Author: Mpho Manyaapelo
The Hoer Tegniese Skool Rustenburg learner, Lethabo Sibanda AKA Biggish LMS, was finally laid to rest on Saturday 10 June 2023, at the Tsitsing cemetery near Rustenburg, in the North West. Sibanda, was brutally stabbed to death on the 2nd of June 2023, at the Rustenburg bus terminal by a fellow learner. The moving funeral service was attended by his learners, teachers from Hoer Tegniese and hundreds of mourners, who came to bid him farewell. The Member of Mayoral Committee for Infrastructure in the Rustenburg Municipality, Thabang Rampou, called for justice and for the accused in the murder of Sibanda,…
Opposition parties in the Rustenburg Local Municipality, North West have slammed the ANC after the majority of its councillors failed to show up for a meeting meant to elect a Speaker following the axing of Koketso Mogomotsi by the party. The only ANC councillor present at the meeting was Sheila Mabale-Huma. The sitting had to be abandoned as it did not form a quorum with no explanation forthcoming for the absence of the majority of ANC the councillors. DA Councillor Nelio Nhacuangue said the absence of a Speaker has rendered the council dysfunctional and the absence of the ANC councilors…
The Bakubung Platinum Mine and Bakubung Ba Ratheo Community Committee, have signed a socio-economic agreement on Thursday at Kedar Lodge near Rustenburg, North West, to create more job opportunities for the residents of Ledig Village. Residents have in the past held several protests, accusing the mine of failing to adhere to its Social Labour Plans and most importantly, not creating business and job opportunities for the locals. The unrest led to engagements which resulted in the establishment of a 4Aside plus one committee, to develop a program that will address challenges and the dispute between Bakubung Ba Ratheo Community and…
The family of Lethabo Sibanda, the Grade 12 pupil who was stabbed and killed by a fellow learner in Rustenburg, North West, feel aggrieved and say they have taken exception to claims that their son was a bully. Allegations of Sibanda’s bullying surfaced at a parents meeting where the headmaster Edward Langberg raised concerns about the behaviour of the pupils at the school calling it a wayward culture that includes drugs, bullying and absenteeism from school. A parent at the meeting alleged the bereaved family had ignored complaints of Sibanda’s bullying and she had to open a criminal case against the…
Jabulani Dlamini is aggrieved and demanding justice after he was allegedly assaulted by police officers stationed at Tlhabane Police Station. According to Dlamini who lives in Lefaragatlha, near Rustenburg, in the North West, the police who assaulted him accused him of being in possession of an illegal firearm. Dlamini said he was shocked when police arrived at his house, demanding that he hand over the firearm and he was assaulted even when he told them he doesn’t own one. “I have received a call from my wife, as I was out partying. My wife said the police are at the…
The principal of troubled Hoër Tegniese Skool Rustenburg North West, where a student was stabbed to death by his schoolmate has raised concerns about what he calls a wayward culture that includes the use of drugs, bullying and absenteeism at the school. Edward Langberg, the headmaster at Hoër Tegniese told a parents meeting that learners at the school smoked weed and drugs excessively and skipped classes for no valid reasons. Langberg called on parents to get involved in their children’s schooling saying teachers alone were unable to reign in wayward groupings. “We’re not used to rowdy learners and certainly didn’t…
Academic activities were disrupted at Hoër Tegniese Skool Rustenburg (HTS) in the North West after groups of learners fought among each other and disrupted classes, on Monday.The clashes come after a grade 12 learner from the school, Lethabo Sibanda, was stabbed to death by a fellow pupil last Friday at the Rustenburg bus terminal. According to reports, learners refused to write exams demanding justice for Sibanda. It is alleged that the suspect who stabbed Sibanda, is also a pupil at HTS, so learners thought he was at school school and caused havoc demanding he be chased out of the school.…
Chaos erupted in court on Monday when the family of the slain 18-year-old Grade 12 learner Lethabo Sibanda and members of the EFF, stood in the courtroom and accused the court of starting procedures without them. EFF ward 42 councillor Lesedi Makhadane said the court was full so they requested to be called when proceedings started and they alerted the court elderlies to their situation. But to their surprise the court proceeded and they were told afterwards the case has been postponed to 12 July, said an irate Makhadane. “So because we were angry we went inside and demanded an…
Some residents of Geelhoutpark in Rustenburg, North West, have expressed anger at being forced to live without water for the past 8 days and that fact that there is no communication from their municipality makes their plight unbearable. Katlego Nkwe who stays in Geelhoutpark, has written to the municipality Mayor Sheila Mabale Huma, about his frustration about the lack of water supply in the area. “It’s disheartening to note that despite being loyal rate-paying citizens, we have been deprived of one of the most basic necessities of life. The absence of water for such an extended period has had a…
The Rustenburg Local Municipality Speaker Koketso Mogomotsi, resigned on Wednesday, at the council sitting held at the Rustenburg Civic Centre, in the North West, where Mayor Sheila Mabale Huma, was tabling her budget speech. His resignation will come into effect from the date and time of a complaint and non-retractable notice of a Special or Ordinary Council Sitting signed by the Acting Municipal Manager of the Rustenburg local municipality or a person designated by the MEC for local government in the North West Province. In his resignation letter, Mogomotsi said he is resigning as the Speaker of Council, but will…