Category: Tshwane

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Teetuin by die Sammy Marks-mu­seum moet deure sluit ná 25 jaar

Teetuin by die Sammy Marks-mu­seum moet deure sluit ná 25 jaar

Eers het die Pretoria Boeremark by die Pioniersmu­seum in die slag gebly, toe is dit Tant Miertjie se kombuisrestaurant by die Willem Prinsloo-museum wat sy deure moet sluit.

Nou is die nuutste slagoffer van Ditsong Museums van Suid-Afrika glo The Rose Garden-teetuin by die Sammy Marks-mu­seum, wat sy deure ná 25 suksesvolle jare moet sluit.

Volgens Werner Weinbeck (74), eienaar van die teetuin, is dit vir hom vreeslik hartseer om sy deure nou ná al die jare te sluit omdat Ditsong Museums glo besluit het om die teetuin op tender uit te sit.

Werner Weinbeck, eienaar van The Rose Garden-teetuin by die Sammy Marks-museum, moet sy gereelde klante nou ná 25 suksesvolle jare groet.

“Hierdie was my plek. Dis so mooi en rustig hier by die mu­seum. Ek het elke dag met ’n lied in my hart kom werk. Dis die einde van ’n baie goeie hoofstuk in my lewe. Ek is verpletter, maar ek het nie ’n ander keuse as om aan te beweeg nie,” sê Weinbeck.

Benewens die teetuin het Weinbeck ook baie eksklusiewe sesgang-etes in die museum aangebied.

“Die etes was gewild. Ek het ook piekniekmandjies gepak vir mense wat hier wou kom piekniek hou en het gereeld werksfunksies aangebied. Dit is nou als op ’n einde.”

Volgens Alana Bailey, adjunk- uitvoerende hoof van AfriForum, is dit wêreldwyd ontsettend moeilik om finansiering vir erfenisinstansies te kry en is dit hartseer dat suksesvolle mu­seums op hierdie manier skade berokken word.

“As iets soos ’n mark of restaurant by ’n museum is en dit werk, moet jy nie daaraan torring nie. Pretoria is nie soos Kaapstad wat jaarliks honderde duisende toeriste lok nie,” sê Bailey.

As daar suksesvolle markte of restaurante by ’n museum is wat voete lok, hoekom wil jy dan daaraan karring?

“Dit is op die ou end grotendeels tot nadeel van die museum. Hierdie mark en restaurante het baie voete na die museums gelok, wat ontsettend belangrik is vir die oorlewing en sinvolle bestaan van die museums,” sê Baily.

“Tenders is ook nie altyd ’n vreeslike deursigtige proses nie. Ons sal moet kyk hoe dit bestuur word. Ek hoop van harte dit word nie toegeken aan mense wat op die ou end nie die pyp kan rook nie.”

Volgens Johan van Wyk, organiseerder van die Pretoria Boeremark, het Ditsong Museums tot vandag toe nie vir hom terugvoering oor die tenderproses gegee nie.

Dít nadat Ditsong Museums verlede jaar besluit het om die huurkontrak met die Pretoria Boeremark ná 13 jaar te beëindig en om ’n tender uit te sit vir diensverskaffers om die perseel te huur.

“Hulle het my nie eens laat weet dat ek nie die tender gekry het nie. Al wat ek weet is dat die museum nou die R6 000 per week, die bedrag wat ek per week betaal het om die perseel te huur, verloor het.

“Ons is nou ses maande daar weg. Dit beteken die museum het sowat R144 000 aan huurinkomste verloor. Om nie eens te praat van al die mense wat weekliks die mark bygewoon het nie.

“Besoekers aan die mark het dan gesien dat dit ’n oulike perseel is en gereeld kinderpartytjies ens. by die museum kom aanbied oor naweke. Die partytjies het nou opgedroog en so ook die besoekers aan die museum. Doodeenvoudig omdat daar nie meer ’n trekpleister is wat besoekers daarheen lok nie,” sê Van Wyk.

Volgens Lemohang Zincume, woordvoerder van Ditsong Museums Suid-Afrika, was die rede om nuwe kontrakte toe te ken by die Willem Prinsloo-, Pioniers-, en Sammy Marks-museum om oop en mededingende kompetisie te bewerkstellig.

Die Boeremark se huurkontrak met Ditsong het in 2017 verstryk. Die kontrak was uit op tender, maar daar was ’n dispuut tydens die kontrakfase.

