Table of contents for 2022-03-11 in DFA News

Sandi Kwon Hoo sandi.kwonhoo@inl.co.za THE COURT has set aside the public protector’s findings that the former Northern Cape MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Maruping Lekwene, acted unlawfully when he appointed Vincent Mothibi as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Northern Cape Gambling Board. Northern Cape High Court Judge Mpho Mamosebo, who delivered her judgment this week, handed out sharp criticism of Public Protector Busisiwe Mhkwebane’s recommendations that stated that Lekwene had acted “improperly” and in contravention of his executive ethics. The public protector received an anonymous complaint on August 3, 2020 pertaining to the secondment of Mothibi as the CEO of the Northern Cape Department of Development and Tourism to the Northern Cape Gambling Board over a period of three years with effect from September 2, 2019.…

THE GALESHEWE police have opened an inquest docket after the body of a 47-year-old man was discovered in Bloemanda, Galeshewe on Wednesday. The police have requested the public’s assistance in tracing the family of the deceased. Police spokesperson Sergeant Timothy Sam said preliminary investigations indicate that the deceased was last seen when he was dropped off at his home by a colleague on Tuesday morning after they had worked a night shift. “No foul play is suspected at this stage,” said Sam. Anyone with information regarding the matter is asked to contact the investigating officer, Sergeant Chrisna von Wiellig, on 082 469 0547 or via the MySAPS app.…

Sandi Kwon Hoo sandi.kwonhoo@inl.co.za A 33-YEAR-old man, who was found guilty of rape and attempted rape after he was linked to the crimes by DNA evidence, has been sentenced to 10 years’ direct imprisonment by the Barkly West Magistrate’s Court. Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Sergio Kock said the incident took place on May 2, 2016, when the woman was accosted by an unknown man as she was on her way home in Barkly West. "The accused, Albert Boeta Khumalo, threatened her with a knife, dragged her into the veld and raped her," said Kock. He added that on October 29, 2017, Khumalo was at a social gathering with a 17-year-old girl. "He tried to force her to have sex with him and severely assaulted her in the street." Tawna said the…

Sandi Kwon Hoo sandi.kwonhoo@inl.co.za THE SPECIAL Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Hawks questioned a couple employed at the Northern Cape Lottery Commission in Kimberley yesterday as part of an investigation into money that was allegedly siphoned from funds meant for non-profit organisations. The SIU obtained a search and seizure warrant from the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court to raid the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) offices. This follows a report that was submitted to Parliament last week detailing collusion between NLC officials and purported non-profit organisations where millions of rand that was meant to develop facilities, including drug rehabilitation centres, old age homes, and youth empowerment facilities, was allegedly diverted from the NLC and used to purchase cars and luxury homes. SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the warrant was obtained on March 8…

Sandi Kwon Hoo sandi.kwonhoo@inl.co.za THE DA in the Northern Cape believes that the MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Abraham Vosloo, has missed an ideal opportunity to table "a real plan" for economic growth and service delivery in his budget speech. DA provincial spokesperson on finance, Fawzia Rhoda, pointed out that Stage 4 load shedding was adding to pressures created by increased fuel and food prices. "The Northern Cape’s economy needs more than half-hearted promises repeated from previous years. With one out of every two people in the Province unemployed and with 60 percent of small micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) at risk of closing their doors permanently, the provincial budget should be used to create an environment conducive for the sustained creation of sustainable economic opportunities," said Vosloo.…

Sydney – Australian opener David Warner plans to attend the state funeral of his childhood idol Shane Warne later this month, but he says it will take time to get used to the legendary bowler's passing. Warne died following a heart attack while holidaying in Thailand last week, and his death has shaken the Australian team, who are currently touring Pakistan. "It still hasn’t really sunk in," said Warner ahead of the second Test starting in Karachi from Saturday. "When we first found out, we thought it was a joke.” Warner said he will head home after the third Test, in Lahore starting March 25, as he was not part of the subsequent limited overs series. Warne's state funeral is scheduled for March 30, and Warner said: "I will be…

Boipelo Mere boipelo.mere@inl.co.za THE GALESHEWE Social Crime, Sector teams, Kimberley Crime Prevention, K9 and Frances Baard Cluster Crime Prevention units executed a search at Tetlanyo High School in Galeshewe on Tuesday. Police spokesperson Sergeant Timothy Sam said the initiative aims to engage in early identification of potential offenders at schools, and intervene in their lives in a manner that will discourage them from committing crime. “This is a prevention method that is often directed at learners ‘at risk’, keeping clean and safer schools,” said Sam. The school expressed appreciation towards the SAPS for ensuring a safe and drug-free school.…

Sandi Kwon Hoo sandi.kwonhoo@inl.co.za THE NORTHERN Cape Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development and Land Reform has warned of a brown locust outbreak that is escalating in various parts of the Province, especially in the Pixley ka Seme District along the Karoo belt. Department spokesperson Zandisile Luphahla said yesterday that most of the areas were affected by adult locusts. "There were also new reports of a new generation of locusts (hoppers). "So far 33 farming towns are affected by the outbreak." He added that the department had procured two helicopters to assist with aerial spraying, especially in areas most affected and not easily accessible. "One helicopter is stationed in Upington for the western farming towns, while the second one is around De Aar for the farming towns in the…

Sandi Kwon Hoo sandi.kwonhoo@inl.co.za THE MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Abraham Vosloo, said drastic interventions would be implemented to reduce the wage bill of state employees during the tabling of the 2022 Northern Cape main appropriation bill in Douglas on Wednesday. He highlighted how it was necessary to contain spending on the compensation of employees as well as the goods and services budgets. “In response to the government's wage freeze directive in the 2020/21 financial year, departments’ compensation of employees’ budgets have been rebased by using the 2021 baseline and adding back 1.5 percent over the medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF) in line with the National Treasury guidelines,” said Vosloo. He stated that expenditure budgets would be prioritised to stimulate economic growth. “Therefore, it is necessary for departments to…

