17 July 2015
R1-20/FREE
Lephalale rapist sentenced to life in prison 2
Teen dies in knife attack Marlene Vermaak William Sello Nungu (17), a learner at Leseding Secondary School at Leseding, passed away after a knife attack during the early morning hours of Saturday, 4 July. “It was probably around half past three in the morning when two of William’s friends arrived at our house screaming,” said Sello Joseph, his father. “The friends told us that our son had been stabbed with a knife and was not breathing – they thought he was dead.” “Of course I rushed to the accused’s house as quickly as I could. There were already two police vehicles on the scene, but all four SAPS members were still sitting in their cars and did not emerge when I arrived.
I found my son on a bed in the accused’s home. He was lying lifeless on a bed, and there was a single stab wound to the middle of his chest. The accused was already gone. According to William’s friends the accused had already been taken away by the police.” Eyewitnesses reported that William was on his way to meet a friend when he heard someone crying out for help. “William immediately went to help and ran into the house from where he heard the cries,” said one eyewitness. “There were three men and a woman in the house. William’s friend Mishack was also attacked, but escaped with a flesh wound to his arm. He fled to the clinic for treatment.” While he was gone, something must have gone wrong, and no-one is sure what happened to leave William dead.
The murder weapon as well as the suspect’s T-Shirt, was found behind the house. Captain Mpete, the Station Commander for the Vaalwater SAPS, was on the scene to help collected evidence, that was sent to Pretoria for further forensic analysis. William’s mother, Annatjie, was shocked and grieved when The BEAT visited her on Friday, 10 July, before the funeral. She still wonders why her son had to die such an unnecessary death. William Sello Nungu was born on 14 December 1997, and passed away on Saturday, 4 July 2015. He was laid to rest on Saturday, 11 July at Vaalwater. A suspect has been arrested and investigations are continuing. William Sello Nungu died of a stab wound to the chest on 4 July. Photo supplied
Six up for robbing Ackermans Lizzy Bapela
Bela-Bela’s Ackermans store, which was robbed recently. Photo: Lizzy Bapela
Six suspects were apprehended after an armed robbery in Bela-Bela. According to information received the six men attempted an armed robbery at the Ackermans store in Chris Hani Drive, Bela-Bela on Tuesday, 14 July. Cluster Unit and Community Service Centre (CSC) members rushed to the scene after being tipped off. According to Warrant Officer Sello Mangane of the Crime Prevention Unit, the suspects crossed paths with the store manager who was leaving the store with money as they entered. He said that two suspects entered the shop, with one of them standing behind the cashier while the other took up position behind the only customer in the shop, and instructed them to keep still. Warrant Officer Mangana said that the customer managed to escape while the suspects demanded money from the cashier
who had only R560 in the till. He said that the suspects realized that they were going to be reported shortly, if not already, and decided to flee the scene. All six initially escaped in a white Toyota Siyaya taxi. They stopped at the Shell Garage to buy R100 worth of petrol and sped off toward the N1, using the road to Maubane. They were caught at Mantsole, and immediately detained. The police confiscated their vehicle in addition to the suspects’ handguns, of which there were two. The third gun was apparently a toy gun. The local Criminal Records Centre members were called to the scene to conduct their investigations. The store was temporarily closed for their investigations. The provincial commissioner, Lieutenant-General Fanie Masemola commended the team for their swift and capable response.
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THE BEAT
17 July, 2015
CRIME
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Municipality opens fraud case Lizzy Bapela Mogalakwena Local Municipality has recently stated that they are aware of rumours and allegations of fraudulent activity going around, and that they are looking into it. Municipal spokesperson Malesela Selokela confirmed that fraudulent transaction of 5.57 million indeed occurred in their municipality. The payment was earmarked to four different service providers. Mogalakwena mayor Councillor Malesela Parks Sebatjane said that the report that they received from
management is that the money ended up in different accounts instead of the accounts of the rightful service providers. He added that however, a case of fraud has been opened and that they have put measures in place to curb the recurrence of this kind of fraudulent activity and also to protect the municipal sums available now. “Over and above, the police’s investigations are underway and at the moment we cannot confirm whether it is an internal or external matter. Once investigations are concluded we will be able to point as to what really happened. We view this in a very serious light and if it can be found that any of our
employees had a hand in that, we will take urgent measures. We have also informed the Department of Provincial Treasury (DPT) and the Department of Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA) and the DPT had already dispatched people to come on the ground in the municipality to assist,” Sebatjane said. He said that immediately after this was detected by the officials in their Finance Department, all transactions and payments were frozen and the computers which were used for those transactions we confiscated. Sebatjane added that they cannot go into details since investigations are underway.
