Table of contents for 2021-05-28 in DFA News

Boipelo Mere staff reporter COMMUNITY members in Roodepan were left fuming after vans belonging to the Northern Cape Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs sped off with food parcels that were meant for residents of Bogonia shacks. Elderly and poor community members were left high and dry on Tuesday after being summoned by a blaring loudhailer to come and collect food parcels at a tent in the informal settlement. They felt “embarrassed and betrayed” as they watched the vans filled with the promised food parcels leave without any of the packages being distributed. It is believed that the planned food parcel handover formed part of the Northern Cape Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs’ (Coghsta) Disaster Relief Programme. According to the disappointed community members,…

Boipelo Mere staff reporter THE HAWKS’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team in Kimberley has summoned a 53-year-old company director for contravention of the Tax Administration Act. It is alleged that during 2018 and 2019 a company called Batsha Ba Tirong Financial Management Pty (Ltd) t/a Batsha Ba Tirong Security Services submitted fraudulent IRP5 certificates to the South African Revenue Service (Sars) claiming company income tax returns. Hawks Northern provincial spokesperson Nomthandazo Mnisi said Sars suffered a total loss of R21 million. She said the director was summoned on Wednesday and is scheduled to appear before the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, June 10.…

Boipelo Mere STAFF REPORTER COMMUNITY members in wards 8 and 17 in Galeshewe barricaded Nobengula Street on Wednesday as they demanded jobs on the Retention Dam Project that is under way in the area. They complained about a “lack of transparency” in the hiring of the first 10 people that officially started working on the project on Monday. The protesters also accused the ward 8 and 17 councillors of “hand-picking” the first batch of workers through political cadreship. It is believed that the workers were told on Sunday night to report for duty the next day. While a community liaison officer (CLO) has already been appointed on the project, the local residents have demanded that a project steering committee be elected from among the community in order for a second…

Benida Phillips STAFF REPORTER GRADE R to 5 pupils in Postmasburg and Danielskuil will now be able to enjoy a range of children’s books after two mini-libraries, specifically made in the form of a tuk-tuk, were launched by Nal’ibali. Nal’ibali is a national reading for enjoyment campaign. The campaign’s provincial co-ordinator, Bonisani Mhalinza, said the mini-libraries will afford children an opportunity to enjoy a variety of books in their mother tongue and also sharpen their knowledge. “Research shows that children who are read to from an early age will perform better in the classroom, regardless of their social or financial standing,” said Mhalinza. “There are four mini-libraries that Nal’ibali will be placing across the Postmasburg, Danielskuil, Soutpan and Dealesville communities in the Northern Cape and Free State. Each library can…

Benida Phillips staff reporter MEDICLINIC Gariep in Kimberley has been declared a Covid-19 vaccination centre. The spokesperson for Mediclinic in Kimberley, Denise Coetzee, said that 10 Mediclinic hospitals across the country, including MediClinic Gariep, have been designated as Covid-19 vaccination sites for the Pfizer vaccine roll-out. The 10 hospitals are: Mediclinic Morningside, Mediclinic Medforum, Mediclinic Bloemfontein, Mediclinic Pietermaritzburg, Mediclinic Geneva (in George), Mediclinic Gariep (in Kimberley), Mediclinic Cape Gate, Mediclinic Vergelegen, Mediclinic Milnerton and Mediclinic Panorama. Coetzee said, however, that they will only begin with operations next month due to a delay in the delivery of vaccines. "While our intention was to begin operations early this week, we experienced an unforeseen delay in the delivery of the vaccine to these facilities. Mediclinic Gariep will begin operations of our vaccination centre…

Mwangi Githahu AGRICULTURE, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Thoko Didiza wants to pave the way for the industrialisation and commercialisation of cannabis as a way to boost the economy. Tabling her budget in Parliament Didiza said she was hoping to present the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) with a cannabis master plan “before the end of May.” Didiza said: “The department will, as of October 2021, begin issuing and monitoring permits for the production of hemp in South Africa. “An interdepartmental team comprising representatives from various departments was established to guide the development of the national cannabis master plan with the department as the convener.” Among the other entities involved are the departments of Health; Trade Industry and Competition; SAPS, provincial legislatures and the South African Health…

