You can achieve your dreams despite your disability – Mayor Mokati-Thebe

This weekend is not the same to those who are less fortunate in the Moses Kotane Local Municipality. Just to put a smile on someone’s face, mayor Fetsang Mokati-Thebe deemed it necessary to celebrated her birthday with more than 100 learners of Temogo, Reoleboge and Rorisang Special Schools as part of Mayoral outreach program.  On Thursday, the mayor turned 47 and she decided to share her special day with special people. The programme started with Mayor’s visit with members of Executive Committee to paediatric ward of Moses Kotane Hospital in Ledig where she met a new-born birthday pal, baby Tshiamologo and distributed toys to children at the ward. 

Kgosi Godfrey Gasebone of Bakwena Ba Morare commended the municipality for celebrating Mayor’s birthday with the disabled.  “Children who are living with disability are often forgotten and it is rare for them to be happy as they are now. This will go a long way in history that learners with disability were invited as honourable guests, entertained the  Mayor on her birthday and display beautiful products they do at their schools through the skill programmes. As traditional leaders, we fully support the municipality and believe disability outreach will continue to reach other villages as well,” said Kgosi Gasebone in his message of support.

Mayor Mokati-Thebe committed the municipality’s support and partnership with the special schools. “We acknowledge challenges facing learners, educators and school governing bodies of these special schools. Hence we are here to celebrate with you because we know that it is difficult for parents to admit that our children are born with disability and therefore cause delay for basic remedial education offered by the schools.  My overall message to learners is: You can achieve your dreams despite your disability”, said Mayor Mokati-Thebe.

Mayor Mokati-Thebe donated toiletries to the learners and sanitary towels to female learners before cutting the birthday cake and sharing it with them.

Disability desk is one of the Mayoral programs that form part of Special Projects portfolio committee. The committee also oversees programmes that include HIV/AIDS, gender, youth and the elderly desks.

ANC North West suspends Dodovu and DC will follow

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The North West ANC have just confirmed the suspension of its Provincial Deputy Chairperson,  China Dodovu. ANC provincial spokesperson, Kenny Morolong said the Provincial Working Committee took the decision to suspend Dodovu and disciplinary action will follow.  Dodovu is one of eight men accused of murdering ANC regional secretary Obuti Chika, 33, who was shot at point-blank range in the driveway of his Klerksdorp home on December 14. He died in a local hospital.Six of the eight accused, including Dodovu, were granted bail by the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. Dodovu was granted bail of R20 000. The other five granted bail are North West provincial ANC Youth League chairman Papiki Baboile, ward secretary Paul Molomonyane, councillor Itumeleng Molebatsi, municipal worker William Malefo, and taxi driver Kgotso Kali.

Women gather to say no to abuse

Scores of women will today (13h00) gather at the Rustenburg Local Municipality to mark the International Women’s Day. The event would be used as an urgent appeal to stop violence against women and children. This comes after North West Premier Thandi Modise expressed shock after a warrant officer shot his girlfriend before turning the gun on himself near Orkney.

“When the number of women who are becoming victims of uncontrolled rage associated with those in possession of guns is increasing, then a question need to be asked as to how many other people be they private individuals and or police officials who are mentally and psychologically unfit to be in possession of firearms still possess them and what is being done to disarm them,” stressed Premier Modise.

It is alleged that policenu  received   reNot rated yet. received a complaint of two bodies lying in an open field on Wednesday.

According to Spokesperson of SAPS North West, Brigadier Thulane Ngubane who confirmed that police are investigating a case of murder and suicide, the bodies have since been identified as that of  Warrant Officer Moeketsi Joseph, 40 who was stationed at Vierfontein in the Free State and that of  his 30 year-old  girlfriend Kedibone Kotola.

Moeketsi was reportedly found lying with his service pistol in his left hand on his chest and a bullet wound in the left ear while his girlfriend was found with a bullet wound in the left eye.

Nine escape from Klerksdorp’s police custody

Nine prisoners have escaped from police custody in Klerksdorp, North West, police said today. On Wednesday a policeman apparently opened the door of the holding cells to release a detainee who had paid bail, said Brigadier Thulani Ngubane. “Several other detainees then attacked the police official and overpowered him.” They took the keys from the official, opened the cell door and fled through the loading area, into the street.One of them was caught by a policeman returning from his lunch-break. The escaped men had been facing charges ranging from housebreaking and theft to robbery and car theft. – Sapa

Orkney policeman kills girlfriend, himself

A warrant officer has shot dead his girlfriend, then himself, near Orkney, North West police on Thursday. Police received a complaint of two bodies lying in an open field outside Orkney on Wednesday, Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said in a statement. The officer was identified as Warrant Officer Moeketsi Joseph, 40. He had been stationed at Vierfontein in the Free State. His girlfriend was identified as Kedibone Kotola, 30. “He was found lying with his service pistol in his left hand on his chest and a bullet wound in the left ear…. She was found with a bullet wound in the left eye.” Police were investigating a case of murder and suicide.“The continued spells of suicide by (SA Police Service) members has caused serious concerns,” said Ngubane. – Sapa

North West to addresss unemployment

Efforts undertaken by the North West Provincial government to address unemployment, poverty and inequality are to be presented by North West Premier Thandi Modise in her provincial overview at the provincial jobs fair and job summit to be held as from 9:00 am at the Madiba Banquet Hall in Potchefstroom tomorrow, Friday 8 March 2013.

