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5 June / Junie 2020
Inwoners boos oor wasgoedskade
Inwoners van Standerton is woedend nadat hul wasgoed gevlek uit die was kom. Hierdie foto’s is op ’n WhatsApp groep gedeel deur persone wat skade gely het en antwoorde van die plaaslike munisipaliteit eis. Daar is verskeie moontlike oorsake bespreek, maar die werklike oorsaak is steeds onbekend en Lekwa is horende doof.
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Kosmosnuus / Cosmos News
5 June / Junie 2020
Inwoners raadop, Lekwa steur hom nie
Reg no: 2009/019454/23
Adres / Address: H/v Beyers Naudé en Krugerstraat C/o Beyers Naudé & Kruger Street Webadres/ Web address www.kosmosnuus.wix.com/kosmosnuus E-pos/E-mail: standerton@cosmosn.co.za Kantoor/Office:
067 330 6258
Redakteur/Editor: Teresa Dinkelmann- 082 417 0171 TO marketing@cosmosn.co.za
STANDERTON - Inwoners van Standerton is raadop oor rou riool wat volgens hulle al meer as ʼn jaar lank in die dorp se strate afloop en nou deur erwe vloei. Behalwe vir die reuk van riool wat inwoners onder kry, vrees inwoners dat hulle ernstig siek gaan word. Hul klagtes by die munisipaliteit val glo op dowe ore. Mari Louise Brits (28), ’n inwoner van Standerton, het ’n petisie begin as pleidooi aan die Lekwa-munisipaliteit om aan inwoners se klagtes oor die rioolprobleem, waterpype wat op ’n gereelde basis lek en daaglikse kragonderbrekings gehoor te gee. Dit volg nadat die munisipaliteit glo al vir byna ’n jaar nog niks aan die rioolprobleem gedoen het nie. Brits sê binne etlike ure het hulle reeds meer as 300 handtekeninge gewerf. Brits beoog om 1 000 handtekeninge te kry en dan die petisie aan die minister van gesondheid te stuur. Sy sê rou riool borrel uit mangate en begin al in mense se erwe vloei. Volgens haar raak die riool by die dag erger en lê die rioolwater al tot by haar voordeur. Brits se agtjarige dogtertjie het die afgelope jaar herhaaldelik blaasinfeksie opgedoen. Brits beweer sy het dit opgedoen weens haar kontak met die rou riool in hul erf. “Vandat my dogtertjie nie meer buitekant speel nie, het sy nie weer blaasinfeksie gekry nie,” vertel Brits. Sy sê ook dat hul huis se fondasie die afgelope jaar begin kraak en skuif het. Sy vermoed dit is omdat die huis konstant in rioolwater staan. “’n Jaar gelede toe ons die huis gekoop
het, het die eiendomsagent in ’n beëdigde verklaring bevestig die huis is in ’n goeie toestand. Daar was ook geen krake nie,” sê Brits. ’n Ander inwoner van die dorp, Robert van Bulderen, sê die reuk van riool hang permanent oor die dorp. “Ek kan tans nie uit my huis gaan sonder om waterstewels te dra nie. Ek kan ook nie my erf se gras sny nie, want dit lê onder rioolwater,” vertel Van Bulderen. Daan Grobler, ’n dokter van Standerton, meen die dorp word deur ’n epidemie in die gesig gestaar as daar nie vinnig ’n oplossing vir die rioolprobleem gevind word nie. Hy sê behalwe dat mense van die riool gaan siek word, loop kinders ook die risiko om in die oop mangate in te val en te verdrink. Hillel Coetzer, AfriForum se voormalige takvoorsitter van Standerton, sê AfriForum het die munisipaliteit reeds in 2014 op terme geplaas oor die rioolprobleem. Daar is ’n ooreenkoms bereik net voor die saak die hof kon bereik. Die departement van waterwese het toe ingetree om die nodige verbeterings aan rioolaanlegte en herstellings aan riool-pompstasies te maak. “Maar weens versuim aan onderhoud het die situasie weer sedertdien agteruitgegaan,” sê Coetzer. Bronwen Pretorius, AfriForum se streekskoördineerder vir die Hoëveld, sê die dorp se infrastruktuur is besig om in duie te stort omdat die munisipaliteit versuim het om dit deur die jare te onderhou. “Dit sal die munisipaliteit miljoene rande kos om
