Limpopo: Polokwane; Mokopane; Lebowakgomo; Steelpoort; Burgersfort; Haenertsburg; Modjadjiskloof; Tzaneen; Phalaborwa; Hoedspruit Mpumalanga: Nelspruit; Lydenburg; White River; Hazyview; Marite; Bushbuckridge; Acomhoek R3.00 19 December 2013 - 15 January 2014 facebook.com/newitness Twitter: @northeasternwit Coping with turmoil ahead? Page 2 Limpopo takes a vow for Mandela Page 3 Local Moruba champion making a mark Page 8 TRIGGER HAPPY COP SHOOTS MPUMALANGA CHIEF’S BROTHER: In a dramatic twist, a cop commits suicide following the shooting of a Mpumalanga Chief’s brother. Was it a hit? PLANS TO SUSPEND BA-PHALABORWA CFO FOLDS As the fall-out of the ANC Mopani regional conference surfaces, the battleground has been set. Read these stories on Page 3 WISHING ALL OUR READERS A BLESSED FESTIVE SEASON!
R3.00 19 December 2013 - 15 January 2014 facebook.com/newitness Twitter: @northeasternwit
Coping with turmoil ahead?
Page 2
Limpopo takes a vow for Mandela
Page 3
Local Moruba champion making a mark
Page 8
TRIGGER HAPPY COP SHOOTS MPUMALANGA CHIEF’S BROTHER:In a dramatic twist, a cop commits suicide following the shooting of a Mpumalanga Chief’s brother. Was it a hit?
PLANS TO SUSPEND BA-PHALABORWA CFO FOLDSAs the fall-out of the ANC Mopani regional conference surfaces, the battleground has been set.
Read these stories on Page 3
WISHING ALL OUR READERS A BLESSED FESTIVE SEASON!
2 North EastErN WitNEss 19 DEcEmbEr 2013 - 15 JaNuary 2014
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this WEEK iN history
19 December 1997Thulane ‘Sugarboy’ Malinga, a super mid-dleweight boxer, won the WBC title for the second time in his career this day.
20 December 1991CODESA 1 convenes in Johannesburg.
21 December 1982An inquest into the death in detention of Dr. Neil Agget, a trade union leader, opens.
22 December 1838Andries Hendrik Potgieter establishes the town of Potchefstroom after moving away from Natal and heading inland.
23 December 1980Four progressive newspapers; Post Trans-vaal, Saturday Post, Sunday Post, and the Sowetan, were banned by the apartheid government on the same day that the eight week strike of black journalists ended.
24 December 1926Richard Maponya, one of South Africa’s successful businessmen is born.
25 December 1819Struggle icon Nxele Makana drowns while escaping from Robben Island.
26 December 1995Paul Adams becomes South Africa’s youngest Test Cricket Player.
27 December 1932South Africa abandons the Gold Standard, sparking a period of economic expansion.
28 December 1985Molly Blackburn, political activist and civil rights campaigner is killed in a car acci-dent.
29 December 1981Winnie Mandela is served with a Banning Order.
30 December 1987Bantu Holomisa deposes Stella Sigcau as President of the Transkei.
31 December 1986The ESSO Oil Company closes its busi-ness in South Africa.
01 January 1972Policewomen are enlisted as full members of the South African Police Force for the first time.
02 January 1967Former Springbok rugby captain, Francois Pienaar, is born.
03 January 2005The South African Department of Foreign Affairs announces that the bodies of two South Africans have been found in Thai-land after the devastating Tsunami.
04 January 1893Raymond Arthur Dart, an anthropologist who discovered the Taung Child skull fossil near Taung in the North West, was born in Brisbane, Australia.
05 January 1976Daily television transmission starts in South Africa. 06 January 1995Joe Slovo dies of cancer at the age of 68.
07 January 1982Tshifiwa Moufhe, a Lutheran Church el-der suspected of complicity in the Sibasa Police Station bomb blast, dies in police custody.
Source: SAHistory.org
PHALABORWA - Five people from Namakgale and Bushbuckridge were defrauded of R17 500-00 by crooks in
Phalaborwa impersonating Human Resource staff for Palabora Copper.
The crooks allegedly promised the victims they can organize employment for their family members if they paid a bribe of between R3000.00 and R6000.00. The money was reportedly transferred through the money market system provided by most grocery stores.
The crooks disappeared with the money while they continue to play hide and seek with the victims.
POLOKWANE - African National Congress Provincial spokesperson Sello Lediga refused to comment after his
party lost its bid to have a court order against its recent Peter Mokaba Regional Conference where Lehlogonolo Masoga was elected chairperson scrapped.
The conference was interdicted last month after several members approached the court but the party, though acknowledged the court order, opted to proceed with the conference to its conclusion.
The party was further ordered to pay the applicants’ costs before arguments on the matter resume next month.
The applicants’ lawyer, Mr Tumi Mokoena says the matter has now been set down for 24 January 2014 after the Polokwane High Court last Thursday dismissed the party’s attempt to not have the matter go ahead to trial with costs.
POLOKWANE - About 100 Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) members were allegedly turned away from celebrations
of the Provincial Government Nelson Mandela Memorial Service at Peter Mokaba Stadium last Thursday.
According to EFF Provincial Convener, Mr Mike Mathebe, the members went to the stadium but were sent packing by security guards who allegedly told them it was an ANC gathering.
Provincial Government Spokesperson, Mr Naledzani Rasila confirmed the event was an official state one.“We don’t know of anyone who was turned away and there was no vetting to check affiliations [sic] because it was a government event. Even representatives of other parties where there to give messages,” he said.
