Category: City of Pretoria

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Oom Paul statue excluded from monument; EFF threat to topple it

Oom Paul statue excluded from monument; EFF threat to topple it

OOM Paul’s statue at Church Square is the subject of debate yet again, after the city council resolved to support a motion by the EFF that it be excluded from the Lalela Freedom of Expression Monument. However, there is still no mention of whether the statue will be removed or not.

The resolution was passed during a council sitting on Thursday.

It was opposed by the ANC, which said this would be “against the party policies on statues and heritage”.

Last year, mayor Solly Msimanga said Church Square would be transformed into a place of open-air entertainment, called the Lalela Freedom of Expression Monument. Work has already started at the historic site.

Msimanga said the Lalela project was aimed at bringing about vibrancy in public activities in the inner city.

At the time, he said the statue would remain in place as the inner city regeneration project changed the face of Church Square around it.

EFF councillor MoAfrika Mabogwane proposed that Paul Kruger’s statue should not form part of Lalela because the apartheid leader represented “a history which is in stark contrast to the values that the monument seeks to promote”.

Mabogwane’s motion read: “The mayor in his inaugural budget speech spoke about the Lalela Freedom of Expression Monument which will be in Church Square.

“The statue of Paul Kruger which is in honour of the Boer leader represents a history which is in stark contrast to the values that the monument seeks to promote.”

According to documents dated January 25, the council resolved that the statue would not form a part of the ongoing Church Square facelift.

ANC leader in the council Mapiti Matsena said: “The ANC position is clear; there has to be a decision that statues like that of Paul Kruger be kept in some museum as part of our heritage, as part of our history, painful as it is, but it is important to keep that history.”

Mabogwane said the DA supported the EFF motion, but held the stance that the statue should not be removed.

He said he found the DA’s stance to be contradictory.

“The DA is using apartheid legislation not to remove the statue. We only want the statue of the freedom fighters,” Mabogwane said.

He threatened that EFF branch members could at any time demolish the statue.

“There is a national mandate to all the EFF branches to remove all the apartheid statues and symbols,” he said.

He declined to reveal the date on which the statue would be toppled.

“You can’t announce a day for a revolution. One day people are going to wake up and find the statue not being there,” he said.

The Lalela project was first hatched under the previous ANC administration four years ago, but never came to fruition.

The ANC emphasised its significance as introducing African cultural ownership of the square, and to acknowledge Struggle stalwarts.

Late president Nelson Mandela’s legacy was meant to be part of the exhibition on the square.

The proposed monument will feature rock excavated from a limestone quarry on Robben Island, where forced labour was used.

The estimated cost of the project, as calculated by the ANC municipality, was at least R12million.

At the time of the announcement, Msimanga said the DA-led administration was committed to creating an inclusive society and sharing the resources of the city.

“The former administration loved to talk big about creating an inclusive society in which all South Africans from different walks of life may share,” he said.

“Yet they sat on this project for almost four years after it was passed by the previous mayoral committee.”

By: iOl News

 

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ANCYL, Vat Alles workers vow to bring Pretoria CBD to a standstill

ANCYL, Vat Alles workers vow to bring Pretoria CBD to a standstill

No application had been received by Monday night for Friday’s planned shutdown of the city spearheaded by the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) Greater Tshwane region.

Mayoral spokesperson Samkelo Mgobozi said: “We are aware of the planned shutdown. However, no application has been received to our knowledge and thus the march will be unprotected and illegal.”

Mgobozi said the DA-led administration hoped there would be no loss to life or limb, or damage to property, and that proceedings would be conducted within the ambit of law.

Metro Police spokesperson Nonhlanhla Mgiba also confirmed that no application had been received for the planned march.

Mgiba said the City had only received a request for a march by former Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) employees.

Mgiba said the ANCYL march had not yet been approved due to requirements still pending.

However, the route to be taken would be communicated once the march was approved.

“Should this march be approved, the streets that will be affected will be communicated prior and our officers will be deployed to monitor the situation. Motorists will also be advised to avoid the CBD and use alternative routes.”

The regional ANCYL and former EPWP – Vat Alles – workers have vowed to bring the city to a standstill when they march to Tshwane House and the Union Buildings.

