Lebohang Pita

@LeboPita

The challenges of cross-generational or intergenerational sexual relationships (which usually involve teenage girls and male partners 10 years older) were put under the spotlight at the Pretoria Campus yesterday, 13 March.

John Ngobene, from the Gauteng Department of Education and a human rights activist, gave a motivational talk aimed at addressing the topic.

His talk followed a fierce debate between the Pretoria Campus’ Debating Society and the Directorate of Health and Wellness’ Peer Educators. The theme of the debate was ‘Romance is an important aspect of any dating relationship, but a sugar daddy (an older male partner) will pay more attention to romantic suggestions.’

John argued that most African adolescent girls are vulnerable to engage in risky sexual behaviour because sexual activity can be exchanged for money or gifts. He also said that some older men would engage in sexual activities with adolescents due to the misconception that they are free from HIV/AIDS.

“Young women or girls may be vulnerable to exploitation in such relationships given a lack of choices for those living in poverty or the need to pay school fees or purchase books,” John said.

He added that sexual activity is negotiated between two consenting adults. However, he asked whether cross-generational relationships are based purely on consent or force.

“Gender, age and economic disparities may increase risky sexual behaviour and reduce a young woman’s ability to negotiate safer sex. It has also been reported that girls are unable to negotiate condom use in cross-generational sexual relations.”

He said that being in a sexual relationship with an affluent and much older person increases one’s chances of contracting Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) like HIV/AIDS.

“The majority of teenagers infected with HIV and other STI’s are infected by adult males. According to recent reports, teenagers with older partners use condoms 20% less than teenagers with peer-age partners.”

John said some girls would enter into such relationships to help support their families. “Poorer families in some communities often consent to the intergenerational sexual relationships as a means of temporary income support.”

He said society should stop perpetuating beliefs that having sex with a virgin girl would cleanse you and that men need frequent sexual satisfaction and multiple partners.

“Engaging in sexual relations with older men is a norm for adolescent girls in Sub-Saharan Africa and we as academics need to come up with initiatives to stop this barbaric practice.”

He urged students to stop entering into such relationships because they are exploitative, oppressive and abusive due to older partners’ use of their societal status and financial power.

 “No matter how materialistic you may be, never compromise yourself to get them. Rather work hard,” John concluded.

Sosh SpinKingz host “Legends Only” event

Bruce Mbingeleli

 
The Soshanguve Spinning Kingz (SSK) hosted a Spin City event in celebrating the legends of spin at Soshanguve Spinning Palace (SSP) in Soshanguve Block F over the weekend.

 The event featured an amazing line-up of local spinners and drifters as well as The General and The Sheriff, spinners from neighbouring countries.

 

The SSP was packed with petrol-heads who came out in their numbers to witness one of the most epic spinning events ever hosted in Soshanguve.

 

This event was held to celebrate the motoring tradition and spinners from Gauteng, Rustenburg and Botswana headed to Soshanguve to support the event.

 

Soshanguve Spinning crew, IZR, and Tshepang “Isla Bonita” Mkonza, a member of SSK, kept the crowd captivated with their brilliant performances.

 

Botswana spinner The General, a friend of SSK, came to celebrate and also enjoyed the event.

 

“I feel like a superior person, because Soshanguve is where it all began. This is the place where we perfected our stunts. I make sure that I perfect all my moves and make them as extreme as possible,” The General said.

 

SSK crew member Lebo “Lebojwa” was not intimidated by the wet road surface and although it was tricky, he managed to do burnouts. 

 

The event was a day of excitement for both the spectators and the spinners.

“The Spinning Kingz crew along with all the other spinners and drifters were legendary today,” Lebojwa said.

Adequate information needed to fight cancer

by Lebohang Pita
@LeboPita

As part of national cancer week, the Directorate of Health and Wellness at the Tshwane University of Technology's Soshanguve Campus on 4 March held an awareness campaign to make students more aware of the disease, also known as ‘the silent killer’. This campaign also included information sessions about HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s).   

“If more information about cancer was available, especially in rural areas and similar to the kind of information available about HIV/AIDS, people would be able to identify some of the warning signs in time and go to a doctor,” said Paul Maraba, a nurse at the Directorate of Health and Wellness. He added that this could also help to establish the prevalence of the disease, which is relatively unknown.

Paul said that it is important that people go for regular check-ups.

Although there are over 200 kinds of cancer, the campaign mainly focused on educating students about breast, cervical and prostate cancer, which are considered the deadliest.

The most common cancer in women is breast and cervical cancer.

Sister Bella Pholo, Health Promoter at the Maria Ronto Clinic in Soshanguve, said it is important for women to regularly examine their breasts and underarms for lumps,  yellow skin, swelling  and pores, that could all be signs of breast cancer. “If it is detected early, there is a greater chance of survival,” she added.

The most common cancer in men is prostate cancer. Bella said it can also be successfully managed if detected early by testing for it.