PHALABORWA - A donation of R67 000.00 stands between the ten-year-old Laerskool Phalaborwa pupil Tiyiselani
Miranda Nkuna and her dream to take part in the Future Model & Talent World event to be held in Turkey next year.
Nkuna qualified for the Turkish gig after winning Queen World SA held in Tzaneen last month. Prior to winning the November pageant, Nkuna took part in the Phalaborwa Miss Summer Breeze (7-9 years category) in May 2012 and despite not winning anything that did not derail her perseverance as she entered another competition in August 2012 called Wild West in Phalaborwa where she obtained position 3 for (7-9 years) category.
As part of sharpening her skill she also entered Miss Galaxy in August 2013 where she was 4th runner-up for (7-10 years) category. Nkuna joined a Phalaborwa based modeling academy where she is currently being mentored by 16-year old Bernadine du Plessis.
Proud mother, Florah Mabaso (43), an educator at Chameti High School at Mashiyani Village says, “I am
delighted for my daughter’s journey thus far and with God’s grace I am certain she will attain all her dreams.
She currently attends the academy every Wednesday and I pay a monthly fee, but I am starting to see the fruits as she is able to focus on her school work and the modeling keeps her far away from irrational things,” said Mabaso.
In her own words Nkuna shares, “My motto in life is that you must never give up because when you start something you must complete it to your outmost capacity.”
However Nkuna needs funding to cover her flight, accommodation and other transfer fees to confirm her participation.
MATOME SEBELEMETSA
“I am delighted for my daughter’s journey thus far and with God’s
grace I am certain she will attain all
her dreams”
Murder suspects spend Christmas in custody
Coping with victory?
BUSHBUCKRIDGE - A family is relieved to have finally seen suspects implicated in the murder of their bread winner
brother. Evans Hlatswayo was shot and killed as he visited his aunt in Madjembeni on the evening of 5 July 2013.
The three children lost both their parents in 2009 and now Prudence (23) and Aubrey (16) are thankful to the police for solving the murder case. Three suspects were arrested early this month and have been trying to get bail since then. Their second attempt was a week ago.
The fourth suspect was transferred from Thohoyandou to Bushbuckridge on Friday 13 December 2013. He is to appear soon together with his co-accused at the Bushbuckridge Magistrate Court.
Prudence said, “I thought I would never see the people who killed my brother. I am happy now that I have seen them. I wish justice will take its course.”
The late Evans’ aunt, Constance Hlatswayo says she’s still hurt by her nephew’s murder. “I saw him dying but even now I can’t believe what happened that day. Evans was the breadwinner in our family. He closed the gap left by his father who is my brother. My heart is bleeding. They killed my nephew as if they were killing a cow.” Constance Hlatswayo said.
Obed Madisa, chairperson of Bushbuckridge Policing Forum says they will mobilise the community to picket on the next court date. “We appreciate the work of the police and the Justice department by denying them bail because these people are dangerous. Such people deserve to be
sentenced because many people are dying without trace [sic] because of these people.” Madisa said.
The four will spend the festive season in custody until 7 January when they will appear to face further charges of car hi-jacking and murder.
BRIAN KAJENGO
RELIEVED: Prudence and her brother Aubrey want justicePhoto: Brian Kajengo
“We love because he fi rst loved us.”
1 John 4:19
scriPturE QuotE
POLOKWANE - The Congress of the People (Cope) in Limpopo has welcomed the recent high court ruling against
one of its factions led by Mbhazima Shilowa.
“This ruling is further vindication of the correctness of our position as the Congress of People and enables the Party to continue with its work of preparing for Congress and the elections next year without further and unnecessary distractions. Let us continue to advance the cause of the Congress of the People - the
natural political home for reliable, accountable and incorruptible South Africans,” said the party’s Provincial Spokesperson, Mr Motlatjo Thetjeng.
The party is also set for a three-day national conference next month during which Mosiuoa ‘Terror’ Lekota is set to be elected President.
POLITICAL REPORTER
Mosiuoa Lekota and Mbhazima Shilowa Photo: Archives
Tiyiselani Miranda Nkuna after winning Queen World SA. Photo: Archives
3North EastErN WitNEss 19 DEcEmbEr 2013 - 15 JaNuary 2014
NEWs
MKHUHLU - Chief Lloyd Nkuna is enraged by what he calls police ineptness to arrest their member who
allegedly shot and nearly killed his brother. Two weeks elapsed before the Graskop SAPS member committed suicide. And today the police don’t even want to own up to their responsibility.
“I blame the police because the man wouldn’t be dead if they arrested him at the time the attempted murder case was opened. Police told me that they cannot arrest him because he is still a suspect, but now he killed himself which is very bad,” the Chief said.
Nkuna says he personally urged police to open the attempted murder case and investigate further.
“I would have loved to hear the suspect confess who hired him to shoot my brother because Sydney doesn’t stay here. The cops have to be accountable regarding this issue,” Hosi Nkuna said.
The younger brother to the Chief, Bhekumuzi Nkuna (22) witnessed the attack which was carried out at around 20h00 two weeks ago in Mkhuhlu. “We saw a melon Citi Golf following us after the robot. When Sydney wanted to make a turn he was blocked and the late assailant produced a gun. My brother raised his hands. The assailant fired two shots on the ground; nobody was hurt. He had four other occupants and argued with Sydney accusing him of not obeying the rules of the road.” Bhekumuzi remembers.
