Picture: (Facebook)
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
Few learners allegedly died in a terrible accident after a bus and a truck collision next to ER Motsoeledi School near Pampierstad. The police are at the scene and more details will follow soon. Northern Cape Police spokesperson, Capt Olebogeng Tawana said he is still gathering more details regarding the matter.
Six suspects from Maphoitsile village, near Taung briefly appeared at Taung Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. Itumeleng Kgong, Danisho Sokupha, Sylvester Cholobana, Charley Mokae, Bolokang Tlhomelang and Phenyo Mokoloi were arrested in connection of murder on Tuesday.
North West police spokesperson, Lt Col Adele Myburgh said the suspects between the ages of 22 and 54 were arrested in connection of Thabang Mathe’s murder. Mathe and his friend, Thapelo De Bryn were allegedly caught to be in possession of suspected stolen sheep last month.
The suspects were remanded in custody until Thursday for formal bail application.
Taung Anti-Crime organisation chairperson, Peggy Molathegi said: “The people have lost hope in the justice system and National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), hence they take the law into their own hands. Stock-theft cases are very discouraging because they are not treated equivalent like robbery and murder.
“Those who steal from our people need to get harsher sentences because they trifling with livelihoods of many. Taung is predominantly rural and there is high rate of unemployment, inequality and poverty. There is no single stock-theft case that has successful conviction thus far.”
However, Molatlhegi said taking the law into your own hands is a criminal offence and urged people to refrain from that.
Source: Newsnote
By REGINALD KANYANE
The Eskom Development Foundation will host the Provincial Eskom Simama Ranta School Entrepreneurship Competition Awards at Huhudi High School, near Vryburg on Tuesday at 1pm. Eskom’s North West Operating Unit in Corporate Affairs division spokesperson, Mosetsanagape Mahole said Eskom’s Simama Ranta Entrepreneurship Competition aims to strengthen the South African economy through effective in-school entrepreneurship education for the youth.
“The competition was initiated in 2010 to address South Africa’s number one challenge which is youth unemployment. Eskom’s partner in the delivery of Eskom’s Simama Ranta Entrepreneurship Education is an NGO called Education With Enterprise Trust (EWET).
“EWET has been working within the field of in-school entrepreneurship education since 1994. Unemployment in South Africa has risen from 4.5% in 1995 to a staggering 25% in 2010. The experts agree that to address this challenge, we need to grow small business. So, one way to do this is by developing a culture of entrepreneurship,” Mahole said.
She further said on a deeper level, it is crucial that entrepreneurship education is supported in order to ensure that the youth play a part in strengthening the country’s economy through entrepreneurship. Mahole added that the Eskom Development Foundation aims to encourage this through its Eskom Simama Ranta Entrepreneurship Education High School Competition.
“Simama Ranta means empowering the South African economy through entrepreneurship education. The competition aims to identify and showcase those South African secondary schools that are exemplars in entrepreneurship education. The competition encourages learners to consider entrepreneurship as a career choice, taking charge of their career path by becoming job creators rather than job seekers.
“The EWET organisation has also devoted its knowledge, skills and talent to enhance enterprise education in high schools over a number of years. The initiative works in over 800 schools throughout South Africa, empowering educators to promote entrepreneurship and enhance teaching and learning in economic and management sciences,” Mahole said.
The competition is judged by a diverse panel representing the Basic Education department, the private sector, as well as experts in entrepreneurship education.
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
The ANCYL in the North West province will hold a press conference at Villa Vik Guest House in Klerksdorp at 11am on Tuesday.
The ANCYL provincial spokesperson, Tshiamo Tsotetsi said: “We will comment on the availability of Reggie Nkabinde as the next ANCYL president. We will also brief media on ANCYL North West provincial conference date and preparations.
“A call for president Jacob Zuma to resign and exit peacefully and Back To School campaign and youth empowerment in the province.”
Tsotetsi further said the press conference will be addressed by the Provincial Secretary of the YCL, Provincial Chairperson of SASCO, the Provincial Secretary and spokesperson of the ANCYL in North West.
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By REGINALD KANYANE
A murder case against four suspects was postponed by Taung Magistrate’s Court until 14 February 2018. Joel Tumo Phatudi( 39), Zwelinzima Mohapi( 23), Olebogeng Mgijima ( 25) and Lebogang Serei ( 40) were arrested in June last year by North West Provincial Tracking team and Taung Detectives in Rooiwal, Taung.
