2017
R1-20/FREE
The BEAT 15 September
Community newspaper
On the run! Police on a manhunt for three of these fugitives following a daring nightime jail break. Story on page 3
Breaking news! Eldery couple shot at — page 7 Modimolle-Mookgophong blackout — page7 Eskom demanded that the outstanding R20,7m owed by the Mookgophong-Modimolle authorities be settled by Friday, 22 September, failing which Eskom has threatened to advertise the timeframes for the power supply disruptions.
CRIME
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A ‘grave’ sight
15 September, 2017 Website: thebeat.linmedia.co.za
Co-operative bank proposed for Modimolle
Koketso Maseko (with beret) has big plans for Modimolle. Photo: Mzamane Ringane One of the vandalized graves. Photo: Andries van der Heyde Andries van der Heyde Bereaved families in Bela-Bela were deeply upset in recent weeks after it was discovered a number of graves had been vandalized at the local cemetry. Bela-Bela Cemetry caretaker, Solly Jack Ndlovu, said he has never experienced this kind of grave violation in the 23 years as an employee at the graveyard. Ndlovu pointed towards two graves that had been affected. “One was still unearthed and one - a few steps further away - was probably unearthed and refilled again. The open grave was deeply dug, but no coffin was visible,” Ndlovu said He said that a lot of empty beer bottles
were discovered near the vandalised graves. Ndlovu also explained he had previously confronted a few alleged thieves who had stolen grave numbers and damaged several items on the site. According to him, all the cemetery’s gates remained locked at night, and the offenders had probably scaled the perimeter fencing to gain access into the graveyard. Bela-Bela Local Municipality spokesperson, David Raborolo, has said the damaging of a tomb is one of the biggest insults ever committed towards anyone who has lost a loved one. He added security measures were to be upgraded at the graveyard. The Bela-Bela SAPS said uinvestigations were ongoing.
Mzamane Ringane The youth of Modimolle was toying around with an ambitious idea to establish a co-operative banking system. Co-operative banks are member-owned institutions, under the supervisiobn of the South African Reserve Bank. The initiative was the brainchild of local resident, Koketso Maseko, who recently came together with his local peers, Tiisetso Maremane and Tumelo Ndala, to explore ways in which the township youth could create employment for one another. Last Thursday, 7 September members of the community converged on the Phagameng township taxi rank, to hear about the proposed initiative, and also to further contribute to the idea by coming up with their own individual suggestions.
“Our idea is to embark on processes to start the (co-operative) bank with at least 200 members or more. If we can work together to build this development, poverty and unemployment can be a thing of the past,” Maseko said. He said it was possible for the community to create its own job opportunities and eradicate poverty. The medium-term plan was to plough the money raised from the initiative back into community-owned businesses, so as to empower them to employ local residents, both young and old. “This is a community-based project. It will be driven by the community in a transparent manner,” Maseko told The BEAT. The iniative was also engaged in a campaign to seek donations of computers for high school learners at Modimolle.
