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The independent voice of the North West Province. Delivering honest journalism from Klerksdorp to Potchefstroom and beyond.

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BREAKING City of Matlosana council approves new budget for infrastructure development.
SUPERSPORT Mamelodi Sundowns secure victory in Soweto Derby.
WEATHER Heavy rainfall expected in Hartbeesfontein this weekend.
LOCAL New community centre opens its doors in Orkney.
BREAKING City of Matlosana council approves new budget for infrastructure development.
SUPERSPORT Mamelodi Sundowns secure victory in Soweto Derby.
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Latest Stories

Comprehensive coverage of business, crime, politics, and sports across the North West Province.

Journalist writing notes
Mpho Molatlhwa, Mosimanegape Moepi and Zininzi Ncwama showing off their awards.  
entertainment

NW Education annex three NTA awards.

The North West Department of Education has proudly annexed three awards at the National Teaching Awards ceremony yesterday at the Birchwood Conference Centre in Boksburg. One of the Department’s outstanding achievements saw a winner take home a motor vehicle as part of the prize for their remarkable accomplishment. The National Teaching Awards (NTA) programme is a vital initiative by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to acknowledge the extraordinary efforts of teachers, often in challenging conditions. The educators offer better future for learners, as quality education is crucial in addressing social, political and economic challenges, including poverty, prejudice, and conflict. The event was held under this theme: "Uniting for Excellence: Elevating achievement, Empowering Educators to shape South Africa’s future”, the 2026 edition centred on reviewing the current challenges related to teacher status and the strategies to address them, calling on society and policy-makers to protect, promote and elevate that status. The Provincial Department was represented by seven educators at the national competition and three emerged the toast of the Province. The winners were Mosimanegape Moepi the School Principal of Ragogang Primary School in Tswelelang Township in Wolmaranstad who obtained first position in the Excellence in Primary School Leadership category and walked away with a tablet, laptop, motor vehicle and international trip to the United Kingdom. Mpho Molatlhwa a teacher from Pitso Tolo Primary School in Zeerust obtained a third position Excellence in Teaching Life Skills Grade (1 to 6) and won herself R10 000 plus a tablet. Then Zininzi Ncwama, a teacher from Monchusi Secondary School in Morokweng Village, obtained a third position in the Excellence in Secondary School Teaching and collected R10 000 plus a tablet.  North West Education Acting MEC, Kenetswe Mosenogi congratulated all the winners. “I take this moment to congratulate all our winners who brought trophies home and l wish to encourage those who did not succeed at national not to despair but to try again next year. I want to tell them that by competing at national level, means they are all winners. “Last year the North West province brought home seven trophies and became the overall champions. I am confident that next year the province will reclaim its dominance again,” highlighted Mosenogi. October Month is commemorated by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), as Teacher Appreciation Month (or World Teachers' Month) internationally by events like the National Teaching Awards and World Teachers' Day on the 5th of the month. The Department will celebrate October Month by hosting Thank a Teacher Campaign, District/Schools awards to their Teachers, SGBs/Parents appreciating their voices dialogues, debates and wellness activities.

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One of the teams which participated during the heritage family fun day.
Entertainment

Matlsana sizzle on heritage family fun day. 

The North-West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has recorded no new cases of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in the province over the past weeks, marking a significant development in the province’s ongoing efforts to contain and curb the spread of the disease.This is the first week since December 2025 that the province has recorded no new FMD cases, signalling a positive shift in the province’s fight against the disease and providing encouragement that the intensified vaccination and disease-control interventions are beginning to yield results.The Department has been implementing a mass provincial FMD vaccination programme across all four districts and 18 local municipalities, as part of the broader national intervention to contain the disease and protect the provincial livestock sector.To date, the province has received 1 570 100 million doses of FMD vaccines, with 1 413 859 million animals vaccinated across the province.The MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Madoda Sambatha, welcomed the latest development.“The fact that we have gone a full week without recording a new case of Foot-and-Mouth Disease is encouraging and demonstrates the progress we are making through our collective efforts. However, we must remain vigilant. We urge all farmers and livestock owners to continue practising strict biosecurity measures on their farms and to report any suspected cases immediately to veterinary authorities,” said Sambatha.He further emphasised that vaccination remained an important component of the province’s response but must be complemented by responsible livestock management and adherence to disease-control measures.The Department anticipates commencing booster vaccinations this month (September) in areas where animals have already received their initial vaccinations. This will take place alongside continued efforts to identify and vaccinate animals in areas that have not yet been reached by the vaccination programme.The Department pledged to continue working closely with farmers, organised agriculture, municipalities, traditional leaders and other stakeholders to strengthen disease surveillance, vaccination coverage and compliance with disease-control measures.

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Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs MEC, Gaoage Oageng Molapisi.

