Table of contents for 2023-12-08 in DFA News

A LOCAL businessman and entrepreneur, Lawrence Letselebe, 49, will re-appear in court next year in connection with the rape of a 14-year-old girl. The matter was postponed in the Galeshewe Magistrate’s Court sitting at the Galeshewe police station this week. National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said Letselebe was arrested on October 16. “He is facing a charge of rape of a minor as the complainant is 14. The matter is ongoing and it has been remanded to January 30, 2024,” said Senokoatsane. Members of the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) in the Frances Baard region waited outside the packed courtroom on December 4, in support of the 14-year-old victim, and were aggrieved that Letselebe had been granted bail. ANCWL regional secretary Elaine Modise condemned the sexual abuse of young…

A DA PR councillor at ZF Mgcawu District Municipality and general assistant employed at Dr Harry Surtie Hospital in Upington was placed on precautionary suspension for allegedly stealing two five-litre bottles of Sta-soft and a five-litre bottle of Sunlight dishwashing liquid from the Tuberculosis unit. According to the charges, the employee allegedly brought the Department of Health into disrepute and tried to defraud the department by removing the cleaning materials that belonged to the state without the permission of his supervisor on June 23. The acting head of the Northern Cape Department of Health, Dr Alastair Kantani, warned that the charges of misconduct were serious and that the employee would be subjected to disciplinary action. The employee was placed on precautionary suspension on September 19, pending an investigation, and was…

DA MEMBER of the Provincial Legislature (MPL) Grantham Steenkamp will challenge his expulsion from the party, where he believes the termination of his membership was prematurely announced in the legislature this week. Steenkamp was among several prominent DA members who were recently given the boot as the party gears up for the 2024 national general elections. DA spokesperson for Sport, Arts and Culture and Member of Parliament Tsepo Mhlongo announced his departure on Wednesday, where he stated that he was treated unfairly for being outspoken about corruption within the party. Mhlongo was charged with defrauding the DA electoral system. Former Eastern Cape leader Nqaba Bhanga resigned after he was sacked for calling the chairperson of the DA federal council, Helen Zille, a “racist”. Steenkamp said he had engaged with his…

Rain halts potential T20I thriller at Diamond Oval The highly-anticipated showdown between the South African Proteas and Bangladesh’s Tigresses in the second Women’s T20 International Series at Kimberley’s Diamond Oval was unfortunately marred by nature’s intervention as relentless rain played spoilsport, causing the match to be abandoned after just two balls into the second over. Amidst the charged atmosphere and the excitement brewing among fans, South Africa won the toss and sent the visitors in to bat, confident of their ability to chase. The game kicked off with an immediate spark when South Africa's wicketkeeper, Sinalo Jafta, pulled off a superb catch to dismiss Shamima Sultana off the bowling of Nonkululeko Mlaba, setting what the Proteas must have been hoping would be an early indication of the trend for the…

IN A COLLABORATION where anatomy meets art, a group of five young and upcoming visual artists from Kimberley attended a workshop that focussed on the ethical issues around post-mortem autopsy procedures. The workshop, which was hosted by Oxford University in collaboration with the McGregor Museum, combined art, science and archaeology. A social scientist from Oxford University, Dr Halina Suwalowska, who was one of the brains behind the workshop, said a previous visit to Kimberley and an exhibition in the city had inspired the concept. “I am a social scientist, philosopher and ethicist and I look at the ethical and social issues in medicine and health. I have travelled and conducted interviews around conducting post-mortem autopsy procedures at various hospitals in various cities in South Africa. I have gathered information through…

THE ROTARY Club of Kimberley, known for its unwavering commitment to charitable initiatives, continued its tradition of spreading joy during the holiday season with its annual “Tree of Joy” project. This year, the club dedicated its efforts to brightening the lives of 20 children residing at Bophelo Children’s Home in Kimberley. Housemothers Mellori van Wyk and Sanna Seekoei were overwhelmed with gratitude as they accepted the thoughtful donations on behalf of the children. Each child received carefully chosen gifts, including toys, clothing and essential toiletries, tailored to meet their individual needs and preferences. The heartfelt initiative catered for children ranging in age from newborns to 18 years old, ensuring a magical Christmas for every resident at the home. The success of the “Tree of Joy” project is made possible through…