He adds, “Sydney went back into his car and that’s when the man started shooting at us. Sydney was shot on the on the shoulder and started bleeding.” He drove his brother to Matikwana Hospital where he was later transferred to Nelspruit Medi-Clinic. His collar bone was fractured and a bullet remains lodged there pending an operation to remove it.
Speaking to North Eastern Witness, Sydney said, “I wonder why he shot me because when he talked to me I complied. I wish he was still alive so he would explain to me since I haven’t even met him before,” says ailing Sydney.
A twist to the attempted murder mystery alleges that the shooting might have something to do with a simmering palace coup. “I don’t believe the suspect just came all the way from Marite to shoot without premeditation. Three months ago we
saw people marching questioning the legitimacy of the chieftaincy,” questions a self-professed royal insider known as Samuel Nyirenda.
Police authorities refused to acknowledge if the dead cop is indeed the suspect connected to the attempted murder. Mpumalanga SAPS spokesperson Colonel Leonard Hlathi said, “We are investigating a case of attempted murder where Sydney Nkuna was shot on Friday 6 December 2013, and we are also investigating an inquest case where a policeman found dead.”
POLOKWANE - The Department of Social Development has embarked on a mass counselling support initiative for people
who may be having difficulty dealing with the recent death of former President Nelson Mandela.
According to the department’s spokesperson, Lumka Olifant
government has converted its Command Centre for Gender-Based Violence into a 24-hour call centre for psychosocial support for South African citizens struggling to deal with Mandela’s passing.
“The special service was available during the ten day mourning period declared by President Jacob Zuma, and assisted individuals by preventing distress and suffering developing into something more severe and also
helped people cope better and become reconciled to everyday life,” she said.
Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini said in a media statement issued on the matter that social and shared experiences caused by disruptive events such as death, a sense of loss and feelings of helplessness may have severe psychosocial consequences if not attended to immediately.
Cops play Hide and Seek Plans to suspend municipal CFO fails
Limpopo takes a vow
Dealing with loss
BRIAN KAJENGO
POLOKWANE - Limpopo Provincial Government has vowed to honour the memory of late former President Nelson
Mandela by striving to build a better South Africa.
Addressing thousands of people who attended the provincial memorial service last Thursday, Premier Stan Mathabatha said the former statesman has already been honoured with all sorts of monuments and the best the country can do is continue his legacy.
“It is my firm belief that the befitting tribute we must pay to Madiba is to strive to build a South Africa that truly belongs to all those who live in it, united in their diversity, to work towards healing the divisions of our past and to establish a society based on democratic values, social justice
and fundamental human rights,” Mathabatha said.
He was flanked by dignitaries including Polokwane Executive Mayor Freddy Greaver, Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu and Bishop Barnabas Lekganyane as well as several MECs of his cabinet.
Narrating Mandela’s exemplary leadership, Mathabatha said the province would leave no stone unturned in fighting corruption related to the public coffers.
”On behalf of the government and people of Limpopo we promise you, Madiba, that we will carry on your legacy of fighting poverty, unemployment and inequality. Our provincial government vows to you during this moment of grief that we will leave no stone unturned in fighting crime and corruption in all our departments and municipalities.”
LESETJA MALOPE
PHALABORWA - Alleged plans to suspend Ba-Phalaborwa Municipal CFO Aubrey Mushwana failed on Tuesday
morning during a special council meeting which lasted for over an hour.
His planned suspension was allegedly premeditated by some members of council which is led by Speaker David Maake and Mayor Anna Sono after he fell out of favour with their camp for publicly supporting a change movement which saw Sekoati and Bioscope Makamu beating David Maake and Bricks Manzini for the chairperson and secretariat seats.
It is alleged that Municipal Public Accounts committee (MPAC) councilors told council they still need to study the contents of a report on findings by a team of investigators tasked by Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs MEC Ishmael Kgetjepe after Mushwana’s subordinate, Sicelo Bengu allegedly leaked municipal documents to the MEC. This is what prompted the MEC to task a special investigation unit into the financial affairs of the municipality a month ago.
A well placed source said that MPAC councilors felt that Bengu must be brought forward to council to answer to allegations of him having leaked crucial municipal documents to the MEC without his superior’s permission and the motive behind his purported acts.
In May, Bengu was suspended for allegedly touching his female subordinate in an intimate manner during office hours, but was later reinstated in September when he was found not guilty.
A senior municipal official speaking
on condition of anonymity said relations between Mushwana and Bengu have been tense since last year and that certain members of council are using Bengu as a way to get to Mushwana.
“He (Bengu) knows that relations between municipal top dogs and Mushwana have been sour for a while over awarding of tenders and council will reward him if Mushwana gets suspended and ultimately moved out of the picture. Earlier this year, Bengu asked Mushwana to extend his contract for five years, but Mushwana declined and directed him to the Municipal Manager Dr. Stimela Sebashe,” said our source.
This reporter got hold of Bengu. “That’s crap. I don’t even have the number for the MEC. Who’s feeding you with this hogwash? When I signed my contract I knew from the beginning that it’s a fixed term contract. Why should I be now [sic] to fight? Your source is misleading you.” Bengu angrily said.
Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality has not tasted a clean audit in a while and the municipality received a disclaimer for its 2011/2012 financial year with the Auditor General citing lack of oversight by political heads and unauthorized expenditure among others.
