R1-20/FREE
21 June 2013
Budget approved
Modimolle Mayor Kgaretja Lekalakala recently tabled her municipal budget to stakeholders. Photo: Lizzy Bapela Lizzy Bapela Various stakeholders in Modimolle have voted to approve the R216 million budget that the local municipality has allocated for the 2013/2014 financial year. Modimolle mayor Kgaretja Lekalakala delivered her budget speech at the municipal council chambers recently. The stakeholders include among others members of the Executive Council (EXCO), councillors, municipal management team, ward committee members, NGO’s and the community at large. Lekalakala said the budget was crafted in context of the affordability and the economic indicators determined by the National Treasury and
Municipal Financial Management Act (MFMA). The total revenue of R215, 8 million for the 2013/2014 financial year represents an increase of R15 million for 2012/2013. In responding to the developmental challenges of the communities, the council will in the year 2013/2014 initiate various projects. These projects include the R3 million allocated for the development of a sports facility in Extension 6, Shirinde and other parks, R3 192 822 for paving streets in Phagameng, R1 475 000 for paving the Freedom Park ringroad and R2 305 000 for the paving of the Mabatlane ring-road. The rehabilitation of Lillian Ngoyi Road and low-level bridge were allocated R14 million, with the reticulation of Mabatlane Industrial Sewer allocated R2 million and R11 399 935 for Modimolle Waste Water Treatment Phase 2. R7, 3 million was allocated bringing electricity to Phagameng Extension 10, R10 million for the electrification upgrade of internal reticulation and R5 million for energy efficiency. The total budget of the capital project is R59 672 757, with sources of funding including the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) at R 37 372 757, an Energy Grant of R12, 3 and a R10 million loan. The mayor was proud to announce that the municipality brought benefits and changed the lives of people in their community, and these include during the Child Protection Week. She said a lot has been done in the nineteen years of democracy but much more still has to be done to ensure a better life for all. She further said that freedom and democracy can only
have meaning when the three monsters of poverty, unemployment and inequality have been defeated. She also quoted an African proverb that goes “However long the night, the dawn will break”. Like other mayors and other political leaders when delivering their addresses, Lekalakala also touched on the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030 that the ANC’s Mangaung Conference agreed to and endorsed. The plan is intended to tackle socioeconomic problems such as poverty, inequality and unemployment. The plan also serves as a government strategic document to render services and these documents are roadmaps which will address the water, electricity, sanitation, education, public transport and clean environment challenges. The municipality has recently held a strategic planning session and identified the needs for collective attention to render quality service to the community of Modimolle. The budget presented issues such as aging infrastructure, acquisition of land, functioning systems, economic growth and job creation and socioeconomic development. The mayor said the municipality is facing challenges such as water provision and land acquisition in Mabatlane for houses and cemetery among others, land for regional dumping site, unemployment and unoccupied RDP houses in Extension 10. Other challenges include financial visibility, unacceptable audit outcomes, wasteful expenditure and delays by the municipality in paying service providers. (Continues on page 2)
Rowdy crowd disrupts BBEA charity event
The crowd grabbing clothes during the BBEAG soup kitchen. Photo TK Mashaba TK Mashaba The breeze and cold morning on Youth Day Sunday, 16 June couldn’t prevent the Skierlik residents from attending the (Bela Bela Educational Advocacy Group) BBEAG soup kitchen which was held on their sports ground. The event, which started at 6am, saw parents and children queuing up for soup and rolls while waiting for clothing to be handed out by the organizers. Johannes Ramatapa, a member of BBEA, spoke to the audience about the importance of education. “We are here as BBEAG to meet you half way, and we need parents to influence their chil-
dren to get educated so that life can be easy for them” he said. Things were going well until some members of the crowd lost patience and allegedly snatched up as much clothing as they could, disrupting the queue. According to Tshidi Molebatsi, project manager of BBEAG, the event went well except for that incident, and they are pleased at the turnout. “We are glad that we reached our target audience and we managed to get the people to the event which was important to us” she said. Molebatsi thanked all the sponsors who were involved with the event.
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Budget speech continued from page 1... She said however, the challenges will not prevent the municipality from providing quality service to the community of Modimolle. She further said that the municipality has accomplishments in the completion of the Joe Slovo Bridge, the paving of streets in Ward 7, 8 and 9 and continuing in Mabatlane and the construction of the Mabatlane Market Stalls and package plant. Other accomplishments include the Mabaleng package plant, electricity installation at Extension 10, installation of street lights and solar geysers, upgrading of Donkerpoort
Dam, phase 1, town planning of Extension 11 in Phagameng, Extension 3 in Mabatlane and the acquisition of land in Alma for the establishment of new townships. During the municipality’s consultative public participation programme, the community raised issues such as water and electricity provision, township establishment, unemployment, roads in industrial areas and in town, revamping of shops, Local Economic Development (LED), illegal advertising boards, corruption and Modi-Mall electricity supply.
Cigarette smuggler murdered A 24-year-old suspected cigarette smuggler from Beit Bridge was brutally killed, allegedly by a group of criminals commonly known as magumagumas, leaving his lifeless body in a pool of blood alongside the Limpopo River. Chief Supt Lawrence Chinhengo of the local police said the incident occurred last Thursday between 06:00 and 12:00 at the Dite crossing point, about 40km out of Beit Bridge. He said they had since arrested 19 suspects linked to the offence. “Our preliminary investigations indicate that the victim had gone to an illegal crossing point along the Limpopo River, intending to smuggle boxes of cigarettes into South Africa. He was then spotted by the suspects, who confronted him before they beat him with logs all over his body,” Chinhengo said.
