North West police are investigating two cases where husbands allegedly shot and killed their wives then turned the guns on themselves.

In the first incident, police were called to a house in Lerome village near Mogwase on Monday where a couple was found dead in bed, according to North West Police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone.

Police believe that the man may have killed his wife then stayed with the body for some time before killing himself as the woman’s body was on the point of decomposing while his was still fresh.

The next day, a 29-year-old man from Punodung Section in Phokeng allegedly shot and killed his 24-year-old wife then turned the gun on himself. The couple were married in February.

It is alleged that the woman had complained to her mother-in-law about her husband’s behaviour. The mother-in-law tried to intervene which angared her son  and led to an argument with his wife.

During the argument the man allegedly took out the gun and fatally shot his wife. He then turned the gun on himself.

The couple died at the scene and the man’s traumatised mother called the police.

“They were certified dead on the scene. The motive for the incident is unknown and investigations into both cases are under way,” Mogwabone said.

North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, expressed shock over the incidents and urged members of the community to get professional assistance to resolve their personal disputes rather than resorting to violence.

IOL  

Rustenburg – The South African Police Service (SAPS) in the North West on Sunday warned members of the public about alleged planned illegal activity in Kanana near Rustenburg.

The SAPS in the province has noted with concern a message circulating on various social media platforms notifying motorists and residents of Kanana about a so-called massive shutdown on Monday, June 1, North West SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said in a statement.

“The public is reminded that in terms of regulation 37(1) (level 3 of lockdown) of the Disaster Management Act 2002 (Act No 57 of 2002) all gatherings are prohibited except for faith-based institution, funerals, workplace for work purposes, an agricultural auction, and professional non-contact sports matches.

“All the law abiding citizens are therefore advised to respect the rule of law and not to participate in actions that are destined to undermine and challenge the authority of the state, especially during the lockdown where people are expected not to leave their residences unless it is under reasons or circumstances as stated herein above,” Mokgwabone said.

North West police commissioner Lt-Gen Sello Kwena warned the public not to use social media platforms to encourage, incite, and mobilise others to commit crime. He reiterated that the police would not condone any action intended to cause destruction of property, including essential infrastructure, and disruption of basic services and schooling.

“Thus, he is calling upon all members of the public to not only avoid being part of any action that is intended to undermine or challenge the authority of the state, but to work with the police by reporting those who commit crime,” Mokgwabone said.

African News Agency (ANA)

The country was left in a state of confusion on Sunday regarding the resumption of learning for Grade 7 and 12 learners after Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga postponed a much-anticipated address that was meant to provide clarity.

Instead the Department of Basic Education released a statement saying that the date on which learners have to report back to school is June 8, 2020.

“This whole coming week must be used for the proper orientation and training of teachers, the mopping and ramping of all supply chain matters, and final touches to the readiness of each facility for the arrival of learners,” the department said.

According to the statement released after the last-minute postponement of Motshekga’s press briefing from Sunday at 6pm to Monday 11am, the Council of Education Ministers met on Saturday to assess the state of readiness for the reopening of schools.

“CEM received a report from the consortium of service providers coordinated by the National Education Collaboration Trust on the External Evaluation and Monitoring of the state of readiness. Rand Water, as an Implementing Agent delivering water to 3 500 schools, also presented its report. The Heads of Education Departments Committee (HEDCOM) also presented its technical report.

“All three reports converged on the fact that a substantial number of schools would not be ready for the reopening tomorrow, albeit tremendous progress had been made by most provinces, which overall reflected 80% state of readiness.

“CEM was concerned that, in some provinces personal protective equipment for learners in particular, had not been received; and some schools had not been made ready for the arrival of teachers and learners,” reads the statement.

The Department said CEM then took decisions which have since been shared with teacher unions, school governing body associations, independent schools’ associations, the SA Human Rights Commission, Principals Association, SA National Association for Specialised Education, and other stakeholders and meetings took place in which they shared the outcome of the reports and the proposed course of action.

“CEM took informed decisions to have schools to continue to reopen on June 1, 2020, but with school management teams, teachers and non-teaching staff only arriving to prepare for the arrival of learners. Provincial and district officials should ensure that health, safety, and social distancing requirements, are strictly adhered to when teachers arrive.

“This whole coming week must be used for the proper orientation and training of teachers, the mopping and ramping of all supply chain matters, and final touches to the readiness of each facility for the arrival of learners.

“The date on which all learners have to report back to school, is the 08 June 2020.

“We have however received reports that indicate that some learners in boarding schools have already arrived. We urge the schools to continue with orientation of the learners in terms of the health and safety procedures that should be in place,” said the Department.

