Two former policemen were sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for corruption by the Upington Regional Court. In 2021 during lockdown, Sergeant Stanley Beukes (37) and Constable Thapelo Semamai (26) stopped a female pensioner driving around in the Upington area.
The Hawks spokesperson in Northern Cape, Lieutenant Cole Tebogo Thebe said Semaimai and Beukes demanded a COVID-19 travel permit, but the senior citizen did not have one.
“Then the officials demanded R200 gratification so that they could issue her with a permit. A payment of R200 was made as agreed and the complainant thereafter visited Upington Police Station to open a case of corruption.
“The Upington-based Hawk’s Serious Organised Crime Investigation team successfully investigated the matter resulting in the conviction of the accused. The employer, South African Police Services (SAPS) subjected both employees to an internal disciplinary process with the outcome being a dismissal,” Thebe said.
Meanwhile, the acting Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Brigadier Prince Mashimbye expressed his satisfaction with the conviction. Mashimbye said if they are to win this fight, they have to start cleaning their house first.
Teaching and learning continue to decline at the icon Batlhaping High School in Taung. The acting principal, Patrick Meyer alleged that, teachers spend more time in the staff room neglecting the allocated lessons as per the school timetable in the process.
Meyer painted this grim picture during the oversight visit conducted by the North West Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Education, Arts, Culture and Sport Development recently.
“I have been seconded to the school by the district office due to the declining performance of the school. The matric results have been dropping since 2020 and the school only managed to obtain a 74% pass rate for the 2022 academic year.
“Matric learners achieved a 52% pass rate in the second term of 2023. We are currently drafting a revision plan with the hope that it would help the matric class of 2023 and improve the pass rate to 80%,” he said.
Meyer further said the observation was made as early as Monday, which should be one of the contributing factors to poor matric results. He added that, another factor contributing to poor matric results is learners failing Setswana, which is their home language.
The former principal has been transferred to the district office and was expected to provide handover and financial reports to Meyer on 1 September 2023.
The Deputy Principal, Lebogang Gasealawe shared the same sentiments. Gasealwe said the school has gone through three principals since 2021, which in a way created an unstable environment.
“Unstable management is contributing to the poor performance of the school. Another challenge is the absenteeism of teachers, which also contributes to the poor performance of the school. The teaching lost time is not easily recovered, which disadvantages the learners,” he said.
Meanwhile, the chairperson of the North West Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Education, Arts, Culture and Sports Development, Paul Sebegoe said: “We conducted an oversight visit at Batlhaping Secondary School and the programme is aimed at strengthening oversight, public participation, accountability and transparency in government.
“During the oversight members of the Legislature interact with different Provincial Departments, Accounting Officers, and Members of the Municipal Public Accounts. We will engage the North West Department of Education and request them to appoint the principal permanently with the hope that this will strengthen the management of the school.”
Sebegoe further said, that the committee will also enquire about measures taken by the department with regard to teachers, who are always absent from school due to ill health or sick leave as these affect teaching and learning.
Picture: International boxing referee, judge, and commissioner Sylvia Mokaila and African Child Boxing Promoter, Mahlatsi Sediane/Kabelo Selebogo
By KABELO SELEBOGO
North West Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation is working in collaboration with Boxing South Africa (BSA) and African Child Boxing Promotion in a quest to empower young female boxers.
The official launch was graced by Mahikeng’s very own and internationally renowned referee, Judge, and Commissioner, Sylvia Mokaila, African Child Boxing Promotion, Mahlatsi Sediane, BSA acting CEO, Ntsikayezwe Sithole, Head of Department, Itumeleng Mogorosi, the City of Matlosana mayor, James Tsolela and boxing fanatics amongst others.
The initiative under the theme: “The Rise of Women in Boxing” was launched in Klerksdorp on 8 September 2023. According to the Head of Department, Itumeleng Mogorosi, the initiative strives to elevate and empower women in the boxing space, which is mainly dominated by men.
“As the department, we have been supporting both amateur and professional boxing by backing up local tournaments and boosting participants competing nationwide. We have also contributed the necessary resources needed by boxers and coaches.
“Recently, we accompanied and covered logistics costs for two women, Bukiwe Nonina (Female Boxer of the Year) and Asanda Simelane (Female Prospect of the Year and Female Fight of the Year), who were nominated at the 2023 South African Boxing Awards held in Durban,” said Mogorosi.
