Wednesday, June 17, 2020 FREE!

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SASSA accused of wrongfully declining R350

relief grant applications
The applicants seems to be sure that they had all the re-
quirements although their applications were declined. The
relief fund was formulated to help those who are unem-
ployed in order to survive during the Covid-19 pandemic.

A woman, identified as Ziyanda Malongwana on Twitter,

has called out President Ramaphosa after her application
for the Covid-19 relief fund was declined.

Malongwana shared a screenshot of the text message she

received from SASSA, which claims that her application was
declined based on the fact that she receives an income
from other sources.

However, Malongwana claimed she has been unemployed

for the past four years and wanted to know what form of
income SASSA claims she received.
Malongwana captioned the post:

"Dear Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, I as an unemployed citizen of

South Africa would like to know why was my application
declined. I have been unemployed for four years now and
SASSA claims that I have other source of income.

U
nemployed South Africans are frustrated after According to SASSA CEO Busisiwe Memela there are spe-
Iphi le source of income?"
they recieved messages from the South African cific requirements for the R350 grant. There is no official statement yet from SASSA as for why
Social Security Agency that read "Your applica- Applicants must be; were the applications declined.
tion for SASSA Covid-19 SRD grant is declined.
You currently have income from other sources." the South Above the age of 18;
African youth took it to the Twitter streets with #SASSA to Unemployed;
complain about the issue. Some of the citizens claims that Not receiving any income;
they have been unemployed for years but still their applica- Not receiving any social grant;
tions were declined by the agency. Not receiving any unemployment insurance benefit and
does not qualify to receive unemployment insurance bene-
fits.
Wednesday NEWS SPOT 17 June 2020 Page 2

O
GO TO CONTACTS
SCHOOLS RE-OPENS FOR n Sunday 24 May 2020, President Cyril
Ramaphosa announced that the whole of
after staying at home for a long time due to the lockdown
that had been declared initially with the aim of curbing the
EMERGENCY RESPONSE THE FIRST TIME South Africa will move to level 3 lockdown spread of the Corona virus (Covid-19).

08600 10111 SINCE LOCKDOWN as of the first of June 2020, thus resulting in most of
the economic sectors in the country opening up their
AMBULANCE
doors. Some of the other changes put in place by the
10177 President include the resumption of classes for grades
7 and 12 learners as of 1 June 2020, however, Parents
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
will not be forced to send their children back to school
058 303 5501 if they feel uncomfortable.
The announcement of schools re-opening on 1 June 2020
TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT
made took a sudden turn when Minister of Basic Education,
058 303 5501 Angie Motshekga announced that the priority for the depart-
ment remains the safety of the pupils and without protective
HOME AFFAIRS gear they cannot allow schools to reopen and that conse-
quently schools would resume on June 8 2020 once the cor-
058 303 7110 rect and appropriate measures had been put into place to
allow students to return to school. Scores of pupils across the
LABOUR DEPARTMENT
country have returned to class and thou many parents are
058 303 5293 still worried about the safety of their children others were
happy that finally their children will be able to learn again
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
Minister Motshekga addressed the nation again on Sunday, 7
June 2020 with a follow-up announcement that it’s all sys-
tems go for the Grade 7 and 12 pupils to return to school on
Monday 8 June 2020, with the Department of Basic Education
saying that 95% of the schools in the country are ready for
teaching and learning. One of the Grade 12 learners in Bethle-
hem from Ntsu Secondary School, Nobuhle Jacobs, said that
she is happy to be back at school, and that the words spoken
by the Minister of Basic Education has given her hope that
she will be safe together with her fellow mates at school and
that the orientation given to them helped them to be in the
light with Covid-19 pandemic. Another learner from L.K Ntlab-
athi Secondary School, Thabang Makitikiti, a grade 7 learner
said that he was scared and yet happy at the same time with
the information given to them at school about Covid-19,
however, the reassurance given by the teachers regarding
their safety took away the anxiety and brought him hope.
By: Kedibone Mkwanazi