However, Western Cape Education MEC Debbie Schafer said schools in the province would be open to receive learners on Monday.

“Following the national minister’s earlier announcements, we have pulled out all the stops as a province to ensure that we are ready for the arrival of learners tomorrow. Principals and staff have worked tirelessly to get all the health and safety requirements in place,” Schafer said.

“Given these preparations, and the enormous effort put in by teachers and non-teaching staff alike, it would be unfair to delay all schools from re-opening.

“There will also be some schools that do not receive learners tomorrow, either because they are not at a suitable state of readiness in terms of safety protocols, or they are closed for cleaning if there has been a confirmed case of Covid-19 at the school. These schools will communicate with their staff members and parents of learners in this regard,” Schafer said.

Source: IOL

By BAKANG MOKOTO

The African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) said it is concerned regarding continuous personal attacks on the Minister of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

This comes after some Facebook posts depicting Dlamini-Zuma as a monkey and some videos insulting her circulated on social media platforms. ANCWL Secretary-General, Meokgo Matuba said hate speech and verbal attacks against Dlamini-Zuma are unwarranted.

“Whilst, everyone has the right to communicate his or her opinions and ideas and share information in whatever form, the freedom of speech has limitations. Section 16 (2) of the constitution of South Africa states that the freedom of expression does not extend to propaganda for war, incitement of imminent violence, or advocacy of hatred that is based on race, ethnicity, gender, or religion, and that constitutes incitement to cause harm.

“It is our view that those who post distasteful Facebook messages and videos about Dlamini-Zuma are mostly influenced by their hatred of her race and gender. Patriachists and racists have no place in our country. They are toxic elements that will reverse the gains of our democracy that the likes of Dlamini-Zuma sacrificed their lives for,” Matuba.

She added that South Africans, who believe in non-sexist, non-racial democratic and prosperous South Africa must hold hands, expose and decisively deal with these misogynist and racist elements. Matuba said the ANCWL also calls on the South African Human Rights Commission and the Commission for Gender Equality to also investigate the matter.

“ANCWL calls on its members, supporters, and society in general to support Minister Dlamini-Zuma and all the members of the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) under President Cyril Ramaphosa.

“The law must take its course against these racists and patriarchists. If the law delays, the peace-loving South Africans might run out of patience and opt to visit these perpetrators for face-to-face chat which might not be a friendly chat,” she said.

Matuba said they will accompany Dlamini-Zuma will accompany her to the police station to lay charges against her attackers. Dlamini-Zuma received excessive criticisms from the ‘segment of individuals’ as they believe that she is behind the continuous ban on the sales of cigarettes during the national lockdown period in South Africa due to COVID-19 pandemic.

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Picture: http://www.enca.co.za 

By OBAKENG MAJE

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the North West calls on the mining magnate, Patrice Motsepe to ‘shut down’ KalGold mine near Kraaipan indefinitely. This comes after allegations that two mineworkers have tested positive for COVID-19 at KalGold mine which is a subsidiary of Harmony Gold where Motsepe is the owner.

EFF provincial secretary, Papiki Bauile said all mineworkers at KalGold mine should be subjected to mandatory screening and testing. Babuile said they equally call on the North West Department of Health (NWDoH) to also intervene in this matter.

“On Tuesday, we woke up to the sad news that two mineworkers at KalGold mine which is owned by Harmony Gold have registered two cases of COVID-19. According to mineworkers who wished to remain anonymous, the results of mineworkers who tested positive were known since Monday, but no precautionary measures have been taken to protect other mineworkers.

“It is business as usual as the production department and other related departments at the mine are 100% operational. We specifically called on mining houses to stop prioritizing profits at the expense of human life,” he said.

Babuile said just last month, the EFF released a statement cautioning against the re-opening of mines amidst the escalating cases of COVID-19 in the province. He said they have even opened criminal cases against some mining houses in the province.

“We call on Motsepe to close the mine and ensure that all mineworkers are subjected to mandatory screening and testing, but failure to do so, will result in the EFF to visit the mine,” said Babuile.

He added that they have lost hope in the Department of Minerals and Energy (DMR) as they have long taken the decision to favour mining houses instead of workers. Meanwhile, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) has come out calling for universal testing of all mineworkers following the rapid spread of the virus in the mining sector.

AMCU president, Joseph Mathunjwa said: “The union is adamant that this is the only way to curb a possible crisis in the sector. Over the past weekend it came to light that a record number of 19 new infections have been found at Impala’s Marula mine in Limpopo. This brings the total number of infections in mining to 32, with one mineworker who has died of the pandemic as of 17 May 2020.

