TEL: 053 ­ 831­2331 WEDNESDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.EXPRESS­NEWS.CO.ZA FREE

Northern Cape

} Boipelo Mere

THE issue of shortage ofshelters for elderly people withAlzheimer’s disease is a concernin the Northern Cape. The issuewas raised by the Northern CapeAlzheimer’s Association duringan awareness march on WorldAlzheimer’s Day to the Galesh-ewe Police Station on Friday.

Held on World Alzheimer’sDay (WAD), which is celebratedinternationally on Friday,19 September, the peacefulawareness march whichstarted at Gaasca in Galesheweconsisted of members of allservice centres and interestedcommunities.

Julia Pretorius, a socialworker, highlighted that themarch organised in partnershipwith Gaasca was aimed atmaking the people of Galesheweaware of the plight of the elderlysuffering from dementia.

Handing a memorandum toCol Patrick Goso, Pretorius saidthat the elderly were abusedfinancially, physically, emotion-ally and sexually. Their humanrights were at times violatedand they were often victimisedeven by family members.

Handing over a copy of thememorandum, a pile of pam-phlets, a copy of the GovernmentGazette quoting the Elderly Act,she pleaded that the policeofficers be patient in dealingwith cases of elderly people. Thepolice should understand thatthey might have a slowermemory.

“Please give our elderlyenough care, it might be youand me tomorrow,” said Preto-rius to the participants.

“Older people who are physi-

cally frail or confused aresometimes abused by lovingand caring people becausecaring for them becomes toomuch and caregivers are notproperly trained while theelderly dare not complain,” she

emphasised.“There are still people, even in

Kimberley, who think that theseunfortunate people are be-witched and they lock them inor throw stones at them,” statedPretorius.

Elderly march for rightsAlzheimerpatientsdeservegood care

THE elderly highlighted that they deserve to be heard at a march tothe Galeshewe Police Station on World Alzheimer’s Day.

Photos: Supplied

JULIA PRETORIUS handed over a memorandum about the plightof the elderly to Col Patrick Goso at the Galeshewe Police Station.

‘Older persons who are physically frail orconfused are sometimes abused by lovingand caring people because caring for thembecomes too much and caregivers are notproperly trained.’ – Julia Pretorius

2 EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE, WEDNESDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 2014

NEWS

}Boipelo Mere

“HE thinks he is God and owns this taxirank. You can even see by the way he walksthat he is overconfident. Last number.”Those were the words uttered by a KLTA

taxi driver when he saw the Thusanong andKLTA taxi manager known only as Mavus,giving instructions at the taxi rank onTuesday.He had just spoken to armed police officers

who surrounded the taxi rank and braggedabout how he had instructed them to packup and go.The police responded to the commotion

when the taxi drivers and their assistantsdowned tools protesting at whether Mavusshould be fired from the taxi rank or not.Even though some commuters were not

impressed by being stranded, there was

nothing they could do because the protestorsgathered at the exit gate of the rank, makingit difficult for the taxis to leave.According to some of the drivers, they

were sick and tired of being abused by thetaxi manager who kept on throwing hisweight around. They claim it is because ofhim that they are continuously suspendedand also that he assaults them for no reason.The groups of divided and angry taxi

operators had to be dispersed by police withstun grenades and water while some wereseen being loaded into the back of a policevan. Some wanted Mavus to go while othersdefended him.“Mavus is going nowhere. He is doing a

good job at the taxi rank. We, the Thusanongand KLTA Association, gave him theauthority to delegate operations and will bethe ones who remove him for a valid reason.

It is because of him that there is no moreillegal activities at the rank like dealing indrugs and gambling,” said the grievanceschairperson of the taxi rank, MacdonaldMcheku. He praised Mavus and emphasisedthat the taxi manager was responsible for thelaw and order at the taxi rank.“They (drivers) do not get the freedom to

do as they please, including the illegalactivities that they themselves know thatthey are doing. Since he started working as ataxi manager here three years ago, there hasbeen fewer complaints of customers beingill-treated and verbally abused.”Mcheku elaborated that Mavus was very

good at his job and that the grieving opera-tors should have followed the properprocedures of submitting a written complaintto the office.“We do not allow afdak gossip and do not

follow it. Anyone can see that customerservice has improve in the past three years.Even the assistant drivers have stoppedabusing the customers. Mavus solves all thecomplaints with the committee, that is whywe are positive that he is doing nothingwrong.“It is true that if we find a taxi driver or

an assistant at fault we suspend them forthree months. We don’t fire them. That issome form of rehabilitation for them. Ontheir return to the rank they are alwayschanged people,” he addmitted.The grievances chairperson clarified that

Mavus made an affort of searching theoperators and assistants when he suspectedany foul play or illegal dealings.“But that he does in front of us. He brings

the culprit straight to us before he does it,then we call the police.”