Officialdom in the province accused of fiscal dumping Lizzy Bapela The Democratic Alliance in Limpopo has made damning allegations, suggesting various government departments spent a staggering R70million on catering and travel, in what was tantamount to fiscal dumping. Three Limpopo departments were being fingered for allegedly having spent the latter amount on catering and travel in a matter of one year, between April 2016 and March 2017. Among the mind-boggling allegations was one in which the DA charged that the Department of Safety and Security’s monthly travel budget had increased from a modest R37 991 to a whopping R2,7 million, with catering leaping from R2920 to
R328 839. DA provincial spokesperson on treasury, Langa Bodlani, unveiled that the provincial official opposition has written to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa), with regards to what the party believed to be wasteful expenditure, against the backdrop of rising poverty and unemployment levels in rural Limpopo. Scopa chairwoman, Snowy Kennedy, was being urged by the DA to probe the allegations against the three departments. Bodlani said according to a written reply to the DA during a recent legislature sitting, the Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET) spent R34 million on travel and R1.8 million on catering. Over and above, the DA alleged the Department of Health had splashed on a
whopping R32 million on travel, and R5 million on catering. It was further alleged the Department of Safety, Security and Liaison spent R8 million on travel, and R1.4 million on catering. “It is clear that these departments orchestrated fiscal dumping into travelling and catering expenses, to avoid underspending for the finacial year. “The travelling expenses at LEDET have increased from R1.8 million in April to R4.7 million in March 2017, whilst catering increased from R9 440 to R386 431 for the same period. The DA said it had reason to believe the “exorbitant and shameful” expenditure needed to be probed immediately, as a matter of the utmost urgency. “(This is so) especially when one takes into account the latest poverty trends in
South Africa, which confirm that Limpopo has the highest levels of poverty between 2006 and 2015,” Bodlani said. The party further stated it was scandalous that such huge amounts were wasted within departments, when it could have contributed towards addressing the woeful state of affairs in the province, by creating job opportunities and improving people’s lives. “It is clear that the ANC government in Limpopo ignored the National Treasury Department’s belt-tightening measures for all the departments and public entities, to curb wasteful expenditure. The DA urges Kennedy to investigate this exorbitant spending and ensure that all the implicated officials are held accountable,” Bodlani added.
15 September, 2017 beateditor@gmail.com | Website: thebeat.linmedia.co.za
Five suspects escape from Bela-Bela holding cells
GOVERNMENT / POLITICAL
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Schoolyard tragedy
TK Mashaba Five daring suspects sawed their way out of the Bela-Bela police cells after a hacksaw was apparently smuggled into the maximum security cop shop. SAPS spokesperson, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo, said the suspects escaped from the cells on the evening of Sunday, 10 September, just before 10 pm. He said one of the fugitives, Clifford Mutonhori (29), was re-arrested shortly after the escape, while four others were still at large. Muntonhori was cornered by police officers alongside the outside perimeter fencing of the police station, and was immediately taken back into the cells. Police were on a manhunt for Philani Sithole (30), Silence Dube (29), Thabang Dube (30) and Joshua Mogashoa. All of the five suspects were part of an alleged gangster scheduled to stand trial on charges of an armed robbery, which took place along the N1 between BelaBela and Pienaarsrivier. Mutonhori and Silence Dube were both Zimbabwean nationals, while the rest of the fugitives hailed from the sprawling crime-prone Winterveldt squatter settlement, north of Pretoria. Bela-Bela SAPS spokesperson Sergeant Hester van Zyl said internal investigations were ongoing, with question marks around how the hacksaw was smuggled into the cells, and the role or lack thereof, of night duty personnel on the day. The suspects used a hacksaw to cut
Tragedy has struck once again at Solomon Mahlangu High School. Photo: Mzamane Ringane Mzamane Ringane
The suspects used a hacksaw to cut their way through the iron bars. Photo: Supply their way through the iron bars, before escaping through the roof. Urban legend has it that with outside help or otherwise, prisoners have, over the years, been able to have hacksaws hidden inside foodstuffs and smuggled into the cells to facilitate escapes.
The community of Modimolle has closed ranks in collective mourning over the violent passing of schoolboy Thabo Mashiane. The 19-year-old was allegedly stabbed to death by a fellow learner, Errol Mapholo, at Solomon Mahlangu High School, following an argument. The SAPS said in a statement there were allegations the two Grade 12 boys were involed in gambling on the school premises, and were summoned to headmaster, Stephen Majapholo’s office. The SAPS condemned schoolyard violence in the “strongest possible terms.” The police said in the statement that shortly after the intervention by the school’s leadership, with the twosome on the way back to the classes. “the suspect stabbed the deceased with a sharp instrument, killing him instantly.”
Mapholo was expected to appear for the second time in the Modimolle Magistrate’s Court midweek, for a formal bail application. Sources close to the tragedy have indicated community-based structures, among them the local church leadership, have joined hands to assist wherever possible. In recent weeks social workers have reportedly attended to both educators and learners, and by Monday, 11 September, classes were back to normal. A psychologist was also expected to pay a visit to the school on the Monday. Limpopo MEC for education, Ishmael Kgetjepe, said in a statement: “This is an unfortunate situation to happen in the school, and acts of violence in schools are condemned in the strongest (possible) terms.” The official opposition DA called on the MEC to urgently upgrade security at all schools.
