(Picture Supplied: Former Ratlou Local Municipal Manager, Cassius Sejake arrested by the Hawks
By OBAKENG MAJE
Former Ratlou Local Municipal Manager, Cassius Sebatane Sejake who was arrested by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation on Monday is expected to do a formal bail application today at Atamelang Magistrate’s Court.
The Hawks spokesperson in North West, Tlangelani Rikhotso said Sejake was arrested for alleged failure to follow tender processes in the awarding of tenders of approximately R5.8 million between 2018 and 2019.
“It is alleged that this happened while he was an acting municipal manager. As the accounting officer, the suspect allegedly failed to take reasonable steps to ensure that public procurement processes were followed and observed.
“Service providers were allegedly appointed without a competitive bidding process. Sejake appeared at the Atamelang Magistrate’s Court where he was charged with contravention of Section 173 (fruitless and wasteful expenditure) of the Municipal Finance Management Act,” Rikhotso said.
South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa has taken a fundamental approach by launching the Presidential Employment Stimulus last week to tackle unemployment.
Ramaphosa said the Presidential Employment Stimulus is unprecedented in its scale and breadth, involving a public investment of R100 billion over the next three years.
“We are undertaking a far-reaching and ambitious public investment in human capital, with the state as both a creator and an enabler of jobs. We will protect and create directly-funded jobs and livelihood support interventions while the labour market recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.
“Each of these is ready for implementation, and is additional to existing commitments. While some of the interventions build on the strengths of existing programmes, the stimulus also includes new and innovative approaches,” he said.
Ramaphosa added that this includes a focus on what they have termed ‘social employment’. He said they are working from the premise that there is no shortage of work to be done to address the many social problems in the society.
“The aim is to support the considerable creativity, initiative and institutional capabilities that exist in the wider society to engage people in work that serves the common good. This work cuts across a range of themes, including food security, ending gender-based violence, informal settlement upgrading and much more.
“This will supplement the efforts of the public sector, allowing for greater scale and social impact as well as new forms of partnership with diverse social actors. The stimulus includes a new national programme to employ teaching and school assistants in schools,” said Ramaphosa.
He further said schools are making these appointments right now, delivering new opportunities in every community across the length and breadth of the country. Ramaphosa said the public employment is not just for unskilled work.
“There is a cross-cutting focus on graduates, with opportunities for nurses, science graduates, artisans and others. The stimulus will also protect jobs in vulnerable sectors that have been hit hard by the pandemic.
“Support will be provided to Early Childhood Development practitioners, mainly self-employed women. Over 74,000 small farmers will also receive production input grants. As a nation, we need arts and culture to lift our spirits once more – the stimulus provides new funding to help the sector back onto its feet, including support to digital content-creation and expansion of e-commerce platforms,” he said.
Ramaphosa added that this will enable artists to adapt to the new market conditions that the pandemic has imposed on the country and to seize new opportunities for growth. He further said a critical enabler for wider job creation, made more important by the pandemic, is connectivity.
“To overcome the digital divide, the stimulus will provide affordable, high-speed broadband to low-income households through innovative connection subsidies and the expansion of free public WiFi.
“As our country recovers from the devastation of the coronavirus pandemic, we are in no doubt as to the size of the task before us. We have to achieve an economic recovery that is swift and inclusive. We have to get as many of our people as possible working again.
“We also have to regain lost ground in the provision of basic services and critical infrastructure, addressing social challenges and transforming townships and rural communities too,” said Ramaphosa.
He said public employment is an instrument that can do all by creating jobs at scale in the short term while markets recover, and creating social value in the process. Ramaphosa said the example is often cited of the massive public works programme undertaken by the United States after the Great Depression in the 1930s.
“This was not just a stimulus, but also promoted social participation and inclusion. There are several examples of innovative public employment programmes in the developing world, including in India, Ethiopia and here in South Africa.
“These programmes make a direct investment in local economies, reaching poorer areas first, supporting local small enterprises and trickling up into the wider economy from there,” he said.
Ramaphosa added that they also promote social participation and inclusion, providing communities with the means to change their lives as they undertake new forms of work. He said in doing so, they contribute to transformation both at a local level and within broader society.
