The situation has reportedly gotten tense in Mahikeng, where residents had earlier taken to the street calling on Supra Mahumapelo to stand down as Premier of the North West on Wednesday.

Some residents have reported hearing gunshots and seeing ambulances around the area. Unit 14, where the premier lives, is also said to have been affected.

When contacted for comment, Mahumapelo said “there’s nothing going on. There’s nothing to worry about”.

The premier told News24 there were rumours that he would be attacked and that, as a result, neighbours went out to “do voluntary defence”.

“There was a rumour that people are going to attack the house. On their own, neighbours went to do voluntary defence, I am told. Remember, I don’t stay in a government presidential guesthouse. I took a decision to stay with the people.”

Mahumapelo said his family at his home was safe and there was no damage to his house. 

He was not at home but had been on ANC business since Tuesday.

Source: http://www.news24.com

Beleaguered North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo says he is ready to repay Denel for his son’s pilot training bursary if such a decision is taken.

Mahumapelo has also urged his detractors to leave his son out of their political battles and face him directly.

It was reported over the weekend that Mahumapelo’s 20-year-old son, Supra Jr, applied late for a bursary only after the final deadline of October 2016, but his application was approved nevertheless and he was awarded with a bursary of just over R1 million to train as a pilot for 17 months.

Addressing a group of “ANC members” who marched to the North West legislature to express their support for him to remain as premier amid an Economic Freedom Fighters sponsored motion of no confidence on him in Mahikeng earlier on Tuesday, Mahumapelo said he was setting the record straight.

He said his son had “applied like any other child so he can fly an aircraft … now they’re after him because they hate his father”.

“Young man wants to become part of the few black pilots; but we want to ensure we destroy him before he can even start with his studies. I think we should not be subjecting other politicians’ children to this kind of a situation when we don’t like their parents,” he said.

“They must leave (my son) out of these political battles. They must face me and not go fiddle with what my son is doing at Denel.”

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has reportedly ordered an investigation into the bursary saga.

Mahumapelo denied he could have used his stature to influence the outcome of his son’s application, saying his son applied on his own and as a father he congratulated him when informed him he was successful.

But he said he would repay Denel if that decision was ever reached.

“… If the Denel board and the minister can decide we must give back what belongs to Denel, I will talk to my family and we’ll give them what belongs to them. But it will be very odd that there are other children that were children in the same category, subjected to the same process and were given bursaries,” he said.

“They’re trying to defocus my son from his studies (but) I told him to be like his father – remain unshakable and focus on his studies. I urge people not to come after my son … they must come directly to me; I will face them. I am not afraid of anyone. Sometimes when you’re quiet people think you’re a coward; we need to fight this thing politically and not physically.”

Meanwhile, Mahumapelo said there were people in the ANC who were jackals in sheepskins and were gunning for him and working with the opposition.

“The problem we have is ANC members who are members of the provincial legislature (MPLs) who go around under the cover of darkness to ask the EFF to push for a motion of no confidence because they can’t face (me). They say to the EFF, ‘we can’t face this leader of the ANC, please try him that side and ask the speaker to allow us to vote in secret so we could work with you to remove him,’” Mahumapelo said.

“There are ANC MPLs who are just a little number; not more than 10 of them. Those are the ones who are working with the EFF to remove me. Who do they think they are?”

He said the biggest mistake the ANC made was not acting against those Members of Parliament who voted with the opposition for President Jacob Zuma’s removal.

“Today they think they can do it anywhere in the country because they did it in Cape town and they think they can do it here and in municipalities. There is order and discipline in the ANC and so we can’t allow people to do as they please in the ANC,” Mahumapelo said.

He said he was not having sleepless nights over the EFF’s motion because the opposition did not have the required numbers to oust him.

Source: http://www.cypress.co.za

BY THEBEETSILE KEAMEDITSE

Aspiring young entrepreneurs in and around Maquassi Hills Local Municipality were encouraged by the information sharing session during the VTSD Entrepreneurship Development campaign, to seek assistance and start or grow their businesses. The municipality was implementing the campaign as part of the Roma Setsokotsane 10×10 Campaign which is continuing in the municipality.

Tefo Vincent Kgang of Rulaganyang Basha Cleaning Services Cooperative in Tswelelang Township was funded by the Department of Finance, Economy and Enterprise Development – FEED to purchase a machinery for his business.

