The Beat 23 March 2018

2018

23 March

Community newspaper

Hometown hacks win big at national awards.

Page 3

Read the full story on page 3

Samuel Marima prepares popcorn while Clement Baloyi serves a customer, Mpho Molokomme. Photo: Mzamane Ringane

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The BEAT

23 March, 2018 beateditor@gmail.com | Website: thebeat.linmedia.co.za

NEWS

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Most popular Sayinyova laid to rest TK Mashaba The most recognisable white police officer in the township in Bela Bela, Warrant Officer Thomas Jacobus van Blerk – affectionately known as “Sayinyova” – was laid to rest last Friday 16 March.

Speaker after speaker testified that Van Blerk would be solemnly missed by his colleagues and the broader community, with particular reference to the local township.

The reference “sayinyova” was borrowed from a mid-1980s political chant, meaning the deliberate destruction of State property at the height of political unrest.

Bela-Bela SAPS head of detectives, Lieutenant-Colonel Abel Phetla paid a moving tribute to Van Blerk, who had joined the police force in 1982, holding the rank of a constable.

Phetla said the popular “Sayinyova” was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 1994.

Colonel Lindi Marx during the burial.

Photo: TK Mashaba.

The detective head said Van Blerk was a dedicated police officer who served the SAPS with aplomb.

Van Blerk was also popular for his master of a number of African languages.

With a career dating back to the Apartheid-era SAP, Van Blerk was also known, controversially so, for the dedicated pursuit of political activists of yesteryear such as the late Sam Makhubela.

But still township folk this week continued to talk in glowing terms about his unwavering commitment, and how he easily switched to work under the Democratic government of Nelson Mandela.

Phetla explained that at the height of his career as a member of the latter-day SAPS, the deceased was good at investigating high-profile cases such as murder and culpable homicide.

Bela-Bela SAPS station commissioner, Colonel Lindi Marx, added that Van Blerk was a hard-working officer, with a special kindness to his colleagues.

Taximen descend on Bela-Bela for Bra Musa Mashugu’s burial The late Mashugu (right) in a file picture from the WATA archives.

Photo supplied.

Lizzy Bapela Scores of mourners from all walks of life paid their last respects to the late Bela-Bela taxi operator, Musa Mashugu, otherwise known as Bra Musa, on Sunday 18 March.

His family have confirmed he died of natural causes.

He started working as a taxi driver for the Warmbaths Taxi Association (WATA) in 1991, and rose to the status of a fullyfledged operator in 2006.

He served two terms in the association’s executive committee as a training officer.

Mashugu also served on the taxi associations’ forum which looked into the problems members, operators and

associations face on a daily basis.

He is survived by five children.

Nduna and Nese Mashugu have also been in the taxi industry for more than five years, and said they have enjoyed working with their father.

Condolences poured in from the entire taxi industry including WATA and other associations, colleagues, neighbours and friends.

Among them was prominent taxi operator, Jabulani Tswago, who expressed sadness and heartbreak over Mashugu’s passing.

“I lost a man who meant much more to me than a friend. I recruited him from his previous job to join the taxi industry, and we grew up together,” he said.

Tswago said Mashugu had one taxi operating locally and when he spoke to him on the day he passed, he was planning on bringing a second one into the fleet.

EFF considers motion of no confidence against mayor Andries van der Heyde The EFF in Bela-Bela has given notice to the Bela-Bela Local Municipality that they are considering a motion of no confidence against Bela-Bela Mayor Jeremiah Ngobeni.

Sello Moswoeu, the local EFF councillor, demanded that land and housing issues in the town be addressed, but alleged the mayor was “slow in getting it done”.

Moswoeu was charged for trespassing last year after EFF supporters attempted a land-grab outside of town next to Alma Road.

A court case against him was still pending and he was scheduled to

appear before the Bela-Bela Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday 27 March.

In his notice to bring a motion of no confidence, Moswoeu said during the previous council meeting in January, it was noted that council took a resolution to request the department of cooperative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs (CoGHSTA) to purchase land on behalf of the municipality for residential purposes.