Waterberg local area crime round up
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Rapist gets life TK Mashaba Lephalale can rest easier now, with a rapist off the streets. Johannes Lesetja Malatjie (37) was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday, 14 July, for his rape of a 53-year old woman. The sentence was handed down in the Lephalale Regional Court. “He forcefully overpowered and raped the victim, who was walking next to the road,” said Colonel Ronel Otto, Limpopo Police spokesperson. The incident occurred on 22 September in 2014. The woman was seriously assaulted, but Malatjie was traced by his cellphone, which he left at the scene of the crime. DNA evidence was also used to convict.
Ronél van Jaarsveld The police in Bela-Bela are investigating a case of culpable homicide following an accident on the Settlers road on the morning of Sunday, 5 July. Police spokesperson Constable Maria Maleto said that it is reported that the driver of the vehicle lost control and the vehicle swerved and rolled over several times. Four occupants, two men and two women, were in the vehicle when the accident happened and two, a man and a woman died instantly. The remaining passengers sustained minor injuries. * The Bela-Bela police are looking for a man known as Pieter, who allegedly vanished after selling his employer‘s truck without his consent. Constable Maleto said that the suspect was working at a farm in Bela-Bela as a foreman. She added that the detectives’ team is working on the case and hoping to bring the suspect in for questioning. The police request the community to assist in locating his whereabouts and anyone with information that can lead to the success of the case can contact Detective Lieutenant Annemarie Smith on 083 5133 784 or visit the police station. * Four suspects are expected to appear before the Bela-Bela Magistrate’s Court this week on a charge of theft of game. Constable Maleto said that the suspects were arrested at Droogekloof Farm on Thursday, 9 July, after they allegedly poached 15 warthogs from the farm. She added that the owner of one of the
Modimolle police and their stakeholder structures recently conducted a massive patrol operation in the area. Photo: Ronnel van Jaarsveld plots received a call, informing him that fourteen of his warthogs were missing. Three of the farm workers assisted him in the search for the missing animals and they managed to find three men with the animals and iron rods, which the police suspect may have been utilized to slaughter the animals. Constable Maleto said that the police were informed and on arrival the suspects told the police that they were waiting for a vehicle to take the warthogs to their homes. After a while the other suspect who was driving the getaway vehicle arrived at the scene and was also arrested with the other three on the spot. * Modimolle police, in cooperation with their
stakeholder structures, conducted a massive patrol operation in the township on Saturday, 11 July, which they rated a success. The structures include the Neighbourhood Watch and Street Committees and together they managed to close down taverns operating illegally. A stop and search was also conducted during the operation, which resulted in people being arrested for the possession of dagga, being drunk in public, drinking in public, the pointing of firearms, and road traffic violations. The police sent out a strong message to criminals that they must know that there is no place for them in Modimolle.
Johannes Lesetja Malatjie (37) was recently sentenced to life in prison. Photo supplied
To know how to suggest is the great art of teaching. Henri Frederic Amiel
Increase in theft from vehicles concerns Bela-Bela police Lizzy Bapela
The Bela-Bela police have expressed their concern over a recent increase in motor vehicle-related cases, especially the theft of spare wheels. Police spokesperson Constable Maria Maleto said that they recently arrested
two men aged 35, who were caught stealing valuable items from people’s cars. She said that the suspects were found with a tool box, bicycle, and a car radio in their possession. The suspects were detained and charged with theft from a motor vehicle, and were expected to appear before the Bela-Bela Magistrate’s Court this week.
The two men were allegedly also linked with a number of motor vehiclerelated cases which occurred from April 2015. Constable Maleto also said that some of the suspects in these cases come from as far afield as Mokopane to commit their crimes in Bela-Bela. “Theft of spare wheels is on the rise currently and we advise members of
the community to ensure that their vehicles are properly locked before leaving them unattended. They should park their cars in well-lit areas during the night so that they can see any suspicious movements around their cars. This will minimize opportunities of theft out and from motor vehicles,” she said.