Government

Call to accelerate human settlements delivery

Call to accelerate human settlements delivery MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Gaoage Oageng Molapisi, has called on Mayors, councillors and officials to work closely with the department to accelerate the provision of houses in the province. He made the appeal during the recent MuniMEC meeting in Mahikeng, which was intended to strengthen coordination in the implementation of housing projects and the provision of services, in line with the District Development Model (DDM). Molapisi said MuniMEC served as a platform to identify and address obstacles hindering the achievement of the department’s mandate to deliver houses. “We must not shy away from raising our issues frankly and sharply, particularly those relating to blocked or incomplete projects. As leaders, we must be able to identify the root causes of delays, whether they are caused by land acquisition, engineering services, including the provision of bulk infrastructure, or the approval of building plans. “At the centre of our work is the need to unblock bottlenecks towards achieving our mandate. We must take responsibility, assign duties and attach timeframes. We must foster innovation and partnerships,” he said. The MEC said public representatives were the first line of accountability and had responsibility to provide leadership and solutions to challenges raised by communities. He urged councillors to be thoroughly briefed and fully informed about every human settlements project within their communities. Molapisi emphasised that signing off on a budget was not enough, noting that public representatives had to be actively involved in understanding projects on the ground, including knowing the contractors appointed, project timelines and challenges affecting implementation. He stressed that effective leadership required visibility, informed oversight and commitment to being the voice of progress and accountability in their wards. “We must demand briefings. We must insist on visiting projects from time to time. This is not about micromanaging; it is about oversight. It is about ensuring that the plans we approve are actually turning into brick and mortar on the ground,” he said. Molapisi emphasised that leaders and officials needed to do more to communicate with communities, including explaining budget cuts that limit government’s ability to do more with the resources received from national departments, as well as the fact that contractors are paid according to project milestones. Failure to communicate effectively with communities, he said, deepened misunderstandings about human settlements delivery and left people vulnerable to misinformation and disinformation. “It is our job to see to it that the implementation of service delivery speaks to the criteria. I always direct our officials to make sure that every house that I hand over belongs to persons in the vulnerable group,” he lamented. He cautioned that there were still a significant number of title deeds that were in possession of municipalities and stressed that the delay to issue such title deeds was also a delay in restoring the dignity of the people

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Former ANC Spokesperson, Pule Mabe.
goverment 

SIU welcomes dismissal of Mabe’s attempt to suspend investigation

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) says it has welcomed the judgment delivered by the Special Tribunal, which dismissed former ANC spokesperson Puleng Peter Mabe’s application to stay proceedings against him and Enviro Mobi (Pty) Ltd, and has ordered him to pay the legal costs of the application. The Tribunal reportedly found that Mabe’s application lacked merit and was aimed at delaying accountability. A stay application is a legal request to temporarily halt or suspend proceedings. In a statement SIU said Mabe sought to stop its civil recovery action until the conclusion of a High Court review and criminal proceedings. In November 2024, the Tribunal obtained a preservation order to freeze Mabe’s immovable property in Steyn City, Gauteng, and a Porsche 911 Carrera GTS. In his stay application, Mabe argued that the SIU’s pre-Proclamation investigation was unlawful because it formed the basis for the presidential proclamation; the proclaimed investigation was tainted, and evidence from it could not be admissible for the civil proceedings launched by the SIU. Mabe further stated that the SIU forensic report and findings were unconstitutional. Furthermore, Mabe sought to have the SIU’s civil recovery action paused until the conclusion of his criminal trial in the High Court. In its ruling, the Tribunal confirmed that the SIU’s pre -Proclamation investigation was lawful and preliminary in nature, not a full investigation under the SIU Act. It held that the Presidential Proclamation authorising the SIU’s investigation was validly issued and could not be impugned. The Tribunal further found that the High Court review application relied upon by Mabe had poor prospects of success and did not justify delaying the Tribunal proceedings. It also ruled that the existence of parallel criminal proceedings did not prevent civil recovery action, as civil and criminal matters served distinct purposes and could proceed concurrently. The Tribunal concluded that Mabe’s application was an attempt to obstruct justice and was properly dismissed. The criminal proceedings were as a result of the SIU referring evidence pointing to criminal conduct to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for further action. The SIU investigation uncovered serious irregularities in the procurement of 200 three-wheel motorised waste collection vehicles under Tender GT/GDARD/030/2017. Enviro Mobi was awarded the contract at a value of R27.6 million, approved by senior officials of the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment. The City of Ekurhuleni later procured an additional 70 vehicles at R9 million under the same contract. The SIU found that over 90% of funds paid to Enviro Mobi were transferred into accounts allegedly controlled by Mabe. Such funds were allegedly used for personal benefit and for entities and individuals linked to him. The investigation concluded that the tender process was irregular and orchestrated to channel public funds to Mabe through Enviro Mobi. The judgment built on the SIU’s earlier success in securing a preservation order against Groen Mintirho (formerly Enviro Mobi). The order froze assets linked to Mabe, including an immovable property in Steyn City, Gauteng, and a Porsche 911 Carrera GTS. The preservation order was granted after SIU investigations revealed losses exceeding R25 million, fraudulent tender awards, and unlawful financial flows which allegedly benefiting Mabe and associated entities. It prevented Mabe from selling, leasing, or transferring these assets while civil recovery proceedings continued. The SIU’s investigation, initiated under Presidential Proclamation No. R15 of 2021, uncovered significant irregularities in the procurement of 200 motorised three-wheeler vehicles valued at R27 599 250 for a waste management project. Despite payments made to Enviro Mobi, evidence indicated non-compliance with procurement regulations, misrepresentation, and failure to deliver contracted services. The SIU said it would continue to pursue civil litigation to recover monies unlawfully paid, cooperate with the NPA in parallel criminal proceedings, and protect public funds by ensuring accountability in cases of corruption and maladministration. 