The land in question is the remainder of portion 147 of the farm Roodekuil 496 KR near Extension 10 and 12 of the Bela-Bela Township.

According to Ngobeni, other land can also be considered to meet the housing demands.

A Reconstruction and Development

Bela-Bela mayor meets BBTF TK Mashaba Both Bela-Bela mayor Jeremiah Ngobeni and the Bela-Bela Taxpayers Forum (BBTF) chairman, Johan Mills, have confirmed meeting last Thursday 15 March.

The meeting was a direct sequel to fullpage BBTF advertisements published in both The BEAT and our sister newspaper, The Post.

Mills had initially placed it on record the BBTF had formally asked President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene in alleged maladministration in the town.

On Monday 19 March mayoral spokesperson, David Raborolo, confirmed the meeting between Ngobeni and Mills had indeed taken place.

However, Mills moved swiftly on the same day, saying the mayor had dismissed everything with regards to the adverts as untrue.

The community-based BBTF pressure group, Mills said, would go ahead with strategies to put the squeeze on the mayor and the Bela-Bela Local Municipality.

In the advert, Mills placed on record that correspondence had been dispatched to the President of the Republic “taking him up on his promise to ensure a clean and honest administration.”

Mills said the BBTF further asked Ramaphosa to help “his” town, Bela-Bela, in the struggle for economic survival against “a reckless, lawless, spendthrift municipal management.”

Ramaphosa owns a game farm on the outskirts of Bela-Bela.

Programme (RDP) has been ongoing in Extension 9 in the Bela-Bela Township since last year.

CoGHSTA approved 200 dwellings to be built and handed over to beneficiaries, where another 500 houses are to be built in the next financial year.

The EFF’s argument for the motion of no confidence is that the mayor allegedly failed to implement what was discussed at the council meeting, according to the EFF’s letter.

Moswoeu demanded that Ngobeni make available his correspondence between himself and CoGHSTA on this matter within a set timeframe, otherwise the EFF would write to Zachariah Moeletsi, the Speaker, to table a motion of no confidence, and that it be added to the

agenda of the next council meeting.

The next council meeting was scheduled for Friday 23 March.

Ngobeni said in an interview no timeframe for the said purchase of land was ever discussed, but that the executive committee was mandated to write to CoGHSTA. Ngobeni said he will make the correspondence between him and CoGHSTA available on a later stage and until the basic services issues are met.

“There is no (need for a) rush,” he said.

“As for the motion of no confidence, I believe it is our responsibility to do so, so that people can see that we are holding government to account,” Moswoeu said.

Case dropped against Ledwaba Andries van der Heyde The court case against Henriëtta Ledwaba, the chief whip and former mayor of BelaBela, was withdrawn on Friday 16 March.

Ledwaba was charged with crimen injuria in 2017 after she allegedly made defamatory remarks about a local woman.

Since she was charged, quite a few ANC supporters attended court to show their support for Ledwaba.

The case was set for trial on Friday 16 March, but it was announced that the charges against Ledwaba had been withdrawn.

The withdrawal was a sequel to mediation

which took place between Ledwaba and her accuser.

Abraham Mohlabe, the state prosecutor, as well as presiding magistrate Gerrit Olivier, agreed to the mediation.

The magistrate warned Ledwaba that it should be for the last time she appeared before the court on a similar charge.

Ledwaba told The BEAT afterwards that she was displeased with the outcome of the case.

“I will never insult people publicly because I know I am a public figure, and I do not know how it came to this,” she said.

She said she was weighing her options whether to consider legal action against her accuser.

23 March, 2018 beateditor@gmail.com | Website: thebeat.linmedia.co.za

NEWS

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Disruptive power blackouts loom for regional towns Mzamane Ringane Businesses and households in Modimolle, Mookgophong and Vaalwater face the prospect of power supply interruptions as Eskom threatened to pull the plug on the “escalating municipal debt.”

The national utility Eskom has triggered shockwaves across the towns, following an announcement of its intention to interrupt power supplies with effect from Saturday, 31 March.