Taxi drivers divided over manager

TAXI operators complain that Mavus (pictured) throws his weight around.

HEAVILY-ARMED police officers were calledto the scene.

COMMUTERS were stranded at the taxi rank. Photos: Boipelo Mere

EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE , WEDNESDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 2014 3

NEWS

} Boipelo Mere

THREE municipal workers ofthe Siyancuma Municipality,Moses Mathee (47), Tumi Sehako(32) and Sonia Morolong (25),briefly appeared in the DouglasMagistrate’s Court on charges ofcorruption and theft after allthree were granted bail lastweek.The three will re-appear on 24

November after their bailapplication had been extendedon Thursday.Sehako and Morolong were

released on R1 000 bail eachafter they decided to stand asstate witnesses.Mathee on the other hand was

released on R5 000 bail aftergetting a stern warning not tocome into any contact with anywitnesses.The three were reportedly

arrested after the Hawks hadfound funds to the amount ofR1,8 million missing from theSiyancuma Municipality.Sehako and Morolong are both

reported to be working in theHuman Resource Department atthe municipality.The state procecutor Modisa

Seatlholo alleges that Mathee,who was employed as a driverat the municipality, is describedas the middle man in all theillegal activities concerningmoney laundering and unlawfulpayments.Magistrate Joppie Fourie was

on the bench.Gerrie Botha appeared for the

defence in the case.

According to the state, thecurrent calculations of theamounts brought forwardamounted to about R6 877 and

the amount was expected toincrease as witnesses cameforward.It is further alleged that

Mathee would promise peoplejobs on non-existent projects andaccompany them to the bank toopen bank accounts. When the

money was about to be paid tothe employees he would callthem non-stop and remind themof his dues on the pay-outs.It was also reported that

Mathee was the person responsi-ble for making a list of ghostemployees that he submitted toHuman Resources in themunicipality between 13 Juneand 13 July.Evidence and statements were

brought forward that Matheewas tampering with investiga-tions in the form of threateningthe investigating officer and thewitnesses whom he knows.Amongst the evidence provid-

ed was the text message that hehad sent to the investigationsofficer where he threatened himto bewitch him if he did notdrop the investigation.More witnesses with, whom

the three accused have beenwarned not to make any form ofcontact, are expected to comeforward and make statements.More arrests are expected to

be made on this case.

Three in court on theft chargesThree in court on theft charges

MOSES MATHEE is out onR5 000 bail. Photos: Boipelo Mere

TUMI SEHAKO got R1 000 bail.SONIA MOROLONG is out onR1 000 bail.

Mathee, who was em-ployed as a driver at the

municipality, is de-scribed as the middleman in all the illegalactivities concerning

money laundering andunlawful payments.

4 EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE, WEDNESDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 2014

NEWS

MEMBERS of the SAPS UpingtonCrime Prevention unit confiscateddrugs with an estimated streetvalue of R428 000 in Carlton Streetafter following up on informationand raiding several houses in theUpington precinct.The drugs were found hidden in

blankets, curtains, in the corridorsand some in the gutters and couldtherefore not be linked to anyone,as the house is occupied by manytenants.At the same premises, the police

also found three cellphones,two iPads, one GPS and onebraai set.Daniel Okiwelu (30) and Promise

Owula (24) were arrested andcharged with theft.Another 55-year-old man was

also arrested after 11x9 mm rounds,6x3.57 rounds and 3x7.65 roundswere found in his room.Joanto Santos was charged

with possession of illegal ammu-nition.The suspects appeared in the

Upington Magistrate’s Court onMonday, 15 September.Santos received R500 bail while

Okiwelu and Owula were bothremanded in custody.These cases have been remanded

for 23 and 25 September respective-ly.The Upington Cluster Commander

Brigadier Paul Cengani commendedthe members from the UpingtonCrime Prevention unit for a jobwell done and lauds the com-munity for assistance in thisregard.

