7
DIKGANG TSA MOGALE NEWS
October 2007
Adding colour to kids’ lives
Plascon lavishes special
attention on Birdsville
creché on Colour Day
BY CLIFFORD MOGOTSI
W
hen the oldest
residents of Kagiso
hear the name
Birdsville, the only
thing that tickles their minds is the
over indulgence in alcohol and
dancing the night away.
Well, this once famous shebeen is
now a home for toddlers.
And, it is known as one of the
admired day care centres in Kagiso.
While for some the name still
carries old memories, for the
owner Sandra Mokgwathi, the
name Birdsville now means a sweet
home for toddlers.
The 13-year-old crèche recently
celebrated National Colour Day in a
unique style and new bright colours
adorning the old walls bear
evidence that there is a bright future
for our kids. Birdsville, which is
neighbouring the Boipelo Primary
School, houses a total of 90 children
who live as far as Tshepisong,
M’qandash and ext12.
South Africa’s leading paint
manufacturer Plascon chose this
township abode as an ideal spot to
celebrate colour day. Paint experts
displayed their benevolence and
painted the interior and exterior of
the crèche.
Spotted in white overalls, the
management team initially spread
the awareness of a disease called
cataracts, a leading cause of
blindness in South Africa.
This disease clouds the lens
leading to blurred or dull sight. And,
the very worst cataracts – where the
iris appears almost entirely clouded
over – is said to cause a total loss of
vision.
Plascon’s Group Brand Manager
Monde Keebine, said: “By
supporting this worthy cause you
will be able to help others see their
world in a different light”.
Though there are no cases of
cataracts at the crèche, Plascon saw
a dire need to visit the crèches after
receiving a data of registered day
care centres from the Mogale City
Local Municipality.
Plascon’s Co-operate Social
Investment Manager, Patrick
Seager, was hard at work rolling the
paint on the wall.
Seager said their long term goal
is also to improve the conditions of
crèches in Kagiso. “Our company is
based near Kagiso and we’ve
decided to sponsor crèches with
paint, ceiling and a financial boost.”
At the time of rolling first and
second coat water-based paint
on the old structure, children were
transported to Rosebank Kuality
where there were special kids
BRIGHT LIGHT: Plascon Brand Manager Katlego Mashishi joins in the colouring operations.
programmes put in place.
However, the inhalation of paint
is known to inflict a health hazard,
paint champions employed a water
based prima, Low Sheen Pure
Acrylic, a first coat which is solvent
free and contains no chemicals.
And, second layer, a solvent-free
High Sheen Pure Acrylic was used
and colours decorating the
children’s room are Winnie the
Pooh, Simba and Huney Yellow.
Alleged traffic-cop killers get bail
BY SIPHO NONE
The Krugersdorp Magistrate’s
Court granted bail to the two men
charged with the killing of Mogale
City Local Municipality traffic
officer Thabo Jonas Tladi.
The pair – Fikile Zikhali (22) and
Bonginkosi Tiyane (23) – both from
Kagiso, appeared briefly in the
Krugersdorp Magistrate’s Court on
charges of murder and robbery with
aggravating circumstances. The
suspects were granted R 3 000 each
bail.
Investigating officer David
Makoko did not oppose bail.
After a 20- minute cross-
examination by the defence
advocate Phillip Nel Makoko said
the suspects will not oppose any
threat to the witnesses.
However, prosecutor Rungolani
Mhlongo argued in favour of the
state and refused the suspects bail.
He said the suspects, despite not
posing any threat to the witnesses,
are a danger to the community, and
their lives might threatened by
members of the community.
Mhlongo insisted that in the
previous court appearances
members of the community,
together with Tladi’s co-workers
bayed for the suspects’ blood, and it
would be in the interest of the
accused and state to have them safe
in custody.
It was also revealed in court
during cross-examination by the
investigating officer that the
murder weapon (firearm) used
during the killing of Tladi has not
being found, and the fingerprints
lifted from the official car that the
officer was driving at the time of his
killing and stolen by the suspects
did not match that of the suspects.
The bail conditions have been
extended and Zikhali and Tiyane
are expected to report to the local
police station three times in a week
and are not suppose to leave the
jurisdiction of Mogale City.