058 303 5615/5580

16 June 1976 commemoration in 2020 must be a reflection
DIHLABENG MUNICIPALITY

058 303 5386

phase
has inflicted the youth of today the same
HEALTH DEPARTMENT way. The youth of 1976 was confronted by
the remorseless apartheid regime whom in
058 303 5331
their response opened fire towards youth
and led to brutal genocide and loss of young
lion and lioness such as (Mbuyisa Makhubo,
BNS CONTACTS Antoinette Sithole and the little Hector Pie-
terson). The replicate of the 1976 regime
Lucky Maseko (Publisher) was evident with the post-1994 regime dur-
+27 61 140 4536 ing #FeesMustFall student activism in 2015
where students were apprehended, impris-
Nozey Mazibuko (Editor) oned, and some charged (student activists
such as Khanya Cekeshe, Mcebo Dhalmini
+27 65 809 8972 and many more). Education has not being
Thandiwe Mazibuko prioritized, universities' entry is still a mis-
(Editor) sion impossible for youth, and some still
experience financial exclusion despite the
+27 78 134 1800 positive contribution of #FeesMustFall activ-

F
ism. Drawn from SACGC in their 2019 data-
Ntombi Vilakazi (Editor)
orty-four years later since 16 June 1976 Let alone eighteen years (1976 -1994) of continu- base entailed 30 000+ unemployed graduates.
+27 76 339 1280 Soweto youth uprising, the widespread ous resistance against the white regime prior Which breaks down to 3 580graduates from uni-
revolt against the Bantu Education Act of advent of the 1994 democratic state. But exclu- versities, 7 890 form universities of technology,
Kedibone Mkwanazi 1953. An event comprised of approximately sively, focus on twenty-six years later post 1994 and 20 008 from TVET colleges.
(Journalist) 20,000 students from numerous Soweto schools democratic state under a black regime, and note
The 1976 generation fought a good fight ….
picketed in the streets of Soweto in response to that is marked by a plethora of challenges facing
+27 61 437 0728 #FeesMustFall generation carried the spear but
the introduction of Afrikaans as the medium of youth today. For the youth of post-1994, wake up
as opposed to the post-1994 regime with no in-
Bontle Motsoeneng instruction in local schools, which resulted in bru- to 16 June 2020 with an estimated 58.10% youth
tension to prioritize, invest, and secure the future
(Health Journalist) tal deaths of students estimated at 176 (possibly unemployment rate given the ILO statistics of the
of the country (youth).
reaching the number of 700) and injuries estimat- third quarter of 2019. Amongst is the washout
+27 78 381 4752 ed at 4,000. and nonfulfillment educational system that has By: Jakobo Motaung Oa Mokhele
not much difference from one of 1976, because it
Corné van Noordwyk
(Journalist)
+27 76 734 0218

Themba Maropane
CHURCHES RE-OPEN
DURING LEVEL 3 OF S everal places of worship have decided
to remain closed despite President
Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement that
religious gatherings would be allowed when
(Legal Advisor ) LOCKDOWN the country enters level 3 of lockdown on
Monday 1 June 2020. Ramaphosa said strict
+27 67 751 4102 regulations and safety precautions must be
implemented, with gatherings limited to few-
Tshepo Mofokeng (Sports er than 50 people.
Journalist) Jubilee Ministries International under the
leadership of Apostle and Prophet Ntisa
060 311 2571 have opened their doors for the first time
since the lockdown on Sunday, 7 June
Patrick (Graphics) 2020. The church is ensuring that the con-
gregants are abiding with all the lockdown
+27 65 970 1987 regulations including practicing social dis-
tancing, keeping the building clean and safe,
taking 50 people per service, screening peo-
ple before entering the premises, sanitizing
hands and ensuring that no one enters with-
out wearing a mask. When asked, Apostle
Ntisa asserted that it was great to be back
and that they couldn’t wait to fellowship with
the saints in the presence of God. Some
members of the church who work at the De-
partment of Health are taking the opportunity
to even speak to the congregation about
Covid-19 and shed more needed information
on the virus, posters are also made availa-
ble inside the church for members to access
them.
One of the community members from
Bohlokong, Jakobo Motaung, held that he is
of the view that there are no compelling rea-
sons as to why religious gathering are being
resumed under level 3 of the lockdown.
Motaung provided the following reasons for
his assertion; the South African government
takes the form of a secular state therefore,
religious institutions do not form part of the
primary institutions recognised in the country
and for this reason they are only catered for
in the South African constitution as forms of
freedom of religion and freedom of associa-
tion. Secondly, Church does not render es-
sential services but only administers spiritual
matters. As a result of the above mentioned
reasons, Motaung believes religious gather-
ings not to be of paramount importance to the
extent that they may resume as early as dur-
ing level 3 of the lockdown.
He further said that permitting religious gath-
erings may pose a threat to human health as
it may contribute to the spread of the virus.
He concluded by saying religious organisa-
tions are rendered as NPOs therefore cannot
negatively impact on the economy if they re-
main closed for this course.
By: Kedibone Mkwanazi
Wednesday NEWS SPOT 17 June 2020 Page 3