SAPS unit takes action

HERE with the drugs are from the left, front: Student Constable Dineo Le-botsa and ConstableMarilyn Potgieter; back: Student ConstablesMpume-lelo Ncembu, Danville Magosie and Gordon Bosch. Photo: Supplied

MACUFE continues to be asignificant brand for the FreeState as it is a catalyst for promot-ing economic growth and it is aperfect platform to showcaseemerging talent while promotingsport and tourism in the province.The annual cultural event, now

in its 17th year, promises culturaltourists the delight on a potpourriof the finest talent in music, arts,craft, fashion, comedy, poetry anda top-level game of professionalfootball.Early bookings at Computicket

nationwide are thus encouraged toensure the enjoyment of a stress-free 17th Macufe under the theme20 Years of Melodi Ya Tokoloho.The festival of note is expected

to open on Friday, 3 October, atThe Dome (Old Grey SportsGround) with a show of youthfulvibrancy and positive energy inthe form of Tshepe, a hip hopsound unique to the Free State.Presented in a battle of the DJsformat the show will featureamong others Maths, Kid X, Ma E,Maggs, Teargas, Vigilante, Shaxe,Naked DJ, Dimples and TboTouch. Tickets are available atComputicket for only R50.All is set for the Macufe Gospel

Concert where audiences willwitness voices soar to the heavenson 5 October at The Dome (OldGrey Sports Ground). For anaffordable ticket of just R150gospel fans will be presented withtheir money’s worth in a showheadlined by acts such as S’fisoNcwane who has also beenwinning appreciation in churchesof a different kind (nightclubs andtaverns) with his hit song Kuling-ile Baba. Sharing the stage with

Ncwane will be Solly Mahlangu,Sipho Makhabane, RebeccaMalope, Benjamin Dube,VeliswaSkeyi, Teboho, Msingizane, PaulLechalaba, Sello Malete, Morwesi,Tshenolo, Primrose, Thoko andmany more.For a mere R170 the mid-week

blues will certainly be laughedaway on Wednesday, 8 October,when Mzansi’s top comedians,including Cape Town’s Marc

Lottering, Kroonstad-born comicDavid Kau, Joey Rasdien andSkhumba Hlophe, take to the stageat The Dome. Lottering has beenin the comedy business for 13years while Kau began his careeras the first black stand-up come-dian in the 1998 Smirnoff ComedyFestival in Cape Town. Kau wasthe only black person on stage outof 44 comedians. Rasdien hasperformed in many major comedy

festivals in South Africa andrecently headlined the Blacks OnlyComedy. Hlophe’s star is on therise as he has just become apresenter on SABC 1’s MzansiInsider Entertainment Show.Sibongile Khumalo & Uhadi

(featuring McCoy Mrubata, PaulHanmer, Feya Faku, HerbieTsoaeli & Justin Badenhorst), DonLaka with the Botshabelo Strings,Jimmy Dludlu share the stage

with USA guitarist Earl Klugh atThe Indoor Jazz on 9 October atThe Dome for only R220.Chrisette Michele, Chantay

Savage, Zahara and Choko appearin The Divas Concert on Friday, 10October, at the same venue. R&Band soul singer-songwriterChrisette Michele Payne won aGrammy for Best Urban /Alterna-tive Performance with her song BeOK. Vocalist, Chantay Savage is adaughter of a jazz musician andgrew up in Chicago where shewas raised on the sounds of jazzand soul legends like SarahVaughn, Chaka Khan and MarvinGaye. The Divas Concert ticketscost R250.The Macufe Main Festival at the

Rose Gardens on Saturday, 11October, features ChrisetteMichele (USA), Chantay Savage(USA), Earl Klugh (USA) andMzansi’s award winning acts suchas Mafikizolo, Jonas Gwangwa,Ringo, Thandiswa Mazwai, OliverMtukudzi, Max-Hoba, VictorKgantlape and Press.Tickets cost R320.Concluding will be the popular

Macufe Cup Tournament that seestwo of the well-supported PSLteams, Bloemfontein Celtics andKaizer Chiefs, battle it out onSunday, 12 October, at the FreeState Stadium. Tickets vary fromR30 for juveniles, R50 open-stand,R60 grand stand and R2 166 forVIP’s.Macufe is proudly supported by

the Free State’s Sport, Arts,Culture and Recreation depart-ment, National Department of Artsand Culture, Mangaung Municipal-ity, National Arts Council andFree State Tourism.

