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WEDNESDAY 9 APRIL 2014
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Still no ID for woman Maggie pleads her case with ANCWL president
} Boipelo Mere WILL there ever be a solution to Maggie Dikgetsi’s case? She has been pleading for an identity document (ID) since October 2012. It is still not clear whether she will be able to vote in the upcoming 7 May elections because she has still not received her ID and does not know her age. She has turned into a charity case in Bloemanda because every politician promises her heaven and earth year in and year out without any real results. Dikgetsi cannot be put on the housing list because she does not have a green barcoded South African ID. This time she spoke to the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) president, Angie Motshekga, and her delegation. With her five-year-old grandson glued to her side, Dikgetsi said that her old-age grant was cut due to her incorrect birth date. Dekgetsi’s hopes were raised after possibilities pointed towards her being amongst the first locals in the province to receive a new smart ID card, but still she has heard nothing from the Department of Home Affairs. That was last year in July when the SAPS Women’s Network had accompanied her to apply at the Department of Home Affairs. According to the Women’s Network, they had determined through a pathologist report that Dikgetsi was indeed 73 years of age last year (2013). Various phone calls were made by the ANCWL’s Grizelda Cjiekella-Lecholo to the Department of Home Affairs when they heard about the old woman’s plea for an ID. She requested the department to come and sort out the problem as soon as possible. Dikgetsi’s first plea for an ID
APPLE OF HER EYE: Maggie Dikgetsi with her grandson (5) again pleaded her case (of 2012) for an ID to the ANCWL president, Angie Motshek ga, last week. Photo: Boipelo Mere was published in the Express Northern Cape edition of 3 October 2012. In the 24 July 2013 edition appeared the article where the SAPS Women’s Network and CPF assisted her to determine her birth date and applied for her ID. Katz, Roofs and Bricks also came
to her aid by donating her a shack. ) Watch the video of Maggie Dikgesti putting her case to Angie Motshekga at www.express-news.co.za. ) Express Northern Cape will publish updates on the progress made in the matter.
She has turned into a charity case in Bloemanda as every politician promises her heaven and earth year in and year out.
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MEMBERS of the Reaching Hands Support Group are from the left, front: Valdine Lloyd, Monique Mc Anda, Monica Tyers and Gloria Pietersen; back: Elrico McAnda, Melinda Kaylas, Sandra Nero, Thalia Erlank and Raylene Kaylas. Absent when the picture was taken: Adam Sulliman. Photo: Boipelo Mere
Group fights abuse door to door } Boipelo Mere “SUBSTANCE ABUSE should not be a problem in our community. We took it upon ourselves as young able parents to fight it by motivating our community to shy away from it,” said Sandra Nero. Nero is part of the Reaching Hands support group that intends fighting substance abuse in their area, ward 3, Kimberley. Dagga, tik, alcohol, Mandrax, including the oka pipe, will be fought against from now on as Reaching Hands pledges not to allow themselves to feel guilty and end up keeping quiet about drug abuse. Having started their door-todoor campaigns, Reaching Hands is working hard at creating awareness amongst their community members. They will also embark on an awareness march from Homevale’s main road to the Homelite Community Hall on 17 May.
The community is invited to attend this event and encouraged to call for information. The group intends expanding to other wards at a later stage as they have already started their group sessions for users and for family support. According to their weekly programme, they meet with the users at house no 17 on Twelfth Street on Tuesdays and hold family support meetings at the Homevale Community Hall on Thursdays. Although, the team does not have the expertise, they plan to pull out all stops and use all the assistance they can get to fight substance abuse. Due to lack of funds, they, have been working from a backyard in Homevale since their inception last month. They appeal to anyone willing to assist them with whatever they can in terms of skills, a computer, printing paper and ink to market themselves.
