By OBAKENG MAJE

North West MEC for Health, Madoda Sambatha said he is concern about the increase of COVID-19 infections in the province. North West has been experiencing the spike in COVID-19 cases in the past seven days with an average of 300 cases reported daily.

Sambatha said the province has recorded a total number of 426 new positive cases and this gives the province 78836 active cases. He said since the beginning of June, the province has been recording over 400 cases daily and Bojanala and Dr Kenneth Kaunda districts have been hard-hit by the recent resurgence of positive cases.

“These recent developments do not augur well for the provincial health system. The Klerksdorp/Tshepong hospital sounded an alarm yesterday with an increasing number of hospitalisation for coronavirus cases in the district.

“This raises grave concern for the provincial health system as it points out to a potential crisis if our communities do not take preventative measures to curb the spread of infections. We, therefore, urge our communities to assist us to protect our fragile system by adhering to preventative measures,” he said.

Samabatha further said the members of the public are also warned of the third wave which accounts for the rise in new daily cases. He added that it seems people have let their guts down.

“People are beginning to live as if we are back to normality. We see this in how shopping complexes, taxi ranks, and domestic activities like funerals get overcrowded. This is likely to add to more increase in the number of new cases. Over and above, please avoid congregate settings.

“We urge the public to avoid unnecessary travel, to always wear masks when in public and ensure that they practice social distancing. They must also wash their hands regularly or sanitise,” said Sambatha.  

He said the province has so far recorded 78836 positive cases and 70077 have since recovered. Sambatha said this translates to 88.9% of the recovery rate.

“Unfortunately the province has recorded 1949 COVID-19 related deaths to date. The province is making significant strides in the fight against the Coronavirus with 70209 vaccines administered to date,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Klerksdorp/ Tshepong and West Vaal Hospital complexes have prohibited visitors. The management of these hospitals said visitors are no longer allowed in the hospital premises with immediate effect until further notice. 

According to information, the hospitals are experiencing a surge in admissions due to the third wave of COVID-19 infections. This decision was taken to avoid the increase of the risk of cross-infection to vulnerable patients in the hospital complexes.

The hospitals appeal to the public to cooperate with them and further request them to call directly via patient cellphones or use (018) 406-3111 or (018) 406-4600 and alternative number for Westvaal Hospital is (018) 473-0496 /018 4730256 or Cell: 073 769 7295 where they will be directed to the respective ward.

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By STAFF REPORTER

Heartfelt condolences messages continue to pour in after the passing of reverend Johannes Tselapedi. Former North West MEC for Education died on Sunday following a short illness.

ANC Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) coordinator in the North West, Hlomani Chauke described Tselapedi as a decorated freedom Fighter, a distinguished leader and an accomplished political, religious and social activist.

“We have learned with utter shock and sadness about the passing of one of the longest serving leaders of our movement, Tselapedi. In 1980, OJ as Tselapedi was affectionately known, became a Pastor of Evangelical Church and went on to become the youngest Chairperson of Southern African Evangelical Church.

“In 1983, he was appointed as the first black Rector of the Evangelical Bible Institute, a position he passionately used to challenge injustice. As a member of the South African Council of Churches (SACC), OJ fought tirelessly against the draconian apartheid rule,” Chauke said.

He further said Tselapedi’s relentless and determined activism stroke fear in the ‘repressive’ leader of the Bophuthatswana regime, Kgosi Lucas Mangope to the extent that he labelled him, an “ANC in church”.

For his involvement in the struggle against apartheid, Tselapedi was suspended from the leadership of the Evangelical Church. However, his suspension did not deter him.

“Tselapedi was rather emboldened to fight against political and social injustice. He went on to organize marches against the tyrant Bophuthatswana regime under the banner of the Forum for Human Rights in Bophuthatswana.

“Following the unbanning of the ANC, Tselapedi was elected as the chairperson of the ANC in the Western Transvaal. He served the ANC at a provincial level in many capacities including as the deputy chairperson of the ANC in the North West,” said Chauke.

After the democratic breakthrough in 1994, Tselapedi was appointed to serve in the North West Provincial Government as the MEC for Transport and Aviation. He was subsequently appointed to serve as MEC for Agriculture and went on later to serve as the North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL) speaker.

“He was later appointed as the North West MEC for Education. At the time of his passing, Tselapedi was a member of the ANC IPC. He was also serving as the ANC councillor in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, where he chaired the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC).

“The ANC has lost a loyal and disciplined cadre whose commitment to the unity, rebuilding, renewal of ANC was demonstrable through his contribution within the IPC. The people of the North West have been overwhelmingly favoured through his sterling, humble and selfless leadership,” he said.

