The North West Provincial Government is considering solar energy as an option for agriculture because Eskom rates are crippling farmers, Premier Modise announced in a bilateral meeting held with Eskom in Mahikeng on Thursday.

Premier Modise told the Management of Eskom Provincial Operating Unit that the province has resolved to establish provincial energy committee to explore alternative energy sources

Modise who was with MEC for Economic Development, Conservation, Environment and Tourism, Motlalepula Rosho in the engagement said that province wants to be closely involved in the roll out of renewable energy and not an adhoc basis to ensure that women and young people in the province benefit and take ownership in order to sustain local businesses.

“We appreciate plans for installation of 17 263 new household connections across the province during the current financial year towards which Eskom has budget R383 million, however there is a needs for you to adopt a business perspective to support economic activity and support small medium micro enterprises and our venture into manufacturing,” Premier Modise told Eskom General Manager, Philistas Khumalo and members of her unit.

“We are concerned about inferior quality of electricity in our rural communities and as a farming province we wish to mitigate the impact of carbon deposits on our livestock,” Modise stressed.

She urged Eskom to seek permanent solution to theft of generators at water pumping stations in Moretele and prioritise Brits, Rustenburg and Mahikeng to ensure that businesses in these areas are not affected adversely by power disruptions that interrupt productivity.

Khumalo outlined plans to improve average incident duration and frequency through refurbishment of the ageing network, strengthening and normalisation of network to improve availability, splitting of long lines with high customer base into shorter, use of livework to improve timeous defects repairs on lines and replacement of old wood and strict management of vegetation.

She said that the plans will cost Eskom R1 billion.
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Johannesburg – Pictures have emerged of the inside of athlete Oscar Pistorius’s home, showing the bloody bathroom where his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, was shot.

Sky News on Friday broadcast the images showing the toilet that Steenkamp was apparently sitting on when Pistorius shot her, and the trail of blood from when he carried her downstairs to the front entrance of the house.

This is the first time the public has seen these images.

There is a panel missing from the toilet door – from when he broke it down to get to her – and two police markers indicating bullet holes. Significantly, these bullet holes are below the door handle, correlating with Pistorius’s claim that he was not wearing his prosthetic legs at the time of the shooting.

Trail of blood

Pistorius claimed during his bail hearing in February that he got up during the night to bring a fan in, but heard a noise in the bathroom and believed it was an intruder. He grabbed his gun and fired four shots at the bathroom door before he realised he had shot Steenkamp.

He then broke down the toilet door with a cricket bat to get to her and carried her downstairs. The photographs show blood on the stairs and landing, as well as flecks of blood on a sofa below.

The photographs also show a gift that Steenkamp planned to give Pistorius for Valentine’s Day, along with a card bearing the name Ozzy – her nickname for him.

Other photographs show footprints in the blood. It emerged during the bail hearing that the investigating officer, Warrant Officer Hilton Botha, admitted walking around without protective foot covers, potentially contaminating the crime scene. 

Sky News did not reveal how it obtained the photographs.

Meanwhile, Sky News also revealed that the police officers involved in the investigation are being questioned following the disappearance of one of Pistorius’s watches from the house.

The police refused to comment to Sky News.

For more http://www.news24.com

Johannesburg – Athletics SA administrator Zola Majavu called on Thursday for an end to the ongoing court action against the federation, after it was again served with court papers by suspended president James Evans.

“I am getting sick and tired of this. I have maintained a dignified silence on this issue, preferring to focus on the business of athletics,” Majavu said.

“I believe now the time has come for some people to be told where to get off, and get off they must.

“This [ASA] is a national asset and not a personal fiefdom of anybody or a clique of persons who do not have the interest of athletics at heart.”

Evans brought a challenge in the High Court in Pretoria against the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee’s (Sascoc) suspension of him and the entire ASA board in April. However, he lost the case with costs, and it was revealed last week that he would appeal.

“This morning, again, we received the same court application, this time out of the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court in Cape Town, by Mr Evans, raising the same issues,” Majavu said.

“Once again I’ve been cited, and I have to go and defend ASA in Cape Town.

“I have reached a point where my tolerance for these shenanigans is at an all time low. It is a shame, a low down dirty shame.”

Majavu said he would not allow any further litigation against ASA, as it did not have athletics issues at heart.

The ASA administrator said he had held fruitful meetings with possible sponsors, which could save the leaky ship, but a backer had yet to be found.

He had also met with two previous sponsors, and was confident they would partner with ASA again.

“We are making progress. It is difficult because we are doing so in the absence of resources…,” he said.

“It is for that reason that I am irritated by these things.

“I cannot continue to use the resources of ASA to fight unending court cases. It is simply in nobody’s interest to do so.”

Sascoc has given Majavu 120 days to help ASA clear its mounting debt.

Majavu met with 15 provinces on Thursday to update them on progress since his appointment as interim ASA administrator in April.

He said some of the presidents had initially approached the meeting with scepticism.