He further said all-female international boxing tournament that promises to keep boxing enthusiasts off their seats is sponsored by the department.
The six-bouts tournament that is expected to keep spectators on the edge of their seats will stage at Matlosana Banquet Hall in Klerksdorp on 16 September 2023 in Klerksdorp at 6pm, with the North West Boxers, Sazisiwe Simons from Rustenburg, Asisipho Mhluzana from Klerksdorp taking on their counterparts from other provinces and African countries.
Sylvia Mokaila will serve as a commissioner. Entertainment activities will start at 4pm, as a build-up to the bouts and entrance is free.
African Child Promoter, Mahlatsi Sediane said that the tournament is set to encourage both women inside and outside the ring to be part of the boxing fraternity. Sediane added that they want to give women equal opportunities in the sport.
Meanwhile, the BSA acting CEO, Ntsikayezwe Sithole said: “The concept forms part of Women in Boxing, which includes workshops and training to develop women ranging from boxers, ring announcers, referees, judges, coaches, managers, promoters and timekeepers.”
Former boxer and the City of Matlosana mayor, James Tsolela committed to setting aside a certain portion of funds from municipality sports grants to revive and develop boxing in the area.
An attorney was arrested for allegedly defrauding unsuspecting clients over R3 million. Barend Philippus Botha, who was a practicing attorney and the sole director of a law firm allegedly defrauded six clients between 2018 and 2019.
The North West police spokesperson, Brig Sabata Mokgwabone said the reports suggest that, monies from three deceased estates and various home purchase transactions, were paid into the firm’s trust account.
“However, the victims never received their dues from the firm. Following investigations by the Provincial Commercial Crime Investigation Unit in 2019, Botha was ultimately arrested on 11 September 2023.
“He was struck off the roll as a practicing attorney by the South Gauteng High Court in Pretoria after he allegedly failed to account for the victims’ monies. He appeared at Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court and was granted a R15 000 bail,” he said.
Mokgwabone further said Botha’s case was transferred to Klerksdorp Regional Court and postponed to 30 October 2023.
Meanwhile, the North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena welcomed the arrest and subsequent appearance of the accused in court. Kwena also commended the Provincial Commercial Crime Investigation Unit for working tirelessly to ensure that the accused is nailed.
Setshwantsho: Mayara wa masepala o mogolwane wa Taung, Tumisang Gaoraelwe
Ka OBAKENG MAJE
Baagi ba motse wa Ranstad ba ba neng ba hupile tedu, mme ba angwa fela ke tse ba ne ba di apere, ba beleseditse baeteledipele ba masepala o mogolwane o faraferweng ke mathata wa Taung.
Baeteledipele ba, ba ne ba tlile go neelana semmuso ka ntlo lehalahala go baagi morago ga gore e konosediwe. Tiragalo e, ke ya beke e e fetileng.
Fela baagi ba, ba kaile fa ba sa itumedisiwe ke go bona mayara wa masepala, Tumisang Gaoraelwe ese karolo ya baeteledipele bao. Ba latofaditse Gaoraelwe yo go kailweng fa a sa kgona go nna karolo ya pulo semmuso ya ntlo lehalahala e, gonne one a ile Gauteng fa a ba nyatsa.
Mongwe wa baagi, Modiri Phatlhanyane are baeteledipele ba masepala ba na le mokgwa wa go tla go ba bolelela, mme ba dire dilo ntle le go utlwa maikutlo a bone pele.
“Jaanong, go tloga ga jaana, ba tshwanetse gore ba ithute go utlwa maikutlo a morafe pele ga ba ka dira se ba se batlang. Jaanong, ke fela gore kopano e, e fele gonne batho ba ba maleba ba ba neng ba tshwanetse go reetse dintlha tsa rona le matshwenyego jaaka baagi, ga ba kgona go tla mo go rona go tla go re sekegela tsebe.
“Se se diragalang ke gore, go tla be go tsamaiwa mo masigo go goeletswa ka segoa-goane, mme kena le bo nnete jwa gore taletso ga ya nna teng. Fa ene ele teng, ba bogosi jwa ga Mankuroane le bone e ka bo ele karolo ya pulo semmuso,” Phatlhanyane wa tlhalosa
Phatlhanyane o kaile fa seo se bontsha go tlhoka maikarabelo.