Despair turns to joy as mayor provides temporary shelter Lizzy Bapela Despair turned to joy as the mayor of Mogalakwena Councillor Parks Sebatjane reported on provision of temporary shelter for the Chueu family, whose house recently burnt down. Mayor Sebatjane, along with EXCO members and officials, visited the family of six after the incident. The Chueus were left with just the clothes on their backs when their home burned down recently. The family is now homeless and by the directive of the office of the Mayor and Traffic and Emergency Services, the family were provided with temporary shelter and also received food parcels and school uniforms for the children. Samuel Chueu, said that he works in Marble Hall with his wife. They received a call from their children notifying them
that the house was on fire. He added that he was told that the municipal fire fighters arrived after 10 minutes but there was nothing much they could save as the flame had already spread through the entire house. The neighbours managed to keep out one vehicle that was in the garage. “We would like to thank all our neighbours and the municipality for the help they provided. Our concern is the children who have been through a very bad experience. One of them was sleeping and others were studying but thanks to God they all managed to escape,” Chueu said. Mayor Sebatjane said that preliminary investigations suggest that an electrical fault could have been the cause of the fire but that cannot be confirmed as investigations are still underway. He added that they provided a temporary
solution for the family while they seek long time solutions. “Our people should understand that our intervention is only temporarily which obviously will not replace their normal housing conditions. Despite the family having lost all their belongings which is bad, we are grateful that none of the family members were harmed during the fire and we have arranged a psychologist to meet and assist them with counselling. My office is committed to assist the family further, should such a need arise,” Sebatjane said. In a show of concern following the incident, Mayor Sebatjane has urged anyone who can assist further with any form of donation especially clothing, blankets, food, school uniform, etc. For donations, people are urged to contact the municipality’s communications head Malesela Selokela on 015 491 9760 or: 083 359 6971.
Mogalakwena municipal delegates attended to the scene after the fire. Photo supplied
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GOVERNMENT / POLITICAL
17 July, 2015
THE BEAT
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Another successful mass patrol in Bela-Bela Justin Steyn Human rights organization, AfriForum in partnership with the Bela-Bela police and Community Policing forum has managed to stage a very successful mass patrol. More than 500 people on took part in the patrol on Saturday 11 July in its bid to increase visible policing in the area. Ian Cameron, head of community safety at AfriForum, said the purpose of the patrol was to improve cooperation with neighborhood watches, and to establish a relationship between the police and local farm watches. A total of 20 arrests were made during the patrol all of which were related to the illegal sale of alcohol. The patrol was said to be one of several projects that students who are interning at AfriForum were involved in. “They were taught how patrols work and how communication on the ground and between stakeholders can be used more efficiently,” said Cameron. Radio masts were erected and radio systems were tested during the operation. Cameron said young people should become more involved in neighbourhood watches and patrols and get the necessary training so
Illegal liquor selling was one of the main focuses during the second mass patrol in Bela-Bela where 20 arrests have been made. Photo: Supplied that they know how it should be used in situations where needed. He added that it is also essential that all role players should be aware of what their dealing with during incidents of criminal activities. “This is particularly vital that crime scenes must be preserved in order to improve the chances of prosecuting offenders,” Cameron said. Esrom Nkwinika of Youth Against Crime said that he is pleased about the second patrol. “The local police and all other stakeholders performed very well during this operation. The weather
conditions were also much better as we had a lot of rain during the last operation and this made visibility poor,” he said. Nkwinika said that his organization would like to conduct patrols like these on a daily basis as he feels this could decrease crime levels in Bela-Bela’s township area. “We are more than willing to conduct patrols like these on a daily basis. We will be in communication with the local police and other stakeholders and see if we cannot get a car to conduct these patrols,” he said.