“Direct public investment to support employment and create economic opportunities that generate social value does more than just tackle the unemployment crisis. It is responsive, because it uses the state’s resources to respond to local community needs, be it for greener spaces, food security, more early childhood development centres, or for better and more accessible roads.
“It is progressive, because it offers social protection and income security to those who face destitution because they are unable to find work. It is an investment in the future, in that it supports the broader economic recovery agenda by urgently getting our people to work on improving our national and municipal infrastructure,” said Ramaphosa.
He added that through the interventions in the stimulus, they are creating work for those who need it, while leaving a lasting impact on entire communities. Ramaphosa said like public employment programmes across the world, this employment stimulus supports and complements the critical role of the private sector in creating jobs.
“It is counter-cyclical, in that as the recovery advances, the scale of public employment will decline. The work experience and skills acquired by beneficiaries of the Presidential Employment Stimulus will improve their prospects of securing formal employment.
“The experience gained is also a pathway to entrepreneurial activity. Participants will improve their skills and capabilities to start their own businesses, and can use the steady income provided by public employment to branch out into other income-generating activities,” he said.
Ramaphosa further said he has consistently affirmed that the COVID-19 crisis is also a window of opportunity to build back better. He said at this time of great upheaval, they would be doing themselves no favours by making unrealistic promises that raise expectations, only to come short when they are not met.
“This is why each of the jobs and livelihood support interventions is fully funded, with a clear implementation plan. The employment stimulus is not about vague commitments for some time in the future, but about jobs being created right here and now.
“The stimulus is the result of extensive consultation with national departments, provinces and metros to rapidly design employment programmes that can be rolled out or expanded within six months,” said Ramaphosa.
He said the implementing departments and other stakeholders were rigorously assessed on their capacity to implement. In every one of the programmes that fall under the stimulus, opportunities will be widely advertised and recruitment will be fair, open and transparent, said Ramaphosa.
“The goals we have set ourselves are realistic, measurable and achievable, and draw lessons from past experience and international best practice. Our people are ready and willing to work. This vast potential must be harnessed, and our collective skills and capabilities brought to bear in rebuilding our country in the wake of the coronavirus.
“The Presidential Employment Stimulus provides a respite for families who have endured a long hard winter with greatly reduced income, and for individuals who have spent many years without work.
“Real, decent work is the right of every human being. It is a precondition for economic growth and social stability. By giving effect to this fundamental right, the Presidential Employment Stimulus is making a decisive contribution to building a society that works,” concludes Ramaphosa.
South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa said job creation, re-industrialisation of economy, focusing on growing small businesses, to accelerate economic reforms to unlock investment and growth including combating crime and corruption are some of the components to implement in his Economic Recovery Plan strategy.
Ramaphosa said all these objectives are linked to the vision of our country set out in the National Development Plan (NDP).
“In contrast to the State of the Nation Address, where we address the broad programme of government for the year, today I want to focus on the extraordinary measures we must take to restore our economy to inclusive growth following the devastation caused by COVID-19 to our people’s lives and our country’s economy.
“This has far-reaching implications in every area of human development, from education to health, from food security to poverty alleviation, from the empowerment of women to social stability,” he said.
Ramaphosa further said the pandemic continues to cause severe damage to the global economy, affecting trade, investment, production, international travel and global supply and demand. He said in South Africa, the pandemic has caused great hardship and suffering.
“In the 220 days since our first recorded case, more than 18,000 people are confirmed to have died from COVID-19. We must rebuild, repair and restore our country, not after COVID, but in the midst of COVID.
“Poverty and inequality has deepened, threatening many South Africans with hunger and a sudden loss of income. Our economy, like other economies, has contracted sharply, businesses have closed and jobs have been lost,” said Ramaphosa.
He added that more than 2 million people lost their jobs in the second quarter of this year. Ramaphosa said the economy contracted by 16.4% when compared to the previous quarter.
“National Treasury expects a significant shortfall in revenue collection. This economic shock is unprecedented in our country, and it will take an extraordinary effort to recover from it. As even the darkest of clouds has a silver lining, we need to see this moment as a rupture with the past and an opportunity to drive fundamental and lasting change.
