Mmabatho – The development and growth of Tourism should be a collective effort between government and the private sector using aggressive marketing tools and relevant platforms such as the Are Yeng Bokone Bophirima Brand Property in order to accomplish the desired goals and subsequently lead to economic growth and job creation. 

This is according to MEC for Tourism in the North West Desbo Mohono, during Minister Derek Hanekom’s North West outreach program in Mahikeng. This programme entails a number of stakeholder engagements with key industry role players and product owners in all four districts of the Province.

According to MEC Mohono, Tourism is a job creating industry and if done right, it can have a positive socio-economic impact in our Villages, Townships and Small Dorpies as envisioned by North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo.

“The province has adopted Tourism, Heritage and Events strategies. If fully and successfully implemented, the three will see the province growing its economy by 6% and becoming the second most preferred province by tourists from other countries and other provinces of our country. We are however positive that we shall achieve our intended target of creating a welcoming and hospitable environment that is embracing to every tourist coming into our province,” said MEC Mohono.

Meanwhile Minister Hanekom did not mix words and echoed MEC Mohono’s sentiments about tourism potential and the life changing opportunities within the industry. He further warned against barriers that sometimes leave tourists changing their minds from visiting the country.

“It is only through integration and partnership that we can get our strategies right as a country. A joined marketing plan will also play a very pivotal role in selling our products to the outside world. In that way we know that we are all ambassadors not of our own provinces, but of the country as a whole. We will then see Tourism grow in our country and finally winning tourists from the top three countries which are the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom, said Minister Hanekom. 

Both the Minister and the MEC called for responsible tourism. They said that by making sure that we keep our country clean, and by being hospitable and deliver good products to our tourists, we will be opening possibilities of seeing them again visiting or even investing in our country.

The minister’s visit to the North West province is part of the National Department’s initiative of visiting provinces and interacting with relevant stakeholders within the Tourism industry. The minister and the MEC will also listen to challenges facing the industrial role players and further introduce them to possible opportunities available to assist them in growing their products.

The minister and his delegation will remain in the province for the next two days, where they will be visiting other tourism product and further interact with other stakeholders.
-TDN
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Mahikeng –The Department of Local Government and Human Settlements in Bokone Bophirima recently met with communicators from municipalities under the theme “using communications to move Bokone Bophirima forward” to help strengthen and synergize communication in municipalities around the Province, through the Local Government Communicators Forum (LGCF). 

“The forum is a platform for local government communicators to converge under one roof and discuss critical matters that affect the communications sphere and to ensure that we all speak in one voice”, MEC for Local Government and Human Settlements, Collen Maine explained.

MEC Maine said most of protests that happen in various municipalities are caused by the fact that communities are often not kept abreast about issues of service delivery in their localities.

“It is your duty as local government communicators to communicate when we deliver services even when we have projects that we cannot implement due to varying reasons, our communities must be informed at all times.

“There are number of communication platforms that you can use to reach out to all our communications, let us make use of all those platforms’’, he said.

The forum was to also ensure that communicators spread word in their municipalities about programs that government has put in place such as the Setsokotsane and Bua Le Puso Programs that aim to reach out to communities in small dorpies, townships and villages around the province.

According to Maine, Communicators had the opportunity to address challenges that they faced in their respective municipalities that deterred them from performing their duties to the fullest and also to share best practices.

Meanwhile, the Acting Head of Communication, Brian Setswambung said the period leading up to local government elections next year, needed Communicators to reach out to all communities in the Province to update communities on progress made by the provincial government, including municipalities.
-TDN
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Moruleng- As congratulatory messages continue to pour in following Platinum Stars’ win over Mpumalanga Black Aces in the finals of the inaugural Bokone Bophirima Maize Triangle Challenge, Premier SOR Mahumapelo has extended his heartfelt congratulations on behalf of the Bokone Bophirima Provincial Government to Team Platinum Stars for their outstanding and entertaining soccer performance. Participating in this one-day tournament which was held at Moruleng Stadium on Saturday, were Bloemfontein Celtics, Mpumalanga Black Aces, Platinum Stars and Township Rollers from Botswana.

Thanking all teams for participating in this tournament which seeks to give meaning to the vision to rebrand, reposition and renew the Province and bolstering local economic activities, Premier Mahumapelo commended them for playing with great focus, dedication and artistry, thereby entertaining fans who came in numbers to watch the games.

Premier Mahumapelo says Platinum Stars’ comeback during its semi-final clash against Township Rollers and its remarkable victory in the tournament finals is a clear manifestation of the successes the team can achieve if Bokone Bophirima residents could come together and devote their collective energies to supporting the team.

“Platinum Stars’ win justifies the Provincial Government’s confidence in the team, and we encourage all Bokone Bophirima residents to rally behind the team and be its loyal supporters”, said Premier Mahumapelo adding that the Provincial Government was pleased to see thousands of residents from across the three Provinces and Botswana supporting this initiative and showing their pride in the beautiful game of soccer.

Platinum Stars snatched gold medals and the coveted Maize Cup after beating Township Rollers 5-4 on penalties, and advancing to the finals during which match they defeated Mpumalanga Black Aces 1-0.
-TDN
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Three people were injured, one critically so, after a gas heater exploded at a residence in Kameeldrift this afternoon at around 12h24. The exact cause for the explosion is still s a subject that will have to be investigated.

Netcare 911 paramedics arrived at the scene and found an adult female and two children that had sustained severe burns, the female was in a critical condition while the children  was in a serious condition.

“After the patients were stabilised at the scene by advanced life support paramedics, they airlifted the critically injured patient with the Netcare helicopter while the two children were transported by ambulance to a specialised facility for the care that they required,” Netcare 911 Chris Botha said.
-TDN
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BY OBAKENG MAJE
Two pedestrians were left with multiple injuries when a vehicle collided with them on the Rysmierbult Road near Ventersdorp last night.

Paramedics that arrived on the scene found one of the pedestrians in a critical condition with a severe injury to one of his legs.

ER24 spokesperson Werner Vermaak said the second pedestrian sustained several other injuries.

“Both pedestrians were stabilised on the scene before they were transported to Potchefstroom Provincial hospital for further treatment. One of the pedestrians was transported by the local provincial services,” Vermaak said.

The driver of the vehicle was not injured in the collision.

Local authorities attended the incident.
-TDN
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BY OBAKENG MAJE
Deputy Minister of Communications, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams will visit the North West province in her last leg of the Youth Month 2015 outreach, on Thursday, in collaboration with the Premier of the North West Supra Mahumapelo’s Setsokotsane programme at Mmabana Cultural Centre, Taung, North West.

The Dialogue will bring together youth, entities and political principals under one roof.

The Youth Dialogue will be running concurrently with the exhibition outside the Auditorium which will further highlight and expose entrepreneurial, academic and employment opportunities that youth of Taung and surrounding areas can explore.

Details are as follows:

Date: 16th July 2015

Time: 10:00

Venue: Mabana Cultural Centre, Taung, North West
-TDN
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