Finance portfolio chairperson councilor Percy Maphanzela is still suspended after Samwu held a march at the municipality on 22 May citing that Maphanzela threatened finance officials with a gun. The municipality is yet to appoint a legal director after Advocate Mokoape was suspended on the same day (29 May) with Maphanzela and allegations are that he was fired, but when we spoke to him he said there is a clause preventing him from speaking to the media on his alleged firing and golden handshake.
MATOME SEBELEMETSA
LESETJA MALOPE
“I wonder why he shot me because when he talked to me I complied. I wish he was still alive so he would
explain to me since I haven’t even met
him before”
A HIT? An ailing Sydney Nkuna wants answers on why he was shot.Photo: Brian Kajengo
NEVER AGAIN! Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha addresses the crowd during Pro-vincial Government’s Nelson Mandela Memorial Service.Photo: Lesetja Malope
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North EastErN WitNEss 19 DEcEmbEr 2013 - 15 JaNuary 2014
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The other day I was having a nostalgic chat with a peer about what Christmas in the 1980s was. What I can assure
you is that it was nobody’s birthday but a Family Day. That’s when we played hide and seek under a full moon. We were puzzled why Radio Lebowa (predecessor to Thobela FM) encouraged us to send donations to Seroto sa matswalo a Morena (The Lord’s Birthday Fund). It beats me what happened to that dodgy Calvinistic fund post-liberation.
The one thing our Christmas had was a migration of colourful butterflies moving from one compass point to the other. Butterflies was how we knew Christmas was finally here apart from the juicy mopani worms and other flying organisms we harvested. It was time for new clothes, white bread, red jam and butter. Time for tea with condensed milk, Kool-Aid, XXX mints and Toffo-lux sweets. The sun still danced in the mornings then and extended families slaughtered and converged without an iota of material brag.
Post’ 94 I learnt that Christmas is actually the first day in the African calendar. It was celebrated down generations by my ancestors before the first missionary set his foot here. Given that the main objective of Christendom is to defeat paganism, it beats me why are modern day Christians fond of this day – which is actually a Pagan holiday.
The New Testament says that when the shepherds saw the star that guided them to Bethlem they were out there herding their livestock. They were relaxing way into the night when the angel appeared.
Anthropology of Arabia will tell you that shepherds only took their livestock out to graze in far-away fields in either Spring or Summer since there is fresh grass in abundance. The nights had to be warm for men to stay up until late to indulge in pep-talk.
Geography will enlighten you that December 25 is in the middle of Northern hemisphere (Arabia) Winter. There’s snow falling down in those hills of Bethlem, Gaza, Sidon, Jerusalem etc. Simply put, this is the season when livestock is locked in sheds and feeds on lucerne. Only an imbecile shepherd will risk frost bite waiting for an angel.
So, how does one explain shepherds staying out in a snowy Winter night back then in around 6 BC? How logical is it that when Jesus was finally crucified in Nisan 14 it was a warm April/May night with the full moon while he was ‘born’ in cold December?
Here’s logic, he was lynched in Arabian Summer since April/May is Southern hemisphere Winter. December 25 is Southern Summer and Arabian Winter. Both anthropology and Geography protest that Jesus Christ was born on Christmas Day.
Why is there such a huge delusion about December 25? Because it was a compromise between Christians and Pagans to adopt this day as a way of appeasing the new Christian, Roman Emperor Constantine the Great in 315 AD.
It is the most fraudulent ‘holy’ day in Christian calendar because it’s got nothing to do with the founder of the religion but pagans bastardising Christianity.
ARTICLE 16
commENts & aNaLysis
Will rural bloggers please stand up!Six years ago a blog named
Khanya started the ball rolling with the question, ‘Where are the Black bloggers?’ The post
upset a lot of closeted racists when it claimed, “when people from outside South Africa want information on South Africa, many turn to the Internet and what they find there are mostly white perceptions, and that is not a balanced South African view”.
If Khanya thought sarcastic comments such as ‘If whites want to blog, they’ll have to go overseas in order to blog from there, because the government will make sure local blog sites like iblog.co.za have a strict quota on the number of blacks!’ were annoying, they were a taste to a bigoted tirade that followed.
Weeks later journalist Lerato Mogoatlhe attended a South African Blog Awards event and commented in her Sunday weekly column about how unrepresentative the nominees and audience were. When Kasiekulture! expanded on Mogoatlhe’s observation a whole army of white bloggers accused Blacks of sulking and being tokens. The blogosphere nearly melted.
Pambazuka News weighed in with a half-diagnosis, “With most Black people still living in townships and a further 20% living in shacks it is not surprising that blogging and technology in general is not being taken up. Let’s face it, if you have just spent two hours struggling to get home the last thing you want to do is go and find an internet café and start blogging.”
Even then there were pockets of Black bloggers such as Nelspruit-based Khensani Mathetha whose blog Oh Really Now! was well-written and entertaining. “A friend suggested that I read a post about relationships on his blog and I liked the idea of being able to write anything and everything
I thought without holding back or worrying how it would be received by whoever that will read it”. Mathetha’s blog was more of a log book on life and living in Mpumalanga’s capital.
Oh Really Now! gave blogger love to artist/journalist Tshwarelo Mogakane whose YoDemo blog tackled controversial religious topics. Mogakane says, “Being a lover of words it was hard thinking a lot and not being able to share. Before blogging, you only had highly monopolised newspaper columns. So when the blogosphere appeared I was one of the first to be raptured”
Since those early days of a bigoted blogosphere and pioneering Black voices there has been more blogs spotted in aggregators Amatomu and MyScoop. It often raises questions how the few available SA aggregators rate local blogs.