Sub-redakteur / Sub editor Jannie Degenaar- 082 608 7219 JD subeditor@cosmosn.co.za Admin/Finansies adverts2@cosmosn.co.za - 067 330 6258 Joernaliste / Reporters: David Maretlane - 071 715 2793 DM reporter1@cosmosn.co.za Danie Kruger - 082 824 7188 DK daniekruger@hotmail.co.za Bemarking/Marketing: Teresa Dinkelmann - 082 417 0171 marketing@cosmosn.co.za standerton@cosmosn.co.za Geklassifiseerde ads/ Classified ads Irene Do O’Faustino 067 330 6258 - standerton@cosmosn.co.za Grafiese Ontwerpers/ Grapic Designers: Hannes van Oudtshoorn design@cosmosn.co.za Digital/ Digitaal: Proof reader / Proefleser Hannes van Oudtshoorn Bankbesonderhede: Banking details: Standard Bank, Cosmos News Rek/Acc no: 330 230 042 Takkode/Branch code: 05 2943 44 Cosmos News is printed by Paarl Coldset Printers. Kosmosnuus word deur Paarl Coldset Printers gedruk.
KOPIEREGWAARSKUWING:
Alle materiaal wat in die Kosmosnuus geplaas word, hetsy dit redaksioneel, advertensies, uitleg, foto’s, illustrasies, ens. is, bly die uitsluitlike eiendom van die Kosmosnuus. Skriftelike toestemming moet verkry word indien enige afskrif of kopie daarvan gemaak wil word. Posbus 4202, Standerton 2430 of skakel Teresa Dinkelmann by 082 417 0171. Foute moet voor die volgende publikasie aangemeld word. Geen verantwoordelikheid vir foute op telefoniese advertensies word aanvaar nie. Geen herdruk van advertensies a.g.v. tipografiese foute, wat nie die waarde verminder nie. Indien ‘n advertensie opgestel word, en nie aanvaar word nie, sal daar ‘n heffing van 30% wees. Kosmosnuus word weekliks deur Paarl Coldset Printers gedruk.
Opgedamde rou riool in ’n inwoner van Standerton se erf. Die riool probleem was só erg dat die huis se fondasies begin kraak het. (Foto verskaf)
die infrastruktuur ten volle te herstel,” sê Pretorius. Hy sê ook dat rioolwater direk in stormwaterpype vloei wat dan ook direk in die Vaalrivier vloei. “Daar is mense wat die rivierwater drink of daarin visvang. Dit hou geweldige gesondheidsrisiko’s vir hulle in, want die rivier is vol riool,” sê Pretorius. AfriForum se plaaslike tak probeer van sy kant druk op die munisipaliteit plaas om die rioolprobleem op te los. AfriForum help ook die inwoners deur verstopte rioolpype oop te maak waar hulle kan. Rosier de Ville, DA-wyksraadslid van die Lekwa-munisipaliteit, sê sommige dele van die dorp gaan dae lank ook sonder water. Inwoners in dié dele moet staatmaak op watertenks of boorgate vir water. De Ville sê kragtoevoer word ook saans tussen 18:00 en 21:00 in areas in die dorp afgeskakel. Van die boere in die distrik moet op kragopwekkers staatmaak om hul boerderye aan die gang te hou. De Ville sê die inwoners is keelvol vir die Lekwa-munisipaliteit se gebrek aan dienslewering. “Ek versoek en pleit al vir jare by die munisipaliteit dat iets gedoen moet word om dienslewering te verbeter. Die ondraaglike toestande waaronder die inwoners van Standerton moet leef, kan eenvoudig nie meer geduld word nie,” sê De Ville. Daar is oudergewoonte nie reageer op ’n navraag wat deur ’n aanlyn mediahuis aan die Lekwa munisipaliteit gestuur is nie. (Anja van der Merwe) JD
