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SAFA'S pres­ident, DannyJordaan,pays tributeto Dick Nku­na. Watchthe video atwww.express­news.co.za.

} Teboho Setena

PATIENTS, doctors and nursesat the Bongani Regional Hospitalin Welkom bear the brunt of theFree State Department ofHealth’s apparent financialpredicament. The hospital isteetering on the brink ofcollapse.This became evident last

Thursday when disgruntlednurses, more than 100, downedtools. They gathered outside thehospital to voice their frustrationwith working under direconditions, including long andunpaid overtime hours.Patients, desperate to receive

health services on the day, hadto wait longer than expected asoutraged nurses would notbudge.They demanded that the

Bongani Hospital’s managementtook decisive action to remedythe situation that had beendescribed as a death trap forpatients as well as nurses andhealth-care workers.Disgusted with the deteriorat-

ing health services, the nursesheld a meeting with management– not inside the hospital butoutside – for everyone to see.They demanded answers from

the hospital’s management led byDr Yusuf Vahed, the newlyappointed chief executive officer,and Dr Osmel Hechavarria-Hern-andez, the former chief executiveofficer.Vahed, who has been in office

only eight days, read a riot actwith nurses refusing to workunder the conditions they haddescribed as risky for everyone.Tempers flared when Vahed

instructed the nurses to returnto work.“What are we going to use to

attend to the patients? There areno needles, no gloves andnappies or identity tags fornewborns,” said one nurse.“The conditions that we are

now working under will result inan anxiety disorder if manage-ment does not take a decisivestep to address it,” another nurseremarked.“That is an arrogant statement

which you should not make. Ihave only been in office a fewdays,” said Vahed in reaction tothis.“How am I supposed to know

about all your problems. I’m inthe process of solving them,” hesaid.Hechavarria-Hernandez, who

had acted as chief executiveofficer for eight months, told thenurses that he had authorised allthe necessary documents for thesuppliers.An aggrieved nurse question

Vahed: “How long should wewait because management hasbeen saying the same thing overand over? Enough is enough.”In the heat of the moment

another nurse demandedanswers regarding a range of

issues pertaining to the unavaila-bility of health consumable itemsto enable the nurses to performtheir duty.Angry nurses demanded

answers about unpaid overtimemonies owed to them by thehospital, and wanted to knowwhy the shortage of staff nursesand appointment of nurses hadnot yet been addressed.It emerged that about 60

positions had yet to be filled atthe Bongani Hospital.Tumo Talane, a member of the

hospital’s management, respond-ed to the nurses and said it wastheir choice not to work. “Butwe have started paying peopleovertime monies owed them,” hesaid.) Express Goldfields & NorthernFree State reliably learnt that thesituation at the hospital re-mained unchanged despiteVahed’s promise to turn thehospital around. There was stillno stock on Monday, and nurseswere left to deal with thesituation. Scores of nurses werespotted criss-crossing thecorridors of the hospital fromone ward to another searchingfor basic items such as gloves,needles and nappies in order forthem (nurses) to do their workand to help the hundreds ofpatients desperate to receivehealth care.Many nurses did not hide their

frustration at working in anenvironment that was too riskyfor them and their patients. Anurse warned the hospitalmanagement and said: “We nowface a situation where patientswill sue the hospital or sue usfor incompetence.”One nurse revealed that

during the last three monthsthere were incidents in whichnurses had been accused ofnegligence. “We have tried allthat we could, even usinghospital sheets as nappies. Thoseare the extremes we have goneto. Now tell me, is that notenough improvisation by usnurses? You come to work dailyalready frustrated because youdon’t have basic equipment,”said the nurse.) Express Goldfields & NFSreliably learnt that companiesproviding stock are owedmillions of rands by the Depart-ment of Health.

CHAOS: Dr Osmel Hechavarria­Hernandez and Dr Yusuf Vahed(former acting chief executive officer at the Bongani Regional Hos­pital and his successor) address disgruntled staff nurses whodowned tools last Thursday. The nurses were protesting againsta range of problems including the unavailability of equipment torender quality services to patients and outstanding overtime pay­ments due to them by the embattled Free State Department ofHealth. Photos: Teboho Setena

SHOCKING: A patient at the Bongani Regional Hospital wrappedup in a sheet instead of wearing a nappy.

Bongani near collapseNot even basicneeds ofpatients met

‘We have tried allthat we could, evenu s i n g ho sp i t a lsheets as nappies.’– Nurse at the Bon­gani Hospital

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NEWS

} Teboho Setena and Motla-lepule Mokgosi

HUGE crowds of mournersattended the memorial andfuneral mass of prominent FreeState sports administrator DickNkuna. Sports, political andcultural figures from all thecorners of the country gathered atthe Roman Catholic Church ofGrace in Oppenheimer Park inThabong, Welkom, to pay theirlast respect to a man many drewinspiration from for his tirelesswork to do just what was goodand progressive.