Paul’s advice to students was, among others, to lead a healthy lifestyle which included exercise, not smoking, avoiding the sun and doing regular self-examinations.

During the campaign, the Department of Health (DoH) offered free HIV/AIDS testing as the disease is proving to spread rapidly among young people.

Jeffrey Makhwiliri, Head of the programme for HIV/AIDS, STIs and Tuberculosis at the DoH’s Tshwane regional office, urged students to get tested as early as possible because knowing one’s status could help one to lead a balanced lifestyle. 

Dinner time at Nkandla!!!

Lebohang Pita
@LeboPita

This Fish and Chips advertisement was supposed to be aired on the SABC on Monday but the corporation banned it citing that it implied the presidency endorsed the product.

The SABC's spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said in a statement:"We are of the view that the advert implied an endorsement of the product sold by the Fish and Chip Company."

The commercial shows President Zuma and his family having dinner. A woman seated in  a long dining room table says to Zuma:"Oh Zuzulicious, we're having fish and chips from Shabba today."
An elated Zuma responds:"Eat up honey bunch, there is a lot of good food here. It's from the Fish and Chip Company. There are many of you in this house, at only R25 even Pravin will approve this." 

Kganyago claimed that the SABC did not ban the advert as the media had implied.

"The SABC reserves the right to exercise editorial control over all content, as per our trading terms, licence conditions, and public broadcast mandate,"he said.

Creative director of Metropolitan Republic Group (which made the commercial), Paul Warner said the agency was told that the ad had been banned because it was "degrading to the president."

"They said our [SABC] bosses have made the decision not to flight it," he said.

Courtesy:timeslive.co.za

Hard work leads to success

Letsoko stops a shot from one of his players.

 Lebohang Pita

@LeboPita

Humble, god-fearing and passionate about sport. Romeo Letsoko does not lead a dull life. This active 27-year old is not only a development co-ordinator of Mamelodi Sundowns football club but is a talent scout for various football teams in Soshanguve. He is the marketing manager of the Soshanguve District Football Association.

Letsoko has a vast knowledge of sport. He said his passion for the game attributed to the kind of person he is today.

He is currently the co-ordinator of the three Sundowns satellites development teams.

An introvert by nature, Letsoko said his humility and the spirit of ubuntu had given him the ability to excel at sport.

He said his high work ethic attributed to his success.

“I am a person who likes to share. Teamwork and sharing are the key elements of the sport,” he said.

He served on the local organising committees of cluster, regional, provincial and national youth games. Letsoko was also on the committee that organised the winter school Olympic Games in June in Pretoria.

He said it felt good giving back to the people who moulded him into a community hero.

“I feel I should do more. It says I am not doing enough. We did not have the opportunities that today’s children have. We need to give them every little thing they need to prosper,” Letsoko said.

As an 18 year old, he worked as an administrator for the South Africa under-12 national team in 2002.

He travelled with the team to France to play in the 2002 Danone Nations Cup.

 He said:”It was a frightening experience. For an 18 year-old boy from a township who had never flown before, it was overwhelming.”

A prolific striker in his heyday, Letsoko said he stopped playing football to follow his calling.

“We cannot all be players. We need the Irvin Khozas and Danny Jordaans of this world to administer football. I took an interest in administering sport,” he said.

He said the mandate of the Sundowns satellite schools was to develop young players from Pretoria who would automatically play for Sundowns. As a co-ordinator, his tasks are to ensure that all satellites schools are fully equipped.

Letsoko said he was already seeing crumbs of success as they have developed a group of young, talented and committed players.

He says he enjoys giving back to the community.

 “If you check the current starting eleven of Sundowns, there are few players from Pretoria. The team is looking for players that would play with pride. The programme is already successful because we have committed teams,” said Letsoko.

Most young people in Pretoria have resorted to smoking nyaope because they have little to do. Letsoko said their aim was to remove the children from the streets and let them participate in sport.

“If you play sport your mind would not be idle. You would always have something to do. Where would these boys be if they were not here? The little that we are doing would make a difference,” he said.

Letsoko is the producer of the legends show on Soshanguve FM. In September he was approached by Kaya FM to host a sport show that would focus on the development of sport.

 

"Education is the key to success"-Lebambo

Marcia Lebambo outside TUT's Gencor Hall
after receiving her certificate.

Lebohang Pita
@LeboPita

Hard working, humble and God-fearing, Marcia Lebambo does not lead a mundane life. This flamboyant 24-year old does not only possess four different academic qualifications but is also a successful residence manager at TUT Soshanguve campus and a sensational current affairs show host for TUTfm live at six.

Lebambo hails from the rural hinterlands of the Mpumalanga province. She said she was moulded into the successful person she is today by her parents who do not have any formal schooling but understood the importance of education.

“My parents do not have a formal education but they knew that education is important in a person’s life,” she said.

She grew up in a destitute family but her parents always reminded her that “the only way to change your situation is through education.”