Municipal official up for RDP fraud, fugitive councillor surrenders Lizzy Bapela A housing officer and a councillor from Modimolle Local Municipality are being investigated for fraud involving an RDP house in the area. Ramosebi Andrew Kgati and Councillor Jimmy Moropeng were arrested following an alleged scam and are facing fraud charges. Kgati was nabbed on Thursday, 2 July, and was released on a R1 000 bail when he appeared before the Modimolle Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 3 July. Meanwhile, the councillor handed himself over to the police on Monday, 6 July, accompanied by his lawyer and appeared in court on Tuesday, 7 July. According to the information received, the pair sold an RDP house belonging to a man named Paul Laka to a resident on the waiting list for RDP beneficiaries named Annah Ramaselela for R11 000. Ramaselela told the police that she applied for an RDP house during the 2011/2012 financial year and approached the councillor for advice when she decided that it was taking too long for her to obtain the house. Moropeng allegedly told her that he was selling a house belonging to his brother for R15 000 and would speak to Kgati about it. Ramaselela and her husband Jan Zhou said that the two came to their rental place and drove them to the RDP for viewing, which was vandalized and had some items such as doors and windows missing. Because of the conditions of the house, the desperate couple convinced the alleged scammers to reduce the price to R11 000, who even drove them to the bank to withdraw the money. “We only had R7 000 in our account, so we withdrew it all and gave it to them, agreeing that my wife will apply for a loan to settle the amount the next day,” said Zhou. “My wife got a loan approval of the amount applied for and went by herself to Kgati’s office as I
was held up at work and he was also alone in his office when he received the money. They pushed us to move in so I quickly renovated and cleaned the house and we moved in September 2014. We were surprised to receive a visit from Laka, who told us that the house was his and he needed to move in. We told him that we bought the house and even took him to Kgati and Moropeng, who told him to look for a vacant RDP and notify them when he found one”. Laka said in his statement that all the houses that he found were in a dilapidated state so he told the alleged fraudsters that he wanted his own house back. He then approached the Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA) in Polokwane for assistance and they conducted an investigation, which revealed the scam. Laka said that he could not occupy the house because the local mayor Kgaretja Lekalakala told the residents to wait for the completion of the other phase of RDPs so that the municipality could hand them over at the same time. He also said that he got sick during the time and stayed with his relatives and kept on checking on the house, which previously got occupied by another woman. It is alleged that during the payment of the remaining R4 000, Kgati counted the money underneath the table in his office as if the money was illegal and that behaviour raised some serious concerns for Ramaselela. Also, that Moropeng firstly told the couple that the house belonged to his son who relocated to Gauteng and the total costs of renovations was R12 000. Municipal spokesperson Patrick Shika confirmed the incident but said he was not going to release any media statements. A comment from him regarding the matter is still awaited. The two are expected back in court on Friday, 7 August as their cases were postponed during their first appearance
and were both released on the same amount of bail. It is rumoured that Moropeng also had a mass protests levelled against him previously by concerned community members regarding service delivery in his ward and the similar RDP scams. The police call out to everybody who might have suffered similar actions to come out and report their cases.
Fugitive councillor Jimmy Moropeng from Modimolle was also detained following the fraud charges. Photo supplied
ADVERTISE Modimolle municipal official Ramosebi Andrew Kgati up for RDP fraud. Photo supplied
Men’s best successes come after their disappointments. Henry Ward Beecher
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THE BEAT
GOVERNMENT / POLITICAL
17 July, 2015
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Community upset over stray cattle proposal Justin Steyn Residents in Bela-Bela are up in arms about a proposal by the local municipalities to lease land in the catchment area of the Bela-Bela dams. This is apparently proposed as a solution for the town’s stray cattle, which has been a headache for motorists. During a meeting at Laerskool Warmbad on Monday, 13 July, residents who live in the area stated several reasons why leasing land to informal farmers near the town’s dam area would impact the town in a severely negative way. DA councillor Kobus van der Merwe stated that the municipality should not be involved in farming matters. He sighted that during several meetings regarding the proposal, municipal officials had received no objections from the local community, which caused the meeting to be called. Chris Wagner of the Waterberg Nature Conservancy Forum stated various reasons why farming in the area would hold a negative impact for the area’s environment and water supply. “It would be illogical to farm in the proposed area because that is part of where the town receives its water. You cannot farm there without damaging the grasslands and general environment. Bela-Bela’s grasslands are slowly deteriorating and becoming more and more like a desert,” he said.
Residents are displeased with the proposal to allow farming near the town’s water supply. Photo: Justin Steyn Wagner has proposed that the area should be declared a heritage site, and should be protected from overwhelming human activity. Jan van Blerk, who owns a shooting range near the dam, said that the area could see an increase in the vandalism of private property, theft and trespassing, should the farming be allowed.
Job opportunities as minister launches a sewing project Lizzy Bapela The executive mayor of the Waterberg District, Councillor Tlotlanang Mogotlane, accompanied the Deputy Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA), Andries Nel, in visiting various Community Work Programs (CWP) sites in Thabaleshoba Village recently. The visit took place in Mogalakwena Local Municipality on Wednesday, 1 July, and encompassed Early Childhood Development centres and Mogalakwena Nursery Project based at Ditlou Primary School. The dignitaries were accompanied by the local mayor Councillor Parks Sebatjane, Thabazimbi Mayor Councillor Patricia Mosito, and other local councillors. The delegation visited all the projects that are being implemented in the area and thereafter addressed over 1 500 CWP participants who are benefitting from the program as well as members of the community. They planted trees at the school and later officially opened the Thabaleshoba CWP Sewing Project. The participants at the sewing project were encouraged to start by sewing their own uniforms.
