Ligbron het rigting 1/1 Share SM HATTINGH 24 August 2021 Baie geluk aan die Liggies wat silwer sertifikate ontvang het vir hul prestasie in die Geografie Olimpiade, die Liggies is baie trots op julle. Baie geluk aan die Liggies wat silwer sertifikate ontvang het vir hul prestasie in die Geografie Olimpiade, die Liggies is baie trots op julle. Links agter (v.l.n.r) staan: Ruan Matthee, Danika Drotsky, Hano van Dyk, Krynauw Mulder en Leri-Gene Nel. Voor sit (v.l.n.r): Amanda Lottering en Jeannette van Niekerk. < Previous Article Next Article >

Local talent secures finalist-spot 1/3 Share GK CRONJE 29 June 2021 The sprightly and go-getter attitude of Nompumelelo has made her an ideal candidate. 22-Year-old Nompumelelo Mabona, a chemical engineering student at Vaal University of Technology, has been selected as a finalist for Miss Township South Africa 2021. Nompumelelo hails from Siyabuswa, Extension D. The sprightly and go-getter attitude of Nompumelelo has made her an ideal candidate. “I am doing my final year as a finalist, and I am required to raise 50 pads for underprivileged girls at school or orphanages. I entered the pageant in order to create a difference, and I aim to create awareness on sanitary pad donations. I would like to see that my community outreach will reach as broad a audience as possible. I am also an upcoming writer, and I aim to publish my first novel this year, titled “Tears Blinding, A Depressed Black Child”. I am hunting to find a publishing company that will be willing to publish my book on their platform.” Nompumelelo would like to thank everyone for their support on her journey thus far. If you would like to become involved in a project with Nompumelelo, you may contact her via WhatsApp on 072 035 0519. < Previous Article Next Article >

Full-fledged VOIP call centre in the pipeline 1/2 Share GK CRONJE 15 September 2020 With the envisaged call centre, there will be a shift supervisor, and all conversations will be recorded between the caller and the call centre agent. The municipality will be also be able to track dropped and missed call through the new call centre solution systems. We appeal to the community to bear with us while we are attending to the call centre infrastructure, and professionalizing it. With the strain on Msukaligwa Local Municipality to provide service delivery and feedback to the public amidst financial woes, the Tribune spoke to Mr. Zwane, municipal spokesman, about issues faced by residents when reporting issues to the call centre. Complaints have been continuously flooding in regarding the innate lack of efficiency of the call centre. MLM has, however, previously stated that the call centre is not as it should be, and is rather a makeshift call centre to try and resolve complaints. MLM has, however, been working on implementing a full-fledged VOIP call centre, which will enable efficient logging, tracking and resolution of complaints. According to Mr. Zwane, the aim is to launch the call centre by 31 October 2020, but it should be noted that this a merely a projected date. The most notable complaints regarding the current makeshift call centre, are the lack of reference numbers or job tickets provided to complainants, as well as call centre operators more often than not failing to answer the telephone. “Queries from community members can be logged or reported in a variety of ways, including verbally, in which community members can make a verbal expression after the deficient act or action with respect to the service. Community members can log / report issues by telephone, fax, a letter or e-mail to the call centre, and can also send a WhatsApp voice note, video or picture to municipal call centre numbers. Residents can also fill in complaint, suggestion and compliment form available in all municipal offices. Please note that your address, contact number, details of query and account number (for account and billing queries) must be included with the complaint submitted in the box.” Mr. Zwane said. MLM is also working on an USSD code to submit complaints and queries, and the code will be made public as soon as the testing phase has been completed. “For each query, you MUST get a reference number. You may use the reference number to obtain progress feedback on outstanding queries. The municipal complaints management system will ensure that citizen complaints are resolved within set Service Level Agreement (SLA), and Municipal Service Charter.” Speaking to Mr. Zwane about the call centre operators who fail to answer calls, he stated the following: “Currently, the call centre agents report to the supervisor, who works between 7:30 to 16:15 on weekdays. With the envisaged call centre, there will be a shift supervisor, and all conversations will be recorded between the caller and the call centre agent. The municipality will be also be able to track dropped and missed call through the new call centre solution systems. We appeal to the community to bear with us while we are attending to the call centre infrastructure, and professionalizing it. The municipality is aware of the WhatsApp group and / or Telegram group that created to deal with municipal service delivery related queries.” < Previous Article Next Article >