“We appeal to the community out there to feel free to contact us at all times. We also guarantee them to treat their cases with the strictest confidentiality at all times because we see how this is affecting and tearing families apart,” requests Valdine Lloyd, the events planner of the team. According to Reaching Hands, the community reached out to them and promised to work together. They are positive that running this organisation themselves is a good choice as that will enable them not to be judgemental. “After our first meetings with the community, a lot of youth raised touchy subjects and asked for our intervention. We have already incorporated two members who are recovered addicts to schedule talks within the community. “We are also working hand in hand with the South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (Sanca),
where we refer cases that need professional intervention.” The group is positive that this is a breakthrough for them as they have managed to build relationships with parents who are affected by substance abuse as well. They say that they also manage to get through to those parents who have been reluctant to talk about the issue affecting their daily lives. “We feel like the parents are the ones that carry the heaviest burden. There are some who realise what is happening and feel too weak and wait until the situation escalates. Then they want to react when it is too late. “It is very sad to watch a parent sitting next to his/her child smoking an oka pipe because at the end of the day that same child will take something heavier in that same pipe. We see these things happening,” says Nero. She says the community meetings are also aimed at
creating awareness in terms of signs and behaviours of drugs inside the house. “What we greatly appreciate is that the community to has welcomed us with open arms. We will do whatever we can and incorporate all the relevant stakeholders to educate them on how to handle substance abuse.”
‘It is very sad to watch a parent sitting next to his/her child smoking oka pipe because at the end of the day that same child will take something heavier in that same pipe.’ – Sandra Nero
Up in flames A PEDESTRIAN, Andile Koes, said he only heard a screeching sound as the car came to a standstill. When he looked back he saw the car in flames and the driver jumping out of the burning car and running for cover. The car was driving on Aristotle Road toward Cassandra when the incident happened on Thursday afternoon. No one was injured during the incident because the Sol Plaatje Fire Department had already been called to extinguish the fire and traffic officials con trolled the traffic right up until the car was towed from the scene. Photo: Boipelo Mere
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Malema rages on as EFF, ANC clash } Boipelo Mere THE Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) commander in chief (CIC), Julius Malema, charmed the Phokwane Municipality residents by promising to double their child support and old-age grand if they vote for him in the upcoming elections. He excited the masses by telling them that the ANC leaders would never do that because they continued to steal from them. He promised to give them back their land and farms. According to Malema, blacks did not owe anyone an explanation as to why they wanted the land and what they were going to do with it. “These are your (blacks’) farms because you spend your whole lives working on them and you spent too much time explaining. If they ask you what you are going to do with it, you tell them it is none of their business. These whites found you working on this land. The only thing they came with is technology to speed up the process of working on the land,” he said to the cheering crowd. “We were mining diamonds and gold before the whites came here and were trading with international communities before the arrival of Jan van Riebeeck. We are going to die fighting for this land. Now the law wants us to pay criminals who stole our land. Re batla lefatshe la rona le matekwane a lona kaofela (we want our land with its dagga and all).” Malema said Kimberley was supposed to shine like a diamond,
better than New York and London that shone because of the minerals of Africa. “We are rich, yet we are poor because Imperialists have stolen our mineral resources. The EFF wants to change that because we are not scared of the whites. “If they want to leave because we are asking to share with them, they must go. If you don’t want to share, you are free to leave, we want people who are willing to share in South Africa’s wealth. We don’t want greedy people. That is why we say kiss the boer, mbaah, we love them,”shouted Malema to the excited crowd. “Whether you are white, whether you are black, if you are not ready to share, then you are not welcome in South Africa. Patrice Motsepe and Cyril Ramaphosa must share in the country’s wealth.” Elaborating on a better life for all, Malema said communities had not yet arrived if they still stayed in shacks and did not have basic services. He called on police officers who shot protesters instead of criminals and said they practised their shooting skills on the poor. The EFF patted themselves on the back for drawing the ANC’s attention over the past week after the ANC had bussed their members to Jan Kempdorp from across the district in an effort to disrupt their rally over the weekend. The EFF had already announced last month that they would be holding their rally in Jan Kempdorp. According to the EFF, on
JULIUS MALEMA emphasised the EFF Uturn to ‘Kiss the Boer’. Saturday some of their members were left stranded in Kimberley after they had been told to get off the busses. The drivers of three of the busses told them that the busses were hired by the ANC to take their members to Jan Kempdorp. An EFF member who wanted to remain anonymous revealed that they were not told that the busses were already booked when they hired them. “That was weeks ago, and the ANC only decided to come to Jan Kempdorp this week. But some of our members disguised
themselves and came on the same busses. We even registered new members who came on the same ANC busses,” he further revealed. On arrival in Jan Kempdorp, the ANC motorcade arrived at the stadium where the rally was held and started picketing outside. EFF members also started picketing on the opposite side and warned the ANC members not to dare come nearer. The situation was calmed and monitored by members of the police who kept the ANC supporters from approaching the stadium gate. They were redirected to
Photo: Boipelo Mere
Nobula Street to where they later held a bash a kilometre away. Malema said Nelson Mandela’s ANC was buried with him and renamed in Jacob Zuma’s term as ANC – African National Criminals. Criticising Zuma at every chance he got, Malema told the masses that the EFF was a home for the oppressed and its formation is a way of nature resolving itself. ) See more pictures on p. 7. Also go to www.express-news.co.za for video clips and more pictures of the EFF/ANC clash.
