Sekhukhune Dispatch 24 July 2015

Year 6

155th Edition

Friday 24 July 2015

Tel: 013 262 4416

24/7 Matlerekeng Police Station gates closed Residents of Matlerekeng in Moutse West sometimes return home without any assistance from the members of the SAPS because the police station is closed. Residents say they sometimes spend the whole day at the gates of Matlerekeng Satellite Police Station as a result of the absence of the police officers. The station was formerly a satellite of Dennilton Police Station and was handed over to Marble Hall Police Station a few years ago.

They say sometimes they see a police van with two police officers patrolling the area but then it vanishes for a period of two weeks.

Goitsimang Magana visited the police station on Saturday 18 July and the gates were locked.

He says he found people waiting for the police The Matlerekeng Satellite Police Station's gates are always closed and led to community members struggle to get police assistance.

officers outside the police station yard with no one to attend them. He said there are no clear answers given to the community when asked about poor service at the station. He said residents do not bother to visit the station at night because they know that they will not get any help.

Goitsimang added that residents are urged to go to other police stations such as Marble Hall when need assistance from the police. He said it cost a fortune to some of the community members and those who have no money for taxi fares suffer the most.

Goitsimang said he tried to contact the Cluster Commander Brigadier Daniel Moenyane but he did not get a hold of him.

The Limpopo Police Spokesperson Colonel Ronnel Otto told the Dispatch that the Matlerekeng Satellite Police Station is actually open 24 hours and people must get service at any time. She said the challenges faced by the

community must be reported to the senior police officers so that they can be attended to.

Residents are advised to contact the Cluster Commander Brigadier Daniel Moenyane or the Marble Hall Police Station when coming across a closed police station. Moenyane can be reached on 082 443 8907. They can also call the Marble Hall SAPS and ask for the Station Commander Colonel Cate Maswanganyi on this number 013 261 8614," she said.

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DISPATCH FRIDAY 24 July 2015

Chaos at Phetwane Water Purification Plant Chaos erupted at the Upgrading of the Lepelle Northern Water Purification Plant as a result of disagreements between the ward councillor and the community. This led to the Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality Ward 16 Councillor Thibedi Sehlola’s vehicle being torched by unknown people on Tuesday 14 July.

Residents from nine wards in Ephraim Mogale are supposed to benefit in terms of employment from the project. Tsoshanang Training Centre Contractors were appointed to do the project.

According to the CLO of the project Mahlatse Nkgudi, the councillor did not mention the project to the community in the first place and this caused indifferences between the community and the councillor. He said the councillor was aiming to appoint his brother in law Frank Lekola as the project’s CLO. Nkgudi said the councillor was approached and the procedure was followed. The community appointed him as the CLO of the project.

“We were surprised on Friday 10 July when the councillor and his friends came on site and ordered me and other workers to leave the plant immediately. When we asked, we were shown a memorandum that is written by the councillor himself saying the community is undermining his decisions. We ended up assaulted and were forced, by the councillor accompanied by a group of people, to leave the plant,” he said.

He said they immediately phoned the Social Facilitator Itumeleng Senamela who told them not to report on duty on Monday for their safety. Nkgudi added that they had a meeting where the Executive Mayor of Sekhukhune District Municipality Cllr Mogobo David Magabe and Lepelle Northern Water representatives attended and they promised to look into the matter. “We were called in a community meeting on Tuesday and that’s when the community started fighting the councillors and the contractor.” he said. He said the councillor’s vehicle was set alight later that day and a criminal charge was laid against him and other workers. “I can assure you that we don’t have anything to do with the torching of the councillor’s vehicle.

I was appointed by the community and I am still the CLO of the project. The councillor’s brother in law Frank Lekola is not wanted by the community as he failed them in many projects he was leading before,” he concluded. The Secretary of Ward Committee in Ephraim Mogale Ward 16, Sam Mokomane, said the community failed to follow the constituted project guidelines. “The position of the CLO must be occupied by someone who has experience and I doubt Nkgudi can lead the project as he has never been in the position before,” he said.

He said the disruptions that took place on Tuesday were caused by community members who want to break the steering committee that was constituted by the project guidelines. He said he was also assaulted on Tuesday and laid charges against a few people including Nkgudi. “Cases were opened by me and the councillor at Rakgoadi Satellite Police Station and are being investigated as we speak. The project has been suspended at the stage and the matter has been taken to the provincial level to be resolved,” he said.

Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality Spokesperson Jan Phasha said the municipality is aware of the situation and it will be resolved soon. "We are busy investigating the matter at the stage. We will engage the councillors and the community to get to the bottom of this issue and I promise it will be resolved soon," he said.