North West Provincial Government spokesperson, Brian Setswanbung who was the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) provincial secretary during Tselapedi’s tenure as the North West MEC for Education shared the same sentiments.

Setswambung said: “RIP Reverend OJ Tselapedi. You made your mark in the world of the living. You provided inspirational leadership at all times when you were given an opportunity to lead. You led the North West Department of Education remarkably. 

“When critics pontificated that you would not make it as the North West MEC for Education, you proved them wrong. You successfully galvanised stakeholders to support education and the department you led was to enjoy a steady improvement of matric results and labour peace.”

The Global Tourism Legacy Networks Pty Ltd chairperson, Charles Ndabeni said Tselapedi was a colossal creature of maximum value, the knowledge architect and community leader. Ndabeni said Tselapedi refused to be defined by his pigmentation and situation.

“Tselapedi served at the highest levels of leadership in the African National Congress and the North West Provincial Government. He was the chairperson of the African National Congress in the Western Transvaal, held three cabinet seats and he remained the most senior leader in the province until his untimely death.

“I will cherish for what remains of my life the first time I met him in Tlhabane in 1989. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” he said.

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By OBAKENG MAJE

Residents of Vryburg were left traumatised after four pit bulls mauled a woman to death. According to the North West police spokesperson, Col Adele Myburgh, the atrocity took place on 1 June 2021 at around 6: 30pm.

“The Vryburg police are investigating an inquest case that was reported on 1 June 2021 at around 6:30 pm. The police were summoned to a scene where a woman was allegedly attacked by four pit bull dogs of a mixed breed.

“During the arrival of the police at the scene were informed that the victim was already ferried to the local hospital. The police went to the hospital and they were shown a lifeless body of Eunice Kelemogile Duiker who suffered injuries on her legs, head, shoulders, face and arms,” Myburgh said.

According to www.time.com website, pit bulls make up only 6% of the dog population, but they are responsible for 68% of dog attacks and 52% of dog-related deaths since 1982. The research was compiled by Merritt Clifton, editor of Animals 24-7, an animal-news organization that focuses on humane work and animal-cruelty prevention.

Meanwhile, the Weekend Argus newspaper reported several stories about pit bull attacks in the Western Cape where children some younger than five are mauled by pit bulls. The latest reported incident occurred in Khayelitsha where a five-year-old had her neighbour’s pit bull sunk its teeth into her head.

“The dog broke free from its chain and ran to the front yard of Milani Guzi’s Khayelitsha home and bit her as she was preparing for school. The child’s heroic mom jumped on the dog and pulled its jaws from her skull. The child was left with scars on the head and traumatised.

“In January this year, a five-year-old boy was mauled to death by two pit bulls when he went looking for his ball in a neighbour’s yard. The attack took place in Gugulethu NY50. All the pit bulls involved in these incidents were taken away by Law Enforcement’s dog unit,” the article reads.

Now opinions are split on whether pit bulls should be domesticated and whether owners should be held liable for the dogs should anything happen to people around them.

The Weekend Argus spoke to the SPCA spokesperson, Belinda Abraham who explained what a pit bull is.

“The term “pit bull” refers to mixed breed dogs with certain physical traits, such as a muscular body and broad head and applies in much the same way as “hound” applies to Greyhound or Afghan Hound, so contrary to popular belief, a pit bull is a dog type and not a specific breed. They are domesticated.”

She explained that all dogs bite but power breed owners need to accept that their dog is powerful, and historically, has a genetic predisposition to grow physiologically very quickly to extreme levels and has a propensity for animal aggression.

“For this reason, owners must take responsibility for their animal to live safely in society. Triggers for this aggression may not be clear and may manifest unexpectedly, regardless of how docile and loving they are towards you.”

She added that it is expected that pups of certain breeds should be exposed to over 100 different people from 3 – 12 weeks of age.

“The contact has to be positive, gentle with good impressions. Aggression starts in puppyhood, with the failure to develop tolerance towards children, adults, elderly people, both sexes, various races, able-bodied or disabled, calm or raucous etc. If pups do not obtain good imprinting during their impressionable period from 3-20 weeks of age, then all may be lost.”

It is also believed that many people do not spend enough quality time with their dogs. Some chain dogs for a long period of time, creating frustration.

“Dogs on chains live their entire lives being deprived of having their most basic of needs met, namely access to fresh water, food, social interaction, exercise and veterinary care. Behaviourally speaking, there is a multitude of issues that arise from keeping a dog chained, as the deprivation, this causes will take its toll on their welfare,” said the SPCA’s on-site animal behaviourist, Nicole Nel.

In short, chaining a dog is never an option. The lack of stimulation breaks their spirit and leads to unwanted behavioural issues including aggression born of frustration.