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Road: Leaders pass the buck } Boipelo Mere THE provincial chairperson of the ANC Women’s League, Grizelda Cjiekella-Lecholo, asked: “And what is happening here?” when they entered Legakabe Street in Bloemanda during their door-to-door campaign with the ANCWL president, Angie Motshega, NEC, REC and PEC delegation. Cjiekella-Lecholo was referring to the badly patched street that was very uncomfortable to walk on. None of the members of the embarrassed delegation responded. The former mayor of the Sol Plaatje Municipality, Agnes Ntlangula, later had to step in when a resident accused the ward councillor, Yvonne Mothibi (Mma Mothibi), of only knowing them during elections. The resident, Monica Mathiso (39), was one of the lucky residents whose house was visited by the ANCWL president on the day of the campaign. On that note Mathiso accused Modise of only resurfacing when she campaigns for votes. Showing Motshekga, Grizelda Cjiekella-Lecholo, Modise and her entourage the serious cracks on her house’s walls, Mathiso patiently pointed out the inaccessible roads in Bloemanda. She said they had been complaining about the roads for the past ten years. In an effort to calm Mathiso down, Ntlangula tried to shift the blame to service delivery. She questioned Modise on the routes she had followed in an
effort to address her ward’s priorities. In response the councillor said she has submitted endless lists to the municipal manager and was told that the municipality would start the repairs in Tshwene Street, Galeshewe. Modise even said she had to organise for the street to be patched with gravel two weeks ago as there was a funeral and the street was inaccessible. Ntlangula continued to question the councillor whether she had heeded the call when she had made a request for all priority lists to be sent to her during the time when she had still been the mayor of Sol Plaatje. “I once asked for a list of special projects when I was still the mayor. By then I had a budget allocation for special projects,” she emphasised. Ntlangula: “Have you ever sent your priority list as per request?” Modise: “Yes, I always send my lists to the municipal manager, but I am constantly told that they will start somewhere else.” Ntlangula: “The MM office is not the relevant office to submit lists and complaints. All he will do is just toss them aside. Complaints have to be handed in to the speaker or the Mayor’s Office if you want positive feedback.” After the dialogue between the councillor and Ntlangula, she gave Mathiso her personal numbers, instructing her to call her if there was still no progress.
Beats the odds and celebrates his 10th birthday BERTIE GRAHAM and his twin sister, Robin, proudly celebrated their tenth birthday. Although the family plans some kind of celebration every year for the twins, this was the most special one of all because no one ever thought Bertie would survive to see his tenth birthday as he is severely disabled. Carrying him in the picture is his 16yearold sister, Ronel Graham. Photo: Boipelo Mere
Perseverance pays off } Boipelo Mere “ONLY through good quality work, safety and good customer relations will Matisel 2 Construction and General Trading attract and retain clients,” were the words from Maruping Matiti after he had received a Steed5 2.2 litre MPI double cab bakkie purchased through Anglo Zimele’s community fund. This small construction company formed by four members in 2010 is successfully
operating in the Postmasburg area. Working on both smalland large-scale construction, repair and alteration projects, their focus is mainly on residential contracting. “The expansion of business in Postmasburg has pushed for overall improvement of the town, improving the overall profit margins of the company. With this in mind, the company is planning to expand its focus from residential clients to the larger commercial customers
such as the Kolomela Mine,” says Matiti. When two of the four members resigned early 2013, the managing director, Maruping, and his wife, Mary, decided to work and actively build their business. Kolomela’s small business centre is situated on Main Street and is the home of the Anglo American Zimele Hub, assisting companies like Matisel 2 Construction and General Trading realise their dreams.