“It is an opportunity not only to recover the ground that we have lost over the course of the pandemic but to place the economy on a new path to growth. We are therefore presenting before this joint sitting of Parliament and the country a reconstruction and recovery plan to drive growth that is inclusive and transformative,” he said.
Ramaphosa said the South African Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan builds on the common ground established by the social partners – government, labour, business and community organisations – through intensive and detailed consultations over the last few months.
He said it is informed by the work of Cabinet’s Economic Cluster working together with government departments and Cabinet itself and draws on the contributions of the leading economists who make up the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
“I wish to applaud the remarkable efforts, particularly from our social partners in NEDLAC, in reaching consensus on the actions required to rebuild our economy, and the firm actions that all social partners have committed to contribute to the country’s recovery.
“We know from the examples of several other countries that social compacts are essential to effective and sustainable growth and development. As we implement this plan, government remains committed to the agreements reached through the NEDLAC process,” said Ramaphosa.
“The creation of jobs is at the centre of the Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. We must get our people back into the jobs they lost in the pandemic. We are determined to create more employment opportunities for those who were unemployed before the pandemic or who had given up looking for work.
“This means unleashing the potential of our economy by, among others, implementing necessary reforms, removing regulatory barriers that increase costs and create inefficiencies in the economy, securing our energy supply and freeing up digital infrastructure,” he said.
Ramaphosa further said this plan directly responds to the immediate economic impact of COVID-19 by driving job creation and expanding support for vulnerable households. He said they aim to do this primarily through a major infrastructure programme and a large-scale employment stimulus, coupled with an intensive localisation drive and industrial expansion.
“The interventions outlined in this plan will achieve sufficient, secure and reliable energy supply within two years. Create and support over 800,000 work opportunities in the immediate term to respond to job losses and unlock more than R1 trillion in infrastructure investment over the next 4 years.
“It will reduce data costs for every South African and expand broadband access to low-income households, reverse the decline of the local manufacturing sector and promote re-industrialisation through deeper levels of localisation and exports and resuscitate vulnerable sectors such as tourism, which have been hard hit by the pandemic,” said Ramaphosa.
(Picture Supplied: Money confiscated during raid in Schweizer Reneke)
By REGINALD KANYANE
Two suspects aged 33 and 22 nabbed by the Vryburg K9 unit for being in possession of drugs on Wednesday. North West police spokesperson, Capt Aafje Botma said the duo was arrested during a crime intelligence driven operation as part of an ongoing effort to safeguard communities from drugs.
“The arrest came after Vryburg K9 Unit received a tip-off and executed a search warrant at a house in Schweizer Reneke. During the operation, 219 Kat tablets and 12 small plastic packets containing Chrystal meth with an estimated street value of R35 000 was confiscated together with R52 000 cash.
(Picture Supplied: Drugs confiscated during a raid in Schweizer Reneke)
“The suspects are expected to appear in the Schweizer Reneke Magistrate’s Court on Friday for possession and dealing in drugs. The Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena commended all members involved in the operation for bringing to book the alleged peddlers,” she said.
Botma added that Kwena also pointed out that drug trafficking is a real challenge that often leads to other serious crimes.
South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) in the North West has appealed for the Post Covid-19 Economic Recovery Plan to extricate the overwhelming majority of women in rural areas who are afflicted by poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment.
This comes ahead of the much-anticipated speech by the Republic of South Africa (RSA) President, Cyril Ramaphosa who is expected to outline his Economic Recovery Plan strategy to the nation at 2pm.
Sanco provincial chairperson, Paul Sebegoe said: “Rural women must be placed at the centre of every development programme targeting rural communities if poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment are to be addressed.
“Women are one of the central pillars of development therefore their needs and rights must be addressed if poor communities are to prosper and grow. Rural women need support to help them adapt to commercialisation, globalisation, climate change as well as new technologies and migration patterns that are impacting on subsistence farming.”
He added that communities would benefit socially and economically when women have access to land, water, education, training, financial services and strong organisations because the empowerment of women and equality are fundamental in reducing poverty, hunger and malnutrition.
