Table of contents for 2022-10-14 in DFA News

THE PUBLIC Protector has found no substance in the allegations that Northern Cape Premier Dr Zamani Saul and MEC for Health Maruping Lekwene facilitated the awarding of a personal protective equipment (PPE) tender to Macronym 37 CC. The director of Macronym 37 CC, Somandla Sibisi, was reported to be connected to the premier as well as the ANC. Macronym 37 CC was awarded a R26.9 million contract to procure Covid-19 PPE, including coveralls, surgical masks and N95/FFP2 masks, in June 2020. The wife of Saul’s adviser Norman Shushu had also received a R13 million tender to supply the South African Police Service (SAPS) with one million masks. The investigation report that was released on September 30 probed allegations of improper conduct and maladministration relating to the procurement of goods and…

Romain Folz will face an acid test in his debut as AmaZulu coach in today’s PSL match against Orlando Pirates at Orlando Stadium FRENCHMAN Romain Folz will face an acid test in his debut as AmaZulu coach in today’s Premiership match against Orlando Pirates at Orlando Stadium. It is the cruel fate of life that Folz starts his tenure against possibly the second-strongest team in the league with a side that has battled since the start of the season. AmaZulu’s overall performances have been disappointing, and the club’s management decided to show previous coach Brandon Truter the exit door. One thing going for Folz is that the confidence is not high at Pirates, who have failed to win their last two matches. They were held to a 0-0 draw at…

The Sol Plaatje Local Football Association (SPLFA) on Monday held a medals ceremony to honour its junior athletes from the boys and girls football teams who had excelled at the previous week’s Inter-LFA Championship which was held in Cape Town. LFA chairperson, Seabata Makhele, confirmed that all five junior teams from the Sol Plaatje region had made the trip to and from the Cape safely. Last week the LFA undertook the annual pilgrimage to the Cape as a member of five associations making up the self-funded Inter-LFA Championship, consisting of two members each from the Western and Eastern Capes and the SPLFA. Among those honoured this week by the association is the Under-18 team captain Jemoniva Kock who was selected to play in the Inter-LFA’s elite squad which will shortly…

The big and burly old war horse – the Bone Collector – will make his return to the Lions starting XV this weekend, when the Joburgers host Ulster in United Rugby Championship action. After a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to injury, Willem Alberts will pack down next to captain Reinhard Nothnagel in a move that will see line-out specialist Pieter Jansen van Vuren drop to the bench. It is one of five changes – the majority of them amongst the forwards – head coach Ivan van Rooyen has made to the run-on side for the clash tomorrow at Emirates Airline Park (kick-off 2pm). The Lions have recently returned from a gruelling but highly successful European tour, so there is no reason to doubt that the changes are nothing…

Springbok No.9 Jaden Hendrikse says Sharks must develop their defensive DNA Jaden Hendrikse will return to the Sharks this weekend older, wiser, his game enriched by the precious commodity of Test-match experience and emboldened by his pre-eminence as arguably the best scrumhalf in South Africa. The Springbok No.9 will make his first appearance in the United Rugby Championship this season – against Glasgow Warriors tomorrow at Kings Park – after impressive, recent displays in the green and gold. Hendrikse and Bok teammates Siya Kolisi, Sharks debutant Eben Etzebeth, Bongi Mbonambi and Ox Nche – along with new signing Vincent Tshituka – are all expected to be selected in a powerful matchday 23 tomorrow to face the Scottish team a day later, after some invaluable R&R this past month. As such,…

THE SOUTH African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) is calling for an independent investigation into the regular water shutdowns that the city has been subjected to, where residents are left for days without a water supply. Samwu local chairperson Daily Semau said that the shutdowns did not do much to improve the quality of the city’s water. “Time and time again the same superficial patching is done and yet the water problems persist. The water remains dirty.” He estimated that the last two water shutdowns came at a cost of R13 million, while R10 million was spent on the water shutdown that took place three weeks ago. “It would be more beneficial to replace the entire pipeline between Riverton and Kimberley to permanently address the leaks, this will cost around…

THEY are a common sight across our city . . . and they are all trying to make a living. Some look after our vehicles in the parking lot, others sit on pavements selling their goods while some sit at our robots, begging for loose change. But their “income” is dwindling as Kimberley residents, along with the rest of the world, move closer to a cashless economy. One example is musician Thomas Nhassavele, who for more than a decade, has been busking next to a parking payment machine at a national mall, where drivers often dropped their change into his guitar case. But Nhassavele's takings have dwindled in the past year or two as growing numbers of mall visitors use cards to pay at the machine's new cashless payment system…

