Table of contents for 2022-05-13 in DFA News

DFA News|2022-05-13

Child rape accused claims innocence

THE 27-YEAR-old man accused of raping an eight-year-old girl in Jan Kempdorp claims that he is being “set up” and that he considered the girl to be like his “own younger sister”. During his bail hearing in the Jan Kempdorp Magistrate’s Court this week, the accused, Aobakwe Johnny, indicated that he was not afraid of facing the wrath of the community. “I am free, I am not even scared. God is good. I will plead not guilty to the charges.” He stated that he was able to afford bail of R500. Community members held up placards outside the court building, calling for justice and insisting that Johnny should not be granted bail. “We don’t know if the community will resort to mob justice,” they warned. Johnny added that the State…

4 min

DFA News|2022-05-13

Elderly women fill potholes

AN ELDERLY woman from Belgravia started filling the potholes in her area in order to be able to enter her own yard. The woman, who prefers to remain anonymous, said it was a “nightmare” to try and enter her yard without damaging her car tyres. She said that she and a friend started diving around with buckets in search of gravel to fill the potholes. “We found gravel, which we collected in 14 buckets, and we filled a lot of potholes with it. Unfortunately, we do not have tar, but this will work for now,” said the woman. “It took us several trips and we had to wait for whenever we felt fit to do so.” She said she did not do this as a “publicity stunt”, but to make…

2 min

DFA News|2022-05-13

Cheer-up kits for city hospital staff

AS THE country battles with the reality of the fifth wave of Covid-19, with an increase in the number of cases, the youth from ASEZ WAO, World Mission Society Church of God Young Adult Worker Volunteer Group this week delivered cheer-up kits to the staff of Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital (RMSH). Bearing postcards and some snacks for the staff, the youth encouraged and expressed gratitude towards the medical staff who have been at the front line in the fight against Covid-19. The initiative is part of the Heart-to-Heart relay that seeks to provide encouragement to medical workers and officials world wide who are battling the pandemic. ASEZ stands for 'Save the Earth from A to Z’, which means 'Save the world from the beginning to the end’. WAO stands for…

3 min

DFA News|2022-05-13

Mayor surprised over decaying infrastructure

AS THE city survives another weekend without water while major leaks are attended to, Sol Plaatje executive mayor Kagisho Sonyoni conveyed his surprise over the rapid deterioration of the city’s ageing infrastructure. During a debate on the 2022/23 medium-term revenue and expenditure budget, it was noted that 63 percent of water losses were due to leaks. Sonyoni arrived after the special council meeting had started on Wednesday as he had to first attend to protesters from Riemvasmaak, who had gathered outside the municipality to voice their displeasure over poor service delivery and a non-existent electricity project. The Speaker, Nomazizi Maputle, had to remind councillors while the meeting was in session that although Sonyoni was young, they had to respect him as the mayor. Sonyoni indicated that they were “never prepared”…

3 min

DFA News|2022-05-13

Second inter-provincial amateur boxing trails set for this weekend

LOCAL boxing promoter Brad Delport is pulling out all stops to stage the second inter-provincial amateur boxing trials in Kimberley tomorrow under the auspices of the Northern Cape Open Boxing Organisation (NCOBO). Delport, who heads up his own stable, the Northern Cape Boxing Academy, said NCOBO has extended invitations to several boxing clubs in the province as well as perennial visitors from the Free State as well as the North West. The tournament will again be staged at the Mayibuye Cultural centre in Galeshewe. Rising stars Delport has over the past years, prior to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, featured many of his stable’s rising stars in the NCOBO organised events. He has collaborated extensively with other boxing clubs, trainers and managers such Raymond ‘Coach’ Mothobi who manages and…

1 min

DFA News|2022-05-13

Tinkler close to bringing continental football to the Cape

Cape Town City Head Coach, Eric Tinkler is just two matches away from etching himself in the club’s history books by grabbing City’s best ever finish in the league and qualifying for the CAF Champions League. The Cityzens are the in-form team in the league and are currently on a remarkable 12 match unbeaten run and are the only team to not taste defeat in the year 2022. The 51 year-old mentor’s pedigree in cup competitions is undisputed after winning the Telkom Knockout in his first stint with City in 2017 before going on to lift the MTN8 the following year in the Supersport United dugout. However his ability to manage a team into the kind consistency required to contend in league competition has always been in question with his…

