SARS aims to collect R1.265 trillion
Platinum
Pretoria - With the 2017 tax season in full swing, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) is targeting revenue collection of R1.265 trillion. “SARS wishes to inform the media that the new revenue target for the 2017/18 financial year is R1.265 trillion,” it said on Tuesday. The tax season opened on 1 July 2017 for eFilers, while it opened on Monday for those filing their tax returns at SARS branches. SARS said it does not determine the revenue target but that it is determined by the Revenue Analysis Working Committee (RAWC). The committee comprises National Treasury, the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) and SARS, which analyses and forecasts economic developments. SARS has, for the last two years, broken the trillion rand mark. The preliminary outcome for the 2016/17 financial year was R1.144 trillion. Last year’s tax season saw SARS receive 6.31 million income tax returns. Tax season is the single biggest annual engagement between ordinary citizens and SARS.
Gazette Oy vey!
(A Yiddish phrase expressing dismay or exasperation)
One of the worst month-ends traffic wise in Burgersfort has mercifully passed. Four vehicles in one lane (top), as well as partially in the oncoming lane were normal conduct, while the vehicle in the oncoming lane (bottom) almost killed the editor and his passenger. In the picture left trucks merrily proceeded with their damage of the sidewalk in Calvin Street at a filling station this week. ‘Stukkend’, just as we predicted.
Ohrigstad’s Dutch Reformed Congregation will not have a church fete this year, but a special collection will be held after the annual harvests. The pensioner church members in town said “we don’t harvest, but we can collect money for our church by selling freshly baked pancakes from donated ingrediensts”. The region’s pancake master, Mr Piet Steyn, demonstrates his art with a perfect steaming pancake on an Ohrigstad sidewalk last week Friday.
Fetakgomo Greater Tubatse Burgersfort, Steelpoort, Ohrigstad, Apel
7 Julie 2017
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NEWS
LS Ohrigstad groet juffrou Willemien Mev Willemien Riekert het na 17 jaar diens by Laerskool Ohrigstad besluit om die tuig neer te lê. Sy is verlede week Donderdag met ‘n ligtevliegtuig-vlug oor die dorp en skool getrakteer voordat die skoolhoof, mnr Johan Pieterse, namens die skool ‘n geskenk aan haar oorhandig het. Op haar beurt het die geliefde Afrikaans-onderwyser kolwyntjies aan al die kinders uitgedeel om aan te smul.
Psalm 36:7-9 (NIV) 7 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. 8 They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. 9 For with you is the fountain of life; Photograph taken on the Long Tom Pass in your light we see light. by reader, Mr Loffie van Emmenes.
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AMMSA gives The Association of Mine Managers South Africa (AMMSA), an organisation comprising managers from mines in the Eastern District, donated a total of R135 000 towards various organisations in the Eastern District in June 2017 - Pro Gratia Learning Centre Nelspruit, Entheos Christian School Lydenburg, Laerskool Lydenburg, Feed Your Lambs Soup Kitchen Kellysville, Chief Funwako School Barberton, Relebogile High School Palaborwa and Vet Books for Africa. AMMSA has about 750 members with five different districts. The Eastern District includes mines from Polokwane, Steelpoort, Lydenburg, Barberton, Palaborwa and Evander areas. The funds have been derived from a very successful Golf Day hosted by AMMSA Eastern District held on 30 September 2016. These funds are being distributed to various charity groups/ organisations throughout the Eastern District. Previous donations include Kwokwaneng Mogokane Disabled Group, Feed Your Lamb Soup Kitchen Lydenburg - Johan van Ngwaabe Community Tonder (General Manager Mototolo Mine – AMMSA Home Base Care, EstralMember) & JJ Joubert (General Manager Two Rivers ita School: Institution for Platinum Mine – AMMSA Member) did the handover to Special Needs, Barberton Feed your lamb soup kitchen in Kellysville on 14 June Mines Transformation 2017. Trust, Friend in Need Lydenburg, Wenakker, Lydenburg Rusoord, Bosfontein Primary School, Enkeldoorn Primary School, Kiwi Primary School & Shaga Primary School whom received their donations in 2016. All the organisations thanked AMMSA dearly for the donations and agreed that the Chief Funwako School Barberton - Casper Strydom funds will be used (General Manager Barberton Mines – AMMSA Member) & wisely. (Information Essie Esterhuizen (Manager Human Resources Barber& photographs: ton Mines) did the handover to Chief Funwako School in Amelia van der Barberton on 29 June 2017. Merwe)
Relebogile High School Palaborwa. Expect Ntsepe (Senior Manager Mining, Palabora Mining – AMMSA Member), Sam Ngidi (Manager Mining & Geology, Palabora Mining – AMMSA Member) & Fanie Stander (Manager Mining, Palabora Mining – AMMSA Member) did the handover to Relebogile High School in Palaborwa on 26 June 2017.
