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COMMUNITY SETJHABA ENTERTAINMENT www.bloemfonteincourant.co.za Universitas Hospital: Lerato le Boitelo di tlisa Poems are inspiring to Six arrested for murder from best to worst thabo ho bana Raphael d’Abdon in Bloemspruit PAGE 2 PAGE 3 PAGE 5 LENTSWE LA BATHO • VOICE OF THE PEOPLE WEDNESDAY 26 OCTOBER 2016 FREE Don’t be fooled by the rain SEITHATI SEMENOKANE washing is also highly discouraged. & EARL COETZEE The municipality has written a letter to the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Mangaung is still suffering from a Nomvula Mokonyane, in hope of being severe drought, says the chairperson able to get water supply from the Katse of Bloemwater, Tefetso Phitsane. The Dam in Lesotho. Phitsane says that if we two dams supplying water to the metro, do not receive enough rain by the middle namely Welbedacht Dam and Rustfontein of December, Mangaung will be in serious Dam, are both at extremely low levels trouble. of 9 percent and 25 percent respectively. “In the next two months, if there’s no Mangaung water restrictions have been water released from Katse Dam, we adjusted from 20% to 30%, while the will run into serious problems. So we municipality says it will continue to work are hoping that the minister will be able on improving its water infrastructure to respond positively to that letter by programme, as well as monitor water releasing water from the Katse Dam. wastage through leaks. By mid-December, if nothing happens Phitsane warned that residents should in terms of serious rain, we’ll then have not become complacent now that we’ve serious problems.” received a few drops of rain. “Don’t be Meanwhile, the Department of Water deceived by the rain that you see outside. Affairs is fast-tracking a planned water It is nothing. It actually doesn’t make pipeline from the Gariep Dam in order any impact at all. We are appealing to to alleviate the water supply crisis in the every Mangaung resident to do his part by Mangaung Metro Municipality. ensuring that we try and reduce the usage Construction on the pipeline was initially of water. We literally don’t have water.” planned to start by 2035, but the current Deputy Major of Mangaung, Lebohang drought and water shortage has urged Masoetsa, has also encouraged the department to ramp up this schedule residents to report their boreholes to the considerably. municipality. Municipal by-laws require Free State head of water affairs, Tseliso Even with last week’s rain and hailstorm Mangaung residents still have plenty to be concerned about all those with boreholes to report them to Ntili, says the R2 billion project will when it comes the future of water security. PHOTO: MORGAN PIEK the municipality as having a borehole does be completed as soon as possible. Ntili not automatically give you ownership of could not, however, provide an exact 69% of Mangaung. The dam is currently range of factors which include the high that water. Residents are further urged to timeline for the completion of the project, silted up beyond 90%, which means sandstone prevalence in the area, poor soil continue to adhere to water restrictions, nor say at what stage it is currently in. even if we were to receive plenty of management practices by farmers, and the which include not watering lawns, plants He added that there is no quick fi x for rain, the water would simply be lost. The infl uence of the drought on erosion. with hosepipes and irrigation systems. the silting problem at the Welbedacht dam’s water level is currently at 9%. [email protected] The hosing down of hard surfaces and car Dam, which provides water to at least Ntili says the problem is the result of a [email protected] 2 COMMUNITY NEWS • SETJHABA www.bloemfonteincourant.co.za • [email protected] • 26 October 2016 Universitas Hospital: from best to worst PULANE CHOANE & CATHY DLODLO drop in standard must be explained and sorted out.” The fi ndings of the OHSC The Universitas Academic Hospital in report is the latest of a series of damning Bloemfontein – once the pride of South reports that have been haunting the Free Africa’s public health system – is now the State Health Department. Its fi nancial woes worst in the country in its category. This have led to this department being put under is according to Health Minister, Aaron administration and a report by the Public Motsoaledi. He said during a recent meeting Service Commission (PSC) that was tabled in Bloemfontein that Universitas Hospital is in national parliament found a shortage of the lowest ranked hospital. This is according staff, shortage of life saving medication and to the latest report by the Offi ce of Health a backlog in the maintenance of medical Standards Compliance (OHSC). equipment. To