North West police spokesperson, Lieutenant Col Pelonomi Makau said: “The suspects appeared in the Taung Magistrate’s Court and were remanded in custody. According to information received, three accused, Phatudi, Mohapi and Mgijima entered the Funeral Parlour owned by Kgomotso Serei in Taung and demanded money.
“An argument ensued between the owner and the accused. It is alleged that in the process, Phatudi shot Kgomotso Serei and they ran away. Preliminary investigations revealed that Lebogang Serei, the fourth accused who is the stepson to the deceased allegedly plotted the murder.”
By BAKANG MOKOTO
A fraud case against three Free State suspects has been postponed. Mojalefa Springkan (30), Kgosana Tladi (49) and David Mokonyane (52) briefly appeared at Taung Magistrate’s Court on Monday facing a fraud case.
The trio was arrested in October 2017 at Taung Mall by South African Police Service (SAPS) Crime Intelligence in partnership with Taung Police Station after a tip-off.
The suspects allegedly defrauded unsuspecting victims their hard-earned cash at the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) across Dr Ruth Mompati district. The accused allegedly robbed a woman her Sassa card at Pudimoe complex in Pudimoe Location, near Taung before they proceeded to Taung Mall.
Pudimoe Police Station cluster spokesperson, Sgt Tebogo Thebe said: “The suspects were followed by the police from Pudimoe Location to Taung where they were allegedly stopped and searched. The police found loads of various bank cards in their possession. They were arrested and police confiscated the vehicle that they used during the commission of crime.”
The suspects were remanded in custody until their next appearance on 12 February 2018. They have previous fraud cases committed in Gauteng and Free State provinces. The fraud case against the suspects in Ficksburg in Free State has been struck off the roll because of lack of evidence against them.
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North West Provincial government held a post-Exco media briefing at Hartbeespoort on Thursday. MEC for Education and Sport Development department, Sello Lehari said the Executive Council (Exco) in the province met during its normal monthly meeting to focus on progress made on various key issues relating to the implementation of the National Development Plan (NDP).
“The provincial government driven by its unrelenting commitment to good governance and intolerance for unethical behaviour, creed, crime, fraud and corruption. This is an initiated engagement with various chapter 9 and related institutions for partnership against greed, crime, fraud and corruption.
“As a result, the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) presented a progress report on matters that they dealing with to political and administrative leadership of government .The process as reflected in the SIU report were encouraging and consistent with the province’s determination to ensure good governance and ethical leadership in the province.
“Similar encouraging developments with regard to the mandate of the public protector are evident as reflected in the structural arrangement between the office of the Public Protector and the province. There is further indication of the province’s resolve as amplified in the Premier SOPA 2017,” Lehari said.
He further said the Exco noted and appreciated progress made in dealing with this challenge as part of Setsokotsane programme especially the cases dealt with, instances of such occurrences identified and collaboration with relevant law enforcement agencies. Lehari added that the Exco resolved that remedial actions must be implemented with immediately.
“The effect is as far as matters relating to outcomes of investigation reports of the past, current and future on all infrastructure related projects with special focus but not limited to housing, roads, government building, transport services etc. This will also apply to all the provincial state owned entities and municipalities,” Lehari said.
He further said the Exco has resolved to establish the academy of librarianship through Ikatisong. Lehari added that the Culture, Arts and Traditional Affairs (CATA) would be a lead department and would work with the education and sport development department to ensure that schools that have libraries also benefit from the training.
“The Exco also approved that the expenditure report stand at 68, 47% for the period ending on the 8th of December 2017.The infrastructure excludes Conditional Grants and include Conditional Grants at 69.41 percent and 62.27 percent respectively. The Exco has resolved that establishment of People’s Economic Growth Agency (PEGA) is informed by the Presidential Review Report on State Owned Entities (SOEs). Rationalisation of public entities is therefore in line with national government initiative.
“PEGA services include loans and bridging finance to SMMEs, assisting SMMEs to register and facilitate training, establishment of the Special Economic Zone (SEZ). It will also include publishing of the North West Economic Data Report and Project Management of projects. The merger process is to be completed in March 2018,” he said.
