robbery

NEWS Leave a comment

2812483079

BY REGINALD KANYANE

NORTH West police are looking for a group of suspects after a house breaking in Hartebeespoortdam.

Provincial police spokesperson, Captain Paul Ramaloko said that the police had launched a man-hunt after unknown suspects entered Spar supermarket in the early hours of Monday.

TDN#1

“The suspects allegedly blew a safe with some explosives at Mount Lake Spar supermarket. They then took a substantial amount of cash and fled the scene.” Ramaloko said.

According to Ramaloko said that no one was injured during the incident and no arrest has been made.

Police appeal to anyone who has information to come forward  to the Hartebeespoortdam police and investigations continue.

-TDN

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

‘Three municipal workers remanded in custody’

NEWS Leave a comment

60c5c766737548e993e5bf0c3decec40

BY REGINALD KANYANE

A case against three Ventersdorp municipal workers was postponed by Ventersdorp Magistrate’s Court amid further investigations.

Beatrice Mosepele, 49, Siphiwe Jankies, 36 and Ester Sekgwe, 39, appeared before Ventersdorp Magistrate’s Court yesterday after they were arrested for arson.  

The case will resume on October 15 for formal bail application.

North West police spokesperson, Captain Paul Ramaloko said that the trio allegedly colluded in putting up a fire which torched Ventersdorp municipal offices a month ago during poor service delivery protests.

“They are suspected to be part of a small group which was against the amalgamation of Ventersdorp and Tlokwe municipalities. The arrest was made on Thursday by the Provincial Public Violence task team established to deal with public violence cases in the province.” Ramaloko said. 

-TDN

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

‘A boy drowns at Modisa lodge swimming pool in Taung’

NEWS Leave a comment

images (5)

BY KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

A 18 year-old boy drowned at a local lodge in Taung on Saturday at around 3:30pm. Lebogang Masie was allegedly swimming with his friends at Modisa lodge in Taung.

North West police spokesperson, Captain Paul Ramaloko said that Masie’s friends went back into the lodge dinner hall, but realised that he was not there.

“They went back to look for him, and allegedly found him at the bottom of the swimming pool. Emergency Service was called and he was certified dead.

“With the heat wave that is being experienced, police appeal to the community to exercise caution when swimming by applying safety tips while swimming,” Ramaloko said.

-TDN

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_