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Reporter notebook
MRM Provincial Convenor, Pastor Lesiba Kgwele.
Education

MRM HAILS POLICY SHIFT TO TACKLE GBVF 

The Moral Regeneration Movement (MRM) in the Northwest yesterday welcomed the bold policy shift announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa to intensify the fight against the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF). MRM’s reaction follows last evening’s address to the nation by President Ramaphosa in response to escalating incidents of GBVF and public outcry sparked by among others the Ekurhuleni murders that claimed the lives of 11 young women. The civil society led movement promoting the Charter of Positive Values, Ubuntu, Sound Family and Community values described the new measures to give effect to the declaration of GBVF as National Disaster as a redefining call for action that will require whole society involvement if it is to succeed. “The recent establishment of the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NCGBVF) gives us confidence that allocation of adequate resourced during the October Budget Adjustment will give impetus to local action that will be key to the roll out of the announced comprehensive plan,” highlighted MRM Provincial Convenor, Pastor Lesiba Kgwele. He mentioned that MRM was encouraged by the emphasis on prevention and the revival of the Crime Prevention through environmental design (CPTED) community mobilisation programme to speedily attend to disused buildings, overgrown vegetation as well as dumping sites to create safer environments. Kgwele emphasised that environmental degradation and violent crime targeting the most vulnerable in society being women and children was not to be allowed to define communities and their way of life. “Our hope and humanity must translate into well-knit, peaceful communities capable of rejecting lawlessness in all its manifestations. This can only be realized when our women are safe inside and outside their homes, on our streets as well as neighbourhoods and perpetrators of GBVF are behind bars without the option of bail and or parole,” he stressed. Kgwele applauded government’s commitment to support the MRM adding that this would ensure that grassroot initiatives were coordinated and viable structures forming partnerships with civil society organisations, churches, youth, women as well as men’s organisations, social clubs, faith-based organization and that traditional leaders were strengthened for impactful sand sustainable programmes.   He called for the establishment of a new chapter in accountability and efficiency in the criminal justice system with audit of cold cases that should culminate in fresh investigations and prosecution of perpetrators who thought they would not be held accountable for heinous crimes against women, children and the elderly. He said the expansion of sexual offences courts and Thuthuzela Care Centres would bolster support for victims and ensure that justice was speedily served. An urgent review of the parole system for perpetrators of GBVF had to shut the revolving prison door, he said. “Patriarchal practices as well as male chauvinism that relied on culture, tradition and religion to silence women into submission to abusive conduct and human rights violations must equally be confronted as part of the rollout of the National Dialogue process,” Kgwele underscored.

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Truck overturned on the N14 highway with grain spilled on the road
Community members gathering grain from the overturned truck near Ventersdorp.
Community

Grain Harvest after truck overturns

A truck carrying soya beans overturned outside Ventersdorp on the N14 road towards Lichtenburg, causing locals from nearby RDP settlements to flock to the scene to harvest the spilled grain. According to our informant, the driver allegedly lost control while chatting on his cellphone and swerved to avoid an oncoming truck. No injuries were reported as the driver was traveling alone. Police had not yet arrived when we departed for our deadline.

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Our History

A Legacy of Journalistic Excellence

Newsfact is a proud division of Ntsae Media, with over 5,000–10,000 copies printed and distributed weekly. We serve the heartbeat of the North West Province, reaching readers in Klerksdorp, Orkney, Stilfontein, Potchefstroom, and beyond.

Mr Thabo Rantlha started his colourful career at The Mail (now Mahikeng Mail) in 1991 and joined the New Age as the North West correspondent in 2010. Always dreaming of publishing his own newspaper, he now serves as the News Editor of the North West Economist.

In tribute to the toils of his father, he named the company after him. His father's credo — transparency, honesty, dedication and hard work — are the pillars that Ntsae Media upholds into posterity.

Transparency
Honesty
Dedication
Hard Work
"Everyone has the right to freedom of expression, which includes freedom of the press and other media; freedom to receive or impart information or ideas." — Section 16, Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.
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Get in Touch

Contact Us

We value your feedback and tips. Reach out to us via email, phone, or visit our offices in Mahikeng.