FROM the left are the former mayor of the Sol Plaatje Municipality, Agnes Ntlangula, complainant Monica Mathiso and Councillor Yvonne Mothibi. Photo: Boipelo Mere
Nyaope now illegal THE Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC, Vusi Shongwe, has praised the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development for declaring the use or sale of Nyaope illegal, saying it will help the police as well as various law enforcement agencies curb crime. The Justice department first announced in March that it intended to classify Nyaope as an illegal drug through the amendment of the Drugs and Trafficking Act 1992 (Act 140 of 1992) which was signed on 28 March. Shongwe said this will assist in having those found dealing in the dangerous drug arrested. The drug has had serious impact in the lives of young people, he said. Anyone found selling the drug could face 25 years in prison
while those found in possession of the drug could face 15 years. “The community is urged to report those who deal with the drug to the police so that they could be arrested and face the consequences in jail. “Communities must never be afraid to expose those people because drug abuse is negatively affecting the future of young people,” he said. Nyaope, which is also known as whoonga, is believed to be made out of a mixture of heroin and/or dagga, to which further controlled substances may or may not be added. This concoction is also mixed with various extenders such as anti-retroviral drugs (used for HIV/Aids treatment), milk powder, rat poison, bicarbonate of soda and pool cleaner. – SAnews.gov.za
RECEIVING the double cab bakkie from Anglo Zimele’s community fund was Maruping Matiti, the managing director of Matisel 2 Construction and General Trading. Pictured with him are George Ben jamin, the public affairs manager at Kolomela, and Lindelwa Holele, the LED officer at public affairs. Photo: Supplied
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Institutions scrutinised } Boipelo Mere
Got married recently
THE Young Communist League (YCL) of South Africa gathered at Kimberley’s Bantu Hall to discuss the role of Chapter 9 Institutions in defending and deepening democracy. The SACP further discussed whether institutions like the Public Protector, Auditor-General, Electoral Commission, South African Human Rights Commission, Commission for Gender Equality and the Commission for the Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities were beyond reproach. These institutions may count ICASA among them. According to the national secretary of the YCL, Buti Manamela, who was the main speaker of the day, the above institutions are meant to strengthen Constitutional democracy. He quoted the Centre for Civic Education as saying that democracy is by its nature characterised by amongst others majority rule and minority rights, limited government, institutional and procedural limitations on powers, separated
and shared powers and checks and balances. Manamela bemoaned the fact that the institutions were never at the forefront when communities were faced with difficulties. “For example, none of us actually even remember the work of the Human Rights Commission in relation to the state of provision of sanitation in this country. “Few of us have had an interaction with the Commission on Gender Equality and none of us may even know about the work of the Commission for the Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities,” said Manamela. In direct reference to the present furore caused by the release of the Nkandla report by the Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, Manamela said Madonsela was supposed to submit the report to parliament for it to be a public document. “Rather, the Public Protector chose to conduct a trial by the media as if she had a desire to be a celebrity. “There is also some noise that the president of the republic will
not renew the Public Protector’s term of office. “As far as we know, the Constitution says that the Public Protector serves only one seven-year term, as such there should not be any words about contract renewal,” said Manamela. Manamela further said that he was disputing the accusation by the DA that they were attacking Chapter 9 Institutions and thus threatening democracy. “If you have followed the procedural errors committed by the Public Protector in her findings against the IEC, for instance, and the badly-written SABC report which points out to a defunct act and people not employed at the SABC, you would learn to take her findings with a pinch of salt. This is a record that the Public Protector is not above reproach. Her work has had mistakes and can still have serious errors,” said the YCL national secretary. He concluded by saying that after the Galeshewe meeting and other similar meetings in other provinces, a resolution would be made on how best to run Chapter 9 Institutions.
CELESTE SWARTS recently got married to Aubrey Lolwane at the St Peter’s Church in Kimberley. Photo: Kimco
Register for special votes now APPLICATIONS for special votes in this year’s national and provincial elections opened on Monday and will continue until Thursday, 17 April, between 09:00 and 17:00 at local IEC offices. There are two categories of special votes: 1. Home visits: Election officials will visit voters who have successfully applied for a home visit due to physical infirmity, disability or pregnancy. These home visits will be conducted on Monday, 5 May, and on Tuesday, 6 May. 2. Special voting at your registered voting station: Any voters who will be absent from the voting district where they are registered on Election Day (7 May) may apply to cast their vote early. This voting will take place at the voting stations where the voter is registered on Monday, 5 May, and Tuesday, 6 May, 09:00 and 17:00. Applications for both categories must be made by completing a VEC 1 form (available on www.elections.org.za or at local offices of the IEC) and must be submitted by hand to the local IEC office in the municipality
responsible for the voting district where the special vote is to be cast. The forms will not be accepted at national or provincial offices and cannot be faxed, emailed or posted. Special vote applicants may use a proxy to deliver the VEC 1 form to the local IEC office in the municipality where they intend to vote, but the form itself must be signed by the voter themselves. Unlike previous national and provincial elections, applications for special votes will no longer be accepted at voting stations on special voting days. Only voters whose pre-approved applications submitted during the window period of 7 to 17 April will be able to vote. Having submitted the VEC 1 application form, voters will be informed of the outcome of their application via SMS or email. They can also check their status on the website (www.elections.org.za). A list of local IEC offices addresses is available on the IEC website (http://www.elections.org.za/content/About-Us/ Contact-Us/) or voters can call 0800 11 8000.
