A call by North West province communities for clinics to expand operating hours has received attention of Premier Supra Mahumapelo. 

The Province will soon revise the policy governing operating hours of all clinics particularly in rural areas, Premier Mahumapelo said during the delivery of his maiden State of the Province Address in Mahikeng on Friday.

A partnership with the Belgian Government for the introduction of Electronic Health Records that will see patients accessing medical records through a click a button as part of the e-health initiatives will be launched, the Premier announced.

Mahumapelo said government will be implementing and extending safety nets to orphans and vulnerable children infected and affected by HIV & AIDS and providing home community based care services to 98 140 beneficiaries.

“This will also include linking the affected and infected to poverty alleviation and psycho-social support programmes. Social mobilisation and behaviour change programmes will be rendered to 210 000 beneficiaries and 330 Child and Youth Care Workers will benefit from Isibindi programme.

A total of 79 Non Profit Organisations will be funded at a tune of R36 464 000 for delivering HIV & AIDS Social protection services,” he said.
-TDN
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The North West Provincial Government is to establish satellite offices at all major and properly zoned taxi ranks across the province in an effort to bring services closer to communities, Premier, Supra Mahumapelo, pronounced during his State of the Province Address delivered in Mahikeng on Friday.

Premier Mahumapelo said that the provincial government is planning in the long-term to have permanent presence through government offices in these taxi ranks to bring services rendered by all government departments.

“We also recognise the strategic importance of taxi ranks as viable economic zones and we intend to enhance and grow this potential. In this regard we will consult with all taxi associations and all stakeholders doing business at the taxi ranks,” said Mahumapelo.

According to the Premier, the satellites will be established by the beginning of the next financial year.-TDN
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Mahikeng- All state owned farms across the North West Province are to be allocated to community and youth cooperatives, Premier Supra Mahumapelo announced in his State of the Province Address delivered at the Mmabatho Convention Centre on Friday.
 

Premier Mahumapelo said that the allocation will be part of the provincial government’s strategy to revive agriculture as a priority sector for economic development and addressing youth unemployment.

“Government will provide seeds and implements, and ensure that state hospitals procure all their required supplies from these cooperatives,” Mahumapelo stressed.

The Premier highlighted that the rollout of the allocation is planned for roll-out over three years.

Other programmes to benefit youth announced by the Premier include the introduction of the Ikatisong Youth Training & Incubation Programme to reinforce the Expanded Public Works Programme. 

“This approach will ensure that the youth programmes are not only sustainable but also expose the young people to enterprise based skills which will allow them to migrate into gainful employment or self-employment beyond government programmes,” Mahumapelo said. 

Youth mobilisation programmes will also benefit 7 600 youth who will also be linked to Community Development Work opportunities and skill development programmes.

The Premier also announced that IBM (ICT Company) will be piloting a programme in partnership with both Provincial Government and the North West University (Mafikeng Campus) to roll-out E-Skilling to the young people in the Province.
The project will start in Mafikeng before being rolled out to other parts of the Province.
A  Provincial Youth Skills Development Centre is to be launched by the end of the year in the Dr.Kenneth Kaunda District to absorb a 1000 young people to be trained in various trades. 

Upon completion of training, trainees will be linked to job opportunities in the market.-TDN
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Johannesburg – A man has been sentenced to life in prison for raping his 12-year-old granddaughter, KwaZulu-Natal police said on Thursday.

The 77-year-old man from Glendale appeared in the KwaDukuza Regional Court on Thursday, where he was convicted and sentenced, said police spokesperson Thulani Zwane.

Between January 2008 and February 2013, the man repeatedly raped the 12-year-old, gave her money and said he would kill her should she tell anyone.

The girl was staying with her grandparents at the time.

“The matter was reported to Glendale police last year after the child’s aunt noticed the behaviour of the little girl and questioned her,” he said.

KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner, Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni, welcomed the sentence.

SAPA

Johannesburg – The report commissioned by the North West University (NWU) council into initiation practises at the university must be made available to AfriForum Youth, it said on Thursday.

“AfriForum Youth instructed its legal team to address a legal notice to the council of the NWU-Puk in which they request that the report… be made available to them,” national chairperson Henk Maree said in a statement.

If this was declined, it would use the Promotion of Access to Information Act to get the document.

Earlier on Thursday, the council said in a statement it would not tolerate human rights infringements at the university.

“While serious efforts were made in the past to prevent initiation practices, the independent investigation revealed the reality and magnitude of the challenges facing the entire university community in this regard,” it said.

Further management intervention needed

The council submitted a report to the minister of higher education and training in February after some students reportedly used the stiff-armed Nazi salute during an initiation ceremony.

In May, vice chancellor Dr Theuns Eloff stepped down. He was replaced by Prof Dan Kgwadi.

The council said further management intervention was needed because despite policies and procedures being in place “offensive practices” occurred, which violated human rights.

Maree said AfriForum Youth was told the report could not be made available as further investigation was necessary.

“It is unheard of to hand a report over to the minister if further investigation is still necessary,” he said.