2 min

DFA News|2022-05-13

Sol launches a Non-Revenue Water Reduction Pilot Project

THE SOL Plaatje Municipality launched a Non-Revenue Water Reduction Pilot Project, funded and implemented by the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA), in partnership with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The project is aimed at establishing the facts behind high water losses and related revenue loss, and formulating effective and cost-effective measures of addressing this. It will be based on lesson sharing from the Japanese, who have an average of 6% non-revenue water. JICA representative and water sector expert Sanobu Mayusumi has already arrived in Kimberley to start the process of data collection. Sol Plaatje Municipality was among a select few to qualify for the project due to having received ongoing support from the DBSA in the water sector. Municipal spokesperson Thoko Riet said the local authority qualified due to…

1 min

DFA News|2022-05-13

A shining diamond in the rough

TECHNOLOGY is all around us. Who could dispute that? These days we have instant access to a surplus of information thanks to the world wide web. You can search for 'Kimberley' with a few mouse clicks or taps on your smart device and, yes, diamonds will most likely be the top result. We all know that diamonds are mined from deep underground and then cut and polished to become those gorgeous, gleaming 'girl’s best friends'. But there is more to Kimberley than just diamonds. You will, if you take the time, notice several jewels in the Diamond City if you just look around a little bit. And here’s the thing, these jewels are not even buried; they are there for everyone to see and appreciate. The Beaconsfield Library, located at…

3 min

DFA News|2022-05-13

N Cape Junior Provincial Commissioner inaugurated

FIFTEEN-year-old Dioka Dioka, from Ba-Galotlhare High School in Heuningvlei in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District, was inaugurated as the Northern Cape Junior Provincial Commissioner in Upington on May 7. The day saw 18 pupils from different schools from the Province’s five districts participate in debating sessions for the position of Junior Provincial Commissioner. The pupils were given an opportunity to debate on the topic 'Why should you become the Junior Provincial Commissioner, how will you fight crime’. The event was graced by the presence of the Acting Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Corporate Services, Brigadier Gilroy Tait, who outlined the purpose of the day, emphasising the involvement of pupils in the fight against crime. During his keynote address, the Acting Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Policing; Brigadier Hennie Van Rensberg, encouraged pupils…

1 min

DFA News|2022-05-13

Sticking around

Griquas confirm several contracts for new season WINDHOEK Draught Griquas Rugby have this week confirmed the contract extensions of several players at the Kimberley-based union. First to be revealed on Monday was the flanker Hanru Sirgel (24) who completed his first season at the Kwaste. Sirgel had previously been signed on from the Pumas in the 2020/21 season where he played in the Super Rugby Unlocked series. The University of Pretoria graduate undoubtedly earned the extension to his contract following yet another superhuman effort in the Griquas last game away against the Vodacom Bulls. His effort in the Griquas attack in which he contributed a brace of tries, saw the provincial side restrict the normally rampaging Bulls to a scoreline of 48-38. The next reveal on Tuesday was that of…

2 min

DFA News|2022-05-13

Safa civil war simmering

THE BATTLE for the South African Football Association (Safa) has begun and it looks like mense are prepared to give it all they’ve got. Ai, another story about Safa’s shenanigans? Don’t worry it’ll be good and not that long. I promise. This week, Safa vice-president Ria Ledwaba was set to launch her run for presidency against incumbent Danny Jordaan. But come the owner of defunct club Ria Stars’s media briefing on Tuesday, she was already benched. Why? Dirty tactics. Jordaan threatened to disqualify her from the elections if she showed up. According to Safa rules for presidential candidates, “nominated persons cannot publicly present themselves before the final list of nominees has been approved by the governance committee”. While it may seem like a big mistake by Ledwaba’s team, you only…

3 min

DFA News|2022-05-13

It’s Reds vs Blues in FA Cup final

CHELSEA are out for revenge when they meet Liverpool in tomorrow’s 5.45pm FA Cup final. The Wembley showdown is a repeat of February’s League Cup final, which the Reds won 11-10 on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes of drama. And one man who is desperate for some “payback” is Blues midfielder Mason Mount. After bagging a goal in their 2-0 FA Cup semifinal win over Crystal Palace, he said: “It’s definitely time for us to win a final at Wembley. Now it’s time to get our payback.” Indeed, the Blues will be desperate not to miss out again after losing their last four visits to Wembley – including FA Cup finals to Leicester last year and Arsenal the year before. Of the big match, Blues coach Thomas Tuchel says:…