Phone / WhatsApp

071 137 7516

Address

Nelson Mandela CDB, Mahikeng, 2745

Latest Stories

Six stories from our recent editions, kept here in the archive. Browse the coverage that shaped the conversation across the North West Province.

Newspaper pages laid out on a desk
JB Marks Local Municipality
Category

Temporary closure of Potch dam

The JB Marks Local Municipality has issued statement informing residents that the Potchefstroom Dam (Lakeside Resort) has been temporarily closed to the public from Monday (October 26) to Monday, November 30. The temporary closure follows a request by members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to utilise the facility for training purposes during the period of five weeks. The resort will therefore be inaccessible to residents and the general public for the duration of the closure. Normal public access will resume on Tuesday December 1. The Municipality apologised for any inconvenience caused and commended the public’s understanding of the matter in advance.

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Residents at a community meeting
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Category

ARC welcomes arrest in R144mn land fraud

The African Revolutionary Council (ARC) has welcomes the arrest of seven suspects in connection with the R144 million Mahikeng municipal land fraud. The suspects appeared before the Specialised Commercial Crime Court, sitting at the Molopo Regional Court, last week following their arrest by the Hawks' Serious Corruption Investigation and Crimes Against the State units. They face a total of 46 counts, including corruption, fraud, contraventions of the Municipal Finance Management Act, and money laundering. The matter was postponed to December 7. ‘We have consistently stood against the plunder of public resources and the theft of municipal land that belongs to the people of. The people of Mahikeng deserve transparency and accountability. All stolen assets must be returned to the public and used for housing, services, and community development,” read a statement from ARC.

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Street scene in a township
Lekgotlapeomolao
Category

Dipegelo tsa maaka tsa Lekgotlapeomolao

Lekgotla la Peomolao la Porofense ya Bokone Bophirima le lemogile ka matshwenyego dipegelo tsa maaka tse di anameng mo dipolatefomong tsa media wa botsalano tse di lebaganeng le bothokgami jwa Mmusakgotla le batlhankedi ba bagolo.Lekgotla la Peomolao le golotse pegelo fa le lemogileng gore ga go na leloko, motlhankedi kgotsa modiri wa Lekgotla la Peomolao yo o tshwerweng kgotsa a botsoloditsweng ke Setlhopha sa Tiro sa Dipolao tsa Sepolotiki (PKTT) kgotsa ke setheo sepe se sengwe sa tiragatso ya molao.Lekgotla la Peomolao le ikuetse go maloko a setšhaba, bobegakgang le badirammogo go ikgapha mo go abelaneng kgotsa go tshwaela ka ga dipegelo, go akaretsa le mo diakhaontong tsa botho tsa media wa loago. E boletse fa dipegelo tseo di abelana tshedimosetso e e seng boammaaruri mme di direla maikaelelo a bakwadi ba tsone mme ya kopa babegadikgang go netefatsa ditleleimi le Kantoro ya Sepikara pele ga di gatisiwa.

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Learners in a classroom
MEC Gaoage Oageng Molapisi (fa gare) le bomme ba dikonteraka.
Category

Basadi mogo tsa loago

MEC wa lephata la puso ya tirisanommogo, bonno jwa batho le merero ya ngwao, Gaoage Oageng Molapisi, o galaleditse bomme jaaka baagi le baeteledipele ba ba nang le seabe se se botlhokwa mo kgolong le tlhabololong ya merafe le itsholelo.Molapisi o boletse se bosheng mo phuthegong ya gagwe le bomme ba dikonteraka mo porofenseng go itebaganya le dikgoreletsi tse di ba kgoreletsang go tsaya karolo mo madirelong le go sekaseka ditsela tse lephata le ka ba thusang ka tsone go fenya dikgwetlho.A re serala seo se fa lephata sebaka sa go nna le dipuisano tse di nang le bokao ka ditshono tse di leng teng mo go bomme le dikgwetlho tse ba tsweletseng ka go lebana le tsone, bogolo jang mo lephateng la kago le bonno jwa batho.Molapisi o kopile bomme go nonotsha mantswe a bone a a kopanetsweng ka ditheo tse di rulagantsweng tse di buelelang dikgatlhego tsa bone le go rotloetsa go tsaya karolo go go nang le bokao mo madirelong. O tlhagisitse botlhokwa jwa ditheo tse di jaaka tsa Basadi ba Aforika Borwa mo Tikologong ya Kago le e e Agilweng (SAWIC&BE), tse di ka tlamelang ka serala sa gore basadi ba kgone go samagana le dikgwetlho mmogo, go buelela ditlhokego tsa bona le go tsweletsa dikgatlhego tsa bona mo lephateng leno. “Re nna le maatla fa re rulagantswe ka gore re kgona go buelela dikgang tsa rona mmogo go na le go di atamela ka bongwe ka bongwe,” ga tlhalosa MEC.O tsweletse ka go gatelela tlhokego ya boikarabelo mo go tsenyeng tirisong dikgato tse di ikaeletsweng go matlafatsa bomme, bogolo jang maitlamo a go abela 40% ya madi a a dirisiwang mo dithekong mo dikhamphaning tse e leng tsa bomme, banana le batho ba ba nang le bogole.Mongwe wa batsayakarolo, Malebo Magasa wa Tawana Construction, o ne a re: "Re amogela maiteko ano mme re kopa lefapha go ema nokeng le go godisa borakonteraka ba bašwa ba ba tlhagelelang. Re ikemiseditse go dira tiro go tsamaelana le thomo ya lefapha. Re tshwanetse go dirisana mmogo thata, mme lefapha le tshwanetse go thusa fa re tlhaelang teng".