Last December the national bulk power supplier threatened to put the squeeze on Modimolle, Vaalwater and Mookgophong, but the decision was later suspended after the municipality honoured the repayment agreement. The new threat was likely to have dire consequences for locals, especially those who operate small businesses like fastfood outlets.

Eskom said the decision was taken after a “careful consideration of the overall impact of the escalating municipal debt.”

Interruptions were scheduled to take place over various phases on a given day and/or weekend.

Mayor Marlene van Staden said she was aware of the devastating impact the power interruptions would have on local businesses and residents, and was

William Tutje of Fonda’s Fast Foods feared for the worst. Photo: Mzamane Ringane.

working relentlessly to avoid it at all costs.

The mayor has also expressed concern the interruptions were scheduled to start at the beginning of the Easter Weekend and school holidays.

The BEAT spoke to emergent small business entrepreneurs, who depend

largely on electricity as a main source of energy, to run their operations on a daily basis.

In Phagameng Township, young entrepreneurs, Samuel Marima and Clement Baloyi, the co-owners of Samu and Clement, were this week exploring creative ways to the keep going the sale of

ice-cream, popcorn, airtime, pre-paid electricity and data bundles.

Marima said without electricity the business would certainly be affected, but then indicated they would try to find alternative ways such as gas stoves and solar panels to keep operations going.

“With the winter season approaching, we cannot afford to shut down because our customers are mostly learners from the nearby school. We will try to find alternative ways like gas stoves, so we can serve them with hot soup during winter,” he said.

Baloyi said it was disheartening the threatened interruptions came at a time when the business was showing signs of healthy growth.

“When we started a year ago, we sold only ice cream, and then later introduced popcorn and pre-paid (electricity) vouchers. We are currently working on expanding the business further,” he said.

William Tutje, also of Modimolle, owns a fast- food outlet which sells the popular bunny chow snack known as sphatlo.

He said his business would definitely be badly affected, and that it was likely to be expensive to find other methods of preparing the meals such as gas stoves.

Tutle was confident; however, his operations should survive the anticipated dark days.

And the winners are...

Hometown journalists do the Waterberg proud at nationwide awards brazen illegal land occupations around Bela-Bela by the militant Economic Freedom Fighters.

Commenting on the Impact Story prize, The BEAT family joined our colleagues at the judges had this to say: “... The winning sister newspaper, Die Pos/The Post, in celebrating a solid run at the recent Caxton portfolio explored every angle. An explosive political story about land grabs Excellence Awards, competing against the was carefully company’s dealt with, by nationwide getting input footprint of from every upwards of 158 possible affected regional party. The newspapaers. portfolio is a Editor Johnny showcase of Masilela was carefull planning named the and hard work Caxton and was a Excellence deserving Awards Best winner.”

Columnist of the The judging Year, for his panel included, column, “The among others, Other Side of Jessica Town”, Pitchford, published formerly of regularly in the Special Die Pos/The Assignment and Post.

Checkpoint, and Die Pos/The Tshwane Post team of University of Andries van der Technology Heyde, Keina academic Swart and Bea lecturer, Lizette Emslie scooped Johnny Masilela is the Caxton Excellence Odendaal. the prestigious Awards Best Columnist of the Year.

Yassen Gaffar Impact Story of the category, during Middleburg Observer, Riaan van Zyl of the a gala dinner held in Parktown, Roodepoort Record, Jana Boshoff of the Johannesburg, on Middleburg Observer and Maretha Thursday 15 Swanepoel of Polokwane Review, were the March. finalists in the latter cartegory.

The lady who did With regards to the triumphant Best all the packaging Columnist of the Year, Masilela, the judges and sorting out for said: “Johnny’s columns are jaunty, and go the entries, proofagainst conventional tropes. He’s reader at Die Pos/ entertaing and there’s no victimhood. He The Post, Carina ends with a well-placed punchline. He Bester, also graced writes with rhythm and a sense of the occasion.

The impact profile humour.”

