Day: September 8, 2022

MANGAUNG - Police are requesting Ratshoeu Mogale to come forward with information regarding an ongoing assault case.

On Sunday, 10 July 2022, it is alleged by the complainant that she was home when a disagreement arose between her and her boyfriend and it ended with the boyfriend assaulting her. She reported the matter to the police and a case of assault was opened. Detectives tried to locate the boyfriend but failed.

It is believed that Ratshoeu Mogale might know the whereabouts of the wanted boyfriend. Anyone who have seen him or know his whereabouts, is kindly requested to contact their nearest police station or the investigating officer Detective Khahliso Blom on the following number 051 406 4401/2 or 082 527 6099.

Source: South African Police Service

9-9-9 FASD campaign to be concluded on World Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Day in Kwazulu-Natal

The Deputy Minister of Social Development, Mme Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, will conclude the 9-9-9 Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FASD) campaign in Kokstad - KwaZulu-Natal, tomorrow - 9 September 2022.

Deputy Minister Bogopane-Zulu has been going around the country educating communities, especially pregnant women, about the dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant.

Today, 8 September 2022, she was joined by the Eastern Cape MEC for Social Development - Ms Bukiwe Fanta, talking to the community of Peddie about FASD.

Each of the speakers called for a coordinated approach in dealing with the prevention of FASD and the support of families who may have disabled children as a result of this preventable condition.

Nobuntu Botha (54), a caregiver, testified during the dialogue that she is looking after her grandchild who now has learning difficulties and she suspects that this may have be as a result of the mother who took alcohol while she was pregnant. She explained that she struggled to integrate the child and to find a suitable school but through the assistance of social workers, her grandchild is now at school.

Botha was part of the dialogue facilitated by the deputy minister who has been moving from province to province from 1 September - taking the 9-9-9 Campaign to communities throughout the country.

This campaign happens over a period of nine consecutive days, in all the nine provinces leading up to 9 September which is International Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder day. It seeks mobilise communities to protect unborn babies by educating pregnant women and women of child-bearing age to avoid alcohol while pregnant or breastfeeding.

FASD Day is commemorated each year at nine minutes past nine on the ninth day of the ninth month (September) drawing attention to the fact that women should not drink alcohol while pregnant.

It is part of the coordination and implementation of the National Drug Master Plan (NMDP 2019-2024) which aims to build a society free of alcohol and drug abuse.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), South Africa has the highest reported FASD prevalence rate in the world. It is estimated that the country’s overall rate is at least 6%. There is no treatment for FASD but it can be prevented if women do not drink during pregnancy. The deputy minister was joined by the Central Drug Authority, traditional leaders, the EC liquor board, child activists, community members and pregnant women.

Source: Government of South Africa

POLOKWANE - Members of the South African Police Service Search and Rescue Unit, last night managed to retrieve the body of a 26 year-old man from a farm dam in the Ritavi Policing area, after amid tit-for-tat moments with a very aggressive hippopotamus. The area falls under Ritavi Policing area near Tzaneen in the Mopani District.

The victim and his 34-year-old colleague were reportedly working at this dam on Tuesday 06 September 2022, busy removing illegal fishing nets left behind by poachers who fled the area while being chased by the farmer.

They were busy removing nets using a canoe without life jackets and In the process one of the nets caught a crocodile and during their pulling of the nets, the crocodile managed to pull away and the canoe capsized, both the farm workers fell into the dam and one of the them managed to swim out while the other one drowned. The victim (deceased) was identified as Guidance Manganye (26) from Giyani in Mopani.

The search operation commenced but had to be suspended when it became dark and that the dam is infested with Crocodiles and Hippos. The rescue team had to acquire suitable equipment to repel the hippos before retrieving the body.

After long and gruelling hours the body was retrieved from the dam and not before the team had to negotiate their way, be alert and cautious about the presence of these dangerous animals.

The Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe is excited and full of praise for the team for carrying out a difficult task with such zealous efforts.

"These are members whose task is to carry out rescue operations and save lives, even under extreme and strenuous circumstances. I am really proud of this dedicated winning team which is always geared towards bringing back smiles to the faces and closures to the affected families," concluded Lieutenant General Hadebe.

An inquest docket has been opened and police investigations are continuing.

Source: South African Police Service

Minister of Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers to officially open the deferred ownership show house

The Western Cape Minister of Infrastructure, Tertuis Simmers, will on Friday, 9 September 2022 officially open the show house of the first Deferred Ownership (ie. Rent-to-Buy) project in Bredasdorp, Cape Agulhas. The Mill Park Development is the first of its kind and is envisaged to create 106 affordable housing opportunities for residents of Bredasdorp and the broader Cape Agulhas municipal area.

The project is aimed at prospective first-time homebuyers earning between R3 501 and R22 000 per month, who qualify for a Help Me Buy a Home subsidy, also known as Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme (FLISP). The Rent-to-Buy option will enable applicants to rent their future home for a period of 6 to 24 months, during which time they will be assisted to improve their credit score. Once their score has been improved, applicants will be assisted to apply for a mortgage bond and the Help Me Buy a Home/FLISP subsidy, enabling applicants to purchase the home they have been renting.

This event follows the launch of the R55 million budgeted project in June 2022. The official opening of the show house will provide a sneak preview of the homes and its features.