Kgabagare, mogakolodi kwa kantorong ya ga Gaoraelwe, Lekgotlha Menyatso are kgang ya baagi ya gore molaetsa ga wa fitlha ko go bone ga e tlhaloganyesege. Menyatso are, fela batla tsaya dintlha tseo tsotlhe, mme ba di neele Gaoraelwe go tla ka togamaano.
“E tla e sa tlhaloganyesege ha ba re pulo semmuso ya ntlo lehalahala mo motseng wa bone ga ya rulaganngwa sentle. Ga re itse gore ba raya jang, fela re a ba utlwa mme ga re ba tlhaloganye sentle. Dithulaganyo di dirilwe sentle, mme jaaka rona rele masepala o mogolwane wa selegae wa Taung, re masepala o reetsang batho le fa ba tlhagisa mabaka a bofitlha.
“Ke ka moo re dumalaneng ka bongwe jwa pelo, mme dintlha tsa bone re di kwale mo fatshe re ye go di neela mayara wa masepala. Re tla tla ka tlogamaano mo ntlhe e le go bona gore re tsaya selebego sefe,” Menyatso wa tlhalosa.
Kgabagare, Kgosi Othabile Phatlhanyane are: “Ga gona se ke tla se bua, gonne ke laleditswe go ka tsenela pulo semmuso ya ntlo lehalahala. Jaanong, nna ke boditse baagi fa ba amogetse taletso, mme bontsi jwa bone bo kaile fa ba sa lalediwe, ebile ba kaile fa ba se kitla ba tsenela pulo-semmuso eo.
“Se se tlhokegang ke gore, masepala le baagi ba dule mo fatshe go buisanela kgang e, le go tla ka tharabololo mo mathateng a.”
Picture: The Whip of North West’s permanent delegates to the NCOP, Eric Landsman/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
The North West Provincial Government (NWPG) is on the ‘brink of collapse’. The grim picture was painted during the oversight visits conducted by the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) delegates to the province.
The acting North West Premier, Nono Maloyi allegedly said the province is encountering endless challenges such as infiltration of construction mafias, and incomplete and unfunded infrastructural projects with no consequence management.
Maloyi further alleged that there are challenges such as Zama Zamas (Illegal miners), high vacancy rate on critical positions, damaging veld fires, unending disputes amongst the traditional leaders, and the challenge of poverty as a result of the 53.6% unemployment rate in the province.
The delegation also heard that tenders are awarded and monies have been paid for certain projects that have not started.
The delegation heard that there are service providers that have been blacklisted, who are awarded projects to carry out and the province has a backlog of criminal cases that are with the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) and other law-enforcement agencies regarding unlawful and incomplete tenders that are fully paid.
Briefing the delegation, Maloyi said the infrastructure is aging and ailing in the entire province and the province is experiencing financial challenges.
“There is a progress report on the N12 and N14 incomplete housing projects that were implemented by the province as the flagship and catalytic projects. The N12 project was aimed at addressing the housing needs of the community of Jacaranda in the City of Matlosana local municipality.
“The project was funded through the Human Settlements Development Grant by the National Department of Human Settlements through the North West Department of Human Settlements,” he said.
Maloyi added that, the project was a multi-year contract with the objective of addressing approximately 38 500 housing backlogs in Matlosana.
“However, the N12 project for housing in Jacaranda community was stalled due to contractual problems. The department has since taken over the implementation of 1667 top structures from the Matlosana Local Municipality and currently has four sub-contractors on site working on the project.
“The N14 housing development infrastructure project in Touvleg was meant to deliver 360 housing units but is also stalled due to several reasons including the contractor having financial challenges and some of the sites being located on a wetland. The contractor, however, is back on track and continuing with the project,” he said.
Meanwhile, the permanent delegates to the NCOP strongly voiced out their disappointment in what they described as despicable findings on the dismal failure of many municipalities to build socio-economic infrastructure development projects in the province.
The Whip of North West’s permanent delegates to the NCOP, Eric Landsman said: “We are disappointed over the problem of the incompletion of projects within the required timelines and we wanted clarity on when the final handover of the N14 will take place.
“There is also a challenge on non-blacklisting and consequence management by the department over contractors, who do not honour their contractual obligations and deserting projects before completion including the slow progress of law enforcement agencies in initiating criminal prosecution in instances, where corrupt activities within the projects were discovered and reported.”
He said they recommend that the North West Department of Human Settlements should ensure that, it has plans in place to ensure that the appointed contractors complete the projects within the timelines contained in the tender and to ensure the vetting system of contractors is improved to appoint qualified and competent contractors.