The judges in this category included The was based on the Carina Bester Citizen motoring editor, André de Kock, breaking news of TK Mashaba

and Gender Equality Unit founder, Rhoda Kadalie.

Fannie Groenewald was the other judge on the panel.

The finalists for the Best Columnist of the Year category Johnny’s columns were Hannes Visser are jaunty, and go of the Oudsdoorn against conventional Courant, Val van der tropes. He’s Walt of the Zululand entertaing and there’s no Observer and Tobbie victimhood. He ends with a wellvan den Bergh of the placed punchline. He writes with Middleburg rhythm and a sense of humour.

Observer.

Masilela’s portfolio consisted of a package of five columns, among these one based on the perspective of a black journalist on farm attacks.

The latter piece trended widely on Facebook, and drew upwards of 4400 views on Die Pos/ The Post website.

The other four columns forming part of the profile were all tongue-incheek narrative.

It was for the first time that both The BEAT and The Post entered the Caxton Excellence Awards.

Andries van der Heyde

Johnny Masilela

The winning team from Die Pos/ The Post pose for a photo ahead of the awards gala dinner. In the picture are Andries van der Heyde, Johnny Masilela, Keina Swart (bottom stair from left), Carina Bester and Bea Emslie.

Photo: TK Mashaba

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GOVERNMENT / POLITICAL

23 March, 2018 beateditor@gmail.com | Website: thebeat.linmedia.co.za

Thabazimbi library officially opened

Modimolle-Mookgophong Mayor Marlene Van Staden visited Phagameng High School alongside Sam Selokela (Life Coach) and Vusi Mabena (popularly known as Vusi the Poet) to provide career guidance and motivational talk to Grade 9 learners.

Van Staden said the purpose was to advise learners on how to choose the right subjects in Grade 10.

The learners were enriched with information about all available career options they could choose from. Photo supplied Limpopo Sport, Arts and Culture MEC Onicca Moloi during the opening ceremony.

Photo supplied Lizzy Bapela The new Thabazimbi Library threw open doors of knowledge to both learners and locals last Friday 16 March.

The event was hosted by the The Limpopo Department of Sport, Arts and Culture at the library in Regorogile Township.

It was also unveiled during the ceremony that the community would have access to free internet when visiting the library.

Members of stakeholder departments, the

media and members of the local community joined MEC, Onicca Moloi, on the occasion of the official opening of the library.

Representatives from the Thabazimbi Local Municipality and the Waterberg District Municipality also graced the official opening event.

Limpopo Sports, Arts and Culture spokesperson, Kola Maila, said the library had the potential to contribute to improvements in levels of illiteracy within communities.

Bela-Bela traffic officer Simon Mokhonoana in full cry in his other life as a disc jockey. The man of the law was in the news recently as part of a highspeed car chase whereby an alleged hijacker sped off after being stopped by Mokhonoana and colleague, Solly Ngobeni, in the vicinity of the Waterfront in Bela-Bela. The story on The BEAT’s website was trending very well, and Mokhonoana hopes this somewaht rubs off onto his ambitious career as a top deejay. Photo: TK Mashaba

23 March, 2018 beateditor@gmail.com | Website: thebeat.linmedia.co.za

OPINION

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Nervous moments ahead of the Caxton Awards A couple of editions ago I made passing mention of the Caxton Excellence Awards.

My take, genuinely so, was that we at The BEAT and our sister newspaper, Die Pos/The Post, had entered for the first time.

That is, I cautioned that we should not get ahead of ourselves, but instead view our entries as something like testing the waters.

The plan was to go for broke for the next round of awards, entering almost every single category available.

Indeed we at The BEAT did not do very well at the level of testing the waters.

The surprise — indeed pleasant surprise for all of us — was when for

some reason I was named the Caxton Excellence Awards Best Columnist of the Year, for my regular contributions not to The BEAT, but at Die Pos/The Post.

My winning column at Die Pos/The Post is called “The Other Side of Town”, with the purpose to give the newspaper’s target market a rare glimpse into township and village life.

Part of the winning portfolio was a column in which I captured the day I enlisted the services of a townshipbased Afrikaner fellow to do the weeding out at my mother’s place.

