By PAKO NEWS REPORTER

THE MOSES KOTANE Local Municipality in the North West province hosted a successful graduation ceremony at Modizen Guest House in Mogwase on Thursday the 30 March. The graduation ceremony was organized by Moses Kotane Municipality’s Department of Local Economic Development in collaboration with the Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation to award 16 artists certificates after completing 6 months of training in creative art. The graduates were trained in creative arts through the EPWP (Extended Public works Program). They received training in film production, music, drama and others related to creative art.

According to acting director of Local Economic Development Abby Mogashoa, the purpose of the event was to bid farewell to the second group of performing artists who have enrolled for the second year. These 16 potential artists were presented with certificates by the Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation’s representative known as Mr Makinita and  Tebogo Modisane from JM Ntsime High School.

Acting Director of LED Abby Mogashoa said “Each time a movie is recorded or TV series, catering, transport, accommodation, wardrobe, makeup, props and sets set to benefit and this industry when looked after it can create the much-needed jobs in our communities and as a Municipality, we are working tirelessly with industry specialists to help unearth talent in our communities”

The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture applauded Moses Kotanes LED Department for being the first in the province to come up with such a program to empower the youth with skills in creative art. A nonprofit organization will be registered as an aftercare program together with three cooperatives. The department will oversee this development and ensure its success.

Mogashoa closed off the ceremony by quoting the Ghanaian writer Ayi Kweyi Armah's famous novel The beautiful one are not born He warned everyone against scammers in the trade and that they should always be vigilant with their lives and future. 

By PAKO NEWS REPORTER

EDUCATION IS THE key, and the Bill of rights requires the state to make educational facilities available to all children in South Africa. It is unfortunate that a large number of scholars have to walk more than 5km for a single trip to school.

Pako Community Newspaper news team was part of the Qhubeka Bicycles Donation event held at Morare High School in Pella recently. MmeTumi Mudutwane representative of Qhubeka NPO in an interview with Pako Community   Newspaper said, “Today we as Qhubeka NPO are in Morare High School to donate 115 bicycles to grade 10, normally we donate to grades 10, 11 and 12. This is a motivation to our grade 10 as we are also motivated by the fact that Morare High School have improve their matric last year.

“Qhubeka is a Nguni word for progress in Setswana it means tswelopele. Our NPO originates in USA and Italy, it comes to South Africa Pretoria where our head offices are based but production and manufacturing of bicycles are done in Skundrief and Grootmarico. We have adopted eight schools which are Morare High School(Madikwe), Sewagodimo Technical High School (Pella), Thutokematla High School(Groot Marico), Kgosi Bodiba and Motlhaputseng High schools (Tlokweng), Reiboseng Hgh School ( Vrede) and Thebe ya Tlhajwa High School in Koffikraal.

“We have been donating for the past five years, we encourage our bicycle riders to make sure that they move as a group to avoid being isolated and marked by criminals”, said Mudutwane. 

One of the senior educators at Morare High School Mam Saria Mmalekwakwe said they are fortunate to be considered under the leadership of the hard-working and dedicated Mr Mokwena.

“We are fortunate as Morare High School to be considered under the leadership of hard-working and dedicated Mr Mokwena, considering the fact that majority of scholar travel or walk from Letlhakane village sometimes some arrive late, with tiredness that influence lack of concentration in class, program it is helpful,” said Mmalekwakwe.

A parent Joyce Lesejane is happy for the bicycle will help her child arrive at school on time and at home before sunset. “This bicycle came at the right time for my child because he used to come home very tired after walking a long distance from and to school, I would to thank Qhubeka, the principal and the teachers for great work,”Lesejane.

One of the students that received the bicycle is Nkwe and she said responding to Pako Community News, “Iyo shocked and excited at some time. I like cycling as a sport because it keeps me healthy. I am happy about the bicycle as it will help me to travel to school with my friends, it will keep us healthy and avoid health diseases or conditions like obesity, chronic and diabetes”.  

The principal of Morare High School, Mokwena said emphasis that these bicycles are scholars’ source of transport to school. “Ensure that scholars are on time and at school at all times. This bicycle is a token of appreciation from Qhubeka and Morare high school as we appreciate this moment of being with you as our learner. It’s a tool to motivate you to invest your time and efforts in your studies,” he said addressing the learners.

By Thato Seleke

We are emotional human beings with different feelings. During our childhood growth, we are loved, admired, embraced, kissed and hugged by our loving parents or guardians but when we grow to be teenagers towards our youth sad changes occur. Some of us never experienced childhoods love from anyone but only have a sad painful story to tell and we are used to our loneliness.

Dating means different things to different individuals, and dating has a different purpose for different individuals especially those who proposed to date. When agreeing to a date, you might not have full details of what will transpire, you might just take it lightly but end up in an unexpected direction as this is part of blind dating. We experience this in our daily life and living even if dating a person you know.