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GOVERNMENT / POLITICAL
15 September, 2017 beateditor@gmail.com | Website: thebeat.linmedia.co.za
The official opposition DA hooks big ANC fish TK Mashaba Bela-Bela ANC veteran Gabriel Kutumela has broken ranks with the party following 23 years of dedicated service, to throw his lot with the rival DA. The erstwhile Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) activist left BCM torchbearer, the Azanian People’s Organisation (Azapo) in 1994 to join the ANC. Speaking during an interview with The BEAT on Monday, 11 September, Kutumela said he left the ANC chiefly because of alleged factionalism and also nepotism. “The ANC has become a shadow of its former glorious days of (former President) Mandela and (ANC President) Tambo, when intellectual engagement ruled the roost,” he said. He said he chose the DA over other parties
Political turncoat Gabriel Kutumela. Photo: TK Mashaba
such as Azapo, and the Julius Malema-led Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), because he had reason to believe the DA was the party that would unite South Africans of all races. Due to his wealth of political pedigree, Kutumela has since been elevated to chairperson of the DA’s municipality constituency committee, and also leader of the hotly-contested Sihlangu Makhubela branch in Bela-Bela. He said he went back to the drawing boards following the ANC’s loss of various metros and municipalities, among them the neighbouring Modimolle-Mookgophong Local Municipality. The latter merged municipality has since been taken over from the ANC by the DA. “Mark my words, the DA shall continue to be the fastest-growing political party nationwide,” he added.
Radium’s physically-challenged crop farmer goes to mainland China Justin Steyn Radium’s physically-challenged crop farmer Nyiko Macheke is headed for China. The Bela-Bela Local Municipality has confirmed Macheke has been identified as part of a collective of farmers nationwide, earmarked for a study tour of the Chinese agricultural landscape. The collective of emerging farmers from various provinces was scheduled to take off from OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday, 27 September. The Radium emerging farmer was being sponsored by the Limpopo provincial Department of Agriculture, while the others were expected to be supported by their respective provinces. According to the Bela-Bela Local Municipality spokesperson, David Raborolo, Macheke has won several entrepreneur awards including best
Nyiko Macheke (centre) with local councillor Bonini Malete (left) and Limpopo Agriculture MEC Mapula Mokaba-Phukwana. Photo supplied
Sello Moswoeu back in town
commercial youth farmer of the year. Raborolo said despite Macheke’s physical challenges, his farm was expanding steadily, growing vegetables such as cabbage and peppers, creating several job opportunities in the process. “We visited the Macheke Family Farm Project in Radium to celebrate Casual Day (on Friday, 1 September),” he said. The Macheke Family Farm Project presently employed 10 people on a permanent basis, and an additional eight on a part time basis. The project was naturally also creating indirect jobs, such as stall-holders ordering vegetables for sale, and fast-food outlets. “It gives us great pleasure to acknowledge and recognise the efforts of this young man, and wish him all the best in his future endeavours,” he said. Several attempts to make contact with Macheke were unsuccessful, and The BEAT hopes to run a one-on-one interview with him in due course.
Ramaphosa and Manamela headed home?