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Football match in a stadium
Tim Modise
Category

Tim Modise

For more than three decades, his distinctive voice has helped South Africans make sense of politics, democracy and a changing nation. Now veteran broadcaster and media personality Tim Modise will receive an honorary doctorate from the North-West University (NWU) tomorrow. The university will confer the honorary doctorate on Modise during a special ceremony at the Great Hall on the NWU’s Mahikeng Campus.Modise is regarded as one of South Africa’s pioneering broadcasters and public communicators. His 30-year career in radio and television has closely followed the country’s transition from apartheid to democracy. He started his broadcasting career as a sound technician at Radio 702.He later became a music DJ before moving into radio presenting, news and current affairs journalism and political broadcasting. Over the years he has worked across some of South Africa’s leading broadcast platforms, including the SABC, eNCA, Business Day TV, 702, SAfm, Metro FM, Soweto TV and MNet’s Carte Blanche. He has also worked with BBC Radio and Radio Bop and helped launch Power FM. Public dialogue and political tolerance His contribution has extended well beyond the broadcasting studio.Modise has moderated major public policy discussions and facilitated debates involving political leaders, business executives, academics, economists, artists and other influential South Africans.During South Africa’s political transition in the 1990s, Modise used broadcasting to promote public dialogue, political tolerance and greater understanding. He interviewed political leaders across the spectrum and helped audiences navigate some of the defining debates of the period.One of the highlights of his broadcasting career came in 1994 when he served as a panellist during the nationally televised debate between Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk. The debate was carried internationally through broadcasters including CNN, the BBC and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and reached a global audience. Modise has continued to promote informed public debate, active citizenship, social cohesion and democratic participation. His work has covered issues ranging from politics and governance to the economy, education, health, labour and nation-building. His contribution to public life has also included serving as the founding chairperson of Proudly South African and as chief communications officer for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee. His broadcasting and communication work has earned him several honours.These include being named SABC Broadcaster of the Year in 1991 and being inducted into the South African Radio Hall of Fame in 2011. He also received a Reconciliation Award conferred by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and an international human rights award from the Jaime Brunet Foundation in Spain.“The honorary doctorate from the NWU recognises Modise’s distinguished contribution to South African broadcasting, public communication and democratic discourse, and his longstanding role in creating spaces for informed national conversation.,” said Prof Gilbert Motsaathebe, the deputy dean of teaching and learning in the Faculty of Humanities.

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Harvested field on a farm
Tlhogo ya Lefapha la COGTA (HOD), Ngaka Mokotedi Bole (ka fa mojeng) a na le MEC Oageng Molapisi le Motlhankedi Mogolo wa Matlole (CFO), Phando Legoale.
Category