Dating is when two peoples agree on a specific engagement, it might be a visit at home, or a social visit at restaurants, taverns or malls. Simply we agree to be together for that moment at that given time and space. Decision-making about dating might be a good thing but come with a price which has after-effects or consequences. It is important and necessary to inquire from the date proposer what is the plan or intentions of this dating so you are able to come up with straightforward terms and conditions to secure yourself and mean what you stand for to avoid surprises. It might be a secret dating but inform someone you trust so that you have a backup in case of need. 

We all need love, we all need to be loved and all we need is love. Human nature; from our childhood we grow and develop throw experimenting and experiencing, we hear, we see and develop an emotional need to test to have experience. During the teenage stage when hormones develop, we might be tempted to experiment with fire knowing that it burns. The teenage stage introduces you to the youth stage and period this is a stage of confusion (adolescence) where peer pressure dictates a young person's daily plan. Hormone changes, emotional growth and development, anything is possible.

Blind dating might go either way or one way. Adolescence is not for teenagers only we also see this peer pressure behaviour in youth and adults. Relationships are established out of dating activity, there are many kinds of relationships such as friendly dating with friends with benefits, casual dating with casual benefits, intimate or romantic dating with its benefits, Inquest dating with its benefits and so on. What about one-night stand dating also with its benefits? What are the terms and conditions for one-night stand dating? Is this one-night stand dating the same as a transactional sexual activity? Transitional sex dating is a relationship for sex for the exchange of gifts or money depending on the agreement between the two. It might turn ugly when another party's promise is not fulfilled. 

As an individual let’s know and understand what we need or want. Knowledge is the power so we are able to make informed decisions. Let’s avoid agreeing on dating for Ke tla bona kopele. Blind dating includes Nthekele di drinks tuu ngwana ko lapeng ke go phelela waitse mos! tumalano ke tumalano but ke tumalano ya mofuta mang? Communication – puisano e botlhokwa gore both so that we won’t experience surprises otherwise it will be surprises and or consequences. Let’s avoid talking without reaching an agreement.  Let’s talk and communicate to clearly understand this Dating and relationship activity. 

By PAKO NEWS REPORTER

THE PRAISE AND Salvation Foundation a nonprofit organization based in Pella - Matlhako Village Moses Kotane Local Municipality in the North West province, is not only striving to improve the quality of life of the vulnerable victims of gender-based violence and victim of poverty.

The organisation also helped the villagers by inviting Sassa, Social Development, IEC and Cogta to explain and provide some of the services to the community.

On 28 February, they were at Letlhakane Community hall to bring services to the villagers.

In an interview with Pako Community News  Nthabiseng Nkwe, the spokesperson of Praised and Salvation Foundation explain that the event is a follow-up of the activity that took place on 5 December last year.

“The foundation organized door to door campaign in Letlhakane -Pella, our goal was to find out if peoples are aware of gender-based violence and empower them with information to report and deal with this gender-based violence.  Today on 28 February 2023, Praised and Salvation Foundation invited the Department of Home Affairs, Sassa, Social development, IEC and Cogta in Moses Kotane Local municipality to bring their services to our communities.

“Some people don’t have Identity Documents and birth certificates as a result they are unable to get Sassa grants and we invited different governments department to render their services. Our grade 12 needs to have IDs so they can register for matric certificate that is why we saw the need to do this”, said Nkwe.

Another department representative Lenah Kgaswane from Cogta addressed residents who said they are delighted to receive this warm welcome from residents of Letlhakane.

“We are here invited by the NPO Praised and Salvation Foundation to come and inform, educate and remind some of you about our services to you as a government. We are here for you, we brought services to you now. Not all of your problems will be solved as we are here with a few important departments for your immediate challenges. We brought the Department of Home Affairs, Sassa and Social Service to address all relevant challenges, when we leave here everyone would be helped,” said Kgaswane. 

She added by saying whiles services are on at the local community hall they went to visit some families so that representatives from departments may see and witness the living conditions of their vulnerable community members.

“We have a wheelchair to donate to one of our disable girl child; it’s a family of five and no income except this girl child Sassa grand”, she added.  

Ululation when Sassa’s Thapelo Disang announced an increment of grant known as Ramaphosa to residents this is Presidential Relief Grand for the unemployed. Letlhakane –Pella village has the majority of unemployed residents and youth for that matter, almost these residents depend on social grants as there is no employment.     

“We will also visit a girl child-headed family, according to these kids, their mother died a painful death after she was killed by a speeding train in Johannesburg. Transnet compensated them but their aunt has been collecting and using that money for her selfish intentions”.

 Lerato not the girl's real name as she is a minor said, “My aunt doesn’t want us to talk about how she treats us when people give us clothes she throws them away and tells us not to accept any assistance from anyone. We have been thrown out on the street, and we have been accommodated by the community in this shack. As you see no furniture and no food we sleep on the floor as you see, we don’t have birth certificates cause our aunt doesn’t want to assist us”.

Among community members who received Home Affairs assistance include 26-year Kgothatso Phego who did late birth registration, he said “Finally I will have ID smart card, I didn’t have ID because I didn’t have a chance to do it when my mother was still alive. My mother died when I was still young. I dropped out of school to find work on farms to take care of my siblings. I am happy to have people like those at Praised and Salvation Foundation who made this entire event possible.”

