MAKE YOUR DREAM A REALITY: STUDY MEDICINE IN CUBA

BEST MQOMBOTHI BREWER CROWNED IN SOWETO

Study medicine in Cuba

Young people who have a dream to study medicine in Cuba can now make it become a reality. The Gauteng Department of Health invites students to apply for the Medicine Bursary Programme 2021/2022 to study in Cuba.

Bursary Application Closing

Date: 25 June 2021

Requirements:

• Applicants must have passed

Matric with minimum medical university entry requirements of level 4 in Physical Science,

Mathematics, Life Sciences (biology), and English. • Applicants must be South

African citizens and permanently residing in Gauteng. • Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 35 years before 31st December 2021, must be medically fit to study medicine.

Applicants can obtain bursary application forms from professionaljobcentre.gpg.gov.za, Gauteng Health Facilities, District Offices, and Gauteng Department of Health Central Office reception.

Two (2) original certified copies, not older than 6 months, of the following documents must be included with the application form: • Curriculum Vitae (CV) • Birth Certificate (the applicant and all dependents of the parents) • Identification document (applicant and parents/guardian) - National Certificate - Proof of income of both parents or guardian – (affidavits for those without proof of income) proof of residence in the form of Municipal utility bill or account – registered in parent or guardian’s name.

Two sentenced for murder and kidnapping

Photo for illustration purposes only

By Samkelo Sibiya

Two men were on Tuesday, May 25 each sentenced to stay behind bars for twenty years for kidnapping and murder.

The two had on June 29, 2018, had an argument with the deceased at Moedi section next to a PUB during the early hours of the morning. They assaulted the victim and one of them drove the victim’s vehicle. The vehicle was later found abandoned in Rabie Ridge with windows smashed after two days. The family started looking for him. A case for kidnapping and assault was opened at Tembisa South.

Thembisa communications officer Captain Manyadza Ralidzhivha said the body of an unknown person was found in the river at Motsu section on July 10 of 2018, Tembisa police opened a case of murder. The case docket was given to Detective Sergeant Malesela Moloantoa for further investigation. “He connected all the dots until the deceased was identified. The suspects were also identified and arrested. The case of kidnapping and assault of Tembisa South was also handed over to him,” said the captain. The case was transferred to Johannesburg high court for trial. The two men were found guilty on May 25. “Thulani Khunou and his friend Teddy Mohlari were both sentenced to five years each for kidnapping and twenty years imprisonment for murder. The sentence on kidnapping will run concurrently with the sentence for murder. Both are to serve twenty years behind bars,” explained captain Ralidzhivha.

Station commander meets the community

by Samkelo Sibiya

Thembisa police station Commander, together with other law enforcement leaders visited the Winnie Mandela zones to discuss ways of minimizing crime in the area.

Pr Councillor, Head of Crime prevention, Sector managers, and members of SAPS had a community crime indaba meeting in Zone 7 and 8. To adhere to the Covid-19 protocols, the community of zone 7 and 8 were invited separately to meetings to keep the attendance at its minimum.

The station Commander presented the scope of crime at the Winnie Mandela zones. The crimes that are giving police sleepless nights are house robberies and business robberies. Most of these crimes are committed during the night. Amongst other crimes committed are carjacking, street armed robberies by people who are driving cars targeting cell phones and domestic violence.

Captain Manyadza Ralidzhivha, Thembisa SAPS Communications officer said the CPF, Pr Councillor, Head Crime prevention also gave a presentation about crime in the area. “The community was also given an opportunity to ask questions. People were having a concern about patrol cars that are not visible at the area especially during the night when it is not safe,” he said.

“They need police to patrol the streets timeously. The other question was about the bail condition of suspects. They are surprised to see arrested suspects back on the streets within days,”

Colonel Makasana Mokoena informed the community that it was not in police’ hands to grant bail, they can only prepare the docket and take them to court, the court is the one that decides about the bail.

Sector Managers appealed to community members to make sure that their house numbers are written properly and visible. It must be in the front of the house for emergency personnel to find the address easily.

The community further highlighted the scourge of domestic violence. They were encouraged to “break the silence”, “do not look away”. Take charge and report it immediately to authorities.

