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.

By Pastor Thato Seleke

The Bible says" Husband, love your wives and do not be harsh with them." Love one another and be kind to one another. Respect for and for each other is the basic foundation. Amen. A relationship is a business in its own right, it has responsibilities, tasks, challenges and problems to be resolved, this relationship needs each partner's efforts, focus, commitment, sensible emotions, patience, tolerance, and learning each other every day as every day it's a new day for this relationship. Every day is a new day, it's come with new development, surprises, wonders, problems, pains, and happiness and we should take it as it presents itself. The couple has the responsibility to protect the relationship's democratic rights of love. Infringement to this relationship democratic rights not allowed. A relationship is built, it needs to be built, build it on the principle of truth and respect. Amen. Amen. No one is perfect hence we need each other to build each other in this relationship; we are guided by this relationship's vision, aim and objectives. Amen, yes nobody is perfect and it's not easy but forwards we go.

I grew up in the 70s and ’80s in the former Bophuthatswana homeland where every child was forced to learn Setswana irrespective of their home language. I remember I was bad when coming to speaking Setswana at school because my home language is isiNdebele but writing and reading it I make Batswana kids bite the dust.I was passing with flying colours.

 In fact, I was performing more than Setswana-speaking kids at school. Even now I am bad when coming to speaking Setswana I am not good but when coming to writing and writing, I am still the same.

When I was approached to be the Consulting Editor of Pako Community Newspaper an English and Setswana newspaper based in Pella-Motlhako village in the North West Province, I grab the opportunity with two hands.

The newspaper is covering Moses Kotane, Ramotshere Moilwa and Kgetleng Local Municipality in the Platinum province.

I would like to salute the founders of the newspaper Archbishop Stephen Mokgadi Molokwane, Pastor Moruti Thato Lesejane and Modisaotsi A Lesejane for coming up with this idea. The three are hard workers they have to prove that by running the successful Praised and Salvation Foundation which helps to fight poverty in the above-mentioned areas.

Go bua boammaruri go dira tiro e ke namane etona ya tiro fela go nnile botlhofo ka ntlha ya maikemisetso a badiri mmogo mo lokwalong dikgang le. Meaning, to be honest, it was a lot of work but the hardworking team at this newspaper make it easier. We have some challenges and we overcome them.

This newspaper has the potential of growing to be a national newspaper in future, it is still crawling but one day it will walk with the lions and swim with the shark. I hope the North West Press Club will welcome this new kid on the block with warm hands and teach him to walk because now he is still crawling.

To the communities of Tlokweng, Pella, Vrede, Madikwe, and surrounding areas of Kotane, Ramotshere Moilwa and Kgetleng Local Municipality please support this is your voice, use it. Use it to fight gender-based violence, poverty, corruption, and poor service delivery and also use it to improve your communities. Bakwena Ba Modimosang oo Morare ke kuranta ya lona e diriseng ka manonontlhotlho.

Share the links with friends, neighbours, and anyone around the North West and other parts of the country. Till next ta.

By Thato Lesejane

THE COMMUNITY OF Pella in the North West has joined hands to support the coming more than R30 million road projects which is expected to create job opportunities for local residents.

They come in numbers after receiving an invitation from Moses Kotane local Municipality to attend the 6 February 2023 meeting with the main agenda Onteker road construction tender. Community members expressed how some of them don’t trust, politicians and some individuals in the municipality, peoples express their frustration and dissatisfaction during meeting.

The community agreed on appointing a steering committee of 10 members who will play the role of monitoring all agreed processes and will report back to the community

The delegates of Moses Kotane Municipality including local Ward 18 councillor Mamiki Radiokana attended the meeting to brief the community at Bakwena Ba Modimosang oo Morare Traditional office in Pella.

According to Councilor Radiokana, the 6,6kilometer length road project costing R32 million will be completed in 12 months, and finally will be started as the contractor has already been appointed.

“This project road project cost R32 million and it will take 12 months to be finished. It will also benefit the community of Pella with job creation. It was not easy to reach an agreement with the community but we are happy that there was 100 percent community participation in all processes. 

“It was not easy especially because some people do not trust the municipality process as we are suspected of being corrupt and undermining our community but today as a municipality we demonstrated our transparency and explain the process to the community members,” said Radiokana. 