Maduo A COGTA A phepha 

Ka ntlha ya boineelo jo bo sa reketleng mo tsamaisong e e siameng ya matlole, puso e e siameng, le boikarabelo mo tsamaisong ya metswedi ya setšhaba, Lefapha la Puso ya Tirisanommogo le Merero ya Setso (COGTA) le amogetse kabelo ya temogo ya Boruni jo bo Phepa kwa Moruni-Kakaretso wa Aforika Borwa (AGSA) he Aforika Borwa (AGSA) he PF5e/2020. Sentlhaga sa Setshephe kwa Rustenburg.Dipoelo tse di phepa tsa boruni di kaya gore ditatamente tsa matlole tsa Lefapha ga di na diphoso tse di botlhokwa, gore ga go na diphitlhelelo tse di bonalang tse di tlhagisitsweng ka ga kobamelo ya molao, le gore ditaolo tse di atlegileng tsa ka fa gare di teng.Go ya ka MEC wa Lefapha, Gaoage Oageng Molapisi, go akgolwa e ne e se fela kakgolo mme e ne e le bosupi jwa boineelo jo bo kopanetsweng jwa boeteledipele jwa Lefapha, ditlhopha tsa taolo ya matlole, le badiredi go ralala maemo otlhe. "E bontsha setso sa go ikobela melao, boeteledipele jo bo nang le maitsholo a a siameng, le tiriso e e tlhomameng ya mekgwa e e siameng ya tsa madi e e tseneletseng mo ditirong tsa Lefapha. Dipholo tse di phepa tsa boruni di bontsha gore COGTA e bolokile ditsamaiso tse di nonofileng tsa puso le ditaolo tsa tsa madi fa e ntse e nonotsha boikarabelo jwa setšhaba go laola ditsompelo," o ne a bolela jalo. MEC o tsweletse ka go lemotsha gore phitlhelelo e e beile Lefapha mo tseleng e e tlhatlogang jaaka le tswelela go dira go ya kwa botswerere mo thebolelong ya ditirelo le puso e e nang le maikarabelo. Tlhogo ya Lefapha (HOD), Ngaka Mokotedi Bole a patilwe ke Mogolwane wa Lefapha la Madi (CFO), Rre Phando Legoale o netefaditse maitlamo a go tlhokomela le go nonotsha ditsamaiso tsa taolo ya ka fa gare le tsamaiso ya matlole. Baamogedi ba bangwe ba boruni jo bo phepa ba akaretsa Lefapha la Botsweretshi, Setso, Metshameko le Boitapoloso, Lefapha la Matlotlo la Porofense ya Bokone Bophirima, Boto ya go Betšha ya Bokone Bophirima le Lekgotla la Peomolao la Porofense ya Bokone Bophirima."Re itlama go tsweletsa dipoelo tse di phepa tsa boruni, re tswelela go etelela pele ka sekao gore bommasepala ba rona le bona ba kgone go tokafatsa le go fetola dipoelo tsa bona tsa boruni. Sa rona ke go netefatsa gore puso e e nonofileng le mekgwa e e siameng ya tsamaiso ya matlole ke motheo wa thebolelo ya ditirelo," ga dumela MEC.

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Journalist writing notes
Mpho Molatlhwa, Mosimanegape Moepi and Zininzi Ncwama showing off their awards.
entertainment

NW Education annex three NTA awards.

The North West Department of Education has proudly annexed three awards at the National Teaching Awards ceremony yesterday at the Birchwood Conference Centre in Boksburg. One of the Department’s outstanding achievements saw a winner take home a motor vehicle as part of the prize for their remarkable accomplishment. The National Teaching Awards (NTA) programme is a vital initiative by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to acknowledge the extraordinary efforts of teachers, often in challenging conditions. The educators offer better future for learners, as quality education is crucial in addressing social, political and economic challenges, including poverty, prejudice, and conflict. The event was held under this theme: "Uniting for Excellence: Elevating achievement, Empowering Educators to shape South Africa’s future”, the 2026 edition centred on reviewing the current challenges related to teacher status and the strategies to address them, calling on society and policy-makers to protect, promote and elevate that status. The Provincial Department was represented by seven educators at the national competition and three emerged the toast of the Province. The winners were Mosimanegape Moepi the School Principal of Ragogang Primary School in Tswelelang Township in Wolmaranstad who obtained first position in the Excellence in Primary School Leadership category and walked away with a tablet, laptop, motor vehicle and international trip to the United Kingdom. Mpho Molatlhwa a teacher from Pitso Tolo Primary School in Zeerust obtained a third position Excellence in Teaching Life Skills Grade (1 to 6) and won herself R10 000 plus a tablet. Then Zininzi Ncwama, a teacher from Monchusi Secondary School in Morokweng Village, obtained a third position in the Excellence in Secondary School Teaching and collected R10 000 plus a tablet. North West Education Acting MEC, Kenetswe Mosenogi congratulated all the winners. “I take this moment to congratulate all our winners who brought trophies home and l wish to encourage those who did not succeed at national not to despair but to try again next year. I want to tell them that by competing at national level, means they are all winners. “Last year the North West province brought home seven trophies and became the overall champions. I am confident that next year the province will reclaim its dominance again,” highlighted Mosenogi. October Month is commemorated by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), as Teacher Appreciation Month (or World Teachers' Month) internationally by events like the National Teaching Awards and World Teachers' Day on the 5th of the month. The Department will celebrate October Month by hosting Thank a Teacher Campaign, District/Schools awards to their Teachers, SGBs/Parents appreciating their voices dialogues, debates and wellness activities.

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Old documents archive
One of the teams which participated during the heritage family fun day.
Entertainment

Matlsana sizzle on heritage family fun day.