Macufe brings great talent to Bfn

MAFIKIZOLO during one of their performances in Kimberley. Photo: Boipelo Mere

EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE , WEDNESDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 2014 5

NEWS

FANS of American rapper LilJon will have the exclusivechance to see him performinglive in South Africa this yearwhen he headlines the Kimber-ley Diamond Cup concert inKimberley on 4 October.Tickets, which include concert

passes, are available fromComputicket outlets country-wide or online at www.com-puticket.com.Lil Jon is reported to have

been in chart-topping form withhis latest hit Turn Down ForWhat remaining on the dance/electronic billboard charts for 13consecutive weeks.This collaboration with

French artist DJ Snake hasbecome one of the hottest songsin the world and is currentlyamong the top 25 most globallyplayed songs on Spotify.It has also reportedly sold

over 2 million copies to date andis the summer anthem in theUnited States.Lil Jon also starred in the

2013 All Star Celebrity Appren-tice series, which was aired inSouth Africa earlier this year.The concert is one of the

highlights of the KimberleyDiamond Cup skateboardingworld championships presentedby Kumba Iron Ore, which willtake place from 2 to 5 October.The concert promises to rock

the skate plaza from 20:30 andwill feature an exciting line-upof top South African performersincluding Ready D, LocnVille,Jed Nery and Prime Circle.Local favourite Black Coffee willbe in action during the closingceremony on Sunday.According to Tim McFerran of

World Skateboarding GrandPrix, Lil Jon has always been ahuge supporter of skateboardingand it is incredible to have himback in Kimberley.“This guy is a superstar with

a career that has spanneddecades and he keeps comingback with one hit after theother.“This is a huge opportunity

for his South African fans to seehim in action as he’ll beperforming one night only – soit is definitely worth your whileto book your tickets and headfor the Northern Cape capital.“His live performances are

absolutely electrifying andshould not be missed,” explainsMcFerran.On Friday night, the Kimber-

ley skies will be lit up with aspectacular fireworks show andlive performances by the hugelypopular DJ Fresh together withthree other 5FM DJs and localKimberley performers.The Kimberley Diamond Cup

is hosted in conjunction withthe Northern Cape ProvincialGovernment as part of theiryouth development initiative.The event is also utilised to

position the Northern Cape asthe premier destination foradventure and extreme sports.The world skateboarding

event forms part of the North-ern Cape Extreme Week, whichwill feature basketball tourna-ments, professional and amateur

street and vert skating as wellas a big air contest.Buy your ticket from Com-

puticket by searching KimberleyDiamond Cup.Entry to the Kumba Skate

Plaza is free on Friday whilethe weekend pass costs R50 andincludes daily entry to the plazaas well as concert passes.More information can be

accessed by visiting www.kim-berleydiamondcup.com.

Turn up with Lil Jon in Kby

LIL JON will grace the Kimberley Diamond Cup with his presencenext month. Photo: Supplied

SAMUEL MAJOVE (40) ap-peared in the Kimberley Magis-trate’s Court on Wednesday oncharges of house-breaking,intention to rape, attemptedmurder and theft.Majove is being investigated by

the Kimberley police following acase of rape whereby a 25-year-old woman was allegedly rapedand assaulted on Saturday, 13September, at about 20:00 inGreenpoint.It is alleged that the 25-year-old

woman was attacked by Majove,who is known to her. He alleged-ly forcefully assaulted her andraped her.He was arrested by the police

after a manhunt on Sunday, 14September, in connection withthe incident.He has remained in custody

and will appear again in court on29 September.The investigation continues.

Suspect facing variouscharges in Kby court

SAMUEL MAJOVE(40)

‘His live performances are absolutely elec-trifying and should not be missed,’ – Tim Mc-Ferran of World Skateboarding Grand Prix

THE recent calamity that befellNigeria led to many questionsregarding the definite rolebelieved by many religionsplayed by God in the timing ofthe birth and death of men.It is true that death is in itself

a calamity and those affected,have a case if they are inconsola-ble.The recent happenings in

Nigeria cannot be celebrated asin death pain and suffering takescontrol. Accidents aside, myquestion is whether the unfortu-nate accident was, as theChristians say, an appointed timefor dying.The only problem I have, is

with the decision to keep quietby the church and Nigerianauthorities.In South Africa and the world

at large communication hasbecome synonymous with serviceprovision.Even if it said the prophet TB

Joshua is constantly communi-

cating through his SynagogueChurch of All Nations (Scoan)television, the truth is theaccident has escalated to interna-tional level and mass media willbe used to calm down the people.The silence from the Nigerian

authorities leaves much to bedesired. What we believe hashappened, is what we see andhear in the media. To accuseSouth Africa of misinformationwhen you are quiet, is disinge-nuous to say the least, but inreality it borders on cult behav-iour.That many survivors still sing

Joshua’s praises shows how blindloyalty can become. Shouldn’t thechurch reciprocate? After all,regardless of the situation, whendeath comes the corpse returns

home to the family and country.It will be improper to give

your opinion about the church –it may be seen as opportunistic.Meanwhile, a plane carrying 25

survivors of the Nigerian churchhas arrived in South Africa.Amongst them are three

children who have been or-phaned by this catastrophe.Jeff Radebe, the minister in the

Office of the Presidency, wasamongst government officialswho went to welcome thesurvivors. All the survivors weretaken to the Steve Biko Hospitalfor medical care.By Monday 84 of the 349 South

Africans who were in Nigeriawere confirmed dead.In Nigeria on Sunday, Joshua

told the more than 10 000congregation members whogathered at his church in Lagos,that he was planning to come toSouth Africa once a month inhonour of what he calls themartyrs of the church.