The exterior shines in Banana
Sunday.
And according to Technology
Manager Vusi Masinda, there is a
maintenance plan and the crèche
will be monitored.
“We know that the crèche houses
children and so we will use our
maintenance plan to make sure the
walls are clean and well monitored,”
said Masinda.
Jubilant owner Mokgwathi
urged other crèches to regularly
attend workshops that are held by
government and public sectors to
gain knowledge on how the can
manage their centres.
“I am so thankful to Plascon and
I would like to urge other crèches to
attend workshops run by
government departments and public
companies to get knowledge on how
they can manage their centres,”
said Mokgwathi.
Kids benefit from grants-in-aid
BY SIPHO NONE
More than 50 learners from
Thembile Public School in Kagiso
on the West Rand received a Spring
present when a local councillor
presented them with full school
uniforms.
The learners – mainly from
poor families were pampered
to the fullest last week when
Councillor Nomalanga
Ntamane used her grants-in-aid
funds to help needy and orphaned
learners at her former school.
Ntamane said with the help of
the teachers and school governing
body she was able to identify needy
learners and see them through their
academic lessons without any form
of difficulties coming from the
winter and spring season.
“It is discouraging to see our
learners going to school shabbily
dressed.
“This kind of situation is
demoralising them in-and-outside
the classroom, and their
performance would also go down as
well,” Ntamane said, handing over
bags full of uniforms, ranging from
pair of trousers, jerseys, socks and
shirts.
The uniforms, valued at R5 600,
is part of the municipality’s annual
grants-in-aid given to councillors to
help needy communities or projects
that require financial assistance.
Tokoloshi will have listeners in a spin
Norah ties the knot
in quiet ceremony
BY THABILE MANGE
BY THABILE MANGE
Does the name Bandile Masinda
ring a bell? I don’t think so. Who is
Masinda by the way? A new and
unknown ruling party presidential
candidate, perhaps? A new hip-hop
or kwaito artist?
Masinda is a jazz musician, and
has been long in the field. He was
once in the same band, called
Badiri, as former Mogale City
Executive Mayor Lentswe Mokgatle.
The jazz singer has just released
a 9-track CD titled Tokoloshi.
The CD rocks. Don’t take my
word for it, listen to it and draw your
own conclusion.
On the CD is a song about
Zimbabwe. Political? You bet.
The singer is a former exile.
However, the song is not new.
Masinda took it from his former
band Badiri and revamped it. The
same applies to Tokoloshi.
My favourite song is Ma Africa,
track number nine. Track two,
Tokoloshi, also strike a chord.
Tracks three and six, 2010 and bana
basekolo are also beautiful.
Masinda was born in 1959 in
Munsieville. In the 1960’s, his family
relocated to Kagiso. His music
career started as early as 1970,
playing as a drummer for various
bands in the West Rand and Soweto.
In 1977 the jazz musician joined
Badiri, which was founded by
Mokgatle and Shimi Malefo.
The band members were
politically involved and sang
political songs.
Due to the constant apartheid
police harassment, the band went to
exile under the auspices of
Umkhonto we Sizwe.
When he came back from exile,
Masinda started his own band, Vula,
which took part in voter education
through entertainment.
However, the band split up when
he was intergrated to the SANDF.
Masinda’s love for music
led him to resign from the defense
force to pursue his singing career.
Tokoloshi is his first CD.
I give it a six out of 10.
Is he going to make it in this dog
eats dog industry?
Many have come and gone.
We hope the jazz singer is here to
stay – and will make Mogale proud.
Viva Tokoloshi!
ROCKING: Bandile Masinda
Norah Ramorwa, Mogale
City council’s social worker,
quietly married Vincent
Tsholetsane on Youth Day,
June 16 2007.
The wedding took place at the
Faith Community Sanctuary and
was conducted by charismatic
Bishop Joe Mabuela, the senior
pastor of the church.
The traditional wedding was
to be held on September 23, at the
groom’s place in Kagiso.
Dikgang tsa Mogale takse this
opportunity to congradulate the
newly weds.
And may God bless the
Tsholetsanes.