Die geleentheid moet ook ten voordeel van die ontwikkeling van klein-, middelslag en mikro-ondernemings (KMMO’s), vroue en gestremde mense wees.

“Die kontrak vir die huidige diensverskaffer by die Sammy Marks-museum het al op 1 Junie 2008 verstryk.

“Van daardie tydperk af het die diensverskaffer op ’n maand-tot-maand-grondslag gewerk. Ditsong is besig met ’n tenderproses,”sê Zincume.

Volgens haar is die huurkontrak van die diensverskaffer by die Willem Prinsloo-museum nie hernu nie, weens kontrakbreuk.

“Die kontrak was uit op tender, maar is weens ’n dispuut nie gefinaliseer nie. Die Boeremark se huurkontrak met Ditsong het in 2017 verstryk. Die kontrak was uit op tender, maar daar was ’n dispuut tydens die kontrakfase.

“Die kontrak sal weer op tender uitgesit word om ’n nuwe diensverskaffer aan te stel,” sê sy.

Foto: Werner Weinbeck, eienaar van The Rose Garden-teetuin by die Sammy Marks-museum, moet sy gereelde klante nou ná 25 suksesvolle jare groet.

Deur: Netwerk 24

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Nehawu to intensify Unisa strike, may spread to Tuks

Nehawu to intensify Unisa strike, may spread to Tuks

WORKERS at the University of Pretoria could soon join their Unisa counterparts in a strike for higher wages, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) said yesterday.

As the strike at Unisa entered its fourth day yesterday, Nehawu threatened to intensify its strike and mobilise members at other universities.

Nehawu national organiser for higher education Ntsako Nombelani said this was not Unisa’s fight alone and next on the list to strike would be its members at Tuks.

They too, according to Nombelani, were at loggerheads with the university with their wage rates.

“In the next couple of weeks the strike will hit Tuks,” he said.

Workers affiliated to Nehawu at and Tshwane University of Technology managed to score them themselves a good deal during negotiations last year. They agreed on a 7% hike, coupled with numerous benefits. Nombelani said that university was safe from the wage-related strikes.

At Unisa, students were yet again hit as staff at the country’s largest university continued to strike for higher wages.

Those who arrived at the Sunnyside campus to register were left in limbo as workers went into the fourth day of strike.

Workers initially put forward a 12% pay hike demand, while the university offered 7%. The strikers have since lowered their demand to 9%, to no avail. Nombelani said the strike would carry on indefinitely.

Nombelani said if Unisa did not concede to its demand for a 9% increase across the board, the workers would continue the shutdown of all campuses.

“They can afford it, they have reserves and they haven’t presented their statements to say they are in a financial crisis,” he said.

Nombelani said salaries are not the only issue: “It’s more than the 9% workers are demanding. There are transformation issues which we are fighting for, we want to de-Guptarise the council of Unisa because there are people who have been cited in the State of Capture Report, by Amabhungane and the Gupta leaks.

“These people are the ones fighting for these tenders at Unisa,” he said

Hundreds of students were yesterday left frustrated as they couldn’t register.

A student from Mamelodi, Simi Kutumela, said the Unisa online-registrations website was a hassle to use and not user-friendly.

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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 Zoo rejects grumbles from dissatisfied visitors

Pretoria Zoo rejects grumbles from dissatisfied visitors

Dissatisfied visitors took to social social media over the festive season, saying that Pretoria Zoo had shoddy maintenance and a lackluster workforce.

Zoo visitors spend too little time at enclosures and if they don’t see the animal immediately, they walk past and assumed the enclosures were empty, says Pretoria Zoo spokesperson Angeline Schwan in response to recent visitor complaints about the absence of animals.

On Facebook, Christiaan David Vdm Cardoso vented his frustrations, saying he would not be visiting the zoo again.

His post outlined his qualms, which included staff not doing their job properly, poor conditions and a run-down facility, among others.

“I cannot express my utter and sickening discuss at how the zoo has turned out!!!

“As an avid zoo visitor annually I am saddened to say that you will not see me and my family ever again,” he wrote.

Saying it was a depressing place to go to, Cardoso said: “I am 37 years old, have been coming to the zoo since I was 4 and now with my own daughter wanted to continue the tradition.

“However, I am saddened to say it will not continue.

“The zoo has officially turned out like any public office eg a clinic, hospital or Home Affairs, tattered, run down and staff that do what they have to, to have and keep a ‘job’, with no one that truly cares about anything around them besides their direct duty. This includes management.”