Lehari said the Exco has resolved to establish a traffic college in the province. Lehari added that the council has approved a proposal for the establishment of a traffic training centre in the province.
“The Community Safety and Transport department is entrusted with the responsibility to ensure that it deals with all administrative requirements that will pave the way for the introduction of the college. We have also received a progress report on the hosting of the provincial OR Tambo Public Service Excellence Awards which are to be held on 14 February 2018 at the Rustenburg Civic Centre, in Rustenburg.
“This comes after the departmental excellence awards that have already taken place across. We have also received a closed out reports on South African Music Awards (SAMA), South African Traditional Music Awards (SATMA) and Mahika Mahikeng events. The council approved reports on the outcome of the SAMA, SATMA and Mahika Mahikeng,” he said.
Lehari said the Exco resolved that this year the VTSD music awards should be held as part of the build up to the SAMA. He added that the Exco further appreciated significant improvement registered in the 2017 Mahika Mahikeng Cultural Music Festival.
“The festival was bigger and better and should grow even bigger in 2018. We have also welcomed the launched of Consumer Affairs court on the 24th of March 2017. This will ensure that complaints that cannot be finalized by the department are referred to it for consumers to obtain redress.
“Since the establishment of the court, twelve cases have been referred to the court. Five cases were resolved at the initiation of the proceedings. Seven cases were adjudicated by the court, four have been settled and three still pending,” he said.
Source: Newsnote
By BAKANG MOKOTO
A 15 year-old learner is faced with a murder charge after he allegedly stabbed another learner (17) to death with a pair of scissors. Taung Police Station cluster, Sgt Tebogo Thebe said the incident took place in Dikhuting village, near Taung on Tuesday.
“Two school boys allegedly fought in a school bus on Tuesday afternoon. It is alleged that a boy (15) stabbed to death a fellow learner with a scissors. The injured learner was rushed to Pitsong clinic where he was declared dead on arrival.
“Arrangements have already been made with the Social workers for assessment of the accused as he is currently a minor. He will meet with Taung Prosecution Office today for further arrangements. The suspect has already been charged with murder,” Thebe said.
He added that the cause of a fight is yet unknown and investigations continue.
By Mmusi Maimane
When descending too rapidly with a faulty parachute, the sense of looming disaster is not pleasant, but it is nothing when compared to the actual experience of hitting the ground. The inconvenience of getting by on 50 litres a day is nothing compared to a water system switched off altogether.
So everyone affected has to make the changes necessary to get down to 50 litres per day. If we achieve 50 litres per day from 1 February (but don’t wait, start now) then we can push out Day Zero far enough that our water augmentation projects (which should start supplying 120 million litres additional water by May 2018) and (hopefully) some winter rainfall will offer some relief. If we cannot achieve this, then the taps will be turned off on Day Zero, currently calculated to be 12 April – just 76 days from now
We can still avoid this massive systemic disruption to our lives, but it means each one of us accepting that there is no way around this tough but doable water restriction. We can choose to be defeated, or we can choose to show the world that we are up to the challenge.
Living on 50 litres per person per day isn’t ideal but it is entirely doable. I know because I’m doing it myself right now and there has been no significant impact on my personal wellbeing. In fact, my family has now set our own target of 40 litres per person per day – I’ll keep you posted! The fact is, the difference to our lives between 50 versus 25 litres per day will still be much less than the difference between 25 litres out of our home taps versus 25 litres that we must queue for and collect from a designated point.
Water restrictions aren’t a failure to plan. They are part of a plan. Every City faces highs and lows in water supply, and every City lays out water restrictions to ease temporary lows in supply. In our case, the water restrictions are extremely severe,because this drought is extremely severe. This is an unprecedented situation. It demands an unprecedented response.
What is being done to “help” people achieve this target? The City is reducing water pressure and at times, switching water off altogether to some parts of the city, for up to 12 hours at a time. A Water Inspectorate team is tasked with responding to water restriction contraventions. Each week, the City is installing 2000-2500 water demand devices in the worst offending households. And there will be steep penalties for over-use, which is mainly a problem in formal housing areas. (Informal settlements constitute one third of Cape Town’s population and use only 4% of Cape Town’s water allocation.)
But please don’t let this stop you from policing people in your neighbourhood. Peer pressure is powerful. And thank you to everyone who has risen to the challenge of defeating Day Zero.