Matthew Marcus WHAT an anti-climax Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's first final as Manchester United turned out to be. Ahead of the game, it was all talk about how the club was ready to end their four-year trophy drought after four semi-final disappointments in a row. It was supposed to be a magical evening of destiny for Ole. It was May 26, 22 years to the day that he wrote himself into United's history by scoring a last-minute winner at the Nou Camp to beat Bayern Munich to the 1999 Champions League final. It was Sir Matt Busby's birthday, the builder of United's first great dynasty and winner of their first European Cup title in 1968. The number 26 is also special for him because it's his wife's birthday and their anniversary.…

Neville Motlhabakwe Sports Reporter KIMBERLEY-based boarders Boipelo Awuah (15) and Natalie Bramley (23) flew out to Rome, Italy this week, where they will participate in the World Skateboarding championship that runs from May 30 to June 1 – the event being is a pre-qualifier for the Tokyo Olympic Games. The two young skaters will launch their bid to make it to the Tokyo Games at the Stadio Pietrangeli in the Italian capital's Foro Italico sports complex. Northern Cape Tourism Authority representative Tebogo Velembo said the city of Rome was chosen to host the Street Skateboarding World Championships which doubles as a qualification event for the Tokyo Olympics. “Athletes at the World Championships will have a chance to qualify for the Olympics by improving their standing in the stateboard rankings. Rome…

Boipelo Mere A 26-YEAR-old man made a brief appearance in the Kgomotso Magistrate’s Court in connection with the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl at Kgomotso village near Taung in the North West. The accused was arrested by the Kgomotso police on Thursday last week at his residence in Jan Kempdorp in the Northern Cape. The victim’s naked body and clothes were found in the veld near Kgomotso village on Sunday, May 16. North West police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Amanda Funani said that the accused is a colleague of the girl’s mother, and he had accompanied the mother from a tavern to her friend’s house, where her daughter was sleeping, on Saturday evening. “The accused allegedly waited for the mother to fall asleep, then kidnapped the child and took her…

Lance Fredericks IT SERVES me right. I had promised myself that I would not set foot into a particular store in our small town and the moment I broke the promise to myself I ended up kicking myself – why did I not listen to myself? I went into the store looking for a simple item and asked the shop assistant, “Hi, I need an ‘A’ to ‘B’ connector, please.” He handed a small package to me. “Is that what you are looking for, sir,” he asked. It was exactly what I needed. I was relieved that I did not need to run around any longer. But my relief was short-lived. The other assistant slid over – I could swear that he was standing on a skateboard on the other…

Benida Phillips STAFF REPORTER THE FUND of R306 million for water provision and to alleviate water scarcity in the Northern Cape has brought much relief to communities in the Province. The Drought Relief Programme, which was launched by the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Lindiwe Sisulu, is aimed at assisting local farmers and farming communities and also enabling local households to get access to water. According to V3 Consulting Engineering, the company which was tasked with carrying out the work for the programme, the project is about 95% completed. V3 Consulting and Engineering consultant Andrew Pillay said the project not only provided running water to communities and households but also saved the livelihoods of many local people. “In 2018 the Northern Cape was declared as a drought province by the…

Benida Phillips staff reporter THE DEPARTMENT of Basic Education must invest in online learning and close schools across the country due to the surge in Covid-19 cases and fatalities. This is the view of the Educators Union of South Africa (Esau). The president of the union, Sicelo Bhengu, said yesterday that the current wave of cases had delayed the curriculum and the department had not done anything to address the situation. “We have previously advised the department that they must invest in online learning by distributing tablets, which do not require data and do not have access to social media sites, to all learners across the country. The department has not taken that suggestion seriously. We are now in 2021 and we are again faced with the same challenges we…