Landsman said the department must also provide a report with an updated timeline of when the N14 and N12 projects will be completed and hand over the houses to the affected communities.
He said the report should be sent to them by 30 September 2023 and the N12 and N14 projects must be concluded by the end of January 2024.
Setshwantsho: Moswi o setopo sa gagwe se bonweng se kgaotswe kgokgotso, Gopolang Kesiilwe/Facebook
Ka OBAKENG MAJE
Baagi ba motse wa Tlakgameng, gaufi le Ganyesa ba re ba kgakgamaditswe ke tiragalo e setlhogo morago ga go bonwa ga setopo sa mosimanyana wa dingwaga dile 11 mo letsatsing la Tshipi.
Setopo sa ga Gopolang Kesiilwe se sene se kgaotswe mometso, se bonwe gaufi le lefelo la go rekiswa bojalwa mo letsatsing la Tshipi fa ura ene le ya sethoboloko.
Sebueledi sa sepodisi mo Bokone Bophirima, Mokolonele Adele Myburgh wa tlhalosa.
“Sepodisi kwa Ganyesa, se batlisisa kgetsi ya polao, mme se se tla morago ga go itsisiwe ka kgetsi ya polao mo letsatsing la Tshipi ka ura ya lesho lebobedi mo motshegareng kwa motseng wa Tlakgameng.
“Go begwa fa sepodisi se amogetse mogala go tswa go mongwe wa baagi, a bega fa go bonwe setopo gaufi le lefelo la thekiso ya bojalwa. Sepodisi se ile sa itelekela kwa lefelong la tiragalo, mme ba fitlhela setopo sa mosimanyana wa dingwaga dile 11 se se ne sena le dintho tsa go tlhabiwa mo thamong,” Myburgh wa tlhalosa.
Myburgh are, go begwa fa moswi a ne a kgaotswe kgokgotso ka sengwe se se bogale. Are ba ditirelo tsa phaloso ba ile ba netefatsa fa Kesiilwe a tlhokafaletse kwa lefelong la tiragalo.
“Ga gona ope o o tshwerweng, mme dipatlisiso di tsweletse,” Myburgh wa tlhalosa.
Setshwantsho: Majoro wa masepala wa selegae wa Mamusa, Mittah Chelechele ga mmogo le majoro khuduthamaga wa masepala wa sedika wa Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, Motseokae “Sense” Maje
Ka OBAKENG MAJE
Masepala o faraferweng ke mathata wa selegae wa Mamusa, o kaile fa o amogetse dirori tsa kgelelo-leswe go tswa go masepala wa sedika wa Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati kwa Vryburg mo letsatsing la maabane. Masepala o neelane ka dirori tse, go masepala wa selegae wa Mamusa morago ga selelo sa tlhokego ya ditirelo mabapi le kgelelo-leswe ka motsi wa thebolo ya ditirelo ya Thuntsa Lerole.
Majoro wa masepala wa Mamusa, Mittah Chelechele are, ba itumetse thata go ka amogela dirori tse, gonne seo se tlile go ba nolofaletsa kgwetlho ya thebolo ya ditirelo. Are, ba na le dingwaga-ngwaga ba lela ka tlhokego ya di diriswa mabapi le kgelelo-leswe, mme jaanong ba motlotlo go amogela dirori tseno.
“Re le masepala, re itumetse thata ka kabelano e re e filweng ya dirori tsa kgelelo-leswe ke masepala wa rona wa sedika. Selelo se, kgale re se lela dingwaga-ngwaga, mme mo letsatsing la gompieno re kgonne go tsekegelwa tsebe.
“Baagi ke bone ba ba tlileng go unngwelwa segolo bogolo, gonne ke bone ba kgale ba itemogela dikgwetlho mabapi le kgelelo-leswe. Seno se tlile go re thusa thata jaaka masepala gore re kgone go isa ditirelo ko bathung,” Chelechele wa tlhalosa.
Chelechele are ntwa e, e ba tshotse dingwaga-ngwaga, mme fela ba lebogela go bona se kgale ba se lwelwa se nna le maungo a natetshang.
“Motswana o buile are, sengwe le sengwe sena le nako ya sone. Jaanong, re leboga thata masepala wa rona wa sedika gore tsekegela tsebe,” Chelechele wa tlhalosa.
