Mahikeng – The labour court in Braamfontein has dismissed the court application by South Africa Municipal Workers Union – SAMWU in Ngaka Modiri District Municipality of the alleged unlawful lock out against the workers in the municipality. SAMWU filed the application alleging that the Administrator and the Department Local Government and Human Settlement had locked out their members after the workers were ordered to remain at home for few days. 

The argument by Administrator was that he had ordered a temporary closure of the Mahikeng offices (Head Office) for a few days as an effort to bring stability to the municipality. Few days later workers went through employment validation process and to be accredited to enter the municipality premises.

When the Administrator Kumaran “Kulu” Nair was to assume his duties together with the Intervention Team on the 26th of September 2014, there were a group of people within the premises of the municipality who were continuously chanting slogans without engaging in any work. Municipal vehicles which included trucks and fire brigade blocked all entrances into the municipality.

Workers were against the decision by the provincial government to dissolve the council and put Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality under administration.

The Intervention Team assumed duties a day after the North West High Court had dismissed an application launched by the municipality to interdict the provincial government from appointing an Administrator and for the court to set aside the EXCO’s decision to dissolve the council.

SAMWU alleged that the action by the department was unlawful and it constituted an unlawful lockout of workers but the labour court dismissed the application. No cost was however made by the court.

MEC for Local Government and Human Settlement Collen Maine said that he never had any doubt that the court will rule in their favour. “The court has confirmed that our decision as the provincial government was lawful as it intended to bring calm and stability into the municipality. Our action had the best interest of workers at heart as we needed to separate workers from those who were rented to bring anarchy to the district municipality. We knew all along that the court application will never see the light of the day” remarked Collen Maine.
-TDN
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Numsa has filed an urgent interdict at the South Gauteng High Court to stop a crucial meeting in which it is expected to be expelled from Cosatu.
For more http://www.mg.co.za

Four people remain in a critical condition at the Upington hospital in the Northern Cape after a crane collapsed at a building site of a new solar plant, killing a man and a woman.

Police spokesperson Jacques September says the incident took place at KHI Solar One, outside the Northern Cape.
For more http://www.sabc.co.za

Rustenburg – Bokone Bophirima Provincial Government and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to commence collaboration on funding for infrastructure development. The signing which Premier Supra Mahumapelo described as one that is critical in pursuing the objectives of the National Development Plan and the conceived strategy to Rebrand, Reposition and Renew the Province, was done on Saturday, at Rustenburg Civic Centre, Bojanala Platinum District Municipality. 

Premier Supra Mahumapelo said this MoU is a practical expression of the Bokone Bophirima government’s firm resolve to join forces with other stakeholders to radically deal with challenges such as infrastructure backlog for roads, water, electricity and housing.

“As a means to primarily implement the objectives of the National Development Plan, this process will contribute greatly towards the attainment of the Province’s set economic growth to 6% by 2019, thus enabling us to progressively overcome the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality. By signing this MoU”, Premier emphasised “We are committing ourselves as partners who share the same mission, to assertively face the challenges before us and ensure that the lives of the people in Bokone Bophirima Province are changed for the better”.

DBSA Chief Executive Officer, Patrick Dlamini acceded that this MoU signals the two parties’ intent to provide better services, saying the institution will work tightly with the Province to successfully achieve this goal which is also expressed and stressed in the National Development Plan. 

“We are excited because the infrastructure development approach we are planning for Bokone Bophirima Province will soon be used as a model for the country, an approach which challenges all of us to up our game in an effort to ensure that the citizens enjoy their rights to access better services”, said Mr Dlamini who applauded Premier Mahumapelo for having taken the initiative to approach the DBSA for support.

Dlamini said while the infrastructure development projects for Bokone Bophirima Province could not be quantified at present, it is expected that the funding which will be guided by the Province’s needs, will be huge.

The Executive Mayor of the Rustenburg Local Municipality Cllr Mpho Khonou who also attended the signing ceremony, welcomed the move as a step in the right direction.

The DBSA is a Development Finance Institution wholly owned by the government of South Africa and focuses on large infrastructure projects within the public and private sector. Its main objectives are the promotion of economic development and growth, human resource development, institutional capacity building, and the support of development projects in South Africa, the SADC region and other parts of Africa. 
-TDN
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Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula has slammed radio personality Gareth Cliff for comments he made questioning the funeral costs of deceased Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper and captain Senzo Meyiwa.

While the official provincial state funeral was unfolding at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday, Cliff, who is known for making inflammatory statements, came under fire from social media users after posting on his Twitter account that: “Who’s paying for this massive funeral for #SenzoMeyiwa?”