1 min

DFA News|2022-05-13

Plan B and a ’tinkly winkly tink’

MUSIC period was my least favourite time at primary school. Put me in the handwork room and I would be perfectly fine doing bookbinding or technical drawings. But music … no thank you. No thank you very much indeed! And a few of my buddies felt the same. One day for our music period we were ushered to the staffroom, because that’s where the school’s piano was kept. It was going to be ‘music day with instruments’, but when I eventually got to the box the cool instruments had all been claimed and all that was left was a triangle. Look, I hated ‘music period’, but I hated the triangle more. There was no manly way to hold a triangle. You had to hold it on the stringy-thingy and dangle…

4 min

DFA News|2022-05-13

De Aar construction enterprise gets a boost

A DE AAR-based, youth-owned construction company, Nyeshe and Khanzi Construction, received a donation of a bakkie through De Aar Solar Power’s enterprise development programme. The vehicle will help increase the company’s turnover as they will no longer need to hire vehicles to transport their staff, tools, equipment and material. The enterprise development programme also offers training and support to create viable small businesses and assist budding entrepreneurs in the Pixley ka Seme District’s rural towns of Britstown, Hanover, Philipstown and De Aar, as financial support is often not enough alone without the necessary mentoring. Since 2019, a total of10 small enterprises have been supported as part of De Aar Solar Power’s enterprise development programme. Nyeshe and Khanzi Construction started their business back in 2016, doing maintenance work at local schools.…

2 min

DFA News|2022-05-13

School cleaning campaign kicks off

MEMBERS of the Patriotic Alliance (PA) in Kimberley have embarked on a school cleaning campaign after snakes were found in the school yard at Endeavour Primary School in Colville recently. The party members kicked off the campaign at Endeavour Primary in order to create a safer environment for pupils after two snakes were discovered on the grounds. The party committed to also cleaning up other schools in the Colville area, such as Progress Primary, Floors North High and Beacon Primary, as part of the campaign. The PA’s Rashad Jaffer said the initiative is paid for out of their own pockets. They are being funded by their provincial premier candidate, Shariffa Ferris. According to Jaffer, they have 13 volunteers to who they pay a stipend. He said they took the initiative…

1 min

DFA News|2022-05-13

Mokwena is very happy with Sundowns tactical evolution

MAMELODI Sundowns co-coach Rulani Mokwena (picture) says the team gave it their best this season, hence they are on course to win a domestic treble. After announcing their tenure by winning the league title – fourth in a row and 11th overall – coaching trio Mokwena, Manqoba Mngqithi and Steve Komphela are on course to make a clean sweep as far as the local trophies are concerned. Earlier this season, they bagged the elusive MTN8, while they wrapped the championship with four games to spare last month. The Brazilians are also in the Nedbank Cup final where they’ll face defending champions Marumo Gallants on May 28. Last month, Sundowns were nigh to winning an unprecedented quadruple but that didn’t come to fruition as they crashed out of the CAF Champions…

2 min

DFA News|2022-05-13

WEEKEND SPORT fixtures round-up

Soccer Sunday Glad Africa League Absa Tuks Stadium (3pm): Pretoria University vs Hungry Lions Today Hockey Cassandra Astro Turf 2:30pm – 3:40pm: Girls – Diamantveld 0/16A vs Noord-Kaap 0/16A 3:45pm – 4:40pm: Boys – Diamantveld 0/16A vs Noord-Kaap 0/16A 4:50pm – 6pm: Girls – Diamantveld 0/19A vs Noord-Kaap 0/19A 6pm – 7:10pm: Boys – Diamantveld 0/19A vs Noord-Kaap 0/19A Tomorrow Rugby Diamantveld High School A Field 8:45am – 25 min: Diamantveld 0/14A vs Noord-Kaap 0/14A 9:45am – 25 min: Diamantveld 0/15A vs Noord-Kaap 0/15A 10:45am – 30 min: Diamantveld 0/19B vs Noord-Kaap 0/19B 12:05pm – 30 min: Diamantveld 0/16A vs Noord-Kaap 0/16A 1:15pm – Introduction of First Teams (School Principals) 1:30pm – 35 min: Diamantveld 0/19A vs Noord-Kaap 0/19A Netball Diamantveld High School B field 8:30am – 9:10am: DHS…

1 min