Table of contents for 2024-08-30 in DFA News

COMMUNITY health workers, hospital facility assistants and members of the Covid-19 brigades embarked on a go-slow this week as they demand to be absorbed by the Northern Cape Department of Health. According to a memorandum of demands, Nehawu, PSA, Denosa and Hospersa members will “close down the department” if advertised vacancies are not immediately withdrawn and advertised internally. They are also calling for the cancellation of all non-critical post appointments. Workers pointed out that they were expected to “do the dirty work” while they were only receiving measly stipends of R3,500. “The hospital grounds are clean because of us. We are reporting for duty even when we don’t get paid. This is a tertiary hospital and our concerns are not being taken seriously.” They called for workers to be paid…

BULLYING can manifest in many forms, each capable of inflicting profound psychological and emotional pain. Whether it’s verbal abuse, physical threats, or psychological manipulation, the impact of bullying can feel like torture, leaving lasting scars on an individual’s well-being. Sometimes, something as simple as grocery shopping can make you feel like you’re being bullied. Nowadays, store policies seem designed to grind already burdened South African consumers further into the ground. Benefits? What benefits? Recently, I discovered I had accumulated R70 in cashback rewards on a store loyalty card, which was a welcome relief during a particularly tight month. Excited, I headed to the mall, braving the store’s confusing layout to finally pick the items I needed. But when it came time to pay, I encountered the frustrating inefficiency of South…

THE FAMILY of a young girl from De Aar, who was allegedly raped by a high-ranking SAPS official attached to the Kimberley Flying Squad, believe that the perpetrator is being shielded from prosecution as he has not been arrested or suspended yet. The 15-year-old girl’s father stated that they intended to protest outside the De Aar police station, calling for steps to be taken against the suspect who holds the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He believed that his child’s safety was at risk as the suspect was still working in De Aar. “My daughter is extremely traumatised and does not want to go to school. She has not been offered any counselling.” He claimed that he failed to receive any co-operation from the authorities or the police when he opened the…

THE DIAMANTVELD High School Cricket Festival, scheduled for early October, is set to bring together 18 schools from across the country for what promises to be a spectacle of top-tier cricket. At the heart of this event is Tshepo Ntuli (pictured), a player from the Northern Cape Heat, who has been appointed as the festival’s ambassador. Ntuli's enthusiasm and commitment to the role are evident as he prepares to inspire the young cricketers who will participate in the tournament. Ntuli told the DFA that he is honoured to be associated with such a prestigious school and event. “To be an ambassador for a well-known school like Diamantveld is always nice,” he said. “The school has achieved so many honours over the years, not only in cricket but in other sporting…

SOL PLAATJE Municipality peace officer Mosito Lepara is intent on making a difference by providing children with new school shoes out of his car boot. He indicated that he started the project about two months ago where he personally made donations and received sponsorships through social media. “I carry school shoes, stationery kits and bags in my boot so that I can hand them out to children I see every day in need,” said Lepara. “I received donations from Sol Plaatje executive mayor Kagisho Sonyoni and the acting head of the Department of Education, Dr Michelle Ismail.” Lepara said he offered a pair of shoes to a boy who accompanied his friends halfway to school. “He told me that he couldn’t attend classes because he didn’t have any shoes.” He…

AN INSPIRING biography about the challenges the last Nluu speaker and teacher, Ouma Katrina Esau, experienced during her childhood in the struggle to preserve her mother tongue, is beautifully illustrated in a children’s book, Golden Girl, written by Lorato Trok. Trok, who has over 20 years of experience in children’s literature and hails from Kuruman, said she has always been fascinated with Esau’s life story. “I have always had a deep love for the story of Ouma Katrina ever since I heard about her in 2020. I am intrigued by languages and the preservation thereof, as well as the teaching of indigenous languages to young children,” said Trok. “I saw it as vital to document the story of Ouma Katrina, as I realised that her story is mostly written by…

IN A BID to boost humanitarian foundations, the Northern Cape Pakistan South Africa Association donated R212,000 to Gift of the Givers. According to Dr Waleed Ikram, from the provincial Pakistan South Africa Association, the funds were raised during a celebration event held in Kimberley in commemoration of Pakistan's independence. “The Pakistan South Africa Association is a welfare society working for the welfare of the Pakistani diaspora in South Africa. Pakistan celebrated its 77th Independence Day on August 14 this year. The association’s Northern Cape branch held a fund-raiser at the De Beers Stadium for humanitarian assistance in aid of our Palestinian brothers and sisters. “The funds raised at the event were donated to Gift of the Givers as they assist various communities across the country. Through this donation, we can…

INFURIATED residents of Ward 20 in West End have lashed out at alleged illegal shanties that were being erected close to their homes. Homeowners said that none of the ward members were consulted about the shanties in the area. They said they had been living peacefully with the residents of Marikana, but that the additional shacks can have a negative impact on their area and properties. “On August 8 we saw that the piece of land where the shanties were built, was being scraped and cleaned. The next day we saw people building the shanties. We went to the municipality and informed them about what was happening. We were told by the Town Planning Unit of the Sol Plaatje Municipality that the plot of land was allocated for middle-class housing…

A FORMER Kimberley Tactical Response Team (TRT) constable was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Galeshewe Regional Court this week after he was convicted of raping his biological daughter. The child was 10 years old at the time of the incident, and the accused denied the charges that were levelled against him. Magistrate Benjamin September pointed out that while the accused had no previous convictions or history of violence, it remained his duty to protect his child. “The accused was a police officer who was employed to protect society at large. He was supposed to guard his daughter against all evils. The child unsuccessfully reached out to the accused’s wife for help. She was heavily intoxicated at the time as she was unable to wake up after the accused fell…

This weekend’s Carling Currie Cup Premier Division action promises to be pivotal, with top teams battling for a spot in the semi-finals. The Suzuki Griquas face the defending champions, the Toyota Cheetahs in Kimberley on Friday afternoon, ahead of the top of the table showdown between the Vodacom Bulls and Fidelity ADT Lions in Pretoria. Meanwhile, several other teams face make-or-break scenarios as the competition heats up. Griquas vs Cheetahs A Crucial Clash First up, the defending champions will be involved in a critical match in Kimberley. The Cheetahs, who must beat Griquas on their home turf to stay in contention for a semi-final spot, are coming off a disappointing loss at home to the Lions. They need to bounce back in Kimberley with a win if they want to…

Two local schools, Emmanuel Secondary School and Reneilwe Primary School, recently earned their place in the regional finals of the Sanlam Kay Motsepe School Championships after exceptional performances in the qualifiers. The Emmanuel Secondary School Under-19 boys secured their ticket in a campaign characterised by determination and grit. They played in a hard-fought quarter-final against Tshireleco High School, coming away with a tense 3-1 win in the penalty shootout. Following this win they advanced to the semi-finals, where they faced Rietvale High School. Here, in another closely contested match, Emmanuel triumphed 4-3 on penalties, thereby securing their spot in the final. Then, in the final, Emmanuel delivered a commanding performance, defeating Emang Mmogo 2-0 to clinch the tournament title. Speaking to the DFA, coach Collin Trevor Geweer, who previously coached…