5 June / Junie 2020
Kosmosnuus / Cosmos News
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Lekwa promises all, delivers ‘niks’ Munisipaliteiteskuld by OB verkla PROVINSIAAL Die VF Plus sê belastingbetalers kan nie langer aanspreeklik gehou word vir die wanbetaling van munisipale rekeninge aan Eskom nie. “Ná talle pogings om die herhaalde munisipale kragonderbrekings aan te pak en die ernstige probleem aan die departement van samewerkende regering voor te lê, het die VF Plus besluit om ʼn klag by die Openbare Beskermer (OB) in te dien teen die munisipaliteite van Dipaliseng (Balfour, Greylingstad, Grootvlei), Govan Mbeki (Bethal, Charl Cilliers, Embalenhle, Evander, Kinross, Leandra, Secunda, Trichardt) en Lekwa (Morgenzon, Standerton),” het Werner Weber, VF Plus-leier in Mpumalanga, gesê. Weber sê weens die wanadministrasie van dié munisipaliteite is belastingbetalers wat hul rekeninge getrou betaal nou onderhewig aan beurtkrag wat soms tot 12 uur duur. Voorts sê Weber dat sakeondernemings wat gedurende die afsonderingstydperk kon werk, groot verliese weens die aanhoudende kragonderbrekings gely het. “Die VF Plus is oortuig dat die OB hierdie ernstige saak moet ondersoek en aanbevelings doen oor hoe inwoners eise teen munisipale versekeringsfondse kan instel sodat die munisipaliteite gedwing kan word om inwoners te vergoed vir skade wat gely is, ongeag wat die skade behels.” JD
Lekwa to be placed under administration STANDERTON - The Democratic Alliance (DA) will ask its Members of the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature (MPLs) to petition MEC of CoGTA, Mandla Msibi, to place under provincial administration (Section 139 of the Municipal Financial Management Act) municipalities that fail to pay service providers for water and electricity. Currently, five Mpumalanga municipalities owe service providers around R1 033 000 000 for water because of corruption an lack of sound financial management. For years, many of the province’s 21 municipalities have been reprimanded for lacking sound financial management and some have been facing violent service delivery protests and threats to cut services. Currently, Lekwa local municipality in Standerton owes the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) R287 million for water provision and the DWS transferred the municipality to debt collectors. During the current financial year, the municipality has lost 83% of the water it has purchased to leaks and illegal connections. This is money that could have gone towards the delivery of services, especially when it comes to water provision. This municipality is synonymous for water supply shortages due to dilapidated infrastructure. Govan Mbeki municipality in Secunda owes Rand Water R246 million. This has led to water restrictions on numerous occasions causing many people in the areas of Leandra, Kinross, Embalenhle, and Bethal to go without water for days and weeks on end. The municipality also lost 29.62% of the water it purchased.
