Platinum
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Youth Month soccer games in full swing - page 8
Local media received this ‘Urgent Media Alert’ from the Office of the Executive Mayor of Sekhukhune District on Wednesday this week: RE: DE HOOP DAM THREATENED. “Communities bordering Tubatse River in the Steelpoort area are facing imminent danger of flooding. This follows after the community of Maseven Village forced De Hoop Dam management to open three flood gate (sic) resulting in overflow of Tubatse River. The community of Maseven is protesting against shortages of drinking water, while the nearby De Hoop Dam is nearly full and not benefiting them. Spokesperson for the Sekhukhune District Municipality (Mr Willy Mosoma) said communities under imminent threat are in the main those of Kutullo village, where residents and school kids are crossing a makeshift bridge to nearby Ga - Malekane village for schooling and other commitments. Executive mayor Cllr Keamotseng Stanley Ramaila has dispatched an intervention team led by MMC for Infrustracture Cllr Mbuzi Mahlangu to negotiate with proterstors so that they can stop the forcefull release of water from the dam. In the main, this action by the community is resulting in the losing of millions of litres of water while the District is faced with the challenge of serious water shortage, which can cause distraction to the dam itself and harm nearby communities”.
Waters of contention
Maseven is a village connected to Ngwaabe by a tarred road, but the road connecting the village with the R555 has never been completed (it dead ends against the fence of a vegetable garden), while a bridge in the village connecting the two pieces of tarred road in the village has also never been built (see image of page 2 of Platinum Gazette of 17 February this year). As Kutullo is mentioned in the media alert. Problems in this village (water and electricity) had been highlighted on the front page of Platinum Gazette on 12 May 2017. The newspaper’s reporter visited the Tubatse / Steelpoort River at Praktiseer after receiving the media alert on Wednesday afternoon to see if there was a significant change in the water level resulting from the open sluice gates 50 km upstream. At that stage no significant rise in level was detected by people who were also fetching water from the river because of the water shortages in Praktiseer … President Jacob Zuma officially opened the R3-billion, 347-million cubic metre De Hoop Dam in March 2014. Built on the Steelpoort / Tubatse River, with a wall approximately 1 015 metres long and 81 metres high, the De Hoop Dam is the 13th largest dam in South Africa and one of the largest to be built in the country in the last 20 years. It is also one of the projects falling under the Presidential Infrastructure Coordination Commission, established by Zuma in 2012 to coordinate and fast-track infrastructure projects in the country. Zuma said that the dam would be used for two primary purposes. “The first is to supply water to the towns, industries and poorly serviced rural communities in the Sekhukhune, Waterberg, and Capricorn Districts of the Limpopo province. Secondly, the dam will supply water to the mines in order to help unlock vast mineral deposits, mainly in the form of platinum group metals found in the region. The dam will therefore be a catalyst for both social and economic development for this region.” Earlier this week the dam was 100.1 percent full.
Fetakgomo Greater Tubatse Burgersfort, Steelpoort, Ohrigstad, Apel
16 Junie 2017
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Top: Kutullo / Matepe’s main water source in May this year. Left: Platinum Gazette’s page 2 of 17 February 2017 - picture depicting Maseven’s ‘bridge’. Bottom: Near Praktiseer on Wednesday afternoon.