The tweet clearly angered most users who responded with a flurry of insults and accused Cliff of being ‘racist’ and ‘insensitive’ for asking such a question while the nation was still mourning. The users then asked Mbalula to comment and the Minister was his usual outspoken self, saying in Xhosa ‘leave him (Myekeni) he is ‘suffering from a Verwoerd hangover.
For more http://www.timelive.co.za

AGNES pulled down her pants in the middle of the street.

You don’t have to rape our kids, the young mum said.

JUST ASK NICELY AND I’LL GIVE YOU MY PUNANI ANY WAY YOU WANT!

Agnes was one of a group of women protesting outside a primary school in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni on Friday.
For more http://www.dailysun.mobi

Orlando Pirates have responded to media reports suggesting that chairman Irvin Khoza lost his cool over supposed disorganisation at Senzo Meyiwa’s funeral at the weekend.

The Bafana Bafana captain was laid to rest in KwaZulu-Natal this weekend, but the Sowetan reported that the ‘Iron Duke’ was unhappy with certain events taking place.

Pirates today released a statement to clarify matters. It read:

“The Orlando Pirates Football Club management is saddened and disappointed to wake up to a Sowetan article that purports a dignified and well attended funeral of our departed team captain Senzo Meyiwa as chaotic and boring, characterised by ‘unruly soccer fans who sang throughout most of … long speeches’.

“The article also seek to purport Dr Khoza’s intervention on a matter of protocol as an action against the Kaizer Chiefs captain and players. The article further quotes a Thandi Miya, aunt of Senzo that is supposed to have told shocked mourners on Thursday about Senzo being ‘ill-treated by a top official of Orlando Pirates’.

“The Orlando Pirates Football Club is hereby putting on record the sequence of events that led to the Chairman, Dr Khoza requesting the priest that was acting as the Programme Director at the graveyard, to announce the protocol in keeping with what had been agreed earlier when he approached Dr Khoza to seek clarity.

“At the beginning of the graveyard part of the funeral, the presiding priest acting as the Programme Director approached Dr Khoza to verify the protocol that Dr Khoza confirmed as – family first, followed by Minister and Premier, Deputy Minister and Mayor; football leadership – Dr Jordaan, Dr Khoza and Mr Motsepe, followed by the players. The priests unfortunately omitted to announce the protocol as agreed.

“Unaware of the protocol some official signalled to the Kaizer Chiefs players to come forward from the tent where they were seated to come pay their last respect through pouring of soil into the grave. When Dr Khoza noticed this occurrence he consulted and concurred with the Minister and Premier that it needed to be corrected. He quietly went to the priest to remind him to announce the protocol agreed. At no stage did Dr Khoza ‘lose it’ or ‘throw a tantrum’ as the article states.

“The article singles out Kaizer Chiefs players in a manner suggesting Dr Khoza was ‘angered’ by the Kaizer Chiefs captain and players. We find this deliberately mischievous as, by the time the presiding priest announced the protocol to be followed, both the Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates players were around the grave paying the last respect.

“It is mischievous to suggest I was angry and especially angered by the Kaizer Chiefs captain and players. I am particularly pleased by the role played by Kaizer Chiefs in the dignified burial of Senzo Meyiwa. I view Kaizer Chiefs players, all players for that matter, as children that I must play my role in nurturing (nge sintu children cannot pour soil into the grave before the elders).

“The rivalry the Sowetan article refers to must exist in the journalist’s mischievous head. The Kaizer Chiefs captain, Itumeleng Khune was one of the first people to arrive at the hospital after Senzo was admitted.

“At the graveyard he came to greet Minister Fikile Mbalula, Premier Senzo Mchunu, myself, the family, Dr Danny Jordaan and Mr Patrice Motsepe. I have no issue with Itumeleng’s manners as they are impeccable,” commented Dr Khoza.

“This unfortunate incident would not have occurred had the priest acting as the Programme Director announced the agreed protocol. I am disappointed that this article was written in the Sowetan. This is a paper best placed to uphold isintu.

It should also know that the rivalry between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs is restricted to the field of play. If the journalist was not obsessed with not letting the facts stand in the way of his mischievous story, he would have heard that the Chairman of Kaizer Chiefs spoke about Senzo Meyiwa as if he was his son and player in his own club,” added Dr Khoza.

Pirates say they are also “following up on the utterances attributed to a person referred to in the article as an aunt of Senzo Meyiwa, alleging that an Orlando Pirates official ill-treated Senzo Meyiwa”. 

Article by: Press Release