The North-West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has recorded no new cases of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in the province over the past weeks, marking a significant development in the province’s ongoing efforts to contain and curb the spread of the disease.This is the first week since December 2025 that the province has recorded no new FMD cases, signalling a positive shift in the province’s fight against the disease and providing encouragement that the intensified vaccination and disease-control interventions are beginning to yield results.The Department has been implementing a mass provincial FMD vaccination programme across all four districts and 18 local municipalities, as part of the broader national intervention to contain the disease and protect the provincial livestock sector.To date, the province has received 1 570 100 million doses of FMD vaccines, with 1 413 859 million animals vaccinated across the province.The MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Madoda Sambatha, welcomed the latest development.“The fact that we have gone a full week without recording a new case of Foot-and-Mouth Disease is encouraging and demonstrates the progress we are making through our collective efforts. However, we must remain vigilant. We urge all farmers and livestock owners to continue practising strict biosecurity measures on their farms and to report any suspected cases immediately to veterinary authorities,” said Sambatha.He further emphasised that vaccination remained an important component of the province’s response but must be complemented by responsible livestock management and adherence to disease-control measures.The Department anticipates commencing booster vaccinations this month (September) in areas where animals have already received their initial vaccinations. This will take place alongside continued efforts to identify and vaccinate animals in areas that have not yet been reached by the vaccination programme.The Department pledged to continue working closely with farmers, organised agriculture, municipalities, traditional leaders and other stakeholders to strengthen disease surveillance, vaccination coverage and compliance with disease-control measures.

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Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs MEC, Gaoage Oageng Molapisi.
Government

Call to accelerate human settlements delivery

Call to accelerate human settlements delivery MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Gaoage Oageng Molapisi, has called on Mayors, councillors and officials to work closely with the department to accelerate the provision of houses in the province. He made the appeal during the recent MuniMEC meeting in Mahikeng, which was intended to strengthen coordination in the implementation of housing projects and the provision of services, in line with the District Development Model (DDM). Molapisi said MuniMEC served as a platform to identify and address obstacles hindering the achievement of the department’s mandate to deliver houses. “We must not shy away from raising our issues frankly and sharply, particularly those relating to blocked or incomplete projects. As leaders, we must be able to identify the root causes of delays, whether they are caused by land acquisition, engineering services, including the provision of bulk infrastructure, or the approval of building plans. “At the centre of our work is the need to unblock bottlenecks towards achieving our mandate. We must take responsibility, assign duties and attach timeframes. We must foster innovation and partnerships,” he said. The MEC said public representatives were the first line of accountability and had responsibility to provide leadership and solutions to challenges raised by communities. He urged councillors to be thoroughly briefed and fully informed about every human settlements project within their communities. Molapisi emphasised that signing off on a budget was not enough, noting that public representatives had to be actively involved in understanding projects on the ground, including knowing the contractors appointed, project timelines and challenges affecting implementation. He stressed that effective leadership required visibility, informed oversight and commitment to being the voice of progress and accountability in their wards. “We must demand briefings. We must insist on visiting projects from time to time. This is not about micromanaging; it is about oversight. It is about ensuring that the plans we approve are actually turning into brick and mortar on the ground,” he said. Molapisi emphasised that leaders and officials needed to do more to communicate with communities, including explaining budget cuts that limit government’s ability to do more with the resources received from national departments, as well as the fact that contractors are paid according to project milestones. Failure to communicate effectively with communities, he said, deepened misunderstandings about human settlements delivery and left people vulnerable to misinformation and disinformation. “It is our job to see to it that the implementation of service delivery speaks to the criteria. I always direct our officials to make sure that every house that I hand over belongs to persons in the vulnerable group,” he lamented. He cautioned that there were still a significant number of title deeds that were in possession of municipalities and stressed that the delay to issue such title deeds was also a delay in restoring the dignity of the people

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Former ANC Spokesperson, Pule Mabe.
goverment