South African Blog Awards’ 2012 overall winner Yomzansi, which also won Best Lifestyle and Music blog does not feature on MyScoop’s top 100 South African blogs. Yomzansi is published by Thabo and Thabiso Modiselle, a young and dynamic team of tech-savvy social media experts.
However the blog that won Science and Technology category The Techie Guy is ranked higher than a three times national champion.
The scale balances on Memeburn’s ‘22 Black Bloggers you should be reading’. Here popular bloggers such as Khaya Dlanga, Ndumiso Ngcobo, Zinhle Mncube, Nonkululeko Godana etc. are mentioned.
Arts blogs fanatic and artist Matete Motsoaledi believes that ‘Bloggers are mostly specialists in that they gravitate towards a certain subject and thus save me time weeding through announcements etc. that other publications have.” Bonapono blog’s Motsoaledi, an aspiring photographer used to run The Kriel Chapter blog.
Given Hollywood’s influence on processed information whereby most aspiring bloggers choose fashion, gossip and celebrity scene as trending topics maybe the question should be; ‘are Blacks blogging their reality or re-packaging Dion Chang and Perez Hilton’s posts?’.
Socialite Lelo Boyana carved a niche blogging for TVSA content that insinuated a Hilton influence. She told the blog Jucy Africa, “For you to be successful in blogging, you need to love people, you need to be a sociable type, love partying, coz that’s where the gossip comes out.”
Dlanga posted ‘I am unAfrican’ which could have been a tongue-in-cheek spoof of President Jacob Zuma’s festive canine bashing. He claimed it was inspired by Thabo Mbeki’s speech while posting a picture of a youthful Nelson Mandela playing with a dog. While mainstream Black bloggers post largely about socio-politics, thoughts and market trends; which one can argue are South Africa’s ever hot topics, Mathetha feels most blogs have become pretentious and
impersonal and are now dictated by market-generated content.
Motsoaledi believes even with a proliferation of ‘micro-waved’ fashion and gossip blogs quality bloggers will prevail, “We do have a unique voice. Although our stories are universal, we tell them differently because we have a different perspective and influence from other people elsewhere. If only we could allow our more opportunity to let our voices dominate. We have plenty to share.”
“For you to be successful in
blogging, you need to love people,
you need to be a sociable type, love partying, coz that’s where the gossip
comes out”
All-round artist Matete Motsoaledi blogs as BonaponoPhoto: Archive
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5North EastErN WitNEss 19 DEcEmbEr 2013 - 15 JaNuary 2014
NEWs
The Festive Seasons are upon us again. This old age tradition also marks the end of the year and the beginning
of a new one. As a Provincial government, we
wish all those who will be travelling to different destinations, and those who will be coming to Limpopo a safe journey. All our roads have been upgraded to cope with volumes of traffic, but safety still remains with individuals. Our police and traffic officials will be all out to ensure that all people are safe, either on the roads or wherever they will be.
I call upon all pilgrims to the Zion City of Moria and other Churches for a safe prayerful Christmas. Your prayers for the nation are most welcome.
Let us utilize this Christmas and New Year as a time of reflection as a nation. We celebrate 20 years of democracy under trying circumstances. We still can go very far.
Together we can still do more.Merry Christmas and a Happy New
Year !
Chupu Stanley Mathabatha
Christmas and new year message by Limpopo Premier Chupu Stanley Mathabatha
Taking children under her wingGA-MPHAHLELE – As
mother Teresa once said “if you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one”.
Ga-Mphahlele village in the Capricorn district is a home to a ‘mother Teresa’ Gillian Mphahlele who is the founder of Lenkwane-la-Maphiri drop in centre. This is a place where many children call home, because they can find a decent meal.
Mphahlele, a mother of five, started this centre in 2004 with a view to help children to ease the pain of loss of their familiies. Currently catering for 140 childeren, the idea, Mphahlele says, came to her when she was still a teacher. “I saw a lot of poverty and negligence from these children, most of them came to school hungry and
that was when my passion and love for children motivated me into opening the centre.” Mphahlele says.
Having received funding from the Department of Social Development in 2005 and from the National Lottery in 2011, they were able to acquire some basic equipment and vehicles to assist them in operating the centre. The centre has also partnered with
Independent Development Trust IDT as part of government job creation project.
Mphahlele’s passion is evident in the projects that the centre does. Dealing with waste management, planting of vegetables gardens at surrounding schools as well as the centre’s indigenous garden, Lenkwane-la-Maphiri is known to be the only centre in the Capricorn district that has an indigenous garden. She also said that, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) also visited the centre for research.
Mphahlele wants to see children improve from where they are, to instil a sense of humanity and respect to make them better people, which is why she also announced that she awarded two learners bursaries to study further at tertiary.
META MPHAHLELE“I saw a lot of poverty and
negligence from these children,
most of them came to school hungry “
CHILDREN’S ADVOCATE: Gillian Mphahlele with children under her wing at the Lenkwane-la-Maphiri.Photo: Meta Mphahlele
MON TO FRI PROGRAMME
05:00-06:00 Morning Devotion and Wake Up Show
06:00-08:00 Current Affairs with Promise Moripa 08:00-09:00 Children’s Show
09:00-12:00 Health, Community & News with Laizah Matsie 12:00-13:00 Community
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05:00-06:00 Morning Devotion 06:00-10:00 Music, Films & Gossip with Bongani Mondlane
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14:00-16:00 Choral Music, News Review, Sports and News Bulletin with Simon Nkuna
16:05-18:00 Environment and Tourism
18:00-21:00 African Music, Family Show and Religious Talk with Clement Malepe
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6 North EastErN WitNEss 19 DEcEmbEr 2013 - 15 JaNuary 2014
North EastErN LiFEstyLE
The North Eastern Lifestyle section is devoted to help you to enjoy your life more.