The former contract workers, in collaboration with the ANCYL, are demanding the reinstatement of those whose contracts had expired.

ANCYL regional chairperson, Lesego Makhubela, also ANC metro councillor said the DA promised people jobs in the run-up to the election.

However, it had turned around and put people out of employment.

Makhubela – taken to task by the DA last week for statements which the party said encouraged the use of petrol bombs – said the information being channelled through by the DA was nothing more than hogwash.

He said the vast majority of workers who were part of the EPWP had been working at keeping the city clean for six years.

Moreover, he said picking up papers was not a skill that could be used to find further employment, or set up sustainable businesses.

Makhubela said what the DA-led administration was doing was “witchcraft” as it had taken people out of jobs, only to hire older people. “The DA has employed people aged 58 to 63 years, on the understanding that the backbone of the ANC is old people. So, they are using this opportunity as a way of buying votes,” he said.

Makhubela said in other areas where the EPWP had been implemented successfully by the former administration, it was taking people coming from colleges and upskilling them in the area they had specialised in. Another issue was for the re-employment of the security guards who were to be replaced by metro police recruits.

Makhubela said having metro police officers replace security guards had removed food from thousands of family tables.

“Although the court declared the move invalid, no worker has been reinstated by the City,” according to Makhubela.

He said the court had said the removal of workers was unlawful and ordered that they be rehired by the City and reimbursed from the time of termination of the contracts.

The protest is also for the plight on informal traders, who Makhubela said were constantly harassed by metro police.

“They abandoned all negotiations with traders and even stopped the payment of bursaries to their beneficiaries,” he added.

The march is scheduled to start from Burgers Park at 8am and proceed to Tshwane House to deliver the first memorandum before heading to the Union Buildings, where a second memorandum will be submitted.

The marchers will also be demanding land for churches, which the ANCYL said was promised to them, as well as a reduction of high rental rates.

Pretoria News

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Pretoria bus with passengers hijacked during feud between taxi operators

Pretoria bus with passengers hijacked

A bus with passengers was hijacked in Pretoria on Tuesday afternoon after a feud between several taxi operators on the city’s express bus service.

Sheila Lynn Senkubuge, Mayor Committee on Roads and Transport, said on Wednesday that the A Re Yeng bus was allegedly hijacked by “double crossed ” bus drivers who disregarded an agreement between the Tshwane metro and three taxi ranks.

The company entered the agreement with the taxi associations of Hammanskraal, Stinkwater and Eersterust in December 2017. According to the company, taxi drivers are reimbursed to no longer enter the city center, but to pick up and drop off commuters at a newly built taxi and bus stop at the Wonderboom Junction shopping center at R17 per ride. From Wonderboom Junction, commuters will then be transported with A Re Yeng buses to the city center at R8 per ride.

This agreement was implemented on January 8.

“On Tuesday afternoon, taxi drivers from all three taxi associations refused to take passengers from the taxi stand back to Hammanskraal, Stinkwater and Eersterust. They have also asked R24 for a ride instead of R17 since 8 January, “she said.

The bus was hijacked during the protest action and later found in Stinkwater with all the passengers in it. The bus was escorted back to the taxi and bus stop with the help of the Tshwane metro police.

The incident meant that the bus service between the city center and north of the city had been delayed for about two hours.

It was not immediately clear whether someone was arrested because of the incident.

Senkubuge said the incident was unfortunate, and the metro has already urged a meeting with the associations to ensure that all their members respect the agreement.

“If they do not mind, the metro will take legal action to correct the situation to ensure commuters get the service they are entitled to,” Senkubuge added.

 

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Slagpale in Pretoria gesluit ná bakterie in vleismonsters gevind word

Slagpale in Pretoria gesluit ná bakterie in vleismonsters gevind word

Die Gautengse department van Gesondheid het ‘n slagpale in Pretoria gesluit na vleismonsters van dié slagpale positief getoets het vir die Listeriose bakterie. Die slagpale mag nie enige produkte verkoop tot hulle aan die vereistes van die departement voldoen nie. Dit sluit in dat die bron van die organisme bepaal word, ontsmetting van die perseel plaasvind en monsters van die werksoppervlaktes en water voor en na ontsmetting gedoen word.