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SACO gives to children on Mandela Day The late state President Dr Nelson Mandela used to say, "Children require living in a safe and conductive environment that allows them to dream and envision a meaningful future for themselves, their community and society. They must be treated with love and care to be better people in future." The statement was witnessed when the South African Concerned Organization (SACO) spoiled more than hundred children with gifts on Saturday 18 July during Mandela Day. Some of these children are orphaned and some are coming from poor families. SACO is a charity Organization that was established at the church in Tafelkop that aims to donate for the needy people around the village. Sweets and Snacks, Ackermans and Fashion World contributed to make the event as successful as possible. The event was held at Tafelkop Tlishang Bana Pre-School, Bapeding

Homecoming ceremonies for initiation school graduates Two hundred and four legal initiation schools with an estimated number of 280 000 initiates were approved by government in the province this year. The Department of Traditional Affairs Committee has instructed all the traditional school principals to ensure that their traditional schools are closed by the weekend of 18 July, two days before the re-opening of academic schools. The committee regulating the running of initiation schools in the province has promised to take action against traditional surgeons who fail to close their initiation schools by the end of this weekend. Ceremonies were held where goats and chickens were slaughtered by families to welcome their children back home. Despite Limpopo experiencing three deaths this year, the number is the least compared to previous years where the province saw many initiates not returning homes to their families after a number of deaths took place in the mountains. The Khoza family in Tafelkop Stadium View held a graduation ceremony for their child, Goodwill Khoza who was returning home on Saturday 18 July. Family, friends and neighbours were invited to celebrate the graduation with the Khoza family. His mother Nora Khoza said she is happy to see her child arriving home in good health. "I am glad now he is back and understands the meaning of being a man.

He is well and in good health. I prepared enough food for the guests, home-made beer and slaughtered a goat to give him a warm welcoming. I am glad he returned in good health," she said. The department said mushrooming unregistered initiation schools and abductions undermined government’s efforts of the “zero tolerance on initiation deaths” campaign. The initiation season recently began in most provinces. Cogta said it had made sure preparatory work and governance structures were in place. “The ministry would like to commend all the provinces that have already started with the incident free initiation season,” said Cogta spokesperson Tsakani Baloyi.

Section where children from around the village were invited to attend. The day was full of colourful South African flags that signify the rainbow nation with children as the center of attraction. Godfrey Paile from SACO said the organization has donated since the Mandela month started. "We wish the children to enjoy and live themselves out fully. We in the SACO Organization firmly believe in letting children to be themselves as fully and creatively as possible. We understand and promote the nation that while children need to be guided they also have an entrenched right to be whatever they want to be and that they can achieve this only if they are given the space to dream and live out their dreams," he said. Godfrey added that their main focus is on orphaned and vulnerable

Children showing off their gifts presented to them by SACO at Tlishang Bana Pre-School in Tafelkop.

SACO's Godfrey Paile and Mokgadi Mohlosana from the Motetema SAPS Victim Friendly Room cutting the cake with children on Mandela Day.

children, people living with disabilities, the elderly and other needy ordinary community members. The day was wrapped with the cut-

ting of a cake and happiness was written on the children's faces when they took their presents, fruits and sweets home.

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DISPATCH FRIDAY 24 July 2015

SAPS fitness soccer match held To promote a healthy lifestyle, Vaalbank SAPS FC hosted Dennilton SAPS FC for a friendly soccer match. The two soccer giants clashed at the fancy Vaalbank Soccer Stadium on Wednesday 15 July. The match’s goal was to gain fitness amongst the law enforcers.

The visitors scored an opening goal by Nico, a close range sending the goalie to the wrong way after a counter attack with Promise, 1-0 it was in the 26th minute. After the goal, realizing that they have been pressured, the host started to play a defensive football. But this did not help them as after just five minutes, the visitors extended the lead by Zakes when he scored a finisher in the box after a good counter attack with teammates, 2-0 it was to Dennilton SAPS. The visitors started to slower their pace after scoring a second goal. This made the host to come back and attack, putting Dennilton SAPS defenders under pressure. Vaalbank SAPS managed to score their first goal by Mahlangu. A beautiful goal when he turned and kicked the ball straight into the net in the 34th minute. After Mahlangu's beautiful goal, the host continued pressure demanding an equalizer but the visitor's defenders were alert this time and denied them scoring.

The first half ended 2-1 to Dennilton SAPS FC. In the second half Dennilton SAPS Head Coach Madida Ndala made substitutions to strengthen his attacking force and try and extend the lead.

Dennilton SAPS scored a third goal when Madida's shot deflected on the goalkeeper and went back to the field to find Nunu who was in a good position to score an easy goal. 3-1 It was to the visitors in the 79th minute. After the goal the visitors started to play shoe shine and piano when dribbling and dominating the match.

Towards the end of the match, the host tried to attack but was unable to break the visitor's defenders to score goals. Dennilton SAPS mid-fielder, Promise, scored a fourth goal for his side in the 89th minute, a beautiful hanger beating the goalie out of the box to make the score. The match ended 4-1 to Dennilton SAPS FC defeating Vaalbank SAPS FC in a fitness friendly soccer match.

Dennilton SAPS FC preparing to take on Vaalbank SAPS FC in the friendly soccer fitness match.

The host, Vaalbank SAPS FC was beaten 4-1 by Dennilton SAPS FC.