Thobile Mazibuko STAFF WRITER DO YOU HAVE what it takes to follow the steps of former Miss Universe titleholders Zozibini Tunzi and Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters and the current Miss South Africa, Shudufhadzo Musida? If yes, then here’s your chance to become the next Miss South Africa. The Miss SA organisation is searching for the next woman to represent the country on the global stage and become one of South Africa’s most prominent ambassadors and influencers. Entries opened for Miss South Africa 2021 on Monday, May 24 and will close on June 24, at midnight. Stephanie Weil of the Miss South Africa Organisation says: “We are delighted that the Miss South Africa brand continues to provide a leading voice for the winners, but also all the young entrants and finalists who join…

Benida Phillips STAFF REPORTER TWO MORE suspects, a man and a woman, were arrested this week by the Upington SAPS Serious and Violent Crimes unit in connection with the murder of Judith Redelinghuys. Upington police spokesperson Sergeant Omphile Masegela said the suspects are aged 39 and 31 years old respectively. “The victim, Judith Redelinghuys, was found floating in the swimming pool with her hands tied behind her back. She was 74 years old. The first suspect in the matter, Nkosinathi Mthombela, was arrested on November 4, 2020 and he has since been remanded in custody. The two latest suspects that have been arrested will appear in the Upington Magistrate’s Court soon,” said Masegela. He added that the team was applauded for the arrests. “The acting station commander of Upington, Colonel…

Sports Correspondent THE EUROPEAN drama is not over with the Champions League final between Manchester City and Chelsea coming up tomorrow night. It’s set up to be a fascinating encounter between two super-rich clubs – you can’t deny that they have the best squads around. Only this season, Chelsea spent a Premier League-record summer budget to bolster their squad with the likes of Hakim Ziyech, Kai Havertz and Timo Werner, Ben Chilwell and Edouard Mendy, while landing free agent Thiago Silva on a big contract. And while some of those signings like Werner, Havertz and Ziyech haven’t yet set the game alight, their talent is undeniable. Just look at the way they have been utilised by Thomas Tuchel since he took over from Frank Lampard. Werner, although he is still…

Staff Reporter THE HOME of Benetton rugby, the Stadio Comunale di Monigo, will host the Rainbow Cup’s North vs South final, SA Rugby announced in a statement yesterday. The final will involve the top ranked South African team from the Rainbow Cup South Africa, currently the Bulls, who will play the first-placed Pro14 side in those standings, which also happens to be Benetton, with three rounds remaining in that tournament. The venue was selected due to its familiarity, and the exciting Covid-19 protocols and infrastructure, the statement read. A maximum of 1 w000 fans will also be allowed in the stadium. “We are incredibly grateful to our friends and colleagues in Italian rugby for their role in creating this opportunity to host the North vs South Rainbow Cup Final," said…

Boipelo Mere THE HAWKS’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team is seeking the public’s assistance in locating four men who can assist in solving a case of abduction and business robbery that took place in De Aar. It is alleged that in February 2020, six armed suspects approached the local post office branch manager at his residence and demanded the office keys. Hawks Northern Cape provincial spokesperson Nomthandazo Mnisi said that three of the suspects drove with the branch manager to the post office while the other three suspects remained in the house and held the family hostage. Mnisi said the branch manager was instructed to open the post office and was forced to hand over 500 SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) cards with an estimated value of R1 million. “After…

Boipelo Mere STAFF REPORTER CARELINE Clinic Private Psychiatry Hospital in Kimberley commemorated Africa Day this week under the theme ‘The Year of Arts, Culture and Heritage: in the year of Charlotte Maxeke’. Careline spokesperson Yvette Lucas said the initiative was driven by the clinic’s strong belief that the arts, culture and heritage play a vital part in the healing and recovery process of its patients. The event was graced by the presence of the Acting US Consul General, Will Stevens, and Neal Turner from the US Embassy in Cape Town. Careline Clinic and Folang Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Facility also celebrated five years’ of operations this year. Lucas said the institution focuses on healing the mind and the soul through specialised psychiatry, psychology, occupational therapy (OT) and social work services. “Our…