Vroeër vanjaar het die Nasionale Departement van Gesondheid ‘n uitbraak van Listeriose aangekondig na ten minste 365 gevalle van dié toestand en 28 sterfgevalle aangemeld is.

Die departement van Gesondheid het die afgelope tyd hard gewerk om die bron van die uitbraak vas te stel. Na ‘n pasiënt onlangs met die toestand gediagnoseer is, kon die department die bron van die besmette vleis na die betrokke slagpale in Pretoria naspoor.

Die Gautengse Department van Gesondheid het ook monsters ook aan die “National Institute for communicalble Diseases (NICD)” gestuur vir verdere ontleding en analise.

Die department het ook inwoners van Pretoria gevra om hul volle samewerking vir amptenare van die department terwyl verdere ondersoeke in die gemeenskapps gedoen word.

Lees meer hieronder oor Listeriose

Wat is Listeriose?
Listeriose is ‘n ernstige en potensieël dodelike infeksie wat deur die Listeria bakterie veroorsaak word. Hierdie bakterie word veral gevind in grond en besmette water, pluimvee en kudde diere en kan dus daarom in ongepasteuriseerde melk en vleisprodukte voorkom. Dit kan ook deur rou groente en vrugte wat besmet is versprei word.
Die infeksie het tipies gastro-intestinale klagtes soos naarheid, braking, diarree, buikpyn. Dit kan ook “griep-agtige” simptome soos lyfseer en koors veroorsaak.

Is dit gevaarlik?
Listeria infeksie is potensieël dodelik in ouer mense en jong kinders en babas, mense met ingekorte immuunsisteme (soos byvoorbeeld HIV positiewe mense) en swanger vroue. In die meeste gesonde mense is listeria infeksie self beperkend en is daar geen ernstige komplikasies nie behalwe vir ongemak en glad nie lekker voel nie. Dít gesê, moet die toestand nie ligtelik opgeneem word nie! As jy wel simptome ervaar, is dit belangrik om tóg ondersoek te word aangesien die infeksie vinnig kan versprei en ernstige gevolge kan hê.

Waarvoor moet jy op die uitkyk wees?
Simptome kan vinnig ontstaan – binne 9 tot 48 uur na infeksie, maar dit kan selfs tot 30 dae neem voor simptome verskyn. Tipies is die volgende teenwoordig: koors, diarree, naarheid en braking, buikongemak,erge lyfseer. Kyk ook uit vir nekstyfheid en verwarring. Baie mense kan selfs die simptome met lugweginfeksie simptome verwar.

Hoe word dit gediagnoseer?
Indien jou dokter ‘n sterk vermoede het dat jy moontlik listeria-infeksie kan hê, sal hy/sy sekere bloedtoetse aanvra om vir die teenwoordigheid van die organisme te soek, en om dit te bevestig.
(Let wel, hierdie toetse word nie gewoonlik roetine-weg aangevra nie.)

Kan dit behandel word?
In die meeste gevalle is die toestand self-beperkend en is slegs ondersteunende behandeling nodig. Genoegsame vloeistofinname, en kosse soos brood, rys, piesang en appels kan die diarree onder beheer hou. Behandeling sal deur jou dokter begin word indien dit nodig is. In meer ernstige gevalle, swanger vroue, ouer mense en kinders asook mense wat moontlik komplikasies van die infeksie het, word antibiotika gebruik om die infeksie te behandel. Onthou, as jy simptome ervaar is dit belangrik dat jou dokter jou ondersoek.

Hoekom is dit gevaarlik?
Listeria infeksie kan ernstige nagevolge soos breinvliesontsteking, hartspierinfeksie, septisemie (ernstige bloedstroom infeksie) hê. In swanger vroue kan dit voortydse kraam en selfs miskrame veroorsaak. Met erge diarree kan ontwatering volg. Veral kinders ontwater vinnnig. Dit is daarom belangrik om notisie te neem van simptome en vroegtydig daarna te laat kyk.

