EASTERN FREE STATE
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WEDNESDAY 25 JUNE 2014
SOME of the families who received shacks from the MalutiaPhofung Municipality at Phuthaditjhaba Extension 10 after they were evicted from the Bokamoso informal settle ment which was near the University of the Free State’s Qwaqwa Campus.
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EVEN these oldlooking shacks were built by the local municipality.
Tough times continue
Photos: Tladi Moloi
Sites run out as some take advantage of Bokamoso situation } Tladi Moloi
QWAQWA. – An uncertain future looms for some of the families moved from the Bokamoso informal settlement just outside Qwaqwa over two weeks ago. A lack of sufficient alternative accommodation for all the families moved from the settlement, donations of allegedly expired food and an increase in the number of residents seem to have sealed a miserable winter for the families. On Friday, when Express Eastern Free State visited Extension 10, there were only 28
of the 40 shacks promised by the Maluti-a-Phofung (MAP) Municipality on the site to where the families were to be relocated. An estimated 50 families remain at the Makwane Youth Centre, where the group was temporarily sheltered after being evicted from the settlement opposite the Qwaqwa Campus of the University of the Free State. The Extension 10 sites were allegedly on sale for R10 000 each from the MAP Municipality. Charles Taetsane, MAP municipal manager, confirmed that they would also build shacks for the evictees. The biggest problem for the
municipality now was they did not have any more sites at Extension 10, Taetsane said. Express EFS learnt that the officials for the municipality were planning to allocate the sites to those who are still at the centre, but those sites are not serviced. Taetsane said when the case had started there had been only 100 sites at Bokamoso, but that number stood at 400 by the time the eviction had been done. “Some people were not living there. We know that some of them were in need of the sites and we have identified those people and they will be allocated
sites at Bluegumbosch. We already have mounted 40 shacks there and we are hoping to build more,” he said. He said they were aware that some of the people who had sites at Bokamoso were prominent businesspeople who wanted to build rooms to let to university students. “We urge those people to stay back. They should not take advantage of the circumstances to the detriment of those who are really in need. We would like to apologise where we did wrong. We will take good care of you and respect your rights,” he concluded.
Sisi Ntombela, Free State Social Development MEC, visited the evicted people who were still housed at the fire station last Saturday. Ntombela voiced her displeasure with the living conditions at the station and instructed municipal officials to find an alternative for them. “I was not impressed by what I saw. We took them to the other venue which is better. They will get food daily. They will be here for a week or two while we are working on their sites,” she said. Ntombela urged people to stop allocating sites illegally because it impacted negatively on them.
Visit the Express website www.express-news.co.za for live news-streaming of all the soccer action in Brazil.
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NEWS
Workers asked to be patient } Tladi Moloi BETHLEHEM. – The Dihlabeng Local Municipality’s workers in the Department of Public Works and Community Services have finally received overalls, but they are still not satisfied. When Express Eastern Free State contacted the municipality for comment after breaking the story in the edition of 11 June about the workers who had decided to stay away from work, Tshediso Maitse of the marketing and communication unit at Dihlabeng told the paper that they would make sure they gave the workers overalls before the end of the month. They did exactly that. “I have pointed out before that it was not like we were not doing something about the matter. We were still working on it. We needed quality protective clothing, that is why it took so long,” Maitse said. He said the units these workers operated in were very important.
“They are working hard and we have to make sure that we protect their lives at all costs,” he said. “The municipality is not taking us seriously. “They promised us two pairs of overalls, but they gave us one. They did not even give us working shoes,” a worker, preferring to remain anonymous, said. In response to the anonymous statement, Maitse said some of the items were still coming. “We decided to give them what we have for now, but we hope to give them everything they want before the end of this month as we had promised. They should just be patient,” he pleaded.