The body was discovered by a passerby, who then alerted the police, whose investigations led to the arrest of the suspects. “Acting on a tip-off, we laid an ambush at the scene and arrested 16 suspects, who then led us to three more suspects. We suspect these people could be operating as a syndicate that mainly targets border jumpers and smugglers. Several other suspects are still at large,” Chinhengo said. Chinhengo said they had since launched a joint border operation with their South African counterparts in an effort to curb rampant criminal activities along the Limpopo River. Smugglers and border jumpers continue to fall prey to organised syndicates operating along the river. — LiN News/Limpopo Mirror
Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us. Samuel Smiles
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Murder Suspect Stands Trial “Modimolle police are warning members of the public to check thoroughly if their cars are locked before moving away from them...” Lizzy Bapela Police in Modimolle are investigating a case of murder following an incident that happened in Extension 10 on Saturday, 8 June. Modimolle police spokesperson Warrant Officer James Findlay said a man was stabbed to death and the suspect was later arrested. According to the information received, the victim was with his mother and friends at their home when two men approached and started swearing at them. Warrant Officer Findlay said that the victim stood up to the suspects and a fight erupted between them. He further said that one of the men then took out a knife and stabbed the victim. Findlay said nearby members of the community rushed the 25-year-old victim, Piet Moima to the local FH Odendaal Hospital, where he was declared dead. The suspect in the case, Maila Makgae (32), was arrested on Tuesday, 11 June and appeared before the Modimolle Magistrate’s Court on a charge of murder
on Wednesday, 12 June. He was expected to appear again in court for formal bail application on Thursday, 20 June. The police could not speculate on possible reasons for the incident, as investigations are still in process. Information regarding the second man in the incident could not also be revealed, as he did not take part in the murder. Meanwhile, Modimolle police are warning members of the public to check thoroughly if their cars are locked before moving away from them. Warrant Officer Findlay said suspects with remote controls stand about 15 meters away and disturb car owners’ remotes to lock their cars so they can emerge and steal from them. He said three incidents of theft out of motor vehicles have already taken place, with two in town and one at the Engen 1 Stop on the N1. He said that in these incidents, the suspects stole laptops and cellphones. He further said that the suspects usually steal cash as well and urged the community to be alert at all times.
Catfight! A drinking spree for two drinking “sisters” ended in a bloody mess when the two were allegedly involved in a violent fight. The two women enjoyed themselves at one of the beer joints in Thohoyandou on Saturday afternoon. Everything seemed to be going well as they were dancing to the music while drinking their beers. They were in the company of some men, who also bought beer for them from time to time. The peace was interrupted when a man, who is said to be in love with both the women, arrived and bought a bottle of beer for one of them. That was when one of the two women saw red. An ugly war of words is said to have ensued and escalated into a dirty fight. As the fight intensified, the two women were ejected from the tavern and they continued to fight outside. Eyewitness Dakalo Magau of Tswinga, who happened to be there when the incident occurred, said Maggie Maliga, who resides at the nearby Tswinga village, was seriously injured. “These women fought and disturbed the peace at the tavern and had to be removed outside, where they continued hitting each other with fists. They apparently started using any object they could lay their hands on when they were tired. They stabbed each other with beer bottles, hitting each other with
bricks and also bit each other,” he added. He said the older one started bleeding heavily after a chunk of flesh was bitten off from her mouth. She also suffered another terrible blow to her ear and it was almost detached from her head. The fight stopped and the badly injured woman decided to go to the police station to report the matter. She collapsed on her way. That was when a large crowd of onlookers gathered and some tried to administer first aid while waiting for an ambulance and the police. A bystander who had allegedly kicked the badly injured woman received instant justice when he was beaten up by men who had been helping the injured woman. “I have never seen such a fierce and ugly fight between women. What shocked me most was when they started biting each other and when a large chunk of flesh was bitten off from one of the women,” said Magau. Thohoyandou police spokesperson Major Mashudu Malelo said a suspect, Livhuwani Maliga of Mapate, was arrested in connection with the case. The 28-year-old suspect appeared in the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court on Monday and was charged with assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. “She has been warned to appear again when the victim is discharged from hospital,” said Malelo. — LiN News/Limpopo Mirror
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21 June, 2013
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Mookgophong to start a cleaning campaign
Residents of Mookgopong cleaning the street during their cleaning campaign on June 17. Photo supplied TK Mashaba Mookgophong’s mayor Sarah Monyamane teamed up with youth struc-
tures and corporate sponsors such as ICASA, MTN, Vodacom, Cell C, the Film and Publication Board (FPB) and other stakeholders, as well as parolees from
Mookgophong Correctional Services to give the town a welcome spring cleaning. Monyamane said during her speech be-
fore the commencement of the cleaning that building a strong and prosperous nation as well as conserving nature was a shared responsibility. “We are gathered here today as part of an initiative to create awareness about our environment through a cleaning campaign. As some of you may know, June is environmental awareness month, hence as the community of Mookgopong we saw it as our responsibility to identify various spots that needs to be attended to urgently to create a clean and safe community for all,” she said, and added that it was time to reflect on the strides the nation has made towards creating sustainable living for future generations. She added that the relationship between mankind and nature is very important; mankind is part of a large biological system made up of every living organism in the world, which interacts to create life as we know it. She added that the relationship between the private and public sectors is a critical one, and that both parties must continually ask themselves what more can be done. She said that she is encouraged by the ‘Together We Can Do More’ attitude evinced by industry and government, although she decried the fact that 19 years after the landmark 1994 elections there are still people living in squatter camps with no sanitation or basic services. “I believe that the cleaning campaign project will be an ongoing project which our community members will carry on to clean our streets. Keeping our streets clean will not only benefit us, but will benefit our great grandchildren,” she concluded.
