Thursday, October 30, 2008

FREE STATE NEWS (OCTOBER 2008)

FREE STATE NEWS (Oct 2008)

This web page(s) would regularly focus on the leading Free State (South Africa) newspaper – Free State news – the first regular newspaper to be orchestrated fully by black people in the Free State province (soon the paper will be celebrating it’s 10th year anniversary). The paper has been published on a weekly basis since 1999. Here, we shall have regular items like “Feature of the week”, which started in July, 2008

Free State News crew

Publisher
Moses Vinger

Confidential Secretary/Manager
Maki Mohapi

Editor
Kaya M

News Editor
Omoseye Bolaji

News Desk
Julia Stuurman
Flaxman Qoopane
Neo Mvubu
Thabo wa Makae

Sports Reporter
Michael Tlhakudi

Lay-out artist
Tumisang Takang

Photographer
Fresh Pix

Contact number:
051 447 1655


31 OCT – 6 NOV 2008 Edition

FEATURE OF THE WEEK:

“Death is a Destiny” By Seleke Botsime – columnist
(reproduced here)



(SILHOUETTES)


DEATH IS A DESTINY

By Seleke Botsime


I was once asked whether I believe in premature death. I remember that makes me quiet for sometime and this was my answer- if God want one to die a second after birth it will be so. He knows our coming and going way before we are even conceived!

So it’s no secret that our heavenly father do as he pleases, no force is found above him. Remember that he won the world with his wisdom for him to be the only God. It’s us humans when we are in great pain through loss of loved one. Start questioning the existence or the presence of God. I realise that we, humans are created in such a way to always find a closure so that we might be able to move on.

On his conversation with Lucifer it’s been documented that, he gave Lucifer the right to take any possessions that Job has, but never touch his life. For how do we know the formation of the one that is in the womb. For one to survive a terrible disruption lies entirely on him. We are truly inspired by this living God.

His greatness surpasses all the greatness of mankind. For us who are inspired and never educated know that he is alpha and omega! Wisdom is a shelter, as well as money-but the good thing about wisdom is preserving the life of its possessor!

God bless!!




24 OCT – 30 OCT 2008 Edition

FEATURE OF THE WEEK:

“Tikwe Community basks in food innovation” By Julia Stuurman (Page 2)
(reproduced here)


TIKWE COMMUNITY BASKS IN FOOD INNOVATION

By Julia Stuurman


The MEC for Agriculture in the Free State , Mamiki Qabathe has launched the Tikwe wheat project in Tsoelopele Municipality . The venture came at the appropriate time to ensure food security in the province.

“This shows that people here are making initiatives,” she said. The world is affected by the change in the climate and Agriculture is one of the sectors mostly affected, and ensuring adequate food for the people is one of the daunting factors.

But Tikwe wheat project in Hopstaad is rising up to the occasion. They have their own irrigation system and they are operating on the municipal land. Currently they are producing wheat for local people and big brands in the country.

“We have a contract with Woolworth and we are providing them with wheat to make bread,” a leader of the Project, Manyatseng Sebilo said.
This is a family project hence there are nine families involved “We are each working with our wives and have opened another food garden for them to care for” Sebilo explained.

The Department of Agriculture has donated a tractor for this project, and has spent about four million over the years to support it to grow. The MEC urged the community of Tsoelopele Municipality to protect this project. “Don’t steal from them because when you do that the food crisis will get worse and you would not have food in your area” she said.

This is not an adults-only affair; the youth are also actively involved in providing food for the community and also make a living out of it. Bambanani Youth Project has created a vegetable garden since 2001 “We sell them to supermarkets like Spar and OK” the leader of the project, George said. This is a 25 member group and they are also involved in Poultry.

“We will beat and undermine the food prices by creating these food gardens for ourselves” Sebilo concluded.


17 OCT – 23 OCT 2008 Edition

FEATURE OF THE WEEK:

“Macufe Revelry and Afterglow” By Omoseye Bolaji (page 5)
(reproduced here)

MACUFE REVELRY AND AFTERGLOW

By Chief Omoseye Bolaji

There is a halcyon consensus about it – Macufe* 2008 was a success, a throw back to its early days with the excitement, glamour and communal participation being re-enacted with gusto. The people loved it, reveled in it and there was an ambience of success all over.

