Johannesburg – A man accused of locking his children up for eight years in a hostel room was expected to appear in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on Monday, Johannesburg police said.

“The man will appear on charges of child neglect,” Captain Kym Cloete said.

He was arrested on Friday.

The Daily Sun on Monday reported that a 50-year-old gardener and his 46-year-old wife had kept their four children locked in a room in the Nobuhle hostel for eight years.

The eldest child, a 24-year-old man, was chained up when his parents went out.

The children were freed on Friday after he broke free. He was admitted to hospital with bruised hands and legs. The father reportedly said he had to lock the eldest son up because he was mentally ill.

“He becomes very violent so I had to keep him chained in the house,” he was quoted as saying.

The man reportedly told police and social workers that he locked his children up because the world was dangerous and he did not want them killed.

The children were taken to a place of safety.

SAPA

Klerksdorp- The Department of Arts, Culture and Traditional Affairs in the North West province will be celebrating Africa Month on 06 and 07 June 2014 at Goudkoppie Heritage Site in Matlosana.

Africa month which includes a special day called Africa Day is celebrated across the continent on May 25 of each year. The purpose of observing such a day is to celebrate African diversity as well as highlighting the cultural and economic potential that exist within the continent.

The department has over the years celebrated this day by recognizing different indigenous groups within the province, such as Batswana, ama-Xhosa, Tsongas, Basotho, Rastafarians and other groups by bringing them together under one roof with their uniqueness.

Celebrations will include exhibitions by the Rastafarian community and other indigenous groups which will mark a quest set by the African Union (AU) for the unity of the marginalized and tolerance amongst different groups of society.

The Department under the leadership of MEC Tebogo Modise has the objective of celebrating this day of raising awareness to the public on the importance and relevance of Africa month, and to develop the culture of tolerance of diverse cultures, languages and religions.

The first day of the event will include story telling, open mike session, drumming and chanting, screening of photographs and videos.

Second day will witness performances from different indigenous cultural groups, exhibition of African indigenous food, arts craft, medicinal herbs and clothing amongst others.

“The Department seeks to promote creativity of our artists as well as crafters locally in the province, mainly to ensure that identity and heritage which is diverse is celebrated and upheld as stated in the law of the land” says MEC Tebogo Modise.

Details of the event are as follows:

Day 1

Venue: Matlosana (Goudkoppie Heritage Site)

Time: 18h00

Date: 06 June 2014

-TDN
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North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo is to share his vision on the province and the economic revival of the provincial capital city with the business community of Mahikeng at a partnership meeting to be held as from 5pm at the Cookes Lake on Tuesday afternoon.
 

“The unity amongst the business community in Mahikeng and the province is central to growing the economy of the province for us to move the North West Province forward as part of our rebranding, repositioning and renewal project and advancing the philosophy of Saam werk-Saam trek,” Premier Mahumapelo said ahead of the meeting.

Premier Mahumapelo who will be accompanied by the Economic and Infrastructure Cluster MEC;s and the Executive Mayor of Mahikeng has identified investment in water, energy, transport and sanitation infrastructure as key to the economic revival of the capital city”

Amongst others issues that the Premier will discuss with the business community is the recapitalization and commercialization of key infrastructure assets in Mahikeng that include the Mahikeng International Airport, Bop Recording Studios, Mmabatho Stadium,Lotlamoreng Dam, SABC Broadcasting facility, Leopard Park Golf Estate and the  Mmabatho Convention Centre.-TDN
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No cholera in Bloemhof – NICD

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2014-06-02 09:20
Johannesburg – Tests done to check for cholera in Bloemhof, in the North West, were negative, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said on Monday.

“The tests were negative, so cholera has been excluded now,” Professor Lucille Blumberg told Sapa.

“The source of the problem is contaminated water and that needs to be fixed.”

The institute was conducting more tests to check for other viruses, like gastroenteritis.

Gastroenteritis (infectious diarrhoea) is a condition characterised by inflammation of an intestinal tract which results in diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain and cramping. Gastroenteritis is referred to as gastro, stomach bug, and stomach virus.

3 babies dead

Earlier, the North West health department confirmed that two more babies had died from diarrhoea in Bloemhof, where water contamination left the town without water last week.

“One baby was 7-months-old and the other was 13-months-old,” said spokesperson Tebogo Lekgethwane.

The circumstances surrounding their deaths were similar to the first baby that died last Wednesday, he said.

Dozens of residents went to local clinics to be examined last week following the contamination. Five babies were admitted to hospital for observation.

The Lekwa-Teemane municipality shut down its water supply system more than a week ago. The national water affairs department on Friday said the system had been cleaned and sanitised, and water was restored on Thursday evening.

But residents said the water coming out of taps was still brown on Friday, and residents were asked to boil the water first before using it.

Water samples were taken for testing.

On Sunday, Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane visited the area.

Meanwhile, civil rights group Afriforum conducted its own water tests.

“We haven’t received the results yet. We expect it by tomorrow [Tuesday] or Wednesday,” said Afriforum North West co-ordinator Carmea Huysamen.
-Sapa

The Municipal Manager for Lekwa Teemane Local Municipality has been suspended pending the outcome of a forensic investigation whose preliminary report is to serve before a Special meeting of the Provincial Executive Council(Exco) to be held on Tuesday, North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo confirmed on Monday.

The suspension of Andrew Makuapan follows a meeting that involved Premier Mahumapelo, Minister of Water and Sanitation, Nomvula Mokonyane and the Exco Intervention task team established by the Premier to look into challenges facing the municipality and visits to families that lost three infants over the weekend.

A joint task team that includes the Exco task team and the Ministry of Water and Sanitation has been established to look into the ailing infrastructure, funding model for the municipality, governance and administrative challenges facing the municipality and sanitation spillage into the water pipes that has resulted in contamination of water.

Urgent interventions identified include upgrading of the sewer plant, review of the municipality’s Local Economic Plan in consultation with key stakeholders such as the business,civic, labour and religious structures  and rebuilding of public properties destroyed during the violence experienced in the area.  

“Developing solutions to the challenges faced by the community to put it on a trajectory of peace, reconciliation and healing and the need for unity among councillors were also identified as critical interventions to normalise and stabilise the crisis situation in the area,” Premier Mahumapelo said.

A feedback meeting with the community is to be held on Sunday afternoon after a report is finalised on Friday.-TDN
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