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Municipal management disputes addressed Lizzy Bapela The South African Communists Party (SACP) in the Govern Mbeki (Waterberg) District previously wrote about their overview on disputes regarding managerial posts in municipalities around the district. Some of those municipalities have now filled positions that raised questions and comments from various community structures and concerned parties. Mookgophong Local Municipality has employed candidates in three managerial positions in order to provide leadership and guidance to the institution. Managers in these positions include Herman Sebata for Social and Community Services, Eksteen de Walt as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Peter Makwala as Municipal Manager (MM). The municipality conducted interviews for the position of Manager, Technical Services on Tuesday 4 June 2013 and said they will make sure that the vacancy of the Manager Corporate Services is filled during the first quarter of the new financial year. Mookgophong Mayor Sarah Monyamane said it is the municipality’s view that this new management team will be able to accelerate the provision of better and quality services to the people. A service provider, who was appointed by the municipality, has developed a new valuation roll that will be implemented in the next financial year. While accepting that there might be certain discrepancies, the council made a spe-
cial appeal to residents and officials to ensure that the valuation roll is implemented from 1 July 2013. The mayor said it is out of the consistent and vigorous implementation of policy that they shall be able to increase their revenue tax base. Council should ensure that strategic vacant positions such as Manager for Corporate Services, Income and Expenditure divisional heads, Chief Administrative Officer for the Roedtan satellite office and the Sub-accountant Account for Preparation are filled by competent candidates during the 2013/2014 financial year. Posts such as Budget and Reporting Accountant, Human Resources Divisional Head, Water Services Manager, Debt Collectors’ Clerk, Divisional Manager, Solid Waste and Cleaning and Management Representatives will also be filled. The municipality promised residents that they will make efforts to ensure that their satellite office in Roedtan is fully enabled to discharge its responsibilities and functions. In the Bela Bela Local Municipality, Morris Maluleka was appointed as CFO, with Phenius Sebola as Manager for Corporate Services. Municipal spokesperson Matome Sebelebele said they are left with only two vacant positions to fill currently, being the Municipal Manager and Manager for Planning and Economic Development and the management team is working on the issue. He confirmed that the municipality will announce the date in which Sebola will report for duty.
The only medicine for suffering, crime, and all the other woes of mankind, is wisdom. Thomas Huxley When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us. Helen Keller
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Limpopo looking forward to an incident free initiation season Lizzy Bapela The Limpopo Department of Corporative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA) has officially opened the 2013 initiation season. The province’s 142 permitted schools have commenced on Friday 14 June and will end on 13 July 2013. Although the turnout is still low due to the fact that academic schools have not yet closed the department heartily thanks all parents and guardians for sending initiates to the schools only when the academic school programme has closed. The Limpopo House of Traditional Leaders has dispatched a team to investigate allegations of illegal schools opened in Capricorn, Waterberg, Sekhukhune and Mopani districts. MEC for CoGHSTA, Clifford Motsepe called on all permit holders to adhere to the entire initiation school prescripts. He also encouraged parents to verify the legitimacy of initiation schools they intend sending their children to with their respective Traditional Authorities. The MEC said that all these efforts are to ensure that the
ancient practice achieves the intended cultural objectives without anyone giving it a bad name. The Working Committee on Initiation Schools meets on a weekly basis to consider reports compiled by the front line staff from various initiation school sites. The front line staff is from CoGHSTA, Health and SAPS, respectively. Their role is to monitor the initiation schools to ensure an incident free season. The department spokesperson Dieketseng Diale confirmed that currently there is no incident reported. Diale said the department appreciates the cooperation of Traditional Leaders for their support in ensuring that Limpopo is ready to host initiates and to have death free initiation season. Once again the department strongly requests communities, particularly parents or guardians to send their children to the approved initiation schools in the five districts of the Limpopo Province. For the approved or legitimate name list, parents are urged not to hesitate to contact the departmental call center on 0800 687 432
MEC for Health and Social Development visits Bela Bela Hospital TK Mashaba Limpopo MEC for Health and Social Development Dr Norman Mabasa, who visited Bela Bela Hospital on Wednesday, 12 June, has promised to return to complete discussions with the hospital board, as he arrived late on Wednesday. The MEC and his entourage, who were expected to arrive at 2pm, arrived at 5pm, having had to stop at the F.H. Odendall Hospital and the MDR (MultiDrug-Resistant) TB Unit in Modimolle. The media were not permitted in the meeting, but sources close to The BEAT
informed reporters that matters became tense when union members were not allowed to raise questions. The hospital has allegedly been having trouble recently, with the appointment of a new CEO being among issues raised. The Bela Bela Hospital has not had a CEO in two years, since the former CEO left for the Free State two years ago. The BEAT also asked the MEC’s spokesperson, Sinenhlana Gumede, about the clinic at Extension 6 which was reported in the BEAT of 17 May, but were unable to get a comment from her.
