DA leader Mmusi Maimane’s drive: Freedom, Fairness and Opportunity hits the North West Province

Mbasa Gqokoma
31 May 2015

Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane addressed a crowd at the DA’s North West Provincial Congress on Saturday.

Maimane told the crowd that he is currently on his Freedom, Fairness and Opportunity Tour where he is engaging in conversations with communities in every province about the DA’s values and its vision for South Africa.

Maimane alluded that As the African National Congress has stumbled from crisis to scandal, they have failed the people of the North West in every single aspect of government delivery.

Maimane promised North West residents that the days of an uncaring ANC government are over.

Spokesperson to DA leader Mabine Seabe says DA leader Mmusi Maimane addressed the North West provincial congress where he spoke about the DA values.

He spoke to delegates encouraging them to get working to ensure that we grow our electoral strength here in the 2016 local government elections because here we want to build opportunities for South Africans, especially for the people of North West.

”We want to ensure especially the quality of education is improved and the quality of services and ensure the people of the North West and the rest of the country see the government they should be seeing, and that the government that cares”, Mabine added.

 

One person died in the Eastern Cape after eating dead cow’s meat

Mbasa Gqokoma
31 May 2015

Suspected meat poisoning has claimed the life of one person in the rural Cofimvaba area of the Eastern Cape.

Seventy three others have been hospitalised overnight after eating a dead cow's meat in Ncora village.

Health spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo says ambulances were dispatched to ferry the sick to local hospitals.

Their symptoms included vomiting, nausea and abdominal cramps. This is the second case of mass food poisoning in the country reported this weekend.

Meanwhile, a group of about twenty six people sustained food poisoning while working on a film shoot in Pretoria on Saturday.

It is believed to be food poisoning caused by a chicken dish that was served.

Rossouw said when ER24 paramedics arrived on scene they found that most of the cast and crew which consisted of 40 people, complaining of stomach cramps and nausea after having lunch on site.

As time went by, more and more people started to develop the same symptoms thereafter the amount of affected people grew to more than 40.

ER24 paramedics treated and transported more than 10 people to hospital for treatment.

Other patients were transported by other services.

The exact cause of the incident still remains unknown,

 

 

 

 

Hawks arrested 2 suspects for illegal mining and fraud

Mbasa Gqokoma
31 May 2015

The portfolio committee on Minerals Resources welcomed what it believes to be a breakthrough after a three-year intensive investigation into illegal mining syndicate.

Hawks arrested two suspects on Friday after raiding two houses at Kempton Park.

The Hawks reported to have confiscated illicitly mined gold and 3000 ID’s belonging to people who are already dead, pointing to fraud amounting to R400 million.

Portfolio chairperson Sahlulele Luzipo reiterated that mining as well as trading with mineral resources were strictly regulated activities in South Africa.

Luzipo says the first issue that was said as the committee is that “we welcome what we hope is finally a breakthrough in the problem that we have always been insisting on, which is the issue of illegal mining and we welcome the arrest, hopefully it will lead to a successful prosecution”.

“We have said as a committee in a quite number of occasions that to us it is not the foot soldiers who are on daily basis finding themselves being caught in the air”.

We have been always clear that there is a bigger syndicate behind this whole issue, Luzipo added.

SAMWU totally rejects latest wage offer

Mbasa Gqokoma
30 May 2015

The South African Municipal Workers Union has rejected the South African Local Government Associations latest wage offer labelling it as ridiculous.

Samwu members are demanding a minimum wage of R7 500 while Salga is insisting on a three year agreement. Salga, which is representing 278 municipalities, has been in negotiations with 230,000 employees affiliated to Samwu since March.

Samwu’s General Secretary Walter Theledi says they are just offering 0.04% on top of the 5.4% they have been offering.

Obviously that didn’t go well with us. Our members are now being reported back to and obviously a solution to go on strike might be taken soon, Theledi added.

 

Hawks to probe the bombing of a tender box in Limpopo

Mbasa Gqokoma
30 May 2015

The Hawks have taken over the investigation into the bombing of a tender box in Limpopo on Wednesday.

The box contained bid documents for an R870 million school nutrition scheme.

Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said preliminary investigations have revealed that three suspects were seen dropping something inside the tender box and thereafter the box exploded a few minutes after they had left.

Mulaudzi says we view this matter in a very serious light due to the fact that the residence of that province are not safe, government departments as well are being attacked by unknown people using dangerous weapons.

