Table of contents for 2022-11-25 in DFA News

A PORTION of the palisade fence at the West End Cricket Club was replaced this week, four weeks after an event was held at the grounds. According to the application that was submitted by Long Street Lounge, the All White Lifestyle Party was an annual event that attracted visitors from various provinces to the city and held many economic spin-offs that benefited local small businesses, guest houses and retail stores. Northern Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Nocci) CEO Sharon Steyn stated that West End Cricket Club – a Nocci member – had incurred damages during the event that was held on October 28 to 29. “A portion of the palisade fencing and the spectator’s benches were removed, the gate and main gate track were damaged, creating a security risk.…

SOL PLAATJE municipality has embarked on a project to restore street lights in the city. Municipal spokesperson Thoko Riet pointed out that some lights have been out of order for close to three years, leaving members of the public in the dark and exposed to crime and vandalism. “We have rewired and replaced close to 600 street lights to date and we are still continuing to bring light to those in need,” said Riet. She stated that 90 percent of the lights were working in Eagle Street, from the police station up until Sunset Manor. “At the corner of Swallow and Starling streets, up until Raven Street, 90 percent of the lights are in working order, while 100 percent of the street lights are working in Swallow Street.” Riet said…

RECENTLY I was reading a blog, or watching a vlog, or browsing through my newsfeed or binging on YouTube clips where I learned that – according to my very reliable online source – the exhaustion that we are experiencing these days is not due to working too hard, but rather because we are eating too frequently and eating too many carbohydrates. Personally, I found that too much to process, so I made myself a sandwich; my favourite sandwich in the entire world – a peanut butter sarmie! Then, as I sat munching the sandwich, I passed the time reading the peanut butter jar’s label. I was horrified to discover the allergen warning … This product contained peanuts! Imagine my surprise. However, as I grinned at the silliness of warning consumers…

AN AMOUNT of R40 million has been earmarked by provincial government to “divert water from (the R31) road”. This was announced in the Northern Cape’s adjusted appropriation 2022 budget earlier this week and includes the construction of a divergent wall and other related work. This follows in light of above average rainfall forecasts and to “prevent water from flowing towards the road”. The MEC for Roads and Public Works, Fufe Makatong, during a visit of Acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka to Kimberley last week, indicated that they planned to drain overflowing water next to the R31 into the Vaal River over a period of six months. She stated that there was “no contamination” of the water that had accumulated as a result of unattended sewage leaks from the Gogga Pump…

NEO MAIBIRI, a young person from Deben, is a true testimony of what the REISA Scholarship Fund stands for. The fund assisted him with his tertiary studies. Maibiri is on track to earn his B.Ed Honours Degree, specialising in Management and Governance, thanks to the Fund that has been assisting him since the beginning of his studies. He graduated from the University of Free State with a Bachelor in Education last year. The programme provides tertiary education funding for youths living within a 50km radius of the REISA Solar Facility, including Kathu, Olifantshoek, Deben, Siyathemba, Babatas and Mapoteng. The main focus is to contribute towards human resource development in fields considered critical for the South African economy. It focusses on study fields such as Teaching, Engineering, Natural and Social Sciences,…

THE NORTHERN Cape Innovation Forum (NCIF) conducted a Drone Awareness Training programme at the Galeshewe SMME village yesterday with 40 people participating. The programme, in partnership with Sol Plaatje University, is co-funded by the CSIR and the Department of Economic Development and Tourism. The programme is aimed at filling the gap of innovation throughout the Province and to create an ecosystem. The co-ordinator of the programme, Kabelo Mzolo, said they are attempting to create a platform for people to showcase their ideas and to assist them to take their ideas to a commercial level. He said they have embarked on various training interventions. The forum started with cybersecurity training, with participants receiving certificates of completion. Mzolo said they aim to roll out more training programmes related to cybersercurity. Referring to…

NAPPIES, clothing and food items were recently donated in great quantities to the Sally Aucamp Home in Kimberley by the National Council for People with Disabilities (NCPD). The NCPD has ties to the APD-Frances Baard District. Every year, the NCDP organises the Nappy Run campaign, which runs from October 3 to December 3, ending on International Day for Persons with Disabilities. The campaign takes place during South Africa's annual November Disability Rights Awareness Month. Every child and adult with a handicap, the NCPD points out, is an important member of our society and deserves to have all of their legal rights protected. “We at Sally Aucamp are dedicated to assisting children with disabilities, the most marginalised members of society, to live with dignity because we believe that disability rights are…

