Table of contents for 2021-11-05 in DFA News

Mayibongwe Maqhina mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za The ANC electoral support at Monday's local government elections does not bode well for President Cyril Ramaphosa within the party. This was the view of some political analysts, who on Thursday said his detractors could use the party’s poor performance to mount a challenge at his leadership. The governing party is set to hold a national general council (NGC) to decide on policy and constitutional matters before holding an elective conference next year ahead of the 2024 general elections. In the wake of the election results to be announced by the Electoral Commission of South Africa, the party is expected to hold an extended national working committee, which includes provincial leaders, on Friday. Political analyst Zakhele Ndlovu said Ramaphosa has not been unable to unite the ANC…

Lance Fredericks TERROR? I know all about terror … OK, maybe not actual terror over something to actually be terrified about, but terror nonetheless. Growing up, and as you matured, there were things you were sequentially warned about. First you learned that when you heard the word “Kaka” you’d better spit out whatever it was you had stuck in your gob. Later you learned about not sticking your finger into a light socket, not touching a hot stove, how to cross a road, and so on. Then came the day that I learned of something else to fear – envelopes. One day, while flipping through a stack of envelopes, the colour drained from my Mom’s face. “I don’t like these things,” she said, holding a blue envelope in her trembling…

Jonisayi Maromo THE INDEPENDENT Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) is investigating the alleged murder of a detainee while he was in the cells at Rosedale police station in Upington. Ipid spokesperson Grace Langa said the police watchdog was informed that the detainee was allegedly assaulted by a police constable in the passageway of the cells at Rosedale police station. “The inmate succumbed to death as a result of an assault,” said Langa. “The deceased in this matter is 20 years of age. He had been arrested on allegations of being found in possession of suspected stolen property, as per Rosedale Case 225/10/2021. “It is alleged by fellow inmates that the deceased was taken from the cell in which he was detained by the suspect. The suspect, a constable, allegedly assaulted the…

Boipelo Mere THE NORTHERN Cape Department of Health has remained tight-lipped following an incident where a 25-year-old female patient hung herself at the Kimberley Mental Health Hospital on Wednesday. The police have opened an inquest docket after the body of a patient was found hanging in one of the hospital’s bathrooms. It is believed that the patient is from Delportshoop and was transferred to the Kimberley Mental Health Hospital from the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital. The patient was reportedly admitted to hospital following a suicide attempt, where she apparently overdosed on pills. It is believed that the patient went to the bathroom and used her nightgown to hang herself. Police spokesperson Tessa Jansen said the police responded to a complaint at a mental hospital in Kimberley. “On arrival, the police…

Sandi Kwon Hoo sandi.kwonhoo@inl.co.za CIVIC movements and service delivery forums that secured seats in municipalities across the Northern Cape will prove to be the kingmakers in hung municipalities. Ten hung municipalities emerged following the local government elections – Gamagara, Nama Khoi, Hantam, Karoo Hoogland, Kareeberg, Thembelihle, Siyathemba, Siyancuma, !Kheis and Kgatelopele municipalities - where there is no outright majority. The Namakwa Civic Movement obtained eight council seats, while the Gamagara Community Forum received two seats and the Siyathemba Community Forum secured five seats. ANC provincial secretary Deshi Ngxanga said yesterday that he, along with ANC deputy provincial secretary Maruping Lekwene, was personally engaging with various civic movements. “We are prepared to enter into coalitions with any party, other than the DA. The DA is a no-no for us due…

Sandi Kwon Hoo sandi.kwonhoo@inl.co.za THE ANC has won the 2021 local government elections in the Northern Cape with a 50.55% majority, followed by the DA with 19.97% and the EFF with 10.46%. The FF+ clinched 3.5% of the vote, followed by the PA with 2.7%. Newcomers, the Namakwa Civic Movement received 1.55% of the vote. Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) provincial election matters manager Elkin Topkin said yesterday that there was a 53.31% turnout in the Northern Cape. “This is one of the highest turnouts recorded in the country. There were 333 708 out of a total of 622 746 registered voters who cast their ballots. This is a bit of a drop compared to the 61% voter turnout in the 2016 local government elections,” said Topkin. He added…

