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Learner thrashed Handed over to SAPS without consent } Boipelo Mere “HIS fingers were covered in rings, and he had my head in a grip when he started beating me on my back with all his might. “I screamed for mercy while the two girls and a female police officer just stood there watching. “When he threw me to the ground and held me down with his boot, I had no option but to scream that I would pay for the phone.” This was how Kealeboga Mabilo (19) described his alleged assault by a police officer. Mabilo was accused of robbing two girls of a neighbouring school of a cell phone. The girls did not want to open a case of cell phone theft. Upon request for information, the police confirmed the alleged case is under investigation. Mabilo said his school principal had failed him, because he had not tried to protect him from the assault. According to the parents the principal did not deny the reports when they confronted him after the incident. The principal had reportedly fetched Mabilo from his class and then handed him over to the police without the parents’ consent. Mabilo managed to open a case of assault against the officer only the next day after the same police station had allegedly refused to open the case on the day of the assault. The family had to approach the provincial police office for intervention in opening the case. “He even told me to go on
‘Is this how our children are treated at school, when we t h i n k t h ey a re under the pro tection of their teachers?’ – Maggie Mabilo and open a case after assaulting me,” said Mabilo sadly. “Is this how our children are treated at school, when we think they are under the protection of their teachers?” asked Mabilo’s mother, Maggie. “If the principal was too busy to deal with the situation, why did he not ask a class teacher or staff member instead of feeding my son to the dogs?” The Department of Education criticised the behaviour of the principal and stated that he had no right to hand over the learner to the police without consent. Mxolisi Sokatsha, the new MEC for Social Development, is faced with the difficult task of trying to bring to the fore the importance of child protection. ) At the time of going to print the Northern Cape SAPS was still in the process of responding to Express Northern Cape’s enquiry about the incident. The police have confirmed that the assault case is still under investigation.
KEALEBOGA MABILO was left with a bruised body and a tainted image after he had allegedly been assaulted by a police officer after he had been handed over to the police without parental consent. Photo: Boipelo Mere
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THE new MEC for Safety and Liason is Barbara Barttlet.
Mixed reaction to NC MEC’S for next term
THE new MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture is Lebogang Motlhaping, who will be replacing Pauline Williams. Photos: Boipelo Mere
} Boipelo Mere AS EXPECTED Sylvia Lucas, the premier of the Northern Cape, has announced almost the same candidates chosen for the previous term as the members of the provincial committee. Only two new faces were added: Lebogang Motlhaping for Sport, Arts and Culture and Barbara Barttlet for Transport, Safety and Liason. They replace Pauline Williams and Patrick Mabilo, respectively. Prior to the announcement of the MEC’s, there was speculation that the number of portfolios would be reduced from the current ten portfolios to seven. However, the status quo remains.
Norman Shushu, Grizelda Cjiekella-Lecholo, David Rooi, John Block, and Alvin Botes retained their portfolios, while Tiny Chotelo was moved to Environmental Affairs, Mc-Collen (Mac) Jack to Health and Mxolisi Sokatsha to Social Development. The MEC’s were sworn in last Friday at the Northern Cape Legislature. Here the premier promised to strengthen and promote the capacity of all the municipalities in the province. The opposition parties in the province were not impressed with the appointments, especially that of John Block and Alvin Botes. “Premier Sylvia Lucas’s cabinet fails to inspire confidence
that the Northern Cape’s major challenges of unemployment and corruption will be tackled effectively in her second term. “The retention of John Block and Alvin Botes as MEC’s of Finance and Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs respectively, is extremely disappointing, but not unexpected,” the DA said in a statement. John Block and Alvin Botes are at present on trial for fraud and corruption charges in what is known as the Trifecta Trial in the Northern Cape High Court. “Ordinary employees are suspended when they transgress, but Block and Botes
are given another term of office,” continued the statement. The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Northern Cape, on the other hand, congratulated the premier for her visionary leadership and her focus on prioritising the plight of the working class and the poor in pursuit of building a better life for all. Pakes Dikgetsi of the Congress of the People (Cope) congratulated the new MEC’s, but said that there was little capacity to deliver services and it remained to be seen if the province could be lifted out of its high poverty and unemployment levels. The Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) MPL Mmabatho Makause said that the shifting of Sokatsha and replacing him with Mac Jack was a disaster. “Those are not our leaders, we did not vote them in, so we cannot share the same sentiments as them. They should have brought in sober people,” she added. The EFF is concerned that Jack has no credentials and background to save a department in such shambles. According to the EFF, the people of the Northern Cape should expect further damage in the Department of Social Development now that Sokatsha has been shifted to that department. Makause said Sokatsha had already damaged and crippled the health system, now after that, his friends shifted him to another department to do further damage. “The Northern Cape health system is already a joke and people’s lives are at stake. Look at the district departments – strategic positions are led by unqualified people. “We are not congragulating anyone for doing damage to the province,” she concluded.