When my elderly mom saw the man, she obediently declared: “Good morning, master.” My foot!

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Johnny Masilela

Now weeks ahead of the unveiling of the finalists for the awards were a tense affair, with me cautioning the reporters we were but testing the waters.

Then communication came from the Caxton headquarters, to the effect that five of us, namely Die Pos/The Post editor Keina Swart, manager Bea Emslie, reporter Andries van der Heyde, photographer Herman Steyn and myself, were the finalists.

These triggered tense moments for the very editor who cautioned reporters to simply test the waters.

My own gutfeel was that being a finalist was good enough recognition to worry about the ultimate prize.

Not until Andries suggested, a few days before the awards ceremony, that it would not make sense for Caxton to invite winners and other finalists, too.

He was confident it was only the winners, including myself, who were invited.

Andries’s observation was way off the mark, for on arrival at the gala dinner in Parktown, Johannesburg, we were met by several hundred potential winners and other finalists.

Once again my gutfeel was that only the tried and tested journos from far more prominent titles such as the Zululand Observer and the Vaalweekblad, stood a fighting chance of being declared winners.

When the time came for the announcement of the best columnist, I was humbled to see my name flashed on the big screen.

And then the programme director declared: “And the winner is … Johnny Masilela!”

Believe it or not, my reaction was a frown and then a blink, and then I sheepishly turned my face, looking for this winner called eeehhh … mmm Johnny Masilela.

Let me take this opportunity to extend my gratitude at all readers who have kept us on our toes at both newspapers.

We also got a pleasant surprise when our front page story titled “High-speed chase” trended really well, meaning our readers do prefer our theme “shock and awe” kind of journalism.

Write to the Editor at beateditor@gmail.com or PO Box 16 Bela-Bela 0480. BelaBela: 014 736 2723 | Modimolle: 014 717 1774-6

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LEGALS | NEWS

23 March, 2018 beateditor@gmail.com | Website: thebeat.linmedia.co.za

Write to the Editor at beateditor@gmail.com or PO Box 16 Bela-Bela 0480.

SMALLS

Funeral tent, 50 Chairs, 2x2 Fibre glass toilets for sale. Contact Gerhard 082 416 6067

LEGALS BELA BELA AMENDMENT SCHEME 111/08 NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR AMENDMENT OF THE LAND USE SCHEME We, GEO PROJECTS, authorised agents of the owner of erf 48, Warmbaths Township, Bela Bela hereby give notice in terms of section 56 (1) (b) (i) of the Town Planning and Townships Ordinance, 1986 (Ordinance No 15 of 1986) read together with the SPLUMA 2013 act and by-laws, that we have applied to the Bela Bela Municipality for the amendment of the Town Planning Scheme, known as the Bela Bela Land Use Scheme, 2008, by the amendment of the zoning of the property from Residential 1 to Special for purposes of consulting rooms, offices and ancillary uses as describe in annexure 203. Particulars of the application will lie for inspection during normal office hours at the office of the Municipal Manager, Municipal Offices, Bela Bela, for a period of 28 days from 16 March 2018.

Objections to or presentations in respect of the application must be lodged with or made in writing to: The Municipal Manager at the above address or Private Bag x1609, Bela Bela, 0480, within a period of 28 days from 16 March 2018 Address: P.O. Box 919, Bela Bela, 0480, Tel: 082 881 7252. (16&23/03).

MODIMOLLE LAND USE SCHEME, 2004 Notice is hereby given to all whom it may concern that in terms of Clause 23 of the abovementioned Scheme, I (full name) MOSETJA SIMANE JIM intends applying to the Modimolle Local Municipality for consent to: TUCKSHOP on (property and suburb) 5178 also known as (street name and

number) Ramahlodi Street situated in an Residential 1 zone. (“Example: Residential 1, Business 4 etc.)

