Every facility under control of government will be made accessible to People with Disabilities, North West Premier Thandi Modise said at the closing of a two-day Provincial Disability Rights Conference that ended in Mahikeng on Friday.

“Every municipality must make sure that its buildings are accessible to People with Disability. We will make sure that every facility under the control of government is accessible to people with disability. Clinics and other buildings must all be wheelchair friendly,” said Premier Modise.

Premier Modise also echoed Representative of the North West House of Traditional Leadership, Kgosi Anthea Seatlholo’s concern that the current disability grant needed to be increased as People with Disability often needed more support which tend to increase their financial burden, saying that her administration will raise the matter with the national government.

Delegates emerged from the conference convened under the theme “Breaking barriers, open doors for an inclusive society for all,with key priority areas for the disability rights sector that will inform the work of the Provincial Government over the next five years.

“We have singled-out education, health, universal access, economic empowerment, governance, institutional support, decent jobs and employment as critical areas that should be given urgent attention by government,” read the declaration. 

The conference also resolved that the Provincial Government should lobby for the health policy to be reviewed to include other types of disabilities such as Albinism.

Delegates were also resolute that 2% employment target must be achieved by all departments in the next two years and that the government must take action against those that fail to achieve this target.

“We congratulate Premier Thandi Modise and her team in the Provincial Administration for convening this important conference and wish that they use their evident energies to ensure effective implementation of the resolutions of this conference,” said delegates in the declaration.  

The delegates closed by paying a fitting tribute to the late former President Nelson Mandela.

“We remain indebted to Madiba as he laid a firm foundation for a united, democratic, prosperous and an inclusive South Africa that disregards any form of unfair discrimination. We will continue to pursue the ideals that he represented. Our conference is therefore the first step in defending the legacy of Nelson Mandela.”-TDN

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The alleged rape of an elderly woman by her son in Mapetla section in Mmakau village near Mothotlung outside Brits is a wicked and a despicable act and demands for all women and real men to stand up against the scourge of rape and gender based violence, North West Premier Thandi Modise said on Monday.

“The scourge of rape has reached alarming proportion and calls for united action and intensified action to protect women and children,” emphasised Premier Modise in condemning the incident.

Modise called for no bail for the 49-year-old suspect alleged to have raped his 74-year-old mother on Thursday.

“No woman or child would be safe with a man who rapes his own mother roaming the streets. He should be locked away and the key thrown into the deep sea,” Premier Modise added.

She reiterated her call to faith based organizations, women formations, children’s right groups and men rights groups to join the COSATU picket to be held on the Friday 7 February 2014 at the Swartruggens Magistrates Court to highlight the scourge of gender based violence and amplify the call for no bail for perpetrators as the court at which the suspect is going to appear is outside the province.

The Premier called on those around Mmakau,Hebron and Kgabalatsane to picket at the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrate Court where the suspect is expected to appear for bail application on Friday.

Police alleged that the victim was asleep when her son entered her bedroom. The victim informed her sister who alerted the police.”

“The mother was taken to hospital for medical examination, where rape was confirmed,” said Captain Pelonomi Makau.

Police  investigations are continuing.-TDN

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By Obakeng Maje

Pudumong-A 25 year-old man was denied bail by Taung Magistrate Court after he was subsequently arrested for assaulting his own father.

Mzwandile Nkomo,25 from Choseng village, near Pudumong was denied bail even thou his father pleaded with the court to release him on bail and he also offered to pay bail for him.

Franscis Batlhalihe Nkomo,50 opened a GBH assault against his son, Mzwandile after he allegedly assaulted him.

“This is not for the first time being assaulted by my only son. We stay together in a house and the fight started after he asked for money to buy a cellphone” Nkomo said.

Nkomo said Mzwadile becomes unruly most of the time when he is drunk.

“He assaulted me with a iron stick and I ended in hospital. I would like to pledge with him to stop assaulting me as I love him as my son” said heartbroken Nkomo.

The case was postponed until the 24 February 2014 for next appearance and the court said that will be risky to release Mzwandile on bail as he might abuse his father while on bail.

“I offered to pay bail for him after I felt the pain of him staying in custody. He is my son and I want to stay with him as no one want him” Nkomo outlines.

Mzwandile Nkomo is unwanted and no one in his family or extended ones want anything to do with him because of his behaviour.

The case of GBH assault was opened against him and the latter will remain in custody.

Police investigations continue.-TDN

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