Obakeng Maje

The recovery of thirty head of cattle which were reportedly stolen from Verdwaal village near Itsoseng is encouraging, North West Premier Thandi Modise said on Monday.

The stock valued at R80 000 which was reported stolen last week Monday was found kept in a kraal at (Venter Silo) Bodibe village on Friday.

The owner of the kraal was arrested after he failed to convince the police when questioned as to how did he came to possess the cattle and why is he keeping them in his kraal.

The suspect is expected to appear briefly before Itsoseng Magistrate Court on charges of possession of suspected stolen Stock and Stock Theft on Tuesday 18 December 2012.

In commending police for the breakthrough, Premier Modise urged them not to spare any effort to stamp out stock theft as it impoverishes subsistence farmers and commercial officers.

Modise called on 

traditional leaders, farmers unions, farmers, sector departments, crime prevention structures and stakeholders in farming communities to work with the police in order to address challenges experienced with regard to stock theft in the province.These include lack of brand marking, insufficient fencing, part time farmers not always on their farms, improper record keeping of stock and insufficient stock taking, insufficient pounds and the fact that not all farmers are incorporated in Agricultural Unions.

BY Obakeng Maje

Eighteen people living with HIV and Aids in Ngaka Modiri Molema District are to undergo training to run their own farming empowerment project . The skills development programme for beneficiaries of the initiative which is the brainchild of North West Premier Thandi Modise is to commence early in the new year.

Speaking at the launch of the job creation and farming empowerment project recently, Premier Modise said that it should serve as a model for three more projects to be rolled out for people living with HIV and Aids in three other districts in the province.

 Modise said that the project will provide people living with HIV And Aids with access to healthy and nutritious vegetables.

 While it will create permanent and seasonal jobs for the local community, it will assist beneficiaries to establish a viable market level of conventional vegetable production for them to sell them to local and other markets and also assist farmers to be trained at the adjacent Kgora Farmers Training Centre understand how to take care of and support employees infected with the virus.

   Project Coordinator and mother of three, Gladness Seetseng says that the project has not only given hope to people living with HIV and Aids.

“Most of us are unemployed so the project is a lifeline for us to grab the opportunity with both hands,” says 39 year-old Seetseng.

Provincial Chairperson of People living with HIV and AIDS, Rev Neo Moepi said that the project is an appropriate intervention and empowerment programme that expresses in more ways than one the compassion and care that the sector expects from their government and Premier Modise’s foresight and visionary leadership.

BY Obakeng Maje

Mahikeng- A 34 year-old suspect from Lonely Park was arrested in the early hours today for rape North West police said.

“The arrest followed a rape of a 31 year-old woman. According to the victim, she was at  a tavern last night when the suspect asked her to accompany him” Lesego Metsi said.

“The victim further alleges that along the way the suspect pulled out a firearm and threatened to kill her if she scream for help” He adds.

The suspect allegedly raped her and he was arrested this morning by Mahikeng police.

A case of rape has been launched.   

BY Obakeng Maje

Potchefstroom- North West police in Ikageng  are investigating a case of murder after the death of a 31 year-old Keitumetse Masilo  of Promosa.

“According to the information the suspect who is known but not yet arrested  and the victim  had a relationship and  the deceased was stabbed by the suspect after an argument ensued between the two yesterday Saturday at about 19:30” Colonel Lesego Metsi said.

The deceased was reported dead on the scene of crime.

Police are still tracing the suspect.

BY Obakeng Maje

Potchefstroom-Police are investigating two cases of murder on separate incidents.  In the first case a white male person age unknown was found dead along N12 between Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp.

“According to the information the deceased was found lying on his back with bruises on his head. His waist belt was found next to him.  The  police are suspecting that he could have been robbed before he was killed” Colonel Metsi said.

No one is arrested and police are investigating.

BY obakeng Maje

Rustenburg- Two vehicle collided head on yesterday afternoon at about 17:15 in Rustenburg North West police said.

“The vehicles were travelling on opposite directions along Olifantsnek road when the accident happened. The driver of one vehicle died on the spot and the other who was travelling with his wife were taken to Fencrest Private Hospital” Colonel Lesego Metsi said. Police are investigating a case of Culpable Homicide.

BY Obakeng Maje

Taung- North West police are investigating a case of culpable homicide after a  31 year-old woman from Mokgareng,near Taung was knocked down by a police vehicle.

“The accident happened yesterday afternoon at about 15:30. According to information the on duty police officer was responding to a complaint when he could not notice the victim who was then crossing the road and was knocked down by the state vehicle” Colonel Lesego Metsi said.

“The deceased  was then taken the local clinic where she was certified dead upon arrival and police are investigating if the might be any reckless driving precipitated the accident” He said.

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews

BY Obakeng Maje

Taung– North West police arrested one of their own member and another man after they allegedly assault and kidnap a man the police said.

It is alleged that a 29 year-old cop who serves as a constable and her co-accused aged 42 year-old pounced on a 32 year-old man at his house and accused him of theft.

“A cop who serves as a constable and a 42 year-old man pounced at a house of a 32 year-old man at Lokgabeng village, near Taung and accuse a man of steal her property” Colonel Lesego Metsi said.

“They allegedly tight him with a rope and drove away with him to designated area where the ordeal continued. They allegedly assaulted and robbed him his cellphone and undisclosed amount of money” He said.

According to a victim the suspects accused him of theft and he was beaten up after he could not burge.

The two accused will appear at Taung Magistrate Court tomorrow on charges of kidnapping,assault and robbery.

Investigation continues

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews

Mangaung-All delegates from the Free State ANC, except the provincial executive committee (PEC) which has 20 members, will be allowed to vote at the party’s national elective conference.

The ANC has just announced in Bloemfontein that the Free State PEC has been disbanded. This follows a special national executive committee (NEC) meeting behind closed doors that lasted from this morning.

The validity of the Free State PEC has been in doubt since yesterday’s Constitutional Court ruling. The court declared the ANC’s Free State’s provincial elective conference and the PEC it elected, invalid. This was after a group of six ANC members took the party to court to nullify the conference.

ANC policy head Jeff Radebe says the ANC national executive committee (NEC) will uphold the rule of law and acknowledge the independence of the Constitutional Court.

“The Constitutional Court is the finale decision maker on constitutional matters.

It is the final on this matter.”

Free State ANC chairperson Ace Magashule would attend the conference as an elected NEC member.

The NEC also announced that the ANC in the province will re-run its elective conference in March next year. “As a result the province will be leaderless… So a provincial task team will organise the conference within three months of the new year,” says ANC Secretary-General, Gwede Mantashe.

Mantashe says the province’s PEC would be replaced by a task team.– Additional reporting by Sapa

Twelve people were injured when their taxi overturned on the N12 near the Putfontein off-ramp on the east of Johannesburg on Saturday, said emergency workers.

Netcare 911 spokesman, Chris Botha said it was unclear what led to the accident.

“Paramedics arrived at the scene and found the crumpled remains of the taxi obstructing the highway,” he said.

“After triaging they found that one person had sustained critical injuries, the other eleven commuters sustained injuries ranging from serious to minor.”

The critically injured patient was airlifted to the Charlotte Maxeke hospital while the others were transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital. – Sapaj