THABANG MAUPA’ KILLERS ARRESTED.

Two suspects in the murder case of former Ward 5 Councillor Thabang Maupa appeared in the Praktiseer Magistrate Court today. The suspects were apparently napped last week after a manhunt was launched by the SAPS after the Cllr Maupa was gunned down execution style while waiting in his car for his wife to close their restaurant in 2018. The suspects could not be named because they have not pleaded guilty and the case was remanded to 2^nd December for further investigations. It is rumoured that the suspects have refused a state lawyer and opted to hire a private lawyer, that also contributed to the case’s postponement as the was no legal representative for the suspects yet in court today.



The police have confirmed that two suspects have arrested in connection with the murder and are currently in custody awaiting bail hearing, while investigations are on-going.

Shoki Maupa, family spokesperson when responding to SABC said, “The family is expecting the police to make more arrests as they believe more people are involved in the murder of the councilor. The family is also expecting justice after the way Maupa was killed”



The is finally hope that the family of Thabang Maupa will finally get to know the truth about the murder surrounding the death of their loved ones. The community of Ward 5 in Riba Cross Village, outside Burgersfort is also hopeful that those involved in the death of Maupa will be named and brought to book, because the case has been long overdue.

The Ward 5 Councilor’s death shocked many, as it happened during the height of the so-called VBS expose and many people including members of the African National Congress (ANC) and its allied believe Cllr Maupa paid the price for trying to expose the VBS looting in his own rank. So the arrest of the two suspects will shed more light on this saga.

Praktiseer magistrate court today was filled to the rafters; some were barred from entering the tiny courtroom as it could not accommodate the large crowd that went to attend the hearing. Security was tied as Police presence was visible outside the courtyard. After the court hearing people hurried near the court gates hoping to catch the glimpse of the suspects as they were escorted into a police under a heavily police guard.

The suspects are expected back in court by 2^nd December with their legal representative, where the state is hoping to argue against granting the suspects bail.

AFRICA REJECT SOUTH AFRICA

Initially I wanted to dedicate my blog post to the magnificent and terrific performance displayed by my home-grown talented Youth Choir, the Ndlovu Youth Choir at the America’s Got Talent (AGT) stage. One would know how America values this show; by the way its citizens fill up every seat ensuring a sold-out show. So for our talent to appear there and reach the finals, even if they didn’t win is a feat compared to none. It’s a win on its own! The Ndlovu Youth Choir really took our country and placed it at the highest level in terms of art and talent. We saw this by the way they nailed every son and the way they dressed on stage. I know America is one country that isn’t shy to emulate. Soon you will see how they’re going to emulate the styles and infusions of every song sang by this choir. Congratulations to this amazing, talented choir of young people whom I know many of them will cherish this moment forever. I see great things happening to this choir in the future. Appearing at the America’s Got Talent was just the beginning.

But like I said, that was what I wanted this blog to be about, until I stumbled on the remarks of our Minister of Home Affairs Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi in this Sunday’s City Press, 22 September 2019 when he was addressing Parliament’s Portfolio Committee about the issue of migrants in South Africa, especially those undocumented ones, who are refugee seekers. This in the wake of a recent attack South Africans inflicted on foreign nationals. The Minister’s address forced me to take a detour from my initial intended purpose of this blog to address the issue, not directly so about what Minister Motsoaledi was addressing at the committee but rather what the whole country stand to gain from the recent attack of foreign nationals by our people.

Africa will reject South Africa. As a country we have been aware of how fellow African countries treat us whenever we are in their shores and it isn’t good. Now imagine what they are going to do to us now that we have killed and displaced many of their uncles and Aunts, forcing them to flee here empty-handed. It’s not going to be a pleasant one; they are going to make our stay in their home lands nasty, unpleasant, volatile and dangerous. They are going to reject every item we export to them, as they have already started doing so with businesses coming from here. We have seen how MTN and Shoprite were recently forced to shut down their businesses after they were attacked and vandalised. They are retaliating; they are inflicting every pain possible just to show us that they are also capable of doing exactly what we have done here. Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi tells Parliament’s Home Affairs Portfolio Committee about the lamentations of International Judges at the recent Conference about our judge’s judgements and how they impact on them in their respective countries. The Minister even goes further and proposes that we overhaul the entire country’s legal regime, citing an abuse to the system as if we created that system.

One is tempted to agree with him. As truthful as this may sound and be, particularly since we have seen how some of this migrants abuse the refugee status. However this is not a justification of a violent attack to any foreign national, whether they are legal or illegal in South Africa. South Africans who continue these xenophobic attacks without being slammed for it continue to cause calamity to fellow South Africans who like to travel to other African countries. I agree with Miss South Africa, Zozibini Tunzi when she said, “This is making things harder for me”

It is making things hard for her and for some of us to make South Africa look great to foreigners because we attack and kill them when they are here. Yes, we may put the blame on the system, but it’s our very own people who abuse the system, making it difficult to identify who is documented and who is not. What the Minister should first propose is to do away with the current abused system and come up with the new system, strengthen our border controls and pay officials well so that they can be discouraged from accepting bribes.