While addressing participants, the deputy minister said that the youth are building a better future each day through the CWP, not only for themselves, but also for their communities. “Over the five years of this administration the CWP will put R5,6 billion into the pockets of the poorest of the poor. The project has created 202 634 work opportunities during the 2014/15 financial year in the entire country. We want to create 1 million work opportunities by 2019,” he said. Mayor Sebatjane also spoke to the audience and said that through CWP, the youth in the municipality are becoming involved in looking after orphans and vulnerable children, helping sick people, assisting teachers at schools and working with local police to improve safety and reduce crime. CPW is a government initiative designed to provide employment safety net to eligible participants by offering by offering them a minimum number of regular days of work each month. The program targets the unemployed youth, women, and people with disabilities. Currently the CWP is being implemented in Wards 1 and 2 of Mogalakwena, which comprises 21 villages.
Mogalakwena mayor Councillor Parks Sebatjane paved a way during the official opening of a sewing project in the area. Photo supplied
“We see a lot of people walking around near our shooting range, and they chop wood and take it to their homes. We have been forced to halt our shooting activities when this occurs. Fishermen have also been seen trespassing on private property in order to fish at the dam and I fear that all of these may increase should farming be allowed in the area,” he said.
A petition against the municipality’s proposal has since been drafted and passed on to residents to sign. The petition states that the provision of water to the community is already at a premium on account of the inherent limitations of present water sources. It further states that the municipality should take steps to protect and conserve the catchment of dams by preventing any further human impact on the area and to protect it from the ravages of wildfire which has impoverished the soil and the local biodiversity to the extent that it will take decades to restore. The municipal spokesperson, Matome Sebelebele, could not be reached for comment. “While we understand the anxiety of the individuals and interested parties, in the end the responsibility for developing the area in line with our conservation goals belongs with the Municipality. We will publically unveil our plans for the area at the appropriate time,” said Matome Sebelebele, the municipal spokesperson. “We are quite willing to meet with concerned residents about this matter, but we do urge the public not to run wild on the basis of mere rumour. The municipality is always willing to meet with residents in order to clarify the situation and allay their concerns. The cattle suggestion has been made, and we acknowledge that there is a problem with stray cattle, but the proposal mentioned above was merely one of many suggestions to solve the stray cattle problem.”
Concerned residents take their concerns to the next level
Some of the residents who attended the meeting at Sunfa. Photo: TK Mashaba TK Mashaba The Concerned Residents of Bela-Bela have taken their concerns to the provincial government, asking them to force representatives from the municipality to attend their grievance meeting. Their letter of complaint was sent to Limpopo Premier Stanley Mathabatha, the MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement, and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA) Grace Makhurupetje, Municipal Manager Morris Maluleka and Bela-Bela Mayor Lucas Nhlapo. The residents held a meeting on Sunday, 12 July, at Sunfa Stadium, which they allege that the municipal manager and the mayor did not attend, despite being invited. They said that they were planning to meet with the premier on Tuesday, 28 July at Polokwane. Among some of the grievances they shared in their memorandum is the constant unavailability of both the municipal manager and the mayor. “The mayor is always at SAFA meetings or attending games like he did on Sunday at Northwest while we waited for him, and the municipal manager has to travel each day from Tshwane to Bela-Bela,” said Obed Motau, a committee member of the group. “How do they know their community’s complaints if they are always far away from the community?”
Obed Motau addressed some of the residents at the Sunfa Stadium on Sunday, 12 July. Photo: TK Mashaba
They also complained about the poor delivery of housing in Bela-Bela. “The lack of land is one of the chief concerns that the community have and the community is frustrated and aggressive because of the slow progress and delays being experienced,” he said. He also said that they feel that the community has been waiting for so long that they ended up occupying land illegally because the municipality is not being forthcoming on relevant places and how many houses are to be built on it. The committee have also taken their concerns to Facebook where they have a page that carries updates about service delivery and anything related to the municipality. “As the municipality we are constantly engaging with the Concerned Residents and we have had a number of meetings with them regarding their concerns. We feel that some of their issues are political and have nothing to do with the municipality,” said Matome Sebelebele, municipal spokesperson. “Those which are related to the municipality’s business are being attended to and we will be attending meetings with the minister or the premier. We dispute the allegations regarding the unavailability of the mayor and the municipal manager. Both these officials are always available. In rare cases where they cannot attend a representative will always be sent.
