North West Sport Department refutes DA’s claims

NEWS Leave a comment

 10917854_823594047679915_3547848593742201139_n

BY OBAKENG MAJE
THE North West Department for Sport Development and Education refutes claims brought to light by Democratic Alliance that they left 8 athletes stranded without any help.

North West Education and Sport Development departmental spokesperson Elias Malindisi said “We will like to disagree in the strongest terms with the statement issued by the Democratic Alliance regarding 8 disabled athletes who have been selected by the Special Olympics South Africa (SOSA) to represent the country in the World games at Los Angeles, America from 20 July to 5 August 2015,”.

The North West Department of Education and Sport Development said they assisted these athletes long before they could participate at a National and International level.

“We supported these athletes during the time when they were still competing at the district level.

These athletes were selected from the 8 – 11 July 2014 at the National Special Olympics event held at Pietermaritzburg. The Department of Education and Sport Development assisted them with meals, transport, accommodation and the sports attire (tracksuits, dry necks, warm suitors’, t-shirts, sport bags, etc)” he said.

However Democratic Alliance Member of Parliament Legislature in North West, Dr Tutu Faleni said they are adamant regarding their statement and they will ensure that the North West Provincial Government honours their responsibility to eight disabled athletes who were chosen to participate at the World Summer Games in Los Angeles from 20 July to 5 August 2015.

“The DA learned with shock that the North West Government has not given any recognition to these athletes who will join 62 other athletes (from the remaining eight provinces in South Africa) for this prestigious international event.

“Special Olympics South Africa (SOSA) in North West, has also gone to great lengths to try and get financial assistance in order to ensure their participation in the event,” said Faleni.

According to DA, SOSA is worried, because to date, all correspondence to the NWPG by SOSA in North West were ignored.

“According to SOSA (NW) all the other provinces support their athletes in this venture.

“If the situation is not dealt with immediately these eight athletes will have to withdraw from the event” Faleni outlines.

He said they took the matter up after SOSA’s plea to the Democratic Alliance for help.

 “The DA will bring an urgent motion in the Legislature in order to help these athletes to participate on international level.

“The DA encourages and want to promote participation (to the fullest extent possible) of persons with disabilities in sporting activities at all levels,” concludes Faleni.

Malindisi put the matter into perspective and said on the 20 – 21 May 2015, these athletes went for their Visa interviews at the American Embassy and they were transported and accommodated at Stay Easy Hotel in Yeoville by the department.

“Now that these athletes will be representing the country not the province, the Special Olympics South Africa (SOSA) is responsible for paying their air tickets to Los Angeles, America and the University of Los Angeles will accommodate all the athletes for free.

“However the department will still be paying for the departure camps which include transport and accommodation on the 18 – 20 July 2015 and still the department will collect them when they comeback from Los Angeles, America,” he said.

He said the department continues to support all disciplines of the disability sports in the province throughout the sporting calendar of 2015/16.

Manokwane arson case postponed

NEWS Leave a comment

DSC_5537

BY OBAKENG MAJE

A case against 19 Manokwane accused was postponed by Taung Magistrates Court on Monday.

The 19 accused briefly appeared before Taung Magistrates Court in connection of arson and public violence after three houses were allegedly reduced to ashes.

The incident took place back in 2012 after the community members went berserk and burnt two houses belonging to their ward councillor, and headmaster’s secretary.

Most of the witnesses were called to give evidence and the case was postponed and will resume tomorrow where other witnesses are expected to give evidence.
-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Maradona to run for FIFA presidency

NEWS Leave a comment

Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona has decided to stand as a candidate for the FIFA presidency to replace Sepp Blatter, Uruguayan journalist and author Victor Hugo Morales has said.

Morales said Maradona had told him of his intention when he called the former coach of the Argentina national team to check on the condition of his sick father on Sunday.


“He told me he was going to run for president of FIFA and authorised me to inform,” Morales posted in Spanish on his twitter feed.
For more http://www.thetimes.co.za

⁠

‘Zuma Square’ to be built in Nkandla, says Pres

NEWS Leave a comment

President Jacob Zuma assured onlookers on Saturday that the next phase of the Nkandla development close to his multimillion-rand Nkandla homestead would be the construction of a mall called Nkandla Square.

The President was speaking at the opening of Mandela Square, the first mall to be built in Greytown.

“When I retire I want to build my own mall and name it Zuma Square in Nkandla town. Definitely I will build it,” said Zuma.
For more http://www.news24.com

Police nab notorious airport gang

NEWS Leave a comment

PRETORIA – Pretoria police believe they may have struck a blow at a syndicate of so-called airport robbers. 

On Sunday night they acted on a tip-off and foiled an armed robbery in progress.

Two of the suspected robbers were killed and another wounded in the ensuing shootout. 

For more http://www.enca.com

The ANC Women’s League Calls for Intervention against Acts of Abuse at Ramotshere-Moiloa

NEWS Leave a comment

DSC_5430

BY OBAKENG MAJE




The ANC Women’s League in the North West is disturbed by the shocking findings of insidious acts of sexual abuse that were recently reported by a member of the Community Policing Forum at Nyetse, a remote village located near Zeerust at the Ramotshere Local Municipality.

It is alleged that Fanie Dintlenyane Moatshe who is estimated to be in his late 20’s had for several years, been sexually molesting and physically abusing his immediate parents, grandparent, his two sisters, 9 year old niece and his 11 year old nephew.