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SAPS interns receive certificates } Boipelo Mere A TOTAL of 13 interns who had participated in the 2012-’13 South African Police Service (SAPS) Northern Cape Internship Cycle received certificates of completion. The ceremony took place in the provincial commissioner’s boardroom in George Street, Kimberley. The interns were exposed to work experience opportunities in terms of an internship agreement. As part of the learning programme, the interns were also exposed to training and development opportunities, as well as induction and orientation programmes as arranged by the SAPS. During this period, interns were provided with adequate work supervision and they received a stipend. The ceremony was graced by Maj. Gen. Henriette de Waal, the deputy provincial commissioner in the Northern Cape, who delivered the keynote address. De Waal motivated the interns not to stop learning and improving themselves in terms of studying whilst they were searching for employment. She also said the interns had to take advantage of any job opportunities without being selective because any kind of work exposure could help them in their career growth. The SAPS thanked all the interns for their hard work and wished them all the best in their endeavours.
THE Northern Cape interns who received certificates of completion for the 2012’13 cycle from the SAPS.
Photo: Supplied
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Entrepreneur grabs opportunity } Boipelo Mere LARRY PAPERS became tired of moving from one town to another. So, having the experience as an Air Force technician and retail manager, he decided to combine the two and start his own business to help create more jobs in the province. Through his own initiative, he managed to identify the need in his hometown Galashewe, where he was born and bred. His two-month-old Auto Body Worx business, a car parts business, recently caught the attention of panel beaters and car parts companies. He never applied for funding or a loan. He and his partner used their own money and started their company, which is doing so well that they plan on franchising it next year. Papers told Express Northern Cape that they were busy renovating the other side of the building to turn it into a tyre repair workshop. “We were so confident in this dream that we put everything we had into it. Even though some investors had shown interest from the beginning, we decided to build it up from scratch ourselves,” said a proud Papers. Papers said before he had received his first real job at the Air Force, he had a part-time job at the Wookey Store in Galeshewe while he was still a student. “I was deployed to Venda as a soldier and there I really
Workshop held on construction THE South African Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (Saiosh) will present a workshop on the new construction regulations which were promulgated on 14 February this year and will be implemented in August. This workshop will be facilitated by one of South Africa’s leading construction health and safety specialists, Neels Nortjé. He is also the Saiosh national registrar, holds a National Diploma in Safety Management and has more than 27 years’ experience in Occupational Health and Safety. He was appointed by the minister of Labour as a member of the minister’s Advisory Council for OHS (ACOHS) and has been accepted by the SACPCMP. The workshop will be presented on 20 June from 09:00 to 12:00 at the President Hotel, Bloemfontein. It is free for Saiosh members. Non-members pay R525. For more information and bookings go to www.saiosh.co.za.
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BENJAMIN ITUMELENG, Ben Gexo, Larry Papers and Solitaire Papers. missed home. “There I decided to invest in my own town. “I saw the gap in the market
and we realised that there were no shops supplying body parts in Galeshewe and we started the business.