Kgabagare, majoro-khuduthamaga wa masepala wa sedika wa Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, Motseokae Maje are, ba bone go le botlhokwa go neela dimasepala tsa bone tsa selegae di diriswa tsa kgelelo-leswe, gonne ba itemogetse mathata a gore, sedika sa bone se a gola.
“Sedika sa rona se gola ka lobelo le le feteletseng, mme seo se itsa masepala go ka tsenya mafaratlhatlha a kgelelo-leswe a lekaneng mo ditulong tsa rona tse di farologaneng. Fela, re solofetse fa kabelano eno, e tla nolofatsa neelano ya ditirelo go baagi.
“Seno se tlile go re thusa thata mo thebolong ya ditirelo jaaka kgelelo-leswe le go neelana ka metsi go baagi ba rona go metse e farologaneng. Gape, se tlile go thusa thata segolo-bogolo go mafelo a a iseng a tsenyediwe dipeipi tsa go tsamaisa metsi,” Maje wa tlhaolsa.
Go ya ka Maje, dirori tse di tlile go thusa thata mo go neeleng baagi metsi, gonne jaaka masepala ba tsweletse go duela madi a le mantsi go bo rakonteraka ba ikemetseng, mme ba thapilwe go neelana ka metsi go baagi.
Maje are, seno se tlile go nolofatsa mokgweleo o wa tlhokego ya metsi go masepala wa sedika.
“Re itemogetse gore, go tlhokega madi a le matsi thata, jaanong ga re kitla re kgona go tswelela re thapa bo rakonteraka ba ba ikemetseng go ka neelana ka metsi go baagi,” Maje wa tlhalosa.
Go begwa fa masepala wa sedika o tsweletse go duela borakonteraka ba ba ikemetseng dimilione di balwa ka kgwedi go ka neelana ka metsi go baagi, mme seo se ame thebolo ya ditirelo.
Picture: The missing Hei-Monique van der Westhuizen/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
The Kimberley police are appealing to the public to assist in locating Hei-Monique van der Westhuizen (29), who resides at Garner Street, Beaconsfield in Kimberley.
Northern Cape police spokesperson, Sergeant Timothy Sam said Hei-Monique was last seen by a friend in Beaconsfield wearing a black hoody written: “number one girl” on the front, black trousers, and white takkies.
He said Hei-Monique also has a tattoo on her left hand depicting “CDK”.
“Anyone who might have information about the whereabouts of Hei-Monique can contact Detective Constable John Ross Webb at 069 703 9826 or 08600 10111 or either SMS anonymously to 32211 or use the MySAPS app.
“All information received will be treated confidentially. The public is also reminded that there is no waiting period to report a person missing,” he said.
Picture: The convicted rapist, Simao Hlongwane/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
The Moral Regeneration Movement (MRM) has applauded the Garankuwa Regional Court for sentencing the North West preacher, Simao Hlongwane (43) to life imprisonment for raping his niece (12). The MRM convenor, Pastor Lesiba Kgwele described Hlongwane’s sentence as a victory against the scourge of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) perpetuated by religion and culture.
“This conviction has exposed moral decay in our society as well as the extent to which families are complicit in betraying vulnerable children robbed of their innocence by those who are supposed to protect them.
“We commend the prosecution and investigation team for the successful conviction, which was meted on Thursday. According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Hlongwane raped the teenager in 2017, but was never arrested after the mother did not open a case,” said Kgwele.
He further said the court had established that, the man had sent his niece to clean his shack in Mothotlung before following her and raping her there. Kgwele added that, the girl reported the matter to the police herself three years later, as the uncle had continued to touch her inappropriately over some time, and was afraid she would be raped again.
“The perpetrators of such heinous as well as despicable acts with lifelong mental, emotional, psychological, and physical scars to victims should have no place in society.
“The insistent war against GBV will only be won if the silence of betrayal prevalent in most homes and churches is broken and perpetrators including those protecting them face the wrath of the law,” he underscored.
Kgwele calls on churches to reclaim their prophetic voice and expose wolves in sheep’s skin. He said perpetrators of GBV must have nowhere to hide.
“They should not escape being held accountable because victims depend on them for financial support or hold office within the religious and cultural establishment,” said Kgwele.
Meanwhile, the Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari, lauded the prosecutor, Constable Caroline Mothemane from the South African Police Services (SAPS), and the assistance by the Thuthuzela Care Center to the victim, for bringing the perpetrator to book.
The Guardian 