The venue was too small toaccommodate the hundreds ofmourners in attendance. Scores ofthem even stood outside the venuewhich turned out to be a meetingpoint for Nkuna’s old friends,peers, colleagues and business

associates in the taxi transportsector – through which he createdemployment opportunities.

Nkuna’s life spanned 69 yearsand he leaves behind his wife,Emily, three daughters, Maletsat-si, S’bongile, Thokozile, and hisonly son, Junior Nkuna.

Although also a businessman,sport was an integral part of hislife. At the time of his death hewas Boxing South Africa’smanager for the Free State.

A whistle utilised in footballand netball was blown and aboxing bell rung in honour of

Nkuna’s lasting contribution tosport while the church congre-gation sang inspiring hymns tobid farewell to one of theirpillars of strength.

In recognition of Nkuna’s rolein sport, former colleagueWashington Mogadi blew awhistle and said: “Bra Dick’s rolein promoting and developing sportwas immense. He played his partin the game and today his 90thminute has come to take adeserving rest.” Mogadi saidNkuna’s strength was his abilityto organise, his administrative

knowledge of sport and willing-ness to be involved.

One speaker after anotherregarded Bra Dick, as Nkuna wasknown, as an inspiration to somany. Numerous speakers statedthat they were grateful for theirconnection to a man who hadlived his life with elegance andhumanity. They honoured his lifeby remembering his pride,willingness, his honest work andhis humour. Some said theywould remember Nkuna for hisfamily values and principles as ahusband, father, uncle, father-in-law, brother-in-law and friend.

Despite Nkuna’s passion for andknowledge of sport, translating histalent into the field of playappeared to be a big challengefollowing a revelation by boxingpromoter Fezile Mabuya. “BraDick tried his luck at boxing, butnever won a single fight. He wasbeaten at all times and I don’tremember him even scoring adraw. We should also justremember that Nkuna was acomrade.”

Mabuya said Nkuna was one ofthe people that used the library inThabong to have secret meetingsand inform their fellow freedomfighters about the events unfold-ing. “But when it came to his son,Junior, Bra Dick did not compro-mise. He would do just aboutanything for Junior. He almostkilled me upon finding out I wasinvolved in letting Junior and mytwo sons go into exile during theanti-apartheid struggle. ‘Junior ismy only son, at least you havefive sons to look after yourfamily’,” Mabuya quoted Nkuna.

The Free State MEC for Sport,

Arts, Culture and Recreation, DanKgothule, said: “We have lost afather, a mentor in Dick Nkuna. Ihave worked with Bra Dick foreight years in restructuring thestadium in Hertzogville as ourfirst task, but I have known BraDick for over 28 years.

“He nurtured me and gave mean opportunity to play a role inthe negotiations for the mergingof the Griffons rugby team playersof both black and white since bothteams participated separately. Thewhite team played on Saturdaysand the black team on Sundays.”

A group of senior citizenshonoured Nkuna performing awell-known choral song titled KaSelemo sa 1937 – sending thescores of people in attendance intoraptures and they sang along inhis remembrance.

Watch the video and see morepictures at www.express-news.co.za.

Nkuna’s lasting contribution to

EMILY NKUNA, wife of the late Dick Nkuna, a well­known sports ad­ministrator and businessman in the Free State and in South Africa.

Photos: Teboho Setena

MEMBERS of Boxing South Africa provincially and nationally paid tribute to the late Dick Nkuna at hisfuneral last Friday. From the left are Teboho Poone, AndrewNcheche,MapasekaNkoane, Dr PeterNgataneand Freddie Makhathini.

JUNIOR NKUNA, son of the lateprominent sports administratorDick Nkuna.

Successfully completed courseHEALTH GRADUATES: The South African Academy in Welkom held its graduation ceremony for students who successfully completed a coursein Professional Health­care Assistance with 14 students receiving their qualifications. From the left are, front: Munira Gqzi, Caroline Maphasa,Nontombi Mboyana, Nomsa Ngcolwane (SA Academy recruitment manager), Itumeleng Rantsatsi, Mathapelo Mokhohlane and Emily Matlap­aneng; back: Dikeledi Koto, Sylvia Siyale, Dimakatso Molete, Luyolo Ngqulunga, Olga Ntlhare, Albertina Hlabathi and Elisa Segonyane. Morepictures at www.express­news.co.za Photo: Teboho Setena

‘We have lost a father, a mentor in DickNkuna.’ – Dan Kgothule

Scores of mourners paytribute to Bra Dick

THE Odendaalsrus Police areon the hunt for two armedrobbers who robbed a womanand her son at their house inWelkom under the falsepretence that they werepolice members.