Mpumalanga’s capital, the City of Mbombela municipality, owes the Department of Water and Sanitation R140 million and they lost 25.2% of the water they purchased within the last financial year. Victor Khanye local municipality in Delmas is another of the municipalities in the province to have been throttled by Rand Water, affecting the delivery of water to the higher lying areas. As of the end of January the municipality owed the entity R144 million, an amount that has been increasing since 2019. Emalahleni local municipality owes the following entities for water provision and for the following amounts as at the end of March 2020: • Department of Water and Sanitation- R172 million • Anglo Operations- R32 million • Glencore-R8.9 million • Nuwater South Africa- R3.2 million Another concern with Emalahleni is their water distribution loss of 47% which has resulted in a situation where there is no money to upgrade the capacity of their water treatment plants. As a result, the municipality is purchasing water from outside entities at escalated tariffs. It is evident that a change of political leadership in all municipalities in Mpumalanga is needed very soon for our people to enjoy proper service delivery like in the DA-led municipality of Midvaal and the Western Cape Province. The DA will also call for the ring-fencing of rate payers’ monthly water and electricity bills to be paid directly to the relevant service providers and not directly to the municipalities. (Trudie Grovè-Morgan: MPL - DA Spokesperson on CoGTA) JD
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Kosmosnuus / Cosmos News
5 June / Junie 2020
Wintertyd is grasbrandtyd Omdat julle die waarheid weet Efesiërs 4:17-24 “… omdat julle sy volgelinge is, is julle onderrig volgens die waarheid wat in Jesus is.” (Efesiërs 4:21) Jesus se volgelinge sal nooit kan sê hulle het nie die waarheid geweet nie. Natuurlik weet ons baie min van daardie Waarheid wat ons “God” noem. Hy sal altyd die groot Misterie wees wie se weë nie óns weë is nie. Die Enigmatiese, die Onbegryplike. Hy wat geeneen se toestemming vra en aan niemand verslag doen nie. Maar toe kom Jesus na ons toe en wys iets van God se gesig aan die mensdom. Hy kom vertel van God, wys sy handewerk uit, beduie ons na sy voetspore en vingerafdrukke wat die wêreld vol lê. Boonop word alles opgeteken, ’n hele biblioteek vol, en nou kan geen gelowige sê hy of sy het nie geweet nie. Daar is dus geen verskoning, skryf Paulus hier, vir Jesusvolgelinge om steeds op die ou koers aan te karring nie. Geen
manier waarop die ou tale gepraat en die ou gewoontes gehandhaaf kan word nie. Ons weet nou van beter, ons weet dit al lankal. Daar is ook geen heil in die ou weë nie, waarsku Paulus. Dit verduister die verstand (vgl. v. 18), dit laat mense afgestomp raak en lei tot ’n onversadigbare drang na losbandigheid (vgl. v. 19). Uiteindelik verteer dit jou (vgl. v. 22). Daarenteen gee die Jesusalternatief lewe. Maak dit jou gees en gedagtes nuut (vgl. v. 23). Maar, gelowige, jy weet tog al hierdie dinge. Hoekom sukkel jy dan so? Kyk, dit is nie kernfisika nie, dit is nie eens ’n intellektuele oefening nie. Jy hoef nie God te probeer uitpluis of al Jesus se uitsprake korrek te interpreteer nie. Dit is bloot elke dag se koers vat agter dit aan wat jy weet. Of, beter gesê, agter Hom aan wat jy ken. “En wanneer ek sukkel of dwaal, Here, kom en vat my hand.”
082 417 0171
Met die aanbreek van die winter en gras wat uitdroog, is grasbrande weer aan die orde van die dag. Die ‘parkie’ in Robertstraat het Dinsdag, 26 Mei, gedeeltelik afgebrand en digte rook het sig belemmer. Die publiek word gemaan om gereed te maak vir nog brande.
Alert level 3 sees bottle stores re-opening
On 1 June the country moved to alert level 3 of lockdown. Under this level the sale of alcohol is allowed and several consumers were anxiously waiting in line for the liquor stores to open.
