Table of contents for 2024-03-28 in DFA News

SEVENTY-one suspected illegal miners were arrested on Karee Boom Farm near Kimberley. The group of suspects, of which four are women, aged between 24 and 45 years old, and 67 are men, aged between 20 and 63, were allegedly illegally mining on the farm. Police spokesperson Molefi Shemane said the suspects were arrested when the SAPS and the SANDF conducted a joint operation, “Operation Vala Umgodi”, which aims to combat illicit mining activities in Kimberley and surrounds. “The police and the SANDF continued with the operation on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, by conducting high-density patrols in hot-spot areas linked to illegal mining within the Frances Baard District. “The alert operational members spotted a group of people busy with digging on Karee Boom Farm. The police discovered that the group of…

THE FRAUD and money laundering investigation into the Umsobomvu youth festival has been transferred to the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, where the accused individuals are scheduled to appear next month. Traffic Events and Entertainment CC was awarded a R1.6 million tender by the Northern Cape Department of Sport, Arts and Culture to organise the event in Colesberg in 2016, but the festival never took place. The former acting head of the department, Ruth Palm, 61, the chief financial officer, Andrian Coleridge, 50, and the chief director of corporate services, Bonakele Jacobs, 55, appeared in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court on March 25. They are facing charges of contravening the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), fraud and money laundering. Another accused – director Lesego Stephens Mphake and his company Traffic Events and…

A MASSIVE chunk of my school career is a blank; most of it a blur. The reason, I suspect, is that for a lot of the time in school, I was daydreaming. I am a certified daydreamer. When I am being bombarded with information I tend to escape to my happy place, deep inside the burrows of my brain. It’s possible that I am not the only one. I say this because in our classrooms back then there were posters and charts on every wall – sometimes even on either side of the blackboard. Maybe they were there because the teachers knew that as children we’d get bored sometimes and tune out occasionally, but with the charts all around us, we wouldn’t just be staring off into space, we’d be…

Results for the period of March 20 to 23 are: The Wednesday, March 20 Club-sponsored 18-hole IPS was won by Gavin van Zyl with 40pts. Second was Siewert Wiid on 39pts with Phillip Maritz 3rd on 38pts. The Thursday, March 2 Cobra/Puma Club 18-hole IPS was won by Henk Visser on 38pts with Eugene Snyman 2nd on 37pts and Louw Linde 3rd on 37pts. The Thursday KWV Niner was won by Eugene Louw on 26pts on a count-out over Neville Alexander also on 26pts. Third was Kevin Wakeford on 24pts. The Friday, March 22 Flamingo Niner was won by Sadick Thomas on 22pts with Neil Langley 2nd on 18pts on a count-out over Jehan Richards who was 3rd with the same points. Fourth on 17pts was Donald Whitebooi. The Saturday,…

THE SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) will report Sol Plaatje Municipality to the Labour Court for contempt of a court order after eight security guards were apparently appointed without following recruitment and selection processes. Samwu local chairperson Daily Semau stated that the Labour Court issued an order in 2021 instructing the municipality to hire 28 security guards and withdraw external advertisements. “Four access control security guards were appointed at the Riverton water purification treatment plant and another four have been stationed at the Homevale wastewater treatment plant without following the correct procedures,” said Semau. He also called for all EPWP workers to be permanently absorbed after six EPWP workers were relocated from the landfill site to the refuse department. Semau was also aggrieved that three officials were apparently being paid…

Leopards tamed, now Suzuki Griquas are ready to tackle Valke in SA Cup Last Saturday saw Suzuki Park become a battleground as the Suzuki Griquas faced off against the Leopards in a SA Cup showdown that underscored the Griquas’ dominance. Griquas showcased their prowess with a remarkable 88-point victory, leaving the Leopards scoreless. This resounding win propelled the Griquas to the top of the log with 5 points, alongside the Novavit Griffons, Free State Cheetahs, Airlink Pumas, and Eastern Province; the only difference being their points difference. Reflecting on the game, Leopards’ head coach, Matthew Proudfoot, acknowledged his team’s initial resilience in the first 25 minutes. “I thought for the first 25 minutes of the game against the Griquas that my team punched well,” he stated, “but then the intensity…

The recent Under-23 Bokkie Tournament in Orania was an electrifying event, with Rev. Peter Stans, head of Afrikaner Volks Sports, expressing immense satisfaction. Over March 21-23, Orania hosted approximately 1,300 sports enthusiasts, including players and fans from various regions. The town buzzed with excitement as 250 players and 63 coaches arrived for the tournament, showcasing their skills in a variety of sports. This year marked the debut of Woemahokkie teams, injecting an additional thrill into the competition. Despite being newcomers, these teams demonstrated remarkable camaraderie and sportsmanship, impressing Rev. Stans with their enthusiasm and competitive spirit. The warm hospitality of Orania and its residents, along with the support of main sponsor AfriForum, media, supporters, and AVS staff, contributed significantly to the success of the event. In the netball category, Northern-Transvaal…

KEY ANC leaders in a local region and the Northern Cape province are seeking legal advice and intend to open criminal charges following an explosive series of messages that seek to implicate them as being the masterminds behind the cold-blooded “political killing” of DA councillor Johannes Baaitjies. Baaitjes and his business partner Jeffrey Nouse were lured to a bogus business meeting between Danielskuil and Postmasburg in 2016. They were shot multiple times and left for dead along the side of the road. Baaitjies was killed the day before he was to be sworn in as a councillor at the opposition-led Kgatelopele Municipality in the ZF Mgcawu District. The murder resulted in a hung municipality, as the ANC held three seats and opposition parties had secured four seats during the local…

WITH skaters from the Northern Cape consistently demonstrating their prowess at competitions, both at home and abroad, Kimberley has long been recognised as a hotbed of skateboarding talent. However, behind their impressive performances lies a stark reality: many of these talented athletes must navigate financial challenges largely on their own. Now, the resilience and skill of Northern Cape skaters has once again been demonstrated, this time at the South African Skateboarding Championships held recently at The Flow Skatepark in Johannesburg where Kimberley’s Urbanhope Skateboarding Club excelled. Despite encountering numerous obstacles, notably the lack of financial support from local authorities, members of the club showcased remarkable talent and determination, ultimately clinching a total of seven medals. Club chairperson, Sunitha Klaaste, said that 13 members of the Urbanhope Skateboarding Club left…

In today’s world, being involved in your community, especially in sports, is super important, especially when it comes to school sports. Some schools in our province don’t struggle much with money for sports because they have big sponsors helping them out. But others are struggling with little to no funds at all. Meet Universal RFC, one of the oldest rugby unions in the country, boasting an impressive 138-year history. This team, a rock in the South African rugby world, is known for their tradition and excellence. And one thing they’re big on is giving back to the community, making sure rugby keeps growing in our city and province. Not long ago, the club noticed that Floors High School needed a hand, so they stepped up to help out. Jerome Voigt,…