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EDITORIAL
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
PHOTO of the WEEK
May 2015
A representative of the Mogalakwena Residents Association writes: We reject the appointment of Dan Thobela as the Technical Services Manager. Thobela has previously been dismissed based on charges of corruption and forgery which prompted his resignation at the time. We are aware that the ANC Provincial Secretary Knox Seabi is currently staying in the Thobela’s home, and we believe that the position of Technical Services Manager as a token of appreciation. Thobela was previously found guilty of serious charges during his tenure as Technical Manager at Mogalakwena Municipality. Why is the municipality being forced to appoint people with questionable reputations? These developments confirm our assertion that the provincial secretary of the ANC and the Premier are the cause of the problems in Mogalakwena Municipality. We are aware that his company milked our money during Mashamaite’s tenure, and he wants to continue doing that. As residents of Mogalakwena we have serious challenges in terms of service delivery, which need immediate intervention from government. But the current situation in Mogalakwena Municipality, which appears to be getting worse, is worrisome. The community is also concerned with the allegations of sexual exploitation in the municipality. Applicants have raised concerns that the current Chief Whip and some councillors demand sexual favours from women in exchange for employment. As the MRA we are saddened by this information. We urge our women and young ladies to report incidents like these to law enforcement, and refuse these kind of offers out of hand. Another concern in the community is that companies that belong to Patrick Sekhu and Samuel Matjila continue to be able to tender in our municipality despite the fact that SARS has prohibited these companies from doing business with the municipality. We request that the ANC NEC to stop the lawlessness currently prevailing in Mogalakwena Municipality and take appropriate action against corrupt parties, because we the community can no longer afford the luxurious lifestyles of the fat cats. Enough is enough.
Midos and Crew showed off their skills at the indigenous games. Photo: TK Mashaba
17 July, 2015
THE BEAT
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Tinus Ras, DA Councillor for BelaBela, writes: The DA wishes to inform the residents of Bela-Bela about the following very important issues that came to light at the latest meeting of the Financial Subcommittee of the municipality held on June 18, 2015: Total debtors amount to R105 984 476.00 of which provision has been made to write off R86 307 962.00. The DA objected to the credit control process and requested that urgent attention be given to it. Municipal personnel owe the municipality R517 820.00 and certain amounts are deducted from the salaries of those who are in arrears for more than 90 days. The DA objected to it and demanded that residents and employees be treated in the same way. It means that services should be terminated as soon as accounts are in arrears and it should be applied to residents and employees alike. This will also contain bad debt. For the past financial year until April 30, 2015, rebates of R14 061 364, 19 were granted to residents who cannot afford the rates and who earn less than R2 860.00 per month. The DA is in favour of it as long as it is being handled with care. For the first six months of the past financial year, water losses amounted to 574 188 Kilolitre and electricity 16 131 071 kW hour, representing 30.69% and 32.68% respectively of the total consumption. These losses result from a combination of illegal connections, theft, poor maintenance and control. The Municipal Manager has undertaken to pay urgent attention to the problem.
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SMALLS BARGAIN newly build 3 bedroom house, 2 bathrooms, garage,open plan living room/dining room. Paul Kruger str. Nylstroom R680 000. contact Francois 082 495 3299
LEGALS PLA CE PLACE your add HERE! MODIMOLLE LAND USE SCHEME, 2004 Notice is hereby given to all whom it may concern that in terms of clause 23 of the abovementioned Scheme, I (full name)
CHARITY / ENTERTAINMENT / SCHOOL