DISGRACE: Some of the female workers of the Department of Pub lic Works and Community Servic es of the Dihlabeng Local Munici pality show what work clothing they have to wear. Photo: Tladi Moloi
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NEWS
Youth league elects FS chairperson } Tladi Moloi HARRISMITH. – Makalo Mohale is the new Free State ANC Youth League (ANCYL) chairperson. Mohale, who was the Provincial Task Team (PTT) convenor, was elected chairperson of the provincial league at the Eighth Regional conference of the ANCYL Harrismith on the weekend of 13 June. The three-day conference was hosted at the Platberg Hall in Harrismith and started on the Friday with ANC Free State chairperson and premier Ace Magashule, as well as provincial secretary William Bulwane, in attendance. The elections showed a measure of unity within the league with only the deputy secretary position contested while the rest of the positions went uncontested. Lucas Fitcher and Sonto Motaung contested the deputy secretary position with Motaung emerging victorious in the end. Other elected members were Vusi Khumalo (deputy chairperson), Dikeledi Direko (secretary) and Ntaoleng Mofokeng (treasurer). The majority of those elected was in the PTT and the league is hoping that they would do better as they have managed to unite the branches since they took over. In June 2013 the Limpopo, North-West, the Free State and the Northern Cape youth leagues were disbanded. Mohale said he was happy to be elected and added that he was quite aware of the pressure that went with the position. “The pressure is high because we now have to deliver. Before this we knew our task was to bring stability and to lay a foundation,” he said. He said they would still derive their mandate from their manifesto from the resolutions taken at the Gallagher Estate conference in 2011. “The youth should be assisted with their businesses and get free education at least
TOP THREE: Makalo Mohale (middle) was elected as the new ANC Youth League Free State chairperson recently. He is flanked by his deputy, Vusi Khumalo (left), and Dikeledi Direko (secretary) during the Eighth Regional conference of the ANCYL in Harrismith. Photo: Tladi Moloi
until undergraduate level,” he said. “We had a problem of gate-keeping in the league. People were always complaining. They said they were not given opportunities to move up. We made sure that we open these gates for them. The youth league was not working with the ANC and we made sure that we concentrate on that to make our people aware that this is a youth league of the ANC,” he said. He said they knew that they would always differ from the ANC leaders but that
did not give them a right to provoke the leadership. “We made our youth understand that we would not always agree with our elders. We always run out of patience when things are going slowly and that is our problem. We know that they don’t always make decisions as quickly as we want them to and that causes conflict between us,” Mohale said. Magashule urged the youth to be disciplined and respect other people. “Respect is the most important thing. You have the
power to influence the society. The ANCYL under the leadership of Julius Malema had no discipline. We don’t want that.” Magashule told the youth before the election that they should elect leaders who would represent the province well. “We want the true leaders; those who have emerged out of the struggle. If you don’t have a leader, then you should not elect one. We will watch as other provinces do the work for us at the national conference,” he urged.
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This is how they grow AUTOZONE BETHLEHEM opened on 29 June 2012. This branch has been growing from strength to strength over the past two years. Autozone recently opened two additional branches. The one was opened in Ficksburg on 23 May and the other, in Phuthaditjhaba, was opened on 30 May. “I would like to thank the public for their continuous support the past two years. A special thank you to my team for their loyalty and hard work,” says Charmaine Smit, the branch manager of Autozone Bethlehem, Ficksburg and Phuthaditjhaba.
ABOVE: The Autozone staff in Bethlehem. From the left are Pius Mofokeng, Petrus Mokoena, Chantel Reyneke, Jacob Mokoena, Aleta Mokoena, John Raats, Charmaine Smit, the branch manager of Autozone Bethlehem, Ficksburg and Phuthaditjhaba, and Elke Greyvensteyn.
LEFT: The personnel of Autozone Bethlehem donated 17 blankets to the Phedisang Bana Centre for the Disabled in Bohlokong, Bethlehem, on Friday. Here are from the left Jacob Mokoena, Mamokgele Mokgathi, Petrus Mokoena, Teboho Mofokeng and Pius Mofokeng, handing over the blankets to Lorraine Sebotsa, the founder of the centre. With them are children of the centre. They are from the left Molato Mavuso, Hope Mabula and Katleho Motaung. “I am very proud of my team. They show great compassion in helping the community,” says Charmaine Smit, the branch manager of Autozone Bethlehem, Ficksburg and Phuthaditjhaba. Photo: Tladi Moloi
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THE friendly staff of the newly足launched Autozone store in Ficksburg. They are from the left Francois Viljoen (store manager), Maki Mbele, David Makhathane, Mpho Dhlamini and Kideo Mpharoane.