5 June / Junie 2020
Kosmosnuus / Cosmos News
Residents are ‘gatvol’ with inconsistent schedule STANDERTON - Residents of Lekwa Municipality are gatvol, sick and tired of the continuous power outages every single evening and some mornings and afternoons too. Cosmos News published the story two weeks ago to make the residents aware that the municipality is currently overloaded and the Eskom feeder is consistently tripping during peak hours due illegal connections, bridged meter boxes and cold conditions. Subsequently the municipality adopted to implement rotational electricity supply. While implementing the rotational supply, the municipality issued a schedule to the community that is supposed to be followed, showing dates and times for different areas grouped in sections. Just when residents were coming to terms with the schedule, the municipality stopped following their own schedule. Lights go off every evening to the frustration of the community. Household planning has become a nightmare and people don’t know when to cook, watch TV and pupils who do online studies can’t rely on the schedule. In the midst of all the inconvenience, Lekwa Municipality owes Eskom close to R1 billion which is why Eskom will not upgrade the Notified Maximum Demand for the municipality to meet the high demand of electricity during the winter. Angry residents
in Extension 6 took to the street on Tuesday night, 26 May to block the R23 with burning tyres in protest against the power outages. Some agitated people suggested that the community must sign a petition to call on the Municipal Manager and HOD Technical Service Manager to step down due to their pathetic incompetence. Mpumalanga’s provincial treasury has expressed concern about different municipalities in the province which are failing to service Eskom debt. According to the Provincial Treasury spokesperson, Jonas Letshela, four municipalities in the province are amongst the top ten in the country owing Eskom billions. In October 2019 Emalahleng Local Municipality owed Eskom R 2.7 billion with R504 million annual interest, Goven Mbeki Local Municipality at R 1.6 billion, and R209 milion in interest, Lekwa Local Municipality R979 million and R182 million in interest and Thaba Chweu Local Municipality has a debt of R591 million, and R63 million in interest. That is not all, Lekwa owes the Department of Water and Sanitation R287 million, Goven Mbeki owes Rand Water R246 million and Emalahlane owes R172 million. Eskom is reportedly and understandably losing patience with these four municipalities. David Maretlane
The internal load easing schedule issued in May.
Beauty spa offers wide range of treatment STANDERTON - Nhlaz Health and Beauty spa opened in Standerton early in 2018 by Nhlanhla Lekalakala as the owner and founder. She is a qualified cosmetologist and young business woman with a passion to address the skin health illnesses of our community, not only in Standerton, but also all around the Gert Sibande District. Nhlaz Health and Beauty Spa caters for both men and women. This is through facial treatments, body treatments (including massages), nail care treatments and other skincare health issues, as well as advice on health related issues holistically. They also retail a wide range of skincare products, such as Avene, Bionike, Skinergy and lastly, their own in-house Nhlaz brand
body butters, shower gels, bath salts that accommodates all sexes and all types of skin (from dry to very oily skin) in close association with General Practitioners and specialist dermatologists and plastics surgeons. At this point in time with COVID19 in our midst we deal mainly with retail of our products and advice as per our government restrictions. The Spa will once again be open from 2 June for retail on our premises located at 19 Beyers Naudé Street, next to Tina’s salon. “We encourage all our clients to adhere to lockdown rules as we do, stay home and stay safe. We also sell on hand sanitizers and surface disinfectants and sanitizers. God bless you all.” For more information, please phone 079 358 4498. JD
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Suspects escape from holding cells STANDERTON - Police from Sakhile Police Station were all over the place on Friday morning, 29 May, looking for the suspects who escaped from the holding cells on Thursday night. According to the police, they made the discovery in the morning when eleven suspects who were locked in a cell were found missing. Investigations revealed that the inmates removed bricks from the wall to make a small hole to escape. Further investigation revealed that the suspects broke the palisade fence behind the cells to make a dash to the streets. SAPS communication officer, Constable Duduzile Zwane, said that the suspects were arrested for various
alleged crimes such as house breaking, common robbery, rape, assault (with GBH) and the violation of a protection order. The escapees are: Thokozani Nkosi, Sibusiso Ntuli, Tshepo Mofokeng, Ntokoso Msibi, Vusi Yika, Boy Mlotshwa, Mthobisi Nkambule, Mandla Khumalo, Mandla Maseko, Sipho Zimu and Bongane Vilakazi. The community is warned not to confront the suspects if spotted as they might be dangerous, but rather report to the nearest police station. Police report that five suspects were re-arrested over the weekend while six were still at large at print. Investigations are underway. David Maretlane
The encircled spot on the wall is the hole opened by the inmates to escape on Thursday night, 28 May.