Mabuza concerned over TB infection rate 1/1 Share GK CRONJE 6 April 2021 “We should also work hard to regain those who have fallen by the wayside. Each and every one of us has a role to play in the fight to end TB,” Mabuza concluded. Deputy president, David Mabuza, said according to the results of the latest tuberculosis (TB) prevalence survey report, TB prevalence is 1,6 times higher in men than in women. According to the reports, nearly 40% of all infected individuals do not know that they have TB. “The SANAC men’s sector has done commendable work through various platforms in an effort to sensitise men about the importance of fostering health-seeking behaviour. Until we reach and change men’s perspective in every setting, we will never win the battle against TB. Out of the estimated 390 000 people infected with the disease, only 60% have been diagnosed. Mabuza called on all South Africans to rally behind national efforts to end TB, and scale up the national response through urgently finding, initiating and retaining TB clients in treatment and care. “We should also work hard to regain those who have fallen by the wayside. Each and every one of us has a role to play in the fight to end TB,” Mabuza concluded. < Previous Article Next Article >

SASSA launches online application portal 1/2 Share GK CRONJE 29 September 2020 A receipt will be generated when the application is completed. Supporting documents that are attached must be certified by a Commissioner of Oath. The agency is currently reviewing its system, and thereafter the other grants will also be added to the portal. The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) launched a pilot programme, entailing a self-service portal that can be used on both computers and mobile devices. According to SASSA, the turnaround time is 10 days, provided the candidate supplies all the stipulated documents linked to the application such as identity documents of applicant and spouse’s as well as banking details, among others. At this time, the project will cover Child Support, Older Persons and Foster Child grants. SASSA stated that this pilot will provide much-needed relief to grant applicants, as it will save them the inconvenience of standing in queues at SASSA offices. According to the agency, the added advantage is that the convenience of online applications eliminates the risk of being infected with the COVID-19 virus. The agency may require documents supporting a change of circumstances such as payment method, banking details and address. The portal also provides updates on the status of the application. To access this service, applicants need to have an e-mail address to sign up, and to be able to log in for further services. Feedback will be sent via e-mail or through an SMS for those who do not have e-mail addresses. A receipt will be generated when the application is completed. Supporting documents that are attached must be certified by a Commissioner of Oath. The agency is currently reviewing its system, and thereafter the other grants will also be added to the portal. Qualifying applications can be lodged on https://services.sassa.gov.za . < Previous Article Next Article >

New bank card suggested by the SARB 1/1 Share GK CRONJE 16 March 2021 This should allow for cheaper transactions than those offered by institutions such as Visa and Mastercard. The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) stated that it will conduct an assessment on the feasibility of establishing a domestic card scheme. The central bank said that the assessment will look at creating ‘white-label’ banking cards that can only be used in South Africa or neighbouring countries, which should allow for cheaper transactions than those offered by institutions such as Visa and Mastercard. “In South Africa, Visa and Mastercard have dominated the card scheme market. In 2019, approximately 48.8 million cards were in circulation in South Africa, and 5.6 billion transactions to the value of R2.1 trillion were processed,” the SARB said. “This is an increase in volume of 16.2% and in value of 15.6% compared to 2018. A card scheme is therefore a key component of the NPS.” The SARB said that most of unbanked South Africans have no immediate need for a card that can be used overseas. “This raises the question regarding the scope for developing white-label or locally branded cards as cheaper alternatives to the brands of the major card schemes, especially for consumers who do not enter into global internet transactions or use cards beyond the borders of South Africa or beyond the Southern African Development Community (SADC). SARB said. The Reserve Bank said that the success of a sustainable domestic card scheme would depend on the collective effort and support of card issuers, retailers, consumers, regulators, policymakers, and government departments. < Previous Article Next Article >