Photo: Boipelo Mere
“Panel beaters order the parts telephonically or online and these are then delivered.” According to him, his decision
to plough back into his province was the right one. “We are looking forward to serving our community and hope they will support us. “There is a real demand for auto parts in our community and it is clear from my online orders. “In the past, panel beaters had to order parts from Bloemfontein, or other provinces and the parts took some time to arrive. “Luckily, we now stock the widest range of parts with the lowest margins. This gives us a heads-up and attracts more business. “We receive more orders from outside the province because of our good-quality replacement parts that we get from Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM).” He pointed out their advantage over their competitors because they used quality equipment that they had bought from suppliers abroad. “We would like to have branches in Kathu and Kuruman in four months from now. Then we’ll move to other provinces like the North-West and Gauteng, where there has already been some interest. “Auto Body Works already created full-time employment for three people, apart from the owners, and we look forward to creating more jobs. “If we don’t invest in our province, who will? “There are opportunities here and all we have to do is to believe in ourselves and make them a reality by also creating jobs and not expecting handouts.”
Girls shown around at SAPS Kby MAJOR GENERAL JEAN ABRAHAMS, the Kimberley cluster commander, took the initiative of hosting the prestigious Cell C Take a Girl Child to Work Campaign. A total of 15 girls of various high schools in and around Kimberley, such as Greenpoint, Floors High, Northern Cape and Technical High, were part of this project. The girls were introduced to various careers that could be pursued in the South African Police Service (SAPS), and could also interact with Maj. Gen. Jean Abrahams who inspired them, emphasising their value and reassuring them that everything was possible through hard work, dedication and passion. The Kimberley SAPS’s Social Crime Prevention Unit, Women’s Network, External Communication and other female leaders also encouraged the girls to pursue their dreams. The learners were taken for a tour through the SAPS 10111 call centre, the Community Service Centre (CSC) and various other units at the SAPS. The Cell C Take a Girl Child to Work Campaign can also be applied as part of the National Child Protection Week which has
A TOTAL of 15 girls of various high schools in and around Kimberley were part of the police’s initiative for the Cell C Take a Girl Child to Work Campaign. With the learners are from the left Const. Lerato Dire, Col Alexia Robertson, Maj. Gen. Jean Abrahams and Const. Santina Gomez. Photo: Supplied been commemorated in South Africa since 1997 to raise awareness for the rights of children, as articulated in the Children’s Act of 2005. The campaign was initiated in
2003. It targets learners in gr. 10 to gr. 12 with the aim of exposing young girls to the world of work and the wide range of career opportunities available to them in the public service and business
world, as well as letting them meet career role models. Safety hints were also shared with the girls during the interaction and they were spoilt with some gifts and treats.
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Ready to serve as members of cabinet
THE NORTHERN CAPE CABINET: From the left are, front: Lebogang Motlhaping, Tiny Chotelo, Norman Shushu, Premier Sylvia Lucas, Barbara Barttlet and Grizelda CjiekellaLecholo; back: McCollen (Mac) Jack, Mxolisi Sokatsha, David Rooi, John Block and Alvin Botes. Photos: Boipelo Mere
MAGARENG girls all colourful. Here are Elizabeth Manopole (left), the mayor of Magareng, and Kgadi Moloi, the execu tive mayor of Frances Baard who hails from Warrenton.
THE working class and learners united in prayer.
Photo: Supplied
Community unite for girls’ release } Boipelo Mere SHOPRITE HOMESTEAD, the Flamingo Primary School and the Department of Education staff members all joined in the plea for the release of the 200 Nigerian girls by Boko Haram. According to the organisers of
the event, this was a sign that the working class and learners would not stop praying for the girls until they were released. In solidarity, the three institutions met and picketed at the main Barkly Road and Seochoareng intersection at lunchtime. Numerous calls were made
around the world, including from organisations like the Women’s Association of the Kimberley, Namibia and Bloemfontein Districts of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, to free the girls and allow them to return to their families as well as the school they attended.
In Boko Haram’s view ”education for girls is a sin”. According to Wandes Swarts, the store manager of Shoprite in Homestead, they are saddened by the kidnapping of the girls, thus they are showing the world that they care. “This can happen to our children too,” she added.