We felt it was necessary for us to probe this matter. We are hoping that sooner or later we will have information that may lead to the arrest of the suspects responsible, Mulaudzi added.

 

SACP welcomes the suspension of PetroSA executives

Mbasa Gqokoma
30 May 2015

The South African Communist Party in the Western Cape has welcomed the decision to suspend three senior executives of PetroSA pending an investigation.

 

CEO Nosizwe Nokwe-Macamo, finance chief Lindiwe Mthimunye-Bakoro and acting vice-president of upstream operations Andrew Dippenaar have been suspended pending an investigation into their performance following declining revenues.

The SACP said this decision taken by PetroSA is well informed and long overdue.

SACP Western Cape Provincial Spokesperson Masonwabe Sokoyi says as the SACP in the province we still believe that there is still a lot to be done in particular with regards to the board.

Our view remains that we continue to reject the proposed retrenchment which was based on narrow understanding of the board and the executive on how to run the PetroSA Company, Sokoyi added.

 

Six motor vehicle collisions in less than 7 hours

Mbasa Gqokoma
30 May 2015

Western Cape ER24 paramedics responded to more than six motor vehicle collisions in less than seven hours late last night.

ER24 spokesperson Pieter Rossouw said all the collisions occurred in the Cape Town area.

Rossouw says ER24 paramedics transported three of these patients to Tygerberg Hospital and Groote Schuur Hospital for further treatment.

Rossouw said that the other two patients were transported by other services.

Fortunately no injuries were sustained in the second as well as the third collision which occurred.

One person was thereafter left with moderate injuries in another collision that occurred on Ottery Road.

ER24 paramedics also treated and transported the patient to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Rossouw added that another motor vehicle collision where a light motor vehicle collided with a truck on fire at about 7am this morning.

“Luckily and unbelievably no injuries were sustained in this collision”. The causes of all the incidents still remain unknown, Rossouw added.

 

Human Settlement targets 1.5 million housing opportunities by 2019

Loyiso Langeni
30 May 2015

Deputy Minister of Human Settlements Zou Kota-Fredericks on Friday hosted the Human Settlements People’s Housing Process Imbizo in Mfuleni.

The department is currently targeting to deliver 1.5 million housing opportunities by 2019.

Deputy Minister Fredericks said it is important for South Africans to join this process to help government build houses.

Deputy Minister Fredericks said what is important about the people’s housing process is the ability of beneficiaries to be at the centre of housing delivery and within that process they also get skills.

“What we have noted in many instances is that houses that are built through the People Housing Process are much bigger than what government provides.” Fredericks added. 

She concluded by saying that with the People’s Housing Process they build houses which are more than 50 square meters because with the service that they do they are able to add on what the government gives them. 

Home Affairs DG clarifies new visa regulations

Loyiso Langeni

29 May 2015

Home Affairs Director General Mkuseli Apleni has clarified issues regarding the new visa regulations which will come into effect of the 1^st of June 2015.
One of the new regulations has to do with children travelling into or out of South Africa need to have an unabridged birth certificate.

The department said this is aimed at establishing the principle that all children must have the consent of their parents when travelling into or out of the country.

DG Apleni said the new requirements will apply to South African children, under 18, upon leaving the Republic, and children who are foreign nationals and who are visa exempt when travelling through a port of entry of the Republic. Children who apply for a South African visa at any mission or VFS service-point will have to submit the required additional documents, such as unabridged birth certificates.

He also said the Department has a backlog of around 4,000 applications for unabridged birth certificates. For smooth implementation, we are pulling out all the stops and are now left with only 800 applications to clear

Meanwhile Director General Apleni also clarified when a unabridged certificate is needed.

He said where both parents are travelling with valid passports and visas the unabridged birth certificate is not a requirement since these additional documents would have been provided when applications were made for passports and visas.

He further said that it is where one parent or another person is travelling with somebody else’s child that we require valid passports, an unabridged birth certificate, and parental consent affidavits.

Apleni added that travellers who are from countries that are not visa-exempt do not have to bring along unabridged birth certificates for the child/children travelling with. The Visa Exemption List is on the Home Affairs website.

“We do not understand the claims that our requirements are unique, not applicable elsewhere, and would have consequences for tourism and the economy in general. Our regulations were benchmarked even with countries attracting more tourists. SA citizens are also required to have these documents when going to some countries of the world.” Apleni said.

Ruling on Parliaments signal jamming labelled as disappointing

Loyiso Langeni

29 May 2015

 

The South African National Editors Forum has expressed its disappointment at the judgement regarding Parliament’s broadcasting policy.