Report crime by calling Thembisa police on 011 926 2970.

Meet the company that installed computers for Zitikeni Secondary

by Dumisani Hlatswayo

Thato Mafora was born and raised in Soweto. As a kid, he preferred fiddling with electronic gadgets to playing, although you would still find him playing TV games. In 1997, after completing his matric he went on to study Geology at the University of Witwatersrand to study Geology.

Unfortunately, Mafora failed the course, until his sister reminded him of his passion for computers and gadgets, just like that he switched from Geology to IT. The rest, they say, is history. Today he is General Manager for Maforite, a level 1 BBB-EE tech company.

“We assist each client with their systems and manage and grow the infrastructure according to their specific needs. We offer professional affordable services and advice, to assist clients with their IT infrastructure. Maforite is a Certified Molex Installer, Fibre Optic Technician, and PV Green Solar Installer, which warrants our dedication of quality of service and support to our clients,” Mafora tells The Olifants News.

His company was appointed to supply and install computers for

Zitikeni Secondary School, also to revamp the class where these computers will be kept, we also installed security features for the safeguarding of the computers.

The event was attended by the matriculants, School Deputy principals, Educators, the GDE officials, the sponsors Giesecke+Devrient, Project Managers BS Vision, TEEC, YEIDI, and ourselves Maforite. According to Mafora, the cost of the entire project was estimated at around 500 thousand rands. Inside the state-of-the-art lab, learners will access 31 desktops and one micro PC for the projector.

“We worked with the local suppliers, where we procured building material, tiles, furniture, steelwork (burglar proofs), aircon, artwork painting, and daily lunch, which exceeded 30% of the contract to boost the local economy.”

“We hope that the Learners embrace this gift, make use of the www to access information, do some research, access computerbased training & online studies, draft their profiles and CVs as it can set them apart from other youth who do not have access to technology,” he said.

PUZZLE SOLUTION FOR ISSUE 37

Ungazibulali Awareness holds its 11th campaign at Rabasotho

Ungazibulali Awareness Campaign is a non-profit Organisation that focuses mainly on mental illness and social issues such as suicide, depression, discrimination against the LGBTQI, people with Albinism as well as Gender-Based Violence. The campaign was founded by Nkululeko Khanyi, a TV personality, motivational speaker, and former victim of depression and two times suicide survivor. They hold campaigns annually, and they had their 11th annual campaign on the 22 of May 2021 at the Rabasotho Community Centre in Thembisa.

We all know of a “bright and beautiful” young lady who died by suicide after mental illness overwhelmed her. A man who took his own life after losing a job. A mother who decided to end her own life after questioning her ability to be a parent.

Some are our family members, friends, or even idols. According to experts, the combination of life stresses, such as South Africa’s high crime rate, difficult financial times, as well as dealing with adolescence, can simply be too much for some people.

“We aim to bring awareness against all the mental issues that are affecting our society. The statistics of suicide are increasing at an alarming rate, while at the same time bullying towards students is adding to these suicide incidents. Covid-19 on the other hand has negatively affected the whole world and this has added to the already present pressure of some households,” said one of the organisers of the campaign, Dr. Lesego Molobela.

She added: “Not only do we focus on the above-mentioned issues, but also assist those destitute families with food parcels, clothing, and blankets. We also worked together with other non-government stakeholders to build a house for the Mthimkhulus, a family of a young girl that was bullied and badly injured in Ulundi, KZN last year.”

Dr. Lesego explained that men grow up being told from an early age that they must be strong. “This is a problem because, unlike women, most of the time men choose to bottle things up and not ask for help because of the stigma that they will get when asking for assistance. This in turn becomes stressful for them which eventually leads to depression and because they have no one to turn to, their only option at that time is to sadly take their own precious lives,” she said.

“Our plea to the people, particularly men, is that you don’t keep problems to yourself. Speak to someone, do not keep problems to yourself, and eventually end up taking your own life or even those of your loved ones. Know that suicide is not an answer nor an Option,” she said.

According to Dr. Lesego, some of the well-known triggers of suicide are “unemployment, divorce, loss of assets or business, unresolved anger, debts, excessive alcohol and substance abuse.