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The 2017 Sekhukhune Youth Opportunities Expo that was held last week Friday, proved to be a huge success and bigger and better than that of the previous year. Executive Mayor of Sekhukhune District Municipality, Cllr Keamotseng Stanley Ramaila told delegates and dignitaries at the Thaba Moshate Casiono and Convetion Centre in Burgersfort that Sekhukhune District Municipality has established the Sekhukhune Youth Opportunities Expo in 2015 with a vision to consolidate all youth empowerment and development initiatives into a high impact and multifaceted opportunities platform that comprehensively enable the youth to tackle the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality. He said Sekhukhune District Municipality will continue to use the expo as the medium, moment and market for beneficial interface between the youth and diverse opportunity providers. He said the government has Youth Opportunities Expo as a platform to empower, promote and inspire the youth to play a meaningful role in the development of the District. The Expo is a unique and practically beneficial event medium based on the optimal use of government-wide and private sector partnerships as its foundation telling the youths “ We assembled you here today as a reminder that every generation has its own revolutionary mission to fulfil, and ours is the radical economic and agrarian transformation of the economic landscape of Sekhukhuneland. Today serves as a reminder that young people in the country were at the forefront of our struggle. It also provide us with an opportunity to take stock of the strides we have made in addressing issues facing the youth,” adding that we invited you to this 3rd instalment of the annual Sekhukhune Youth Opportunities Expo under the theme “The Year of OR Tambo: Engaging the youth in radical economic transformation”. The theme for this year’s commemoration is dedicated to OR Tambo as it coincides with the celebration of the centenary of his birth. OR Tambo is the late former President of the African National Congress and one of the key founding fathers of South Africa’s liberation and constitutional democracy. We are saying that all communities must ensure that young people finish secondary school and gain the necessary skills to grow our country. The youth of 1976 fought for equal and quality education for all; let’s educate our young people to honour their legacy. Technical Vocational Education and Training colleges deliver skills and training that are essential to addressing the skills gap in our economy. The National Development Plan singles out our youthful population as an opportunity to boost economic growth, increase employ-
NEWS
ment and reduce poverty. Government and the private sector has established a fund for Small Business Support, with equal contributions from both partners. It provides “venture” capital-type funding and mentoring to target groups, especially black entrepreneurs. Government through the Department of Human Settlements has ushered a new dawn to radical economic transformation through a number of programmes and initiatives to empower the youth such as skills transfer in the application of housing technology and the national youth service. Various learnerships and internships focused on raising the skills capacity of young people are offered through Sector Education and Training Authorities. The National Rural Youth Service Corps programme aims to enhance skills development by providing unemployed youth in the rural areas with opportunities to work in their communities and to be trained to provide the necessary services for local socio-economic development. The youth must protect OR Tambo’s legacy. Let us use the Youth Month to honour the sacrifices and contributions of OR Tambo towards a free, non-racial and democratic South Africa. We should also learn more about the immense sacrifices our struggle icons made to be where we are today. The youth need to work together with government to create the country OR Tambo envisaged. The youth have to play an active role in their communities in improving people’s lives and making sure the economy works for everyone”. Talking about the local economy Mayor Ramaila said “The Fetakgomo Greater Tubatse Local Municipality alone is reported to have more than 30 mines which are currently in operation. And our mines are one of the biggest contributors in job creation and socio-economic growth of our district. It can not be true that our communities are still lanquishing in the pool of poverty, unemployment and inequality, when all the mines have approved Social Labour Plans. We need to embrace the 70% procurement policy that governs our mines. We need to develop the communities we mine at by assisting government with infrastructure development projects. We need to embark on skills development projects so as to benefit our communities particularly women and youth with employment”. He added that the Sekhukhune District Municipality is bringing in the Sekhukhune Development Agency to assist government in leveraging opportunities that exist in mining, agriculture and tourism, which are the district’s three key economic factors. The SDA is a special purpose vehicle of the district municipality to propel development.
16 JUNE 2017
Huge turnout at 2017 Youth Expo Photographs: Facebook - Sekhukhune District Municipality
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Underlying trends not looking good “The positive seasonal contribution of mining to the economy masks the current precarious position of the South African mining sector,” says Chamber of Mines Chief Economist, Henk Langenhoven. “The sector’s performance during the first quarter of 2017 was slightly better than the first quarter of 2016, hence the seasonality of the data pointing to an annualised 12.8% improvement. Digging deeper into these numbers reveals very concerning trends, however.” On the face of it, positive international macro-economic trends over the last few months (or even the last year) should have had a positive outcome for the mining sector. The global economy seems to be on the mend, albeit slowly. Commodity prices seemed to have bottomed out and some have started to improve. The rand commodity price index improved by over 20% during the first quarter of 2017. Based on these drivers: · Sales (exports) of South African commodities should have continued to rise, even if only in ‘landed’ rand terms (when the interplay with the exchange rate is taken into account). · Profits should
have started to improve from the very low base (2015 returned losses of nearly R40 billion for the sector). And, based on Stats SA’s fourth quarter financial surveys, they did. · Increased production should have followed, given better prices, even if only on the back of the low value of the rand. Mining production improved by nearly 6% during the first quarter of 2017, and was fairly widespread across the different minerals. But, employment numbers are not improving, and we know that virtually no new investment is taking place. In fact, 2016 gross and net fixed investment showed strong declines. So the potential positive impact of mining improvements on the economy have not materialised. “Digging deeper into the numbers reveals a desperate situation: The annualised 12.8% growth figure published derives from a quarter 1 2017 improvement of 3% on quarter 4, 2016 - which is a 4.5% improvement on the first quarter 2016. (The 3% quarter on quarter improvement would yield 12% growth over 12 months.) Looking at the actual (nominal) numbers, a completely different picture emerges. Quarter-on-quarter value-add by mining declined by 16% or R13.5 billion. Again, these numbers are easily explained.” The contribution of a sector Cattle roaming to the economy (in effect, into town is still the value-add) is made up a big problem. of: This bull snack· compensation to employing on an ivy ees (salaries and wages), branch was the · profits (net operating sight that greetsurplus); and ed the editor · allowances for deprein his driveway ciation (consumption of this week. The capital). bull stubborn“Owing to the massive ly refused to numbers of jobs lost budge before between 2012 and 2016 the approaching – around 70,000 - the vehicle. Motorcost of employment is ists should be declining; during the first careful, espequarter 2017 it decreased cially at night as by 13% or R5,124 billion cattle roam the on the last quarter of 2016. town’s streets This explains 38% of the and gardens in value-add shrinkage. Gross search of green operating surplus (which grass and tasty includes depreciation) declined over the same period garden plants. by 18% or R8,456 billion.