Every week we bring you the latest and greatest information on fashion and beauty, health, travel, relationships, food, arts and culture.
This is to enlighten our readers about all the fantastic things going on in the region, whether it is a hidden holiday destination, a fine restaurant or commemorating our local talent.
We celebrate YOU while seeking national and international inspiration to extend your relationship with the world and to gain a global perspective.
We appreciate your comments on any subject you feel we should feature or an amazing discovery you would like to share with us, feel free to drop us a line at: [email protected]
C’est la vie!
Charli Bedet
Wedding & Event Stationery- 084 800 1591 -
’Tis a week before Christmas
Seven Tips for Last-Minute Christmas Shopping
It is a week before Christmas and materialism and consumption and feelings of entitlement are rife. The season professed to be one of love,
peace and harmony is now fraught with anxiety filled with financial hardship and family tensions.
For many, it seems that the season of “Peace on Earth” is anything but. Gone are the days when everyone came together and families celebrated within their means.
Some of you have lost your jobs or unforeseen circumstances led to financial difficulties and you feel that you have nothing to celebrate-remember the saying, this too shall pass and that material conditions, positive or negative, are temporary. If you ask your loved ones whether they would want you to go into debt so they can receive a Christmas present, undoubtedly they would say “No.”
So, do what makes sense for you to do and not make your life worse by buying unnecessary presents that you cannot afford.
No matter your current circumstances, be encouraged not to associate this time of praise, celebration and joy with material wealth but rather with what is important- the love of family and the things you are grateful for each day.
To those who can afford, forget not that costly gifts can never replace a real connection with the people you care about. The afternoon spend with a loved one is much more valuable than an expensive gift presented in a hurried emotional absence. Remember that for a child to find meaning to material gifts bestowed upon him, he needs a consistent emotional support of a parent first.
The holidays are meant for us to shut out our busy lifestyles, pause for mindful moments and reflect on what matters. To be happier and experience joy this Christmas, slow down and do not focus on the commercial aspect of the season. Strengthen your ties with people who really matter to you–your family, your friends and your community.
And as people of faith, fortify your connection with God and celebrate your life- the greatest gift of all.
Merry Christmas!
CHARLI BEDET“Do what makes
sense for you to do and not make your life
worse by buying unnecessary
presents that you cannot afford”
lemon and poppy seed polenta cakewheat-free
2 tbsp (30 ml) poppy seeds2 tbsp (30 ml) purified water1 whole medium orange, unpeeled1 whole medium lemon, unpeeled4 organic or free-range eggs1 cup (250 ml) honey or tapioca syrup½ cup (125 ml) olive, cold-pressed sunflower or macadamia nut oil½ cup (125 ml) purified water1 cup (250 ml) chickpea flour1 cup (250 ml) oat flour ½ tsp (2 ml) unrefined salt2 tsp (10 ml) bicarbonate of soda1 cup (250 ml) polenta1 tbsp (15 ml) grated lemon rind
Syrup½ cup (125 ml) freshly-squeezed lemon juice½ cup (125 ml) freshly-squeezed orange juice¼ cup (60 ml) honey¼ tsp (1 ml) unrefined salt
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 °C. 2. Place the seeds in a bowl and soak in 2 tablespoons of water.3. Place the orange and lemon in a deep-sided saucepan and add 3 cups water or until half-way covered. Bring to boil.4. Simmer for 35 minutes or until the fruit is very soft. Drain the fruit and let it cool, saving ½ cup of the liquid. Puree the fruit and the ½ cup liquid together in a power blender or food processor.5. Beat the eggs until pale and fluffy. Add the honey, oil and water. Beat well.6. Sift the flours (except the polenta), salt and bicarbonate of soda, and fold into the egg mixture. 7. Mix in the polenta, soaked poppy seeds, rind and pureed fruit.8. Pour batter into a large greased ring form pan (24 cm) and bake for 1 hour. If you use 2 x 20 cm round spring form or loose bottomed tins, bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.9. Place the syrup ingredients in a bowl and mix with a balloon whisk. Place the hot cake into a baking tray with a lip to catch the syrup that may run through the spring-form base. Prick holes in the still hot cake and pour over the syrup.10. Leave the cake to cool in the tin, before turning out. This cake keeps well for up to 3 days stored in an airtight container.
VariationGluten-free: replace the oat flour with stone-ground maize or rice flour.This recipe appears in Naturally Nutritious Wholefood Cookbook by Heidi du Preez and Karen Werge Tilney, published by Natural Nutrition.
Tapioca syrup, also known as cassava syrup, is a unique and naturally-produced sweetener made
by converting the tapioca or cassava tuber or root into syrup, using natural enzymes. Tapioca syrup is
used to add sweetness, binding or texture to beverages, baked goods, energy bars and cold desserts. It is a healthful and allergen-free alternative to other sweeteners and not genetically-modified. It has a very neutral sweet taste and colour, a long shelf-life.