Good times roll for employees after organised labour-government partnership Lizzy Bapela The recent special partnership between the Department of Labour and Organised Labour around areas of common interest will surely bring good times for workers in South Africa, the department announced. This partnership will be put to the works during a hard-hitting joint inspection in the hospitality sector scheduled to take place from Saturday 22 to Wednesday 26 July in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, KwaZulu Natal and the Western Cape. Deputy Director for Inspection and Enforcement Services in the department, Phaswane Tladi said that the primary aim of this framework is to spell out areas of cooperation and also define roles and responsibilities of government and organised labour. Tladi said that this will be done entirely with an aim of eliminating non-compliance with labour legislations and improve the current plight of vulnerable workers in the Country. On how the program will be run, Tladi said that in Limpopo for an example, the scheduled partnership will take shape in a form of already arranged inspections where their inspectorate, together with the provincial leadership from or-
ganised labour will wind up from one hospitality sector employer to the other. Tladi said during the inspections, the inspectorate will be glued on the compliance with legislations such as Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA), Employment Equity Act (EEA) as well as all the pieces under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA). Head of the department in Limpopo Albert Tshidavhu said amongst other reasons they are having this partnership is to ensure education, enforcement and to monitor the implementation of labour market policies. He said that this is also not entirely aimed at cracking the whip on those found wanting but it is also aimed at educating them about the processes to be followed in order to comply. He further said the fact that this special partnership will be spearheaded by Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant and the leadership of the Organised Labour, will give this framework an added impulse. This partnership programme will be extended to include the Department of Arts and Culture and the Presidency to focus on special programmes in order to mobilise resources in support of national days such as May Day or any other agreed national events.
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21 June, 2013
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Photo of the Week How do you protest? This weekend on the 16th of June, South Africa celebrated Youth Day. The day is intended to commemorate the students who led the Soweto Student Uprising on the 16th of June in 1976, and to honor the memory of those who died. The majority of us, of course, know the history of that day — a peaceful march was planned to protest the recently introduced laws regarding Afrikaans-language education. The march devolved into violence when students began throwing rocks at the police, who retaliated. The casualty figures may never be completely known. The government at the time said that 23 students had died, but they had a vested interest in minimizing reported casualties. Other parties later claimed figures from 176 up to over 700, but their figures are as suspect as those of the government, it being in their interests to claim a higher casualty rate. It is a strange and frightening thing how quickly peaceful protest can devolve into violence. Through a simple chain of events — children throwing rocks at authority figures, a man discharging his gun — a peaceful march became a massacre. Should we blame the children? They were children, and children are not responsible for their own actions. Should we blame the man who fired the first shot? He was afraid, and fear makes men do things they might not have considered otherwise. Should we blame the government of the time, who made the policies that led to the protest? They are partly at fault, yes. But not entirely. The greater part of the blame lies in the culture of violence that has grown up in South Africa, the results of which we can see in 1976 Soweto, 2012 Marikana and even, to a very much smaller extent, in Bela Bela in 2013. When was the last time a truly peaceful protest was held on a large scale in South Africa? When was the last time that a protest was held that did not involve setting fire to something, or breaking something, or death? It has been quite a while. Think about that. Think about the picture we are sending to the world, the example we are setting to our children. Do we really need to resort to violence whenever we feel that we are being treated unfairly? Are we so scared that we need to lash out first and crush any opposition? Do we have so little faith in ourselves that we need to argue with fists and knives and fire? Really? Think about that for a moment. Nobody respects a man who solves every argument with his fists. And violent protest is not the way to make people see your side. The next time you’re at a protest and the man next to you picks up a rock, take it from him, look at him and say: “We are better than this.” Because we are better than this. We are better than riots and bloodshed. We are better than smashing anything in our way. What happened in Soweto in 1976 was a tragedy. It’s up to us to make sure something like that never happens in South Africa again.
Fullness in Jesus Christ Reverend David Hutt
Members of the Bela Bela police joined the June 16 commemorations by wearing school uniform on when reporting for duty on Friday 14 June. The idea was the Station Commander Sibongile Ndaba’s brainchild, in order to honour the youth of 1976. Photo: Lizzy Bapela
Colossians 2:9-10 - For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fullness of life in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, the whole fullness of God dwells in Him. Jesus Christ is God and cannot be separated from God, God is One in Jesus Christ, just as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit is One. There is One God, revealed to us as God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The Oneness of God dwells in Jesus Christ in the whole or complete fullness of all that God is. When we come to Jesus Christ, believe in Him, follow Him and worship God in and through Him, we to come into the fullness of life in Him. We are no longer empty, we are not half empty but completely filled with life in Him. We are full of life and we live life abundantly as we have come into the fullness of life. Being filled with life, we live lives that are filled with the life that Jesus Christ brings, love, joy, peace, hope, encouragement, gentleness and so on. Because we know that Jesus Christ lives, so we know that Jesus Christ lives in us through the fullness of His deity the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is the Head of all rule and authority, all that was, all that is and all that is to come. We submit to that authority, trust that authority and live according to that authority; in so doing we know that we are one with Jesus Christ in every way, His life, His death and His resurrection. We do what pleases Jesus Christ and not that which pleases the world. Be encouraged today to be filled with life abundantly Point to ponder: Jesus Christ is in control of your situation. Question to consider: Do you submit to the rule and authority of Jesus Christ?