“We have consistently called for proper testing before mineworkers go underground. Screening is not sufficient as it fails to detect those workers who don’t display the known symptoms like high temperatures. We’ve been saying this all along, but the Department of Mineral Resources and the Chamber of Mines [now known as the Minerals Council] would not listen to us.”

National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in North East Regional Secretary, Phillip Mankge said the COVID-19 is a killer virus and the government has directed mines to resume operations at 50% capacity and issued clear guidelines to the mines to adhere to the regulations. Mankge said the NUM is extremely disturbed by the number of cases already confirmed since the mines were allowed to resume operation.

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By BAKANG MOKOTO

The North West Dingaka Association (NWDA) said they are adamant that the fight against COVID-19 pandemic will be won soon. This comes after they had an interactive session with other stakeholders such as the North West Department of Health (NWDoH), North West Traditional Healers Practitioners (NWTHP), and the North West Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation (ACSR) recently.

The NWDA chairperson, Anna Rabotapi said the interactive session was informative and featured an update on the National Command Council’s work on Covid-19 and guidelines for traditional practitioners in dealing with the virus and the lockdown.  She also expressed her gratitude to the two departments for taking the initiative.

“This is the kind of engagement we have been longing for. Today’s session was very informative and useful for us as traditional practitioners. We are so grateful to have had held a joint meeting with MECs’ both portfolios to discuss the role of traditional practitioners in the fight against Covid-19,” Rabotapi said.

The MEC for ACSR, Virginia Tlhapi said: “We work closely and support the work of the Dingaka Association in the province. The traditional healers and members of the Dingaka Association came from across the province and raised their concerns over the lockdown restrictions.

“They explained how the lockdown has impacted on their work. We informed them that we were serious about the engagements with the traditional medicine sector and we will continue meeting and consulting with them on an on-going basis in the fight against Covid-19.

North West MEC for DoH, Madoda Sambatha also shared the same sentiments. Sambatha encouraged the traditional health practitioners to work together with his department in helping the local population to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We call on traditional practitioners and dingaka to observe the regulations as stipulated by the government. Please, you should not chase money but safe lives as you are called to do so,” said Sambatha.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 infections continue to soar. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the province is 72, an increase of two from previously reported cases.

“All two new cases in the province are in Ngaka Modiri Molema District. Ratlou Local Municipality has registered its first case, while Mahikeng Local municipality increases its numbers to 5. The Ditsobotla Local Municipality has one registered case and this brings all registered COVID-19 cases to seven in the district, says Sambatha.

He said there is no new case that was recorded in Bojanala Platinum district in the past three days. Sambatha added that the province contributes 0.4% of South Africa’s burden of disease.

“Bojanala contributes 56% to the provincial burden of disease. The total number of screenings in the province is 1 965 869 and 1 945 people screened showed COVID-19 symptoms. They were referred for testing and a total of 984 contacts of the 72 confirmed cases were identified and 94% (925) were successfully traced.

“We thank our tracing teams, nurses, doctors, paramedics, and all healthcare workers who continue to serve with pride during these difficult times,” said Sambatha.

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By REGINALD KANYANE

The Phokwane Local Municipality has been dissolved after being marred with a series of alleged corruption, fraud, and mismanagement for the past four years. Northern Cape Provincial government said in a statement that it implemented Section 139(1) (c) given all the above governance and administrative challenges.

Northern Cape Premier, Dr Zamani Saul said: “The beleaguered municipal council failed to fulfill its executive obligations. The council failed to hold critical council meetings to appoint senior managers, failing to consider the section 106 report, failing to approve the 2019/20 financial year budget, the mid-year budget and performance assessment report, and the 2019/20 adjustments budget.

“The proliferation of litigation matters has ultimately resulted in the municipality having two mayors and two speakers. This confusion permeated into the administration and resulted in the dual convening of municipal council meetings, giving of conflicting instructions to the administrator and officials.”

Saul added that the manifestation of political dynamics within the council further circumvented the implementation of the Section 106 report which investigated the serious malpractice at the municipality. He said the municipality having two speakers and mayors resulting in financial and legal constraints.

“The unfortunate sequence of events at Phokwane Local Municipality has unfortunately been unfolding at the expense of the people, robbing communities of basic service delivery. It is in this context that after numerous interventions and for the benefit of the people of Phokwane, the municipal council is hereby dissolved with immediate effect.

“The Provincial Executive Council (EXCO) has delegated the MEC of CoGHSTA to amongst others publish the powers and function of the administrator who will continue to be supported by the administration team of the financial expert and an engineer from the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agency (MISA),” he said.