Inwoners word genoop om aan te sluit by buurtwag groepe Ken Robertson, VF Plus. Ken Robertson, VF Plus. Ken Robertson, VF Plus. 1/2 Share GK CRONJE 8 September 2020 In ‘n voorval naby Bethal het rowers by ‘n kleinhoewe ‘n deur van mnr. Butch Goosen oopgeskop waarna ‘n skietery tussen mnr. Goosen en sy aanvallers plaasgevind het. Mnr Goosen is in die bors geskiet en is na ‘n hospitaal gebring. Die rowers is nog soek. Dit is van die grootste noodsaaklikheid vir mense wat in landelike gebiede woon om hul waaksaamheid te verskerp, om voor te berei teen misdaad en by buurtwag groepe en gemeenskapspolisiëringsforums (GPF's) aan te sluit. Dit word onderstreep deur die onlangse voorval waar mev. Erika Muller van Rietkol naby Sundra, wat alleen tuis was nadat haar man, Sampie, plaaswerkers gaan haal het, ’n aanval afgeweer het deur haar veiligheidshekke te sluit en op haar aanvallers te skiet. Daar bestaan geen twyfel nie dat gereedheid, goeie kommunikasie en die gemeenskaplike doelwit van buurtwaggroepe en samewerking met die polisie lei tot die voorkoming van meer plaasaanvalle in Rietkol en Sundra. Na die aanval op mev. Muller het goeie kommunikasie tussen die buurtwag en die polisie gelei tot die inhegtenisneming van twee verdagtes. ’n Derde verdagte is tydens ’n skietgeveg noodlottig gewond. In ‘n tweede voorval naby Bethal het rowers by ‘n kleinhoewe ‘n deur van mnr. Butch Goosen oopgeskop waarna ‘n skietery tussen mnr. Goosen en sy aanvallers plaasgevind het. Mnr Goosen is in die bors geskiet en is na ‘n hospitaal gebring. Die rowers is nog soek. Die VF Plus doen ʼn beroep op alle Suid-Afrikaners, en veral boere, om hul voor te berei vir die moontlikheid van misdaad en aanvalle en om binne die reg op te tree om hulself en hul eiendom te beskerm. < Previous Article Next Article >

ATKV Tienertoneel maak golwe 1/1 Share SM HATTINGH 24 August 2021 Die toneel is `n kombinasie van digkuns, sang, ballet en drama. Die optrede het te Roodepoort teater in Johannesburg plaasgevind, op 14 Augustus 2021. “Kettings” vertel die verhaal van `n dogter wat haarself moet vergewe. Deur die loop van die verhaal praat sy met drie karakters/spoke, mense van haar verlede wat oorlede is. Deur hierdie gesprekke vind sy bevryding, en is dit vir haar moontlik om meer en meer kettings van haarself af te haal. Janneke de Villiers het die hoofrol vertolk, en Lohan Coetzee het die rol van die beste vriend gespeel. René Walters het die rol van haar ma gespeel, en Marzé du Plessis het die rol van haar sussie gespeel. Die toneel is `n kombinasie van digkuns, sang, ballet en drama. Die optrede het te Roodepoort teater in Johannesburg plaasgevind, op 14 Augustus 2021. Mari Molefe van Heerden en Pietie Beyers was as beoordelaars aangewys, en Janneke de Villiers, Lohan Coetzee, René Walters en Marzé du Plessis was betrokke by die toneelspel. Janneke de Villiers het spesiale bedanking ontvang vir spel in die produksie, en het brons behaal. Renske van Niekerk, ‘n Ligbron onderwyser, het spesiale dank ontvang vir stelontwerp en -inkleding, en het silwer behaal. < Previous Article Next Article >

State of disaster extended yet again 1/2 Share GK CRONJE 14 January 2021 The ban on alcohol remains in place, as allowing the sale of liquor would result in a spike in trauma cases. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has now announced the extended the national state of disaster for another month. Existing level 3 lockdown restrictions were recently extended until further notice, following an address to the nation by President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this week. In his address, Ramaphosa stated that the COVID-19 pandemic is at the worst stage it has ever been in South Africa, and he stressed the importance of compliance with lockdown restrictions. Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has now announced the extended the national state of disaster for another month. Dalmini-Zuma announced the change in a new government gazette, which stated that the national state of disaster will remain in place until 15 February 2021, and cited the “need to continue augmenting the existing legislation and contingency arrangements undertaken by organs of state to address the impact of the disaster” as the reason for the extension. While South Africa remains under lockdown restrictions the national state of disaster must remain in place, as the legislation enforcing restrictions on citizens is promulgated under the National State of Disaster Act. The ban on alcohol remains in place, as allowing the sale of liquor would result in a spike in trauma cases. Government will use this period to ready the deployment of a comprehensive vaccination strategy that aims to reach all parts of the country. “It will be far more extensive than our HIV treatment programme or even our national, provincial and local elections in terms of the number of people who have to be reached within a short space of time,” Ramaphosa said. < Previous Article Next Article >

