By TDN
Mahikeng: The North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development calls on all domestic animals owners to join forces in preventing the spread of the deadly Rabies disease, by ensuring that their animals get vaccinated. The call comes in the wake of the month-long awareness and vaccination campaigns, which the Department has embarked upon throughout the Province.
During these campaigns, the Department’s Veterinary Animal Health Technicians and State Veterinarians are vaccinating pets like dogs and cats against the disease, and educating communities about how rabies is spread, how it is treated, and the preventative measures available for both humans and animals.
“When people know about rabies, understand how it is transmitted and what to do when a person is exposed to the virus, lives are saved”, says MEC for Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Desbo Mohono.
Rabies is a preventable yet fatal viral disease, which is found in domestic and wild animals, and occasionally in humans. The rabies virus which is found in the saliva of an infected animal is transmitted from animals to humans/animals through bites, licks and scratching.
Humans can be infected through the broken skin or mucous membrane, after coming into contact with an infected animal.
According to Dr Langa Madyibi, Director for Veterinary Services within the Department, domestic animals should be vaccinated at three months of age and have their first booster between one and nine months, after which they must get the booster vaccinations every year, as required by the Animal Disease Act (Act 35 of 1984).
Madyibi advised communities to look for behavioural changes in their animals like, aggressiveness, dumbness, paralysis or partially paralysis, or excessive salivation, as they are common signs and symptoms of rabies.
“In humans, flu-like fever, headache and fatigue which progress to involve respiratory, gastrointestinal or central nervous system are common symptoms of infection. Signs of hyperactivity in a furious form or paralysis are also common” explained Dr Madyibi who maintains that human beings die during the first seven days of illness.
Owners are urged to ensure that they observe the legal requirement of vaccinating their domestic animals, more so the vaccination is administered at a free cost.
For more information on where vaccination will be carried out in different areas of the Province, communities are encouraged to contact the Department’s State Veterinary offices found in all the Districts. World Rabies Day will be commemorated on the 28th of September.-TDN
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In keeping up with the heritage month theme, “Reclaiming, restoring and celebrating our living heritage”, Bataung Boo Selale saw the long awaiting official enthronement of Kgosi Bokagantsho Justice Sefanyetso which recently took place in Moubane village (Ga Sefanyetso) near Madikwe. .

North West MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Manketse Tlhape who handed over a certificate of recognition to Kgosi Sefanyetso on behalf of Premier Thandi Modise, said that it is not government’s mandate to control traditional leaders.

“Government is not here to regulate traditional leaders, instead government is there to support and facilitate functional institutions of traditional leaders and ensure that its existence remains part of our living heritage, MEC Tlhape said.

“As government we do as much as we can so that our heritage remains intact and recognized and traditional leaders play a pivotal role in restoring our heritage”, MEC Tlhape added.

MEC Tlhape wished Kgosi Sefanyetso well in his official leadership role and also urged the community to support him in his journey as their chief.
“We also would like to extended our overwhelming gratitude to Mr. Felix Sefanyetso who has been acting as chief of Bataung Boo Selale on behalf of his brother since 1985. You have been an exceptional leader and we hope that you will be able to pass on the baton to the current Kgosi to continue with the affairs of Bataung Boo Selale” said MEC Tlhape.
Chairperson of the North West House of Traditional Leaders, Kgosi Madoda Zibi extended his well wishes to Kgosi Sefanyetso, his family and the whole community of Bataung Boo Selale

“Our wish is that the lord blesses you richly as you commence with your responsibilities. Always remember that although we are able to solve our problems through communication and consultation, fearing God is the beginning of all wisdom. We shall give you all the support you need from the house of traditional leaders and we know that you are going to make a meaningful input in the deliberations of the house”, Kgosi Madoda Zibi said.-TDN
Source: North West Government

The Public Protector has confirmed receiving a complaint from the DA about Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini handing out food parcels in Tlokwe.

“The complaint was received on Wednesday, September 18,” spokeswoman Kgalalelo Masibi said on Friday.

The Democratic Alliance has accused the minister of trying to buy votes ahead of Wednesday’s municipal by-election in Tlokwe, North West, by dishing out food parcels.

Her visit came a few days before a by-election in Tlokwe’s (Potchefstroom) Ward Nine. At the time, Dlamini denied this was the reason for the relief efforts and said there were more than 17 000 child-headed households in Tlokwe.

On September 13, the DA said it had written to Public Protector Thuli Madonsela asking her to investigate Dlamini’s distribution of food parcels.

“The minister’s conduct is at the very least unethical and a violation of the executive ethics code of conduct,” DA MP Mike Waters said at the time.

“The distribution of food parcels just before nine by-elections can only be construed as the dishonest use of public office to further a party-political agenda.”

However, government said Dlamini’s visit was part of a service delivery improvement initiative aimed at improving access to the department and its entities.

By-elections were held on Wednesday in Tlokwe in Wards One, Four, Six, 11, 12, 13, 18, 20 and 26.

Tlokwe’s ANC mayor Maphetle Maphetle was unseated twice when African National Congress councillors voted to replace him with DA councillor Annette Combrink.

The ANC’s North West provincial disciplinary committee expelled the 14 councillors concerned, resulting in them losing their seats. Their expulsion was however overturned by the ANC’s national disciplinary committee.

The ANC won seven of the 11 municipal by-elections, according to results released by the Independent Electoral Commission.

The DA retained three wards, and an independent candidate took the highly contested Ward 26 from the ruling party.

Sapa

Johannesburg – A 35-year-old man has been arrested for business robbery in Meadowlands, Soweto, Gauteng police said on Sunday.