Saul said all necessary processes will be put in place to ensure that by-elections are held.

He said as a result of this intervention, the municipality will be in a better position to work with the Department of Health to deal with the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The total Covid-19 infections in South Africa now stands at 12 739, with 238 deaths.

The Western Cape, with a total of 7 235 confirmed infections, accounts for 56.8 percent of the confirmed cases in the country. The province is also responsible for 12 of the 19 Covid-19 related deaths recorded over the past 24 hours.

Gauteng has the second-highest number of confirmed cases with 2 135 infections, and the Eastern Cape was third at 1 569.

A total of 403 018 tests have been conducted for the novel coronavirus to date, with 16 666 tests done in the past 24 hours.

Here is a look at the breakdown per province:

“Close to 10 million people have been screened for symptoms of the virus and testing in the public and private sector has been ramped up exponentially, with 270 000 more tests being conducted in this period than initially planned for,” Mkhize said in a statement on Thursday.

“Government has also worked fervently to increase the number of beds in hospitals across the country in preparation for an influx of patients suffering from Covid-19 symptoms.”

Commenting on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement that most of South Africa can expect to ease into a level 3 lockdown from the end of May, Mkhize said that levels 5 and 4 of the lockdown had allowed government time to strengthen the healthcare system, but he stressed that this had not been without its challenges.

“In some instances, data emerging on case numbers in some provinces has been misaligned and sometimes inaccurate. Covid-19 hot spots have emerged in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape, with more than half the country’s cases emanating from the two provinces,” Mkhize said.

“Cluster outbreaks concentrated in and around Cape Town are driving the pandemic in these regions and require targeted efforts to track and trace contacts in Western Cape and Eastern Cape.”

• For the latest on the Covid-19 outbreak, visit IOL’s special #Coronavirus page.

** If you think you have been exposed to the Covid-19 virus, call the 24-hour hotline on 0800 029 999 or visit sacoronavirus.co.za

Source: IOL

By STAFF REPORTER

A Taung man is expected to appear at Kathu Magistrate’s Court for Cash-in-Transit heist ON Wednesday. The suspect was subsequently arrested by the Hawks on Monday after intensive investigations.

The Hawks spokesperson in Northern Cape, Nomthandazo Mnisi said even though the incident took place in January 2020 at Kathu Mall in Kuruman, where heavily armed suspects allegedly attacked and robbed a security guard a trolley bag containing an undisclosed amount of money, they are grateful to make a breakthrough in this case.

“Police responded to the scene, resulting in a high-speed chase which ended in one suspect, Karabo Moshweshwe (37) being apprehended. The rest of the group managed to getaway. However, in the latest turn of event, another suspect was arrested following months of investigations.

“The intensive investigation was effected during a tracing operation in Taung in the North West province by a  team consist of the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation, Crime Intelligence and Tactical Response Team on Monday,” said Mnisi.

Meanwhile, Moshweshwe has already made several court appearances and his bail application attempt has been unsuccessful thus far. Mnisi said the remaining suspects are still at large and being pursued.

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By OBAKENG MAJE

The North West Department of Health continues to be marred with corruption, fraud, and maladministration. This comes after four senior officials were suspended for tender irregularities recently.

Two Directors attached to Infrastructure Development Technical Support Chief Directorate unit were suspended on 23 April 2020 for the alleged asymmetrical payments worth over R10 million to the service provider arising from a bid for additions and alterations to existing Mmabatho Nursing College including all related site works.

North West Department of Health spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane said: “It is alleged that the said officials within the Infrastructure Development and Technical Support (IDTS) facilitated irregular insertion of the “Contract Price Adjustment Provision”, which resulted in the contractor undue enrichment in payments.

“The principal building agreement for construction works at Mmabatho Nursing College commenced on 2 November 2015. The value estimated on this matter is amounting to R10 959 472-35 excluding VAT of adjustment/escalation was paid illegally.”

He said in the latest matter, the other two senior officials involve the department’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and the Director responsible for Supply Chain Management. Lekgethwane added that those officials have been suspended due to the allegations of Supply Chain Management irregularities.

“This arises from the security tender. The appointment letter of the successful bidders allegedly contained the prices which materially varied from what those bidders had bid for thus inflating prices and causing the department serious financial loss.

“The value of the financial loss is not yet known as investigations are to start after their suspension. The department wishes to state that the suspension of these officials is not a conclusion that they are guilty. The suspension intends to allow the department to investigate the above allegations as they are of a serious nature,” said Lekgethwane.

The officials will remain suspended until the investigations and disciplinary hearings against them are completed, says Lekgethwane.

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