Other people in the group also claimed to have had terrible experiences at the zoo, saying they too were no longer interested in visiting it.

They raised issues like overgrown, empty enclosures, saying that some appeared to be outdated and depressing for the animals.

According to the visitors, there were untidy enclosures filled with cans.

During a visit there this week, the Pretoria News team was shown around some of the enclosures.

Schwan explained: “What happens often is that the animals from that area might be resting, so you assume it’s empty. You don’t take a little while longer just to see if you can see something. We have that issue at the gorilla enclosure.”

Explaining the “overgrowth”, she said: “Animals, just like people, need to have a sense of privacy and in that way, by giving a more natural look and feel, they get the opportunity to rest and to be a little bit out of the public eye.”

Normally, the animals would be kept away if they were ill, had just had babies or were being moved from one area to the other, but a sign would be put up to indicate the reason, she said.

And as she took the Pretoria News team on the tour, they almost walked past a green mamba cage, which appeared empty, but the snake had wrapped itself around the leaves.

Schwan said snakes also sometimes hid under the rocks and could not be seen.

On Facebook, users complained about the pygmy hippo enclosure, which they said was filled with soft drink and beer cans.

Schwan said this was sometimes due to the wind blowing them into the enclosure when dustbins were full.

“As you can see, the dust bins are very close. So if the bin overflows, the wind blows the stuff in there.”

In addition, she said their staff was dedicated and doing all they could to ensure the area was clean, but it was also the visitors’ responsibility not to litter.

“We’ve got signs at the zoo that say ‘Please do not litter’.

“It is very difficult to control visitors and sometimes the wind can blow dirt in, but our staff clean that out.”

Responding to the issue of staff not doing their job, she said the complainant probably came around the time they catered for a lot of people and struggled to please everyone.

All in all, Schwan said, the zoo remained highly maintained, as clean as possible and with everything it promised.

By: iOL News

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Pretoria east residents see red over blackouts

Pretoria east residents see red over blackouts

A DARK Christmas looms for Pretoria east residents, who have since called on the City to shed light on their predicament.

Residents in Mooikloof, Faerie Glen, Zwavelpoort and Olympus have been plagued by random power outages in recent months.

Mathlodi Kgapola said her Mooi- kloof residence and surrounding estates had two outages at least twice a week without any explanation or warning.

Another resident, from Faerie Glen, said they were tired of the City’s “lame excuses”. These ranged from stormy weather and trees not being felled that disturbed electricity poles to cable theft. “Every time it is a new story,” said the resident.

She understood that even in the most well developed cities there were power outages, but “the City must let us know in time so we can make alternative plans for the festive season and security”.

Once criminals knew the City was not doing anything about the power outages, they would capitalise on it, especially during the festive season while families were away on vacation, she said.

Alarms and beams were not fully operational when there was a power failure, she added.

Marius Groenewald from Zwavelpoort said his smallholding had been inundated with power outages that put his family at risk.

Criminals thrived on chaos and darkness was their playground. “Load shedding provides both of these environments for lurking lawbreakers seeking to capitalise from this.”

MMC for Infrastructure Darryl Moss said power outages arose from a number of causes – cable theft, vandalism, trees falling on power lines, lightning strikes, cable faults, backlogs in maintenance and overloading of the energy network.

Moss said many of the power outages were unforeseen, and needed to be dealt with as they arose. The City had been upgrading the electrical network, which would reduce the number of outages.

“We have been putting measures in place to shorten the time that the power is out. We are seeing some success, but with the maintenance backlog it will take time to get everything sorted out.”

The outagein some areas in the east was a trip on the 132Kv line, which was identified quickly, and power soon restored, he said. “We do not see any reason for the residents to worry unduly. Outages will occur, but our electricity teams are on standby, and should be able to deal with the problems quickly.”

No maintenance work was planned on the network during the next month, he said, so there were no planned shutdowns in the pipeline until after the middle of January.

On the brighter side, there was a new water reticulation network for parts of Pretoria east.

The eight-month project, is expected to be completed by August 2018. During construction residents would be duly notified of any water supply interruptions, he said.

“The R12.9million upgrade is part of an overarching city-wide project to replace old and dilapidated water networks,” the City said.

The area has been plagued by leaks and water supply interruptions over the years, causing frustration for residents especially in Elarduspark, Rietvalleipark and Waterkloof AH.

Many pipes needed replacing because they were past their design lifetime, and there was a R2billion hole in the budget for the work, the City said.