I CLEARLY remember the day when I first realised that some folk are just not morning people. Here’s how it happened: I was on a tour bus, headed to Durban for a college winter sports tournament. I remember how cold it was en route as we approached the Malutis. By the time we got to Harrismith, the heavy snow had caused roofs to cave in. The bus pulled over at a service station to top up the fuel tank, and I got out to stretch my legs. As I stood there shivering, I overheard the driver speaking to the service station attendant. Apparently the snow was really coming down on Van Reenen’s Pass, and there was a possibility that the authorities would close the road as a result. Instead of…

The year has just flown past, one minute we were trying to figure out how we were going to keep our resolutions for 2023, and in the blink of an eye, here we are considering 2024’s list. meanwhile, in Kimberley sport saw some impressive highs; here the DFA Sports Team looks back at highlights from this past year January January 2023 started with a bang, when two of the strongest bench pressers from the Northern Cape excelled at the South African Classic and Equipped Bench Press Championships held in Potchefstroom. A total of 95 powerlifters from throughout South Africa competed at the event from January 6 to 8, with Ricardo Fitzpatrick (pictured) and Gys Smith flying the flag for the NC and Kimberley in the 83kg and 120kg+ classes respectively.…

TRADITIONAL healers picketed outside the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court yesterday, calling for bail to be denied for multiple rape accused Douglas Mthukwane. The courtroom was packed to capacity, while a petition was signed by the Barefoot Campaign and Women to Women organisation urging for Mthukwane to be kept in custody until the finalisation of the case. Mthukwane was out on bail when he was charged for allegedly raping a 26-year-old traditional healer at his flat in Beaconsfield on November 24. He is standing trial in the Northern Cape High Court for the rape of two women as well as a 14-year-old girl. Kimberley police spokesperson Sergeant Dikeledi Gopane said Mthukwane was arrested and detained following an investigation by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit into a rape…

IN WORKING to resolve the issue of water wastage in Kimberley, Sol Plaatje Municipality and a local diamond mining company made a shocking discovery of deliberate damage to two major pipelines, which has resulted in the loss of between 30% to 40% of clean drinking water. This follows after Ekapa Mining extended a helping hand to the municipality in order to share advice and possible solutions to the water crisis facing the city. The chief executive officer (CEO) of Ekapa Mining, Jahn Hohne, said that although much of the blame for the city’s water losses was placed on the ageing and outdated infrastructure, they have made a startling discovery of underhanded operations at play that have resulted in the deliberate loss of water meant for the residents of Kimberley. “We…

Kimberley Golf Club results for the week of November 29 to December 2 and a look ahead to the period of December 8 to 16 Results for the week of November 29 to December 2 are: The Wednesday, November 29 John Dory’s sponsored 18-hole IPS was won by Duncan Changfoot on 37pts on a count-out over 2nd placed Pete van Zyl also with 37pts. Third was Phillip Maritz on 36pts. The Thursday, November 30 KWV sponsored Niner with power play options was won by Andre Williams on 26pts with Braam Botes 2nd on 25pts and Keith Brown 3rd on 22pts. The Friday, December 1 Flamingo sponsored Niner was won by Jaco Janse on 19pts on a count-out over Parks Mashabao also on 19pts with Zayhied Suliman 3rd on 18pts. Andries…

Talented local pool players set sights on international competition In the once picturesque town of Kimberley, a trio of aspiring pool players is poised to carve their names into the annals of international acclaim. These budding talents, members of the Corner Pocket Pool Club, have earned the prestigious opportunity to represent South Africa at the upcoming Under-23s European Cup of Nations, scheduled to unfold in Bridlington, England, from March 24-27 2024. The beginning of their journey to this global stage traces back to their humble beginnings in the local league, where they navigated through arduous trials. The pinnacle was reached when they proudly donned the provincial colours, competing for the Northern Cape at the National tournament. Amidst a pool of remarkable talent at the national championship, a total of 10…