“This does not need to tear my heart apart. In faith we can conquer this evil act by Boko Haram. The girls who are kept hostage are our future mothers, nurses, leaders, presidents,” said Simon Gertz, the organiser of the picketing. Gertz sent out a message to the nation to unite in prayer.
Weighing up their options LEFT: From the left are Amanda Loto li, Wendy Khapa, Damelene Muller and Veronica Moamogwe, who were among the curious learners moving from stall to stall at the ca reer exhibition at Mitah Seperepere from 23 to 25 May. They have not yet decided what they want to be, except for Amanda, who wants to become a professional photographer. They realised that they had only two months to decide.
CAPT. BOITUMELO ANDREW MORATIWA was one of the busi est representatives at the career exhibition. There were many learners who visited this stall on the day.
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Learning about careers
DURING the Department of Education’s threeday career exhibition at the Mitah Seperepere Convention Centre, Rowayne Riedt was amongst the many learners inter ested in Emergency Medical Services (EMS). He was surprised and impressed when Martin Mofokeng informed him that he could test the waters before deciding to become a paramedic. Rowayne realised that community members were unaware that the Department of Health in the pro vince allowed people to do experiential training in ambulances before they decided to go for training. He invited learners to con sider becoming paramedics and informed them of bursaries for courses of six months and longer. He also told Express Northern Cape that there was a high demand for para medics as they were understaffed. Photo: Boipelo Mere
SIBONGILE TYHOKO
Photo: Supplied
Sibongile packs a punch SIBONGILE TYHOKO (18), a learner of the Tetlanyo High School in Galeshewe, has been chosen as this month’s Express Northern Cape SuperSport Let’s Play Sports Star of the Month for her excellent performance in boxing. Sibongile started boxing when she was 16 and has since developed her boxing skills. In 2013 she took part in the National Junior and Youth Boxing Tournament held in Bethlehem and achieved a second place (silver medal). Earlier this year she took part in the National Junior and Youth Boxing Tournament held in Pretoria and was crowned the youth champion in the 69 kg boxing division. She was presented with a gold medal by the Northern Cape Open Boxing Organisation (NCOBO) president, Archie Jack, during her school’s assembly. She aspires to become a national boxer and to represent South Africa at international level. She also wants to be a mentor in order to develop other boxers and help them achieve their goals. Her coach, R. Mothobi, said: “As the coach of the Freedom Boxing Club, I noticed Sibongile as a distinguished and determined boxer who also spars with the male boxers. She has developed and polished her boxing skills through hard, persistent training techniques which she is able to apply successfully in the ring against her opponent. “Through continuous encouragement and support, she will be able to achieve her highest ambitions in boxing. She is a shining star to her peers and the province. Although she likes boxing, I always encourage my boxers not to neglect their school work and I help where I can.” ) Send your SuperSport Let’s Play Sports Star of the Month nomination for school learners between the ages of 6 and 18 today (nominations received before the 20th of each month will be included in that month’s selection). You can email your nomination to supersport@zpr.co.za or fax it to 086-552-4922. For more information, please call Lynne or Juanré of Z PR on 051-522-9574.
