Table of contents for 2025-07-04 in DFA News

AS MUNICIPAL tariffs increase and audit outcomes worsen, residents are left paying more for less As Kimberley braces for another shutdown over unaffordable electricity prices on July 14, the cost of living continues to rise — and confidence in municipal governance continues to fall. From July 1, Sol Plaatje Municipality implemented steep tariff increases across core services. Electricity tariffs for domestic users jumped by 9.6%, while water, sanitation, refuse removal and property rates each rose by 4.4%. On July 2, fuel prices increased by up to 84 cents per litre, adding further pressure to households already stretched thin. For a typical working-class or middle-income household, the increases mean significantly higher monthly expenses — especially during winter when energy consumption spikes. A family using more than 350 kWh per month now…

THE ROODEPAN police are investigating an inquest case after the body of an unknown man was discovered in the veld near the Homevale Wastewater Treatment Plant in Kimberley this week. The deceased, who was dressed in mining gear, was found lying on his back with his face covered by a bandana on July 1. Northern Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Timothy Sam said preliminary investigations indicated that the deceased was believed to be between 30 and 40 years old. “There were no visible injuries on his body. He was warmly dressed in a blue overall top, black hoodie, black jacket, blue reflector pants and black sneakers,” said Sam. He added that the deceased had not yet been positively identified, and urged anyone who could assist in establishing his identity to contact…

SOUTH African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldier Mbubanzi Desmond Zwakala was found guilty, while his co-accused, David Khangumbe, was found not guilty of the murder of Kimberley Boys’ High School matric pupil Amogelang Assegaai. The Grade 12 pupil was fatally shot outside his home in Impala Road, Verwoerdpark, in October 2022. Acting Judge Dries van Tonder delivered judgment in the Northern Cape High Court yesterday, where the courtroom was filled to capacity with family members, supporters, and friends. The shooting followed an earlier altercation involving Zwakala’s son and Assegaai. Zwakala’s son, Kamva Zwakala, was injured during a valedictory party following an altercation when Assegaai reportedly asked him to leave, as the house was overcrowded. Zwakala later confronted Assegaai on October 23, 2022, to retrieve his son’s cellphone, which had been…

At just five years old, Boipelo Awuah stepped into the Kimberley Skate Plaza for the first time. The ramps looked massive, the energy intimidating, and the scene overwhelmingly male. But that never stopped her. Fourteen years later, Boipelo is a two-time Olympic skateboarder, and now she’s using that same skate park to spark change where it all began. Tomorrow, Boipelo’s nonprofit organisation, 053 Skateboarding For Girls, will officially kick off its Kimberley Winter Skateboarding Workshop, a girls-only event set to empower the next generation of female skateboarders. The workshop, which will take place at the Kimberley Skate Plaza from 1pm and run till 6pm, is geared toward girls aged eight to 25 and promises a full day of skating, learning, creativity, and fun. “I saw a lack of female skateboarders…

TAXI operators and business owners have fiercely opposed the proposed sale of Bultfontein Road to De Beers for R12,000, calling the deal a “slap in the face” for Kimberley. Once the sale is finalised, more sections of the road will be permanently closed to the public, including parts of the historic tramway route. While the exodus of most businesses near the Big Hole has left the area resembling a ghost town, the few remaining operations along Bultfontein Road face an increasingly difficult predicament. “No one has informed us that the road will be closed. We cannot sell our properties because the area is crime-ridden. Where are we supposed to move to?” business owners asked. “People urinate in the streets and sewage is flowing down the roads. We have to be…

There was pride and purpose in the air as athletes and coaches from Kimberley’s Zanshin Shito-Ryu Karate-Do Academy and the Karate Association of the Northern Cape were honoured at the 2025 Karate South Africa (KSA) Protea and KSA Awards. The event recognised South Africa’s top karatekas for exceptional performances, but for the Northern Cape team, the mood was one of humility and heartfelt appreciation. “Only one word comes to mind … and that is GRATEFUL,” said an emotional Shihan Peter Stegmann, head of Zanshin and a National Coach for Karate South Africa. “I am so, so proud of my athletes for their hard work and dedication. Through great and sometimes not-so-great performances, you still show up and do the work. Trusting the process.” Four Zanshin athletes received top honours: Kamogelo…

The Northern Cape may soon have its own flagship ultra marathon if promises made by MEC for for Sport, Arts and Culture Mangaliso Matika at a recent event are realised. Speaking at a celebratory dinner held to honour the province’s 2025 Comrades Marathon participants, Matika praised the athletes as “warriors of endurance” and proudly acknowledged the grit and commitment it takes to compete in one of the world’s most demanding races. He used the occasion to unveil a bold vision: the establishment of a major ultra-distance road race in the Northern Cape. “It cannot be that we continue to send our athletes to other provinces to compete in nationally recognised marathons, yet we don’t host one ourselves,” he said. “This must change.” Matika confirmed the Department of Sport, Arts and…