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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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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

 

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Verdagte dreig met selfmoord ná polisie hom vaskeer

Verdagte dreig met selfmoord ná polisie hom vaskeer

Twee mans is Woensdag tydens ʼn huisbraak in Laudium in Pretoria in hegtenis geneem en ʼn derde verdagte kort daarna.

Konst. Simon Chokoe, woordvoerder van die polisie, het gesê die voorval het net ná 19:00 plaasgevind.
Die drie gewapende verdagtes, tussen 30 en 45 jaar oud, het volgens Chokoe by ʼn paartjie se huis ingestorm, hulle aangerand en van hul selfone beroof.

“In die verdagtes se poging om te vlug het die inwoner hulle gekonfronteer en twee van die verdagtes is vasgekeer. Een kon daarin slaag om te ontsnap,” het Chokoe gesê.

Volgens Chokoe het ʼn spoedige reaksie van die polisie se taktiesereaksie- en honde-eenheid gesorg dat die derde verdagte in Claudius naby die R55 aangekeer is.

“Een van die polisie se onderhandelaars is ingeroep na die toneel omdat die verdagte gedreig het om homself te skiet,” het Chokoe gesê.

Volgens Chokoe is die verdagte binne minute ná onderhandeling in hegtenis geneem. “Die polisie het beslag gelê op twee ongelisensieerde vuurwapens.”

Die paartjie is na ʼn nabygeleë hospitaal geneem vir mediese behandeling. Dit is nie duidelik hoe ernstig hulle beseer is nie.

Die verdagtes sal binnekort in die Atteridgeville-landdroshof verskyn.

ʼn Saak van huisroof word ondersoek.

Deur: Maroela Media

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Burgemeester van Tshwane voor treurende families weggejaag

Burgemeester van Tshwane voor treurende families weggejaag

Solly Msimanga, burgemeester van Tshwane, moes Maandag uit Soshanguve, noord van Pretoria, vergesel word nadat gemeenskapslede hom verjaag het waar vyf kinders dood is toe ʼn paneel van ʼn munisipale ligmas losgekom het.

Maroela Media het vroeër berig vyf kinders, tussen ses en 12 jaar oud, is dood toe hulle by Apollo-lig, net buite die Bopapes se huis, gespeel het. Die swaar metaalring wat die hoë lig ondersteun, het losgekom en vier kinders is op slag dood. Twee kinders is na ʼn hospitaal geneem, waar een van hulle by George Mukhari-hospitaal gesterf het. Een van die kinders is nie beseer nie. Twee van die kinders was nefies uit die Bopape-familie.

Msimanga wou ʼn besoek aflê aan die treurende gesinne, het sy waarnemende woordvoerder, Lindela Mashigo, gesê. Toe Msimanga en ʼn span afgevaardigdes van die munisipaliteit egter Maandagoggend by Block X-gemeenskapsaal in Soshanguve opdaag, het lede van die plaaslike sakeforum hul “ongemak” uitgespreek met sy teenwoordigheid.

“In die lig van die tragiese gebeure en die rou emosie, het die burgemeester besluit om nie in gesprek te tree met die groep mense nie, maar eerder na die families te gaan,” het Mashigo verduidelik. “ʼn Groep mense het die burgemeester weer voorgekeer toe hy by een van die families opgedaag het. Dit is duidelik dat die groep mense ʼn politieke agenda wil dryf in hierdie tyd waar politiek die laaste ding in die burgemeester se gedagtes is. Dit is baie jammer dat die mense, wat as gemeenskapsleiers beskou word, eerder hul eie politieke belang wil dryf as om die families se gevoelens in ag te neem.”

Msimanga se kantoor blameer die ANC, die opposisie in Tshwane, vir die chaos. “Dit is nou baie duidelik dat die ANC in Tshwane nie eers meer voorgee om vir mense om te gee nie, en hulle gebruik nou mense se pyn om ʼn politieke agenda te dryf. Hierdie tipe gedrag word ten sterkste veroordeel.”

Sommige inwoners het gekla dat hulle met rubberkoeëls geskiet is, deur lede van die Tshwane-metropolisie, wat Msimanga beskerm. Sommige van die inwoners het glo doppies van die rubberkoeëls gehou.