SINCE the Big Hole was created, the Kimberley Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has been there for the locals and their pets. Since 1902, the SPCA has taken in lost, abandoned, and neglected animals and cared for them. However, caring for animals is not inexpensive. The SPCA obtained non-profit organisation (NPO) status in 1999 and is entirely dependent on donations from people from all walks of life because it receives no financial aid from the government. SPCA committee chairperson Alet Steyn discussed with the DFA the recent help they have received from the Kimberley community. Steyn asserts that the donations they have received show how open people's hearts have been throughout the year. “People have been giving us such great support, not just by giving us…

The results from the Kimberley Golf Club for the week of October 3-9 are as follows: The Wednesday Darsha-sponsored IPS competition was won by Barend Burger with 39 pts with Harry Welham 2nd on 38 pts on a count-out over Nigel Page. The KWV-sponsored Thursday Niner was won by Braam Botes on 26 pts with Hannes Le Roux 2nd on 25 pts and Zullie Sulliman 3rd on a count-out with 22pts. The Friday Flamingo Niner was won by Jaco Janse on 22 pts with K Anoop 2nd on 21 pts on a count-out over K Anderson with Tenderson Manyetsa 4th on 20 pts. The Saturday Sol Plaatjie University Chancellor’s Golf Day was won by visitor Robert Sampie on 43 pts on a count-out over Wian Steynberg also on 43…

FORMER Blitzboks star Paul Delport reckons SA Rugby “don’t give a sh!t” about their Women’s Sevens programme after resigning from his position as coach of the Sevens ladies team on Wednesday. Delport’s comments are interesting as they come at a time when SA Rugby is pouring resources into the Women’s Fifteens game and no stone was left unturned to prepare the team that is currently playing in the World Cup in New Zealand. But according to Delport, it is a different story with Sevens. He says: “It is pretty simple for me. There were 16 teams at the Women’s Sevens Rugby World Cup. There are 13 teams that are full-time professionals. There are three of us who aren’t — South Africa, Madagascar and Colombia, and we finished 14th, 15th and…

JUBILATION and song filled the air at Seochoareng Old Age Village after the South African Army handed over the newly renovated home to its elderly residents. The old age home received a major facelift after the army embarked on a renovation project after witnessing the dilapidated state of the home. Members from the army renovated the 17 houses, comprising of three units, which are equipped with a living room, bedroom and bathroom, by painting the outside and inside of the units, fixing the floors and the roof and equipping the bathrooms with working hand basins, toilets and showers. The army members said they decided to reach out to the home with the assistance of various sponsors in a bid to honour the elderly living there. Lieutenant-General Lawrence Khulekani Mbatha, who…

THE INDEPENDENT Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) has noted a sharp increase in incidents of people allegedly raped by police officers in the past financial year. Delving into the recently-released 2021/22 annual report, Ipid national spokesperson Lizzy Suping told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that at least 5 295 criminal cases were opened against police officers in the last financial year. “In terms of the three main cases we have investigated, we have got assault at 3 400, the discharge of an official firearm at 744, and death due to police action at 410. We have other cases that we have also investigated, but these ones are the main cases that we have had,” she said. The 178-page report states that 99 incidents of rape by on- or off-duty police officers had been…

LOCAL cricket franchise the NC Heat, the CSA T20 KO runners-up, have shrugged off their loss in the final of the shortest format and have turned their sights onto the looming CSA 4-Day Domestic Series which kicks off next Thursday at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley. Despite the setback for the team in the CSA T20 KO final at Buffalo Park, East London last week, the Northern Cape franchise’s finest were hard at work in the nets at their home turf in the Diamond City as of the beginning of the week. In last week’s T20 encounter the Diamond City had set the SA Under-19s a target of 142 after scoring 141/5 in their innings. The junior national side reached the target, getting to 142/6 in 19.1 overs. Mark Charlton,…

Leolin Zas will make his return to the Stormers starting line-up for their United Rugby Championship meeting with Ospreys in Swansea this evening. Zas is one of seven changes to the starting XV that beat Zebre in Parma last weekend. Last season's top try-scorer is joined in the back three by Clayton Blommetjies at fullback and Angelo Davids on the right wing. In midfield, Dan du Plessis will partner up with Alapati Leuia, with Sacha Mngomezulu – who started at 12 against the Italians – set to provide impact from the bench. Scrumhalf Paul de Wet is also back in the starting line-up. Up front, Hacjivah Dayimani and Nama Xaba will start in the loose trio with Evan Roos at the back of the scrum, while the only change to…

Sometimes having an overflow of riches becomes difficult to manage, and that may be the case with the Bulls and their contingent of loose forwards in the United Rugby Championship (URC). While teams can never have enough depth, the big games require the best possible starting XV and replacements to be selected. And following the Bulls’ disappointing 35-21 loss to Glasgow last week, coach Jake White will want to avoid a repeat in tomorrow’s clash against Munster at Thomond Park in Limerick (8.35pm kick-off). But assistant coach Chris Rossouw stated earlier this week that player rotation is also part of the plan, and that “one thing he (White) made clear is that if there are any changes made, it is not in reference to the game and what happened last…