The armed robbery tookplace in April. The Welkompolice spokesperson, Capt.Stephen Thakeng, says thesuspects are still on the run.

“Someone knocked at thedoor and the woman openedit. Two neatly-dressedunknown African males, bothwith firearms in theirpossession, identifiedthemselves as police officersand showed the woman abrown purse with a policeemblem,” says Thakeng. Therobbers took a plasmatelevision set, a Sony hi-fisystem, Playstation, twolaptops, two cellphones, ahandbag, a computer, amicrowave oven, a kettle,AMC Classic pots and R600cash during the robbery.

Anyone with informationthat can help the police intracing the suspects cancontact the Odendaalsrusdetectives on 057-916-2461.

Suspectson the run

EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY 21 MAY 2014 3

www.humanjobs.co.za Human Communications 109222

Applications are hereby invited from suitably qualified and experiencedpersons for appointment to the following position:

Plant SuperintendentOrange River Region

Primary duties: • Calculate daily chemical costs and maintain appropriate stock levels • Attend stakeholdermeetings • Prepare annual budget in terms of agreed templates, criteria and timeframes • Optimise chemicaldosage • Plan and arrange annual cleaning of reservoirs • Ensure regular cleaning and maintenance oftreatment process units • Assist with pipeline failures as and when required • Report minor maintenance workon reservoirs, plant and pump stations • Be responsible for Meter Master Plan maintenance • Ensure that meterreadings are done at the required time, data captured and approved on intranet • Ensure that bacteriologicaland physical samples are taken fortnightly, delivered to service providers and attending to feedback/reportoutcomes • Verify bulk billing meters • Proactively plan plant operation for 24 hours in advance • Beresponsible for payroll matters • Coordinate and approve leave • Oversee disciplinary matters • Be responsiblefor performance assessments for Senior Process Controllers and Lab Process Controllers • Ensure overtime,shifts and standby duties are planned and managed properly • In-service training to be conducted • Developand maintain SOPs • Compile operational report to the Regional Manager • Be responsible for chemical usage,pump readings, lab averages of tests report • Report to the Bloemfontein Office and DWA monthly andquarterly • Be responsible for Blue Drop Assessment • Be responsible for production report • Undertakeinspections • Adhere to H&S standards in all plants and pump stations • Perform all assignments as directedfrom time to timeRequirements: • National Diploma: Water Care/Chemical Engineering • 7 years’ experience in Water TreatmentPlants • Class IV Classification with DWA • Computer literacy • Computerised Maintenance ManagementSystem • Valid driver’s licence • Report-writing skills • Leadership skills • Budgeting skills • Problem-solvingskills.Bloem Water is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. The intention is to promote representivity inthe organisation through the filling of vacancies.Send your application with comprehensive CV and supporting documents to: The Executive HumanResource, PO Box 30121, Pellissier, Bloemfontein 9322.Closing date: 3 June 2014Applicants who have not received feedback by 30 June 2014 must accept that their applications havebeen unsuccessful.Bloem Water reserves the right not to appoint in any advertised position.

NEWS

THE South African Breweries (SAB)Central Region invites emerging andestablished business minds to enter the 2014edition of their annual KickStart YouthEntrepreneurship competition.

This year entrants will be competing fora share of more than R6 million in grantsand will also be provided with businessskills training as well as various network-ing opportunities.

The KickStart Youth Entrepreneurshipinitiative, which is one of the longest youthentrepreneurship programmes, was firstlaunched in 1995.

The main aim of the project is two-fold;firstly to promote the spirit of entrepre-neurship among the youth and secondly toencourage business awareness throughtraining, funding and mentorship toempower their projects to be sustainable.

To date the project has amassed over22 700 success stories with more than 3 200businesses having been started since thestart of the initiative.

One such success story is that ofTsholofelo Majeng who won R100 000 toexpand and further develop her business.

Based in Kuruman, the businesswoman isthe sole owner of Maiktronix whichspecialises in the fabrication of structuralmetal products, including window frames,door units, steel fencing and gates.

Additionally, the company supplies andinstalls surveillance security and automa-tion systems.

In order to qualify, entrants must bebetween 18 and 35 years old and must be apreviously disadvantaged black SouthAfrican youth. Furthermore, businessesmust be 50% black owned, be in operationfor less than five years and make less thanR5 million in revenue.