Bela-Bela EFF coordinator Sello Moswoeu. Photo: Justin Steyn Could be back to Modimolle for Buti Manamela. Photo: Lizzy Bapela
Justin Steyn Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) BelaBela branch co-ordinator, Sello Moswoeu, has emerged from his sick bed to take the fight to the ANC city fathers. The man, who was recently hospitalised in Polokwane on a high blood pressure condition, said the “fighters” planned to embark on a mass march, to pile up pressure on the Bela-Bela Local Municipality. Central to the planned protest was the ageold burning issue of service delivery, and a set of allegations against the ruling ANC. Moswoeu has returned from Polokwane
after being hospitalized for nearly two months, due to the blood pressure-related condition. “I returned home from hospital and was shocked to find a lot of irregular things happening at the municipality,” he charged. The EFF firebrand alleged he suspected some of the new employees were enlisted in a manner bordering on alleged nepotism. He said the planned march would be promoted in a way that it attracted protesters across the races and cultures, in Bela-Beal surburbia and the township. “We want this march to be joined by about 5000 people from and around Bela-Bela. Protesters should arrive from (as far afield as) Radium and Pienaarsrivier, and we want to make this a mass march,” he said. “We want to work with all races to find solutions to the many problems facing our beleaguered community. We must fight corruption, maladministration, kickbacks through brown envelopes, bad service delivery, jobs and tenders being given to outsiders, wherever it may be found. “These tendencies should be exposed and dealt with severely,” Moswoeu said. At the time of going to press, the BelaBela Local Municipality spokesperson, David Raborolo, confirmed the authorities had received the EFF’s application for permission to march, adding this was being processed.
Lizzy Bapela The political discourse was on a knife edge with the rumour mill suggesting President Jacob Zuma was on the brink of unveiling an extraordinary Cabinet reshuffle, with two of the Waterberg’s foremost strongmen about to be sent packing. Number One was this week reported to be weighing his options as to whether to replace Bela-Bela game farmer, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, and several other leading lights. Ramaphosa’s Modimolle homeboy, Presidency Deputy Minister Buti Manamela, was also said to be rumoured to be on the firing line, in what was generally perceived as a desperate attempt by Zuma to cling to power.
The rumour mill had it Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma was being earmarked for the all-powerful position of Deputy President, in the place of Ramaphosa. Asked to share whatever information at his disposal with The BEAT, Manamela’s office referred queries to the Presidency, arguing it was Zuma in the first place who had appointed him to the Cabinet. “Kindly note that the President appointed the Deputy Minister (Manamela) and only the President can share information on your question,” said Manamela’s spokesperson, Matshepo Seedat. While speculation had it Zuma planned to strengthen his former wife’s platform from which to campaign for the presidency of the ANC, Manamela and other SACP heavyweights such as Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande, were being seen as hostile towards the president. On a chilling note, it was widely reported the plan to remove Ramaphosa and the others was a deliberate ploy to cause chaos ahead of the ANC elective conference in December, so as to force the hand of party secretary-general, Gwede Mantashe, to postpone the summit.
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EDITORIAL
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Firefighters remain on high alert
Firefighters in the Waterberg were kept busy during the dry season. Photo: Lizzy Bapela Lizzy Bapela Firefighters from across the Waterberg and elsewhere in the country remained on high alert after the dry winter season runaway fires licked well over 12,500 hectares of farmland in Limpopo alone. The Department of Environmental Affairs’ Working on Fire (WOF) programme has been kept busy for upwards of four months, with around 687 firefighters having to douse out 83
runaway flames in the province. All the total of the 27 fire stations across the province have been kept busy over the dry season. WOF has 5000 firefighters at 200 bases throughout South Africa, who provide wildland fire suppression services to landowners and municipalities nationwide. WOF Limpopo relied largely on its committed manpower, which had at its disposal, three spotters’ planes for aerial command, three Huey helicopter water
Granny passes on at 103
bombers, a ground fleet of seven fire trucks, 10 light delivery vans and seven buses. Since the beginning of the winter fire season, WOF Limpopo has dispatched 687 firefighters for the suppression of 83 wildfires across the province. This number has shown an increase of 15 fires comparable to the number of blaze incidents recorded during the same period last year. Though the number of fires has increased, the damage to the hectares
burnt this year had declined from 108916.60 hectares in 2016, to 12568.40 hectares this dry season. WoF provincial spokesperson Matema Gwangwa attributed the decline to the fires being reported promply. “All our firefighters will remain on high alert and ready to be dispatched to provide fire fighting services to communities, landowners and municipalities. We urge communities and landowners to remain vigilant and not to start any unnecessary fires,” he said.