AFTER his address on the Chapter 9 Institutions, Buti Manamela (left) proceeded to hit the streets of Kimberley in an effort to encourage people to vote in the upcoming elections. Photo: Boipelo Mere
Focus now on Dewani trial } Boipelo Mere
JUST like the Oscar Pistorius murder trial that has become an international sensation with television stations all over the world, some showing it live, the Shrien Dewani case seems to be destined for the same international media attention. Prior to the famous Oscar Pistorius case, the media approached the North Gauteng High Court for permission for live coverage of the case. When the media were granted permission, it became the world’s most watched real court proceedings since the OJ Simpson murder trial in America in 1995. There is now uncertainty as to whether the media will treat Shrien Dewani’s case as worthy for the public’s consumption. Shrien Dewani is accused of arranging the murder of his new wife whom he took on their
honeymoon to Cape Town, South Africa. Shrien Dewani is awaited by a throng of journalists from all over the world and other inquisitive members of the public. His arrival has long been awaited ever since Shrien Dewani left South Africa for Britain just after the murder. South Africa has since fought for three and a half years for him to be extradited to South Africa to answer for his role in the murder. Three South African men have already been convicted of the murder and are serving different prison terms for the part they played in the murder. Xolile Mngeni is serving a life sentence in prison for shooting Anni Dewani, Mziwamadoda Qwabe is serving 25 years as an accomplice, while Zola Tongo was slapped with 18 years’ imprisonment. The three claim to have been hired by Shrien Dewani to commit
the deed. According to media reports, the couple was driven to Gugulethu in Cape Town by Tongo where they met the other two before they shot and killed Anni Dewani. Shrien Dewani, who is a businessman in England, emerged out of their ordeal unscathed. In trying to avoid coming to South Africa for the court hearing, Shrien Dewani resorted to all manners of excuses, like saying that South African courts, being part of Africa, will not be fair, and also allegedly feigning mental illness. He was accompanied to South Africa by a law enforcer, his nurse and doctor. Like Pistorius, Shrien Dewani comes from a wealthy family and he is a successful businessman. His deceased wife Anni Dewani was from Sweden. All eyes are now expected to move between Shrien Dewani’s case in Cape Town and Pistorius’ one in Pretoria.
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NEWS
Win a Basotho experience
} Christo van Staden
AT the turn of the century in 1800, the plains around Golden Gate teemed with game. In 1836 it was noted by Major Sir William Cornwallis Harris, well-known English military engineer, artist and hunter, that it sometimes seemed as if the whole landscape was one moving mass of antelope which included thousands of blesbok, zebra and black wildebeest. A weekend in one of the 24 chalets, built to resemble an 18th century Basotho village, at the Basotho Cultural Village in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, leaves you with the same impression: plains teeming with game. While you sit on the stoep of your chalet, the antelope come and go, visiting the brooks next to the camp and grazing, especially early in the morning. The herds of eland and zebra seem to prefer moving together, whilst the blesbok and red hartebeest also keep together. Springbok and black wildebeest also roam the area. Apart from the animal sightings, a weekend at the Cultural Village leaves your soul peaceful and rested with the images in your mind of the golden sunrises and sunsets on the beautiful sandstone cliffs in the area and the play of different colours on the grassveld during the day. The chalets are luxurious and comfortable, with everything you might need. And you will need a nice afternoon nap, because you need to rise with the first golden sunrays to watch the spectacular natural scenery surrounding you. You should also take the opportunity to take a guided tour of the Cultural Village Museum, which is also on the premises. Meet the chief and his first wife. Learn some of the interesting facts about the Basotho culture. Did you know that the community selects the chief’s first wife, that she selects his second wife and that the chief only has a choice in the selection of his third wife? The changes in building styles through the decades can also be seen in the houses that were erected as part of the museum. The museum, as well as a restaurant and tea garden, conference facilities and a curio shop, are all managed by the Free State Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. But be warned: You might be so fascinated by the scenes from you stoep that you will refuse to move an inch! For more information on the Cultural Village, go to www.sanparks.co.za, or phone the national park on 058-255-1000. ) Express and SANParks run a competition in which one lucky reader who enters before the end of April stands a chance to win a
A VIEW of the chalets at the Basotho Cultural Village. The chalets imitate the style of an 18th century Basotho village. Photos: Christo van Staden
THE changes in building styles through the decades can be seen in the houses that were erected as part of the museum. weekend stay for a family of four in the Basotho Cultural Village. All you need to do, is to visit the Express mobisite (www.expresspaper.mobi), login and enter. If you have not registered before, now is you opportunity. To register, go to the mobisite by
THE chalets are luxurious and comfortable.