 

On Thursday the Western Cape High Court dismissed the case brought by several media houses about the interruption of the State of the Nation Address broadcast in February, where Economic Freedom Fighters MP’s were thrown out by police.

Sanef Chairperson Mpumelelo Mkhabela said we remain convinced that South Africans are entitled to know everything that is happening in their Parliament regardless of whether the politicians or those who are managing Parliament think it’s bad or not bad for the institutions.

“Parliament after all is a public forum it will be very sad if we were to allow the judgement to go unchallenged and reducing parliament to a place those who are in charge could decide what the public should see and what the public should not see. There is nothing in Parliament that should be hidden and that I think should be the principle of the dispensation that we live in.” Mkhabela added.

 

Meanwhile the Right 2 Know campaign said while the judgement is disappointing it is encouraged by a strong judgement from Judge Kate Savage.

R2K’s Murray Hunter said they are disappointed by the judgement because they believe that Parliament broadcasting policy allows for censorship and believe every South African has the right to know what is happening inside Parliament and any policy that undermines that right to know needs to be challenged.

However, Right 2 Know said it will appeal the ruling and it is confident of their chances.

Former President Thabo Mbeki refutes claims of World Cup bribes

Lusanda Bill
29 May 2015

Former South African President Thabo Mbeki has denied claims that a top official of the country’s 2010 bid committee paid bribes to secure the right to host the 2010 Fifa World Cup in the country.

An indictment by the United States authorities claim that South Africa paid R120 million to Fifa officials to secure the world cup hosting rights. In a statement Mbeki said the government he had the privilege to lead would never have paid any bribe.

Mbeki Spokesperson Mukoni Ratshitanga said in any case even if there was anybody sought such a bribe the government would not have paid it.

Ratshitanga said such a statement that was made by Minister of Sport and Recreation Fikile Mbalula which indicates that all the money that government spent in relation to the World Cup was audited by the Auditor General and Ernst and Young, the auditing company. Both these institutions gave the government a clean bill of health.  

Two suspects arrested in Woodstock for theft

Lusanda Bill
29 May 2015

Two suspects aged 25 and 26-years-old are set to appear in the Cape Town’s Magistrate Court on Monday facing charges related to possession of stolen property and theft.

The suspects were arrested on Thursday in Woodstock after they broke into a car and stole valuables worth an estimated value of R35 000.

Sergeant Hilton Malila said the arrest follows after the police received information from the public about a known suspect that was in possession of a black computer bag at the stables situated in Browell street Woodstock. Police members reacted swiftly and searched one of the rooms situated at the stables, and during a search we recovered the black computer bag in the possession of the known suspect, as indicated by the community.

Malila said a preliminary investigation on the scene led the police to another room where an iPad were also recovered in the possession of a second suspect. The two men, who were found in possession of the items, could not account to ownership of the property and they were subsequently arrested for being in possession of presumable stolen property.

“During further investigation we manage to trace the owner of the property, who confirmed that his vehicle was broken into at the Salt River circle a couple of minutes ago and that he was in the process of reporting the incident. The items were identified at the police station and handed back to the lawful owner” Malila added. 

A child died after being knocked over by a car in Olifantsfontein

Lusanda Bill
29 May 2015

An accident this morning on the R21 in Olifantsfontein in Johannesburg claimed the life of a child between six and nine-years-old.

It is believed that the child was hit by a light motor vehicle.

ER24 Spokesperson Russel Meiring said on assessment we found that the child had already succumbed to his multiple fatal injuries. Nothing more could be done for the child and he was declared dead.

Meiring said the driver of the light motor vehicle fortunately escaped without injury.

The exact details to the cause of the accident will remain the subject of a police investigation.

Police monitoring the violent situation in Philippi

Lusanda Bill
29 May 2015

The City of Cape Town has condemned the violent protest which erupted in Philippi two days ago and claimed the life of one person.

An initial assessment of the damage show that five city trucks were burnt and three others vandalised and a house of an ANC ward councillor was burnt.

Mayoral Committee Member for Utility Services Ernest Sonnenberg said the total cost of damage is yet to be determined but the vehicle damage alone at this stage is estimated to be well in excess of R10 million.

Sonnenberg said the protestors went on a rampage and threatened our security guards with death and then went ahead and set alight buildings as well as vehicles. They also blocked roads to make sure that the police could not have access to help the law enforcement agencies which was combating the protest action.