‘Die Bang’ Ledwaba fights back
Raisibe Sithole a centenarian who passed away at the age of 103. Photo: Justin Steyn
Justin Steyn Bela-Bela centenarian, Raisibe Sithole, has passed away peacefully. This is according to David Mpedi, chairperson of the Golden Star old age club in Bela-Bela. Mpedi announced that Sithole had died at her extension 1 home due to natural causes. “She fell ill a few weeks before she passed away,” he said. At one time when she was admitted to hospital, she said it was her wish to die at home. She was discharged a few days later into the custody of her family.
The BEAT first published a story about the golden oldie, on the occasion of her 100th birthday in 2014. Born in 1914 in the former Potgietersrus (Mokopane), Sithole disclosed she had worked as a domestic servant for the better part of her life. She had listed singing, reading and reciting traditional poetry among her favourite pastimes. Sithole explained her trust in God and traditional foods such as sorghum pap and morogo (wild spinach) contributed to her long lifespan. “Traditional food such as pap and morogo has helped me stay strong and healthy throughout my life. My belief and love of God has also carried me through tough times, and I sing and praise Him every day,” she said at the time. Mpedi said members of the club had envied Sithole’s youthful looks despite her age. “The irony is that although Raisibe is the oldest in our club, she is the only member with all her teeth,” he said. Sithole was laid to rest at the Bela-Bela cemetery on Saturday, 9 September.
Leaders and members of the ANC during the branch meeting. Photo: Lizzy Bapela Lizzy Bapela Bela-Bela’s foremost politician Hendriertta Ledwaba has hit the ground running, to reclaim lost ground. The 2010 ANCWL Chalotte Maxeke Organiser hosted a well-attended meeting, to report back on the status of the branch, and to strenghthen the ANC at grassroots. On another level though, the steadilygrowing Bela-Bela Residents’ Association (BRA), has also entered the space and launched what they call the Tintswalo branch, in the same neighbourhood, which was likewise well-attended. Ledwaba, affectionately known as “Die Bang”, was the incumbent ward councillor for the branch.
At the meeting at Mampatile Primary School on Saturday, 9 September, Ledwaba read out a list of impressive statistics about the consolidation of the ANC branch. She told The BEAT the meeting was aimed at strengthening the existence of the ANC in the ward, and push back BRA’s advance. Ledwaba said the branch had a total of 321 members, with 250 in good standing, and 71 on a six-month probation period. Of the 321, she explained, about 128 attended the meeting, including around 20 new members. Addressing her constituency, Ledwaba warned them against factionalism, and called for unity within the ranks of the ANC.
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ADVERTISMENTS / LEGALS
SMALLS
LEGALS MOOKGOPHONG LAND USE SCHEME, 2010 AMENDMENT SCHEME 76 LIM 368 MUNICIPALITY being the owner of Remainder of Portion 3 of the farm Naboomspruit 348 KR, Registration Division Limpopo Province, hereby lodges an application for rezoning and simultaneous subdivision of the part of the abovementioned property in terms of Sections 28 and 92 of the To w n Planning and Townships Ordinance 15 of 1986 from “Industrial 1” to “Business 2 for offices. Plans and Particulars of the application will lie for inspection during normal office hours at the office of To w n Planner ( M o o k g o p h o n g Municipality offices), Corner of Mandela and Sixth St r e e t in Mookgophong town. Objections and/or comments or representation in respect of the application must be lodged with or made in writing to the Municipality Manager at the above address or at Private Bag x234, Mookgophong, 0560 within 28 days from 15 September 2017. Address of the Applicant: LIM 368 MUNICIPALITY, Private Bag x234, Mookgophong, 0560, Tel: 014 743 6600. Faks: 014 743 2434. (15&22/09). MOOKGOPHONG GRONDGEBRUIKSKEMA, 2010 WYSIGINGSKEMA 76 LIM 368 M U N I S I PA L I T E I T d i e eienaar van Restant van Gedeelte 3 van die plaas Naboomspruit 348 KR, Registrasieafdeling Limpopo Provinsie, gee hiermee ‘n aansoek om hersonering en g e l y k t y d i g e onderverdeling van die gedeelte van bogenoemde eiendom ingevolge artikels 28 en 92 van die dorp Beplanning en Dorpe Ordonnansie 15 van 1986 vanaf “ Nywerheid 1” na “Besigheid 2 vir kantore.