“They have unanimously pledged their support and they have expressed their disgust at the manner in which ASA has been going about its affairs,” Majavu said.

Following the meeting, the provinces said through Athletics North West president Motlatsi Keikabile that they fully supported the ASA administrator.

“We are pleased, as provinces, about the progress he has made so far and we are confident that under his leadership, ASA would stabilise,” Keikabile said.

Majavu revealed that a notice, written on an ASA letterhead, for a special general meeting (SGM) had been distributed to the provinces with Evans’s name at the bottom.

In the letter it was claimed that five motions would be discussed at SGM, which was to be held at the University of Pretoria on June 22.

According to the ASA constitution, written requests from six provinces are needed to convene an SGM.

The provinces that attended Thursday’s meeting with Majavu rejected the proposed SGM.

SAPA

By Obakeng Maje

Pampierstad-Yesterday Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Mme Lulu Xingwana, North West MEC for Social Development, Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Mme Mosetsanagape Mokomele-Mothibi, and the North West Provincial Government visited Taung as part of Child Protection Week. 

A Child-Killings Indaba was held at Upper Majeakgoro Community Hall in the Pampierstad.

Taung community and various other stakeholders from surrounding areas, to came in numbers with a partnership to prevent child rapes and murders in the area. 

Minister Xingwana urges the communities to work together with police and other relevant authorities.

“The community must work together with police to root out the child killings in the area” Xingwana said.

Minister visited the family of Sylivia who allegedly killed her five kids.

She also urges the community to resort from satanic killings.

According to police, 57 cases of rape and child abuse has been reported in the area.

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Johannesburg – The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) said on Thursday it would look into a complaint by civil rights group Afriforum regarding farm murders.

“The commission acknowledges receipt of Afriforum’s complaint and we welcome it,” Isaac Mangena said in a statement.

Afriforum’s complaint, which was received on Thursday, was against police and Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa for allegedly not providing enough protection for farmers against attacks and murders.

In a statement Afriforum CEO Ernst Roets asked the commission to call a formal public hearing on farm murders.

“Afriforum requested specifically that the commission subpoena the minister of police to testify before the commission and explain his failure to implement a focused counter-strategy for these types of crimes.”

He said farm attacks had become a crisis and that Mthethwa and the police department refused not only to implement a dedicated strategy, but even to acknowledge the crisis existed.

Afriforum added that while it did not seek special treatment for farmers, it believed the police department’s failure to prioritise farm attacks constituted gross negligence and, by implication, human rights abuses.

Mangena said the SAHRC would look into it according to the commission’s complaints-handling procedure.

“It’s worth pointing out that the Afriforum, in its submission, has also requested that the SAHRC exercise its powers under the relevant legislation to initiate a public hearing on the subject.”

He said the commission appreciated the suggestion and the SAHRC commissioners would consider the proposal.

“We welcome any efforts that will ensure that right of all citizens, farmers included, are protected and respected.”

SAPA

Johannesburg – A Fort Hare University student appeared in court on Thursday for allegedly dumping her newborn baby in bushes with his father’s cellphone number pasted to his face, said Eastern Cape police.

The 24-year-old, second year student was granted bail of R500 by the Centane Magistrate’s Court, which postponed the case until June, said Captain Jackson Manatha.

Zinziswa Skedama was arrested on Tuesday when an elderly couple found the baby wrapped in towels in a bushy area in Centane.

Police later established that the piece of paper stuck to his face contained the contact details for his father, who was also a student at the university, said Manatha.

He said the mother was found in Centane and admitted to giving birth to the baby at Victoria Hospital in Alice, four days previously.

The baby was taken to a place of safety.

SAPA

A 19-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday in connection with break-ins at the Northern Cape legislature building, an official said on Wednesday.

Legislature spokeswoman Mpho Masina said the building was broken into twice in May. A computer monitor, kettle, electric fan, two laptops and two digital cameras were stolen.

The man was apprehended during a joint operation between the police’s crime intelligence unit and the legislature’s security personnel on Wednesday morning.

Masina said the legislature’s security management had ruled out the involvement of employees in the break-ins. Some of the stolen goods had been recovered. – Sapa 

By Obakeng Maje

Mahikeng-The police in the North West are investigating death threats allegations on North West Premier,Thandi Modise.

The Police were tasked to investigate after a complaint was received from the Office of the Premier. 

“At this stage, preliminary investigation is underway. Once the investigation is concluded, the police will make a determination based on evidence, whether to open a case or not” colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said.

Modise received death threats and decided to open a case.

According to North West provincial government spokesperson Lesiba Kgwele, Modise knew long time ago about a plot against her.

“Premier Modise was shocked after she heard the news that there are some fiction planning to gag her forever. She decided to launch a case with police” Kgwele told Sabc.

North West experienced political unrest last year after regional secretary of Kenneth Kaunda District was shot and killed by unknown men. 

Chika was killed at his house in Alabama, Klerksdorp a day before ANC Elective Conferenc in Mangaung.

Kabelo Mataboge also was allegedly shot at by unknown suspects and escaped death.

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