Table of contents for 2022-07-29 in DFA News

THE PUBLIC Servants Association (PSA) has accused a ZF Mgcawu district official employed at the Northern Cape Department of Education of nepotism, fraud and corruption after he allegedly facilitated the payment of a 37% salary booster for his wife who is employed as a teacher at Kalksloot Primary School in Upington. The benefit amounts to an R8 548 service benefit as well as a R1 352 cash allowance on top of her monthly salary. The union is calling for an investigation into what criteria were used when the benefit was awarded. PSA provincial manager Steve Ledibane claimed that the official influenced the appointment of his “unqualified” wife to a teaching post with a salary of a qualified educator. “In the past year, his wife was appointed at three different schools…

CITY residents are complaining that they are being billed 7% increases in electricity and a 6.8% increase in rates in their July accounts, instead of the approved tariffs that were outlined in the budget. Sol Plaatje Municipality has meanwhile issued notices that the electricity of any household or business that is in arrears for more than 90 days will be disconnected in the next two weeks. Tumelo Mosikare from the Sol Plaatje Community Forum stated that the budget was not funded and that the electricity increases were not in line with pricing policies. “We have yet to receive confirmation whether the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) approved the increases. We have advised residents and businesses to check their accounts and have it rectified because it appears as if…

WHILE Team South Africa are sure to bring home a whole host of medals from the Commonwealth Games, who are the possible golden men and women for Mzansi? SA secured 37 medals at the 2018 edition in Gold Coast, Australia – 13 gold, 11 silver and 13 bronze, and as usual, swimming (six) and athletics (five) were the main contributors to the champions group. But it is unlikely that Team SA will reach those heights in this year’s Games in Birmingham, where the competition kicks off today following last night’s opening ceremony. For starters, three 2018 gold medallists – Caster Semenya and Luvo Manyonga (both athletics), as well as swimmer Cameron van der Burgh, are not in the UK this time around, while 400m world record-holder and Rio Olympic champion…

IT WAS interesting to hear Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber this week explain what he expects from the All Blacks in the Rugby Championship. Of course, the Kiwis are on the ropes after the 2-1 series loss to Ireland in New Zealand, and coach Ian Foster is feeling the heat after surviving the axe. Forwards coach John Plumtree and attack guru Brad Mooar were shown the door, though, and Jason Ryan of the Crusaders has been brought in to sort out the pack, while former Irish boss Joe Schmidt is still in the mix in an analysis role, and has now been made a selector ahead of the first Test against the Boks at Mbombela Stadium next Saturday. “It will probably be a bit different to the challenge that we faced…

MAGARENG municipality is expected to hold a special council meeting next week after an ANC councillor appeared in the Warrenton Magistrate’s Court this week on charges of housebreaking and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. The accused, Masego Melato, is currently out on bail and the matter has been postponed until August 17. Community members who attended Melato’s court appearance on Wednesday believed that the councillor should step aside. “The accused is still a councillor in ward 2 despite being charged with a serious offence.” Magareng municipality Speaker Bonakele Plata stated that they were informed by the SA Local Government Association (Salga) that the councillor was facing charges. “In terms of the code of conduct, an ad hoc committee will be established to investigate the allegations. I will…

DEAR Northern Cape Government, After being in charge of the Northern Cape for the past 28 years, one would think that by now you would have your ducks in order; you would have systems that are in place that work, and a general understanding of managing the province. But as I was driving out of the city to a small place called Postmasburg recently, it became clear to me that your ducks are still splashing around in the pond, looking like lost ducklings searching for help. During every election over the past 28 years, you were given a mandate by voters to lead this province. You were given the mandate to manage this province, maintain infrastructure, and build new infrastructure. But it seems like you have lost your way and…