Hefty fine for tampering with fire hydrants Hefty fine for tampering with fire hydrants 1/2 Share GK CRONJE 3 November 2020 A person who uses a fire hydrant without the appropriate authorization is liable to prosecution. A fine of R2 500 awaits individuals who illegally tamper with municipal fire hydrants. It was noticed in Friday that individuals helped themselves at a fire hydrant in Church Street, and several large containers were repeatedly filled with water from the hydrant. The culprit had a makeshift tool handy to open the fire hydrant. According to the available by-laws, it is illegal to use a fire hydrant to obtain water for purposes other than fire fighting, unless authorised by the water authority or person to whom the hydrant belongs. A person who uses a fire hydrant without the appropriate authorization is liable to prosecution. A fine of R2 500 awaits individuals who illegally tamper with municipal fire hydrants. The community is urged to refrain from tampering with fire hydrants, as those in question often waste precious water, and also repeatedly leave fire hydrants partially open, aggravating the wasteful behavior. < Previous Article Next Article >

MLA tweede in Gert Sibande Distrik 1/5 Share SM HATTINGH 18 May 2021 “Namens die hoof en die skool, baie geluk aan die individue met hul besonderse prestasies. Dit het ons trots gemaak om 'n Landtie te wees by hierdie prestige geleentheid.” By 2020 se Prestige Awards byeenkoms waar skole, onderwysers en leerder beloon is vir uitstekende werk in Gert Sibande Distrik, het Morgenzon Landbou Akademie (MLA) met ‘n groot hoeveelheid van die pryse weg gestap. Msukaligwa 2, waarvan MLA een van die 6 skole is, het met 'n totale slaagsyfer van 89.7%, tweede plek behaal in Gert Sibande Distrik. Hier volg 'n uiteensetting van die pryse wat aan MLA by hierdie prestige geleentheid oor handig is - MLA is aangewys as skool met die hoogste persentasie Baccalaureus studente in Msukaligwa 2 kring, beste skool in Afrikaans Huistaal, asook beste skool in Lewensoriëntering (LO). Op vak gebied is die volgende onderwysers bekroon as die beste presterend in die kring, en ook 'n 100% slaagsyfer in sy of haar vakke: Rekeningkunde - Jeanine van Aarde, Afrikaans Huistaal - Nelanie du Plessis, Gasvryheid - Mariska Janse Van Rensburg, IGO - Wybrand Wondergom, Toerisme - Janine Rautenbach, Landbou Tegnologie - Ruan Jansen van Vuuren, LO - Marina van Eck en Lewenswetenskap - Nelanie du Plessis. Die volgende leerders het geraamde sertifikate, asook trofees ontvang vir uitstekende prestasies: Jan-Hendrik Zwarts - Afrikaans Huistaal, Jan-Hendrik Zwarts - English First Additional, Jan-Hendrik Zwarts - Lewenswetenskap, Lou Grobbelaar- Landbou Tegnologie en Lou Grobbelaar- Wiskunde Gelleterdheid. “Namens die hoof en die skool, baie geluk aan die individue met hul besonderse prestasies. Dit het ons trots gemaak om 'n Landtie te wees by hierdie prestige geleentheid.” < Previous Article Next Article >

NPSS learners participate in Radikale Redenaars 1/1 Share SH HATTINGH 11 August 2020 All of the learners achieved an A+ or A symbol for their speeches and poems. Four learners are going through to the nationals which will take place later this year. The learners had to submit a video recording of them doing a speech or reciting a poem. Seven learners from Netherland Park Secondary School participated in the Radikale Redenaars competition. All of the learners achieved an A+ or A symbol for their speeches and poems. Four learners are going through to the nationals which will take place later this year. The learners had to submit a video recording of them doing a speech or reciting a poem. The following learners participated: Nadia Ngcobo: Grade 12: 1 poem, 1 speech (nationals), Siphesihle Nkosi: Grade 11: 1 poem (nationals), Nothando Nzimande: Grade 12, 1 poem (nationals), Siphamandla Hlatswayo: Grade 12: 1 poem (nationals), Londeka Sibanyoni: Grade 11: 1 speech, Noluthando Mkhwanazi: Grade 11: 1 poem, Wandile Mathebula: Grade 11: 1 speech.. “We are proud of them and look forward to them participating in the nationals later this year.” Nadia Ngcobo and Nothando Nzimande appearing on the photo (front), and Siphamandla Hlatswayo at the back. Siphesihle Nkosi is absent from the photo. These learners have made it to the nationals of Radikale Redenaars. < Previous Article Next Article >