Murphy Nganga murphy.nganga@inl.co.za JUST like everyone had to adapt to the changes happening around the world, so did the English language, after Oxford University announced its Word of the Year for 2021. According to Oxford’s Words of an Unprecedented Year report, ’vax’ was chosen as the term to reflect this year, given the term’s ability to re-inject itself into the English language, through expressions demonstrated to mirror the ethos and mood of the past 12 months. The report further explains that, of all the vaccine-related terms that have increased in popularity this year, ’vax’ has been the most noticeable, despite the fact that the word has been used as a noun since the 1980s in the meaning of ’a vaccine or vaccination’. Oxford Languages president Casper Grathwohl said that, after…

Zaahier Adams in Dubai Prior to the team’s departure for the T20 World Cup national cricket captain Temba Bavuma faced a barrage of bumpers from the media. There were the routine ones regarding the composition of the squad and the team’s prospects in the unfamiliar conditions of the UAE. However, he also had to attempt to provide an explanation to why the Proteas’ performance at major tournaments does not replicate that of the Springboks at Rugby World Cups. While the comparison is grossly unfair considering the vastly different nature of the two sports, there is merit in the fact that the Boks get the job done even through a simple and uncomplicated game plan of ensuring they execute the basics effectively and minimise their mistakes. It may not always be…

With five races to go, both Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will be seeking a third win in five Mexican outings since 2016 in the rarefied atmosphere at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, which is 2,285 metres (7,500 feet) above sea level and frequently the scene of high drama. The thin air usually plays a part by diminishing the performance of teams’ power-units, with the turbo-chargers required to spin faster to make up for lost performance. In turn, this can create other problems and often deliver surprise results. Mercedes have often struggled with the altitude while Red Bull have done well, Verstappen winning in 2017 and 2018. But Hamilton won in 2016 and 2019, when the race was last held before the Covid-19 pandemic, and Mercedes retain optimism that this year…

Sandi Kwon Hoo sandi.kwonhoo@inl.co.za THE FAMILY of an 18-year-old patient who died shortly after giving birth believes that staff members at Professor ZK Matthews Hospital in Barkly West were negligent. Family members claimed that Lizbeth Makaloi bled to death after she was refused medical assistance. According to an affidavit, all three nurses who were on duty at the time refused to accompany her to Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital in Kimberley. It was stated that, in line with hospital regulations, a patient will not be admitted to a tertiary hospital if they are not accompanied by a nurse. A nurse apparently called the police to intervene after she complained that a relative became “riotous”, where he accused the hospital of not assisting Lizbeth. Family members claimed that Lizbeth’s file at the…

Tarryn-Leigh Solomons Tarryn-Leigh.Solomons@iinl.co.za SACP leader Blade Nzimande has warned that there were a number of factors that led to low voter turnout. He said factors contributing to the decline in voter turnout include internal divisions within the ANC, factional conduct, and situations where alliance partners were marginalised. The ANC has again claimed victory as the governing party in the country, but a decline in voter turnout and the ruling party’s support has seen voters turning to either opposition parties or not participating in voting due to a lack of confidence within the party. Nzimande said the SACP would conduct a detailed assessment of the results and develop the way forward. “However, we have initial observations to highlight. The results that started emerging were predictable. This is why during the campaign,…

Wesley Diphoko wesley.diphoko@inl.co.za Telkom has made it possible for customers to get prepaid fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) running on the Openserve fibre network. This means that customers who didn’t qualify for fibre previously due to unforeseen financial circumstances, or customers that prefer to be in control of their spend without any long-term commitments, can now buy a prepaid 25Mbps uncapped internet service online. “We are simplifying access because we realise that no two customers, nor their circumstances, are the same. While some customers want the convenience of a contractual agreement and prefer a recurring billing, others merely opt for the flexibility to adjust as their lives and businesses change,” said Telkom’s chief marketing officer, Gugu Mthembu. To Activate Prepaid Fibre access apply online at https://secure.telkom.co.za/today/campaign/prepaid-fibre/…

Herman Gibbs TOMORROW’S eagerly anticipated Soweto derby will mark Stuart Baxter’s 100th league match in charge of Kaizer Chiefs during his two stints as manager of the most successful club in South African football history. Depending on the outcome of the match, the 100th league match milestone may not necessarily mark a memorable day in the life of the English-born gaffer. The milestone will make way for a millstone around Baxter’s neck in the event of defeat. He has come under increased scrutiny over the past few days after a shock defeat against Stellenbosch FC. Last month Chiefs suffered back-to-back defeats against Mamelodi Sundowns and Royal AM. It raised the ire of Chiefs supporters who by that time had already come to the end of their tether. Baxter, despite his…