Casper Strydom (General Manager Barberton Mines – AMMSA Member) & Essie Esterhuizen (Manager Human Resources Barberton Mines) did the handover to Pro Gratia Learning Centre in Nelspruit on 21 June 2017
Laerskool Lydenburg - Johan van Tonder (General Manager Mototolo Mine – AMMSA Member) & JJ Joubert (General Manager Two Rivers Platinum Mine – AMMSA Member) with Mr Cornelus Lemmer (Principal Laerskool Lydenburg) - handover done on 14 June 2017.
Entheos Christian School Lydenburg. Johan van Tonder (General Manager Mototolo Mine – AMMSA Member) & JJ Joubert (General Manager Two Rivers Platinum Mine – AMMSA Member) did the handover to Entheos Christian School in Lydenburg on 14 June 2017.
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NEWS
Should mathematics be compulsory or not? The Department of Education will embark on a broad consultation process with educationists, assessment experts, higher education institutions, parents and members of the public, on the amendments to the Foundation, Intermediate and Senior Phase promotion requirements. The proposal that will be consulted relating to the Senior Phase, include the following: a) Pass four subjects at 40%, one of which is a Home Language; b) Pass any other four subjects at 30%; and c) Mathematics removed as a compulsory promotion requirement. The above proposal is aligned to the current requirements in the FET band. This process comes after a task team established by the Minister of Education in 2009, to investigate poor curriculum implementation in schools recommended, among other things, changes to the programme and promotion requirements, in the Foundation, Intermediate and Senior Phase. The National Curriculum Statement, Grades R-12 was approved as National Policy and published in the Government Gazette. It contained the new promotion and progression requirements. “The new promotion requirements are not aligned with the National Senior Certificate (NSC) promotion requirements, which is the national benchmark. Hence there is a need to align the promotion requirements across the Foundation, Intermediate and Senior Phase with the FET band,” explained Elijah Mhlanga, a spokesperson for the department. “The Department has been monitoring the implementation of the new requirements in provinces. It was apparent from the 2014 mid-year performance, that the new promotion requirements were adversely affecting the performance of learners at school level”. “At this point this is merely an issue for internal discussion and broader public consultation” Mhlanga added. The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) acknowledged the need to adjust pass rate requirements from time to time, but warned that the effect it will have on pupils aiming to study further must be taken into consideration. Sadtu General Secretary Mugwena Maluleke said that universities felt that many students spend too much time in bridging courses and that schools need to equip pupils to progress to tertiary education without problems. Platinum Gazette asked readers what they think about this issue.
Ms Precious Leklekwala said: “It is not a bad idea. Some children don’t understand maths and if they do this, they won’t need to do it”. Mr Freddy Mabilo said: “The small kids must have maths. They must seriously reconsider not having it as compulsory”.
Mr Sidney Mokoka said: “Maths must be compulsory from grade 1 – 12. If Mr Zemit Mokoena and Mr Felix Mbanyere they don’t have it there will said: “Keep the mathematics as compulso- be trouble. It is ok to lower Mr Tshepo Makgoga said: “It is ry. The pass rate must be high so that the the pass rate. It will be to a terrible thing. They must keep learners are prepared for life”. the kids’ advantage”. maths as compulsory like languages. We should rather push up the pass rate to 50% or so – not lower it”.
Mr D. Mashele, Mr Vincent Mathipa and Mr Hendrick Magabe said: “Don’t lower the pass rate. It must be higher. They should put in more into their school work. These days you find that people are in grade 12 and they cannot speak proper English. Lowering the pass rate will not help. You cannot force someone to do something, so making mathematics optional is good. But mathematics are important – it gives you a brighter future. They must rather train the teachers better to teach the kids in class in an easy and understandable way”.
Mr Stanza Makofane, Mr Simon Simon Kobia and Mr Lucas Pandulua said: “We don’t see a problem to not have mathematics as compulsory. For some kids maths become a barrier. Lowering the pass rate is ok so that they can progress and not drop out because they cannot pass and get too old. Parents and teachers will need to guide them. Some people feel dumb because they don’t do well in maths, but they can be actors or something like that. They do well in school if they stop maths. We should in the end not blame the system”. Mr Thapelo Nkuna and Mr Nkosana Sibande said: “This is not a good idea at all. They have to learn numbers when they are still young. Don’t lower the pass rate. We don’t want mediocre education. Leave it like it is”.