The jobs fair and job summit to be also addressed by the Minister of Labour, Mildred Oliphant and MEC for Economic Development, Conservation, Tourism and Environmental Affair, Motlalepula Rosho is a platform where job seekers get an opportunity to be guided through employment and training opportunities that are offered by employers in the public and private sectors.

The summit also presents an opportunity for the province to showcase programmes that are designed to address development in general and employment creation in particular.

The jobs summit announced by Premier Modise in her State of the Province Address delivered two weeks ago is hosted by the Department of labour in partnership with the North West Provincial Government.

NUM to fight for its offices at Impala mine

Cosatu’s Solly Phetoe

COSATU North West plans a mother of all protests against Impala mine. The trade union threatens to stage a march to the mine’s offices in Rustenburg and vowed to mobilize traditional leaders, communities around the Bojanala region, the ANC, SACP and SANCO.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions and its affiliate NUM  said it had a disappointing meeting with the management of Impala last week. According to COSATU’s Solly Phetoe, the meeting was attended by senior delegation of COSATU and NUM, but Impala was represented by junior management.

“It is confirmed by management of Impala that the downfall of NUM was and is still being led by the management of Impala, who agreed that they facilitated and developed forms for members to resign from the NUM and that the subscriptions of current members who still belong to NUM are being cancelled without them signing any form. This is a clear confirmation of union-bashing by management of Impala to protect the unruly conduct of some criminal elements that took place during the strike and after the strike in Feb 2012”.

“The management confirmed that they led the campaign against any worker seen associated with red T shirts, in particular NUM and COSATU, that some workers had to be given a package due to the lack of safety during working hours. It was clear that management had no policy to protect its workers against any threats or intimidation during working hours,” said Phetoe.

 

ANC North West to discuss Dodovu’s political future

The North West ANC Provincial Executive Committee is meeting today and among other things to be discussed is the future of troubled  North West MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs, China Dodovu. Dodovu is a suspect in the murder case of ANC Regional Secretary in Dr Kenneth Kaunda District, Obuti Chika. He appeared in the Klerksdorp Magistrate Court twice and yesterday, his case was postponed to Monday where the bail hearing will continue.

According to Supra Mahumapelo, North West ANC chairperson, the Mangaung conference resolved that steps must be taken against all ANC members who are formally charged with criminal activities. Dodovu is the eighth suspect to be arrested in connection with Chika murder. Other accused are  community member Jeffrey Letuka, 28, North West provincial ANC Youth League chairman Papiki Baboile, 27, ward secretary Paul Molomonyane, 33, councillor Itumeleng Molebatsi, 50, municipal worker William Malefo, 46, Sihlangu Sekhakhane and taxi driver Kgotso Kali, 36.

They were all arrested earlier this month. Chika, 33, was shot at point-blank range in the driveway of his home in Alabama, Klerksdorp, on December 14. He died at Klerksdorp Hospital shortly after his arrival there. He was the ANC’s regional secretary in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality.

MEC Dodovu was at Club 69 when Chika was killed

North West MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs, China Dodovu and seven other accused will be back again in court on Monday.  They appeared in the Klerksdorp Magistrate Court today for bail application. Dodovu told the court that during that fateful night when ANC Regional Secretary in Dr Kenneth Kaunda District, Obuti Chika was killed, he was at Club 69 in Mahikeng.

During the proceedings,  the African National Congress, ANC Women’s League and ANC Youth League group wanted Dodovu’s co-accused to be denied bail. The second group supported the co-accused and wanted their bail applications to be granted.  Dodovu was arrested during a PEC meeting on Monday

The other accused are Jeffrey Letuka, 28, North West provincial ANC Youth League chairman Papiki Baboile, 27, ward secretary Paul Molomonyane, 33, councillor Itumeleng Molebatsi, 50, municipal worker William Malefo, 46, and taxi driver Kgotso Kali, 36.

We were shot while fleeing: miner told Marikana Commission

Protesting mineworkers were shot while trying to escape to a nearby informal settlement, a survivor of the August 16 shootingsat Marikana told the Farlam Commission today. Mzoxolo Magidiwana, 24, said he joined a group of protesters who “dashed in the direction of Nkaneng” informal settlement when they had observed that police officers were surrounding them. He denied several statements submitted to the commission, fingering him as the man who was seen wielding a stolen Z88 pistol belonging to the SA Police Service (SAPS). “When we got closer to one of the Nyalas (an armoured police vehicle), it started moving, dragging barbed wire. The Nyala outpaced us and we were not able to access the road to Nkaneng,” he said.

Magidiwana said at that stage, police started shooting in the direction of the fleeing group. He said his group made a U-turn and headed towards another gap, in another attempt to flee to Nkaneng. “As soon as we emerged on the other side of the kraal, we were met with rapid gunfire. I was hit on my left leg. I stumbled and fell behind the others who had been shot, including Noki 1/8a leader of the protesters who was fatally shot 3/8,” said Magidiwana, who is on crutches.He said he was later shot and repeatedly beaten. He said police officers approached him asking him where he had put the firearm.The police have alleged that Magidiwana was shot in an attempt to disarm him on August 16. He was allegedly found with a Z88 pistol bearing the SAPS emblem. SAPA