“The fact that I am from a poor family motivated me to work harder in order to change the situation at home.”

Lebambo believes that success does not fall from trees but to achieve your goals you need to work hard.

She said she had to walk many kilometres to school but decided to take the challenge positively because a “positive attitude leads to positive results.”

“I am very positive about life. I am self-motivated and I believe nothing will change if you do not change anything.”

She completed high school in 2004 and the following year she enrolled for a national diploma in administration management at the Tshwane University of Technology.

In her first year she befriended her books because she was determined to change the dire situation back home.

“I was bitter and frustrated. If someone wanted us to go out, I felt that she was wasting my time because going out would not change the situation at home.”

The flamboyant Marcia Lebambo in one of the residences
she manages.

“I had to manage my time. Even if it meant I lose friends, it did not matter as long as I got what I wanted (a qualification).”

After completing her administration management diploma, she continued studying because she wanted to broaden her knowledge and understand what was happening in other employment sectors.

“My aim was to enrol for more than one qualification. In my first year I passed all my subjects with distinctions.”

In 2008 Lebambo registered for a bachelor’s degree in strategic management before securing a job as an assistant residence manager at TUT Soshanguve Campus.

At the tender age of 19 she became permanent residence manager of TCE1 at Soshanguve South Campus.

Lebambo believes the current infrastructural backlogs in TUT campuses will change with time.

“The progress (since the merger) in terms of the standardisation of infrastructure and facilities is not good at all. It is going to take time but eventually we will have a situation where all campuses look the same.

Under her belt as a residence manager she has produced phenomenal people like Kutloano Mopai, who is currently Miss Gauteng and Miss Africa, through the annual miss TUT pageant.

In 2010 Lebambo registered for a Master’s degree in entrepreneurship and also possesses a certificate in business communication from the University of South Africa and another bachelor’s degree in Public Management.

She said it is important for residence managers to be educated because they would be able to execute their duties properly.

From humble beginnings to a successful life, Lebambo is living proof that all that glitters in the democratic South Africa is not gold but hard work always leads to success.

Itsoseng’s service delivery woes continue

The appalling look of Itsoseng.

Lebohang Pita
@LeboPita

For the past 18 years, residents of Itsoseng phases 6 and 8’s lack of service delivery frustrations have worsened to such an extent that public protector, Thuli Madonsela was approached for help in July.

In a letter sent to Madonsela’s office, the Itsoseng Concerned Residents Committee (ICRC) requested the public protector to probe the service delivery plight that has befallen the community.

“The community wants electricity for all as a priority and houses built on 900sqm yards and proper infrastructural development,” read the letter.

The committee further appealed to Madonsela to investigate corruption by local ward councillor, William Baloyi who is suspected of selling stands to people who do not live in Itsoseng.

“Houses are being allocated to people who do not belong in Itsoseng. We suspect there are people who are selling stands,” the letter continued.

According to community leader John Motaung, the community’s problems emanated from a municipality decision to force residents to subdivide their 900sqm yards to accommodate other people in 2000. When they refused they were told that they would not get basic services.

“Councillors said we should subdivide our stands. We refused because we fought for our yards against Lucas Mangope and they said we would not get service delivery,” said Motaung.

Motaung said they approached the courts and the national department of housing for help.

A court interdict by the Mafikeng High Court was issued to prevent the municipality from continuing with its plans.

 Motaung said the department of housing concluded that it was residents’ choice whether they wanted to subdivide their yards and that if yards were divided it would affect Eskom’s budget and planning.

However, the municipality continued to force residents to subdivide their stands using the metro police, said Motaung.

He said, furthermore, the municipality installed electricity and built houses for residents who agreed to subdivide their stands and this had divided the community.

According to Motaung destitute residents lived in shabby shacks that are prone to fire and floods.

He said they pleaded with Baloyi several times to help them but their pleas fell on deaf ears.

Speaking on behalf of Baloyi, a council worker who refused to give Rekord her name said: “As far as I am concerned there are developments in Itsoseng. I do not know what these people are talking about. There is no corruption or something of that sort. ”

The community is surrounded by rocks and forests.

Motaung claimed that the last time they saw Baloyi was on 31 July 2011.

     Motaung reiterated that in February they approached The Tshwane metro's executive mayor Kgosientsho Ramokgopa requesting him to help the community overcome its service delivery woes.

 He said Ramokgopa had not responded.

The metro's housing provision strategic executive director Nomasonto Ndlovu said an inquiry had been sent to the Housing Provision Management and is receiving relevant attention.

“A service provider has been appointed to do a feasibility study on the current water and sewer network because it has not been handed over formally to the Water and Sanitation Division for maintenance purpose,” Ndlovu said.

Ndlovu further said the study would probe possible future provision of both water and sewerage services to Itsoseng.

“The Housing and Human Settlement will provide an update with regard to the progress made and the Ward Councillor will also be informed accordingly,” she said. 

Motaung said Madonsela promised to look further into the matter and urged the community to be patient.