AfriForum Youth was concerned about the university’s future following statements reportedly made by Kgwadi at a press conference on Wednesday.

‘Transformation cannot be forced’

“Kgwadi straightforwardly told the media that now is the time for transformation and that no initiation will be tolerated,” Maree said.

“Transformation is [the] ANC’s politically afflicted idea. Transformation cannot be forced, and if it is indeed forced, it will surely lead to uprising among students.”

The university was not opposed to transformation merely because most students on campus were Afrikaans.

“We agree that no student’s human dignity should be affected, but the good shouldn’t be pushed aside with the bad,” Maree said.

“There is a difference between a healthy student life and initiation, the council must realise that.”
SAPA

Johannesburg – Former president Nelson Mandela’s widow Graça Machel has returned to public life after six months of mourning, her trust said on Friday.

“After six months of retreat, mourning the death of Rolihlahla Nelson Mandela, Mrs Graça Machel will now return to her active role as a global advocate for women’s and children’s rights,” the Graça Machel Trust said in a statement.

Mandela died at his Houghton home in December at the age of 95.

Machel said although the mourning period was over, she would not stop grieving.

“I lost my best friend, beloved husband, and guide. I have been deeply touched and comforted by the affection shown towards my family and I… was fortunate that in Madiba I found a soul mate and a fellow advocate for children and women’s rights,” she said.

“I am inspired by his rich legacy that promotes justice, compassion, and solidarity. Children were very dear to Madiba and his last wish was to build the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital. This is my dream too and I wish it can be realised in my life time.”

Children’s Hospital

On Monday, the hospital’s trust announced that Group Five had won the contract to construct the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital in Parktown.

Construction also began on Monday and the hospital was expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2016.

The hospital was expected to employ around 150 doctors and 451 paediatric nursing professionals.

Machel said her other priority was to continue advocating for women in Africa to access better opportunities in economic, political and social spheres.

“I will work with others to protect the rights of children, fight for an end to child marriage, ensure we continue to make progress on child survival and development, as well as promote the attainment of quality education for all children,” she said.

“As part of my democracy and good governance work across the African continent and internationally, I look forward to helping shape the new global development agenda.”

Mandela estate

In February, Mandela’s will was made public and Machel waived her right to half of his estate.

Machel took ownership of four properties that the couple jointly owned in Mozambique.

She also kept their vehicles, jewellery she received during the marriage and all money in their bank accounts or invested with other financial institutions.

Machel and Mandela were married in community of property. She was his third wife.

When a couple is married in community of property, the surviving partner is entitled to 50% of the estate if one of them dies.

An assessment at the time put Mandela’s estate at R46m.

SAPA

Cape Town – A psychiatric report on murder accused Oscar Pistorius is ready for collection at Weskoppies hospital, it was reported on Friday.
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Johannesburg – Two of the “Waterkloof Four” will file an urgent court application in the North Gauteng High Court on Friday to have their parole re-instated.

On 16 February, Christoff Becker and Frikkie du Preez were re-arrested after footage emerged of them allegedly drinking alcohol and using a cellphone at the Kgosi Mampuru prison.

The video, reportedly taken on a cellphone, was posted on YouTube. It showed Du Preez and Becker drinking, and using a cellphone in jail.

Earlier in February, Becker, Du Preez, Gert van Schalkwyk, and Reinach Tiedt were released after being jailed for beating a homeless man to death in Pretoria in 2001.

Becker, 27, said in court papers that his re-arrest in February was for nonsensical reasons, five days after being released on parole.

He said he was at home on 16 February when Rapport newspaper carried an article about him and Du Preez, who allegedly held a party in prison where alcohol was used.

Becker, Du Preez, and two other prisoners were in his cell at the time, the newspaper reported.

In court papers, Becker denied that alcohol was used at the party, which was video-recorded. He also said the pictures of Johnnie Walker and J&B in the video were in fact pictures of a computer’s screensaver.

He wanted the parole board to set aside the decision to revoke his parole, be moved back to Pretoria from Kokstad prison, and be released on parole on the same conditions he was released in February.

Becker also sought to have his re-arrest and detention declared unlawful, and for the department to pay for his legal bill.

The correctional services department said on Wednesday that they would oppose Becker’s application.

“The department has submitted papers in reply to court,” spokesperson Manelisi Wolela said.
SAPA

Johannesburg – Two traffic police officers were shot and wounded in Heidelberg, Gauteng police said on Friday.

Captain Thivhulawi Tshilate said the two, aged 46 and 52, were patrolling the R550 road on Thursday night when a white Volkswagen Golf overtook them on a barrier line.

The officers signalled the car to stop, but it sped off.

“The traffic officers gave chase and… one of the occupants of the suspect’s vehicle protruded through the window and started firing several shots towards the traffic officers’ vehicle with a rifle,” Tshilate said.

“Both traffic officers… sustained serious injuries and [were] taken to the hospital for medical treatment.”

He said the driver and passengers were unknown.

A case of attempted murder had been opened.

SAPA