News

ICareWeCare Community Dialogue

On the 13th of September 2018, the Municipality partnered with the Moral Regeneration Movement (MRM) and the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure to conduct the iCareWeCare Community Dialogue, whereby the officials from the MRM and the community members were discussing circumstances that have an impact on behavioural issues. The programme was held at Khutsong Stadium. In his speech the Municipality’s Speaker Cllr Elvis Mphithikezi advised everyone that was attending to be free to interact in the campaign. The campaign presentation was done by the MRM Office Manager Neo Chaka, he mentioned that the objective of the event is to assist in the development of a caring society through the revival of the spirit of Ubuntu and the actualisation and realization of the values and ideals cherished in the constitution. “As a nation we have a set of values that brings us all together when put into practise”. Chaka urged the community to change the way they live as they need to correct each other, defend their families and the country and also practise the positive values. The event was graced by one of the dignitaries, who is the former Minister of Education, former Executive Mayor of Tshwane and now a reverend and the Chairperson of MRM, Father Smangaliso Mkhwatshwa. He started by giving a brief information on how the movement started, and mentioned that one of the main purpose of the dialogue to visit Merafong was because they felt that the people of South Africa especially the youth are not part of available opportunities, like owning their businesses, taking high positions in the corporate environment due to their morals and values. Mkhwatshwa pleaded with the community to change their mind-sets and behavioural patterns. He concluded by telling the community that respect goes a long way, and we also need to care for public properties.

The community was later given a platform to ask anything that was discussed on the programme and a number of youth participated. Furthermore, Chaka explained legal ways on how to embark on a legal and peaceful protests without destroying and burning of government’s properties. The community of Merafong signed a pledge book where they promise to take care and protect public facilities. The ward councillor Cllr Prince Nkutha closed the event by thanking everyone for the successful event and the Municipality for providing such a platform for the community. ‘’Merafong is very fortunate today to receive such an informative and educative lecture, said Nkuna

 Merafong City Local Municipality declares war on fraud and corruption

The Merafong City Local Municipality requested the Gauteng Provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) to assist with anti-corruption workshop in order to capacitate their employees.

The purpose of the awareness workshop that took place on Tuesday, 27 November 2018, was to raise awareness about fraud and corruption and the harm that it is doing to the economy and citizens of this country especially in the Merafong jurisdiction.

Issues of corruption that were raised at the Fraud and Anti-Corruption Awareness Campaign workshop will provide the municipality’s managers, middle managers and supervisors a view of challenges and the role that each one of them is expected to play in dealing with corruption.

The deliberations were around the effects of corruption, locate people responsible for fighting corruption, how to protect the whistle-blowers as an employer and also outlining plans on how to win the fight against corruption in Local Government.

Chief Director Governance, IGR and Traditional Leadership Kiba Kekana from COGTA called on delegates at the workshop to come up with practical solutions that will assist when the anti-corruption policies are developed in order to curb corruption in municipalities.

According to Corruption Watch, which was launched in 2012, corruption is described as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. “There is grand and petty corruption; that is corruption happening at high and low levels and also outlining the types of corruption and the cost thereof,” said Mzwandile Banjathwa from Corruption Watch when he outlined the purpose of the organisation. Neo Chaka from Moral Regeneration Movement (MRM) called on government officials to have positive values. “Officials must know that they must behave in a certain manner when delivering services and also respect the tools of trade that they are using to deliver services to the residents,” said Chaka.

Giving the status quo of the fight against fraud and anti-corruption in the municipality, Chief Risk Manager Evelyn Segakweng Diale said that the strategy and a plan on anti-corruption are in place and the competency of fraud and corruption is within the Risk Management unit of the municipality. “We need to review strategies and policies to reflect the current status quo in the municipality”, said Diale. She also recommended that regular employees’ corruption awareness and regular conversation will assist in being more pro-active than reactive.

16 Days of activism for no violence against women and children

The Merafong Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture, and Heritage saw it fit to gather the community of Batswaneng and government officials on the 30 of November 2018 at the Batswaneng Modular Library, to raise awareness of 16 Days of Activism for ending violence against women and children.