The 24-year-old Tebogo Lesilo said he registered for an unemployment grant. “I am happy that Sassa comes to our village and helps us because we are not working so it’s difficult for us to go to Swartruggens or Zeerust.

By STAFF REPORTER

SHE IS A DEDICATED Community-Based Worker who is like a mother to the village kids. About two years ago she took the first step by starting an aftercare centre. Angy Motlhajane Motlhabane of Angel After Care Center in Pella-Motlhako Village in the North West dedicates her life to making sure kids get all the motherly love and support they need.

In an interview with Pako Community Newspaper, she said volunteering as Community Based Worker is not just a career but a calling to her.

“Volunteering as a Community-Based Worker is just a career but a calling to me. That is why I needed to start this aftercare centre, the first of its own in our area.

“I opted to participate effectively in improving villages’ kids' excellence life through providing motherly love, support and guidance to those kids in need,” said Angy.

She said the Angel After Care Center has been operating for two years and is registered with the Department of Social Development.

“Services we provide include assisting scholars with home works especially teenagers and youth, reading and writing spelling, child welfare and wellbeing, Child care drop-in kids and early childhood education programs.

“The drop in kid starts from 08hoo to 18hours; this is for parents who are employed or those who are unable to care for their children’s during the day. We care for a child while parents went to town or do their work.

“We also have the girl guides and scouts to empower the local kids. This program empowers most girls' children; it helps on building self-confidence through skills we introduce to them, such as doing basic things with their own hands, sharing activities as a group, ability to listen to one another, listen to each other advice, ability to lead and instruct ability to discuss, negotiate and debate,” added Angy.

She said they trained them on how to overcome basic challenges and respond to negative attitudes like on this program she is not alone.

“I am working with other ladies, we share responsibilities, we delegate each other and we account to each other, my partner is Botoba Belly Marwane and Mmatsela Molefe both ladies are committed and consistent.

“One of our main empowerment strategies for girl children is making them aware of gender-based violence; we educate them about children’s rights, the process of whistleblowing against those perpetrators of violence abuse against children especially vulnerable girl child. Some males still believe that they have rights or are more privileged than females, and some young females believe that there are inferior to males peers so there are powerless and should depend or fear their males peer. It’s our responsibility to make both young males and females understand our constitutional rights as equals. 

We will launch fundraising campaigns as we also want to build better center with kids’ educational facilities including indoor and outdoor games. We really need it as we don’t have even a laptop or office computer, so request donations of chairs, tables, food parcels, cloth for kids and education equipment," concluded Angy.

Those who are interested to helping the centre with donations of children’s books, kids’ indoor and outdoor games, furniture and laptops and other things can call us on Angy Motlhabane at 078 033 8087 during office hours. 

By PAKO NEWS REPORTER  

WHEN A LEADER delivers on his promises, his people won’t let him go. A leader might be everyone but leadership is for the chosen few. Choose by birth and from birth, humble, patient, tolerant and workaholic, also put people first and allow them sensible Participation, leading them to resolve their challenges. 

Moses Kotane Local Municipality Ward 21 Councilor Tshepo Confidence Khumalo is always delivering on his promises to the people. While other individuals choose to migrate and divorce their rural birthplaces – villages, relatives, granny’s, dusty roads, indigent community members with their social and economic poverty Ward 21 Councilor Khumalo choose to work for the community. 

In an interview with Pako Community Newspaper the Seshibitswe village born Councilor said, “I was first elected councillor in 2018 then reelected again in 2021, not everyone was happy but we all have to submit to the democratic process, majority rule even minority. I am a councillor of ward 21 of Moses Kotane Local Municipality my duty is to make sure that three villagers namely Tlokweng, Vrede and Seshibitswe have services. 

“Challenges include water crisis in the ward but one area that suffers most is Tlokweng bad road conditions, shortage of electricity but the other problem in all 3 villages’ is the shortage of house for the needy unemployment and crime.” 

Khumalo said despite challenges there is a success because he is working around the clock to see people getting services. Some of his accomplishments are two projects of a water treatment plant in 2021, phase two of this same project focusing on refurbishing a 2pump station in 2022, and the construction of 300 RDP houses in Tlokweng about 4 years ago. 

“We have an electricity infill project in all 3 villages, electrification in the Sonnerwater section in Seshibitswe, and Phomolong section in Tlokweng. My relationship with the community as far as I think is fair and good, we hold consultations meetings from time to time, sometimes very robust and confrontational meetings with community members, and others from radical opposition parties but in the end, we know we are family. We greet each other and invite each other to family gatherings. I m happy with the matric class of 2022 in Madikwe Cluster,” he added.

He has a ward committee consisting of 10 members from the community, 4 from Tlokweng, 4 from Vrede and 2 from Seshibitswe assisting him to speed up the delivery process.

Councilor Khumalo can be contacted at 082 310 1545(25/8) and on the Facebook group page Office of the Ward 21 Tshepo Confidence Khumalo.