The Rep 21 February 2020

4 Tel: (045) 839-4040 / editorial: mjekulal@therep.co.za / advertising: charodinev@therep.co.za 21 February 2020 THE R E P R ES E N TAT I V E
Filmmaker
brings his art
back home
Clark trying to collapse
municipality, Zicina says
‘We are trying to save bankrupt’ entity, LTK chairperson states
STUTTERHEIM: Thamsanqa Kasie is a young man on the rise. He
spent his entire childhood in town and matriculated from Stutt
High in 2013. He always had an interest in the arts and culture,
being awarded best actor and director during his school days.
In grade 11, he had the opportunity to write, direct and film
his own short film with Nab’ubomi, a company based in Port
Elizabeth. It was no surprise that Kasie went on to study film and
the arts after school.
He has since graduated and has been back in his home town
for the past few months. When schools began, he embarked on a
programme of seminars, creative talks and screenings of his work
at schools around town in order to share the importance of the
arts and how burgeoning minds can make a career of their talents
and passion for creativity.
Pupils learn how he has gone about writing and how this, in
turn, has allowed him to tell important stories to entertain and
stimulate viewers of all ages. He hopes to help students to find
“validity in the creative economy of this country”.
Some of the films he is screening include Sakhumzi, God
Amongst Other Things and Mlungisi. The latter film is named
after and inspired by Mlungisi location in Stutterheim. He has
won several awards for his scripts and filmmaking.
Va l e n t i n e ’s Day is over and for lovers the season has renewed
their commitments, while singles have sighed with relief. To mark
this day, the bowling club hosted a well-attended dance.
They also took the opportunity to open the renovated areas of
the bar and surrounds. There was also a wine tasting event at
Vinkel en Koljander. This month they tasted rosés. The evening
was facilitated by Donald Kemp, who captivates the guests with
his broad knowledge and quick wit while leading them through
what Ernest Hemingway called “the highest form of culture.”
Over the weekend the town was without electricity for much
of Saturday and Sunday, due to a blown transformer. The lower
parts of town and Mlungisi were without water from Sunday and
at the time of writing the supply still had not been restored.
ANDISA BONANI
The Chris Hani region
ANCYL will nominate
their regional working
committee chairperson at the
upcoming provincial
conference in Komani soon.
This resolution was passed at
an ANCYL regional conference
in December.
Yanga Zicina, commonly
known as Clarity, will lead the
p r ov i n c e ’s youth to “take up
space and find a voice in
strategic positions” to advance
problems facing them.
Zicina said young people in
the province were faced with
poverty and u n e m p l oy m e n t .
“The reason we need to be in
decision-making positions is
because we know our own
struggles, and who better to be
the advocate of our needs than
young people?
“Gone are the days of the
old guard in ANC structures
taking up all key positions.
Zicina said while the youth
understood job opportunities
were scarce and, as such, were
venturing into entrepreneurship,
there was not enough support.
“All young people require is
support so they may unlock
their business ventures which
would greatly contribute to the
mainstream economy . . . wh i ch
will result in job opportunities
for others.”
Asked about the Chris Hani
ANCYL programmes for young
people, Zicina said their
priorities included “exposing”
Let’s Talk Komani (LTK)
chairperson Ken Clark who, he
alleged, was masquerading as
“genuine” when he was actually
working to collapse the local
g ove r n m e n t .
“That man is working with
LTK public relation’s officer
Jacqueline Wijtenberg to
campaign against the
municipality and we want the
people to see them for who they
are.
“When we said we would
boycott Twizza we did not
mean jeopardising jobs, but to
show Clark we are on to him.”
Zicina said he suspected
Clark did not have a title deed as
proof of ownership of the land
his house was built on and that
he allegedly used millions of
litres of water daily in his
businesses, which he did not
pay for.
“Clark is a DA activist who
has contested elections and
failed and now he is using poor
people to pursue his selfish
agenda - we dare him to come
clean.
“He wants to forcefully
receive government tenders
when he knows there are clear
supply chain processes that
must be followed.
“We will take extreme
measures to ensure he is
exposed for what and who he
i s ,” Zicina said.
Clark said every effort made
by LTK was to restore full
municipal function for the
benefit of all residents under the
EMLM jurisdiction.
“We are non-partisan and
have no interest in causing the
downfall of any political party,”
Clark said.
“We firmly believe there are
good people in the ANC and we
will work with anybody who
has the same aims and
objectives as LTK, which is also
to restore the municipality as
envisaged in the constitution.
“R865m has been written off
in wasteful, unauthorised and
fruitless expenditure over the
past two years - that is an
indictment on council and
senior management staff.
“They owe the people of
Komani an explanation.
“The municipality is
bankrupt because of how it has
been managed. We are trying to
save it.
“Transforming the current
deadlock around service
delivery involves multiple
stakeholders and the secretary
of LTK, Jacqueline Wijtenburg,
has given voluntary time in
service of this ideal for more
than a year.
“She is a chartered public
relations practitioner,
specialising in stakeholder
relations, registered with the
Public Relations Institute of SA.”