KAREN WERGE TILNEY
All natural sweetness - syrup
Photo: sophielikescake.blogspot.com
Every year, you promise yourself you won’t wait until the last minute to do your Christmas shopping, but once again, it’s
the week before Christmas and you’ve gotten nary a gift. Don’t panic! Before you go into a desperate shopping frenzy, check out these 7 tips for last-minute shoppers. You’ll find everything you need with time to spare.Make a List and Check it Twice
One of the biggest traps of last-minute shopping is going over budget. Before you brave any store, make a list of how much you’d like to spend on each person you are buying for, and stick to it. Resist the urge to keep shopping for the perfect gift, and leave the store as soon as you’ve crossed everyone off your list.Set a Time Limit
Retailers have a few tricks up their sleeves to get you to linger in their stores, such as playing catchy holiday music and scenting the air with pleasant holiday smells, making it more likely you’ll buy something on impulse. To avoid this trap, make plans immediately following your shopping trip to limit the amount of time you spend in the mall. The less time you spend shopping means less temptation to overspend or impulse buy.
Food Never FailsThe way to anyone’s heart is through
their stomach, right? If you’re a whiz of a baker, whip up a batch of your special cookies to give as gifts. If you want to give something tangible, wrap them up on a pretty cookie platter or in a festive holiday tin.Get Creative
Do you have a special talent, such as painting, pottery-making, or photography? Or maybe you’re an expert on car repair, childcare services? Create a coupon offering your service to be used in the weeks to come. It will take some of the pressure off having to have a gift in time for the holidays, and the recipient will love the thoughtfulness of your gesture. Skip the Clothes
Do yourself a favour and skip the clothing department altogether. If someone on your list is a fashionista, stick with a gift certificate to her favourite store. To make her gift really special, offer to take her shopping for an item of her choice and then treat her to lunch or dinner at a favourite restaurant. Shop on Christmas Eve
We know that waiting until the day before Christmas to shop sounds like a terrible idea. But think of it this way, most people are finished by Christmas Eve, meaning the malls will be less
crowded, allowing you to shop without having to fight hoards of other panicky procrastinators.Know When to Stop
Once you’ve bought for everyone on your list, stop shopping. It sounds simple enough, but often times, the urge to find the perfect gift compels anxious shoppers to keep going. Just because your gift is last-minute does not mean it’s inadequate!
Source: Family Education online
LIFESTYLE REPORTER
7North EastErN WitNEss 19 DEcEmbEr 2013 - 15 JaNuary 2014
SIYAVUMA! Gloria Mokgotho Maebela.Photo: Brian Kajengo
East meets WestBRIAN KAJENGO
DWARSLOOP - For some time it has been almost impossible to find a consensus between traditional and
western medicine. That was until an accreditation system was set in place and herbalists felt free to creep out of closets to be counted. One of those who are creating waves by their fusion is Gloria Mokgoto Maebela who hails from KwaMhlanga but currently resides in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga.
Unlike many of her ilk Gloria is not a graduate sangoma. She is a self-declared popular herbalist who has built a reputation for herself around her community.
“Healing is a calling from my ancestors and what I do is for my ancestors. That is why you see me here in Bushbuckridge because that’s where my parents originate.” Gloria said.
Contrary to many sangomas, Gloria says that before she treats her patients she usually recommend that they be tested for HIV/AIDS at a hospital. “We work hand in hand with the Department of Health so that we won’t go wrong whenever we practice [sic] our jobs. I am a member of Traditional Health Practitioner in Mpumalanga. ” Gloria said.
North Eastern Witness contacted the Mpumalanga Provincial chairperson of Traditional Health Practitioners, Sonboy Msiza who said, and “I can confirm that Gloria Mokgoto is a member of our organization in the province. She is a legitimate and accredited traditional health practitioner. ”
Msiza added that traditional healers have not yet found medicine to cure HIV/Aids.
“We are having a challenge as traditional health practitioners to find the medicine which cures AIDS. We are doing research in that regard.” Msiza said.
“Healing is a calling from my ancestors and
what I do is for my ancestors”
Christmas drinking and your health
What do South Africans believe?
• About 80% of South Africans (Africans) consult traditional healers, who are believed to be a link between the worlds of the living and the dead.
• Many of these people consider themselves Christian
• About 79% of South Africans are Christians
• The largest denomination with 9% of the population is Zion Christian Church (ZCC), founded by Engenas Lekganyane
• Shembe Church, which combines Zulu tradition with Christianity, follows with about 6% of the population.
• The Catholic Church, the Dutch Reformed Church, and the Methodist Church each have 4.5% of the population.
• Muslims, mainly concentrated in the Western Cape are 1.45% of the population.
• Hindus, mainly in KwaZulu-Natal, where there is a large Asian community are 1.22% of the population.
Source: Statistics South Africa: 2011
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Do you have an opinion on social justice?Do you have an opinion on economic justice?Do you have an opinion on socio political discourse?
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Have you got anything to say at all?
Engage with North Eastern Witness on your comments and opinions. North Eastern Witness provides a platform for you to engage with our readers. It is time for an alternative and transformational discourse.
The festive season is here and that means parties, catching up with friends and family and weddings, food and drink. But
exactly how harmful is over indulging on alcohol at Christmas for your liver and your health generally? And is the damage permanent?
Fatty liverChris Day, Professor of liver
medicine at Newcastle University, UK says drinking more than eight units of alcohol a day if you’re a man, and over five units a day you’re a woman, for two or three weeks, is enough to cause ‘fatty liver’ in most people.
Fortunately, your liver is likely to recover. “Fatty liver will go away again in someone who isn’t a heavy drinker because the liver will repair itself,” says Day.