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Kosmosnuus / Cosmos News
5 June / Junie 2020
Hijacked vehicle of shot owner recovered SECUNDA - The ground Team of Delta 1 Rescue was dispatched to Embalenhle on 28 May at around 12:38 for a Hijacked Golf Tsi. The owner of the vehicle was apparently shot while his girlfriend was still in the car. After a long search the girlfriend of the vehicle owner was found safely and the vehicle was also recovered a bit later. Delta 1 would like to thank everyone for their backup assistance and great teamwork between their Ground Team, Roman Tactical and Mavcorp, Secunda K9 and Secunda Flying Squad, as well as the rest of the SAPS members who helped with the search. From all of us we wish the owner a speedy recovery. (JD)
The recovered Golf Tsi that was hijacked. The owner of the vehicle was shot while his girlfriend was with him in the vehicle. The girlfriend was later found safely and the vehicle owner is recovering of his wounds.
STANDERTON - The national Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) says that they are going to take the necessary steps to see to it that Lekwa Local Municipality stops all pollution. This comes after the office of the minister of Water and Sanitation was made alert of the volatile situation in which residents of Lekwa have to live. Councillor Louis Jansen van Rensburg of the DA, informed the office of the minister of DWS that pollution of the Vaal River and the streets of all communities increased dramatically in the last few months and that residents find themselves on the brink of contracting diseases. In a letter addressed to Jansen van Rensburg, the task team stated that they are communicating with the
provincial departments to intervene. The office of the minister states that they will not hesitate to approach the High Court to act against the members of the Municipality who contravene the National Water Act when it comes to pollution. The DA in Lekwa is aware of the high volumes of pollution and reports these issues on a daily basis to the necessary authorities. Councillor Sithi Silosini, from the DA, had water tests done and pointed out sewer leakages to DWS in the past few weeks. They are waiting for the water test results. The DA is continuing to apply pressure on the national government to act and say that complaints by the community do not fall on deaf ears. (Media statement by Cllr Louis Jansen van Rensburg) JD
Minister made aware of volatile situation
Klopper Meubelvervoer. Groot en klein meubelvragmotors beskikbaar vir enige meubelvervoer. Eienaartoesig en drywer met vriendelike diens. Skakel Conrad Klopper by 082 774 6952. hcklopper@gmail.com
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Unknown body recovered from small quarry
Houtpalette te koop. Standerton. Aflewering beskikbaar. Skakel 082 894 6843 alle ure.
Rescue divers of Delta 1 Rescue as well as Mpumalanga Inland Water Policing were deployed to a small quarry on Driefontein farm near Secunda after the body of an unknown male was discovered, by the community, in the water. The body was recovered on Sunday evening at about 22:49. The reason for the drowning is still unknown and the case will be investigated by Secunda SAPS. The diving team would like to thank ER24 and Secunda SAPS who also attended the scene. The photo (supplied) shows the small quarry before divers entered the water.
5 June / Junie 2020
Kosmosnuus / Cosmos News
Minister DlaminiZuma must be fired The President cannot allow her to evade accountability
NATIONAL - It appears that Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma lied to South Africans in her justification for the continued ban on the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products. If this is indeed the case, then President Ramaphosa surely has no choice but to fire her from his cabinet. On 29 April, in a televised briefing of the regulations for Level 4 of the lockdown, Minister Dlamini Zuma claimed that government’s decision to prohibit the sale of tobacco products was partly based on “more than 2,000” public submissions supporting such a ban. These alleged submissions formed part of 70,000 public submissions made to government at the time. In this briefing the minister said: “Even in the public comments, there was quite a lot of opposition. More