Sebegoe further said the contribution of women and the possibilities of mobilising their unutilised labour for economic development are generally overlooked.
“A fitting tribute to Dr Vuyokazi Feliciity Mahlati who selflessly championed the interests of rural women as well transformation in the agriculture including agro processing sector would be to ensure that land expropriation reverses the legacy of land dispossession and gives effect to the vision of the 1954 Women’s Charter,” he underscored.
Meanwhile, Ramaphosa is expected to address the nation at 2pm amid South Africa’s economic trouble. He is expected to announce a range of measures that would initiate to set the country on a new path of growth, employment and transformation amid COVID-19 pandemic.
Ramaphosa is also expected to take the country into his confidence and take decisive steps to rebuild investor confidence too. However, as corruption has rear its ugly head, much is expected from him to come up with ways to end corruption and state capture, restore good governance at state owned enterprises and strengthen critical public institutions.
Heartfelt condolence messages continue to pour in after the death of African Jazz legend, Paula Motswaiwa-Naane. North West MEC for Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation, Virginia Tlhapi said Motswaiwa-Naane was humorous and loved across the community of Mahikeng including Bokone, Tlhabologo, and Lerwaneng villages.
Tlhapi said the late Mama Paula as Motswaiwa-Naane was affectionately known in the entertainment fraternity was one of the enthusiastic artists in the pot of the arts. She added that Mama Paula also never forgotten their Kofifi language which many young stars did not understand.
“Mama Paula aged gracefully and lived her life with a purpose. We will miss her dearly and we will always cherish her performances. We are talking about the mother of the artists in the province who nurtured and polished some rough diamonds in the arts industry.
“Mama Paula had a rhyming character and she was comfortable when on the stage. She was the fuel of singing and the oiled-machine of singing. One could say Mama Paula was born for that as she would just jump on to the stage, grab the mic, and serenaded the audience with her rhythmic, golden voice leaving them mesmerised by her unbelievable energy,” she said.
Tlhapi further said Mama Paula, with her bragging character ‘SelogatlatlanakaSontaga’ was one of the creamy classical singers in the province. A 76-year-old singer was born in Manzenville near Krugersdorp and started her in Johannesburg around the 70s at Dorkey House.
“Mama Paula distinguished herself in the late fifties as one of the vocalists in the Elite Swingsters, which featured the likes of the late Mama Miriam Makeba, Dolly Rathebe, Abigail Khubekha, Dorothy Masuku just to name a few.
“She represented the North West province and South Africa at large in the neighbouring countries such as Botswana. Mama Paula also performed Freedom Melody in Gaborone on the 1980s, featuring Botswana Pioneers, Thandi Klaasen, Sharptown Swingsters to name but a few.
“The legendary shared the staged with Mzwakhe Mbuli performing Unbroken Spirit that was released in 1989 with songs like The Last Struggle, Don’t Push Us Too Far, Nobel Peace, and many more.
“On the 31st of October 2015, Mama Paula participated and provided a classical performance during the Breast Cancer Awareness Concert at Mmabatho Stadium in Mahikeng,” said Tlhapi.
She added that her department in partnership with the South African Traditional Music Awards (SATMA) recognised Mama Paula with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her talent and contribution in the arts industry.
Picture: Taung Agricultural College principal, Prudence Matlhoko arrested by the Hawks
By REGINALD KANYANE
A fraud case against Taung Agricultural College principal, Prudence Matlhoko has been postponed to 14 April 2020, reported our sister publication, The News Pulse. Matlhoko (38) briefly appeared at the Taung Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday after she was arrested by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption investigation team at the college on 4 May 2020 for fraud.
The Hawks spokesperson in the Northern Cape, Lieutenant Colonel Philani Nkwalase said: “The suspect allegedly submitted fraudulent travel claims exceeding R17 500. The investigations revealed that she allegedly used a state vehicle in October 2017 and fraudulently claimed official kilometres although she used her private vehicle whilst executing work-related duties.
Matlhoko’s R1000 bail was extended and witnesses in this case were also urged to avail themselves when needed. The case was also transferred to the Taung Regional Court.