CLEANING CAMPAIGN HELD IN MAN APPEAR IN

BOHLOKONG COURT FOR ATTEMPT-
ED MURDER OF HIS
C
ouncillor Tlaleng
Mofokeng of Ward 7
in Dihlabeng Munici- EX-GIRLFRIEND.
pality in Free State
held a cleaning campaign in her
ward on Friday, 5 May. The mo-
tive behind the campaign was
to encourage healthy society
and environment for all the
members in this ward. The
campaign is an ongoing thing
and it is tagged to bring chang-
es and give education to the
members of the community.
Councillor Tlaleng said that it is
important to teach children a
healthy and a safe environment.
The campaign will also help
with the donation of clothes and
sanitary towels for the ladies
and also school socks for the
pupils during this cold weather.
About 50 people in the ward BOHLOKONG: Tumelo Mokoena (46) appeared before the Mag-
have had an opportunity to re-
ceive these donations. istrate on the 9th of June 2020 in Bethlehem. Mokoena who is
also known as “Mosotho Chakela” was arrested by Bohlokong
Detectives on Saturday 6 June 2020 on a charge of attempted
(In Photo: Councillor Tlaleng Mofokeng and members of the ward 7 community during the cleaning campaign) murder. It is alleged that on Sunday 31 May 2020, Mo-
koena stabbed his 29-year-old ex- girlfriend, Makhothatso
Meanwhile the Executive Major of Thafeng with a knife on the right arm and stomach. This was
Dihlabeng Municipality Lindiwe
Makhalema together with the after Tumelo met her on the street and demand that she must
youth from different committee take him back. When the victim refused, he then took out a
wards also took to the street to knife and stabbed her before fleeing the scene. Victim was as-
make the cleaning campaign in
sisted by members of the community and was taken to the hos-
commemoration to the youth day
on the 6th and 7th June, at differ- pital where she spent several days. After being discharged from
ent open space in Bohlokong. the hospital, Makhothatso went to the police to lay a charge
The cleaning campaign was done against Mokoena who was traced and subsequently arrested.
to encourage healthy lifestyle.
appeared again in court on Monday 15 June 2020 for bail appli-
By: Kedibone Mkwanazi cation. Free State Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General
Baile Motswenyane welcomed Mokoena’s arrest and made an
appealed to all victims of abuse to report such incidents as soon
as they are noticed to avoid unnecessary deaths. Many women
suffer in silence and often shun to report incidents of domestic
violence against their intimate partners, concludes Lieutenant
General Baile Motswenyane