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Trust boosts disabled locals
} Boipelo Mere
DISABLED communities in the Northern Cape will benefit from more than R2,5 million in investments and donations by the Sishen Iron Ore Company Community Development Trust (SIOC-cdt). The management of the projects will be done through the Maphalane Disabled Children’s Trust (MDCT), a beneficiary trust of the SIOC-cdt, dedicated to working with organisations and institutions by looking after the interests of people with disabilities. The funding is expected to enable people with disabilities to reach their full potential and make productive contributions to the broader society. Vusani Malie, the CEO of the SIOC-cdt, said they were confident that the projects would address the removal of barriers which were preventing people with disabilities from reaching their full potential and making productive contributions to their broader society. An amount of R1,3 million has been allocated to the Kgomotsego Old-Age Home in Kuruman for the construction of facilities including renovations, the rebuilding of the garage, kitchen and lapa which are in dire need of refurbishing because it is old and not safe. The trust’s funding will also provide a vehicle which will enable staff to transport residents between the home and other facilities such as clinics and hospitals. A contribution was also made to the Northern Cape Association for Persons with Disabilities. “The association makes a sterling contribution towards all sectors of the disabled community, from children, to the youth, to women and men and the elderly,” said Malie. Part of the donation will be used to provide accessible transport to improve the
mobility of people with disabilities and enable them to play a more independent role within society. Among the primary beneficiaries will be the people involved with the Bokamosho Vocational Centre where there will now be transport available to ferry them between their homes and the workshop on a daily basis. The trust will also contribute more than R230 000 to the Helen Bishop Orthopaedic Home in Kimberley. It is one of the few facilities in the Northern Cape that provides residential care for children with severe disabilities. This funding will ensure that the home continues to provide high-quality care and education services to children who are in dire need of support and will ensure that their rights to receive the best possible care, treatment and rehabilitation are realised. The Disabled Children’s Action Group will also receive a contribution of R473 000. This funding will provide for office equipment for the group’s Northern Cape structure as well as stipends for field workers over the next three years. “It is of vital importance that parents are well aware of the rights of their children, but also know where and how to access information, advice, support and public services. “We fully support the objectives to establish fully functional offices of the Disabled Children’s Action Group in all the regions of the Northern Cape and trust that this contribution will help to assist this process.” Malie paid tribute to staff members of facilities looking after the interests of the disabled communities in the Northern Cape. He acknowledged that their (SIOC-cdt) visit to the various projects had served as a strong reminder of the immense contribution made by field workers, specialists and large numbers of volunteers to ensure high levels of care for people with disabilities.
AT the collective handover to the Helen Bishop Home and APD Upington and Kimberley were from the left, front: Nelson Mosiapoa, chairperson: MDCT, handing over the cheque to Reza Moolman (far right), the provincial manager for the disabled at the Department of Social Development, back: Reuben Matlala, project director: SiocCdt, Cecilia Lobelo, DICAG representative, Bontle Wildebees, CEO of MDCT, and Mantwa Makoti. Photos: Supplied
A VEHICLE was handed over to the Kgomotsego OldAge Centre. From the left are Bontle Wildebees, CEO of the Maphalane Disabled Children’s Trust, Reuben Matlala, handing over the vehicle, and Sr Grace Francisca of the Kgomotsego OldAge Home.
Elderly month celebrated THE speaker of Sol Plaatje Municipality, Mangaliso Matika (middle), closed his month programme for the elderly by joining two grannies who celebrated their birthdays. During this month the elderly were given the attention that they need. Virginia Mancwe (left) turned 100 and Lettie Louw (right) turned 96. They are both from Seochoareng Old Age Home. Thanking the elders for being there for the youth of today, Matika saw it fit to address issues of the elders’ safe ty and promised to make time to visit such homes at least once a month. He also promised that his office will observe May to “celebrate the elderly in our com munities”. Photo: Supplied
Stokvels for many a simple way to save } Boipelo Mere IT has almost been four years since Faith Morolong from Galeshewe joined a stokvel in her neighbourhood. At first she was skeptic about stokvels or societies, as they are known in South Africa. She badly wanted to save for Christmas groceries and school funds. Previously, like many people, she would go to the bank for loans to augment what little money she had for Christmas and the school’s opening in January. Meanwhile, at a house a stone’s throw away from her home, about 20 people will meet for three days around the 15th of December to share a heap of groceries. First they would share frozen food, two slaughtered sheep each, then they share groceries before they finally have a party after each of them has received an SMS notice on their cell phones to confirm that R10 000 has been deposited in their account from their society’s bank account.
