Friday, February 15, 2013

Free State News February 15 2013 sample stories


Free State News February 15 2013 sample stories

This web page(s) regularly focuses 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. The paper has been published on a weekly basis since 1999. Regular items like “Feature of the week” have appeared here over the years.



Free State News crew


Publisher



Moses Vinger



Confidential Secretary/Manager



Maki Mohapi aka “Madam Maki” “H.C”



Editor



Kaya M



News Editor



Omoseye Bolaji



Contributors



Nthabiseng Lisele



Dineo Mokgosi



Raselebeli Khotseng



Lay-out artist



Tumisang Takang



Contact number:



051 447 1655 051 447 1655





SANDF member dies while drag racing

By: Sebedi Seroalo



Kimberley - Illegal drag racing, which has become synonymous with Phakamile Mabija Road over weekends, ended in a dice with death in the early hours when 24-year-old Lionel Coleman lost control of his vehicle, resulting in it rolling several times. Coleman, who was a member of the South African National Defence Force and had the weekend off, was declared dead at the scene.

The impact of the accident uprooted a tree in the main road, which resulted in a pipe burst as well as a fault in the electrical cable of a nearby street light. According to witnesses, it is believed that Coleman was drag racing from Kim-by-Nite towards the city centre when the accident happened. Police spokesman, Lieutenant Olebogeng Tawana, confirmed that the driver of the charcoal BMW was killed after losing control of his vehicle in Phakamile Mabija Road.

“The BMW rolled and hit a tree. The engine of the vehicle was flung almost 20 metres from the scene of the impact.” He added that the driver was declared dead at the scene while his passenger was taken to hospital for treatment for injuries sustained during the accident.

“The Kimberley police are investigating a case of culpable homicide.”

Witnesses said the car was travelling at a high speed and allegedly skipped the red robot before the driver apparently lost control. The car hit the pavement and rolled several times before crashing into a tree and coming to a standstill against the boundary wall of a nearby house. It is believed that before the incident, the vehicle was parked in the KFC parking area opposite Revito, where there was an event featuring a performing artist. The owner of the house where the vehicle crashed, Yvonne Pailman, said she was sleeping but her daughter was sitting outside on the veranda with her boyfriend.

“I woke up when I heard the crash and I went to see what had happened.” She said that the woman in the passenger’s seat was helped out of the vehicle by two bystanders. Pailman said they brought her into the house and she was shaken and frightened. “She kept saying that her mother was going to scold her. She was not bleeding but said she had pain in her legs and back.”

Pailman said it took the police more than two hours to clean the scene of the accident. “Yesterday morning we had to pick up all the glass and vehicle parts which were still lying in the front yard.” Pailman pointed out that it was not the first time that a vehicle crashed into their house. “This road has become very dangerous. “We live in fear and are always expecting the worst, especially when people start racing.”

She added that although drag racing was illegal, it happened every weekend. “The police don’t do anything about it. They just stand and watch. “The starting point is usually Kim-by-Nite and then they come speeding down the street. “Children in this neighbourhood are not even allowed to cross the street alone at night and they have to play in the yard.”

Pailman added that the family of the deceased came to see where their son had died. Yesterday traumatised family members, including Coleman’s mother, went to Mark’s Towing where the vehicle was taken after the accident.

“The family did not want her to come but she insisted on seeing the car for herself,” a witness said. Coleman’s mother was too upset to speak to the media. A cousin, Henry Coleman, described Lionel as the reliable person in the family. “He had been working for the South African National Defence Force for couple of years. “He was friendly and easygoing. He always respected his adults and took responsibility for his mother and three siblings.”

He added that the mother of Coleman’s son was in the vehicle at the time of the accident and added that she was still in the Kimberley Hospital. “We haven’t gone to see her yet because we understand that it must be very traumatic for her and her family, we are planning to engage with her and the family.” He said that the family was planning to seek counselling to assist in dealing with the traumatic death. “Visiting the scene and viewing the vehicle is the first part of healing. “It’s tough to accept his death and going to the scene was extremely shocking for all of us. This is a young man, whose life was just starting.”





TSOSELETSO’S STAR PUPIL IN ‘SCANDAL’

By LETSHEGO MOENG





Mapaseka Koetle is on the threshold of true stardom in the country with the concomitant glitz and glamour of celebrities just around the corner.

Mapaseka, strutting her stuff in the T.V soapie hit, Scandal, however describes herself as “a normal Mangaung girl” who was raised and born in Bloemfontein in Rocklands. Her love for acting started in Rutanang primary school “back when OBE was first introduced and one could perform drama and get marks for it” she said.

Whilst at Tsoseletso High school her dream got serious as she worked with Mr Papane as her drama teacher. After high school she studied acting and she has been in various plays such as Madea, Ruined, and show off. She appeared on television for an ABSA advertisement, and has starred in a movie called Second Chances.

Subsequently she auditioned for ‘Scandal’ and got an exhilarating call-back. Not only is she an actress but she has a business called On Print which started November 2012. “We hire out mobile billboards to advertising agencies” she explained to Free State News.

The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement as both the teachers and learners saw her. It is not just about having goals but to work towards them and pray about it. . “You must believe in yourself have and write down your goals, trust God and always pray” said the effervescent Mapaseka as she addressed the learners at her former school.

With a beatific smile on her face she proudly added: “It has always been my dream to become an actress”. Now she is living her dream. You can catch her on ETV’s Scandal, every Monday to Thursday at 19:30.



Ambulance dumps sick man at home!

By: Sebedi Seroalo

Kimberley: A Kimberley man is fighting for his life at the Kimberley Hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU) after an ambulance driver and his assistant, who picked him up unconscious in Malunga Street, Galeshewe, apparently refused to transport him to the hospital and instead dumped him at his home in Matolo Street.

Gilbert Changandela’s family said that they were shocked when two ambulance personnel arrived at their home just after 6 am and told them that they were dropping off Changandela, who was unconscious at the time. “The paramedics told us that they picked Gilbert up in an unconscious state and that they did not check or administer any medication because they believed that he was just sleeping and that he would wake up shortly.

“They left him lying on the floor in the sitting room and told us that taking him to the hospital was unnecessary because they would not even know what to tell the doctor about his condition,” Changandela’s sister in-law, Nkagisang Changandela, said on Friday.

“Our mom has been to the hospital and we have been told that Gilbert has suffered brain damage.” Changandela’s sister, Keitumetse, said that because of the paramedics’ inability to offer them a clear explanation on how they picked Gilbert in Malunga Street, they suspected that they (paramedics) were hiding some information from them.

“Gilbert had marks on his face when they dropped him off. Who is to say they did not bump him with their vehicle or do something to him? This incident is very confusing and raises suspicions,” Keitumetse said. Nkagisang explained that they had to phone for another ambulance to come and pick Gilbert up and take him to hospital.

“The ambulance officials in the second ambulance were also perplexed about why the first ambulance did not take him straight to hospital. But what we are unhappy about is who would have taken responsibility if he had died? We don’t understand how the ambulance could drop off an unconscious person at his home instead of taking him to the hospital? We are really confused and shocked,” Nkagisang added.

The spokeswoman for the Northern Cape Department of Health, Lulu Mxekezo, said that the department would investigate the incident. “The emergency care practitioners are trained to stabilise patients and transport them to the nearest health facility. Their allegations of transporting the patient (Changandela) to his home will be investigated,” she said.

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