Planne en Besonderhede van die aansoek lê ter insae gedurende gewone kantoorure by die kantoor van die Stadbeplanner ( M o o k g o p h o n g Munisipaliteit Kantore), Corner of Mandela en Sixth St r e e t in Mookgophong town. Besware en/of kommentaar of vertoë ten opsigte van die aansoek moet binne 28 dae vanaf 15 September 2017 skriftelik by of tot die Munisipale Bestuurder by bovermelde adres of by Privaatsak x234, Mookgophong, 0560, ingedien of gerig word. Adres van Aansoeker: LIM 368 M U N I S I PA L I T E I T, Privaatsak x234, Mookgophong, 0560, Tel: 014 743 6600, Faks: 014 743 2434. (15&22/09). NOTICE OF SALE IN EXECUTION IN THE MAGISTRATE’S C O U RT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MODIMOLLE HELD AT MODIMOLLE CASE NO: 214/2016 In the matter between: DJD AUTO REBUILD H/ A L I M P O P O A U TO Execution Creditor and GOWER R O B E RT RICHARD 1st Execution Debtor GOWER TERSIA 2nd Execution Debtor In Execution of Judgement granted by the Magistrate’s Court, Modimolle, on 13 June 2016 and a Warrant of Execution against property issued will the below mentioned goods be sold off at a public auction at 11:00 on 05 October 2017 at DJD AUTO REBUILD T/A LIMPOPO AUTO, 96 Lillian Ngoyi (Stasie) Street, Modimolle by the Sheriff of the Magistrate’s Court, Waterberg, to the highest bidder in cash, namely: 1 x Vacuum pump 1 x Defy fridge 1 x Office table 1 x Book shelf 1 x Chair 1 x Lawn mower 1 x Home heater 1 x Karcher WAP pressure 1 x Golf bag clubs 1 x White VW Polo Classic VIN Reg no: NLG 872 GP 9 x Building frame (Scaffolding) 1 x Three-quarter bed 1 x Bicycle 1 x Wooden cabinet 1 x Rotan basket 15 x Stage bord 2 x Motorcycle tyres 1 x Cupboard with two doors Signed at Modimolle on this 12 day of September 2017. R.A. MULDER Attorney for the Plaintiff ABEL MULDER & SEUN Redlum Law Chambers Chris Hani Straat 46, Modimolle Tel: (014) 717 5327/8 Docex: 1 MODIMOLLE Verw: R MULDER / jb / RA2933
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Overshadowed by TK and Ray Phiri Being less recognisable than the bloke Afrikaner reporters working for a next door has been a feature of my predominantly black newspaper. professional and social life. Take heart Justin, I for one had the Oftentimes when I pound the pleasure of working with brave white sidewalks of downtown Bela Bela in photographers in the midst of unrest, in the company of TK Mashaba, people Pretoria and the erstwhile volatile East stop him for a handshake and chat. Rand. Of course TK is a celebrity in his own Pretoria-based photographer, Julani right, both as a newsman and disc van der Westhuizen, used to boast she jockey, entertaining fellow party was the only young Afrikaner woman animals on the club circuit. who knew the streets of Mamelodi, As for the late Atteridgeville and Ray Chikapa Soshanguve like Phiri. For a couple the proverbial back of years Bra Ray of her hand. and I were board Indeed when we members of the had to rush to an National Arts unrest hotspot such Council (NAC). as the then Bra Ray chaired embattled Ribanethe most popular Laka High School music panel, while (my alma mater), I occupied the Julani insisted on same portfolio on driving the pool the somewhat car because of her boring literature vast knowledge of panel. Well, are the streets of there still people Mamelodi. out there who read Letter from The Editor With this in mind, books? I was humbled Johnny Masilela If the answer is when someone of “no”, that should around TK’s age explain why whenever I pounded the requested a selfie with me last sidewalks of Johannesburg, Cape Town weekend. and Durban with Bra Ray, music lovers At the time of writing, in-between I would crowd him, selfies et al. was facilitating an interview for There has not been any change of reporter Mzamane at Modimolle’s fortune in the event I am in the Solomon Mahlangu High School. company of Lizzy Bapela, Mzamane After