Photos: Tladi Moloi
New store opens doors LEFT: An outside view of the re足 cently足launched Autozone store in Ficksburg. RIGHT: An inside view of the Au足 tozone store in Ficksburg.
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FROM the left are Thabang Molefe, Gloria Mokhothu, Moses Mofokeng and Arny Chapman, the people who will help you with a smile at the Autozone store in the Mandela Park Shopping Mall in Phuthaditjhaba, Qwaqwa.
Lots of stock in store LEFT: An outside view of the recently launched Autozone store in the Mandela Park Shopping Mall in Phuthaditjhaba, Qwaqwa.
RIGHT: An inside view of the Auto足 zone store in Qwaqwa.
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NEWS
Crèche needs help } Thabisile Dube
THE Setsing Centre manager, Phillip Ngozo (right), with students of the University of the Free State’s Qwaqwa Campus, hawkers and staff members of the university. Photo: Nkareng Moloi
Students unite to clean up
} Nkareng Moloi
QWAQWA. – The Setsing Shopping Centre in Phuthaditjhaba has been known for its dirt and unpleasant smell. Many customers and shop owners are concerned about the conditions at the centre. The hawkers and students of the University of the Free State’s Qwaqwa Campus recently teamed up to clean the centre. The aim was also to keep the
centre clean. Ngokobala Ngozo, the Setsing Centre manager, said it was exciting to witness people going around with plastic bags to clean the town. “That shows how much they care about their lives and environment. “We are pleased to see that there are people who are willing to bring change in our centre. “I am pleading to those who are littering and urinating in the
centre to stop. “There are dustbins and toilets that they can use at the centre,” he said. He further thanked the students who came in numbers to help. Selloane Phoofolo, the University of the Free State’s Qwaqwa Campus social worker, said they were happy to be part of the clean-up campaign. “We are always willing to help where we can. Campaigns like these make us part of the commu-
nity. “Our students surprised us, we expected about 60 students because of the examinations and since some of the students are already on holiday. To our surprise we managed to involve 65 students in this campaign,” said Phoofolo. Phoofolo concluded by saying that it was important to help and that these students were giving back to the community that had raised them.
THE Thembelani Day-Care Centre, a zinc-built crèche situated in the Intabazwe Township of Harrismith, calls on all possible sponsors for help. Built and founded in 2010, the day-care centre, which accommodates 98 learners, has helped the local community for the last three years. However, the journey has been a gruelling one. Learners sleep on the floor and the daily menu isn’t appetising. Although the crèche grows its own vegetables in the back-yard, it still faces a food crisis. Thembeni Dlamini, founder of the centre, told Express Eastern Free State that they needed a food sponsorship. She says she would be indebted to receive any kind of help. “If there are any sponsors out there, please help us with food and sponge mattresses. Most of all, I want to get my own site since I am renting here,” she said. She said she was worried that the owners of the site might claim it back. “What will happen to these kids should that happen?” she asked. When asked about her relentlessness to keep on trying against all odds, Dlamini said she was a selfless person, she cared about the proper well-being of a child. “I am a very sympathetic person, especially when it comes to children. I am happy when a child is taken care of,” she said. ) Dlamini can be contacted on 082-978-7329.
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NEWS
Fun in pyjamas
KIDS and matrons of the Phumelela Day足care Centre at Extension 2 of Bohlokong in Bethlehem were captured on Friday during their pyjama party. The centre is also looking for a teacher. Photo: Tladi Moloi
THE Tshiame Youth Club (TYC) celebrated 16 June in style. The club celebrated the day by hosting the volunteering workshop with about 20 volunteers in attendance. Lekgotla "Fish" Mokoena, the founder of TYC, says the purpose of the workshop was to encourage the youth to invest their time in good things. Photo: Supplied
VUSI DLAMINI (middle), the Dihlabeng youth development officer, poses with some of the youth of Dihlabeng during the Youth Development Opportunity Expo on 16 June, which was held at the new hall in Bohlokong. Photo: Tladi Moloi
FROM LEFT: Tshedi Maleka, Minah Ndambose Mthombeni, Madiepetsane Mahlangu足 Lebesa, Mahadi Mokoena and Lebohang Mokoena in the uniform commemoration.