“We condemn such indecent, heinous acts of crime and animal behaviour, and would like to offer our gratitude and appreciation towards the speedy reaction of concerned members of the community and the South African Broadcast Corporation (SABC) News Team who led the process of ensuring that the perpetrator is arrested and currently awaiting trial.

“It is however unfortunate and with great sadness that the family of seven had been living in a plastic tent for more than three years in an impoverished surrounding under the care of their grandmother who is currently receiving pension grant, unlike the rest of the family members who do not possess identification documents including the offender to acquire grants to due to them,” provincial secretary Meogo Matuba said.

She said the ANCWL therefore call for immediate intervention of the MEC for the Department of Social Development, MEC for Department of Human Settlements and the MEC for the Department of Public Safety in the North West to assist further in ensuring that this family receives the best care for rehabilitation and also be provisioned with their right to basic needs such water, electricity, food and proper secure home as a human right to all.

She said the ANC Women’s League has always roped its beliefs on a prosperous democratic society that allows for all to live freely without prejudice, hate, injustice despite race, gender, nor sexual orientation as a basic human right deserving protection, food, shelter, quality education and a sustainable environment but also recognises that is takes social cohesion in a society to achieve all this.

“It is therefore within this context that we further urge our stakeholder departments, non-governmental organisations, religious sectors, business entities and members of the community who may willingly extend a hand to offer aid to the family of Moatshe, towards making South Africa a better place to be for all who reside in it,” she said.

She said the Women’s League will ensure that they sit with the Tribal Council at Nyetse and look for more constructive ways to assist not only this family but the rest of the community to address challenges that may need urgent intervention.
-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Nine killed in Free State collision

NEWS Leave a comment

3472730867
Seven adults and two children were killed in a head on collision last night on the R30 between Brandford and Theunissen, north of Bloemfontein in the Free State.

“Paramedics from ER24 and provincial services arrived on the scene and found seven people, including the two children believed to be three and four years old, dead on the scene. Two adults were in a critical condition and rushed off to the Pelonomi Hospital in Bloemfontein where they later succumbed to their injuries,” ER24 spokesperson, Werner Vermaak said.

Paramedics on the scene explained that a VW Polo and a Ford Laser collided head on with each other. All of the occupants in the Ford were still trapped. None of them showed any signs of life.

Vermaak said the occupants of the VW were ejected from their vehicle and found near the wreckages.

Both vehicles sustained extensive damage with one of the vehicle lying several meters away on its roof next to the road.

The local authorities attended the incident and will conduct an investigation to determine the exact cause.
-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Taung residents to meet with Kolong bridge project contractor

NEWS Leave a comment

BY OBAKENG MAJE
THE Community of Taung is expected to gather at Kolong bridge on Monday morning to discuss alleged misappropriation occurred during hiring of staff who are supposed to help in building the new Kolong bridge.

Some of the community members alleged that the contractor hired to build new Kolong bridge, brought his own people to commerce the project while local residents were left out.

Community leaders are expected to meet with the contractor at 09:00am on Monday to discuss way-forward in ironing-out that issue.
More details will follow as the event unfold.
-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Two held for possession of explosives in North West

NEWS Leave a comment

Alleged child abuser arrested in North West

NEWS Leave a comment

A 27-year-old man, accused of sexually abusing younger family members at Nyetse village in the North West, has been arrested, after an SABC probe.

It’s alleged the abuse has been taking place for years. It’s claimed the man’s nine-year-old niece has been sexually abused since the age of three.

Further allegations incriminate him raping his 11-year-old niece earlier this year in nearby bushes – and that his 12-year-old nephew was also a victim.

This started when the child was three-years-old and now the child is nine-years-old, meaning that he has been sleeping with this child for six-years.

And after this one was sent away, he then turned to the eleven year old one; but this girl was badly burnt on her tummy and private parts and while she was undergoing reconstructive surgery.

But the man continued to victimize, leading to more injuries to her private parts.She is now really badly damaged.

When the SABC contacted police this week – they said a warrant of arrest was issued for the perpetrator but that he was on the run.But community members pointed out the man – and later apprehended him themselves and handed him to the police.

Police spokesperson Captain Paul Ramaloko says, “We are the ones who succeeded to get a warrant against him. We were looking for him and the fact that the community managed to assist us in his arrest shouldn’t be something strange.

Because that is something that, when you look at the Criminal Procedure Act Section 42, it talks about the community involvement in the arrest. There are also some sections that say the community must be involved in the policing activity.”

The matter was brought to the fore, when a family member sought the help of a local non-profit organisation assisting rape victims.

Pelegi Movement’s Kentse Badirwang says, “The family we are visiting today [Friday] really touched my heart. Because I couldn’t sleep knowing how rape survivors suffer emotionally. I’m a rape survivor myself – I know the pain associated with this … I need urgent intervention.”

Authorities say more action will follow – once a court order to remove the children, has been obtained.

Social development spokesperson Petrus Siko says, “We have made necessary arrangements that these children will be referred to a child and youth care centre pending a court order.

Since the incident our social workers have done a lot of counselling to the family members except that the parents are denying the fact that this man has been abusing them. But the counselling will continue.”

Social development says the man, currently in police custody, will undergo psychological evaluation.

SABC