The community seized this platform to speak about gender based violence with a special focus on women and children. Councillor Oscar Matshe from ward 10 welcomed the delegates and gave a sincere gratitude to the important guest of the day which was women and children. He further urged all men to lead with dignity as they are the heads of their families.

It was of great honour for the Batswaneng community to have the Executive Mayor Maphefo Mogale-Letsie amongst them. She explained the different types/kinds of abuse and advised the audience to do introspection on their lives so that abuse may not be found on their behaviour patterns. Abuse is not only physical but comes in different forms such as emotional, verbal abuse, etc. Among the speakers was one of survivors who gave a testimony on how she was abused from the past seven months. She further advised women to never stay in abusive relationships as it causes harm to their emotionally, mentally and physical beings.

A Representative from (SAPS) Constable Zonke Dyosini gave an informative speech on how the community should partake in helping to report domestic violence. Josina mentioned that there are very few cases where women report violence as it is difficult and shameful especially for our black communities. The society needs to be educated about violence as they confuse it with the traditional and custom beliefs.

As the programme continued there was entertainment from the Dope Family Gumboot dance, poem by Lesedi Mafura and performances by Tshirangwana Elderly choir. The event was very educational and a success as the young people promised that they will share the messages with their friends and families in order to stop the violence against women and children.

Ms. Fonny Seatlholo the acting manager of (SRACH) rendered a vote of thanks to the special guest who honoured the day by giving their time to take part in the campaign; she also thanked the Mayor of Merafong by availing herself and honouring the event with her presence. ”let us continue to spread the news ,may 16 days of activism for no violence against women and children not end after the campaign but let it be a life style she said”.

Wedela Agricultural Project

On the 29 November 2018 AngloGold Ashanti in partnership with the municipality launched an Agricultural Project in Wedela. The aim of the project was to assist the Retswela Pele Cooperative that was formed by a group of community members that started a business in planting vegetables.

According to the Municipality’s Member of Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Local Economic Development and Tourism Cllr Nozuko Best, the project should not stop here but the cooperative should continue to develop and support it to go further. AngloGold Ashanti’s vice president on sustainability, Sindi Mogotsi briefed the audience on the purpose of the day and giving them the background of the project. She explained that AngloGold Ashanti has been part of the developments that have occurred around the Merafong area for years and that it was important to look into the future developments that will also build upcoming future generations especially in the Agricultural field.

Mogotsi further explained that R8 million was spent to put this project together, a bore hole was made on site for the water supply coming from the mines water supply and new pipes were installed as well as materials needed in the project to make the conditions more easier for the workers. According to Mogotsi, AngloGold Ashanti sustainability staff will continue to monitor the agricultural project on a monthly basis to check if things are going accordingly.

The Gauteng Department of Mineral Resources’ (DMR) regional manager, Sunday Mabaso lead the acceptance of the project and mentioned that DMR had a duty to take responsibility on the sustainability of the minerals that are used in our country. He said that the importance of this project is that, it is in line with the United Nations (UN) sustainable goals and that generations to come can take it further.

The youth can come and do their practicals as he encouraged them to learn more about agriculture The programme then shifted to the handing over of certificates to the workers of the cooperative who initiated this agricultural project. Each one got rewarded with an Agricultural Level 1 certificate which is nationally recognised.

The Retswela pela workers were excited about their achievements and they were also given new overalls and boots which they will use on daily basis working on the fields. What made them more excited was when they were also given a brand new vehicle to use in transporting their stuff and thanked AngloGold Ashanti for everything that has done for them. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Maxwell Bolani who is the manager of Local Economic Development at AngloGold Ashanti.

Credit Control Programme

Festive Season’s Solid Waste Collection Schedule

 Areas which are supposed to be collected on Public Holidays and the alternative collection days are as follows :

• Monday, 17 December 2018 will be collected on Monday, 24 December 2018.

• Tuesday, 25 December 2018 will be collected on Wednesday, 26 December 2018 (all areas for Tuesday and Wednesday will be collected on the Wednesday).

• Thursday, 27 December 2018 normal collection schedule for Thursdays.

• Friday, 28 December 2018 normal collection schedule for Fridays.

