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April 10, 2014 Mthatha Express
Nyandeni council approves budget
AYANDA MILLISA MADIKIZELA THE Nyandeni Local Municipality council voted unanimously last week Monday to approve Mayor Thokozile Sokhanyile’s revised 2014/2015 budget report. The budget, together with the IDP report, was tabled at a special council meeting held at the municipality’s council chambers in Libode. Unlike in previous meetings, there were no misunderstandings from the opposition parties in the council. Nyandeni’s budget for this year is R252 745 786 to be spent on the municipality’s budget and treasury, corporate services, planning, community services and infrastructure services departments.
Sokhanyile also highlighted some projects that the municipality will be running with this budget. “One of our projects, which will help to empower the youth co-ops, is the bricklaying and paving of streets, starting in our towns, Libode and Ngqeleni. “We will give machinery to the registered co-ops to pave the streets. This project will assist the municipality in maintaining its roads and also help in creating jobs for the local youth,” said Sokhanyile. The mayor also briefed the council about the proposed new site earmarked for the dairy farm which will no longer be in Mdlankomo, but in the Makhotyana area. “Following the total rejection of a dairy farming project by the community of Md-
lankomo, a new site has been sought in Makhotyana, ward 04 in Libode,” she said. According to the recommendations, the municipality needs to first conduct a pre-feasibility study to determine the extent of readiness of the community and also to try to get local youth with a background in farming to be part of the project. Nyandeni is also planning to fast-track the feasibility study for the Malungeni clay project in Ngqeleni which is aimed at developing the community and also to attract investors.
Mayor Thokozile Sokhanyile.
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Massive campaign in schools to fight drugs SIMBONGILE MDLEDLE THE South African Police Service (SAPS) communication office has embarked on a massive drug awareness campaign in schools around Mthatha to curb drug abuse and selling of drugs in schools.
OMBUDSMAN
This effort follows recent reports that Mthatha schools are rife with drug abuse and the main targets of drug lords. The campaign started last week Thursday in Khanyisa Senior Secondary School in Mthatha. SAPS Communication Officer, Colonel Mzukisi Fatyela, revealed that his office was not working alone in this campaign as it has also roped in the dog unit, NGOs and other government departments. He confirmed that drugs are a big problem at Mthatha Schools. The Police’s main focus is to conduct these awareness campaigns at all the schools. “We want to make learners realise that in using drugs they are wasting their lives and ruining their future,” he concluded.
In accordance with the editorial policy of the Mthatha Express, we invite readers to comment on mistakes in the newspaper and shall correct significant errors as soon as possible. Send info to the Ombudsman of Media24’s Local Press, George Claassen, at george.claassen@media24.com or call him at 0 021 851 3232. Readers can also contact the SA Press Ombudsman at 0 011 484 3612/8 or e-mail ombudsman@presscouncil.org.za.
Centane man arrested for allegedly killing his mother REPORTER A CENTANE local was arrested by Centane Police for allegedly murdering his 70-year-old mother, Elizabeth Nolungile Nibe.
The South African Police Service has embarked on a massive campaign to curb drug abuse and drug dealing in schools in and around Mthatha. PHOTO AS ILLUSTRATION: CITY PRESS
It is alleged that 46-year-old Mphuthumi Shweni kicked and hit his mother against the wall of her house on Monday, 31 March, 2014, at about 5pm at Qolorha (G) Location Msento Village Centane. She died on the scene and had upper body injuries. Police said the motive for the murder is not known but the crime was witnessed by members of the community who contacted the police. The suspect was arrested and charged with murder. He appeared in the Centane magistrate court on Tuesday, 01 April, 2014, on a murder charge. He was not asked to plead and his case was remanded to Monday, April 14. He was remanded in custody.
Electricity woes continue in Mthatha SIMBONGILE MDLEDLE DESPITE several attempts to address the problem of power failures in Mthatha, the problem persists in the town and its surrounds and residents and businesses were left in the dark again last week Thursday. In the past few years power-and sub-stations have been opened in Mthatha in an
endeavour to curb the problem with power failures. In November last year President Jacob Zuma officialy opened a sub-station in Thornhill near Fortgale, but the town’s power woes continue. There are four substations in Mthatha at Sidwadwa, Unitra, Hilcrest and Thornhill. It also has over 200 mini stations. According to King Sabatha Dalindyebo (KSD) Municipality Spokesperson, Sonwabo Mampoza, last week’s power
More arrests expected in cloning card case SIMBONGILE MDLEDLE THE Police are expecting to make more arrests with regard to the cloning of ATM cards. This according to the police spokesperson of the Mthatha cluster, Colonel Mzukisi Fatyela, following the arrest of 15 people on Tuesday night last week in Mthatha. Among the suspects which were arrested by
police include nine women who are expected to appear before the Mthatha magistrate court soon. Some of the suspects were arrested in Hartley Qina in Khwezi Township, Mthatha and surrounding areas of Mthatha. Fatyela said in this operation the police discovered 223 cloned cards of Sassa, 11 bank cards, a finger print machine, one skimming device and a computer.
failure was due to a problem in a sub-station at Sidwadwa which affected the entire town and its surroundings. “Our technicians worked around the clock to fix the problem and now things are back to normal. We would like to apologise for any inconvenience especially in Mthatha businesses, government departments and community at large. It was beyond our power,” said Mampoza.
He said other suspects confessed during the interrogation. They are still following leads and more arrests are expected. “We’ve got all the number plates of the vehicles that are used in this crime. They are driving day and night in Mthatha, hunting down their victims. We will work tirelessly to ensure that all are behind bars so that people can be able to withdraw their money without fear,” he said. He called on people who are using ATM’s to be more vigilant.