17 July, 2015
MOLEKOA KHARI ARON intends applying to the Modimolle Local Municipality for consent to Tarven on (property and suburb) VD 35 also known as (street name and number) Leseding Ext 3 situated in an Residential 1 zone (Example: Residential 1, bisuness 4 etc.) Any objection, with the grounds therefor, shall be lodged with or made in writing to: The Divisional Manager: Town Planning, Ground Floor, Modimolle Municipal Building, Private Bag x1008, Modimolle, 0510, within 28 days of the publication of the advertisement in the Local newspaper viz. Full particulars and plans (if any) may be inspected during normal office hours (08:00 - 13:00 and 13:45 15:00) at the abovementioned office for a period of 28 days of the publication of the advertisement in the Local newspaper. Closing date for objections: Applicant Street and Postal address: VD 35 Leseding Ext 3 Vaalwater
0530 Tel: 078 774 2959 / 079 046 4048. (10&17/07). MODIMOLLE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY AMENDMENT SCHEMES Notice of application for amendment of the TownPlanning Scheme in terms of Section 56(1)(b)(i) of the Town-Planning and Townships Ordinance, 1986 (Ordinance 15 of 1986). I, NOCOLA LUDIK being the authorized agent for the registered owners of the following properties hereby give notice in terms of Section 56(1)(b)(i) of the Town Planning and Townships Ordinance, 1986, (Ordinance 15 of 1986) that I have applied to the Modimolle Local Municipality for the amendment of the TownPlanning Scheme in operation known as the Modimolle Land Use Scheme, 2004 by the rezoning of the properties decribed below, situated within the jurisdiction of the Modimolle Local Municipality as follows: Modimolle Amendment Scheme 335
Erf 3/490 Nylstroom Extension 2 located at Van Rensburg Street, Modimolle, in Modimolle area of jurisdiction, from “Residential 1” to “Residential 2” at a density of 46 units per hectare; Modimolle Amendment Scheme 336 Erf R/223 Nylstroom Township, located at 61 Plein Street, Modimolle, in Modimolle area of jurisdiction, form “Residential 1” to “Residential 3” at a density of 66 units per hectare; Modimolle Amendment Scheme 337 Erf 1157 Nylstroom Extension 6 located at 4 Third Street Nylstroom Extension 6, Modimolle, in Modimolle area of jurisdiction, from “Residential 1” to “Special” for a vehicle show room and vehicles sales lot and other subservient and associated land uses to the primary use, excluding noxious industries; All relevant documents relating to the applications will be open for inspection during normal office hours
at the offices of the Modimolle Local Municipality, The Divisional Manager: TownPlanning, Ground Floor, Modimolle Municipal Building, Harry Gwala Street, Modimolle for a period of 28 days i.e. 17 July 2015 to 14 August 2015. Any person who wishes to object to the applications or submit representations in respect thereof must lodge the same in writing to Private Bag x1008, Modimolle, 0510 or lodge it with the Modimolle Local Municipality at its address and room number specified above on or before 14 August 2015. Name and address of agent: NICOLA LUDIK, Alto Africa Town Planning & Development Consultants, P.O. Box 3007, Modimolle, 0510, 076 606 6372. (17&24/7). MODIMOLLE LAND USE SCHEME, 2004 Notice is hereby given to all whom it may concern that in terms of clause 23 of the abovementioned Scheme, I (full name) CHAUKE MORONGWA ELIZABETH intends
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applying to the Modimolle Local Municipality for consent to Tuckshop Morongwa on (property and suburb) 6516 Ext 8 Phomolong also known as (street name and number) situated in an Residential 1 zone (Example: Residential 1, bisuness 4 etc.) Any objection, with the grounds therefor, shall be lodged with or made in writing to: The Divisional Manager: Town Planning, Ground Floor, Modimolle Municipal Building, Private Bag x1008, Modimolle, 0510, within 28 days of the publication of the advertisement in the Local newspaper viz. Full particulars and plans (if any) may be inspected during normal office hours (08:00 - 13:00 and 13:45 15:00) at the abovementioned office for a period of 28 days of the publication of the advertisement in the Local newspaper. Closing date for objections: Applicant Street and Postal address: P.O. Box 5080 Modimolle 0510. (10&17/07).