THE KIMBERLEY Airport was a hive of activity yesterday morning as jubilant football supporters gave Nthabiseng Majiya, a star of the newly crowned African champions Banyana Banyana, a hero’s welcome. Majiya, who plays for Richmond United Ladies Football Club locally, was surprised by the welcome and expressed her appreciation She said she did not expect to be given such a warm welcome. Among those welcoming her return were Majiya’s local teammates, representatives from the provincial government, the South African Football Association (Safa) and close friends and family members. Representing the Northern Cape provincial government, the MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture, Desery Fienies, said they are extremely proud of the remarkable achievement of the SA women's team. Majiya received gifts from the department, including a cheque of R10 000, while…

It's all or nothing right from the start. That is how Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell and his side are approaching the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham, which kicks off on Friday. The Blitzboks are drawn in Pool B alongside Malaysia, Tonga and Scotland for the tournament to be staged at the Coventry Stadium. While the South Africans are leading the pack on the World Rugby Sevens Series standings with one tournament to go at the end of August in Los Angeles, they need no reminding that this is a very different challenge – it's a once-off events that only comes around every four years. “For us it will be a challenge, because you only get one opportunity as opposed to the World Series format, where you can rectify things…

Four times world champion Sebastian Vettel announced his retirement from Formula One at the end of the season, saying yesterday his goals had changed and he wanted to focus more on family and interests outside the sport. The 35-year-old German, who drives for the Aston Martin team, won his titles with Red Bull from 2010-13 and also spent six seasons with Ferrari. He made the announcement ahead of this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix, the 13th round of the season and last race before the August break. “I hereby announce my retirement from Formula One by the end of the 2022 season,” he said in a video statement explaining his reasons on a newly-created Instagram page. “I love this sport. It has been central to my life since I can remember.…

GROWING up, we learned very quickly that when adults are having a conversation the children had better make themselves scarce. Stick around for a bit too long and you’d suddenly be confronted with the question, “How many?” That simply meant, how many adult teeth have you counted seeing as you were in the company for so long. On Monday this week, I felt that same “how many” feeling come over me as I waited to pay for the few items that I had purchased at a supermarket. I felt terribly out of place, as if I was intruding, because after I was asked whether I needed a plastic bag, it’s as if I had ceased to exist for the cashier and her companion as they carried on their important conversation.…

A NON-profit organisation (NPO) in Galeshewe, Kopano ke Maatla, is rallying for support towards making their Women's Day event a success. The organisation plans on spoiling identified vulnerable women in the community on August 12. Registered in May 2019, Kopano ke Maatla has been running various programmes under the leadership of 10 board members from a backyard in Galeshewe. They have been receiving sponsorship from the Department of Social Development. The National Lotteries Commission also gave them temporary sponsorship in 2020. The NPO has been accommodating vulnerable women and children through various programmes. Among the programmes that they run are the Cultural Dancers, Chess, and Ma-Piano Dancers for children. The NPO has also been running HIV and Aids programmes, including partnering with USAID for Covid-19 vaccination programmes during the school…

FRESH from his and Mercedes’ best result of the year in France last Sunday, Lewis Hamilton will hope to go one better and add to his record eight victories at the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend. The seven-time world champion was second behind champion and series leader Max Verstappen of Red Bull at Le Castellet in his 300th Formula One race, one place ahead of teammate George Russell. It was Mercedes’ first double podium this season. Hamilton relishes the sinuous Hungaroring circuit 20km north of Budapest where no other driver can match his record, Michael Schumacher his nearest rival having won there only four times. But Hamilton knows that even after four consecutive podiums he faces a daunting challenge to maintain his form as he seeks to become the first…

FORMER Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane appears to be nearing a return to coaching. This comes after MT Sports Marketing and Management took to Twitter on Wednesday and posted a picture of Mosimane and the technical team that he worked with at Al Ahly, captioning it with the words “something is loading”. Mosimane has been linked with numerous teams in the Middle East and Gulf region in recent times after leaving Al Ahly following their loss against Wydad Casablanca in the Caf Champions League final in May. In recent days, “Jingles” has been linked with the Iraqi national team and Wydad. Mosimane has been linked with Wydad amid talk that their current coach Walid Regragui will soon leave his post. Regragui has suggested that he has already…