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21 June, 2013
Feedback from community consultations
Mayors intend to bring the best services to their communities. Photo: Lizzy Bapela Lizzy Bapela In accordance to the provisions of the Municipal Systems Act (MSA), the Waterberg District Municipality and its local municipalities developed community based consultative programmes, which formed part of their strategic planning process. It is the municipalities’ view that through this kind of participation, communities play a leading role in the development of their municipality. It is in these community forum meetings that the municipalities receive inputs from the communities and provide progress report. As part of fostering active citizenry
LEGALS NOTICE OF SALE IN EXECUTION IN THE HIGH COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA (NORTH GAUTENG HIGH COURT, PRETORIA) Case No: 6421/ 2013 In the matter between: ABSA BANK LIMITED Plaintiff and MADUMETJA JIRUS MOKOKA ID No. (620616 5682 086) 1st Defendant RAMASELA SHIELA MOKOKA (ID No. 650929 0678 089) 2nd Defendant Persuant to a Judgement granted by this Honourable Court on 26 March 2013 and a warrant of Execution, the undermentioned property will be sold in execution by the Sheriff of the High Court, Waterberg on Thursday the 4th day of July 2013, at 11H00 in front of the Magistrate’s Office, van Emmenis Street, Modimolle, Limpopo Province, to the highest bidder: Portion 29 of Erf 2883 Nylstroom Extension 15 township, registration division K.R., Limpopo Province Street Address: 29 A D Diedericks street Ext 15, Nylstroom / Modimolle, Limpopo Province Measuring: 606 (Six hundred and six) square metres and held by defendants in terms of deed of Transfer No. T13468/2007 Improvements are: Dwelling: Lounge, Kitchen, 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms No warranties regarding description, extent or improvements are given. The conditions of sale to be read out by the Sheriff of the High Court at the time of the sale and will be available for inspection at the offices of the Sheriff, Waterberg, 50 Alfred Nzo Street, Modimolle, Limpopo Province. Dated at Pretoria on this the 3rd day of June 2013.
VAN ZYL LE ROUX INC Plaintiff’s Attorneys Monument Office Park, 71 Steenbok Avenue, First Floor, Block 3, Monument Park, Pretoria P O Box 974, Pretoria, 0001 Docex 97, Pretoria Tel: (012) 435 9444 Fax: (012) 435 9555 REF: 4219046/E NIMAND/ MN (21/6) BELA BELA LAND USE SCHEME 2008 Notice is hereby given to all whom it may concern, that in terms of Clause 21 of the Bela Bela Land-Use Scheme, 2008, I, Amanda Kock of DLC Telecom (Pty) Ltd, intend applying to the Bela Bela Local Municipality for Special Consent for the construction and operation of a 25m high telecommunications lattice mast and base station on Ptn 1 of Erf 6719 Bela Bela Ext 5. Full particulars and plans may be inspected during normal office hours at the office of the applicant at the address included below or at the office of the Manager: Planning and Development, Bela Bela Municipality, Chris Hani Drive, Bela Bela. Any objection, with the grounds therefore, shall be lodged with or made in writing to both the applicant at the address mentioned below and the Manager: Planning and Development, Bela Bela Municipality, Private Bag x1609, Bela Bela, 0480, within 28 days of the date of the first publication of this notice, viz 21 June 2013. Closing date for any objections: 19 July 2013. Applicant: DLC TELECOM (Pty) Ltd Street address: 46 26th Street, Menlo Park, 0081 Postal Address: P.O. Box 35921, Menlo Park, 0102 Tel: (012) 346 7890 Email: ak@dlcgroup.co.za Our Ref: VC/LK/018 - Skirlek Extension. (21&28/6)
Mookgophong Local Municipality has successfully established ward committees in all wards during these consultations. The municipality had extended invitations to all leaders of the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO’s), Community Based Organisations (CBO’s) and political parties to join them in addressing the complex challenges faced by communities and will be issuing a progress report soon. Bela Bela Local Municipality is also expected to issue a progress report following such consultations. The municipality also held ordinary council meetings, which were open for interested parties and members of the community to raise issues with council and the Mayor Freddy Hlungwani. The meetings, which focused mainly on items such as the mayor’s budget speech and the adoption of the 2013/2014 budget, were held at the community hall in May. Municipal spokesperson Matome Sebelebele said the consultations were a success and the municipality will continue working together with the community to address challenges encountered and bring improved and better services to its communities. Hlungwani said the municipality will celebrate two decades of freedom by ensuring that the community have uninterrupted access to the best service delivery the municipality has to offer. He said they will furthermore ensure that they are able to enjoy the benefit and fruits of freedom, by supplying them with qualitative water, reliable electricity supply, regular waste collection, improved access municipal roads, better housing and other services. In Modimolle, all the team consisting of leadership and officials visited all the wards except for Alma and Vaalwater and declared the consultations a complete success. Municipal spokesperson Patrick Shika said they did not hold the consultations in those areas as members of the ward committees collected the challenges and comments from their wards and forward them to the municipality. Waterberg District Municipality also hosted members of the public, rate payers, stakeholders, traditional leaders, business community, NGOs, Community structures and interested parties during their ordinary council meetings held at the council chambers, also in May.