Is daar iets wat mens kan doen om dit te voorkom?
Goeie higiëne is altyd die beste begin punt- veral handwas. Kook alle voedsels deeglik, en was alle groente en vrugte behoorlik af voor jy dit eet. Gebruik gepasteuriseerde produkte. Hou gaar en rou vleise in verskillende houers en maak seker voedsel en water kom van betroubare bronne.

Dit is belangrik om vroegtydig op te tree as jy moontlike infeksie vermoed. Hou veral kinders dop. As jy twyfel, besoek jou dokter of naaste hospitaal. Dit is ook belangrik om te onthou dat, al het jy baie van of al die simptome, dit nie noodwendig Listeriose is nie! Daarom is dit belangrik om jou dokter te besoek as jy siek voel.

Hierdie inligting is slegs vir opvoedkundige doeleindes en moet glad nie gebruik word om self-diagnose te maak nie. Besoek jou dokter vir diagnose en raad.

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Passasiers kaap glo 2 Prasa-treine by Hercules-treinstasie in Pretoria

Passasiers kaap glo 2 Prasa-treine by Hercules-treinstasie in Pretoria

Twee treine van die Passasierspooragentskap van Suid-Afrika (Prasa) is glo Dinsdagoggend by die Hercules-treinstasie in Pretoria gekaap deur passasiers wat na Saulsville wou reis in plaas daarvan om terug te keer na Koedoespoort.

Luidens ’n verklaring van die vervoervakbond Untu het die passasiers die treinspoor omstreeks 07:00 vol betonblokke gepak waarna hulle die drywers gedwing het om na Saulsville te ry.

Volgens Louwrens Erasmus, wat die pendeltrein tussen Koedoespoort en Hercules beman het, het hy uit sy kajuit geklim om in die teenoorgestelde kajuit te klim toe die passasiers hom voorgekeer het en hom gedwing het om aan te hou ry.

“Ek het besef ek moet saamwerk of ek en my Metro-wag gaan seerkry. Toe ek uit die kajuit klim om in die ander een in te klim op na Koedoespoort toe het die ontstoke passasiers my teruggedruk en betonblokke op die spoor agter die trein gepak. Ek het vir my lewe gevrees en daar was geen Prasa-veiligheidswagte in sig nie,” het Erasmus, wat al 39 jaar as ’n treindrywer werk, aan Untu gesê.

Ek is baie getraumatiseer. Ons het geen beskerming nie en ons is oorgelewer aan die passasiers. Ons lewe beteken niks.

Erasmus sê dieselfde het met sy kollega, TG Modjadji, wat die trein langs hom bestuur het, gebeur.

“Hulle het dieselfde met hom gedoen. Hy het probeer om vir hulle te sê dat ons nie kan ry waar ons wil nie, maar hulle het nie nee vir ’n antwoord gevat nie.”

Erasmus sê hy het die beheerkamer ingelig dat die trein gekaap is en dat die passasiers dreig om dit af te brand. Hy moes eers die passasiers by Saulsville aflaai voordat hy kon terugkeer na Hercules waar hy kon voortgaan met sy werk.

“Ek is baie getraumatiseer. Ons het geen beskerming nie en ons is oorgelewer aan die passasiers. Ons lewe beteken niks.”

Steve Harris, Untu-sekretaris, het ná die voorval gesê dat Cromet Molepo, Prasa se pasaangestelde uitvoerende hoof, ’n dringende vergadering belê het om die situasie waar treine in die Wes-Kaap ontwrig en gevandaliseer word te bespreek.

“Ek sal ook die kaping van die twee treine op die agenda plaas, sodat ons ’n oplossing kan vind en ’n tragedie kan voorkom,” het Harris gesê.

Volgens die verklaring kom die vergadering, wat vir Donderdagoggend beplan is, nadat Untu in die Wes-Kaap ’n dispuut met Prasa geopper het oor die inwerkingstelling van veiligheidsmaatreëls.

Harris beweer Prasa volg nie die mees basiese maatreëls nie. “Genoeg is genoeg. Untu weier om arms gevou terug te sit en te wag dat ons mense doodgaan,” sê Harris.