Source: Government of South Africa

POTCHEFSTROOM - Oduetse Rampo (38), Reuben Seleke (36) and Itumeleng Taje (38) were granted R1000-00 bail each upon second appearance before the Atamelang Magistrates’ Court yesterday. They are expected to appear for the third time at the same court on Wednesday, 05 October 2022.

The accused were apprehended in the early hours of Monday morning, 04 September 2022, and made an initial court appearance the same day on two counts of attempted murder and one of murder. The trio allegedly kidnapped three men at Gareleng Section, Madibogo village, south west of Mahikeng at about 11:00 on Tuesday, 16 August 2022. Reportedly, the victims were then loaded onto a white Toyota bakkie and taken to an unknown place where they were allegedly assaulted after being accused of burglary.

The accused allegedly dropped one of the kidnapped men; Thobegi Stephen Maine (28) not far from his parental place approximately five hours later. The severely beaten Maine was taken home by some villagers. Paramedics were consequently summoned, but they certified Maine dead. As a result, cases of attempted murder and murder were registered leading to apprehension of the accused.

Meanwhile, the fourth male suspect, aged 17, was released under the custody of his parents after appearing yesterday in court in connection with the same incident. He is expected to reappear before the court on Monday, 03 October 2022.

Once more, the North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, cautioned that taking the law into one’s hands is unlawful and cannot be tolerated. He indicated that those who continue to disrespect the rule of law by applying mob justice, will be dealt with accordingly.

Source: South African Police Service

The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, will address the inaugural Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy Colloquium on Thursday, 8 September 2022.

The two-day colloquium, hosted by the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI), takes place against the backdrop of inadequate and uneven development in South Africa and globally, as well as growing demands for a better life for all.

"The world is emerging from the global Covid-19 pandemic, which exposed the inadequacies of many countries' national systems of innovation, especially at their intersection with the health sector. The pandemic deepened the economic, ecological and social crises," said the Minister.

The colloquium will feature a combination of the keynote address, strategic overview report and panel discussions. Presentations on the new STI Decadal Plan; education, training, and innovation; STI, development, sustainability transitions, and inclusivity will be among the topics covered.

Source: Government of South Africa

Unwanted conduct diminishing the dignity of another constitutes harassment in the workplace – Employment and Labour

Any unwanted conduct that impairs dignity such as giving comments about other people, winking to other people, touching other people, telling other people that they are sexy is constituting to harassment in the workplace.

This was said by the Director of Employment Equity (EE) in the Department of Employment and Labour, Ms. Ntsoaki Mamashela, during the Department’s Employment Equity and the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) Roadshow held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on 07 September 2022.

Mamashela was explaining the different forms of harassment that are considered prohibited in the workplace to the various stakeholders attending the workshop.

She told the gathering that harassment is: “Any unwanted conduct impairs the dignity of the person being harassed, not the dignity of the person who is giving the comments, who is winking the eye to other people, touches other people, telling other people that they are sexy. Keep it to yourself. Leave it at the door when you get to the workplace”; added Mamashela.

“The courts have already ruled and there is one interesting court judgment where the court said; “a workplace is a professional place, it’s not a place for lovesick puppies that run around commenting on how sexy people are, leave it at the door”; said Mamashela.

The 2022 National Annual Employment Equity Workshops are focused around the Code of Good Practice on the prevention and elimination of harassment in the workplace, CCMA Case Law on all types of harassment and the 2021-2022 EE Annual Reports (22nd CEE Annual Report) and 2022 EE online reporting.

Presenting the Annual Employment Equity Reporting for the Western Cape, Chairperson for the Commission for Employment Equity (CEE), Tabea Kabinde, said, the statistical numbers for the semi-skilled population level are nothing to be celebrated.

“When we get to this level, I don’t celebrate. There is nothing to celebrate because this is really a reflection of the legacy of apartheid and it cannot even be celebrated. We can’t celebrate the fact that the lower you go the darker it becomes. It’s not worth being celebrated. We want to celebrate seeing the movement at the higher levels and then we can say we are really making progress towards economic transformation”; said Kabinde.

The Department of Employment and Labour Western Cape Provincial Head, Mawele Ntamo, told the workshop attendees that the Department remains committed to the agenda of transformation in the workplace and that the EE and the CCMA Roadshow session is a continuous indication of that commitment and also to capacitate the employers and employees.

“Let us hold or tackle the bull by its horns. The statistics that are shown are uninspiring. They say a lot about the people that are in this room because everyone has the responsibility to drive transformation in the workplace. And I’m sure coming back to the next session we should see something different from what has been shown here today”; said Ntamo.

According to the EE reporting status of the Western Cape Provincial Departments and Municipalities, of the thirty (30) municipalities only three municipalities are left wanting in terms of non-reporting three years in a row since 2019.

“I have spoken with the chief inspector to say by now you should have the list of those three municipalities that have not been reporting for three consecutive years, and he has committed that he is going to follow this one. A penalty which goes up to R150 000.00 (may be issued to the three municipalities), and that is a key decision that has been taken that he needs to follow those municipalities and deal with them. And yes, we are encouraged by the responds from other government departments that they are complying”; concluded Ntamo.

Source: Government of South Africa