opening your phone’s internet browser, type www.expresspaper.mobi and enter. Follow the instructions to register. Directions on how to enter the competition will be on the site. The winners will be announced in the edition of 7 May.
ZEBRAS drinking water in a brook close to the Cultural Village.
A HOUSE depicting the building style of earlier in the previous century.
Photo: Kobus van Staden
EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE , WEDNESDAY 9 APRIL 2014
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Parties go all out for elections
} George Mutloane
FIVE years ago, during the general election time, Julius Malema was part of what the media termed the three musketeers which had Malema, Zwelinzima Vavi and Blade Ndzimande as rabble rousers in support of the singing Jacob Zuma. They were the main drie-foot for the bigger and volumptuous ANC as they represented The ANC Youth League, Cosatu and The Communist Party. Today, all that is history, the three musketeers have gone their separate ways and their voices were silenced by differing circumstances. Zuma alone is at the podium, the Communist leader’s high-pitched voice is missing perhaps, because as an academic and a minister in a related department he is too busy to go around electioneering, the leader of the proletariat, Vavi, is out in the cold with his organisation spitting on his face, while Malema, after being shown the door by the ANC, has formed his own political organisation he conveniently calls Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). So the past week saw the ANC sending the national president of the Women’s League, Angie Motshekga, who spent a week travelling the length and breadth of the Northern Cape drumming up support. The Democratic Party and Congress of the People had in their own way been throwing one banner here and another there, hoping to catch some undecided fish. The week really belonged to the EFF as they spent the week working the minds and souls of the mostly youth in the Phokwane sub-region that falls under the most populated district of the Northern Cape, Frances Baard. By Saturday the stadium and the surrounding area in Valspan, a township in Jan Kempdorp, was filled with people. Every second person was in EFF’s regalia. This is up until the ANC bussed in hundreds of people in their own colours from Kimberley, Pampierstad, Warrenton and elsewhere in the district. The usually suspect police handled what could have
THE three musketeers have gone their separate ways and their voices were si lenced by differing circumstances. THE highlyalert police members made a human shield to prevent the situation from getting out of hand. The ANC group was redirected to Nobula Street, where they held a bash a kilometre away from the stadium. Photos: Boipelo Mere potentially been a bloody clash between the ANC and the EFF so professionally that the thick atmosphere of animosity between the two parties just fizzled without much ado. A quick headcount of attendees at the stadium proved that Malema’s party had attracted more than 5 000 people from Jan Kempdorp and other places in the Northern Cape. Earlier in the week in Pampierstad hundreds more people gathered at an impromptu meeting held near the business area. By the look of things many members of EFF are former members of the ANC.
However, there was a surprise when different leaders were introduced when the name of the ANC Women’s League stalward Irene Mogorosi was introduced. She and other ANC members had ditched the ANC and helped form Cope. Mogorosi is one of a few from Cope who feel marginalised in COPE and jumped to the EFF. Among the names introduced there was that of a
respected up and coming black lawyer in Kimberley, Adv. Tembani Mzuzu, that of the former student leader and member of Cosas in the Northern Cape, Mary Tongwana, that of the present mayor of the Thembelihle Municipality, Danny Jonas, and that of the controversial former mayor and municipal manager of the Nama Khoi Municipality in Springbok, Aubrey Baartman.