Abraham strongly believes that pit bulls are made dangerous via irresponsible breeding, a lack of training and neglect or abuse. “If there is any vilification to assign, it must be directed towards irresponsible owners. There is no such thing as ’the dog attacked for no reason. There is always a reason.”

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By OBAKENG MAJE  

A 51-YEAR-OLD man briefly appeared at the Taung Magistrate’s Court for attempted fraud on Tuesday. According to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, The Hawks, Thapelo Leonard Seabo was summoned after he attempted to defraud Road Accident Fund (RAF) of approximately R900 000.

The Hawks spokesperson in North West, Capt Tlangelani Rikhotso said following the death of Seabo’ wife in a car accident, he allegedly submitted fraudulent documents to RAF, which stated that the deceased was the bread winner of the family.

“Seabo alleged that as a result of her passing, they suffered a loss of financial support and submitted a claim to the tune of R900 000. Investigations were conducted and it was discovered that the deceased was unemployed and not a breadwinner of the family as alleged,” Rikhotso said.

The case was transferred to the Taung Regional Court and postponed until 18 August 2021 for further investigations.

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By OBAKENG MAJE

Congress of South African Students (COSAS) in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda region calls for the suspension of the teacher at Are Fadimeheng Secondary School in Jouberton Township in Klerksdorp.

This comes after allegations that the teacher at the school impregnated a learner. According to COSAS regional coordinator, Sipho Pitso, they have received a letter of complaint from a score of learners regarding the matter.

“COSAS has learnt with great dismay and shock at the revelations that have been made by a score of learners at the school against a teacher who has been involved in a sexual relationship with a pupil and impregnated her.

“According to the learners, in a letter written to the leadership of COSAS in the region, the teacher even went on to whisk away the learner to Kroonstad where he has bribed the relatives of that learner to remain silent over the ordeal,” Pitso said.

He further said learners alleged that they have even tried to raise questions with the School Management Team (SMT) over the continued existence of the teacher in the school premises and there is a lack of decisive action against the teacher over this ‘heinous crime.’

“As the congress, we affirm the illegitimacy of sexual relationships between teachers and learners. We further call on the North West Education department to summarily deal with this monster that molests innocent pupils,” said Pitso.

Meanwhile, the North West Education Department spokesperson, Elias Malindi said: “The allegations are currently being investigated by the Labour Relations and they will issue a report soon. The victim is currently 20 years old and she gave birth when she was 19.”

Malindi said the department has not experienced many cases of this nature as this is only the third case reported in two years. In March 2021, a teacher (36) from Pinagare High School in Taung was arrested for allegedly raping a learner (15).  

There are many more of these cases happening across the country, but they do not get media coverage or are never discovered by the authorities.

According to the Mail and Guardian newspaper, in 2016, a video of a KwaZulu-Natal teacher filming himself having sex with a learner surfaced and the teacher was suspended from the high school in Nquthu.

The provincial department discovered that the man had slept with many other learners at the school.

“He was accused of luring them into his cottage where he was doing all these unspeakable things,” Mthandeni Dlungwana, the MEC of education, said in a statement at the time.

In 2018, six teachers and a principal were accused of having sex with learners at a high school in Flagstaff in the Eastern Cape.

The Daily Dispatch reported that the teachers were allegedly demanding sex from grade 11 learners in exchange for promoting them to grade 12

In 2019, three teachers from a high school in Ngcobo in the Eastern Cape were arrested on charges of raping learners. The allegations were that the trio would lure the boys into their homes under the pretence that they would help them with their schoolwork, but would give them alcohol and then have sex with them.

The KwaZulu-Natal department of education said in a statement that it had suspended two teachers for “having a love affair with a learner”. One of the teachers from Umlazi Comtech High School was allegedly caught in a toilet kissing the learner.

The South African Council of Educators has for years stated in its annual reports it struggles to conclude disciplinary hearings in rural areas in particular of teachers who had sexual relationships with children because parents take bribes, sometimes in the form of groceries, from the teachers.

Once a child steps into the schoolyard, teachers take on the role of being parents to learners. They are responsible for the wellbeing of children while they are at school.

So, to put it bluntly, if a teacher has sex with a learner they are sleeping with their own child. This behaviour is disgusting and criminal.

The statement by the education department on Sunday said the learner was having “a love affair” with the two teachers. It is not a love affair. It is sexual harassment and abuse. The power dynamics between a learner and a teacher do not qualify for this to be called a “love affair”. Teachers exercise authority over learners.

The Sexual Offences Act criminalises sex with a person under the age of 16 by a person over the age of 18. The Act further “sets out that sexual acts are not voluntary if they result from an abuse of power or authority”, states a report by activist organisation Equal Education, titled Sexual Violence in Schools.