“In this process we lost several vehicles which include refuse trucks which are used for refuse removal in the area of Khayelitsha and they also stole the keys of all the other vehicles on the property” Sonnenberg added.  

Opposition parties respond to Nkandla report

Jaimie-faith Poonah
29 May 2015

Opposition parties say they are not surprised about the outcome of the Nkandla report.

On Thursday Minister of Police Nkosinathi Nhleko found President Jacob Zuma not liable to pay back any money for non-security upgrades to his Nkandla homestead.

The Democratic Alliance says the outcome of the report is an insult to the South African people.

DA Leader Mmusi Maimane Spokesperson Mabine Seabe said we cannot accept that the swimming pools and other things like those are part of security features.

Seabe said late last year we did our own calculation and found that the president owes at least R52.9 million for the non-security features.

“At the moment we are considering our options going forward; we want the Ad Hoc Committee to make the terms of references broad as possible, so that we can interrogate this report. At the end of the day the Public Protector’s report was ignored, this is a constitutionally mandated body and it cannot be that the Minister of police can agree with this to protect his boss” Seabe added.

Meanwhile Minister Nhleko said all of these security features which include the fire pool, the animal enclosure, the visitors centre and the amphitheatre are in accordance with the physical security requirements.

People of the Congress’s Dennis Bloem said that this report shows once again that the government led by President Zuma does not have any respect for the Constitution of the country.

Bloem said we have expected this long ago, that the president will be defended and protected by these ministers. It is a total disgrace that these ministers can say that the president is not liable to pay any cent.

“The Public Protector’s report of the findings and recommendations, were recommending that the president must pay a portion of the money that was spent on that private building” Bloem added. 

Zwelinzima Vavi labels unemployment levels as catastrophic

Loyiso Langeni
29 May 2015

Zwelinzima Vavi has raised his concern regarding unemployment statistics in South Africa.

This as Stats SA released the first quarter stats which show that unemployment has increased to 26.4 percent.

 

He added that the country is facing intolerable levels of unemployment has it is also having a negative effect on the economy.

Vavi said we are clearly on a knifes edge and now we have record breaking levels of unemployment at 36% it is beyond catastrophic levels.

“With unemployment combining with poverty were 64.3% of the population are living in poverty. We have become the number one country with most inequalities and we have corruption running out of hand” Vavi added.

President Zuma does not have to “pay back the money”

Loyiso Langeni
28 May 2015

Minister of Police Nkosinathi Nhleko has found that President Jacob Zuma is not liable to pay back the portion of the R246 million used for security upgrades to his Nkandla home.  

During a media briefing this afternoon in Parliament Minister Nhleko said all of these security features which include the fire pool, the animal enclosure, the vistors centre and the amphitheatre are in accordance with the physical security requirements.

Minister Nhleko added that having considered the strategic importance of the homestead national security interest relevant legislation scientific and graphical demonstration and arrival at the following careful considered decision is in escapable that the firepool and swimming pool could be used to douse a fire, the cattle and goat kraal and chicken coop kept the animals away from the central security zone and so they did not set off the alarms or beams.

“The ampitheatre served as an emergency assembly point and protected the soil substrate and a road that ran near it.

The visitors' centre was also necessary as Zuma hosted visitors and needed privacy.” Ntleko added.

 

Meanwhile Minister of Public Works Thulas Nxesi said the disciplinary proceeding regarding the 12 public official who have been found guilty of misconduct, arose from the failure to comply with correct processes for the security upgrades.

He added that all three reports into Nkandla state more or less the same conclusion.

Nxesi added that one of those matters has been finalised where the official concerned who played a minor role in the project pleaded guilty and was issued with a final written warning amongst the range of the sanctions which include suspension without pay, corrective training in the SCM functions in future.

“We are ready to proceed with the remaining 11 matters affecting those 11 officials.”  Nxesi said.

 

 

DIRCO hosts selected students to study in Sweden

Loyiso Langeni

28 May 2015

The Department of International Relations is currently hosting students who were selected for a Swedish post-graduate scholarship programme.

The students chosen for this programme will pursue their Masters studies in fields such as Education, Computer Sciences and Development Studies amongst other studying fields.

Departmental Spokesperson Clayson Monyela said the programme offers 10 scholarship per year over a period of three years and will be funded by the Swedish Institute. This is in recognition of the centrality of education and skills development for the economic prosperity both for South Africa and Sweden.

