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7 August, 2015 Website: thebeat.linmedia.co.za
Limpopo premier and Botswana congregation visit Bela-Bela church
CHARITY / ENTERTAINMENT / SCHOOL
Deputy Minister distributes sanitary towels in Modimolle Deputy Minister in the Presidency Buti Manamela addressed learners from Modimolle’s Solomon Mahlangu High School during his visit to the area recently. Photo: Lizzy Bapela
The premier and representatives of the congregations posed for photos with their presents after the service. Photo: Lizzy Bapela
The congregations had a heartwarming church service. Photo: Lizzy Bapela
Lizzy Bapela Lizzy Bapela
The Sikwane congregation from the Dutch Reformed Church of Botswana visited their counterparts in Bela-Bela for a Christian partnership. Photo: Lizzy Bapela Lizzy Bapela Lizzy Bapela Limpopo premier Stan Mathabatha and the Sikwane congregation from the Dutch Reformed Church of Botswana (DRCB) visited the Uniting Reformed Church in SA (URCSA) Bela-Bela congregation. The Bela-Bela congregation hosted the visitors from Friday, 17 to Monday, 20 July for a Christian partnership. On Saturday the 18th, the visitors were taken on a tour to Bela-Bela Forever Resorts, and then attended the normal Sunday service together, with Reverend Pheto Mosima conducting the liturgy. Minister and moderator of the DRC Botswana, who is also the Deputy President of the Botswana Council of Churches; Reverend Cooper Sekate preached from the book of Genesis 4: 116, the story of Cain and Abel, followed by the Holy Communion served by
Reverend Mosima. Premier Mathabatha was the keynote speaker and the ministers prayed for him after his speech. They include reverends Dintoa Mahlabe of the AME, Jeremiah Kgabo of Lutheran Church and Mosima of the URCSA; all from Bela-Bela, as well as Sekate of the DRC Botswana. After the prayer, the Botswana visitors handed over presents to Premier Mathabatha, Reverend Mosima and URCSA council member and convenor of Events and managements commission Mpolokeng Mokoena. The hosting congregation also received a certificate of appreciation and a cup by the visiting congregation. “It was the day that the Lord has made and we all rejoiced in Him. Our congregation will be visiting the Dutch Reformed Church of Botswana soon to strengthen the partnership,” said Reverend Mosima.
Local girl wins Modi Mall Idols Mashaba TKTK Mashaba 28-year old local singer Vernecia Koveer has won second place in the Idol Info competition recently held at Modi Mall. The competition was organized by Modimolle Tourism, Modi Mall and Waterberg Radio, and took place on Saturday, 25 July. Koveer started singing at an early age. “I started singing when I was in primary school and I’ve sung in choirs and music concerts while I was in Tshwane,” she said. “Music has always been my comfort. I have performed at the State Theatre and I am currently working on my album.” Koveer said that she is working with local artists in Bela-Bela on her album.
Vernecia Koveer with the trophy she won at Idol Info in Modimolle. Photo supplied
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The former secretary of the Young Communists League, now Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Buti Manamela, distributed reusable sanitary towels to school girls who are unable to afford them in his hometown of Modimolle. The Deputy Minister visited Modimolle’s Solomon Mahlangu High School as part of the school’s reopening program on Monday, 20 July. He addressed the learners on the issues they may face in their daily lives. Modimolle Mayor Kgaretja Lekalakala and councillors, officials and management from the local municipality accompanied the deputy minister during his visit. They assisted him in distributing the gifts to the girls, giving them advice on womanhood and the use of the towels. In his address at the school’s assembly, Deputy Minister Manamela encouraged learners to persevere in their education and stay in school. The minister’s spokesperson Matshepo Seedat said that the sanitary towels that were distributed are manufactured locally and are reusable for up to five years. She
added that this ensures that young girls from poor families are well-looked after in school for up to five years. After interacting with the learners and the school’s management, the team proceeded to the local FH Odendaal Hospital for the monitoring visit. Here, the Deputy Minister received complaints about the services at the hospital. “Patients here at the hospital say that they wait for too long to be assisted and with their ailing, they could catch more viruses in the process. We also learned that medication sometimes does not get delivered on time, meaning that patients with chronic illnesses such as the ones on ARVs and TB treatments suffer more and this impacts negatively on their treatment. As the Department responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, it is our mandate to see to it that the challenges raised here today are attended to and we will be monitoring the process,” said Manamela. He emphasized that they will be working together with the frontline service delivery office to ensure that a report is filed and the local Department of Health is engaged to play their part on what needs to be done.
The Waterberg’s Mandela Month celebration wrap up Lizzy Bapela Lizzy Bapela Members of the Edcon Group consisting of Jet and JetMart Stores across Limpopo together with their national head office recently embarked on a charity drive, donating goodies to needy institutions in different parts of the province. In the Waterberg District, the team visited the home of handicapped children in Bela-Bela, Huis Talje and interacted with the staff and the children. They also donated groceries, toiletries and scuffs among other items and spend the day with the children, learning about their day-to-day life. Bela-Bela JetMart store manager Veronica Mkhabela said that their aim was to take time off work and spend it with the children in honour of Nelson Mandela’s legacy. She added that they also raised the funds to buy them the donated items. Meanwhile, Bela-Bela’s Hleketani Primary School held an event welcome visitors from Venezuela on Thursday, 30 July. The delegation aimed to celebrate Mandela Month by spending the day with the learners, as the late president Nelson Mandela oved children and they donated bangs with goodies to over 500 learners. School principal Julia Mogashoa led her staff members in welcoming and
acknowledging the visitors’ presence and their interest in their school. She said that it always makes a huge impact in a child’s mind to receive a gift showing them that they are loved and appreciated. Mogashoa further said that making a difference in the little ones’ lives is always a blessing and teachers are encouraged to keep them motivated at all times. Learners from different grades rendered entertainment items for the visitors including poetry, traditional dances and choir. Also, MEC for the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture in Limpopo Nandi Ndalane conducted her charity work by spending time with more than 600 children from the crèches in Mogalakgwena Local Municipality. The Department joined the global call to action for people to recognise their ability to have positive effects on others around them and hosted the Junior Dipapadi; one of its flagship programmes. The event was held at Hlamalani Sport Ground in Tshamahansi Village on Tuesday, 28 July. The programme provides children with an opportunity to realise their full potential in sport, furthermore provides physical active play for children. The activities of the day included sack race, egg race, bottle race, peg race, water bottle race, tug of war, river bank and balancing.