Mr Machona Mmutle and Mr Chris Makhudu said: “Maths is the best subject. If you don’t have maths you are nowhere. Don’t lower the pass rate. If they lower it, passing won’t mean anything”.
Mr Emmanuel Manngo said: “If we want to be like other developing countries, if we want to be known for developing, manufacturing and being ground breaking this is not the way to go. Look at countries like China and South Korea. In Russia the children are busy the whole day, they sleep only a few hours. We will be eating each other soon. This is a mediocre plan”.
Mr Andrias Ramolahloane said: “They are trying to get his country to fall down. Learners can start to Mr Jeffrey Motswiane said: “These choose from grade 8 or 9, but they must have the basics in mathematdays education is having a poor ics. Other countries will look down standard compared to our days. They are paralyzing the children’s on us because of our low pass rate. minds. Now it is easy to pass mat- When I apply to go to New Zealand ric. In my days they said: “Matriek they say that we have too poor education. They must increase our is nie matras nie”. Maar nou kan pass rate to 75%. Our certificates elke man slaag. They must have maths at least until high school as are not worth any credit in Australia compulsory. Maths impact on your or England. Those people won’t even look at us”. future career”.
Ms Rose Mabelane said: “They must keep the mathematics compulsory. Don’t let it go. They should lower the pass rate so that it will be easy and everyone will be happy”.
Mr Knox Marebane said: “Small kids can’t take decisions on choice subjects. They need us to support them and they depend on us. They cannot choose for themselves. Lowering the standard is not advisable. We need quality education and not quantity. To follow many careers the learners will need maths. They are dooming our country with this”.
Mr Shader Manogo said: “It is a bad thing. The quality of education is already poor. If we lower the pass rate our country will suffer. Our workforce needs people with skills. They will struggle at university if it is lowered”.
Mr Andries Mabokwane said: “They must keep maths compulsory. It is good to lower the pass rate”.
Ms Tracy Falala said: “It’s not right. Everyone needs maths. At least the basics and that you get in primary school. If we lower the pass rate we are robbing the education system. We are robbing the kids of their future”.
Mr Ben Langa said: “I don’t support it. They must start mathematics from an early age and then they can choose to continue with it in high school. They should not lower the pass rate. The learners will not measure up later in life if they get it easy when they are young”.
Mr Tshepo Moahlodi said: “If the pass rate goes down, you learn not to achieve. If they take away mathematics as compulsory, the kids won’t be able count and struggle later in life”.
Mr Alpha Laka said: “Maths must be compulsory. They must start at an early age. They must not take down the pass rate. If they do that they are killing education”.
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Borge trek punte vir Wildevy 4x4 Dag
Die Wildevy Manne se harde werk om die 4x4 baan vir die Wildevy 4x4 Gesinsdag op 29 Julie 2017 gereed te kry is reeds sigbaar. Hierdie week is daar bepaal watter borg beman watter punt tydens ‘n trekkings-funksie. Die jaar is Shield Safety by Lemoengooi, Sizonke by Stamp ‘n Paal, McGee’s by Skietloot, Samancor ECM by 4x4 - 1, North Safety by Blinddoek, Obaro 1 by Spoedbaan en Obaro 2 by Visnet, Hendrik’s Panelbeaters beman die Figure 8, Westvaal is by Padsoek, Toyota by 4x4 - 2; MK Africa is by Waterbak. Die borge beplan groot dinge vir die punte en beide deelnemers en besoekers kan uitsien na ‘n dag vol pret!
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3. Dienste/ Services Professional framing for all your special memories and décor items. Small gifts also available in store. Visit Esmé Framers in Steelpoort next to Pick n Pay or contact Esmé on 079 100 9643.
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Platinum Gazette Office - 013 231 7147 Platinum Gazette contact details: Editorial: William Zwart Tel: 083 271 9151 E-mail: editorial@platinumgazette.com Advertising: Beánnla Celliers Tel: 083 543 1676 E-mail: adverts@platinumgazette.com Fax: 086 554 9031/013 231 7147 Postal address: P O Box 2208, Burgersfort, 1150 Website: www.platinumgazette.com Printers: Printed by Lowveld Media, 12 Stinkhout Crescent, Nelspruit. Copyright: All rights concerning any advertisement and / or other material contained in the Platinum Gazette are expressly reserved in terms of Section 12 (7) of the Copyright Act (98 of 1978).