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CHARITY / ENTERTAINMENT / SCHOOL
Family of 11 gets a decent home after 10 years
17 July, 2015
THE BEAT
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Light of Africa is excited about their new operations centre Light of Africa’s project manager and business development manager, Simon Phaka, are excited about having the organization’s first established centre. Photo: Justin Steyn
Justin Steyn Justin Steyn
Limpopo government dignitaries turned the sod for the construction of a house to accommodate a family of 11. Photo supplied Lizzy Bapela Lizzy Bapela Joy filled the air when Limpoo Premier Stan Mathabatha visited Linah Marutha of Tauetsoala Villages in Mogalakwena for a sod-turning ceremony and an imbizo last week. MECs, the Waterberg District Mayor Tlotlanang Mogotlane, Mogalakwena mayor Parks Sebatjane and other government officials in the district and province accompanied the premier on his visit to the village on Friday, 3 July. During the sod-turning ceremony, Marutha was deeply touched when she heard that she heard that she is soon to live in a house with decent amenities. She has lived for the past ten years in a two-roomed shack and depends on child support to raise her ten children. She told the delegates that the new home was a long-overdue development and thanked the government for finally putting a decent roof over her family’s heads. She said that they had suffered the ravages of the seasons through the years and that their situation was very depressing. She said that her dreams are coming true and her prayers are being answered. Addressing the attendees at the sodturning, Premier Mathabatha said that they hope that the beneficiary will take care of the structure that will soon be
built there. “The house will not relieve the family from poverty, so the mayor should meet up with local businesspeople to address the situation as this family cannot all share a four-bedroom house. We will be keeping a close eye on developments. Traditional leaders must also assist us in making sure that existing RDP house are not occupied by nurses, teachers, police and other public servants, as they are intended for the poor,” said Mathabatha. Limpopo MEC for CoGHSTA Makoma Makhurupetje said that the government will deal with the housing backlog which had affected a number of poor residents in and around Limpopo. She added that they would do their best to provide decent housing for all people. Mayor Sebatjane said that the government would do its best to provide decent accommodation for all their residents. He added that he was aware that people are tired of living in informal settlements without water or electricity, and that the plan is for the project to bring an end to their misery. KEMO Trading, the contractor responsible for the constructon of the house, promised that the work will be finished 25 days from the ceremony. After the sod-turning ceremony, the delegation proceeded to the EXCO Imbizo held at Masheleng Sports Ground, where 5 000 residents were waiting eagerly to voice their concerns.
After months of hard work in the community of Bela-Bela, local non-profit organization Light of Africa will finally have a place where they can conduct their operations. The NPO’s project manager Josias Ramalekana said that the organization will have its own facility in the next few months, now that Bosele Dawn Drop-In Centre has relocated to a new location. “I am excited about the projects that we will be undertaking from this centre. It has been very hard to do our work because we are constantly working in different parts of town and people are not always aware of where we are,” said Ramalekana. He explained that the centre will allow
residents to seek assistance where issues relating to substance abuse and families in need are concerned. “We will finally have an established place where we can reach out to the community and also provide services such as counselling and our feeding schemes.” The organization is also planning to boost tourism in its next endeavour with a newlyappointed small business development manager, Simon Phaka. “Phaka and I will be going to local residents and businesses and propose cultural ways for people to grow their businesses. This will boost the town’s tourism income,” he said. Ramalekana said that the organization will also be involved in Mandela Day activities as well as a drug awareness campaign at the end of the month.
Concerned Christians to host a women’s conference in August Lizzy Bapela Lizzy Bapela Concerned women from and Independent Christian movement will be hosting a women’s conference in August. Christians from different religious backgrounds and genders from across the country and abroad are expected to gather at the Diens Sentrum in BelaBela for motivational and inspirational talks. This is the second such conference. The organizers hope that the conference will be held annually. The movement’s leader Pastor Rhetty Matjila said that everyone should feel welcome to attend and participate in activities due to take place during the conference, as the conference is about household leaders and not just women or mothers. Matjila said that men are able to raise children on their own these days, and there are also child-headed households which need guidelines and motivation to stay positive. Matjila also said that children from families like that need to learn skills and learn to be independent. Anyone who is interested in the event can attend to benefit.
Pastor Rhetty Matjila of the Independent Christian Movement is one of the religious leaders to address the audience at the conference. Photo: Lizzy Bapela
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THE BEAT
17 July, 2015
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71 Indigenous Games players from Waterberg make it to Provincial level TK Mashaba TK Mashaba The District Indigenous Game has produced 71 players in different sports codes who are going on to the provincial levels. The games were held at Modimolle’s Ephraim Mogale Stadium on Saturday, 11 June. The date for the provincial games has not been set yet. Mogalakwena did quite well in khokho, having nine representatives in that code. Five of their players will be advancing in dibeke and six in kgathi. Modimolle has six players going on in morabaraba and four in dibeke, and also four in jukskei. Bela-Bela, however, has one player who managed to vastly outperform all the others in drie stokkies. Morele Thabang managed to do 13.5 meters, well ahead of the competition. Modimolle’s Prince Moruwe did 12.3 meters, equal to Mogalakwena’s Terron Mabulane. The action-packed annual event is organized by the Limpopo Department of Sports, Arts and Culture. Midos and Crew also entertained the audience after the games were over. Natshasa Moyo from Modimolle did well in drie stokkies. Photo: TK Mashaba
Francis Senyati from Mogalakwena jumps during a kgathi match. Photo: TK Mashaba
Paramedics were also on standby to assist in case of injuries. Photo: TK Mashaba
Morele Thabanag and Prince Moruwe during the drie stokkies jump. Photo: TK Mashaba