Free State News (December 2009 Editions)

FREE STATE NEWS (December 2009 editions)

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 celebrated its 10th year anniversary this year). The paper has been published on a weekly basis since 1999. Regular items like “Feature of the week” have appeared here over the months.

Free State News crew

Publisher
Moses Vinger

Confidential Secretary/Manager
Maki Mohapi aka “Madam Maki” “H.C”

Editor
Kaya M

News Editor
Omoseye Bolaji

News Desk
S. Botsime

Contributors
Raselebeli Khotseng
F. Qoopane

Lay-out artist
Tumisang Takang

Contact number:
051 447 1655




DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 17 2009 edition

PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE

A new year has materialised, and is upon us now. For many, threadbare resolutions and similar felicities will be rolled out tentatively, then the treadmill of life will continue unabated

Ideally, this is a time to ponder and reflect, chart out a fresh course and blueprint for the New Year. Those who wallow in being degenerates, wastrels or libertines are advised to re-shape their lives positively, for example.

As that inspiring philosopher, Longfellow wrote: “Life is real, life is earnest. Let us then be up and doing with a heart for many faiths, still achieving, still pursuing, lend to labour and to wait”

Or in the immortal words of M. L. Haskins who commented on the dawn of a new year: “Give me a light that I might tread safely into the unknown. And he replied: “go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God’ that shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way”

Let us grasp the nettle of this New Year and turn it into a triumph for all.

MOSES VINGER (Publisher, Free State News)


FEATURE OF THE WEEK:

“Launch of CRL Rights resonates” By Raselebeli Khotseng

Reproduced here:

Launch of CRL Rights resonates

By Raselebeli Khotseng

Commission for the Promotion and protection of the rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL) organised the CRL Rights Community Councils Launch in the Free State Province. The theme was “The importance of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Community Councils in building Unity and One South African Nation”

The Launch took place on the 8th Dec 2009 at Mangaung Local Municipality Hall (Auditorium). This event was the first of its kind in the Free State and is the second one to be held nationally (since the first one in Johannesburg)

The event was graced by religious and cultural groups from their different backgrounds, artists, poets, and prominent members of the community who also raised their views with regard to religious and cultural diversity. These included Queen Moroka of Thaba Nchu, members of the Free State Legislature, MLM officials led by Deputy Mayor, Clr M.A Siyonzana who conducted a welcome address.

Deputy Chairperson of CRL Ms Julia Mabale who was the programme director called on the interfaith prayer of all religious leaders from African religion, Christianity, Traditional practitioners, Muslim, Bahai, Hindu and Rastafari.

After introduction of guests, Mr T.E Mafadza, a Community Engagement Senior Manager in Legislature asked the religious and cultural communities to work together so as to strengthen democracy.

Mr. Khetha from the Department of Sports Arts and Culture and Recreation appealed to the attendants to accept pertinent African languages and religions that are in existence. He went on to state that there is no religion or culture that is superior to others. He attacked the SPCA for laying a charge against the Zulu culture of killing a bull. He termed the SPCA criticism as a culture of intolerance to Zulu people.

His views were supported by Mrs Sbongile who heads “Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture Legislature” She lambasted the attitude of undermining the SA Constitution by SPCA by interfering with other peoples’ culture and tradition.

The issue of July Handicapped was raised that when a horse refuses to enter a racing gauge during the occasion, it is forcefully and painfully pushed inside without mercy but no one criticises that!

Ntate Motsie Lekhoa, on behalf of Lekhotla La Basotho, made the point that every culture is unique and it must be respected; although some people make a business out of (Lebollo) initiation schools

Certificates of recognition were presented to organisations who have already applied with CRL. And there was a moment of entertainment when a children’s traditional group performed, including two well-known poets - Mr. Flaxman and yours truly.

The vote of thanks was done by the CRL Rights Commission Acting Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Cornelius Smuts.


Also:

LETTER:

I wish to congratulate Mr Omoseye Bolaji for the imminent publication of his new book, Tebogo and the pantophagist. His thrilling creativity and extraordinary services to literacy and literature at the grassroots level will always be appreciated.

Probably the most moving aspect of this new book is the way Bolaji dedicates it to Gloria Marobele, who was already shaping up to be an outstanding journalist and writer when she lost her life so cruelly and unnecessarily no thanks to a car accident. It was such a waste!

The beauty of the Tebogo Mystery series is that it largely encourages many of we black people at grassroots level to read and enjoy mystery books with local touches, the way our people talk, go to the pubs and shebeens, interact, the occasional skeletons in closets etc. It is heart warming to have our own detective like Tebogo operating like more heralded white sleuths like Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot or Ellery Queen.

Tebogo and the pantophagist is the latest in a line of interesting books featuring the Free State based sleuth, Tebogo Mokoena. Previous books in the series are Tebogo Investigates (2000) Tebogo’s spot of bother, (2001), Tebogo Fails (2003), Ask Tebogo (2004), Tebogo and the Haka (2008), and Tebogo and the epithalamion (2009)
- Daniel Pela

DECEMBER 11 – DECEMBER 17 2009 edition


FEATURE OF THE WEEK: “Agricultural Educational Tour” By S Botsime (Front page)

Reproduced here:

Agricultural Educational Tour
…Fish hatchery is biggest in SA

By S Botsime

It all started on the 02 December when the Department of Agriculture took pupils from different schools including Vulamasango, Mamello and a Virginia high school. The tour began at Glen College. The principal of Glen, Mr. Snyman said that it is indeed wise for one to take a career in Agriculture because a country without food is a country without a future.