God’s timing is in everything

WHILE challenges with certaincategories of crime such as murderand sexual offences remain, SouthAfrica’s police have a firm handleon crime, says the national policecommissioner, Gen. Riah Phiyega.“The police are in control. The

fact that we arrested 1,7 millionpeople in the past year alone says alot. Policing is a highly-controlledenvironment with clear standingorders.“Yes, mistakes are made, but

they tend to be the ones that areflagged by the media,” Phiyega saidon Monday.She was reacting to criticism

that police have lost the war oncrime during The New Age busi-ness briefing on Monday. Thisfollows the release of the 2013-’14crime stats on Friday.The statistics, which cover the

period from 1 April 2013 to 31March this year shows murder isup by 5% with an additional 809murders.The Western Cape showed the

highest increase in murder by12,8% from 2 580 in 2012-’13 to 2 909in 2013-’14. It is followed byGauteng by 11,2% from 2 997 in2012-’13 to 3 333 in 2013-’14.The third highest province in

cases of murder was the NorthernCape with a record of 6,3% from412 in 2012-’13 to 438 in 2013-’14.The stats also showed that sexual

offences had decreased by 5,6%from 2012-’13 to 2013-’14.The decrease was recorded in all

nine provinces, with the NorthWest leading with a 12,2% decreasefrom 5 521 in 2012-’13 to 4 850 in2013-’14.Gauteng showed a decrease of

10,3% from 12 288 in 2012-’13 to11 021 in 2013-’14, followed by theFree State with 8,3% from 5 252 in2012-’13 to 4 814 in 2013-’14.In addition, home robbery is up

by 7,4% with 1 334 more cases thanthe previous year.Business robbery is up by 13,7%

with 2 238 more attacks, and carhijacking is up by 12,3% with 1 231more attacks than the previousyear. Theft of motor vehicles andmotor cycles in KwaZulu-Natalhave decreased by 10,9% from 9 788in 2012-’13 as compared to 8 723 in2013-’14.SA is stablePhiyega said the fact that the

country had investors wanting tobring business to the countryshowed that South Africa wasstable.“They know this is a stable

country with order, and lawenforcement agencies are doingtheir work,” said Phiyega, who wasflanked by the Police minister,

Nathi Nhleko, and his deputy,Maggie Sotyu.Phiyega said the Independent

Police Investigative Directorate(IPID) investigated all policetransgressions and that the SAPSmanagement accounted to thereports from IPID.“(Fighting) crime is our business.

It doesn’t matter where it is, wewill arrest a criminal. We willarrest our own if necessary,” shesaid.“We are being held accountable.

That is why we are subjected toscrutiny,” said Nhleko, adding thatthere must be a balanced criticismof the police.While welcoming criticism,

Phiyega said society should notmake it impossible for police to dotheir work.She called on the public to

partner with the police in the fightagainst crime.Sotyu said they had forged strong

community policing forums.However, she urged communities tobe more forthcoming with informa-tion.Nhleko reiterated this, saying the

issue of community partnershipswas key in fighting crime.“Even the National Development

Plan (NDP) talks to this. The NDPenvisages a state where policework closely with communities toensure that the root causes ofcrime are addressed,” Nhleko said.The NDP calls for the police to

be professionalised and supportedby a multi-sectoral and multi-disci-plinary National Policing Board(NPB) to guide a process oftransformation.It also requires senior police

managers to be assessed againstclear standards to determinewhether they have the expertise,skills and integrity required for theposts they hold.Nhleko has indicated that the

recommendations contained in theNDP, which was adopted bycabinet in 2012, needed to beimplemented.This has been welcomed by

crime and safety analysts whoagree that this process would boostthe confidence of senior managersand also give rise to a new anddynamic team of senior SAPSmanagers whose expertise, per-formance and integrity are beyondreproach.Nhleko dismissed suggestions

that South Africa was a war zone.“We are faced with a particular

social problem. We have high levelsof violence and aggression in oursociety and we need to addressthat,” he said.– SAnews.gov.za