Benida Phillips STAFF REPORTER THE SPIKE in Covid-19 infections in the Northern Cape has seen Sol Plaatje University in Kimberley placed on alert Level 3 and the institution placed on recess until the end of the month. The university’s senior communications and marketing manager, Kashini Maistry, said on Tuesday that the university will remain under Level 3 until the end of May. “There had been a significant spike in the number of Covid-19 infections in the Province, where the number of active infections is presently the highest in the country. We placed the university under alert Level 3 from May 17 until May 31, 2021 to mitigate the spread of the virus at SPU and the larger Kimberley community, while also successfully managing our academic project,” said Maistry. She added…

Boipelo Mere staff reporter ELDERLY people in Colville, as well as pupils from four schools in the surrounding area, benefited from the Colville Community Rehabilitation Centre’s relief programme on Wednesday. The elderly community members were given food parcels, while 15 pupils were selected from the four schools to receive tracksuits. The secretary of the centre, Riaan Kuyani, said that the programme was sponsored by the National Lottery Fund (Lotto) to cater for the poor and vulnerable. Kuyani said that the four primary schools that benefited from the tracksuit handover were Progress, Endeavour, Beacon and Floors North. He explained that the centre was the brainchild of Mervin Pillay, who serves as the chairperson. “We also run a soup kitchen, through sponsorship from PMB Mining, where we serve the community with a…

Mayibongwe Maqhina STAFF WRITER Political Bureau THE LONG-awaited process to amend the Constitution so that the 12th official language can be included has finally got under way. This was revealed by Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa during his response to parliamentary questions by IFP MP Siphosethu Ngcobo. Ngcobo asked about plans to include sign language as one of the official South African languages as well as the details of the plan and budget to realise the parliamentary decision. In response, Mthethwa said the constitutional review committee had recommended that a section of the Constitution be amended to include South African Sign Language (SASL) as the 12th official South African language. He said the Department of Justice and Correctional Services had already taken the necessary steps to kick-start the…

Herman Gibbs in Cape Town Mamelodi Sundowns added another glorious chapter to the club's history books by annexing the Premiership 2020/21 title following the Brazillians 3-1 triumph over SuperSport United in the Tshwane derby on Wednesday. The latest conquest marks a record-breaking fourth consecutive league championship. It also marks an overall 11th title since the start of the Premier Soccer League in 1996. This feat will bring a measure of comfort to the team that was eliminated from the CAF Champions League a few days ago. Wednesday's win moves log-leaders Sundowns up from 57 to 60 points and into an unassailable position with three matches remaining on their programme. Second-placed AmaZulu, with 50 points after 27 games, can only pick up a maximum of nine points in their remaining three…

Zinedine Zidane has resigned as Real Madrid manager with immediate effect, the Spanish club said yesterday, just days after they were beaten to the La Liga title by Atletico Madrid. “It is now time to respect his decision and show our appreciation for his professionalism, dedication and passion all these years,” Real Madrid said in a statement on its website. Zidane is one of Real Madrid's great myths and his legend beyond his role as coach and player at our club.” The Frenchman's departure comes at the end of a disappointing campaign for the 13-time European champions, who also lost to Chelsea in the Champions League semi-finals as they failed to win a trophy for the first time in 11 seasons. Only 10 days ago Zidane, who has a contract…

Staff Reporter SASCOC yesterday named an initial list of 64 athletes who will compete for South Africa at the Summer Olympic Games in Japan later this year. Sports like Climbing, Surfing and Sailing had their moments in the sun, while hockey received a significant boost, with both Men’s and Women’s teams heading to Tokyo. The list is far from complete. In the case of track and field, big names like Wayde van Niekerk and Caster Semenya have yet to qualify for their respective events, but have until July 5 to do so when the final team must be sent to the International Olympic Committee. Sprinters Akani Simbine and Clarence Munyai and distance runner, Dominic Scott have completed their qualifying times and were thus named yesterday. For the respective hockey teams,…