IN ANY sport, earning your provincial colours is a significant accomplishment that you can be proud of. It is something that will make all your effort, practice time, and hard work worthwhile. However, when you manage to get your provincial colours at age 11, it’s much more significant. This is the case for Bryan Muller from Douglas in the Northern Cape after he was selected to represent his province in the 39th Annual Clay Target Shooting Association of South Africa Chairman’s Cup. The DFA had a quick chat with Bryan regarding his accomplishments and where it all started. Since he can remember, Bryan claims that he has always accompanied his father to go hunting, fishing, and shooting waterfowl. “This is where my passion for the outdoors began; spending the day…

KIMBERLITE Frances Nel, the holder of seven Comrades marathon race entries, made a clean sweep of the medals table at Kimberley Road Runners club, which honoured her with multiple awards for her participation in the sport last Saturday. Nel, 31, received the awards at the club’s annual prize-giving ceremony. “The club honoured me with the titles ‘Female Road Runner of the Year’, ‘Athlete of the the Year’ and ‘SportsWoman of the Year’, as well as receiving the Comrades Marathon’s ‘Mark van Niekerk Excellence’ prize as well as several run-of-the-mill certificates for administrative stuff such as, among others, a ‘general attendance recognition’ certificate.” Nel started out in road running while still at primary school. There she made the SA Schools championships where she took part in the 100-metre dash as well…

WORLD Children's Day is observed on November 20 each year. In order to create a better world for our children and their future, we are all given a chance to campaign for, promote and celebrate children's rights on this unique day. World Children's Day this year had as its theme ‘Equality and inclusion for every child’. This statement is especially appropriate for Smile Week, which starts the very next day. Smile Week is a life-changing effort that aims to help all children feel worthwhile, accepted and loved. At the freshly renovated Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital burns unit, this year’s Smile Week will be the first of many. Dr Maria Giaquinto-Cilliers, head of the hospital's Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Burns, is leading the renovation, which is currently in…

THE DA has pointed to the sewage spills at homes in Petrus Street, New Hillcrest, in Kimberley as the latest example of “the collapse of Sol Plaatje municipal infrastructure”. DA councillor Chris Whittaker pointed out this week that phase one of the Carters Glen sewage line upgrade is already two years overdue. "Even though workers on the line improvement just left the site, giving the impression that the project was finished, the pump stations at Carters Glen and Petrus Street are still having issues. Sewage spills continue to affect the houses of residents who live next to a lengthy, open sewage canal. In addition to the offensive smell, they are also concerned about the health of their families,” said Whittaker. The DA further claims that the Heuwelsig side of the…

COMMUNITY and environmental activists Green Connection South Africa is opposing TotalEnergies’ plans for oil exploration off the West Coast. The French explorer has proposed to drill one well, which could result in an additional nine depending on the success of the first drilling. At its closest point, the area of interest is the Deep Water Orange Basin situated offshore between Port Nolloth and Hondeklip Bay in the Northern Cape, 188 kilometres from the coast, in water that can reach depths of up to 3,000 metres. Community and environmental activists Green Connection SA has since blocked and increasingly opposed seismic surveys and Total’s plans of moving forward with this activity. The recent calls come at a time when Wild Coast communities and non-profit organisations have asked the court to block the…

RECENTLY, two bowlers from the Northern Cape received invitations to participate in the prestigious 2023 Bowls South Africa Open Masters. René van Niekerk of the Sol Plaatje West End Bowling Club and CP Mathewson of the Beaconsfield Park Bowling Club, both of whom have previously competed very successfully at the national level, will once more represent the Northern Cape at the illustrious competition to be held in the Western Cape in March 2023. Meanwhile, the Northern Cape Bowls Men's and Ladies’ Pairs Championships will take place this weekend at Beaconsfield Park Bowling Club and Kimberley Town Bowling Club. The participating bowlers earned their spots in individual sub-district contests played during November. KSD (Kimberley), Intervaal, Kalahari, and Conroy are some of the sub-districts. On Saturday (tomorrow) morning and afternoon, there will…

The 39th CTSASA Chairman’s Cup to be held at Kimberley Clay Target Club this weekend This evening, Kimberley once again will be stirred by yet another historical celebration. Nobody can dispute the historical significance of Kimberley. Everywhere you go and everything you see has a history, from the first street lights on through the diamond rush to entertaining the queen at the Kimberley Club. Kimberley also has a long history in sports. From the prestigious Kimberley Golf Club, founded in 1890, to the Kimberley Cricket Club, founded in 1884, to the Griquas rugby team, founded in 1886 in the then-British province of Griqualand West. But there is another sport with a long history that gets less attention, while being equally as popular as the others. Can you guess what it…