Clark added that another
ANCYL member made an
unfounded allegations that he
stole electricity and water,
which he said was an effort to
destroy his integrity.
“I found the language used
by that individual repugnant
and dehumanising and I intend
to take legal action against him."
Clark said he would show a
copy of his title deed to The Rep
as proof of ownership of the
land his house was built on.
Emalahleni demands
no bail for rape cases
First Miss Valentine
crowned in Ezibeleni
ABONGILE
S O L U N D WA N A
Emalahleni residents have
called for parliament to make a
bill amendment that p r e ve n t s
rapists being given bail.
This was one of their
memorandums of demand
which department of safety and
liaison MEC Weziwe Tikana-
Gxothiwe read to the public on
behalf of the residents outside
the magistrate’s court in Cacadu
on Tuesday.
The community members
had embarked on a peaceful
march from Zulu square to the
Cacadu magistrate’s court with
department of safety and liaison
and Emalahleni Local
Municipality officials.
The public outcry for more
government intervention
emerged from the spate of drugfuelled
murder and rape crimes
against the elderly, the disabled,
women and children.
Tikana-Gxothiwe said: “Th e
residents are complaining about
court cases taking a long time to
be resolved. We plead with the
court to prioritise rape c a s e s .”
She said the residents also
requested that more police be
deployed in Emalahleni,
especially on grant payment
days and for police visibility
during the night.
The residents also said the
criminals influenced under-age
youths to commit crime as they
would escape imprisonment.
“We need government to
develop sport in the area. We
want the law to be harsh on
those who practise lawlessness.”
Sentenced murderers and
rapists must not be given parole,
she said. Other requests were
for the need for community
policing forums and headman
structures to be established in
Emalahleni villages.
“We want the government to
establish and support these
structures. There must be an
understanding between the
police and the prosecutors. The
municipality must have by-laws
to assist the police in doing their
j o b ,” the MEC said.
The memorandum of
demands was received by the
area court manager, Zola
Buyeye, and court manager
Nomfusi Tyemela as the
magistrate was busy with a case.
Buyeye said the demands,
which the residents wanted a
response to within 30 days,
would be sent to the regional
office in East London.
The department of safety and
liaison conducted an awareness
campaign to combat crime.
Emalahleni mayor
Ntombizanele Koni said: “We
are happy that none of the
identified criminals arrested
have received bail since May.”
ZINTLE BOBELO
The crowning of the first Miss
Valentine took place at the
Ezibeleni zone 3 community
hall on Saturday.
Ezibeleni youth leader Avela
Qwalela said the event was a
project started in November and
initiated by the youth of
Ezibeleni for young girls.
He said the young citizens
were taught about various
career paths and leadership.
Tthe pageant was for contestants
who participated in the sessions
to present information obtained
during the engagements.
The project was
spearheaded by a group from
Ezibeleni called Konoraz.
Miss Valentine 2020 Kuhle
Nodida,16, said she was
looking forward to working in
community projects. “I am
happy I was able to showcase
ALL SMILES: The youth
of Ezibeleni held the
first annual Miss
Valentine pageant.
Pictured, back from left,
first princess Anovuyo
Kubheka, Miss Social
Aluve Mviti and second
princess Ukhona Habe.
Front Miss Valentine
2020, Kuhle Nodida
Picture: ZINTLE BOBELO
my talent so that other young
people can do the same.”
Miss Social 2020, Aluve
Mpiti,17, said she was
overwhelmed and appreciated
the opportunity.
Fire claims the lives of three
young children in Cofimvaba
ENOUGH:
Department
of safety and
liaisonMEC
We z i w e
Tikana-
Gxothiwe
joins the
residents in a
march against
escalating
crime in the
Emalahleni
Local
Municipality
P i c t u re :
ABONGILE
S O L U N D WA N A
SINAWO POSWAYO
Three children, aged six, nine
and 13 died tragically in a fire
that broke out at a C o f i m va b a
home on February 14.
Family spokesperson
Thokozile Dangazele told The
Rep the distraught family were
battling to cope with the
t ra g e dy.
The children’s devastated
mother, Afika Dangazele, was
unable to speak to the media.
“On the evening, Inani, 13,
Unako, nine, and Azingce
Dangazele, six, died while we
were out preparing for a family
f u n e ra l ,” Dangazele said.
“They were home with an
adult woman relative.
“They told her they would
sleep in a separate house and
wait for their grandmother.
“If she did not arrive they
would not mind sleeping alone
and asked to be woken at 10am.
“On Saturday, the woman
did not wake the children as it
was too early.
“She sent a 13-year-old to
fetch something from the house
where the children were
sleeping.
“On arrival, it appeared
there had been a fire in the
house, the room they had slept
in was black from smoke and
two of the children were lying
on the floor next to the door.”
According to a statement
issued by provincial police
spokesperson Brig Tembinkosi
Kinana, an inquest will be held
to establish how the children
died.
In the statement, provincial
police commissioner, Lt Gen
Liziwe Ntshinga sent his
condolences to the family and
called on the community to
offer moral support.
He warned parents to
exercise extreme caution when
leaving children alone.
The childrens’ funeral will be
held on February 29.