than 2,000 people opposed it.” She went on to say that government “took that into consideration, debated the matter, looked at it, and decided that we must continue as we are when it comes to cigarettes, tobacco and related products, and that we should not open up the sale of these products.” But her responding papers to a court challenge by the Fair-Trade Independent Tobacco Association (FITA) paints an entirely different picture. This 4,000 page response – clearly meant to “spam” the court – included all the public submissions she could find to support her actions. Plus, it seems, many that had nothing to do with cigarettes or tobacco at all. And the actual opposition to cigarette sales turns out to be a mere fraction of what she had claimed. According to FITA, the applicants in the case, there
weren’t more than 2,000 submissions attached as evidence. Instead there were only 1,535 submissions and of these, 47.2% had nothing to do with cigarettes or smoking, 23.3% were in favour of smoking and only 29.6% supported the ban. This amounts to just 454 submissions. Clearly the minister was lying to South Africans in order to further her own pre-determined agenda. The question is, when the minister said on live television that government “took that into consideration, debated the matter, looked at it”, was she implicating the rest of the National Command Council in this lie, or did she herself deceive her cabinet colleagues? Either way, this conduct renders her wholly unfit to occupy the position of a cabinet minister, and particularly one with such sweeping powers under the Disaster Management Act. Of course it should be immaterial whether 2,000 or 454 people wrote in to support the ban. This has never been the basis for the formulation of any other lockdown regulations. And, had the president himself not assured South Africans mere days earlier that cigarettes would go back on sale under Level 4, the submissions opposing the ban would most likely have dwarfed any support. But the fact that Minister Dlamini Zuma took the decision to make up a number of alleged supporting submissions and then lie to the people of South Africa in her briefing should be grounds for immediate suspension from her position. If the president wants to salvage some credibility for government’s response to this crisis, he cannot allow her to evade accountability on this. (Issued by John Steenhuisen MP – Leader of the Democratic Alliance – on 29 May) JD
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Statement by Lekwa on Standerton’s electricity situation STANDERTON - Lekwa Local Municipality is licensed by NERSA as a distributor of Electricity in its demarcated areas within the Municipality. The Municipality receives bulk Electricity from Eskom at the A Substation, which it then distributes to the service areas through the A Substation, B Substation and C Substation. The Eskom supply has two 40 MVA 132/33 kV transformers, while the distribution to the Municipality’s A, B and C Substations is through two 20 MVA 33/11 kV transformers each. The current Notified Maximum Demand (NMD) on the Eskom supply for Lekwa LM is 55MVA, which is consistently exceeded during the winter months for years now. This has incurred many irrecoverable expenses for the Municipality through penalties and interest charges from Eskom. Attempts have been made by the Municipality dating back to as early as 2014, to try and get the NMD upgraded but to date this is still in progress. The current status is that Eskom issued a quotation
for an upgrade to 80 MVA, which the Municipality has paid for but Eskom is stalling on effecting the upgrade. As of the beginning of 2020, Eskom decided that they will no longer allow the exceeding of NMD’s by all Municipalities and have since throttled all bulk supply points to the respective NMD levels. This has resulted in Lekwa Municipality, being one of the Municipalities which exceeds NMD levels especially in winter, experiencing power outages as of the month of May when the winter peak sets in, as the Eskom supply trips as soon as the NMD is exceeded. Eskom’s decision means that Lekwa Municipality will be implementing partial rotational load shedding where necessary, as it is dependent on the load demand . Lekwa Municipality in the meantime has applied to Eskom for the interim increase of our NMD from 55MVA TO 67MVA. All customers are humbly requested to use electricity sparingly during this difficult period, as the Municipality cannot cope with high demand. (Issued by the Lekwa Local Municipality Manager) JD