top it all, the Universitas It found that out of a total of 10 academic Hospital was the hardest hit by the exodus of hospitals in the country, it has fallen to the medical professionals – the majority being last place. Confi rming that this hospital specialists in their fi elds. At the end of last was once the diamond in the public health year alone a quarter of the doctors in the Free State Health MEC, Butana Komphela; National Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and Lesotho Health Minister, Dr Molotsi Monyamane at a meeting with various stakeholders in Bloemfontein on the service, he said it occupied the number one province had left the Free State public health. National Health Insurance Plan. PHOTO: PULANE CHOANE spot just years ago. Reading from the report, The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) he said that at the time Universitas had a also published a report after horror stories of crisis to crisis with people who rely on it Health in the province. Meanwhile, a report 90% compliance rate. According to the latest patients and their family members were told left traumatised by death and pain,” said that details fi ndings during visits to all fi ndings of the OHSC report, it has now a during a public hearing into the collapsing the organisation’s Anele Yawa. “While clinics and hospitals in the Free State by the compliance rate of only 60%. Motsoaledi health service in the province. But, the TAC the removal of Malakoane from the health South African Human Rights Commission said the over 30% drop in its compliance was much more optimistic about the situation portfolio is a major step forward, we are (SAHRC), is expected to be released soon. and quality assurance standards rate is after a cabinet reshuffl ing earlier this month under no illusion about the task ahead of us Voice contacted the provincial department of concerning. “Something in this hospital has saw Health MEC, Benny Malakoane, to rebuild the Free State public healthcare health for comment, but by the time of going gone horribly wrong and considering the being moved to another portfolio. “Under system,” he said. to print no comment had been received. hospital’s partnership with the University Malakoane’s watch the public healthcare Former Police, Roads and Transport MEC, [email protected] of the Free State (UFS), the reason for the system in the province has limped from Butana Komphela, is now the MEC for [email protected] Education concerned about crime in Botshabelo CATHY DLODLO at schools where the labs are operating, the numbers of enrolment have also One of the biggest fl agship programmes increased,” said Makgoe. of Free State Education is being hampered This is not the fi rst time that the safety by the high crime rate in Botshabelo. and security situation at schools have This is according to Education MEC, come under the spotlight. The Public Tate Makgoe. He said this township has Service Commission (PSC) in the province become notorious for the high rate of theft- published a report earlier this year that at-school cases that have a major impact raised concerns about the safety of children on the operating of math labs at schools. at schools and the impact of crime such as Makgoe says the security at schools in the theft of equipment, computers and even the area is a major concern as the biggest textbooks at schools. PSC Commissioner, number of labs that are not currently Henk Boshof, said the department will FARMER’S WEEKLY operational are located in the Botshabelo have to look at the security situation at area. schools as some children were without “The provincial education department textbooks after thieves had got away with TOUR TO PARIS spent approximately R10 million per year their textbooks even before the school on math labs, but the security at schools opened for the new academic year. The 26 FEBRUARY TO 4 MARCH 2017 in the province is a major concern,” said report followed visits to schools across the Makgoe. He said there are math labs province to assess whether the department Join the Farmer’s Weekly tour to France at about 701 schools in the province, had timeously delivered textbooks and but about 124 of these centres are not learning material to schools. Makgoe to attend the SIMA Paris International fully operational. These labs are facing said his department is going to start Agribusiness Show (equipment and challenges such as the theft of computers mobilising communities to take ownership technology) and SIMAGENA (livestock) and equipment. of the schools in their areas and help the “As some of the schools are running out department to secure schools’ buildings to be held at the Paris Nord Villepinte of classrooms, they use the venues for and much needed equipment.