SIU welcomes dismissal of Mabe’s attempt to suspend investigation

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) says it has welcomed the judgment delivered by the Special Tribunal, which dismissed former ANC spokesperson Puleng Peter Mabe’s application to stay proceedings against him and Enviro Mobi (Pty) Ltd, and has ordered him to pay the legal costs of the application. The Tribunal reportedly found that Mabe’s application lacked merit and was aimed at delaying accountability. A stay application is a legal request to temporarily halt or suspend proceedings. In a statement SIU said Mabe sought to stop its civil recovery action until the conclusion of a High Court review and criminal proceedings. In November 2024, the Tribunal obtained a preservation order to freeze Mabe’s immovable property in Steyn City, Gauteng, and a Porsche 911 Carrera GTS. In his stay application, Mabe argued that the SIU’s pre-Proclamation investigation was unlawful because it formed the basis for the presidential proclamation; the proclaimed investigation was tainted, and evidence from it could not be admissible for the civil proceedings launched by the SIU. Mabe further stated that the SIU forensic report and findings were unconstitutional. Furthermore, Mabe sought to have the SIU’s civil recovery action paused until the conclusion of his criminal trial in the High Court. In its ruling, the Tribunal confirmed that the SIU’s pre -Proclamation investigation was lawful and preliminary in nature, not a full investigation under the SIU Act. It held that the Presidential Proclamation authorising the SIU’s investigation was validly issued and could not be impugned. The Tribunal further found that the High Court review application relied upon by Mabe had poor prospects of success and did not justify delaying the Tribunal proceedings. It also ruled that the existence of parallel criminal proceedings did not prevent civil recovery action, as civil and criminal matters served distinct purposes and could proceed concurrently. The Tribunal concluded that Mabe’s application was an attempt to obstruct justice and was properly dismissed. The criminal proceedings were as a result of the SIU referring evidence pointing to criminal conduct to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for further action. The SIU investigation uncovered serious irregularities in the procurement of 200 three-wheel motorised waste collection vehicles under Tender GT/GDARD/030/2017. Enviro Mobi was awarded the contract at a value of R27.6 million, approved by senior officials of the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment. The City of Ekurhuleni later procured an additional 70 vehicles at R9 million under the same contract. The SIU found that over 90% of funds paid to Enviro Mobi were transferred into accounts allegedly controlled by Mabe. Such funds were allegedly used for personal benefit and for entities and individuals linked to him. The investigation concluded that the tender process was irregular and orchestrated to channel public funds to Mabe through Enviro Mobi. The judgment built on the SIU’s earlier success in securing a preservation order against Groen Mintirho (formerly Enviro Mobi). The order froze assets linked to Mabe, including an immovable property in Steyn City, Gauteng, and a Porsche 911 Carrera GTS. The preservation order was granted after SIU investigations revealed losses exceeding R25 million, fraudulent tender awards, and unlawful financial flows which allegedly benefiting Mabe and associated entities. It prevented Mabe from selling, leasing, or transferring these assets while civil recovery proceedings continued. The SIU’s investigation, initiated under Presidential Proclamation No. R15 of 2021, uncovered significant irregularities in the procurement of 200 motorised three-wheeler vehicles valued at R27 599 250 for a waste management project. Despite payments made to Enviro Mobi, evidence indicated non-compliance with procurement regulations, misrepresentation, and failure to deliver contracted services. The SIU said it would continue to pursue civil litigation to recover monies unlawfully paid, cooperate with the NPA in parallel criminal proceedings, and protect public funds by ensuring accountability in cases of corruption and maladministration.

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MRM Provincial Convenor, Pastor Lesiba Kgwele.
Education

MRM HAILS POLICY SHIFT TO TACKLE GBVF

The Moral Regeneration Movement (MRM) in the Northwest yesterday welcomed the bold policy shift announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa to intensify the fight against the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF). MRM’s reaction follows last evening’s address to the nation by President Ramaphosa in response to escalating incidents of GBVF and public outcry sparked by among others the Ekurhuleni murders that claimed the lives of 11 young women. The civil society led movement promoting the Charter of Positive Values, Ubuntu, Sound Family and Community values described the new measures to give effect to the declaration of GBVF as National Disaster as a redefining call for action that will require whole society involvement if it is to succeed. “The recent establishment of the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NCGBVF) gives us confidence that allocation of adequate resourced during the October Budget Adjustment will give impetus to local action that will be key to the roll out of the announced comprehensive plan,” highlighted MRM Provincial Convenor, Pastor Lesiba Kgwele. He mentioned that MRM was encouraged by the emphasis on prevention and the revival of the Crime Prevention through environmental design (CPTED) community mobilisation programme to speedily attend to disused buildings, overgrown vegetation as well as dumping sites to create safer environments. Kgwele emphasised that environmental degradation and violent crime targeting the most vulnerable in society being women and children was not to be allowed to define communities and their way of life. “Our hope and humanity must translate into well-knit, peaceful communities capable of rejecting lawlessness in all its manifestations. This can only be realized when our women are safe inside and outside their homes, on our streets as well as neighbourhoods and perpetrators of GBVF are behind bars without the option of bail and or parole,” he stressed. Kgwele applauded government’s commitment to support the MRM adding that this would ensure that grassroot initiatives were coordinated and viable structures forming partnerships with civil society organisations, churches, youth, women as well as men’s organisations, social clubs, faith-based organization and that traditional leaders were strengthened for impactful sand sustainable programmes. He called for the establishment of a new chapter in accountability and efficiency in the criminal justice system with audit of cold cases that should culminate in fresh investigations and prosecution of perpetrators who thought they would not be held accountable for heinous crimes against women, children and the elderly. He said the expansion of sexual offences courts and Thuthuzela Care Centres would bolster support for victims and ensure that justice was speedily served. An urgent review of the parole system for perpetrators of GBVF had to shut the revolving prison door, he said. “Patriarchal practices as well as male chauvinism that relied on culture, tradition and religion to silence women into submission to abusive conduct and human rights violations must equally be confronted as part of the rollout of the National Dialogue process,” Kgwele underscored.

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Truck overturned on the N14 highway with grain spilled on the road
Community members gathering grain from the overturned truck near Ventersdorp.
Community

Grain Harvest after truck overturns

A truck carrying soya beans overturned outside Ventersdorp on the N14 road towards Lichtenburg, causing locals from nearby RDP settlements to flock to the scene to harvest the spilled grain. According to our informant, the driver allegedly lost control while chatting on his cellphone and swerved to avoid an oncoming truck. No injuries were reported as the driver was traveling alone. Police had not yet arrived when we departed for our deadline.

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