Monyala added that the scholarship programme was agreed to at the 8^th session of the South Africa Sweden by National Commissioner, which took place on the 11^th of October 2014 in Pretoria. The commissioner is coached by South Africa’s Deputy Minister and Sweden Deputy Prime Minister.

Protest action in Nyanga results in burning of City of Cape Town vehicles

Loyiso Langeni
28 May 2015

The City of Cape Town has condemned the violence and burning of an ANC councillor’s house and cars in Nyanga.

Protestors are calling for better service delivery especially proper sanitation facilities. Last night the protestors broke down the gate of the solid waste facility in Crossroad, burnt down parts of the building and destroyed six bakkies and three vehicles as well as private trucks on the road.

Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security JP Smith said these actions are not helping the community and they are not in the interest of the community.

Smith added that these protesters are the enemy of the local community because the vehicle that they destroyed the city cannot afford to replace them for quite some time. We are barely able to keep the vehicle free going as it is and there is no money to replace these vehicles.

"He emphasised that this will have a very negative and detrimental impact on service delivery in that area for many months to come. We are asking members of the public who know was responsible for this to come forward with information so that we can take legal action against these people and to prevent them from destroying public infrastructure and harming the interest of poor and vulnerable,” Smith concluded.  

Missing Adult Alert: Aisa Martin

A bus accident claims the life of one school child

Lusanda Bill
28 May 2015

A bus accident this morning on the R555 between Ohrigstad and Burgersfort in Limpopo claimed the life on one school child and 45 others were left injured. This is after one bus rear-ended another bus.

Netcare 911 Spokesperson Chris Botha said when we arrived there we found that one child around 14-years-old died on the scene due to the severe head injuries that she sustained.

Botha said 44 people were injured one critically and the other injuries range from minor to moderate. They were all treated on the scene and then transported to hospital for further care.

The exact details to the cause of the accident will remain the subject of a police investigation.

 

WCED releases preliminary findings into Maitland High textbook saga

Lusanda Bill
28 May 2015

An investigation conducted by the Western Cape Department of Education into the textbook saga at Maitland High School, has found among other things a glitch in the WCED online ordering system.

The preliminary investigation shows the school placed orders between July and August but due to the system glitch they did not receive the textbooks. Then the school failed to place another order between the 10^th and 16^th of February this year and only placed after the closing date.

Ministerial Spokesperson Jessica Shelver said there are a number of contributing factors that led to the non-delivery of textbooks. The WCED needs to highlight that schools need to have textbook retrieval policy to ensure that they retrieve a minimum of 95% of the textbooks back from learners at the end of the school year.  It is simply unsustainable to replace large numbers of textbooks every year.

Shelver said unfortunately many learners do not return the textbooks at the end of each year and schools have to use the Norms and Standards funds which many school simply cannot afford.

“Ultimately, the onus is on the school principal and management team to ensure that textbook are ordered timeously and that disruption to learning and teaching time is kept to a minimum” Schafer added. 

COPE condemns President Zuma’s behavior in Parliament

Jaimie-faith Poonah
28 May 2015

Congress of the People has lashed out on the conduct of President Jacob Zuma and Minister of Police Nathi Ntleko saying they have turned Parliament into a big circus.

This comes after Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko was scheduled to release the Nkandla report on Wednesday night in a live broadcast, but the briefing was postponed at the last minute.

Meanwhile responding to the presidency budget in Parliament yesterday President Jacob Zuma accused the opposition parties of being obsessed with Nkandla.

Cope Spokesperson Dennis Bloem said the Congress of the People is asking who will ever take South Africa seriously with a clown of a president.

Bloem said our country is quickly becoming the laughing stock of the world. For instance yesterday the president and the minister of police were the biggest clowns. President Zuma acted as if there is not serious business in Parliament.”

"President Zuma is acting as if Parliament is a playing ground" Bloem added. 

IFP calls on MEC of Transport in KZN on taxi lawlessness

Jaimie-faith Poonah
28 May 2015

The Inkatha Freedom Party has called on MEC of Transport in KwaZulu Natal to intervene in Maphumulo taxi rank.

This comes after angry taxi drivers and owners implemented rolling blockades on the city’s main arterial route, causing major traffic congestion.

IFP’s Blessed Gwala said the issue of killing of taxi operators and owners, lawlessness in the taxi industry, conflict over routes and power struggles needs to be removed.

Gwala said we believe that an urgent intervention is needed to address this violence because there are people who are trigger happy and stubborn, who are actually responsible for the instability that is there in the industry as well as in the taxi organisation.

