COMMUNITY NEWS SETJHABA ENTERTAINMENT www.bloemfonteincourant.co.za Innovative “Alzheimer’s” Biography of Sanitary crisis at trio light up le “dementia” musical genius their future ke eng? launched special school a PAGE 3 PAGE 4 PAGE 5 health risk LENTSWELENTSWE LALA BATHOBATHO • VOICEVOICE OF THE PEOPLPEOPLEE WEDNESDAYWEDNESDA 21 SEPTEMBER 2016 FREE Saturday is National Braai Day and the fi res will be burning bright from 10:00 at the Clive Solomon Stadium as Bloemfontein’s fi rst Heidedal Braai Day Celebrations kicks off. The day is a celebration of one of the country’s strongest traditions and organisers hope to bring the whole community together. Some of the well-known artists who will be performing at the celebrations are Piyet Percy, TJ Andrew bench Da Rapper, Thato, Deda, Vincent and Vicus, Gershwin and the Stone sisters, Shan Lee and Shanelle. The DJs who will be in action are DJ Shaxe, DJ Kirbin Blow, DJ Dick and DJ Suspect. The dance groups, Skeem Sa Thanks and Lollie Boys, will be entertaining the crowd. The masters of ceremonies are Piyet, Charlton, E-Tone and an OFM presenter. Lots of prizes are to be won and the audience will have a chance to show off their talent with live karaoke. The gates of the stadium opens at 10:00 and the day will end at 23:00. Visitors must bring their own meat, grills and camping chairs. There will be a beer garden. Tickets Excitement mounts ahead can be bought in advance at Daisy’s at R50 a ticket, or on the day at the gates. Here artists Lesley Jonkers and Gardo Selate are showing of National Braai Day off their skills, rehearsing for the festival. PHOTO: MARK STEENBOK Education Department confirms suspension of managers REFILWE GAESWE Material (LSTM) warehouses across the than one warehouse. A total of 628 investigating all allegations this newspaper province. workers is employed on contract basis. has reported. We have a responsibility to The Free State Department of Education Voice broke the story about the Spokesperson Howard Ndaba confi rmed investigate the allegations, including the has confi rmed the suspension of fi ve suspensions after employees had revealed that the department’s Anti-crime and unprocedural appointments of warehouse managers working at the department’s that their respective managers did not Corruption Unit has been investigating packers, among others,” Ndaba explained. various warehouses. report for duty for over a month. The shenanigans at these warehouses, The department added that at the time This follows allegations of fraud, fi ve managers at the department’s ten following Voice breaking the story earlier it also received information from an corruption and nepotism surfacing within warehouses are at the center of the this year. anonymous whistle-blower. the ten Learning, Support and Teaching controversy, with some managing more “The Anti-crime and Corruption Unit is CONTINUES ON PAGE 2► 2 COMMUNITY NEWS • SETJHABA www.bloemfonteincourant.co.za • [email protected] • 21 September 2016 Education Department confirms suspension of managers ◄CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 • Appalling working conditions and been hired through political learning material. at all related to the fi ve recently “The suspension of these contract employees earning peanuts connections and some of their Ndaba further reiterated that at the suspended managers. managers are based on different – struggling to apply for social positions were created as ghost time they hired these workers, the “Lesang’s issue is under allegations. In order for the grants and qualifying for an RDP workers (as they earned salaries) situation required them to be hired investigation and if we comment department to freely conduct its house – because they have Persal while not doing any work. on a contract basis. on it, we will be prejudicing the own investigations, we felt we numbers. • Some offi cials have been seen “You employ contract workers investigation. Can we please needed to remove them so that we • Appointment of workers has been handing over payslips from a boot because of a need for that respect that process? There are can allow the process to take place the reason that the Public Servants’ of a car. service. All we can say is that our people who are looking into without any interference. It is very Association of South Africa (PSA) • The job descriptions on some relationship with these workers will Lesang’s matter and we need important to take note that these previously declared a dispute with of these workers’ payslips, when end when their contracts expire. to respect both parties. Can we managers are not guilty yet, we are the department. they started working three years We will assess at that time whether respect an issue that if there is still investigating the matter. The • The department decided that it ago, were listed wrongfully, we will permanently need this kind an investigation, it