Wykraadslid Phumzile Hlatshwayo sê die gemeenskap soek al sedert Saterdag bloed. “Dit was baie sleg toe ek Saterdagmiddag daar aangekom het. Die gemeenskap is baie sensitief. hulle het intussen bande op die pad aan die brand gesteek. Mens sien die frustrasie van die gemeenskap. Hulle is kwaad omdat hulle dienste verwaarloos word. Daar is ʼn hele aantal van dié ligmaste wat ook oop is soos die een wat op die kinders geval het. Ons versoek dienslewering en instandhouding,” het Hlatshwayo gesê. “Ons hoor daar is nie geld nie, maar as mens na plekke soos Waterkloof gaan, dan sien mens nie dieselfde probleme nie. Maar in die townships word die begroting beperk. Die prioriteit is die voorstede.”

Mashigo het vroeër gesê dit wil voorkom of iemand met die kabels van die ligmas gepeuter het, vermoedelik in ʼn poging om dit te steel. “Dit is hartseer dat diewe se vandalisme van elektriese kabels die lewens van onskuldige kinders geëis het,” Mashigo bygevoeg.

Deur: Maroela Media

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Voortrekkers gevra om te loop tydens raadsvergadering in Pretoria

Voortrekkers gevra om te loop tydens raadsvergadering in Pretoria

“Mag Afrikanerjeug dan nie deelneem aan demokrasie nie,” vra dr. Danie Langner, leier van die Voortrekkers, nadat ’n groep Voortrekkers gevra is om ’n raadsvergadering in Pretoria te verlaat.

“Ons het onskuldig met goeie bedoelings na die raadsvergadering gegaan . . . Hoekom mag hulle nie blootstelling kry nie? Ons wil ons jeug juis aan demokratiese prosesse blootstel sodat hulle kan sien hoe ’n demokrasie, ’n stadsraad en ’n parlement werk,” sê Langner.

Volgens hom is dit “baie jammer” dat die groep van 14 Voortrekkers wat almal in gr. 10 is, Donderdag gevra is om ’n Tshwane-metroraadsvergadering te verlaat.

“Ons is regtig teleurgesteld in die politieke partye in dié raad se reaksie. Wat is die boodskap wat hulle wou oordra? Dis ’n afbreek van sosiale kohesie en dui eintlik ook op ’n disfunksionele stadsraad.”

Die Voortrekkers het die speaker, Katlego Mathebe, vooraf skriftelik toestemming gevra om die vergadering te mag bywoon.

Mathebe het die versoek toegestaan, maar opposisiepartye in dié raad was baie ontevrede oor haar besluit.

Ons leer hulle om kultureel verdraagsaam te wees. Daar is wit, Indiërs en swart mense in dié land. Almal se kulture moet waardeer en gerespekteer word.

Mauritz Meiring

Benjamin Disoloane, leier van die EFF in die hoofstad, het dadelik kapsie teen die groep se teenwoordigheid gemaak.

“Ons het duidelike transformasie nodig. Dié kinders verteenwoordig dit nie.”

Nadat die een ná die ander raadslid van die EFF en ANC ook hul ontevredenheid oor die Voortrekkers uitgespreek het, het Solly Msimanga, uitvoerende burgemeester, die raadslede en speaker gevra dat die “onskuldige kinders” nie aan die bakleiery in die raad blootgestel moet word nie.

Die ander partye in die raad het uiteindelik hul sin gekry en die Voortrekker-groep is gevra om die vergadering eers tydelik te verlaat en later heeltemal.

Langner sê die Voortrekkers raak nie by partypolitieke kwessies betrokke nie.

“Politiek het tog ’n invloed op kulturele organisasies. Een van die Voortrekkers se waardes is positiewe leierskap.”

Volgens hom is hy deur verskeie politieke partye, waaronder ook Nathi Mthethwa, minister van kuns en kultuur, gevra: “Waar is die Afrikaner-kinders. Ons sien hulle nêrens nie”.

Mauritz Meiring, wat dié betrokke groep Voortrekkers as spanoffisier na die vergadering vergesel het, sê die einste groep het om dié rede ook ’n ruk gelede die konstitusionele hof besoek.

“Ons leer hulle om kultureel verdraagsaam te wees. Daar is wit, Indiërs en swart mense in dié land. Almal se kulture moet waardeer en gerespekteer word. Voortrekkers word geleer wat goeie burgerreg is. Wat gebeur het, is kulturele onverdraagsaamheid. Daar sit ’n klomp oningeligte raadslede in dié stadsraad.”

Langner sê al was die voorval hoe betreurenswaardig, gaan dit die kinders dalk bedag maak op wat hulle eendag op universiteitskampusse kan teëkom.