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A decade of non-stop service Lizzy Bapela Mabatlane Thusong Service Centre is celebrating a decade of non-stop service delivery. The centre was launched by Minister in the Presidency, Dr Essop Pahad, and former Limpopo Premier, Ngoako Ramatlhodi, in 2003. The centre had only five service providers offering services when it was launched. Ten years after it opened its doors, it is benefiting communities around Mabatlane and some parts of Mogalakwena. Previously these communities had to travel about 120 km to Modimolle to access government services. This development is appreciated and applauded by the community members. Martha Motabasinde from Mabatlane Extension 2 said that she has benefited from the centre. She said she recently visited the centre to apply for a SASSA social grant and received excellent service. Today she is able to pay for her children’s school fees and uniforms, and she is able to put food on the table. Another happy client is John Molokomme from Mabatlane Extension 1, who said that his life has been changed for better as he no longer has to travel long distances to get government services. Molokomme said Thusong has really improved the lives of their communities and most people around the area are from poorer families and work on farms. The department of Labour assist a lot in terms of employment disputes, un-
employment benefits and labour rights. Some of the service providers at the centre said it is a privilege to be working at Mabatlane Thusong Service Centre. They said they have constantly been assisting the local communities by organising career exhibitions and bursaries among other functions, from their respective departments. Recently, ten youths from the surrounding villages were identified by the centre and forwarded to the local municipality for learnership assistance. Municipal Admin Officers Johanna Mafora and Hans Matlou, Community Development Worker (CDW) Thonthi Lebodi and social worker Christina Pilane are some of the happy service providers. They indicated that ten Early Development Centres in and around Mabatlane Village receive subsidies from Social Development from them. Households and individuals affected by HIV/AIDS receive continuous counselling from the centre. This is done through the assistance of CDWs based at the centre who identify poverty-stricken families and refer them to relevant stakeholders at the centre for intervention. “Many community members have benefited from programmes at the centre and this evidence that by working together we can enable stakeholders at Mabatlane Thusong to improve people’s lives,” said Maria Ramoshaba of the Government Communication and Information Systems (GCIS) in Waterberg.
Local municipalities in Waterberg assist indigent communities
The Bela Bela Local Municipality is expected to implement their indigents’ beneficiary process in July. Photo: Lizzy Bapela
Lizzy Bapela Local municipalities around the Waterberg District rendered assistance to their indigent communities by providing them with free basic services. The municipalities agreed during their Executive Councils (EXCO) that there is a need to re-register the indigent as of the new financial year. Processes for new registrations were initiated at these municipalities for applications and communities were ensured that all means of communication will be used to inform them to apply. Registration processes in these municipalities took place in May and June for households whose income does not exceed R2 575 in Bela Bela, while the limit in Mookgophong is R3 000. Indigents qualify for 75 kilowatts of electricity, 6 kilolitres of water, free refuse removal, free sanitation, and are exempt from property rates where the value of the dwelling is less than R35 000. The municipalities urged communities,
and especially indigent consumers, to understand that although they receive free basic services, they must pay for these services when they have exceeded the allocation. Communities were also encouraged to apply and also to pay for services rendered. Meanwhile, ward councillors and ward committee members were acknowledged for their commitment when addressing service delivery issues to their communities. The spokesperson for Modimolle Local Municipality said their municipality is expected to start with their re-registration process from July to September and old applications forms for registrations will be terminated, making way for the new ones. Meanwhile, Bela Bela Local Municipality spokesperson Matome Sebelebele confirmed that their municipality has completed the registration process and will start implementing on 1 July 2013. Sebelebele said all municipalities should start on the same date as their financial years run the same.
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21 June, 2013
Bela Bela Youth bringing the vibe back The committee behind the festival, Sipho Mandebele, Anikie Roberts and Abram Mohlake. Photo TK Mashaba
TK Mashaba The Collective of Youth in Bela Bela is partnering with stakeholders to host an arts festival and competition in October. The festival attractions will include a beauty contest as well as competitions in ballroom dance, pantsula dance and gumboot dance, as well as performances by gospel singers and hip-hop artists. There will also be dramas performed as well as traditional dance groups. According to Abram Mohlake, the chairperson of COSAS in the Waterberg and the coordinator of the Bela Bela Youth Festival, one of the goals of the festival is to encourage young people to focus their energy on positive pursuits. The festival will be hosted in various munici-
palities starting with Bela Bela. The organizer of the event, Sipho Ndebele, said that the youth have lost interest in many activities that were previously popular, and that they want to bring back the vibe and involve the youth in such competitions. He added that not everyone has the ability to be good at sports, but that there are potential models, poets, actors and singers out there who are not being encouraged properly. The Youth Collective are working hand in hand with NJ van Heerden of Waterfront Signs and Tlhokomelang Community Centre to bring the festival to life. Those who would like to take part in the festival are encouraged to visit the Tlhokomelang Community Centre in Extension 1 or the Bela Bela help desk for more information.