Still a problem
The latter explains the 62% fall in value-add. “Furthermore, we can assume that there was virtually no net investment in the first quarter of 2017, so the 18% decline actually represents an 18% drop in profits. When this number is superimposed on the historically reported profits in the quarterly financial surveys, the long-term trend of profitability falls back to the average of the last 10 years, indicating that mining is simply not recovering. At current prices, more than 60% of our platinum sector is loss-making. “The data released by Statistics South Africa on the value added by the mining sector to the SA economy mainly reflects the seasonally better performance in the first quarter of 2017. The actual (nominal) numbers tell a different story of a sector shedding many jobs (albeit at a lower rate than at the beginning of 2015), gross oper-
ating surpluses dropping even faster and no fixed investment, on the back of lower export earnings from commodity sales and increased costs threatening survival of the sector. If Eskom is granted a near 20% tariff increase as per its recent application, it will push input costs up by as much as 4 percentage points for some mines. This could prove to be the proverbial ‘straw that breaks the camel’s back’. “Sadly, all indications are that this recession is of South Africa’s own making. Even the correlation between South Africa’s downgrades and the government’s debt-to-GDP ratios testify to the broader truth of this statement. Continued mining policy uncertainty and allegations of regulatory malfeasances within the minerals regulatory authority will continue to undermine recovery.”
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16 JUNE 2017
Mental health awareness in focus at Ga-Masha
warsrivier Chrome Mine (DCM) sponsored a Mental Health Awareness Campaign at Ga-Masha village this week Wednesday, 14 June 2017. The campaign with the theme “Let’s Talk” focused the spotlight on mental health awareness, but also gave community members the opportunity to get themselves tested on a variety of health issues. Tests for HIV, blood
glucose, blood pressure and even a facility to have pap smears done were set up to serve the community on the day. Partners for the day included the Department of Health and Social Development, Tradi onal Authori es, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Department of Jus ce, Youth Against Crime, the Tradi onal Healers’ Organisa on, Rehopoth, Home Based Carers, and a local psychologist. They delivered
messages of support. During the programme the defini on, causes, signs and symptoms and management of mental health were presented. Mental health takes on many forms and is one of the illnesses that is o en treated with prejudice and is being from public view. Depression is one of the major mental illnesses that touches a large por on of the popula on, yet it o en go untreated in a culture where people are taught to be ‘strong’. O en untreated mental illness can lead to suicide as people suffering from the illness become isolated and feel that there is no hope. One of the messages of the day was that
there is always hope and help. Special pamphlets with informa on and where to get help for mental health problems were also distributed. A er comple ng the health tests within the DCM Community Health Campaign gazebos, community members received a special commemora ve coffee mug. Ms. Tsakani Mkhabela from DCM delivered a special message to the community. She encouraged them to talk about mental health issues. DCM recognises that communi es can only thrive in a healthy environment, and acceptance and assistance for health problems is an essen al part of a healthy community. DCM’s involvement reaches far within the Ngwaabe area with them having completed a Home Based Care building for the community last year. Regular health awareness campaigns are part of DCM’s involvement in the area. The day’s serious subject ma er was lightened with performances by local ar sts.
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Your plans for Youth Day 2017 On 16 June South Africans enjoy Youth Day as a public holiday. This day commemorates the 1976 Sharpville uprising in which students protested against Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in schools and some were injured and even died during the protests. In the Burgersfort and Steelpoort area people will be doing a variety of things in honour of Youth Day. One such example is at Ntabane Secondary School where both the teachers and the Grade 12 learners will be going to school as if it was a normal day. After the school hours they will join together to reflect on Youth Day and celebrate together. Platinum Gazette asked readers what they will be doing on Youth Day and if it has any meaning to them.