The learner in this case is 18, but it is still an unequal relationship between a schoolgirl and teachers.

The two teachers in this case are adults who preyed on a learner and coerced her into their dirty fantasies. They knowingly broke the laws that govern the profession, which make it clear that at no point should a teacher and learner have an inappropriate relationship.

The KwaZulu-Natal education department must ensure that the two teachers do not go anywhere near any school. Hopefully, the South African Council of Educators will scratch the two off the registrar of teachers.

Children already deal with a lot because they have to ensure that they do well in their studies; they should not also have to deal with adults who prey on them. It is unspeakable behaviour.

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By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

A Zimbabwean man briefly appeared at the Bafokeng Magistrate’s Court in Tlhabane, near Rustenburg for possession of unlicensed firearm, ammunition and explosive gel.

Paulos Chitoto (34) was arrest by the police after a tip-off by members of the community on a planned house break-in on a farm in the Swartruggens. According to the National Prosecuting Agency (NPA) regional spokesperson, Henry Mamothame said the case was postponed until 11 October 2021 for further investigations.

“The accused was intercepted by the police near Rietvellie graveyard in Phokeng outside Rustenburg and two of his accomplices managed to flee. The police are on a manhunt for the two men.

“A 9mm pistol, live ammunition magazine and explosive gel were found inside the Toyota Prada the suspects were travelling in. The accused will remain in police custody until his next court appearance after he abandoned bail,” Mamothame said.

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By OBAKENG MAJE

Residents of Mahikeng are up in arms after the announcement of disposing of properties that are in the former Bophuthatswana areas outside the North West province.

According to information, the North West Housing Corporation CEO, Sello Mogodiri announced that they intend to auction movable and immovable assets such as properties located within municipalities like Tshwane, Mangaung, John Taolo Gaetsewe areas including farms.  

However, the announcement was not well-received as some of the residents in Mahikeng embarked on protests.

One of the community leaders, Thato Molosankwe said: “As the residents of Mahikeng, we saw it fit to take our grievances to the streets. We call on the South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa to come and hear our grievances because the North West Premier, Prof Job Mokgoro’s silence on the matter is deafening.

“We understand that the NWDC CEO, Sello Mogodiri is selling all properties of the province that were built under the former Bophuthatswana.”

Molosankwe further said they rather question the procedure applied because it ‘flaws’ the PFMA processes. He added that public participation must be allowed before any decision is taken.

“The worst part, Mogodiri is also selling farms. The government is busy with the land distribution process and the land must return to its rightful owners.

“Now, they are selling those farms to the highest bidders without any consultations. It is clear that those who are poverty-stricken would not benefit from these transactions,” he said.  

North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Mmoloki Cwaile said they would not continue with a process until all relevant processes such as public participation have unfolded.

“Some of the said properties include land and immovable properties around Winterveld, Mabopane, and Garankuwa have been invaded or illegally occupied.

“It is our view that Gauteng government should procure that land or properties from the NWDC and put it for good public interest,” Cwaile said.  

He further said the Gauteng government must also find a way to make those who occupy the residential houses of the NWHC outside of the province to be able to acquire them at market value and become rightful owners.   

He added that the Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) advised that the mandate of the NWHC is to house the North West communities and seek to resolve the historical dilemma, where already most of the families grew in the said houses they are occupying in areas such as Pampierstad, Kuruman, Mabopane, Winterveld, Atamelang, Ganyesa, Thabanchu and many other areas.

Meanwhile, the North West Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Premier, Finance, Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs chairperson, Aaron Mocwana said they were shocked by the reports citing the intention of the entity to auction properties of NWHC in Gauteng and other provinces.

“The Portfolio Committee views this as an ‘act of fraud and theft of government assets at a grand scale’. The entity in the first place has failed to adhere to numerous request of the portfolio committee to declare locations of these properties.

“It is disturbing that all of a sudden there are hastened plans to auction the very same properties they failed to point out to the committee. The public pronouncement is nothing but a pyramid scheme designed to sidetrack accountability to the legislature and to conduct procurement processes through a media space,” he said. 

Mocwana further said these talks continue to disrespect the legislature and its processes. He said the portfolio committee is going to write to both Mokgoro and Cwaile to halt ‘this daylight heist of North West communities’ assets by a well-coordinated cartel masquerading as Gauteng business investors at the expense of the people of the North West’.

“The Portfolio Committee will leave no stone unturned to protect and defend the gains of the people of the North West from power mongers, daylight exploitation and collusion of government officials with business.

“Cwaile should ensure that he acts on this contravention of Powers, Privileges and Immunities Act of Parliament and ensure full accountability, fairness and transparency to the people of the North West,” said Mocwana.

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