Workers’ campaign floods Labour call centre Lizzy Bapela Enquiries about the Unemployment Insurance Fund’s (UIF) services are still flooding in at the national Department of Labour’s call centre with thousands of claimants calling in since the beginning of the UIF Workers’ Rights campaign in May. The campaign’s project manager, Franco Mabuya, said the number has gone up by 36 000 on Thursday, 6 June. Mabuya said the fact that Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant is driving the campaign has given it added momentum, as shown by the number of enquiries. He said this is borne by the fact that call centre operators confirmed that they have almost literally had no sleep with a large influx of calls, others even after working hours. The Unemployment Insurance Fund is the department’s entity that provides an interim insurance when individuals are out of employment, amongst other benefits. Head of the department in Limpopo, Albert Tshidavhu said that the huge number of enquiries that they have already received speaks volume about the success
of the campaign. He said this encourages them to conduct more of these events so that their clients become well informed of the procedures of the fund. The department urge their clients not to despair if they did not find time to visit their stalls in various malls, as they still have a chance to visit Labour centres where they will be given these services and more. Tshidavhu said most of the enquiries that they have already received are more on ordinary benefits, where claimants are out of employment and need help from the fund, while others are on maternity benefits as well as illness benefits. Deputy Director for UIF in the department, Ronet Landman said the campaign has been truly helpful in that it gave them an idea of the types of problems people face in various areas. She said this will enable them to give necessary attention. The department’s Limpopo Provincial Spokesperson Johannes Mokou said the campaign, which moves at a break-neck speed, will see fully fledged UIF team in Northern Cape over the weekend, before finishing up in the North West a week later.
Bela Bela Municipality staff dressed in school uniforms for Youth Day. Photo Supplied
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EPWP benefits Mookgophong “It is out of the EPWP projects that we shall be able to reduce unemployment, eliminate poverty and reduce the inequality amongst our communities,”... Lizzy Bapela Residents of Mookgophong Local Municipality will also benefit from the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) as detailed in last week’s The BEAT. The mayor Sarah Monyamane said during her budget speech recently that the municipality will receive R1 million from the National Department of Public Works for in the 2013/2014 financial year. The mayor said that out of this allocation, specific projects and approximately 70 beneficiaries will be identified and assisted. The beneficiaries will render various services for twelve months from 1 July 2013 until 30 June 2014. “It is out of the EPWP projects that we shall be able to reduce unemployment, eliminate poverty and reduce the inequality amongst our communities,” said the mayor. A total of 600 unemployed youths from each local municipality in the Waterberg District are set to benefit from the programme. The Limpopo Department of Roads and Transport had already handed over the project to certain municipalities through the office of the MEC, Pitsi Moloto.
The project task was to cut grass along provincial roads and assist in routine maintenance of roads within the local municipalities. The beneficiaries, including team leaders, are from all the wards within the municipality. The overall responsibility of the contractors will be monitoring and supervision as well as the provision of tools, equipment and protective clothing, while the team leaders will be responsible for reporting on progress done on site, and the department’s maintenance centre will be responsible for the provision of construction materials and equipment that is not covered in the scope of work/specification when necessary. The mayors expressed their pride in being part of this kind of project, saying it will address unemployment and poverty issues in their municipalities, as community members raised issues regarding such challenges during IDP/ Budget road shows. Meanwhile, Matome Sebelebele of the Bela Bela Local Municipality said their municipality is still busy with the registrations and are in the process of concluding. He said the municipality will announce the commence date once they done with the registrations.
Farm workers and dwellers empowered The Department of Labour provided information about the rights and basic condiThe Waterberg District Municipality regards tions of employment of farm workers. Many an event held for farm workers and farm farm workers experience violation of these dwellers in the district recently as a suc- conditions by farm owners. A farm worker, cess. The event was held at Leseding Boy Kgageng, worked for 17 years withSports Ground, Steenbokpan Section in out compensation after he was dismissed Lephalale on Sunday 9 June. The munici- from work and the department undertook pality said the event, aimed to empower to assist Kgageng on the matter. Mogotlane managed to provide informathe abovementioned parties, achieved the tion that the farming community wanted expected outcomes. Waterberg District Executive Mayor, to know after 19 years of democracy. She Tlotlanang Mogotlane, and Lephalale also highlighted the dispossession of AfriMayor, Moloko Maeko, attended the event, can people’s lands. A series of laws dealong with leadership figures from around signed to uproot people from their land or where they were tenants or the district. Sector departprevented them from buying ments such as Labour, Home land in certain areas were Affairs, Land Reform and Ru“She said passed. The Native Land Act, ral Development, SAPS and many of the the Urban Land Act and the SASSA were invited to the farm owners Trading and Occupation of event to provide information are not treatLand Restriction Act, among about the rights of farm workother laws, were passed durers and farm dwellers. ing them well ing this period. Segregation SASSA distributed food parin terms of the became so entrenched that cels to 27 individuals and prolaw...” by time the apartheid governvided information about differment came to power in 1948 ent types of grants and who spatial and racial boundaries were already qualifies and who does not. The SAPS certified documents for the established. Mogotlane also mentioned that farm workfarming community and distributed pamphlets outlining safety measures and crime ers and farm dwellers experience a lot of hardship in the environment in which they awareness. The Department Home Affairs assured the find themselves. She said many of the farm attendees that farmers will be urged to owners are not treating them well in