The man was arrested on Friday for a robbery at a tavern in Zone 11 on September 9, said Constable Sibusiso Chauke.

Four armed men stormed into the tavern after midnight, ordered everyone to lie on the floor and took money, airtime, liquor and cigarettes before fleeing.

“The owner of the tavern was later killed at his house by four unknown men,” he said.

Police were searching for the other men. The arrested man would appear soon in the Protea Magistrate’s Court soon. – Sapa

Cape Town – The 41-year-old man suing the minister of correctional services for damages after he contracted HIV when he was raped in Allendale Prison, in Paarl, in 1999, fits the typical profile of inmates who are at heightened risk of sexual abuse in detention.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Cape Town – A Paarl man has given the Western Cape High Court a chilling account of his experience in a local prison, which started with him being raped by a leader of the 28s Gang in an overcrowded cell he shared with about 70 inmates, a nurse’s later refusal to treat him, and a priest’s advice that he should repent for his sins.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Johannesburg – Sixteen people have been arrested for stealing electrical cables at an underground mining shaft in Thabazimbi, Limpopo police said on Sunday.

“Besides the arrests, police managed to confiscate two vans and rolls of copper cable with a street value of more than R500 000,” said Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi.

Police went to the Amandelbult mining shaft on Saturday morning after receiving information about a cable theft syndicate, he said.

“The syndicate of more than 26 people would spend a week underground, cutting copper cables and stashing them at a secret hideout.”

The other syndicate members escaped. Some were thought to still be underground. Mulaudzi said those arrested would appear in the Thabazimbi Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

On Friday, police arrested four people and seized stolen copper cable worth more than R250 000 in raids on five scrap metal businesses in Tzaneen.

On the same day, Vodacom employees discovered a network shutdown at Tinmyne.

Police went to the cellphone tower in the area where they found a van containing stolen copper cable worth R260 000.

– SAPA

Bloemfontein – The water supply to areas around Bloemfontein will return slowly, Mangaung spokesperson Qondile Khedama said on Sunday afternoon.

“Repair works at the leakage near the N6 junction have been concluded,” he said.

A burst in Mangaung’s main water supply line left thousands of residents without water the past three days.

Khedama said the city anticipated to pressurise the main line from 10:00 on Sunday.

“Full restoration will take around ten hours.”

He said refilling the water system beyond the repair site was taking longer than anticipated.

Since Saturday water was supplied through the Rustfontein scheme at a flow rate of 650 litres per second and was shared by take offs such as the prison, Bloemspruit, Longridge system – which include Fleurdal, Freedom Park, Pelindaba – and Brandkop – consisting of Pellisier, Langenhoven Park and the military base.

Khedama said Phase 2 and 3 and the Rockland areas were not getting water as their take off was from the main line.

He said the municipality would continue to supply water through tanks until the city has satisfied itself on the restoration of water in all affected areas.

Earlier, the Democratic Alliance urged the city to install additional emergency water points in the metro.

The party said the communities of Pellissier, Universitas, Langenhoven Park, Heidedal, Freedom Square and Rocklands were the worst affected in the past three days.

The DA said the Mangaung metro had failed to communicate effectively to residents.

Free State DA leader Patricia Kopane said the metro’s website provides no information on the reasons for the complete water disruption.

“This clearly illustrates the arrogant and uncaring attitude of the ANC-led metro council.”

She said the city’s failure to communicate affected many small businesses such as guest houses and restaurants which were forced to close.

– SAPA

Durban – Cosatu’s embattled general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi did not feature among the reasons given by member unions calling for a special congress, the federation’s president said in Durban on Sunday.

S’dumo Dlamini said there had been eight or nine reasons that unions had given behind their calls for a special congress.

“Eight or nine of Cosatu affiliates have made a request for a special congress. I can say to you without a doubt, that … there is no affiliate that has stated the reason for the congress to be about the general secretary of Cosatu.”

He said Cosatu had not budgeted for a special congress.

The congress would not cost less than R12m for the estimated 3 500 delegates who would attend if it was called, Dlamini said.

Vavi has been placed on special leave pending the outcome of a disciplinary hearing into an affair he had with a junior employee.

The federation’s central executive committee (CEC) has asked Dlamini to report on the feasibility of convening the special congress.

Dlamini, who was attending an SA Communist Party rally in Folweni, said that he had not made any decision on whether to hold a special congress.

“The constitution of Cosatu gives powers to the president to apply his mind on these matters. I will apply my mind.”

While he told journalists that Vavi had never featured as a reason for affiliates to call for the special congress he told those at the rally that he had warned “comrades” to “avoid discussing matters by a proxy”.

He said that they should not give one reason for the conference when in fact there was another reason.

Dlamini did not specify which “comrades” or unions he was referring to. He admitted that the federation had problems.

“It is not difficult for us to deny it. We do have challenges as an organisation,” he said.

The Sunday Independent reported that according to Cosatu’s constitution, the federation president must call for a special congress if no less than a third of affiliates in good standing submit a written request or if the CEC passes a resolution calling for such a meeting.

If the president fails to call a special congress, the CEC is empowered to nominate a convenor.

The newspaper said Dlamini would need to report back to the CEC on the special congress in November.

SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande said that any attempts to divide Cosatu were “counter-revolutionary”.

He urged all communists to “rally behind a united Cosatu”.

“To us as the communist party we respect the collective leadership of the federation as a whole,” Nzimande said.

He told those attending the rally that there were suspicions that some union leaders were considering leaving Cosatu.

He did not elaborate further.

– SAPA