Author: Motlhaping Modise

The North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has raised concerns regarding the first-year student’s intake target set by the National Department of Agriculture for the province. MEC for Agriculture Madoda Sambatha told Newsnote that following his oversight visit to the Potchefstroom College of Agriculture, the college could register more than the limit set by the national department.   This emerged when he was conducting an oversight visit at the campus, to observe the registration process of first year students yesterday. “We now have a restriction on numbers and it’s the matter that the province is not happy with. On…

As the 2025 academic year begins, South African Universities are facing an overwhelming surge in the number of first year students eager to further their studies in the current academic year. The North West University has reached its full capacity for the 2025 intake, with no extra spaces available. The institution said it received more than 390 000 applications, and more than 276 000 have already submitted their final applications. Of these, only 11 754 can be accommodated in terms of an approved enrolment target by the Department of Higher Education and Training.The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)…

In what many have described as a historic move, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has opened its first ever offices in Mahikeng in the North West. The offices are named after the current party leader and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa.The opening ceremony was led by the National Chairperson Mziwenkosi Gwala, accompanied by the Treasurer General Narend Singh and other senior leaders including the North West’s Interim Provincial Chairperson Themba Gwabeni on Saturday.During the ceremony, the IFP leadership refuted claims that the party has always been a “Zulu-regional party” with stronghold in KwaZulu-Natal without any prospects of…

Calls are mounting for the President Cyril Ramaphosa to appoint a Commission of Inquiry into all aspects of what happened at the Buffelsfontein Gold mine in Stilfontein near Klerksdorp in the North West. This after the completion of a government sponsored rescue mission at the mine yesterday. Two hundred and forty-six (246) alive illegal miners were retrieved from shaft 11 while 78 of them were declared dead between Monday and Wednesday this week.Two of the parties in the Government of National Unity, GNU, the Democratic Alliance and GOOD Party are leading the campaign for the establishment of the commission. Congress…

North West EXCO members who conducted oversight visits at various schools across the province to check and assess their state of readiness for the first term of the 2025 academic year, have raised concerns about several challenges that they identified during their visits. Some of the recurring challenges that were noticed include but not limited to shortage of mathematics and science educators, lack of proper school infrastructure and substantial plan around the administration of the Grade R classes for the first time to some schools. The Chairperson of the North West Portfolio Committee on Education Priscilla Williams visited Onkgopotse Tiro Comprehensive School…

ActionSA’s newly appointed deputy president Dr. Mbahare Kekana has defended the decision to merge his party Forum 4 Service Delivery (F4SD) with ActionSA a year before the much-anticipated local government elections in the country. Kekana was announced as ActionSA new second in charge during a media briefing in Johannesburg on Wednesday, following an agreement reached with the leadership of ActionSA to “put together the two like-minded parties.”Speaking on YOU FM Newshour, Kekana said that the decision came after a series of meetings. “It was a marathon of talks between us and ActionSA including other parties.We started discussing early last year,…

The South African National Small Bus Operators Council (SANSBOC) in the North West has sought to reassure parents and legal guardians of hundreds of pupils who depend on scholar transport that their children will be taken to schools safely.The council’s comments come as the 2025 academic calendar gets underway across the country from today. SANSBOC Provincial Chairperson Final Kgodumo told YOU FM Newshour that they are ready to resume their duties, despite persistent challenges of late payments of their invoices by the Department of Transport Management in the province. “We are ready to transport learners as per agreement with the…

The community of Ward 7 & 8 in the town of Lichtenburg in Ditsobotla local Municipality in the North West has threatened another total Shut down due to erratic provision of Water and electricity services since early last month. Police were called and defused the situation yesterday when a group of protestors allegedly barricaded the R503 (Lichtenburg) and R503 (Hartbeesfontein) intersections and N14 road in Coligny outside Lichtenburg, due to apparent shortage of water in their area.The community leader Johanna Tlotleng told Newsnote that they are devising a plan on how to carry-out their shutdown. “We are sick and tired…

It was a moment of joy and celebration in Hammanskraal, a community in the northern Pretoria region, as residents welcomed the return of clean running water for the first time in twenty years. This significant milestone was marked this morning when the Executive Mayor of Tshwane, Nasiphi Moya, took the inaugural sip from a tap in front of an enthusiastic crowd, signalling a new chapter for the community. “This marks the completion of the first phase of the Klipdrift Package Plant, which commenced in October last year. We have four modules that we need to roll out to cover all…

The ongoing sewerage crisis in Lichtenburg has reached a critical point, prompting Health Minister Dr. Aaron Motswaledi to call on local Mayors to take immediate action. This plea comes in the wake of flooding at the General Delarey Hospital which led to the emergency transfer of 33 patients to other health facilities in the province. Accompanying Motswaledi during his inspection were North West MEC for Health Sello Lehari, senior provincial officials, national representatives, and engineers. This team assessed the extent of damage caused by an unusually heavy rainfall that resulted in over 10% of Lichtenburg’s annual rainfall falling in a…