terms open their gates to allow people access of the law. Thus the sector departments to farms, as currently they cannot even were invited to assist the workers and dwellers in making sure that their rights and benvisit their relatives. Land Reform and Rural Development pro- efits are protected at all times. Minister of Labour Mildred Oliphant anvided much-needed information on the reopening of land claims. The department nounced in February this year that the new also distributed a government gazette on minimum wage for farm workers is R 105 a the Restitution of Land Rights Amendment day with effect from 1 March 2013. The department and the district municipality are Bill for input by the land claimants. The farming community welcomed the fact aware that some of the farm owners may that this year marks 100 years of the Land not be paying workers this amount and say Act of 1013, which brought about dispos- that such incidents should be reported. Mogotlane said the dismissal and eviction session of land, and that government intend re-opening the land claims. The de- of farm workers and -dwellers by farm ownpartment’s Provincial Communications ers is a concern. She said farm workers Manager Mr Mgada committed himself to and -dwellers have the right to enjoy all bahelp the community when land claims re- sic human rights as contained in Chapter 2 of the Constitution on the Bill of Rights. open around November this year. Lizzy Bapela
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21 June, 2013
Mmantuntube takes the Regionals in Kay Motsepe Cup
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Scholarship for Salaminah Mabusela
TK Mashaba
A player in for a shoot during the Kay Motsepe finals. Photo supplied
Mmantuntube High School won the Limpopo Province’s Waterberg Regional final in the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Cup competition and will be playing in the finals next month. The team coach, Phineas Mokoena, says that making the provincial finals is a dream come true for the boys, who are already talking about winning the provincials and going for the nationals later in the year. “We would like to win some of the R3.4 million on offer as prize money and be able to say we were responsible for helping to upgrade our school, which it badly needs,” he said. Mmantube has been playing in the Cup for a number of years, but this is the first time they have had a team progress past cluster level. “We are hoping to continue our winning streak until we are declared the winners of the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup,” Mokoena said. Mokoena says they will be increasing the number of practise sessions now. “I always tell the boys that practise makes perfect and that we need to practise more and more to ensure that we are 10 times better than our opponents,” he said, adding that he has tried to instil a sense of discipline in the boys. Mokoena singled out defender Thabang Monethi as a player who really puts his heart into the team. Thabang grew up watching soccer and started playing the game in primary school at the age of 7 years. “I have grown to love the sport and it has groomed me into the young adult that I am,” he said. “Without it I don’t know where I would be.”
Lucky girl: Salaminah Mabusela who recently received a scholarship to the University of the Northwest. Photo: TK Mashaba TK Mashaba Salaminah Mabusela has never let anything come between her and the sport she loves, and her love of basketball paid off when she got a scholarship at the University of Northwest for basketball.
She will be doing a four-year degree in Sports Science. The young woman, also known as SK, started the sport in 2008 and fell in love immediately. She did her matric in 2012. SK is a product of the Vikings basketball team, one of three girls on a male team, and her dream is to see more ladies playing the sport. The 20 year old couldn’t hide her excitement during a brief interview with The BEAT. “I am so happy and looking forward to this scholarship which will also help me to teach back the youth,” she said. SK was awarded the scholarship after her talent was spotted during her team’s visit to Soshanguve earlier this year. She will be starting her studies in January of 2014, and will be doing basketball clinics for various areas and Bela Bela in August the same year. She also attended a two-day basketball workshop that was held at Mokopane from Wednesday, 12 June to Friday, 14 June, where attendees were taught about refereeing, scorekeeping and how to conduct basketball clinics. “I am happy about the way I am learning through this sport and will love to pass it on to upcoming players,” she concluded.
Bela Bela Finest United friendly games a success
Mamelodi Sundowns Supporters Branches paint Bela Bela Yellow Volleyball in action: Photo TK Mashaba
Basketball in action: Photo TK Mashaba
The supporters during the street parade. Photo supplied Netball in action: Photo TK Mashaba TK Mashaba Mamelodi Sundowns supporters painted Bela Bela yellow over the Youth Day weekend. The visiting branches arrived in Bela Bela on Friday, 14 June and departed again on Monday, 17 June. On Sunday before the supporters’ teams played their games at the Sunfa Stadium, they held a street parade through the Bela Bela township. Bela Bela, Mamelodi East, Mamelodi West, Soshanguve and Attridgevill supporters branches all attended, and the venue had to be changed from Mmamakwa Primary School to the Sunfa Stadium to accomodate the large number of spectators and supporters who arrived to enjoy
the games. According to Cedric Moela, Mamelodi Sundowns’ Supporter Branch member and the co-ordinator of the weekend games, visit and the games was part of an effort to forge connections between supporter clubs. “We are happy about the support and generosity we got since we came here to Bela Bela,” he said, and added that the visitors have learned many things during their visit. He lauded the town’s friendly reception of the visitors and the general love of soccer in the town, and promised to make time to visit Bela Bela again. The Bela Bela Supporters Branch took the opportunity to revive their local branch.
TK Mashaba On the 15th and 16th of June the Bela Bela community turned out to enjoy a beautiful Youth Day Weekend with the Bela Bela Finest United’s (BBFU) first organized events. According to the organizer of the event, Thabang Sepha, the goal was to promote healthy living, sports activism and social cohesion in Bela Bela, and to offer the local community an innovative stage for social interaction.
“The event was a great success, and we hope all participants and the community at large enjoyed it as much as we did,” he said. He added that he would like to thank everyone who helped to make the weekend a success, including the teams who came from far, to take part in the day. He added that they were planning more such events, with dates to be announced. Freddy Hlungwane, the mayor of Bela Bela, also attended the event.