Mr Judas Malatji said: “I will be at home with my family. We will also reflect on why we have Youth Day because of what happened on 16 June 1976. We will encourage the youth to focus on their studies and appreciate what we have now”. Left: Mr Dumisani Maphanga said: “I will be with my friends and girlfriend. I think people should rather commemorate than celebrate Youth Day because 16 June 1976 was a cruel day”.
Mr Tebogo Phala said: “I’ll stay at home and take care of the baby because I’ll be off. She is now only 5 months old, but when she is older I’ll tell her why we have June 16 as a public holiday”.
Mr Petogo Malepe said: “We will be working on Youth Day. I have no plans for the rest of the day”.
Grade 12 learners from Sedibeng High School, Thapelo Kgoete, Thapelo Mabilo, Karabo Shayi and Kabelo Molobela said: “We will be at school. The youth of today is thankful for what the youth of 1976 did. We have a lot because of them”.
Ms Elsie Mohlala said: “I’ll be working until 16:00 but after that I’ll be celebrating the day by wearing my old school uniform and cooking some nice food”.
Ms Philis Mathebula and Ms Success Mamogale are friends who will be doing different activities for Youth Day. Philis said: “I will be at church. We have an annual ceremony focused on the youth where we get and older person to come and talk to us and give us advice. As the youth when spend time together and do things”. Success said: “I’ll be working until 13:00 and then watch the movie about the history of Youth Day that will be on TV”. Left: Ms Mahlodi Motlatla and Ms Mapuwe Maluka said: “We will be at work at Dilokong Hospital. Youth Day is just like any other day, we don’t really celebrate it anymore. To us it will be just a normal day”.
Mr Andrew Mabuza said: “I’ll just be relaxing and having a braai. We will talk about 16 June and why we have it around the braai with the family”.
Mr Sammy Mnisi said: “I am a motivational speaker and I’ll be giving a talk on Tubatse FM at 07:00 on Youth Day. I’ll be giving the youth some motivation and warn them to stay away from drugs and alcohol. They should know that education is important”.
Ms Snowy Mamshie and Ms Seboye Matlou said: “We will be working, but before we start working we’ll wear our old school uniforms and play games, acting like we are in school. After work we’ll go out to eat at Spur and drink some booze with friends or go home”.
Right: Mr Thabang Makhubedu, Mr Godwill Phakane, Mr Siyabonga Mgoqi, Mr Boitumelo Kgweodi and Ms Tiny Makofane are co-workers at Sneakers Edition Tubatse Crossing Mall. Thabang said: “I will be wearing my old school uniform and we’ve already arranged that we will be going to the school in Alverton to volunteer to paint it to celebrate Youth Day”. Godwill said: “I’ll also wear my old school uniform and parade around to celebrate Youth Day. I’ll be with my family and all of them will be wearing their school uniforms as well”. Siyabonga said: “I will wear my old school uniform and go around Bothashoek to tell the youth what Youth Day is about. The youth is boozing too much and I’ll be telling them to focus on their education and stop drinking and doing drugs”. Boitumelo said: “My neighbours are not from South Africa. I’ll be spending time with them to explain what Youth Day is about and who the struggle heroes were”. Tiny said: “I’ll spend time at work, but then at home I’ll celebrate with my family by cooking some nice food. I’ll also pray to God to protect the youth because most young people are suffering”.
Mr Campbell Selepe said: “I just want to spend time with the family at home. I’ll talk to the family about what happened in 1976”.
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Walking away with a R500 voucher
Romans 6:4 (NIV) 4
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Magaba Filling Station in Burgersfort has a monthly lucky draw competition. Customers spending R250 or more can enter the competition and stand a chance to win a R500 voucher to shop at Magaba or Steers at Magaba. The lucky winner for May was Ms. Hellen Makunyane. Mr Carl Lourens from Magaba Filling Station handed her the voucher this week.
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Place your small advertisement via e-mail or fax or contact Beánnla Celliers on 083 543 1676 or 083 271 9151. E-mail: adverts@platinumgazette.com • Fax: 086 554 9031
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sonal 7. Allerlei/ Miscellaneous 8. Finansies/ Financial 9. Te Huur/To Rent 10. Te Koop/For sale 11. Birthdays/ Verjaarsdae
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2. Betrekkings/ Vacancies PSIRA Security officers (male), reaction officers(drivers license & firearm competency required), office controller & alarm technician required at KHADIMA SECURITY SERVICES.Submit cvs at Burgersfort office, old Burgersfort Toyota, Marone Street. Contact 013 2318026 (08.00am - 17.00pm)
3. Dienste/ Services
10. Te Koop/ For Sale
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.