Police are‘in control’

My viewGeorge Mutloane

6 EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE, WEDNESDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 2014

NEWS

} Boipelo Mere

HOME-BASED CAREGIVERS,who are volunteers and get astipend on a monthly basis fromthe Department of Health, high-lighted their plight to the deputychairperson of the NationalCouncil of Provinces (NCOP),Raseriti Tau, and his delegationduring the delegation’s visit totheir village in Bothithong.They pleaded for service delivery

to be improved, including theirown well-being and safety.According to the caregivers, they

need government to recognise themby deploying them into the systemof the Department of Health’sdatabase as they play a vital rolein their society.They highlighted to Tau that

they were the ones that made adifference, given the shortage ofnurses.Since the Bothithong Clinic only

operates from 07:00 till 14:00 onweekdays, they are the only hopefor the community as they areexpected to take care of the sick,including during emergencies.“We need proper training and

equipment, because we are at riskof infections like TB and HIV andAids. We are well recognised in thecommunity for the role we play.Sometimes community memberseven call us when the clinic isopen due to the trust they have inus. We also need assistance withthe slow response of the onlyambulance that we have for the 46villages in Joe Morolong. There aremany instances when we use awheelbarrow to get a patient to theclinic due to the poor response of

the ambulance,” said one of thevolunteers, Veronica Kgojang.“There was an incident where

we called the ambulance for awoman who was in labour. Theambulance took hours to arrivehere. On its arrival it was alreadycarrying a patient that was stabbedand a burnt child. On the way to

hospital the woman ended upgiving birth in the ambulance infront of this man and child,” shequoted.Another volunteer, Sebolelo

Ramonne, who is a counsellor,highlighted how the Department ofHealth would boast about thestatistics that were determined and

achieved through the hard work ofthe volunteers, those that theywould not employ permanently.“We work hard in the clinic and

only earn R1 900 per month. Thesad part is that the departmentcontinues to change NGOs, whichwe are supposed to fall underevery time instead of employing

us.“Our safety is a big issue. In 2007

I contracted TB and had to see tomyself. I started being a volunteerin 2001 until now.“How long are we supposed to

remain volunteers? The sad part isthat when we apply for grants, theSouth African Social SecurityAgency (Sassa) says we areemployed, because we have apersonnel number.”Her concern was that she put

herself into risky situations as shesometimes attended to patientswithout gloves and masks.“That way we end up suffering

alone at home because our familymembers do not understand whywe still do this work.“We also do not get any kind of

compensation or support from thedepartment due to being volun-teers. We really want to help as wesee the backlog and are part of thiscommunity that suffers so much.”The NCOP recommended that

regarding the clinic, the Depart-ment of Health needed to addressthe poor working conditions thathealth practitioners worked underand the need to purchase andprocure an ambulance in order forthe community’s needs to beurgently addressed as it infringedon the rights of citizens.It said in the next Provincial

Week the programme should bedrafted in a manner in which theNCOP was provided an opportunityto make presentations on thefindings and recommendations ofthe previous oversight visits andstate what measures had beentaken to remedy the challengesthat had been identified.

Caregivers highlight their plight

DIKGANGSTOCK (left) and thedeputy chairpersonof theNCOP, Raseriti Tau, led thedelegation inBothithong.Photo: Boipelo Mere

EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE , WEDNESDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 2014 7

NEWS

} Funeka Louw

COMMUNITY radio is a crucial partof the South African broadcastinglandscape, providing diversity forlisteners and easy access to commu-nities.

With democracy came the deregu-lation and liberalisation of broadcast-ing, and the number of stationsoperating outside of the authority’scontrol proliferated.

Community radio in South Africabegan in 1994 when ICASA, thecountry’s broadcasting authority,began the continuing process ofassessing and granting licenceapplications from groups as diverseas rural women’s co-operatives,Afrikaner communities and a varietyof religious bodies.

The country now has more than165 community stations, broadcast ina number of languages with contentas diverse as the country itself.Many community broadcasters arerepresented by the National Commu-nity Radio Forum (NCRF), whichwas formed in 1993 to lobby for thediversification of the airwaves and topromote the development and growthof the community radio sector.

The NCRF Northern Cape, whichconsists of six (6) community radiostations in the province, hosted athree-day strategic planning work-shop in Upington from 9 to 12September.

The community radio stations thatare broadcasting in the province areRadio Teemaneng (Kimberley), RadioRiverside (Upington), Radio Kaboes-na (Calvinia), Radio Ulwazi (De Aar),Radio NFM (Springbok) and Kurara

FM (Kuruman).The leadership of these radio

stations including board and stationmanagement came together with thesole purpose of creating a multi-yearstrategic plan for the NCRF –Northern Cape which will ultimatelybenefit all member stations andensure the growth and sustainabilityof the sector in the province.