Entrants must also be able to demon-

strate that they have fewer than 15 employ-ees, have high growth potential andsustainable competitive advantage.

Entries close on 30 May. For entrycriteria or for more information, visitwww.sabkickstart.net.

Alternatively, contact Patience Selesho on053-840-0426 or email her at Patience.Sele-sho@za.sabmiller.com.

Youth get kickstart

}Motlalepule Mokgosi

SHOCKING allegations of the poorconditions nurses at the Bongani Region-al Hospital had been working underemerged last week Thursday.

This followed after more than 100 staffmembers had downed tools in protestagainst the chaotic situation they hadbeen working under for more than threemonths.

The shocking situation at theBongani Hospital arose from the FreeState Department of Health’s financialproblems which came to the fore lastyear.

The nurses said the situation at thehospital affected people at every leveland patients were being neglected due toa shortage of basic materials.

They said for them to do their workand render services to the patients theyeven had to borrow equipment fromother hospitals such as the OppenheimerPrivate Hospital and the ThusanongHospital in Odendaalsrus.

The nurses said they were fed up withthings within their working environ-ment.

“Nothing is being done about thesituation,” said one nurse.

The findings were that the situation atthe hospital was critical. The followingwas identified:) patients are unable to bathe and someare left unwashed, wards are dirty andthere are no hooks to hang curtains forprivacy;) two nurses have to monitor between 28to 29 patients;) there are no surgical gloves, toiletpaper or diapers for the elderly andbabies; and) some patients even give birth in thebathrooms.

The nurses said the hospital dischargedpatients before they had fully recovered.

A nurse at the hospital, who wished toremain anonymous, said the hospital wasbankrupt and had lost sight of itsfundamental responsibility to providesafe care.

It also emerged that contracted serviceproviders had stopped the supply of thematerials.

“Why can’t management plan aheadand place orders timeously? If this wastaken into consideration none of thiswould have happened,” lamented one

nurse.The nurses highlighted this local

scandal and said their overall conclusionwas the blistering condemnation of theapproach to labour at governmenthospitals.

However, Dr Yusuf Vahed, the new

chief executive officer, said: “We don’tknow why the suppliers are not deliver-ing the orders.”

He said that the Department of Health’shead office was working on the matter.

After he had spoken to the nurses formore than three hours Vahed pleaded

with them to return to work and prom-ised that he would accept accountabili-ty and would see what he could do forthem.

“Even if I have to take the money frommy own pocket so that the work can bedone.”

Frustration boils over

CHAOS: Fed up with the disarray arising from the poor management style staff nurses at the Bongani Regional Hospital downedtools and gathered near the parking bay on the hospital premises last week Thursday. Photo: Teboho Setena

‘Why can’t management plan ahead and place orders timeously? If thiswas taken into consideration none of this would have happened.’– Anonymous nurse at the Bongani Regional Hospital

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4 EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY 21 MAY 2014

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8 EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY 21 MAY 2014

SUPERSPORT’S LET’S PLAYand Express Goldfields & NFSare searching for talentedyouths in the region that excelin the different sporting codes.Are you good at sport or issomeone in your school orplace of education good atsport? Are you a young coachwho is coaching future stars?We want to hear from you.SuperSport’s Let’s Play identi-fied the need amongst theyouth to get more sports activeto enable them to expose theirtalent.

With this in mind SuperSportand Let’s Play, in associationwith Express Goldfields & NFS,have launched a specialinitiative for 2014.

They want to find and giverecognition to learners ateither primary or high schoollevel who excel in sport or whoare helping others to be moreactive. SuperSport’s Let’s PlaySports Star of the Month is acompetition for anyone aged 6to 18. The winner is chosenfrom all the nominationsreceived for that month. The

monthly winner will receive aLet’s Play hamper filled withgoodies.

From all the entries receivedeach month, one athlete will bechosen as the SuperSport Let’sPlay Sports Star of the Month.At the end of the year onecandidate from all the Star ofthe Month winners during theyear will be chosen as theSuperSport Let’s Play SportsStar of the Year.

Send them your nominationtoday. Nominations receivedbefore the 20th of every monthwill be included in thatmonth’s selection. Nominationsreceived after the 20th of everymonth will be carried over tothe next month’s selection.Nominations must include yourname, age and a short para-graph (200 words or less) onwhat you have achieved, aswell as your contact details.

You can e-mail your nomina-tion to supersport@zpr.co.za orsend a fax to 086-552-4922. Formore information contactLynne or Juanré on 051-522-9574.