Any objection, with the grounds therefor, shall be lodged with or made in writing to: The Divisional Manager: Town Planning: Ground Floor, Modimolle Municipal Building, Private Bag x1008, Modimolle, 0510, within 28 days of the publication of the advertisement in the Local newspaper viz: Full particulars and plans (if any) may be inspected during normal office hours (08:00 - 13:00 and 13:45 15:00) at the abovementioned office for a period of 28 days of the publication of the advertisement in the Local newspaper.

Closing date for objections: Applicant Street and postal address: 5178 Ramahlodi Street Modimolle 0510 Cell: 074 263 4307.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND OTHERS All legally authenticated claims against the Estate of JOHANNA HENDRINA PETERSEN (also known as PATT PETERSEN) late who resided on the farm Verloren in Bela Bela, and who passed away on the 13th of September 2017, must be filed with the undersigned on or before 23 April 2018, after which date the Estate will be distributed having regards only to the claims then filed.

Dated at Stellenbosch this 15th of March 2018.

SONJA MATTHEE 16 Dawn Crescent DeWijnlanden Estate Stellenbosch 021 808 4777.

LIQUIDATION AND DISTRIBUTION ACCOUNT Estate of the late MARTHA MAGRITHA BENSON, who died on 16th October 2016, Identity number: 490225 0030 080, of Die Oog Aftreeland, Eenheid, F51, Naboomspruit, 0564, married in community of property to ROBERT ENERST BENSON, Identity number: 440912 5011 089.

Estate number: 008443/ 2017 The First and Final Liquidation and Distribution Account in the above Estate will lie for inspection at the offices of the Master of the High Court, Pretoria and the Magistrate, Mookgophong, for twenty-one (21) days from date of publication hereof.

FNB FIDUCIARY (PTY) LTD P.O Box 27521 Greenacres 6057 SELINA LOTTER 087 736 2570.

Bela-Bela remembers Justice Moseneke’s late mom

Mrs Karabo Mabel Moseneke (second from right) during the church convention. Photo supplied.

TK Mashaba Bela-Bela Township has always been home from home for Justice Dikgang Moseneke’s family, and a striking picture found in one of the homes is testimony to this.

As tributes poured in for the passing of the Life Esidimeni presiding judge’s mother, Karabo Mabel Moseneke, fellow Methodist of South

Africa Church member, Kelly Laka, showed The BEAT an archive picture of the old lady.

In the picture Moseneke and several church members were captured during a Methodist Church Women Manyano Convention, held in Bela-Bela in 2005.

According to Laka, it so happened that ahead of the convention, church members with spare bedrooms were asked to provide overnight accommodation for church members arriving from various parts of the country.

Laka said that was how Moseneke and eight of the women spent the night at the Laka’s house in the Leseding section of Bela-Bela.

Moseneke passed on after a short illness.

To ADVERTISE, Complete your Classified form here and send it to one of our offices...

BLOCK add can BELA-BELA also be done at (014) 736 2723 MODIMOLLE additional charges. (014) 717 1774 MOOKGOPHONG For more (014) 743 3802 information please contact our offices.

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23 March, 2018 Website: thebeat.linmedia.co.za

ENTERTAINMENT

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Modimolle fun run well-attended We are grateful for all the support from the community. The weather was not so great, but the people did not disappoint. We would also like to thank the business sector and community leaders who contributed towards the success of this event.

Photos: Mzamane Ringane

Schools and other community-based structures are advised to communicate with The BEAT on beateditor@gmail.com for events in their own backyard.

Mzamane Ringane

Modimolle residents came in their numbers

Winners flaunt their medals

The fun run participants going through their paces

The community of Modimolle, comprising of both the young and old, converged on the Ephraim Mogale Stadium, to form part of the Sports Day event hosted by the local Paul Dave Foundation.

The event was hosted in conjunction with the local athletics club, Fitness for All. Participants ranged from the schoolgoing age, middle-age and also the elderly.

The people of Modimolle braved wet weather conditions to participate in the event, which served to promote a healthy lifestyle, while at the same time raising funds for a good cause.

The event was kick-started with the fun run, which featured 2,5km, 5km and 10km race categories, and concluded with aerobics.