Overhauling the entire legal regime would not assist much, the people who allow foreigners in our country illegally are the officials not those judges who passes those judgements or the parliamentarians. Minister Motsoaledi should rather slam the violent manner in which foreigners are attacked, deal with his systems and officials as soon as possible. Then, just maybe then we can come up with a solution to address the cries of those Judges at the International Judges Conference. Until then the Minister should just stay away from the legal regime.

Ralepane Mmamekwa is back town

                                                                                    Mayor: Ralepane Mmamekwa.

Naume Phala and Ralepane Mmamekwa

Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality (FTLM) has a new boss. Ralepane Mmamekwa is back in town to resume the mayoral role AGAIN. Mmamekwa was first elected mayor when the Municipality was known as Greater Tubatse Local Municipality (GTM) between 2007/2008 after the ANC successfully won the local government elections. At that time Tubatse was still a relatively unknown town on the verge of a booming mining Industry. Mmamekwa led the municipality as mayor, where he first experienced the wrath of the community of Ga-Malekane after he failed to deliver basic services there. This writer was told that the situation became so volatile that the mayor ran and left his bodyguards behind.

Ralepane Mmamekwa was again retained as mayor after the sacking of Nkosi Josias Mahlake. The ANC council sacked Mahlake after accusing him of poor performance and coming to work drunk. When he (Mmamekwa) arrived, the municipality was under a great distress. Service delivery was slow, and in some other areas non-existing. Wards went months without water; others had no electricity, Roads and Sanitations. Mmamekwa arrived with great promises of turning Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality around, but the community saw the same pattern of slow service delivery, lack of water, electricity and Roads normalized.

The was no change which communities saw when Mmamekwa was mayor, except that their living conditions deteriorated and became unbearable. His promises only benefitted the select few, presumably those closest to him. One can argue that FTLM is not responsible for water services, but the municipality was allocated R 84, 9 Million for water projects in several villages, that money just evaporated because those villages are still as dry as the karoo desert. In his speech of July, 13, 2008, he promised a sanitation project worth R20, 5 Million, but today Burgersfort stinks like hell. Some parts are so dirty you wouldn’t tell whether you’re in town or some hell hole.

Mmamekwa still continue to be touted as the man up for the job of Mayor. And he is back into the driving seat AGAIN! On August,8, he was appointed Mayor of FTLM for the third time. He is replacing Naume Phala who also replaced the recently resigned Mayor Choris Phokane. Naume Phala went back to being Speaker while Ralepane Mmamekwa resumed his role immediately after he was appointed. And word on the street is that he is the only capable Cadre to turn things around at the Municipality. Let’s hope this time he will do better than last time he was here, because communities on the ground are crying for services and so far none has been coming forth.

Nelson Mandela, a life changer.

Note: This is an extract of a speech I delivered today, 18^th July 2019, at Sunrise Place of Care, Riba Cross, Burgersfort in Sekhukhune District of Limpopo province, where Mandela Day was being celebrated. I was invited as a guest of honour and Keynote speaker.

Nelson Mandela, a life changer.

Good day, Abusheni, Sanibonani, Molweni, Dumelan..!

 I rise before you to address the purpose of the day. I am not going to take much of your time so borrow me your ears.

Today marks Mandela Day- also known as the International Nelson Mandela Day.this means that we as South Africans, we are officially joined by the rest of the world to celebrate this day. Mandela Day is an occasion for all of us to take action and inspire change.

Why was Nelson Mandela Important?

I would like us to remember few things about Nelson Mandela today;

1.      He spend 27 years in prison fighting for our freedom, when he was released instead of seeking revenge, Mandela asked all of us to forgive and create peace.

2.      He was the first black president of South Africa who said, “ there can be no greater gift than that of giving one’s time and energy to help others without expecting anything in return”

3.      And that “education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can be become a Doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that a child of a farmworker can become the president of a great nation” let us be mindful of the fact that Nelson Mandela asked us to contribute to a better South Africa.

Mandela Day is the day we are asked to give 67 minutes of our time to do good, change someone’s life and contribute to make South Africa better- we can do this by working with the police to fight crime, create jobs for our youth, encourage our children to take education seriously, and assist the elderly with patience.

“it is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it” Nelson Mandela. And the opportunity to do so is today, right now, right here.

Make your Mandela Day meaningful today; let us all contribute to building a better South Africa, a better Riba Cross (My village), a better community, a better neighbour.

“Forgiveness liberates the souls. It removes fear. That is why it is such a powerful weapon”

And “the true character of a society is revealed in how it treats its children”

with this words, I want to say Mandela Day is your chance to change. To be courageous and brave to forgive and create peace around you and your community, after all, it is Nelson Mandela International Day.

Thank you, Kea Leboga!!!!!!!