He further stated that the College offers Higher Certificate and Diplomas and the subjects that are needed are English, Biology, Science, Maths and Accounting. Then he gave the podium to Mr.Jansen van Rensburg who is the Agricultural Economist who gave the background of the college and ARC (Agriculture Research Council) gave the tour a meaning by patiently explaining to the learners about the different types of soil and and fertilizers that are used in the soils. Also, the students visited the field.

Then the road led to Home-sek where they learnt about the pasteurising of Milk and the making of yogurt and butter .The tour guide at Home-sek was Annelize who is the Lab Technician who studied Food Technology. She showed attendees the plant and pointed out that they supply Woolworths with their product. The next port of call was the laboratory where diseases and viruses that affect the animals including those that affect humans found in animals were highlighted.

Dr Mashishi, a veterinary surgeon explained the importance of studying being a vet and another specialist, Dr. Motanzi, told students that they must do it for the passion not for the money since it takes a long time before one starts to make money. The job of the Vet is to identify the disease and eradicate it. Then Dr. Kotze, a fixture at the Institution, showed the students how to handle a sick animal and stated the stages that animals go through from a stage of shock to being approved.

At Thutapoo Farm, the students learnt about the essential oils, intensive farming where the daughters of the owner Ntsheuwa and Sebolelo jointly won the National Female Farmer of the year 2009 Award. Part of the service that is offered by the farm is Bed & Breakfast and the making of honey. Most students were impressed by Hydro phonic where plants are nurtured without the using of soil. Thereafter the Rustfontein dam was visited where students learnt at Bloemwater plant. The students learnt about the purification of water, and the design of the dam which uses three pumps, though only two are working. The tour guide stressed that water is very scarce with grim possibilities for 2020. “It’s every one’s responsibility to save water.”

At Xhariep delegates spent the night at the lodge. The next morning we went to Fish Hatchery which houses different kinds of fishes. Part of the programme was for the learners to go through the Fish Hatchery and Environmental Education Centre being operated by Free State Department and the Hatchery is the largest facility of its kind in South Africa and it focuses more on breeding fish for food as well as conserving scarce species.

At Xhariep dam a tour ensued, from the top of the bridge to the bottom of it, being shown the pictures when the bridge was built in 1966 till when it was finished in 1972. The learners were shown even the generator used to pump water in case there is a need of power supply. The learners were given advice and most importantly told that there are bursaries for all those who want to further their studies in that department of water affairs The tour guide pointed out the Orange river and the vaal river, tributary and embraced an extension open grassland landscape and smaller tributaries such as the Riet, Modder, Sand Vet, Vals Renoster and Wilge river which traverse the wide open spaces of the Free State.

The Mayor of Gariep introduced himself and his team and gave the honour to the MEC Mamiki Xabathe who gave a speech about the tour and delegated a representative to get the addresses of the learners so that she can visit them individually. Her main focus was to discover what the learners had learnt about the tour and how are they going to use that information to empower the society when they go back home. The MEC’s last word was that there is indeed lot of opportunities for one to follow in the Agricultural field and the assurance that there are bursaries.

ALSO:

Dear Diary (Column) By Mpumelelo Mtjekelo

DECEMBER

This month December is supposed to be a much anticipated, well respected month in the year of South Africans; we have world AIDS day, Day of Reconciliation, Christmas day and Day of Goodwill. Many teens know these days to be special but do not know why. Instead of doing what needs to be done, they go out to abuse alcohol and drugs.

A lot of things happen especially this month December, learners are out of school; workers are out of work too. This is the month where there are more rapes, more murders, more corruption; people having unplanned pregnancy forgetting about the next month after December, peer pressure also escalates; more sugar daddies, more sugar mommies. People have lost the meaning of this month.

It was the 31st December 2008 when it all began, at that time everything looks and feels perfect. We don’t worry about tomorrow “who said it will come any way”, “Etsa feela” they say.

Here is tomorrow, now two hearts beat as one. Then suddenly you’ll hear a voice saying “I wasn’t thinking straight, I was drunk, I didn’t know what I was doing, I was tempted, I was trying to satisfy him, I - am – afraid!” The two hearts are still beating as one. These two hearts beating are actually unplanned pregnancy of twins!

The 1st January 2009 ushers in the New Year yet it doesn’t mean that all that happened last year shall fade away. For today reveals tomorrow as yesterday reveals today. It took only one day (31st December 2008) to change the entire life of the individual, one day. How long does it take to build a great life? It takes a life time. And how long does it take to destroy it? It takes a minimum of a second, just one second and your life can change dramatically,

Don’t let your life change in a second, be careful. Enjoy your December holiday well and have a happy New Year!