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Is that Pretoria ‘pap and vleis’ being made with donkey?

Is that Pretoria 'pap and vleis' being made with donkey?

The slaughter of donkeys has raised concerns about consumers being duped when ordering “pap and vleis” from vendors on the outskirts of Pretoria.

Three men caught driving a Citi Golf‚ loaded with buckets and refuse bags of freshly slaughtered donkey meat‚ appeared in the Ga-rankuwa Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of livestock theft.

Zimbabwean national Mgcini Dube was denied bail while local residents Stephen Sepeng and Collen Molapo were released on bail of R1‚000 and R500 respectively.

The trio were arrested on November 29 when an off duty police captain spotted a suspicious vehicle making a U-turn.

SPCA inspector Mishack Matlou was shocked when he arrived at the scene of arrest‚ after the organisation was contacted by the police.

“The meat was packed in buckets and refuse bags. We are still investigating as to how we could add cruelty to animals to their charges because the donkeys are killed in the most horrible way‚ sometime hacked with pangas‚” he said.

Matlou said since 2015 more than 300 donkeys had been slaughtered in the areas of Winterveldt‚ Kgabalatsane‚ Klipgat and Madidi. The meat had been removed. He said recently the heads‚ legs and skins of more than 30 donkeys had been found in the bush.

“They remove the meat and leave heads‚ legs and skins. We have information that this meat ends up in pots of food vendors and ultimately plates of customers‚” he said.

Matlou said that the SPCA and police would be checking on street vendors in the area. Food vendors who failed to produce a receipt for their meat would have some explaining to do and their meat could be confiscated for inspection.

Matlou said that some donkey meat was allegedly sold as “game” to unsuspecting commuters at Mabopane station.

Michael Moeng‚ a donkey owner from Mafufu in Jericho‚ was shocked when he the found legs‚ heads and skins of his three donkeys that went missing.

He earned a living using six donkeys to haul a cart transporting various items‚ including sand‚ firewood and water. Now he is left with three donkeys that he guards with his life.

“I went to the police station to report the matter and I was told three men had been arrested a day before‚ after they were found in possession of donkey meat. What makes me sick is that I know these people‚” he said.

A food vendor in the area‚ who requested not to be named‚ said he had no idea that donkey meat was being sold‚ adding that he obtained his meat from an abattoir in Brits.

He had‚ however‚ heard that some vendors purchased cheap meat at Mabopane station. “I am worried about this because it will kill business. People are going to stop buying from us once this becomes public‚” he said.

Richard Dube‚ a regular at a popular food vendor’s outlet in Winterveldt‚ was shocked about the donkey slaughter but said that he trusted his vendor.

“It is a trust issue. I have bought food almost on a daily basis for the past five years from the same vendor and that is why I trust him‚” he added.

By: Times Live

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Pretoria hijacking hotspots identified

Pretoria hijacking hotspots identified

With people getting ready for the upcoming holiday season, it is natural to be slightly more relaxed at this time of the year.

Relaxation mode, however, might be the worst thing to do while behind the wheel during the holiday and festive season.

Hijackings, common as they are, tend to happen more frequently during the festive season.

Motorists in and around the city are required to be more vigilant at all times to avoid becoming a statistic.

It is also advisable for motorists to familiarise themselves with hijacking hotspots.

Compiled by the SAPS, various tracking companies and the South African crime intelligence bureau, Pro-ActiveSA made an all-in-one list of hijacking hotspot areas.

Pro-ActiveSA said: “It will provide the reader with a visual overview of areas to be most aware of.”

Areas and streets prone to hijacking occurrences include:

– Es’kia Mphahlele Drive

– Paul Kruger Street

– R55

– Burnett Street

– Delfi Avenue and Garsfontein Road

– Stormvoel Road traffic lights

– Watermeyer Street traffic lights

– Nelson Mandela Drive

– Simon Vermooten Road and Lynnwood Road

– Lynnwood Road and Solomon Mahlangu Drive

– Justice Mahomed Street (Walker Street)

– Duncan Street

– Lynnwood Road and University Road

– Rigel Avenue and N1 off-ramp

– Pretoria Street and Simon Vermooten Road

– Simon Vermooten Road and Furrow Road

– Lynnwood Road and N1 off-ramp

– Solomon Mahlangu Drive and N4 off-ramp

– Solomon Mahlangu and R21 highway

– Atterbury Road and N1 off-ramp

– Pretorius Street traffic lights

– Francis Baard Street and Festival Street

Hereby we at SA-News give recognition to the author of this article Keitumetse Maako from Pretoria East Rekord.