Are you goodat sport?

FIVE netball players of two opposition sides go for the ball all at once during action­packed trials to select the Free State u.13 and u.14 teams held at the Goudveld HighSchool a week ago. The selected players will represent the province at this year’sinterprovincial competitions set to be staged in Naboomspruit in Limpopo nextmonth. Photo: Teboho Setena

It’s my ball!

To read previous issues of Express online, go towww.express-news.co.za

A NUMBER of secondary schools in theFree State have high ambitions to win theSanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup.

Most of the schools are chasing therecord of Harmony High School, the mostsuccessful of all the teams in the province.The Virginia-based school has won theevent provincially more than five times.

Harmony won more than R2,2 million inprize money between 2010 and 2013. Theschool won R700 000 in 2010 after finishingin second place and winning the provincialfinals. In 2011 the school won the R1million first prize and in 2012 finished inthird place, taking home R500 000.

Bloemfontein-based Brebner High Schoolalso has the ambition to win a slice of theR3,4 million on offer in the u.19 tourna-ment. The trophy has eluded Brebner fromthe Motheo District over the years. Thisyear, with a more experienced team, theyare hoping their status will change, butthey will have to beat the current FreeState champions, HTS Louis Botha, first.

“So far so good,” says coach, Lee-SheldonBateman.

“We have won all our cluster games todate and we are looking forward to squar-ing up, once again, against our rival, HTSLouis Botha.”

The champions, Louis Botha, have anadvantage over Brebner and Batemanbelieves it is because their scouts travel allover the country to look for talent.

“We work with learners that come tostudy at the school and do not have theoption of choosing from a pool of academyplayers.

“Louis Botha will always be our rivalschool and I think that my team gets a bitintimidated, because they are part of anacademy. However, when it comes tofootball skills, technically and tactically wecan match up against them on any givenday,” says Bateman.

The 2014 Brebner team is an experiencedone. Bateman explains that last year he hadyounger players in the team and that manyof them are still there.

“That works for us, because they nowhave the experience of participating in thistournament so they know what to expect.They also work hard, are passionate andhave the mental ability to play soccer.”

Bateman has a solid background in thegame. He has been coaching since 2004,after playing for Bloemfontein Celtic from2001 to 2003. He has a Level 1 qualificationand has attended a number of coachingcourses over the years.

Bateman appreciates the work thatSanlam and the Motsepe Foundation aredoing for soccer development.

“Aspiring players have the opportunity tobetter themselves, they just need to workhard and be determined.

“I have heard that some of the HTS LouisBotha players were scouted and are nowpart of the Mamelodi Sundowns Academy. Ihope some of our players will get thisopportunity this year, when they progressto the nationals.”

Bateman is not sure who they will beplaying next, but says they have uppedtheir level of training as the more theyprogress the tougher it will be.

“We need to make sure that we areprepared for the competition as it’s notgoing to be easy from now on,” Batemansays.

Brebner readyfor rivals HTSLouis Botha

‘Louis Botha will always beour rival school . . . How­ever, when it comes to foot­ball skills, technically andtactically we can match upagainst them on any givenday.’– Lee­Sheldon Bateman

} Teboho Setena

THE National First Division outfit,Maluti FET College FC, willcriss-cross the Free State from 24May until 8 June hosting a seriesof talent identification trials torecruit players.

The trials are in line with theclub’s plan to strengthen itself upfor the new 2014-’15 football seasonwhich is expected to start inAugust this year.

This is the only Free State teamattached to a learning institutionthat campaigns in the professionalrank.

The club boasts of a blend ofyouthful players studying at theQwaqwa-based Maluti FETCollege.

The trials as planned by theclub’s technical team led by CoachMorena Ramorebodi are set tostart this Saturday in Wepener atthe Louw Wepener Stadiumfollowed by 25 May at the Eden-burg Stadium.

The dates and venues where the

recruitment trials will be held areas follows: 31 May in Parys at theParys Stadium, 1 June inBotshabelo at the Kaizer SebotheloStadium and 7 and 8 June at thePhuthaditjhaba Stadium inQwaqwa.

The starting time of the trials atthe venues will be from 08:00 till17:00.

The players interested to attendare advised to bring their attire,Identity Document, make theirtravelling and accommodationarrangements and must providefood for themselves.

The trials are open for playersbetween 17 and 27.

For any information interestedplayers can contact Monnanyaneon 073-447-7163 or 072-267-3834 andNtsoetsa on 083-898-9416.

Club hosts recruitment trials

BUILDING THE FUTURE: The coachof Maluti FET College FC, MorenaRamorebodi. Photo: Teboho Setena