The African National Congress (ANC) Chief Whip in the North West Provincial Legislature, Paul Sebegoe on Wednesday welcomed the appointment of an independent investigators to assist provincial departments and public entities to fast track investigations into financial irregularities.
This comes after the North West Premier, Professor Tebogo Job Mokgoro’s response to questions asked by Sebegoe for an oral response on measures to tackle corruption during the special sitting of the Legislature held on Tuesday.
Mokgoro said that the project instituted by the Provincial Treasury has commenced and is in progress. He added that the new internal control models were introduced in the supply chain process to ensure the procurement complies with all laws and regulations.
“The compliance of the control environment is being monitored regularly by various stakeholders. Independent verification of the system for tenders valued above R10 million prior to awarding was introduced as from 1 April 2019 in order to reduce possible fraud or corruption in the procurement system.
“The roll out of risk management strategies in departments and entities by the Provincial Risk Management will pick up any possible gaps in the controls and other service delivery processes,” he said.
Mokgoro also pointed out that the province has pushed a drive to intensify the fight against fraud and corruption by raising awareness in collaboration with various law enforcement agencies and civil society and business. He added that the province has continued to promote whistleblowing as part of encouraging the public to report cases of fraud and corruption to the National Anti-Corruption number (0800 701 701)
Sebegoe said: “Consequence management introduced for non-compliance must be tracked, early warning systems put in place regularly monitored to ensure that service delivery happens without compromise of value for money and a systems bleed.”
(Picture Supplied: Taung Agricultural College principal, Prudence Matlhoko arrested by the Hawks
By REGINALD KANYANE
A trial against Taung Agricultural College principal, Prudence Matlhoko is expected to resume at Taung Regional Court on Wednesday. Matlhoko (38) was arrested by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption investigation team at the college on 4 March 2020 for fraud.
The Hawks spokesperson in the Northern Cape, Lieutenant Colonel Philani Nkwalase said: “The suspect allegedly submitted fraudulent travel claims exceeding R17 500. The investigations revealed that she allegedly used a state vehicle in October 2017 and fraudulently claimed official kilometres although she used her private vehicle whilst executing work-related duties.”
A 20-YEAR-OLD man has been sentenced to ten years imprisonment for rape. Richard Senelo was found guilty of rape by the Kimberley Sexual Offences. Northern Cape police spokesperson, Lt Colonel Dimakatso Mooi said Senelo raped a girl (17) at his shack back in 2018.
“The incident happened on 26 May 2018 at about 18:00 when the accused accosted the victim while she was on her way to her boyfriend. He forced her to a shanty at Madiba Shacks where he raped her. The victim managed to escape and the matter was reported to the police.
“The accused was found at his shanty still asleep and was arrested on the same day of the incident. The Unit Commander of Galeshewe Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit, Lieutenant Colonel Marli Strydom, commended the Investigating Officer, WO Reginald Zephe, on a sterling investigation which secured a conviction,” she said.
In another separate incident, the Northern Cape High Court in Hartswater sentenced Elvis Malebo (26) to 25 years in prison for the brutal murder of his girlfriend, Evelyn Mocumi (27). According to information, Malebo bludgeoned Mocumi to her death with a panga and stabbed her 34 times with a knife.
Northern Cape police spokesperson, Capt Sergio Kock said: “The incident happened on 14 June 2020 at about 07:30am when the accused found Mocumi with a 33-year-old male in her shanty at the Asgat Informal Settlement in Hartswater.
“Malebo went to his house to fetch the weapons and threatened the male with the panga. The male fled the scene and the accused murdered the female. He was arrested by Hartswater SAPS minutes later and remained in custody up until his sentencing.”
Kock added that Malebo pleaded guilty and received 25 years for the murder and 12 months for assault on the male. He said the sentences will run concurrently.
The acting commissioner for the Northern Cape Police, Major General Phiwe Mnguni commended the investigating officer, Sgt Abraham Mokae from Hartswater Detectives for a job well done. Mnguni also condemns the incident and reiterated that the sentence will send out a stern message to all persons who think of committing GBV crimes.