The workshop was supported bythe Media Development and Diversi-ty Agency (MDDA) and according tothe acting COO of the MDDA,Manana Stone, “it was important forthe MDDA to be part of this ground-breaking initiative by the NCRFNorthern Cape as it will enablestations to become stronger and tofulfil their mission of servingcommunities of the province theyare serving”.

Key to the plans derived from theworkshop was to ensure the sustain-ability of the radio stations andimproved local content which willbenefit communities. The workshopwas facilitated by Jayshree Patherwho is a media and developmentspecialist with a vast experience incommunity media.

“I am happy with the commitmentof all stations who took part in theprocess. The stakeholders in theprovince can only benefit from theunited and coherent communityradio sector in the province,” shesaid.

Stakeholders like GCIS, ICASA, theprovincial government and TheMedia Connection also attended themeeting where Garth Damerell, thechairperson of the NCRF NorthernCape, said many challenges confront-

ing the sector were identified by themeeting but that equally the sectorrecognised the important task thatthe sector had in ensuring thatcommunities were informed,educated and empowered.

“The community radio sector playsan important role in the dissemina-tion of information and the diversifi-cation of the media landscape and tobe the voice of the voiceless in oftenthe poorest areas of our province.

“Some of the objectives agreed onduring the meeting includedstrengthened partnerships withrelevant stakeholders, improved andgood quality local content and thesustainability of the sector.”

The national secretary of theNCRF, Johannes Dire, highlightedthat the Northern Cape stations werethe first to sit around a table andpave a multi-year strategic plan withclear objectives, activities thatneeded to be done and the expectedoutcome which would ultimatelybenefit the communities served bythe various stations in the province.

The national NCRF office alsocommitted to support the initiativeof the province.

Marius Nagel, the provincialdirector of the GCIS, said thatgovernment had a vested interest inthe continued development of thecommunity radio sector in thecountry as these were the mosteasily accessible and flexible mediaplatforms that could ensure thatgovernment messages trickled downto all communities in the shortestspace of time and in the languagesbest understood by the communitiesserved by a specific station.

Radio connects people

FROM the left are, front: Portia Makamu (MDDA), Garth Damerell (chairperson NCRF Northern Cape), JohannesDire (secretary: NCRF national office), Premier Sylvia Lucas, NkopaneMaphiri (TheMedia Connection) and FunekaLouw (Radio Teemaneng); back: Tebogo Monyo (Radio Riverside), Thabang Pusoyabone (secretary of the NCRFNorthern Cape) and Monwabisi Nkompela (provincial government spokesperson). Photo: Supplied

THE South African PoliceService (SAPS) released thecrime statistics for the 2013-’14financial year, which show arange of increases and decreas-es in certain crime categorieson Friday.

For the year under reviewthere was an increase inmurder, attempted murder androbbery with aggravatingcircumstances.

Overall, murder decreased by9,2% over the past ten years(2004-’05 to 2013-’14), but showedan increase of 5% in the 2013-’14financial year.

This means 17 068 people weremurdered in South Africa lastyear.

Murder went up in allprovinces, except in the FreeState. Gauteng recorded anincrease of 11,2%.

“We are very concerned aboutthis trend,” said the nationalpolice commissioner, RiyahPhiyega, on Friday.

She once again called onsociety to work very closelywith the police to reduce thescourge.

Attempted murder also wentup by 4,6%, assault with intentto cause grievous bodily harmincreased by 1,5% and robberywith aggravated circumstanceswas up by 12,7%.

Overall, attempted murderhad decreased by 30,2% overthe past ten years.

Common assault was reportedto be down by 3,3% and sexualoffences decreased by 5,6%,with rape and sexual assaultdropping by 6,3%.

The Eastern Cape recordedthe highest number of rapes.

“These are crimes wherepolice arrive after the fact andwhich happen behind closeddoors,” Phiyega said, addingthat the police will continue toincrease their visibility incommunities.

House robberies increaseTrio crimes, which are crimes

relating to personal safety andbusiness – house robbery,business robbery and carjacking– remained stubborn, as theyincreased by 10,8%, carjackingsby 12,3%, truck hijackings by12,1%, robbery by 13,7% androbbery in residential areas by7,4%. Property-related crimesincreased by 1,7% in the pastfive years (2009 to 2013) butreduced by 0,2% during the pastfinancial year. Bank robberiessaw a decrease of 77,4% over afive-year period, but increasedfrom seven incidents in 2012-’13to 21 in 2013-’14.

