Author: Motlhaping Modise

The North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said it is making strides in addressing high levels of poverty and hunger in the province through effective food security initiatives which run beyond the World Food Day. The department in collaboration with the Dr. Kenneth Kaunda District and the Maquassi Hills Local Municipalities has successfully hosted this year’s edition of the Provincial World Food Day Commemoration in Kgakala Township in Leeudoringstad. The event, which was held under the theme “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future,” brought together farmers, industry partners and residents to reflect on gains…

The City of Matlosana Local Municipality in Klerksdorp, North West, has acknowledged a concern expressed by the Agriculture Minister, John Steenhuisen, over its fluctuating and inconsistent payments to the local fresh produce market in the municipality, which is in violation with a high court order issued over four years ago. In a statement on Tuesday, the minister said that the “inconsistent payments by the municipality have destabilised operations at the Matlosana Fresh Produce Market where at one point, arrears owed to market agents had climbed to R7 million in August 2025.” Speaking on YOUFM, the Executive Mayor, Fikile Mahlophe, conceded…

The Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality in Mahikeng in the North West said it’ll solicit President Cyril Ramaphosa’s intervention on the recurrent acts of vandalism of water infrastructure across the municipality. Water infrastructures in four of the five local municipalities within the district (Mahikeng, Ditsobotla, Tswaing and Ramotshere Moiloa local municipalities) has been vandalised in what the Executive Mayor, Khumalo Molefe believes is a powerful, equipped and fully armed syndicate hell-bent on destroying the municipality’s water infrastructure. Speaking on YOUFM Newshour, Molefe said that the syndicate has been operating within the district for some time, comprising some unscrupulous businessmen, contractors,…

North West Premier Lazarus Mokgosi has welcomed the 2024/25 audit outcomes which he says have demonstrated consistent and improved performance of the provincial departments. The premier accompanied by the Speaker of the Provincial Legislature, Dr. Desbo Mohono, her deputy Collen Maine, as well as the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Smuts Matshe, led an engagement session with the Auditor General, Tsakani Maluleke in Klerksdorp on Monday. Speaking on YOUFM Newshour, the Mokgosi’ spokesperson The Premier’ spokesperson Sello Tatai, who was speaking on YOUFM Newshour, said Mokgosi has maintained that the performance mirrors government’s ongoing efforts of building…

ActionSA is now an official opposition party at the Zeerust-based Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality council in the North West, following its extraordinary victory against fierce competition in an ANC rural stronghold of Ward 7 in Mokgola village. Moses ‘Moshe’ Moumakwa is now a new councilor of the ward which was previously held by the ANC following the 2021 local government elections. The five-year old party snatched a seat previously held by the ANC in the 2021 municipal elections, securing 33.49% of the total votes cast, compared to 57.38% during the 2021 polls with a voter turnout of 60.40%. ActionSA’s National Chairman…

The Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements has expressed confidence with the plan presented by the North West Human Settlement Department to unblock the blocked housing projects in the province. This emerged during the committee’s three-day oversight visit in the province, focusing on the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, Dr Ngaka Modiri Molema, and Bojanala District Municipalities. The aim of the visit is to assess the delivery of quality housing and the implementation of human settlements programmes as part of parliament’s constitutional mandate to exercise oversight over the executive. Speaking on YOUFM Newshour, the committee chairperson Nocks Seabi said the provincial…

The nephew of the late anti-apartheid activist Matthew Goniwe, Mbulelo, has told the second sitting of the Cradock Four inquest at the Gqeberha High Court in the Eastern Cape that his uncle was threatened with death by an extremely gun slinging police officer days before he was murdered. Goniwe was giving evidence on the murder of his uncle and three of his fellow comrades Fort Calata, Sicelo Mhlauli, and Sparrow Mkonto on June 27 1985. The four anti-apartheid activists were abducted, tortured, murdered, and their bodies burned by members of the Security Branch of the South African Police. Mbulelo recalled…

The Chairperson of the North West Provincial Legislature’s Ad Hoc committee established to investigate serious allegations of improper conduct against the Premier Lazarus Mokgosi, Nathan Oliphant, said work has begun and an evidence leader appointed to help probe the matter. Mokgosi is accused by Naledi Local Municipality Mayor John Groep of instructing a former municipal employee Thabo Apolus to alter a report concerning the appointment of the Municipal Manager, Modisenyane Segapo. This emerged during the recent oversight visit of the Parliament’s Joint Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts and the Standing Committee…

The North West Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism (DEDECT) says it has recorded significant performance improvements across its operations and associated entities, even as the province faces mounting concerns over job losses in the mining sector. Speaking during a special YOUFM Newshour broadcast at the Mahikeng Archives building, MEC Bitsa Lenkopane said the department and its entities — the North West Development Corporation (NWDC), North West Parks and Tourism Board (NWP&TB), and North West Gambling Board (NWGB) — have demonstrated steady progress in governance and service delivery. “We have seen remarkable improvement, including clean audits recorded by…

Several Christian organisations, including the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), have strongly condemned the CRL Rights Commission’s decision to establish a new consultative body to oversee churches and faith institutions in South Africa. The groups have also called for the removal of the commission’s chairperson, Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva, accusing her of undermining religious freedom. The organisations participated in the National Christian March to the Union Buildings on Wednesday under the banner “Xaluva Must Go”, claiming that the commission’s actions amount to an attack on faith and freedom of worship. The march was led by prominent and controversial religious leaders, including Bishop…