would be outcome of the investigations will was premature to say whether these stating the employees were doing of service that they are offering, or improper for any party to publicly determine whether these managers workers would be permanently administrative jobs. not. There’s a team of our offi cials comment on issues that are being will return to their old jobs once all employed before their three-year Ndaba mentioned investigations looking into the matter.” investigated because it will create the probes have been completed.” contract would end in December are still ongoing and must still be Ndaba also confi rmed the problems.” Ndaba indicated that the fi ve this year. fi nalised. suspension of Itumeleng Lesang, The department isn’t aware of the managers have been suspended • The contracted employees The warehouses store learning the head of distribution, and alleged disgruntled security guards with full pay of their salaries. said they have pleaded with material which is distributed to couldn’t reveal further details about based at the Tempe warehouse in Some of the allegations and issues the department for years to be schools across the province. Each his suspension, sighting that the Bloemfontein. Their discontent include: employed permanently. district has a warehouse that will matter is sub judice. He clarifi ed apparently involves their salaries. • Intimidation of employees. • Most employees have allegedly be responsible for dispersing the that Lesang’s suspension is not refi [email protected] Salga’s national chairperson ‘a unifier’ Why was the REFILWE GAESWE other countries to establish local government structures, particularly little boy killed? The National Chairperson of the on the African continent. He South African Local Government explained that the intention of the MATSEKO RAMOTEKOA he had on when he left home. Association (Salga), Thabo “2017-2022 Local Government “We suspect that whoever is Manyoni, has been described as a Vision” is to critically look into Why was our Bokamoso killed? behind the cruel incident which unifi er. Salga’s performance pertaining to The devastated parents of this claimed the life of our only son The accolade was uttered at a various issues. little boy are asking themselves may have dumped his body media briefi ng of the last NEC “These are issues such as Eskom, that question. Although they inside the stream after killing meeting of Salga, which took the Auditor-General, municipal suspect that their son has been him,” he said. place in Bloemfontein. Salga will debt and also the dynamics that killed, they have no idea how. Selosesha cluster unit SAPS hold its national conference by have been playing out in local And now, the Botshabelo family spokesperson, Sergeant Martin, the end of the year when the new government. These matters is looking for answers after his said police have opened an leadership will be elected. also include, among others, the body was discovered few days inquest docket. Xuma told All provinces across the country sustainability of cities and towns, after he went missing. Voice that it is not clear how will elect Salga’s new provincial the Integrated Urban Development Today, his family and residents Bokamoso died, even though leaders, starting with Gauteng. The Framework, the migration to cities are grieving his death. The last he had visible injuries, probably national conference will be held and the mitigation and adaptation time he was seen alive, was made by crabs. “A post-mortem towards the end of November and pertaining to issues of climate when he told his friends that will be done to determine the the beginning of December, after change. Some of the other issues he was going to look for his cause of his death. Police are which the newly elected leaders that will be discussed are matters mother. And now, the police investigating. Anyone with Bokamoso Madidilane will be part of the new National pertaining to human settlements have opened an inquest case information should contact Executive Committee (NEC). and the movement of people and after seven-year-old Bokamoso detective commander lieutenant Manyoni announced that he can goods.” Madidilane’s lifeless body was Moholi Moleko of Boithuso at safely say municipalities are ready Meanwhile, Salga’s Deputy discovered in a water stream 082-3709-407,” said Xuma. to provide services. Chairperson, Mpho Nawo, defi ned by community members last Xuma further said in another “We are confi dent that Salga Manyoni as a visionary leader who Thursday afternoon. incident a six-year-old girl from has played its role to date, in has unifi ed Salga’s leadership. Bokamoso, who was a Grade Section D was rescued from a insuring that our municipalities Nawo emphasised that the city 1 pupil at Thari-Ya-Tshepe man who was seen forcing her are performing and are also has changed from what it used to Primary School, lived with to leave with him.