PRET LIQUOR SPORTS BAR AND BOTTLE STORE FOR SALE. Contact owners on: 074 565 6231 or 071 410 1664.
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Get your hard copy of the newspaper here: * A1 Food Store Twin City * Bronrich Slaghuis * Tubatse Build It * Vyfster Slaghuis
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Contact her on 013 231 7147 / 083 543 1676 or adverts@platinumgazette.com (Advertising deadline - every Tuesday at 17:00.)
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).
16 JUNIE 2017
Comrades Underprivileged Runners Project benefits goes further than race weekend The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) officially handed over much needed mattresses, blankets and food products from its Old Mutual Comrades Underprivileged Runners Project to non-profit organisations this week. Among those who benefitted were several community based projects and NGO’s focused on socio-economic upliftment and early childhood development. CMA Vice Chairperson, Cheryl Winn, who also oversees the CMA’s Official Charities Committee said, “Every year, the CMA donates all of its used mattresses, blankets and food that are left over from the Underprivileged Runners Village project hosted over the Comrades weekend.” Winn said, “This year we accommodated about 500 runners at the Old Mutual Comrades Underprivileged Runners Project at the YMCA in Pietermaritzburg, providing shelter and sustenance to enable them to participate in The Ultimate Human Race. Together with the assistance of volunteers from the Pietermaritzburg Community Chest, fresh and hearty meals were prepared for the runners over the course of their stay at the runners’ village.” 800 mattresses and blankets were provisionally allocated to the project. Of these, 400 were handed over to the Community Chest to donate to schools, créches and homes for children in need. The remaining 400 mattresses will be donated to similar projects in and around Pietermaritzburg. Winn tells us that nearly 50 stretcher beds which were used in the Comrades Medical Tent were also donated to the Community Chest earlier this week. These will be donated to crèches around KwaZulu-Natal, where they will reportedly be used in the sick bay facilities of the respective beneficiary organisations.
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Tubatse Masters vs Mashemong Masters On 11 June 2017, Tubatse Masters visited Mashemong Masters for a friendly soccer match in Praktiseer. The day’s game went to Tubatse Masters who won 2-1. Pitso Sehlabela and Mersi malatjie scored for Tubatse Masters.
Skryf nou in vir die Wildevy 4x4 Gesinsdag Die Wildevy 4x4 Gesinsdag 2017 is net ‘n weke weg. Die jaarlikse Wildevy 4x4 Gesinsdag vind plaas op 29 Julie 2017 op die PLM boerdrye plaas net buite Burgersfort. Voornemende deelnemers moet nou gou spring om die laaste paar plekke te bespreek om te kan deelneem aan hierdie jaar se pret! Daar is slegs enkele plekke oop op die Morone berg roete wat oor die Morone berg ry van Khumula Game Lodge af tot by die Wildevy baan. Uitstallers is nog baie welkom om te kom deel wees van die Wildevy en kan gerus vir Ilze Pretorius skakel by 013 231 7499 om plek te bespreek. Daar is reeds ‘n groot verskeidenheid aanloklike uitstallers wat baie verskillende produkte en dienste ten toonstel. Daar is soos oudergewoonte ook die pretpark vir oud en jonk en helikopter ritte is ook weer die jaar beskikbaar. Besoekers kan uitsien na die heerlike vars kos en versnapperinge wat die dag beskikbaar gaan wees om te koop – kerke wat die jaar die kos stalletjies gaan bedryf is, Steelpoort Hervormde Kerk, AGS Steelpoort en OAK Burgersfort. “Ons is baie bly om die hoof kunstenaar Beeskraal op die verhoog aan te bied, die manne gaan saam met Almur Marais - #Stilfontein die skare behoorlik vermaak met hul treffers” sê Willem Montgomery van die Wildevy Manne. Die Wildevy manne is baie bedrywig om die baan reg te maak vir die groot dag en is baie opgewonde om weer n skouspel aan te bied “Gaan kyk gerus op die Wildevy Facebook blad en ook die Wildevy webblad. Skakel vir Ilze Pretorius by 013 231 7498/9 om jou besprekeing te maak vir die Wildevy 2017, jy kan nie die pretdag misloop nie!” voeg Willem by.
Above: Tubatse Masters Left: Mashemong Masters.
(Photographs: Derrick Phokane; Information: Jerial Mvundlela).
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16 JUNE 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 Youth Month soccer at Ga-Malekane The Top 32 Youth Month soccer tournament is in full swing. Last weekend teams still competed in the knock-out rounds and play will continue this weekend at Ga-Malekane sportsground. 16 Local teams and 16 teams from as far as Nebo and Driekop are competing.