Sandi Kwon Hoo sandi.kwonhoo@inl.co.za THE NATIONAL Lotteries Commission (NLC) stated that it would offer its full co-operation to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) following a search-and-seizure operation at its Northern Cape provincial office in Kimberley yesterday. NLC communication co-ordinator Ntebalene Rabaloi stated that all its offices were accessible to the SIU whenever additional information was required. "The management of the NLC is monitoring the developments closely and will decide on a course of action once all the facts have been made available to the commission by the SIU," said Rabaloi. He assured NLC stakeholders that its daily operations would not be affected by this process. "The organisation continues to fulfil its mandate to ensure that the commission performs its functions efficiently and effectively as well as manages staff, its financial,…

Ashfak Mohamed HE HAS been hard at work in training, but now Wayde van Niekerk is getting ready to run in a competitive race once again. After the disappointment of missing out on the final in defence of his Olympic 400m title in Tokyo last year, Van Niekerk returned to his new training base in the US, and seems to have adapted well to life in Florida. He has been putting in the hard yards on the practice track under the watchful eye of renowned American coach Lance Brauman, and looks in great shape physically ahead of a busy 2022, where the world athletics championships in Eugene, Oregon and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham – both in July – are the highlights of the calendar. Off the track, Van Niekerk…

Sandi Kwon Hoo sandi.kwonhoo@inl.co.za TWO GAY inmates at Kimberley Correctional Centre have laid charges after they were allegedly intimidated and threatened by fellow inmates and allegedly assaulted and pepper-sprayed by prison warders. The case has been referred to the Kimberley Detective Service for further investigation. In a statement, the inmates cited incidents that occurred between May 2020 and January this year. They stated that they were forced to share a communal cell with fellow inmates whom they had to testify against on rape charges. “After returning from court, we asked not to be kept in the same quarantine unit as the accused persons. A captain at the prison gave instructions that we should be assaulted, stripped naked pepper-sprayed. We were forced to sleep with our hands and feet tied up.…

Sandi Kwon Hoo TWO SUSPECTS were expected to appear in the Victoria West Magistrate’s Court yesterday on charges of possession of drugs. Police spokesperson Captain Olebogeng Tawana said the suspects, aged 20 and 23 years old, were arrested on March 9 in Church Street, Victoria West. "The Victoria West police acted swiftly upon receiving a tip-off regarding two male suspects who were in possession of mandrax that was to be delivered in Loxton," said Tawana. He stated that the suspects were found in possession of more than 200 units of mandrax tablets. "The 23-year-old suspect was found with 200 units of mandrax while the 20-year-old suspect had 14 mandrax tablets." The district commander of Pixley Ka Seme, Brigadier Nomana Adonis, commended the police officers and community members for their assistance…

Lance Fredericks MY FRIEND Larry’s new girlfriend had what I considered to be the most off-putting manners I had ever seen. When we would go out and everyone ordered their meals, Larry’s girlfriend would say that she wasn’t that hungry and just ordered a small snack. Larry, however, an active lad, ordered himself the super duper jumbo wumbo burger. Now for the uninitiated, the right way to eat a meal at a steakhouse is that you nibble away at the stray bits around your plate and steadily power your way to the centre of your meal – saving the best piece for last. And Larry did just that; after all that’s how things are done. Then it happened, as he was about to plough into the juicy, saucy, crispy, greasy…

Boipelo Mere boipelo.mere@inl.co.za THE BODY of a woman that was discovered on February 15 in Madiba Square has not yet been claimed by anyone. The woman’s naked body was discovered in the veld behind the Northern Cape Legislature after residents saw a human arm being dragged around by a dog. The body was found among some bushes in the overgrown veld by the K9 Search and Rescue team who were called to the scene. It was confirmed that the arm belonged to the body. The Galeshewe police appealed to the public to assist in identifying the family of the deceased by coming forward to report any missing person. Police spokesperson Sergeant Timothy Sam said that DNA results have not been revealed yet. Sam added that it would be helpful to…

Kaizer Chiefs rolled out the red carpet for Al Ahly ahead of tomorrow’s crunch clash against Sundowns Herman Gibbs in Cape Town Kaizer Chiefs have become a major factor in Al Ahly’s charge for victory against Mamelodi Sundowns in tomorrow’s Caf Champions League showdown at the FNB Stadium. The Egyptian giants arrived in South Africa on Wednesday afternoon and have been spending their time preparing at the Kaizer Chiefs Village in Naturena. The complex includes numerous playing fields, training facilities and the fully-fledged high performance centre (HPC) was officially opened by former President Nelson Mandela in April 2002. Spending time at the home of Chiefs will be an emotional experience for Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane. In his youth, Mosimane was a staunch Chiefs supporter. Mosimane’s last contact with Chiefs…

Miami, United States – A tearful Tiger Woods recalled fighting racism as a youth and the support of his parents on Wednesday in an emotional induction ceremony to the World Golf Hall of Fame. Woods was hailed for a transcendent career that has seen him capture 15 major titles, second only to the career-record 18 of Jack Nicklaus, and win 82 US PGA Tour titles, level with Sam Snead for the all-time record. He thanked instructors, caddies, friends and family – many of them in attendance – for the support that helped him turn childhood dreams into a historic sport career. “I didn’t get here alone,” Woods said. “I had unbelievable parents, mentors and friends who supported me in the darkest of times and celebrated the highest of times. “It’s…