 

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City of Tshwane: Workers who protested outside the Gauteng High Court are misinformed

City of Tshwane: Workers who protested outside the Gauteng High Court are misinformed

THE workers who protested outside the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, over what they perceived to be a delayed justice in their case with the City, were misinformed, municipal spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said. The out-of-work staff and subcontractors were bused in to the court to demand a speedy verdict.

The court case concerns the validity of a tender between their employer, Moipone Group of Companies, and the City.

The high court heard the case on September 21, but a verdict is still pending.

The workers said they supported their employer, who took the City to the high court for refusing to pay for services rendered under a “valid and binding” contract.

To showcase their frustrations, they marched from Marabastad to the high court, where they delivered a memorandum to acting court manager Lucky Makumule.

The protesters said the City lacked the will to honour its contractual obligations and that had put them out of work since June.

They were hoping for a favourable verdict. They accused municipal manager Dr Moeketsi Mosola of delaying justice by delaying submissions of certain documents the City’s lawyers were supposed to submit to be considered for the verdict.

The protesters said they could not afford to care for their families this festive season because of the conflict between their employer and the City.

Moipone Group spokeperson Keamogetswe Matsho said the court confirmed the validity of the contract, but they took the City to court again to enforce it.

“We are faced with the non-payment of R75639581 by the City.

“Of that figure, 58% is beyond 120 days. Every business would be detrimentally affected by the non-payment.

“The company has already acquired specialised and extensive equipment and vehicles to service the City under this contract.

“The vehicles are idling due to the conduct of the City.

The company is expected to pay monthly liabilities towards the idling vehicles and equipment.

“We have even taken on the financial responsibility of assisting the subcontractors by lending them money as they are faced with dire financial predicaments.”

But Mashigo said the City contracted another transport company on an emergency basis for a year.

This was because of the under-performance by Moipone; delivery was way beyond schedule.

“The City has submitted all documentation as requested by the judge. In September, the judge requested parties to submit additional heads of argument. The City duly obliged. As far the city is concerned, judgment is reserved. The judge should be given time to craft a judgment.”

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Guards cause havoc at Steve Biko Hospital – angry security staff strike over pay

Guards cause havoc at Steve Biko Hospital - angry security staff strike over pay

MANAGEMENT at Steve Biko Academic Hospital yesterday terminated the contract of the Born to Protect security company after its employees embarked on an unprotected strike, which massively disrupted services.

More than 200 security officers barricaded the hospital’s entrances with rocks, burning tyres and rubble from the morning, claiming they had not been paid. Police eventually intervened.

The guards also threatened to shut down the hospital today should payments not be made by the end of business yesterday. The guards said they were striking due to their payments being delayed and some not getting paid at all.

The hospital’s acting chief executive, Dr Mathabo Mathebula, said management was terminating the services of the company as the non-payment allegations and delays were not happening for the first time.

“Whether they are paid or not, the alternative is for us to terminate the contract with the company; they are privately employed by the company that is working for us. The company is appointed on a month-to-month basis.

“We have to terminate their services, because it is not the first month that they are not paying their people on time. They are supposed to pay them on the 15th,” Mathebula said.

“There were one or two ambulances that had to take a different route as the main entrance and Level 8 were blocked. The ambulances were directed to other roads to access the hospital.”

She said no patients were turned away, but they had to walk a longer distance as access to cars was blocked. Golf carts were used to fetch the affected patients where they were dropped off.

Subsequent to the strike, the same company sent another team, but Mathebula said this was not enough.
“There is no threat to the safety of patients or the hospital property,” she said, adding they were hoping to contract another company soon.