This is the end result of 12 months of hard work by these women who each contributed and saved R1 000 a month. This money is also used to help those members with an emergency need for money and the money is paid back with interest. Their target is to ensure that by the end of the year each member has raised R20 000 of which R10 000 is deposited to members’ accounts and the other R10 000 is combined with those of others to buy groceries. Faith Morolong swallowed her pride and finally joined the society as soon as a space became available for one person to join. There are more than 30 such societies in Galeshewe and thousands more in the country. According to Jana Modise, who is the treasurer of a local society that consists of more than 30 people, belonging to a society is easier than saving at a bank. “Most of the people are afraid of bank
charges. “At least seven of our members cannot read, thus they feel it is safe to save their money at a stokvel because we, the executive members, can explain the procedures to them on their level. “When they borrow money from the stokvel, it is a transparent procedure, where every member is present,” she explained. According to research, stokvels in South Africa are estimated to be worth about R25 billion and to have about 8,6 million members. A survey on the huge informal savings market has found that no formal relationship has been established between the banking industry and stokvels, but the managing director of the Banking Association of South Africa, Cas Coovadia, said this was something the association was looking at. Stokvels relate to banks and insurance companies in a relationship that is skewed
in favour of the dominant players. Reports further state that stokvels are unable to use their considerable funds to develop into viable community-based financial and investment enterprises through which banking and insurance products could be distributed. The reasons for this underdevelopment vary. The informal nature of their membership means that stokvels are poorly governed, the cash reserves and financial asset base of stokvels are generally low because of poorly-determined benefits. Appetite among members to venture into formal business or banking activities is poor and they tend to use their savings mainly to finance household consumables and durables – as opposed to using the funds for investment. ) Send your opinion to the Express website and tell us how stokvels have improved or worsened your life. Go to www.expressnews.co.za or visit our Facebook page.
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THE Kumba Iron Ore teams and management that attended InterMines Group Associated Sports tournament for 2014.
Photos: Supplied
Kumba shines at mines tournament
THE 20th Inter-Mines Group Associated Sports (IMGAS) Tournament, wherein six mining-related training institutes took part, was hosted by the Anglo American division Kumba Iron Ore at Konka in Rustenburg in May. The participating mining institutes were Samancor, Sasol, Anglo American Platinum, Artisan Training Institute, Sibanye Gold and Kumba. Kumba did exceptionally well this year by taking top honours in the netball final against Sibanye Gold, in the rugby finals against Sasol and in the soccer against Amplats. On individual level Kekana Raisibe of Amplats was identified as best netball player of the tournament, T. Makawa of Sibanye Gold as the best soccer player of the tournament and J. Zwiegelaar of Kumba Iron Ore as best rugby player of the tournament. The tournament, much like South Africa’s new democracy, celebrated its 20th anniversary this year and was underpinned by a sense of unity and celebration. The main objective of this five-day sporting event for first-time learners is to ensure the growth and development of leadership through sport within the mining and related industries. The tournament promotes good fellowship among participants who come from a variety of backgrounds and provides an opportunity for participants to play against fellow learners they might not otherwise have met. Speaking at the event, chairman of IMGAS, Douw Ramdharee, said the tournament had one common purpose and that was to develop, empower and unite learners through sport over the last 20 years. “Sport has the power to teach us important life lessons about courage and determination, to do the right thing and be mindful of the rules that govern us. Sport also teaches us how to exhibit fairness and to sometimes gracefully accept negative results. “Finally, it teaches us to attempt difficult challenges that are worthwhile,” said Ramdharee. Kumba continuously strives to form healthy and sustainable partnerships that are mutually beneficial to all stakeholders. “We are proud to have hosted our
BEN DIEDERICHS, Imgas president, Mashilo Mokotong, manager: Sustainable Develop ment at Kumba Iron Ore’s Sishen Mine, Greg Jennings, manager: Sport and Recreation: Sishen Mine, and Douw Ramdharee, Imgas chairperson.
‘Sport has the power to teach us important life les sons about courage and de termination, to do the right thing and be mindful of the rules that govern us. Sport also teaches us how to ex hibit fairness and to some times gracefully accept ne gative results.’ – Douw Ram dharee, IMGAS chairman partners in the industry as well as this successful tournament. “I would like to congratulate all the teams, the learners and the participants for making this event a huge success. “In particular I would like to celebrate the achievements of all the winning teams at this year’s tournament and hope that we can build on these successes for next year,” says Mashilo Mokotong, manager: Sustainable Development at Kumba Iron Ore’s Sishen Mine.