Photo: Supplied
FROM LEFT, front: Mamoabi Mosikili, Refilwe Mtopo and Malefu Mofokeng; back: Di足 makatso Mpinga, Mamohau Tshabalala, Jabulile Mofokeng, Manana Matoba, Gladys Mokoena and Sindisiwe Moloi, the Goldfields students in a uniform commemorating 16 June at the Tshiya Resource Centre. Photo: Supplied
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SPORT
Queiroz the hot favourite as Bafana coach CARLOS QUEIROZ’S return to Bafana Bafana got a whole lot more realistic after the coach recently said that he would not stay on as Iran’s manager. The 61-year-old is the hot favourite to replace Gordon Igesund, whose contract with the national team was not renewed, and it is believed he already had talks with Safa back in May,
PERSONAL SEVICES
when Iran were in South Africa for a training camp. Queiroz told Portuguese newspaper Publico that financial restrictions had led to his
decision. “Yes, my connection will finish here at the World Cup. There was no support from the government; there is no longer a genuine
interest because of the financial situation. “The dialogue has been cut off and I have already decided not to stay.”
For more sports news and photos go to www.express-news.co.za
GENERAL & HOME SERVICES
“I’ve had an offer to stay in Brazil and in England, but because of circumstances in my private life it is difficult for me to accept a position at a club.” Other candidates for the job include former Zambian coach Herve Renard, national u.20 coach Shakes Mashaba and Nigeria’s Stephen Keshi. – KickOff.com
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New in the league } Tladi Moloi
PAUL ROUX. – Dikoena United FC and Bakenpark United FC will play in the Safa Dihlabeng Mayoral League next season. This was after the two teams won their respective games on Sunday during the Dihlabeng Local Football Association Unit League play-offs at the Paul Roux Stadium. Bakenpark, a team from Bethlehem, beat the Mautse Academy from Rosendal 4-2 on penalties after both teams played to a tight 2-2 draw. Dikoena netted a late goal that led to their victory over Golden Gate Vultures FC by 2-1. This victory got them through to the finals of the play-offs. A win for both teams in their first games had already guaranteed them a place in the league of milk and honey at the amateur level, but the two teams had to lock horns in the final to decide the overall champions of the Unit league. At the end of the day, Bakenpark were crowned the champions after hammering the opponents by 5-2. They walked home with the trophy, gold medals, jerseys and R9 500 cash. The runnersup of Dikoena received silver medals, jerseys and R4 500 in cash. The winners of the Unit league also received R4 500 for winning their respective units. Myrim Humphieys, Bakenpark coach and chairperson, said he was happy with what they had achieved in their first season. The boys showed him from the word go that they were hungry. “I am going to beef up the team, because we are going to a tough league, but I will keep the core of the team, because they worked hard for the promotion. We knew what we wanted and I am happy for the commitment that the players displayed,” he said. Mothe Nzimande, Dikoena head coach, told Express Eastern Free State that over-excitement had killed his players ahead of the final stage of the play-offs. “I am happy that we qualified, but we should have won the finals, if only we had
BATTLE FOR THE BALL: Godfrey Abrahams of Bakenpark United FC in blue and white fight for the ball with the Dikoena United FC duo of Nyefolo Botha and Tae Mokoena during the finals of the Dihlabeng Local Football Association Unit League playoffs. Photo: Tladi Moloi
kept the celebrations for the last minute,” he said. Maseru Mphati, the league chairperson, said Paul Roux was the only Unit which was not represented, because they didn’t have a league. The number of teams in that area was not enough to form a league. “They had less than five teams and this is a small place. We could not run a league with that number, but we are not looking at inviting teams from the nearby farms.” He said they had taken the games to Paul Roux with the hope to build an interest in that community. “We hope they loved what they had witnessed and surely they would soon come asking for a league from the other side,” he said. ) Visit express-news.com to view a Bakenpark United FC player kissing a supporter after scoring from a penalty mark.