• Monday, 31 December 2018 normal collection schedule for Mondays

• Tuesday, 1 January 2019 will be collected on Tuesday, 8 January 2019

TRAFFIC HINTS AND TIPS

SAFETY TIPS FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON

The holiday season is filled with happiness and celebration, but it can also be a time of danger for road users. it seems everyone is in a hurry trying to wrap up their shopping and enjoy festive celebrations. But as you’re dashing around town, it’s important to keep road safety top of mind, as the streets are busier and drivers are distracted by their holiday to-do lists. You are urged to be more careful on the roads. Here are a few friendly tips to ensure your Festive season is a safe one:

• DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE Drunk driving is a major contributory factor to road crashes and road deaths in South Africa. If you going to a Christmas party and plan to indulge in a drink or two and get merry, don’t drive. Stay the night or plan a safe alternative to get homes such as a cab or designated driver.

• SLOW DOWN In the rush to get to a Christmas party or do your Christmas shopping before the malls close, you may be tempted to speed. But police presence is greater on the roads both day and night throughout the season, and a speeding ticket and possible accidents are not likely on your holiday wish list.

• WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT Always buckle up. Wearing your seat belt can reduce your risk of dying in a crash by about half. Also, make sure young passengers are buckled into appropriate safety seats.

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• WATCH FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES. In an emergency, every second count. When you hear a siren, be sure to pull off to the side of the road to allow the ambulance, police car or fire truck to pass.

• OBEY ROAD RULES Always obey the rules of the road. They are there for a reason. Stay within the speed limits at all times

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• CARRY AN EMERGENCY KIT Always be prepared. The kit should include items that would come in handy if you are stranded on the side of the road or involved in a vehicle accident.

• PULL OFF THE ROAD IF YOU FEEL TIRED Please don’t try to drive when your eyes are shutting; you could kill yourself or others if you fall asleep. Have turns driving if there is another licensed person in the vehicle. Stop regularly to take breaks.

• PEDESTRIAN SAFETY TIPS BE VISIBLE Make sure you’re visible to drivers at all times and make eye contact with them whenever possible. This is especially important at night, in low-light conditions such as dusk or dawn or in inclement weather. Wear lightly colored or reflective clothing at night and brightly colored clothing during the day. Stay in well-lit areas, especially when crossing the street. If possible, make eye contact with drivers in stopped vehicles to ensure they see you before you cross in front of them.

• STAY ALERT – AVOID DISTRACTIONS Distractions are everywhere today and becoming more and more difficult to avoid. Remember that, as a pedestrian, your eyes and ears are your best tools for keeping safe. Stay alert and watch out. • Put down your phone. Smartphones and handheld electronic devices are a daily part of life, but they take your eyes off of the road and distract your attention. Don’t wear headphones. Your ears will tell you a lot about what is happening around you – be sure to use them.

• FOLLOW THE RULES  Know and follow all traffic rules, signs and signals. You need to be aware of the rules, vehicles around you must follow to properly anticipate what drivers will do. This will help increase your safety. • Never assume a driver will give you the right of way. Make every effort to make eye contact with the driver of a stopped or approaching vehicle before entering the roadway.

• WALK IN SAFE PLACES Use crosswalks when crossing the street. If a crosswalk is unavailable, be sure to find the most well-lit spot on the road to cross and wait for a long enough gap in traffic to make it safely across the street. • Stay on sidewalks whenever possible. If a sidewalk is not available, be sure to walk on the far side of the road facing traffic. This will help increase your visibility to drivers. • Avoid walking along highways or other roadways where pedestrians are prohibited.

• AVOID ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION Almost half of all traffic crashes resulting in pedestrian casualties involve alcohol consumption. Alcohol impairs your decision-making skills, physical reflexes and other abilities just as much on your feet as it does behind the wheel.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS TO ALWAYS HAVE WITH YOU: TRAFFIC : 018 788 9712 FOCHVILLE SAPS : 018 771 1103 CARLETONVILLE SAPS : 018 788 3000/6/7 107 CENTRE : 011 010 1500

Closure of Municipal Offices for Festive Season 2018

All Municipal Offices, except for emergency, essential services and stand-by personnel closes for the period over Christmas and New Year as from Friday, 21 December 2018 at 12:00 until Tuesday, 1 January 2019. All Municipal Offices will resume normal duties on Wednesday, 2 January 2019 at 07:30.

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