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NEWS
Soccer at Steel Bridge in full swing On Saturday and Sunday last week the Youth Month top 32 Soccer Tournament continued with teams facing off for spots in the next round. The results for the two days’ play were: Bahlakwana FC 4 vs Mohlkodishi FC 2; Madikgwadi FC 4 vs Maredi FD 2; Bakoni FC 4 vs Smodern FC 2; Lavita FC 2 vs Juventus FC 1; Jik United FC 3 vs Tolo Ajax FC 2; Masokolaar FC 4 vs Motlolo FC 3; Shining FC 5 vs Kodi White Doves 4; Mekgolokwane FC 2 vs Underground FC 1. The semi-final fixture for the soccer will be played on 8 July and is as follow: Bahlakwana FC vs Jik United FC at 09:00; Madikgwadi FC vs Mekgolokwane FC at 11:00; Juventus FC vs Masokolaar FC at 13:00; Shining FC vs Bakoni FC at 15:00. The first leg of the netball will be played on 9 July 2017 and the final on 16 July 2017.
Spectators are welcome to come and support the teams. The games are being played on the Ga-Malekane sports ground near Steel Bridge.
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Span daai boog
Die Jagtersvereniging van Suid Afrika se Bosboktak het verlede week Saterdag ‘n Boogskiet Dag by Spekboom Driving Range gehou. Die dag is goed ondersteun en beide ervare en nuwe skuts het deelgeneem.
Die hele gesin kon die dag saam geniet. Daar was ‘n springkasteel vir die kinders en heerlike boereworsrolle is verkoop. Die volgende skietdag vind op 5 Augustus 2017 plaas. Almal word uitgenooi om die dag saam te kom geniet. Die skuts kan hul vernuf kom toets terwyl die familie lekker kuier.
Hengelaars moet dié datums onthou Hengelaars moet solank die volgende datums op hul kalenders uitmerk. Die Longtom Hengelklub bied die volgende geleenthede aan: Hengel fees: 2 September 2017 Kwena Bass Challenge: 23 – 24 Septem-
ber 2017 Kwena Bonanza: 4 – 5 September 2017 Vir navrae oor die kompetisies skakel: Chris Heymans by 079 994 4249 Jaco Beyneveldt by 083 461 2934 Jaco Horn 071 641 6503
Come play this weekend The Hervormde Kerk in Tubatse residence will be hosting their annual golf day on 8 July 2017. Registration will be 07:30 for 08:00 and it will be R1000 for a four ball (R250 per player). The format will be ‘Four ball alliance’, Best Drive - Two best scores count and there will also be a pink ball competition. The pink ball competition will be optional and the pink ball will rotate
between players. The pink ball competition will be R100. Players can enter teams and there is still space for sponsorships on the course and for prizes. To find out more about sponsorship contact Ds Herman Meyer on 082 925 9424 or Karel Hattingh on 072 799 3566. To book your spot on the course for the day contact Martin van Rooyen on 072 564 2811.
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7 JULY 2017 It‛s child‛s play to read your Platinum Gazette online Visit www.platinum gazette.com or subscribe to get it on e-mail by sending us your request to adverts@ platinumgazette. com
Platinum Gazette
SPORT
Busy weekend for Tubatse Masters Playing against Juventus FC and Mashishing Masters On Friday 30 June, Tubatse Masters visited Juventus FC in Ga Madiseng village for a friendly soccer match. Tubatse Masters managed to score three goals through the boots of Tomas Lubisi, Pitso Sehlabela and Given Thabethe. The hosts replied with only one goal. The final score was 3-1 in favour of Tubatse Masters. On Saturday 01 July, Tubatse Masters hosted Mashishing Masters at Segorong soccer ground in Praktiseer for another friendly soccer match. Both teams managed to score a goal and the match ended with a one all draw. Siyabonga Vayeke scored for Tubatse Masters. (Photographs: Suprise Godi and Judas Motswiane. Information: Jerial Mvundlela)
Modikwa cyclists at Selati Big 5 Mtb Race On Saturday, 1 July, members of the Modikwa Cycling Club participated in the annual Selati Big 5 Mtb Race. It was held at the Komatipoort Academy sports field, in Komatipoort. Members chose to do the 45km and 60km routes respectively, although shorter distances were also available. Weather conditions were also very favourable with a nice warm sunny day. It was an excellent day for cycling which was evident by the large number of participants taking part in the event. The routes were fast and flat on well-maintained roads and there were also a few
single track sections. The different routes took riders through sugar cane fields and citrus and banana plantations and at certain sections of the route offered views into the Kruger National Park. The event was well organised, the routes clearly marked with enough water points and it is one of the most enjoyable races to partake in. All Modikwa Club Members finished their respective distances and all were rewarded with a medal. (Information and photograph: Willem Montgomery, Modikwa Platinum MIne)
Darren and Ilse McDonald, Anton, Sanet and Jannie Oosthuizen, Bev and Derek Rieck, Juanita and Helgaard Prins.