Paul Dave Foundation is a non-profit organisation led by CEO Karabo Mokgosi, working alongside businessman Jonas Mashishi, General Practitioner Dr Moses Radipabe, and also Karabo Mabotja and Kgotso Motau, as part of the executive committee.

Mokgosi said they were stunned by the positive response from members of the community.

“We are grateful for all the support from the community. The weather was not so great, but the people did not disappoint. We would also like to thank the business sector and community leaders who contributed towards the success of this event. ” she said.

The foundation’s CEO said with the Sports Day event done and dusted, they will now begin preparing for the youth empowerment event to be held mid-year.

It’s the last of the warmer days’ parties as autumn fades into winter Photos: TK Mashaba

Bela-Bela’s socialite Minah Baloyi in joyous mood with friends who arrived for her son, Neo’s fifth birthday.

The summer months are gone, replaced by the cooler autumn. The last of the outdoor parties are being celebrated throughout the Waterberg, as the chilly winter months beckon.

In these pictures we capture a special day in the life of the youngster Neo Baloyi, celebrating his fifth birthday with friends and family.

Birthday boy Neo Baloyi (with crown) plays on the trampolin with his buddies.

Neo Baloyi (with crown) in celebration with his buddies.

SPORT

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23 March, 2018 beateditor@gmail.com | Website: thebeat.linmedia.co.za

Diesel ‘n Dust’s weekend special moment

Troublemakers FC and Opleft FC players tussling for the ball. Photo: TK Mashaba.

TK Mashaba Bela-Bela Diesel ‘n Dust FC let go of its “weekend special” status at the top of the Waterberg SAB Regional League standings.

This after Modimolle Troublemakers FC narrowly triumphed 1-0 over Opleft FC, during a tightly-contested fixture last Saturday 17 March, at Bela-Bela’s Sunfa Stadium.

The match-up started with Opleft creating the better of the chances, but failing to convert.

The Modimolle visitors stunned the home side with a goal scored from a set piece, 10 minutes towards the end of the first stanza.

Fired up by the goal against them, Opleft FC pressed on for an equaliser, but to no avail.

It was Modimolle Troublemakers FC goalminder, Sello Baloyi, who had the last

laugh, making some stunning saves to deny Opleft FC. The Modimolle lads were at the last count back at the top of the standings, leading Bela-Bela Diesel n Dust FC by three points.

To make matters worse, the Bela-Bela heroes went down 2-0 to Mookgophong Junior Stars FC, which rose to third on the league log standings after the positive result.

With four matches left before the end of the season, Modimolle Troublemakers FC is

Celtic hopes to survive relegation

Celtic FC goalkeeper Kgaogelo Dhlamini beaten during the league encounter against Boys 2 Men FC. Photo: Mzamane Ringane.

Mzamane Ringane Modimolle Celtic FC coach André Mavulula hopes his team still stand a fighting chance to escape relegation, following a promising performance when they hosted Boys 2 Men FC of Vaalwater at Modimolle’s Tankeng Ground on Saturday, 17 March.

The two teams shared the spoils after playing to a 1-all stalemate, at the end of the 90 minutes of regulation time.

Mavulula told The BEAT claiming one

point was better than going home emptyhanded, especially at this time of the season.

“We would have secured maximum points in this match. We scored first, but then got punished when we started losing focus. We had a rough season this time around, but it was not all doom and gloom,” he said.

Modimolle Celtic FC is left with two matches to play, while Boys 2 Men FC has four last matches to play.

Boys 2 Men FC captain Isaac Bjaloane was not happy with the result, but

commended his team from putting up a good fight.

Bjaloane said the team needed three points from that match, as it would have helped Boys 2 Men to move from position six to a better spot on the league log standings.

On Saturday, 24 March Boys 2 Men FC will host Mookgophong Junior Stars, with the bottom of the table clash between Celtic FC and Opleft United FC scheduled for Modimolle’s Ephraim Mogale Stadium on Saturday, 7 April after the Easter Weekend break.

looking to consolidate the team’s position at the top of the log standings, and fight for a spot at the promotional play-offs.