But continue to regularly drink above the daily unit guidelines and fatty liver can develop into hepatitis, when the liver becomes inflamed. This can then lead to cirrhosis, which is scarring of the liver from continuous hepatitis.
How alcohol affects the liverThere are two reasons why alcohol
has this effect:When our liver tries to break down
alcohol, the resulting chemical reaction can damage its cells. This damage can lead to inflammation and scarring as the liver tries to repair itself.
Alcohol can damage our intestine, which lets toxins from our gut’s bacteria get into the liver. These toxins can also lead to inflammation and scarring.
The problem is, you won’t know all this is happening. “People can spend 20 years damaging their liver and feel fine until it gets serious,” says Day.
“But two or three heavy sessions a week for a year will increase the chance of liver damage.”
Some health consequences of heavy sessions however can be more severe. People who have had 15 units or more in one session are vulnerable to something called Holiday Heart Syndrome. This is when high levels of alcohol causes the heart to beat irregularly, which results in shortness of breath, changes in blood pressure and an increase in the risk of a heart attack, and even sudden death.
Longer-term heavy drinking sessions pose serious health problems. Your chances of getting liver and mouth cancer, chronic pancreatitis and diabetes increase. Your mental health can be affected too.
If you are planning to drink this
Christmas…
• Stick to the daily unit guidelines and you’ll reduce the chances of negative consequences for your health.
• Avoid drinking everyday over the Christmas period.
• Limit the amount of time you spend
at certain events that you know will involve heavy drinking.
• Be aware of how much you’re drinking if you’re feeling hurt or upset because you could easily damage the relationships you should be celebrating at Christmas time.
LIFESTYLE REPORTER
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The recent passing away of former state president Nelson Mandela received salutation gestures from almost all sporting
codes in the republic; a symbol of the magnitude of influence a politician can have on the field of play.
As one of the key initiators of multiracialism in the all aspects of society in the country, the baton has fallen on sports administrators to ensure the dream is realised, whether via a quota system or merit; because his was to build a winning nation not just a winning team reflective of a single race.
During his administration, Mandela kicked off an assault on racism in sport, fought social ills and crime with sport and managed to inspire a white rugby team with a single black player to become world champions and a black team with two white players to become African champions.
Images of Mandela in a Springbok jersey next to Francois Pienaar and in a Bafana Jersey next to Neil Tovey will linger in the minds of all sporting fans in the country for decades to come.
The late former Sports Minister Steve Tshwete’s “A child in sport is a child out of court” initiative became a building block against a perception that the spiralling crime rate was bringing the country closer to a civil war. The burden now rests on sports administrators, especially the two biggest sporting codes, to get with the programme and transform the image of the sport in order to fight crime.
The demise of the statesman should remind the country’s sport fraternity of what he stood for and the impact he had on sporting image and perception. It should make the South African Rugby Union (Saru) wrap up its democracy-old long-standing player racial quota debate while the South African Football Association (Safa) should not lose the gains of hosting the world’s biggest sporting spectacle, almost single-handedly delivered by Mandela as well.
The power of sport to unite has never been demonstrated as clear as it was during Mandela’s term and sport cannot continue looking to political leaders for such inspiration but should instead offer inspiration to politicians too.
LESETJA MALOPE
All Hail the Champ!
PHALABORWA - Mopani District Municipality’s Arts, Culture and Heritage Games are slowly becoming popular in
Limpopo with at least three national and World Moruba champions coming from the district in the past 10 years.
Tebogo Isaac Malatji (33) is a former national moruba champion after his three men team won their title at a national competition held in the Eastern Cape in 2005 and some of his Limpopo competitors have already gone to places such as South Korea
and came home with gold medals. Born and bred at Seloane village
some 35km away from Phalaborwa, Malatji started playing the hand-picked game at an early age while herding cattle with his long time friend and moruba team-mate, Justice “Muzukhulu” Ramoshaba (32).
“There was a guy called Cairo in our village and he was exceptionally good in the game and after failing to win even a single game competing with him for three months, I eventually beat him and was declared the new Seloane champ in 1996,” explained an enthusiastic Malatji moments after he
allowed his friend to beat him during our interview at Foskor’s Polar Park Hotel.
Malatji says they started playing the
game seriously around 2004 and after he won the nationals in the Eastern Cape, he was left out for many competitions and on the squad, which went to Russia last year until he was recalled two weeks ago.
“A guy called Thomas from Giyani won the World Title for the team that went to Russia, but the board realized that there is one brilliant player at Seloane whom they have been sidelining for a number of years hence they called me recently to start participating in local and district tournaments as there will be a trip to Japan sometime next year,” remarked Malatji.
He thinks he was recalled because he beat Thomas 28 – 4 despite not having competed internationally for a number of years.
Malatji reckons that moruba requires one’s intelligence and calm as the player must know its opponent’s strength and weaknesses and use that to their advantage.
“I can easily win a 36 or 48 holes game within a minute just by picking one or two players (stones) from my opponent even though the game has to continue until the opponent feels that he is completely out of depth,” he said.
The game which is played on the ground or on top of a table made of 12 to 48 holes on each player ‘side started a century ago when African male elders failing to count how many cattle they have in the kraal and how many have returned from the grazing fields devised the moruba template.
MATOME SEBELEMETSA
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CHAMP: Tebogo Isaac Malatji with friends Justice “Muzukhulu” Ramoshaba and another friend playing moruba at Foskor’s Polar Park Hotel in Namakgale.Photo: Matome Sebelemetsa
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