spending crucial manhours on Ringane and Justin Steyn. They always the story, Mzamane was phoned by the attract more attention than your grumpy school to say the story cannot be ol’ editor. published. Justin has attracted the odd request It is in the best interests of both from readers to sign a copy of The Solomon Mahlangu High School and BEAT, and in his own words, he says The BEAT newspaper to revisit working relations going forward. some of his friends wonder how the heck he ended up in the newsroom of a township newspaper. The reason for this is most probably because the fellow is one of the very few – if not the only –
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CHARITY / ENTERTAINMENT / SCHOOL
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Modimolle - Mookgophong power cuts ultimatum Ronél van Jaarsveld
It could be lights out for parts of Modimolle and Mookgophong by as soon as next Thursday, 21 September. Eskom has given the cashstrapped ModimolleMookgophong Local Municipality an ultimatum to either settle for an amount of R20.7-m by Friday, 22 September, or face power cuts. Several municipalities countrywide have received notices of possible cut-offs to their bulk power supplies. Thabazimbi was the other town in Limpopo which also faced the same fate. The planned date for cutting the town’s power supplies is Thursday, 21 September. The power utility had warned in a media statement power supplies were to be disrupted over staggered periods to a total
of 42 municipalities, who collectively owed Eskom a whopping R11,54-million as at the month of June. Eskom has indicated power supplies were not to be cut completely, but during peak hours from 06:00 to 08:00 in the mornings, and 17:00 to 19:30 in the evenings on weekdays. Other disruptions would be implemented from 08:30 to 11:00, and 15:00 to 17:30, over weekends. “I want to warn residents and business owners so that they can prepare (themselves for the inevitable),” Mayor Marlene van Staden said. She was concerned about the impact the power cuts would have on businesses, which provided job opportunities to locals. Business owners in the manufacturing sector had previously indicated to The Beat they would not be able to continue with operations in the affected towns if power cuts continued
CCZ hosts annual festive march
unabated. Van Staden said she became aware of the imminent crisis after being contacted by Eskom, and that she had not been informed of meetings between the power supplier and the towns’ administration. Eskom demanded that the outstanding R20.7-m owed by the Mookgophong-Modimolle authorities be settled by Friday, 22 September, failing which Eskom has threatened to advertise the timeframes for the power supply disruptions. The power utility has demanded that R1.5-m be paid every time the municipality received its equitable share grant from government. Going forward to March 2018, the power utility has demanded that the latter amount increase to R3-m. “I’ve requested that we now make payment daily as we have money available. These payments vary between R1m and R1.5m,” Van Staden explained.
“The electricity supply remains a great obstacle,” she said. “The municipality’s monthly Eskom account is about R14m, even though we only sell R8m to R9m worth of electricity to residents. A lot of electricity is lost due to old infrastructure, illegal connections and electricity that is stolen.” She said during several meetings with Eskom, the local council had explained that the amalgamation of the towns had a dire effect on finances, the towns were not financially sound enough to pay the account monthly. She indicated Eskom was having none of it. The political management team, which includes the mayor and speaker, has no power to make payments to Eskom. This duty legally lies with the administration. The total amount owed by the municipality to Eskom is R201m.