“We needed funding to kick-start our recycling business. Through FEED we managed to locate the machinery that we needed in the Eastern Cape and it was bought to the tune of R120 000” said Kgang.

Kgang is aiming at developing a Buyback Centre and to recycling the recyclable and non-recyclable materials and generate power out of that. He’s aiming at getting more funding to get a suitable site for the business.

“Our ideal site is the official municipal dumping site which has the quantity of waste that we need. The site that we are currently occupying does not have all the necessities to make our business flourish but we remain hopefully that we’ll get the necessary assistance” said Kgang.

Opportunities available for business people like Kgang, were explained to young entrepreneurs by Thabo Ramogogane of FEED during the session, including the importance of registering in the Central Supplier Database.

“We offer funding which we call Economic Empowerment Fund, Access to Markets to expose their products to a larger and broader market in the country as well as training. We have partnership with NYDA and SEDA for training. Our funding starts from R100.00 to R100 000.00 and all you need to do is to send through your proposal with all the necessary documentation for assistance” said Ramogogane.

Young female entrepreneur Tsholofelo Khonyane who’s also aiming at penetrating the recycling industry particularly of non-biodegradable waste, was impressed by the session.

“Through FEED programmes especially Access to Market, I’m able to find places where I can supply my rubber once my business in operational. All young people need to do is to set up different business to eliminate unnecessary competition which create tensions amongst local business people” remarked Khonyane.

Roma Nna Setsokotsane 10×10 Campaign continues this week in Maquassi Hills with the municipality implementing different campaigns such as Roads and Street Lights fixing; Rates and Taxes; Education; Greed, Crime and Corruption; Human Settlements as well as Water and Sanitation.

Picture by: (Otukile Mosimanegape)

By THEBEETSILE KEAMEDITSE
Contributors who built two new state of the art schools in Rustenburg Local Municipality expressed their gratitude saying they firmly believe in the spirit of working together to change the living conditions of ordinary people in different communities.

Impala Platinum, Impala Bafokeng Trust and North West Provincial Government successfully completed R130 million worth of schools in Sunrise view of Boitekong including that of R 86 million primary and secondary of Impala village.

Speaking at the official opening ceremony on Friday, Impala Platinum Holdings Limited (Implats) Chief Executive office, Mark Munroe said the mine is proud to have made this contribution as part of working together with government to better the lives of the communities hosting their employees.

“Our investment in these educational projects demonstrates our commitment to developing viable communities that can live close to work but also have access to high-quality facilities. We believe that learning is the foundation for a successful future and as such, ensuring that children in these communities receive quality education is a critical component of our social and labour plan” he said.

Sunrise View Primary and Secondary Schools include state-of-the-art classrooms equipped with interactive boards and Wi-Fi access, a school hall, a computer room, a library, an administration block, as well as sports and ablution facilities. Together they accommodate 1 800 learners from Grade R to Grade 12.

Platinum Village Combined Primary and Secondary Schools has the capacity to accommodate 1 700 learners and is equipped with 47 classrooms, a shared school hall, computer rooms, libraries, administration blocks, sports amenities and ablution facilities.

Chief Director, Mineral Regulation from the Department of Minerals and Energy, Rebone Nkambule expressed that among mining companies in the North West province, Impala is one of the most complying companies in responding greatly to public private partnerships call made by government.

Chairperson of Impala Bafokeng Trust, Queen Semane Molotlegi also voiced her satisfaction and encourage learners and parents to work together in producing good quality results. “This is a good work done by all of us and now we must take care of these facilities and produce best performers in learning and teaching,” she said.

“This is a good work done by all of us and now we must take care of these facilities and produce best performers in learning and teaching,” she said.

Commending private sector, North West Premier, Supra Mahumapelo stated that the partnership has yet again produced good facility for communities on the ground.

“I want to congratulate Impala and Bafokeng Trust for working together with us in ensuring that we have these important infrastructures for our people. We have closed the old chapter and opened a new one taking us to the better future,” he said.

National Basic Education Deputy Minister Enver Surty said his department was also pleased with the ongoing partnerships which ensures that country produce quality facilities conducive for teaching and learning.

“The new developments here is line with the new 262 schools we have put throughout the country which include mud schools we have replaced with the state of the arts schools so we are very inspired to do the same in other communities,” he said.

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