MORE and more buses carrying ANC members arrived at the Jan Kempdorp Stadium.
POLICE OFFICERS started running around to separate the crowds.
NOBULA STREET was buzzing with activity.
NOBULA STREET in Jan Kempdorp became the centre of attention right after the arrival of the ANC members who picketed outside the stadium where the EFF was holding its rally on Saturday. Members of the two parties both started picketing outside the stadium. They were only separated by the police members who made a human shield.
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EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE, WEDNESDAY 9 APRIL 2014
Bfn Celtic focus on Sundowns } Sidwell Guduka JOEL MOGOROSI insists his Bloemfontein Celtic side do not have revenge on their minds ahead of their highly-anticipated Absa Premiership clash against Mamelodi Sundowns. The two giants of South African football square off at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria tonight at 19:30. The Brazilians have beaten Phunya Sele Sele twice this season and they will be hoping to make it three out of three wins over Celtic. “Obviously we want to do better against them this time, but we are not focusing too much on revenge. It’s about us putting in a really big performance today to hopefully win this match to consolidate our position on the log,” Mogorosi tells Express. In their last ten meetings, Sundowns have claimed six wins over Celtic while the Free Staters have only won one of those fixtures, with three outings ending in a draw. “History will count for nothing tonight. It will be a different ball game altogether. We are going there to fight harder for three points at stake. Winning this match would mean a lot to us as a group of players as we want to finish among the top-eight teams in the league and, of course, qualify for the MTN 8 competition next season,” he says. Sundowns registered their sixth successive league match when they defeated Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 at the FNB Stadium last Saturday, while Celtic stretched their unbeaten streak in the league to seven matches with a 1-0 win over Platinum Stars on Sunday. Siwelele’s solitary goal was netted by
‘It is always nice to get your name on the score sheet, so I’m very happy about the goal. Credit to my teammates, they have always supported me even when I’m missing chances. They always tell me to be patient in front of goals,’ – Joel Mogorosi Mogorosi who gave a Man of the Match performance on the day. It was his fifth goal of the season. “It is always nice to get your name on the score sheet, so I’m very happy about the goal. Credit to my teammates, they have always supported me even when I’m missing chances. They always tell me to be patient in front of goals,” he says. Meanwhile, Celtic will battle it out against Bidvest Wits in the Nedbank Cup quarterfinal game at the Kaizer Sebothelo Stadium on Sunday at 15:00. “Our focus is on Sundowns. We will only shift it to Wits after tonight’s match. But all I can say, is that as much as we want to do well in the league we also want to do exellently in cup games,” Mogorosi says.
DAYNAH CALVERT (9) of the Newton Primary School, is the Sports Star for March.
Gymnast star of the month
Photo: Supplied
} Boipelo Mere
DAYNAH CALVERT (9) of the Newton Primary School was chosen as Express Northern Cape’s Let’s Play Sports Star of the Month for her incredible achievement in rhythmic gymnastics. Daynah started rhythmic gymnastics at the age of 6 in 2011. She currently belongs to the Rhythmia Gymnastics Club and is coached by Tazmiah Francis. Last year her coach recommended that she was tested for high-performance gymnastics. She was tested in Klerksdorp, passed and was ranked fourth out of all the high-performance gymnasts. During the Weirda competition held in Pretoria she won first place and received gold for both her routines – rope and free dance. This incredible young sportswoman has numerous sporting highlights which include winning first place for all her routines at the Helena Botha Gymnastics
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Competition in Bloemfontein and at the rhythmic gymnastics competition held in Kimberley. She qualified to represent the Northern Cape at the South African championships held in Durban in 2013. She again won first place in both her rope and free dance routines and received gold for all routines. She received her ranking from the South African Gymnastics Federation and is currently ranked second overall in South Africa in her age group. At her club’s annual prize-giving, she received the floating trophy for the gymnast with the highest average score for high performance 1 and 2, and a trophy for sports lady of the year. Send your sports star nomination for school learners between the ages of 6 and 18 today (nominations received before the 20th of each month will be included in that month’s selection). You can email your nomination to supersport@zpr.co.za or fax it to 086-5524922. For more information contact Lynne or Juanré at Z PR on 051-522-9574.
MY BALL: Joel Mogorosi of Bloemfontein Celtic (wearing the white jersey) challenged by Siyabonga Shoyisa of the University of Pretoria FC. Photo: Samuel Shivambu/Backpagepix