Although no additional water will be produced this summer to help us avoid Day Zero, much has been and is being done to boost supply. Seven projects are expected to produce an additional 120 million litres per day from May 2018. These include groundwater extraction from Atlantis, Cape Flats and Table Mountain Group aquifers, three small-scale desalination at Strandfontein, Monwabisi and the Waterfront and waste water treatment at Zandvliet. I’ll give more detail about our medium and long term plans for boosting supply in next week’s newsletter.
If we don’t rise to the challenge of defeating Day Zero, then I want to reassure you that a massive amount of preparation is going into ensuring that residents will have safe access to 25 litres per person per day once the water supply system is shut down. The city and province are working on a plan to make distribution as safe and convenient as possible, details of which will be communicated well in advance. Informal settlements, hospitals, essential services, CBD areas and schools will continue to be supplied with water as far as possible.
But no matter how good our Day Zero plan is, our Defeat Day Zero plan involves a whole lot less effort and inconvenience for everyone concerned. So become a Day Zero Hero today – all you need is determination and buckets.
NB: (Mmusi Maimane is a leader of Democratic Alliance and Taung DailyNews and its associates do not agree nor disagree with the content of the article. So, this will remain his views)
By REGINALD KANYANE
More than 40 students from across North West province will embark on a three year study programme at the Denel Technical Academy in Kempton Park. The students will enroll in various study trade courses such as Fitting and Turning, Aircraft Mechanic, Welding and Electrical.
North West Premier, Supra Mahumapelo said the implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) the province entered into with the Denel Technical Academy in 2016, will go a long way in realising the vision of rebranding, repositioning and renewal of the Province.
Mahumapelo addressed a group of 43 students and urged them to embrace the opportunity at their disposal. He said they must focus on building their future.
“Skilled trade people are highly sought after in our country. By choosing these fields of study, each one of you will not only contribute towards addressing the challenges of unemployment and poverty, but the realisation of the RRR vision as well,” Mahumapelo said.
The students, who were mainly recruited through the Technical Vocational Educational and Training (TVET) colleges, are from the provinces’ Villages, Townships and Small Dorpies. Mahumapelo further said this is in line with the provincial strategy to deliberately channel its resources towards the development of these areas.
“The 3-year study programme will cost the provincial government a total of R11.8 million this financial year. The programme will comprise theoretical training in the first year, practical training to be offered at the Mahikeng International Airport during the second year.
“The students will be placed at various institutions for a full year on-the-job-training during the third year. They will also have to pass the trade test before qualifying as Artisans.
One of the students, Kagiso Motlhwe (23) from Logageng village in Mahikeng, says the opportunity offered by the Provincial Government could not have come at the right time.
“I have keen interest in welding, and seeing that I have not had an opportunity to study it at any of the local TVET colleges, being selected to study it at Denel Technical Academy is a dream comes true for me. I am positive that the teaching I will obtain will enable me to contribute knowledge towards the planned face-lifting of Mahikeng International Airport”, Motlhwe said.
Dipuo Diphoko (31) from Ditshilong village in Taung who will study Fitting and Turning course, says she hopes to change females’ mind-set about choosing technical studies as their profession.
“I want to first thank the provincial government under the leadership of Mahumapelo for initiating this ground-breaking programme, which will see many of us in villages acquiring skills and qualifications in what is generally considered as scarce skills. I am happy to be part of the first group, and believe this is the first step towards realising my dream of one day establishing a technical academy in my village. I also believe that my participation in this training will send a message to my peers that, females can also do it,” Diphoko.
For this first intake, 13 students are females while 30 are males. They will each earn a stipend of R5 000 per month, this as part of the study programme requirements.
This is part of Mahumapelo’s pronouncement during his 2017 State of the Province Address (SOPA) as part of the strategy to develop aviation and technical skills in the province.
He said: “The agreement with Denel Technical Academy will also provide for the establishment of a Denel Satellite Technical Academy in Mahikeng under the Office of the Premier – Ikatisong School of Governance.
“The second phase of this agreement will result in the opening of a fully built Denel Academy Facility at the Mahikeng International Airport, where students will complete their practical training before their placement with selected industry employers for on-the-job-training and preparation for final accreditation as qualified artisans.”
The project is implemented in partnership with provincial Departments of Community Safety & Transport Management and Public Works & Roads.
The Guardian 