The attendances at the major events were quite spectacular – people from all walks of life joined in the frenzy and cornucopia of fun. Even those who did not actually attend most of Macufe’s delights walked tall, rejoicing, holding their heads high, basking at the carnival.

Such cultural festivals keep people on the qui vive – presenting a spectacle of events that the hordes can revel in; be it music, drama, displays of artifacts and memorabilia. The people take pride in such well mapped out events that hold most in awe. Such was the case with the latest version of Macufe.

The euphoria over the gargantuan festival spilled over throughout Mangaung itself. There were mini picnics all over the townships and the people had fun at sundry places normally associated with merriment. It was not only at the designated centres of Macufe; people rollicked and gamboled in the Macufe spirit at bars, open places and joints.

The feel-good factor cascaded to the soccer – embracing the Macufe Cup last Sunday and Bafana Bafana playing Ghana on Wednesday this week. It was exhilarating for the teeming fans to see Bloemfontein Celtic winning the Macufe Cup for the first time ever last Sunday. And there was a pleasing symmetry involved when Bafana extended their winning streak at the Vodacom Park to five wins in a row, winning 2 1 against the respected Black Stars of Ghana. As Bernard Parker rose majestically to head in the winning goal the afterglow became accentuated!
* Mangaung Arts and Culture Festival, essentially hosted in Bloemfontein city

10 OCT – 16 OCT 2008 edition

FEATURE OF THE WEEK:

“An intrinsic keyboard player” By Thabo ha Thulo (Page 4)
(reproduced here)


AN INTRINSIC KEYBOARD PLAYER !

BY: THABO HA THULO


He’s never had a music lesson in his life, but by the age of twelve he was playing the keyboard in the church! Tumelo Nteleki 18, who hails from Matwabeng near Senekal, entertains his congregation by playing the keyboard during the church service. He is a born-again Christian and belongs to a church called Holy Land Ministry. He says: “This gift comes from God, and I have decided to play keyboard in His Temple till the end of my life.”

“I wonder if in 2002 by the age of twelve if I had not dedicated my love to God, where my life would be now. ‘Some other youngsters have come to me to learn more regarding playing the keyboard and I teach them’’ he added. Tumelo plays the keyboard in an entertaining and informative manner.

The talented young man is a grade 11 student from the Ithabiseng High School . His pastor, Johannes Mongali says: “In each and every church service I’ve been lucky to be in tandem with Tumelo, I have not had any problem with him, always he is present. Sometimes I go to other towns to preach the gospel and Tumelo gets to play the keyboard”

Tumelo stressed that his dream is to have his name among the pantheon of famous keyboardist in the music ministry. He told the Free State News: “There’s one question that we all have to ask daily: what can I do to please God? For my side I have chosen to play keyboard in the church.”

He reminisced that in the beginning, people discouraged him. “They said I was too young to play music but I ignored their snide comments. Today everybody wishes me the best – including my detractors!”

When asked to describe himself in three words, Tumelo said: “A Christian, oscillator and consecrator.” Tumelo told Free State News: ‘Always when I play the keyboard during the church service I feel the presence of the Spirit of God upon me. I also would like to inspire the youth to make good use of their talent instead of getting involved in crime’ he said.


03 Oct – 09 OCT 2008 edition

FEATURE OF THE WEEK:

“International Translation Day orchestrated in Bethlehem ” By Thabo wa Makae (Page 5)
(reproduced here)


International Translation Day orchestrated in Bethlehem

By Thabo wa Makae

The Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) held the International Translation Day in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District in conjunction with the Dihlabeng Local Municipality last weekend at Bethlehem Town Hall . The International Translation Day Celebrations are held annually on 30 September but different provinces hold their celebrations before that date, culminating to the national event.

The Free State celebrated this day in the Dihlabeng Local Municipality by holding a seminar with the aim of ensuring that all the municipalities develop their own language policies so that all the languages spoken predominantly in the respective municipalities, especially African languages, are used and promoted to accommodate the community. The development of language policies will also ensure that municipalities develop language units where unemployed language practitioners will be employed to render language services to the municipalities i.e. translation and interpreting.

The Executive Mayor of the Dihlabeng Local Municipality , M. Mofokeng, signed a pledge stating that municipalities will develop language units to further the objective of multilingualism to the benefit of the community in service delivery. The pledge will be circulated to all the municipalities in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District to be signed by the Mayors.