The SAPS hoped the integrat-ed partnerships with businessesand the banking sector wouldgo a long way to address crime.

The robbery of cash-in-transitvehicles stabilised at 145incidents in the reportingperiod. Common robbery wentup by 0,6%. Other serious crimereduced by 1,4% during thereporting period.

Drug-related crimes increasedby 26,1% in the past financialyear.

The Police minister, NathiNhleko, lamented the levels ofviolent crime. “If you look atthe five- or ten-year trends,combined with the year underreview, contact crime is apermanent feature,” he said.

Social responsibilityNhleko said when levels of

poverty and unemploymentwere so high, crime statisticswere bound to rise. He attribut-ed that to the high social unrestas well as drug abuse incommunities.

“The prevalence of drug andalcohol abuse in South Africa isvery concerning. In most areasof our communities we findmore taverns than schools andchurches combined,” he said.

This “domino effect” was alsohighlighted by Phiyega, whosaid society could and shouldplay a pivotal role in fightingcrime.

Currently, South Africa hasone police officer for every 346South Africans. “All of us needto make a contribution inreducing crime and fightingcorruption in our communi-ties,” Nhleko reiterated.

He said in line with theNational Development Plan(NDP) the focus would be onstrengthening the criminaljustice system, professionalisingthe police and building safety.

The statistics for this report-ing period, according to Nhleko,are based on raw figures. Thesefigures are also audited by theAuditor General (AG), workingin conjunction with Stats SA.

This, Nhleko said, had beendone to address concerns aboutthe reliability of the statistics,which had been raised lastyear.

Last year, the Institute forSecurity Studies said the crimestatistics police releasedcontained miscalculations anddownplayed the rate of violentcrimes. Police have defendedtheir calculations, saying theybased them on new populationestimates from the 2011 Censusresults. – SAnews.gov.za

Ups and downsof crime figures

} Boipelo Mere

“BASIMANE ba ba dira sentle jaana, batlogele go tlhola ba re lelekisa” (these boysare doing the right thing, they must stopchasing us).”Those were the words of an elderly man

who seemed to be passing by, but whostopped to watch when he saw the u.13,u.15 and u.17 soccer teams gathered at theMadrid Soccer Grounds to participate in atwo-day soccer tournament under thetheme Say no to gangsterism over theweekend.The teams that participated were Bush-

bucks Rangers, Tshwaragano All Stars,Bush Rangers from Welkom and SasolChiefs from Ritchie.The tournament, which saw the Ward 9

councillor, Dimakatso Chinkuli, handingover the winning trophies, was hosted bythe local team Tshwaragano All Stars.Four teams with three divisions under-

went a tough battle in order for threeteams to be crowned champions overwhich the trophy will be battled for nextyear.The u.17 team of Bush Rangers from

Welkom drove to the Free State with thewinning trophy after beating TswaraganoAll Stars 3-0 in the final game.The other two champions were Tshwara-

gano All Stars u.15 and the Bushbucks u.13team.Bushbucks beat Sasol Chiefs 2-1 in the

u.13 finals while Tshwaragano All Starsbeat Ritchie 5-0 in the u.15 game.The Bush Rangers team coach, Elvis

Sehloho, proudly expressed his satisfactionwith this tournament.“This was a trip worthwhile. I imme-

diately loved the theme of the tournamentwhen I heard about it. But we saw thechance for winning the first day of thetournament,” he added.The Tshwaragano All Stars coach,

Nkululeko Siyeni, said the tournament wasnot about winning for them. Highlightinghis team’s capability he said that theywere number one in the league and thatthey recently managed to beat the Danonechampions in Bloemfontein.According to the manager of Tshwaraga-

no All Starts, this was the fourth tourna-ment under the theme which they plan tohost in different towns annually. The aimwas to motivate the youth to stay awayfrom gangsterism.The ward councillor thanked all partici-

pating teams in the tournament and fortheir good behaviour in Galeshewe.“Amidst reports that they had challenges

to travel from Welkom and had to sleep ina shack, they kept their good behaviourand took the winning trophy home,” saidChinkuli.Log onto the website www.express-

news.co.za for more pictures.

Teams battle it outTHE u.17 winners, the Bush Rangers soccer team from Welkom. Photos: Boipelo Mere

THEY called him Matlala. The admired andsmall captain, Moses Potsoedi, who went toaccept the winning trophy.

THE u.13 winners are the Bushbucks soccer team.