She concluded by saying they welcomed the Community Steering Committee and hope it will work with the main contractor as agreed for the benefit of their community in service delivery.   

Community leader Orapeleng Setlhodi well known as Castro in an interview with Pako Community Newspaper said the community agreed with the municipality representative that locals must benefit from the project.

“We have agreed that local must benefit from the project, about 3 to 4 local companies will be awarded subcontracts, which will give them the opportunity to learn, and gain skills and experience.

“We agreed that the local community will be employed as general workers and the minimum of those who will be employed comprise 70 percent youth and 30 percent adults, it will cover all sections of Pella. The contractor will communicate with the Steering committee, when a need for temporary jobs arises and that will be communicated to the community,” said Castro.

*Scroll down to see the pictures of the meeting...

Rural Economic Development remains one of the solutions towards economic freedom but without land ownership, it is just another wish list. Every day more than 53 million South Africans eat, drink, bathe, wear clothes and take different medications produced from agricultural and land-related sources. 

The question is does South Africans consume what we produce or who produces what we consume? The youth unemployment rate is rated at its highest 59.6% till 8 December 2022 – surely has increased in 2023. It is reported that 18 million depend on grants; it is believed that nearly 50% of South Africans depend on grants.

In Moses Kotane Local Municipality, the border of Kgetleng, Ramotshere Moilwa and Thabazimbi local Municipality are agricultural, mining and tourism areas but the worrying factor is poverty and food security as victims of social economic injustice who are also disadvantageous. 

Praised and Salvation Foundation is a poverty alleviation program (Food security) led by Archbishop Stephan Mokgadi Molokwane and is underway in Mooiland (Agricultural land on the borders of Moses Kotane and Ramotshere Moilwa Local Municipality). It is not easy to lament the Arch, one is caught up in community factions politics and municipality administrative issues. We are surrounded by water but there are too many unnecessary politics from the department of water and sanitation in our place.

Our poverty alleviation and food security benefit both municipalities as we hire residents from Venture settlement, some of these farm dwellers grew up on this farm, some are our relatives from Pella and other settlements, then we have other people from Pella, Letlhakane village, Tlokweng, Koffikraal and so on. We produce crop and horticulture products, and we have a skill development program where we share and transfer the agricultural skill to each other especially youth that we are empowering as victims of gender-based violence. We request for investors to come and invest in our program as Praised and Salvation foundation my contacts 076 932 7493.   

Kgetse ya tsie e kgongwa ke go tshwaraganelwa. Leruo ke karolo ya moruo wa kgaolo ya rona mo nageng ya rona. Tlhoba boroko ya morua kgomo ke bogodu jwa dikgomo, dipudi, dinku, dikgogo le tsano di phologolo tsa naga.

Ga re kake ra tshaba go rua ka ntlha ya magodu a leruo. Fa re le baruakgomo  re itse sentle gore ngwe ya tiro ya rona ke go samagana le bogodu jwa leruo joo botlang ka magodu.

Magodu a gantsi ke bangwe ba barua kgomo, gantsi ke batho ba re nang nabo ka metlha. Gantsi magodu a tsena ka mongwe yoo re moitseng a re itse sentle, e ka nna ka mongwe wa morua kgomo, Modisa, wa lesika yo gaufi le rona a itse boleng jwa leruo le bokao jwa leruo.

Se kao go a kgonagala gore Modisa wa tsona e nne ena yo a direkisang ka baka la megagaru, ka baka la gore mong leruo ga a motshole sentle, gongwe ga a duelwe ka nako, ga a duelwe go ya ka kutlwano, Seriti sa gagwe sa botho ga se tlotlwe ke mong leruo le lapa la gagwe jalo le jalo.

Nako dingwe bona mapodise a molao ba ba leruo , nako dingwe go na le dipelaelo tsa gore le boana ba dinalanyana. Motho a ka botsa gore bogologolo metlheng eo mapodise ba neng ba seo, baruakgomo ba ne ba dira jaang? Seo le bangwe gompieno ba se dirang go sireletsa leruo la bona.

A re dire se se neng se dirwa ka sedira, se direla baruakgomo. A re bue ka Whatsapp ikgolaganye le Tumelo dinomorong tse 0786023100 kgotsa Thato dinomorong tse 0762292126.