MEC Plato want numbers of officers leaving SAPS in the WC

Loyiso Langeni
28 May 2015

Western Cape MEC of Community Safety Dan Plato has raised concern regarding figures which reveal that 7 000 termination within the South African Police Service happened in 2014/2015.

MEC Dan Plato said National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega needs to assure the people of the province that policing in the province remains a priority, and she needs to show us how she intends to rectify the crippling under resource of the province.

Ministerial Spokesperson Ewald Botha said MEC Plato has requested Phiyega to provide his office with a report on how many officers have left the service annually over the past four years, what is being done to prevent further losses and how recruitment has been prioritised especially for this province.

 
Botha added that MEC Plato has welcomed the recruitment drive that General Phiyega has launched to help address the outflow of 7 000 officers, the National Commissioner has to adequately empower the Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Thembisile Patekile, with sufficient resources and prioritise recruitment for the Western Cape. As the Western Cape SAPS is severely under resourced and cannot afford to lose any more officers.

Cope calls on President Zuma to fire Communications Minister

Loyiso Langeni
27 May 2015

Congress of the People has called on President Jacob Zuma to fire Communications Minister Faith Muthambi for removing three SABC board members.

Cope Spokesperson Dennis Bloem said that the decision she took to fire and involved herself in the firing of three board members is totally unacceptable.

Bloem added that Minister Muthambi does not understand what everyone have been pointing out that the SABC is not a state owned enterprise but a public broadcaster with a board that was not subjected to her.

A legal opinion faulting Communications Minister Faith Muthambi for allowing the unprocedural removal of SABC board members on Tuesday left MPs at odds over how to rein in the minister and reverse the process.

ACDP calls for swift action to gang activity in Maneberg

Loyiso Langeni

27 May 2015

The African Cristian Democratic Party has called on law enforcement officials to take a swift action to bring an end to gang activity in Manenberg, which has spread to clinics.

It is alleged that clinics have started closing early, resulting in outreach programme being cancelled, medical staff asking for transfers, stock deliveries and transport routes for service providers have all been affected.

ACDP Leader in the Western Cape Ferlon Christians said the effects of gang violence will continue to increase unless drastic steps are taken.

"We as the ACDP believe that the problem is with police shortage, we ask the Minster of police and National Commissioner to intervene and look at the shortage of police in Manenberg.” Christians added.

SJC marches over Cape Town Mayors budget speech

Loyiso Langeni
27 May 2015

Today, around about 100 people marched in Cape Town’s Civic Centre to demand that the Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille delivers a reasonable budget when she tables her final budget speech on Friday.

Social Justice System Axolile Notywala said there is R22 million of the water and sanitation for capital budget for all of 204 informal settlement.

“We think this is unfair and it’s not equitable all we want is for the Mayor to reconsiders her allocation on Friday and table a much better fair and equitable budget.” Notywala added.  

SJC and Ndifuna Ukwazi claimed to have facilitated over 500 submissions from informal settlement residents on the lack of water and sanitation infrastructure. 

Agri professionals recognised by WC MEC Alan Winde

Mbasa Gqokoma
27 May 2015

MEC of Economic Opportunities Alan Winde has launched the search for best employees of the Western Cape’s agricultural sector.

Winde said over 6000 agriculture employees have entered the competition since 2002.

The first regional winner will be announced at a ceremony in Wetzenberg on July.

Ministerial Spokesperson Bronwynne Jooste says MEC Winde believes that it is important to celebrate the excellence we are seeing in the agricultural sector.

Agri professionals play a very important role in ensuring food security, they deliver high class produced which are sold across the world.

We are looking forward to honour the heroes of our agricultural sector through this initiative, Jooste added.

15 people injured in a bus collision in Paarl

Mbasa Gqokoma

27 May 2015

15 people have been injured in an accident on the Swawelstert Road in Paarl this morning.

It is believed that the bus was transporting the occupants to work when the collision occurred.

ER24 Spokesperson Russel Meiring said when ER24 paramedics arrived on scene, they found that a bus had left the road and had come to rest in a nearby vineyard.

Meiring added that some of the occupants were found sitting outside while two patients were found sitting inside the bus.

“On assessment, paramedics found that 15 people had sustained injuries ranging from minor to moderate. Paramedics treated the patients on scene and thereafter transported them to Mediclinic Paarl and Paarl Hospital for further observations. Fortunately no one had sustained any injuries.” Meiring said.  

The exact details to the cause of the collision will remain the subject of a police investigation.