Domestic helper in gunfight drama
Lizzy Simango sustained minor injuries during the ordeal. Photo: Herman Steyn
Ronél van Jaarsveld and Justin Steyn Members of the Christian Church of Zion in Rapotokwane. Photo supplied Lizzy Bapela Members of the Christian Church of Zion (CCZ) embarked on their annual spiritual march on the church’s headquarters in the village of Rapotokwane on Sunday, 10 September. The CCZ was an offshoot of the allpowerful Zion Chrian Church (ZCC), led by the charismatic Bishop Barnabas Lekganyane at Moria City, outside Polokwane. The CCZ has in its own right, grown by leaps and bounds, esrtablishing branches in Gauteng, North West and Mpumalanga. The church had a visible presence in the villages of Pankop and Mmametlhake, south of Bela-Bela, and in the Gauteng townships of Soshanguve and Ga-Rankuwa. The church aslso has a presence in Polokwane. The recent event was also used to
inaugurate new CCZ church leader, Bishop Conference Mhlangano Mahlangu. Several hundred members were in attendence to embrace the new spiritual leader. The new leader replaced the late Bishop Hendrik Mahlangu, who passed on in August 2017. Bishop Conference Mahlangu told The BEAT the church adhered to the Christian doctrine. The CCZ was founded by former members of the ZCC, which was established by Bishop Engenas Lekganyane in 1910. CCZ founding fathers were on record suggesting that the late ZCC leader had a vision with regards to the formation of the CCZ. This vision, the suggestion goes, was communicated personally by the ZCC leader to the then CCZ incumbent, Bishop Petrus Mahlangu, also of Rapotokwane. Bishop Petrus Mahlangu passed away in 2004.
An elderly couple, who lived on a farm outside Bela-Bela, was on Wednesday, 13 September, attacked by intruders who killed the wife and seriously injured the man of the house. An emotion-charged Lizzy Simango, decribed in chilling detail how four masked intruders tormented and opened fire on her elderly employers. The woman of the house, Pattie Peterson (73), later died from a stomach shot wound. Her grieving husband, Cecil (83), was rushed to Eugene Marais Hospital in Pretoria, after being shot in the face. Simango decribed how she was surprised by the intruders as she arrived for work on the farm at around 8am on Wednesday, 13 September. She said the four men, all with their faces concealed, ordered her to go to the farmhouse back door. When one of her employers opened the door, the intrruders stormed the
house, and one of them opened fire indiscriminately. Pattie was shot in the stomach during the confusion. Cecil responded by dragging his wounded wife through the corridor and behind a burglar door into the main bedroom. According to the police, Cecil drew his own firearm and started shooting back, but could not hit the target with the intruders using Lizzy as a human shield. Another worker on the farm, James Mandlate arrived, only to be met with gunfire from the retreating intruders. James said he scaled a high wall on the farmstead, and phoned someone he knew in the SAPS. Warrant Officer Thomas Makhubela was in the area when he swiftly responded to the stress call in a matter of minutes. He forced his way into the locked main gates, but at the time the intruders had fled on foot. Community Policing Forum (CPF) members from the neighbourhood also descended on the Eersbewoond area near Klein- Kariba Holiday Resort, manning roadblocks and stop-andsearch operations. They also scoured the Emarentia Geldenhuys camping area, and also a nearby granadilla farm, on the Eersbewoond Road, searching for the suspects. The search for the suspects continued until at the time of going to press.
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15 September, 2017 beateditor@gmail.com | Website: thebeat.linmedia.co.za
Getting back into shape for spring time
Bela-Bela Hospital Fun Walk Action. Photos: TK Mashaba
TK Mashaba
Spring has nudged fitness fanatics from across BelaBela to sweat it out and get back to shape. Hardly a week following a fun walk hosted by a collective of physiotherapists at the local hospital, the downtown Marathon Club has opened registration for a Spring Run on Wednesday, 20 September. The Spring event was to be
run over 5 km and 10km from 17.15. The fun run, according to the organisers, was scheduled to start outside the entrance leading into Laerskool Warmbad hostels in Robertson Road, BelaBela. Wednesday’s entry is free, with lots of medals up for grabs. The fun walk, which drew fitness fanatics from many parts of the town, took place at Bela-Bela Hospital on Friday, 8 September.