One of the security officers who had not received her salary said she felt used by both the company and hospital.
“I come to work every day to protect people and ensure they are assisted, only not to get paid, or to get my money 15 days late. I feel used by all these people.

“My fridge only has water and nothing else because of the delays, I’m a single mother of two and no one is assisting me,” she said.

Health MEC Dr Gwen Ramokgopa expressed concern about the disruptions. “This is unacceptable behaviour. We cannot allow the disruption of services and acts that compromise the safety of patients and employees. The department appreciates the support of the SAPS for helping to bring the situation under control.
“We call on the private security company to speedily resolve their labour disputes in a manner that does not affect their contractual obligations to the hospital.”

A shop steward representing the workers under the Academic Professional Staff Association union, Bernard Matsekoleng, said only 10 out of 210 officers had been paid. “Most of the officers did not receive their salaries on the 15th, so we went to the Born to Protect offices to find out why people were not paid but the gates were closed. Our calls are not answered and e-mails we sent bounced back, so that’s why we decided to strike.”

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Geskiedkundige Kerkplein in Pretoria trek ’n nuwe baadjie aan

kerkplein

Die bome in die geskiedkundige Kerkplein in Pretoria het in die slag gebly, maar sal deur nuwe bome en ander aantreklikhede vervang word.

Foto’s van die afgekapte bome het Pretorianers vandeesweek verstom, maar die Tshwane-munisipaliteit sê dit is net ’n tydelike situasie en die plein sal nadat die projek afgehandel is mooier as ooit wees.

Solly Msimanga, DA-burgemeester van die Tshwane-metroraad, het met sy begrotingsrede in Mei dié projek aangekondig en inwoners gemaan om geduldig te wees omdat die projek sowat nege maande sal neem om af te handel.

Die Lalela-projek (die Zoeloe-woord vir luister) sal volgens Msimanga die eerste in sy soort wees en hopelik tot ’n meer inklusiewe gemeenskap bydra.

Die vorige ANC-beheerde burgemeesterskomitee het die projek vier jaar gelede goedgekeur, maar dit het nie ’n werklikheid geword nie.

Die nuwe administrasie het in Augustus verlede jaar beheer by die ANC oorgeneem en meen Kerkplein kort ’n “nuwe laag erfenis” waar ál die stad se inwoners tuis sal voel.

Daar is ’n paar nuwe jong boompies in twee rye aan die een kant van die plein aangeplant.

Saam met die bekende monument van oudpres. Paul Kruger en sy burgers wat sinoniem met die plein is, sal die nalatenskap en werk van struggle-staatmakers ook op die plein en by die Paleis van Justisie (oorkant die plein) as deel van die Lalela-spraakvryheidsmonument bewaar word.

’n Kunstenaarsvoorstellings van hoe die nuwe Kerkplein gaan lyk.

’n Rots wat van Robbeneiland kom waar politieke gevangenes in die apartheidsjare gedwonge arbeid verrig het, sal onder meer uitgestal word.

Die Tshwane-munisipaliteit hoop dit sal lede van die publiek, besoekers en beleggers na die omgewing van Kerkplein lok.

“Ons hoop dit sal ’n plek word waar die kleurvolle sy van vryheid van spraak geniet kan word en waar dit kan bydra tot die openbare diskoers in Suid-Afrika,” het Msimanga destyds gesê.
Daar sal daagliks vermaak op die plein wees wat hopelik toeriste en plaaslike inwoners sal lok en wat kan bydra tot die hernuwing van die middestad. Kunstenaars sal dag en nag hier gratis kan optree.

’n Opelugteater word ook in die vooruitsig gestel van waar kunstenaars se optredes wêreldwyd deur televisie of die internet uitgesaai kan word.

Konstruksiewerk aan die plein het op 23 Januarie begin, wat die tydelike sluiting van sommige strate genoodsaak het.

“Die plein sal geheel en al anders lyk met bome, waaronder ook jakarandas, opgeknapte grasperke en straatbankies wat by die moderne tuinuitleg sal aanpas,” het Lindela Mashigo, woordvoerder van die Tshwane-metro, in Januarie gesê.

“Die herontwerp sal tot die vernuwing van die middestad bydra.”

Deur: Netwerk 24