(In Photo: Executive Major of Dihlabeng Municipality Lindiwe Makhalema with members of the youth committees) BY:SAPS
Wednesday NEWS SPOT 17 June 2020 Page 4
Wednesday NEWS SPOT 17 June 2020 Page 5
Wednesday NEWS SPOT
Dog Bite/Attack run up to it.If you have to approach the dog,do so slowly and
carefully.
> - Do not shout aggressively at the dog as this may cause it to
rush at you .
> - Do not turn your back and run away from the dog ,dogs have a
strong hunting instict and it is likely to chase you.
> - If you can , cross the road or give the dog a wide berth, staying
in the direct line of the dog may cause the dog to see you as a
threat .
> - If the dog is stray , try to avoid openly holding food .Dogs are
scavengers by nature and will be inclined to try and steal your
snack .
> - If you are visiting a friend with a dog , always ensure you don't
threaten or appear to be threatening the owner .The dog will
automatically jump to protect his owner ,even if the threat is play-
ful .
> convincing a person may make an order regarding the remov-
> HOW TO DEAL WITH A DOG ATTACK
> recovery of any costs incurred .
> Imagine you are out on an evening stroll with your two children
and Jack Russell terrier .As you prepare to cross the road ,you
notice that the gates of one of the houses opposite you had been
left open .The dog from that property ,an Alsatian ,has walked out
the gate and wandered up the road and noticed you .Not wanting
> If you have been a victim of a dog attack ,you may need to sue to risk an entanglement with this dog, you leave your two chil-
the animal's owner for damages suffered. dren to hold your dog and cross the road to try to usher the dog
> back into its house ,so the rest of your family can cross the road
> Dogs are Man's best friend ,often playing the role of protector and so that the dog is not got by a car .Walking carefully up to the
or companion. But we must remember that they are animals and dog,the dog suddenly lashed out aggressively and bites down on
can sometimes act unpredictably and aggressively towards peo- your arm. You shout out in pain and anger and the dog runs back
ple .You may come across a stray dog along your daily walk that towards its house .
attacks you for no reason, or your dog may bite one of your chil- > >
dren or relatives at home . > -The first thing to do when attacked by an animal is to secure
> yourself and family away from the animal .
> Many owners fail to train their dogs correctly, or at all , and > - Next ,stop and assess if anyone has been hurt and by how
some train their dogs to attack and fight .The World Health Organ- much .If the damage is life threatening ,call emergency services
isation estimates that tens of millions of injuries due to dog bites and dog are unharmed .You walk accross the road ,cross else-
happen every year .According to the Red Cross Children's Hospi- where and continue home .
tal, the majority of victims of dog bites in South Africa , are chil- > - Once home,assess the sound more thoroughly. Make sure to
dren . clean the wound with water and scrub it with disinfectant. Even in
> the case of small bite from an unknown dog,you should go to a
> WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT OF A DOG BITE / ATTACK doctor for antibiostic and tetanus shot .
> > - It is recommended that you speak to the owner of the dog and
> Dog bite incidents involving children are on the rise and typically find out ke the dog has had its rabies vaccination.
involve guard dog breeds .Events like these can not be predicted, > - Once the injured person has been stabilised ,contact the local
but do happen .It is important to know how you as an individual animal authorities and /or police to report the incident .
could be compensated in the case of a dog attack. > could have warned the victim about the dog is aggresive or unpre-
> > AFTERWARDS
> TIPS ON AVOIDING DOG ATTACKS > >
> > If you decided to claim from insurance or the dog owner ,you
> The ideal situation is that you avoid any attack involving a will need to prove ownership of the dog .
dog .Even if you do not own a dog ,many other people living > If claiming directly from the owner ,consulting with personal
around you might .Stray dogs are a common reality on the streets injury lawyers specialising in dog bite cases will help you to navi-
of South Africa . Most of these dogs are relatively small , scared gate the legalities of proving your case .If the injury is serious
and harmless, but occasionally, you may encounter a big- enough,the cases with help you to navigate the legalities of prov-
ger ,more aggressive dog . ing your case .If the injury is serious enough ,the owner may be
> liable to cover your medical expenses ,should you wish to pursue
> Here are some tips to avoid making the animal aggressive or the matter in court .If the sun is below R20 000.00 ,you should
provoking an attack. approach lawyers who specialise in Small Claims , and if possible
> dog bites specifically. You will also need to have the medical docu-
> - Avoid making eye contact with the dog , as holding a dog's ments detailing the injuries as well as the invoices .If you are likely
gaze can be a sign of aggression. to lose future income as a result of the bite, you need to inform
> - Avoid making sudden movements in front of the dog,do not your lawyer and furnish her with any documents to prove this.
>
17 June 2020 Page 6
> ARE YOU COVERED BY INSURANCE?
>
> Most home and medical insurance policies cover personal inju-
ries resulting from dog bites.Each dog bite claim must be investi-
gated by the insurance company through contact with the vic-
tim .The claim is verified based on good-faith reporting by the
victim .
>
> Legally Speaking :
>
> The animal Matters Amendment Act,1993 (Act 42 of 1993)
among others ,provides that a court may make certain directions
in respect of injuries caused by animals .Any person as a result of
whose negligence an animal causes injury to another person, shall
be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine or to im-
prisonment for a period not exceeding Two (2) years .A court
al ,custody ,disposal or destruction of the relevant animal and the
>
> As stated above, the owner of the dog is liable for compensating
the victim for medical expenses, wage losses, pain and trauma
suffered due to the injury .Medical expenses may include but are
not limited to emergency medicine,plastic surgery ,orthopaedic
surgery ,hospital stay , antibiotics, X-Rays, CAT
Scans ,physiotherapy and psychotherapy.
>
> Most communities have laws stating that dogs must be leashed
unless confined in its home .If the dog was off the leash at the
time of the attack or was not compliant with community laws ,
the owner may be required to pay a higher penalty .
> CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAY INFLUENCE THE CLAIM
>
> When launching a claim ,there are number of variables that
could work for ,or against you .Here are some things you should
bear in mind when launching a claim .
>
> * The animal was provoked into an attack ,by the victim
> * The victim was trespassing in the property where the attack
occured .
> * The victim was warned of the danger but chose to interact
with the animal anyway
> * The animal acted in a way " contrary to its nature" , and so the
attack could not have been avoided by the owner
> * The owner of the animal may be found negligent if he/she
dictable nature prior to the attack .
> The best way to go about this is to consult a personal injuries
lawyer .
> Your lawyer will be able to guide you through the legal process
of proving a case .
> If you do not have any lawyer ,go to the nearest police station
then launch the case ,you have the right to be assisted .In most
cases the police officers/personnel always ask the victims that "
will you stand with that dog in court ?" ,it is totally wrong but if
not assisted you may take the name/ surname of the personnel
and write down the time and date then report that to the Station
Commander then if still not happy with the respond then take the
matter to the SAPS Cluster Commander .
By: Themba Maropane
Wednesday NEWS SPOT 17 June 2020 Page 7