Tienerseun versmoor en geskiet tydens huisroof WITBANK - ’n Tienerseun (13) van eMalahleni is vandeesweek deur rowers in sy ouerhuis doodgeskiet terwyl sy ma nagskof by ’n myn gewerk het. Brig Leonard Hlathi, woordvoerder van die polisie, het in ’n verklaring gesê die tiener is Dinsdag, 26 Mei, in die vroeë oggendure doodgeskiet toe twee rowers by sy ouerhuis in Klarinet naby eMalahleni ingebreek het. Die rowers het waarskynlik nie besef die seun is tuis nie. Volgens Hlathi het die seun moontlik van ’n geraas wakker geword waarna hy opgemerk het dat daar iemand in die huis is. Die seun het homself toe in ’n kamer in die huis toegesluit waarna hy om hulp geskree het. Die hulpkrete het die rowers se aandag getrek en hulle is na die kamer waar hulle die kamerdeur afgebreek en die
tiener versmoor het, het Hlathi gesê. Volgens Hlathi het een van die verdagtes ’n skoot op die bewustelose tiener afgevuur voordat hy en sy makker met ’n televisiestel op die vlug geslaan het. Die bure het die seun se noodkrete en die skoot gehoor en hulp ontbied, maar die seun is met die aankoms van die owerhede op die toneel dood verklaar. Lt genl Mondli Zuma, provinsiale polisiekommissaris, het die voorval ten sterkte veroordeel. “Hierdie verdagtes kan slegs beskou word as lafaards wat ’n onskuldige en weerlose kind as prooi gesien het nadat hulle hom versmoor en hy reeds roerloos gelê het,” het Zuma gesê. Die polisie ondersoek ’n saak van huisroof en moord. Niemand is nog in verband met die voorval in hegtenis geneem nie. (Maroela media) JD
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Kosmosnuus / Cosmos News
5 June / Junie 2020
Gholfbedryf kan ineen stort NASIONAAL - Golf RSA het namens al die gholfbeheerliggame in die land sy ontevredenheid uitgespreek ná die departement van sport, kuns en kultuur se mediakonferensie oor die invloed van vlak 3 op sport. Die land het Maandag oorgeskuif na vlak 3 van die afsonderingstydperk. Vusumusi Mkhize, direkteur-generaal van die departement, het gesê dat gholfbane ook slegs kan heropen vir professionele mense om te oefen en deel te neem soos wat die geval is met ander niekontaksportsoorte. Mkhize het dit egter duidelik gemaak dat al die regulasies slegs van toepassing is
op professionele atlete wat ʼn bestaan maak uit sport en dus betaal word om daaraan deel te neem. Deelname aan sport vir ontspanningsdoeleindes word dus nog nie toegelaat nie. Maar volgens Golf RSA het dié departementele hou beslis nie op die setperk geland nie. “Oor die hele wêreld is daar reeds verskeie voorbeelde wat toon dat gholfspelers inderdaad veilig na die bane kan terugkeer,” is daar in ’n amptelike verklaring geskryf. Internasionale sterre soos Rory McIlroy en Tiger Woods het reeds met groot welslae in liefdadigheidswedstryde gespeel;
Gholf RSA is oortuig daarvan dat die gholfbedryf in Suid-Afrika, wat werksgeleenthede aan nagenoeg 40 000 mense verskaf, en wat deur amateurspelers se lidmaatskapfooie onderhou word, ineen kan stort indien gholfbane nie heropen word nie.
daar is onder meer miljoene vir die stryd teen Covid-19 ingesamel. “Ons het dit duidelik gestel – te danke aan deeglike navorsing en die gepaardgaande dokumentasie – dat een van die vereistes vir professionele gholf dan toeganklike bane vir elke speler is.” Gholfklubs oor die wêreld word deur die lidmaatskapfooie van amateurspelers onderhou. In Suid-Afrika word ongeveer 40 000 mense deur gholfklubs in diens geneem. “Alle Suid-Afrikaanse gholfbeheerliggame is van mening dat hulle slaggereed is vir ’n
veilige terugkeer tot die spel. Alle regulasies is van krag en voorsorgmaatreëls is getref.” Volgens Golf RSA is gholf in elk geval ’n sport waar sosiale afstandhandhawing geld en dit word wêreldwyd beskou as ’n gesonde sportsoort wat geskik is vir enige ouderdom. “Ons is deeglik daarvan bewus dat dit die regering se prioriteit is om lewens te beskerm, die verspreiding van Covid-19 te beperk, werkloosheid in toom te hou en die ekonomie te ondersteun. Ons is egter ook oortuig dat die gholfbedryf – sonder die opening van die bane – ineen sal stort.” (Maroela media) JD