Advocate releases a snippet of his coming soon video

A
dvocate who is the fans were amused to see the dio and the music video will be
a well known dope visuals shot by Ray Films. available soon.
rapper and a The snippet was dropped on
presenter from Ekas'lam records Facebook page
Bethlehem has and recieved a lot of gratitude
dropped a high from the fans. Ekas'lam records
quality snippet video of his new has promised the fans of Advo-
single " To live & die in the hood" cate that the link for both the au-

Cleo entertainment ready for One Man Show

D
ue to the Covid-
19 restrictions
that prohibits
gatherings, the
annual One
Night Stand with Skeptical Kevo
will be streamed online on the Fa-
cebook page of Dihlabeng fm.
Cleo Edwin from Cleo entertain-
ment has promised the viewers
nothing but the best set from
Skeptical Kevo who made Bethle-
hem really proud last year at the
One Night Stand show which was
held at Sehlohlolong Car Wash.
The live show will be streamed on
the 4th of July at the Dihlabeng
fm studios during Get your
Groove on Show held by
Dihlabeng fm's presenter, Bas
Thiza.
Wednesday
Will PSL resume or not?
A
lthough the South African
Football Association
(SAFA) gave all the 32 PSL
teams the green light to
resume training following
approval from South Afri-
ca's Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize and
Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa, but unfor-
tunately no soccer games are allowed to be
played during COVID-19 lockdown level 3,
even behind closed doors. Most leagues
across the globe have been canceled due to
the COVID-19 outbreak but seems like the
South African Football Association still have
hope.
NEWS SPOT SPORTS 17 June 2020 Page 8
The PSL does not have any intention to can- and be tested, according to SAFA.
cel the season and so is SAFA who has main-
tained that they are not against the idea of South Africans are worried about what could
completing the season but only if it is safe to happen if the league is canceled. Kaizer
do so. Chiefs is still on top of the league with 48
points from 22 games but the soccer fans
Three weeks ago, SAFA confirmed partnering have different views on whether Kaizer
with the English Football Association to share Chiefs should be crowned the PSL champions
ideas on what is best for the players and offi- if the league gets canceled or not.
cials with regard to measures that should be
taken on return to football if required to do Up to so far nobody knows if the Premier
so. Soccer League will be canceled or not.
All the PSL teams have already fumigated
their facilities and it is only a matter of time
before players can be told resume training