Northern Cape
Visit the Express website www.express-news for live news-streaming of all the soccer action in Brazil.
TEL: 053 8312331
WEDNESDAY 2 JULY 2014
WWW.EXPRESSNEWS.CO.ZA
FREE
Representing Northern Cape at arts festival THE Galeshewe Theatre Organisation (Gato) will represent the Northern Cape at the Grahamstown Arts Festival. They will be performing two of their old dramas Goon and Big Hole, and a new play called Emsini. According to Gato, they are attending the festival in order to tell the untold good and bad stories of Kimberley – stories they feel are being ignored in terms of arts and culture. This is also in an effort to keep the Northern Cape flying high. Read more on p 7. Photo: Boipelo Mere
Shopowner arrests robber Police still looking for one suspect in armed robbery case
} Boipelo Mere POLICE in Kimberley are investigating a case of armed robbery following an incident where a 34-year-old shop-owner was robbed. This was on Saturday at about 12:30. The incident took place at Madeliefie Avenue, Square Hill Park, Kimberley. Two male suspects allegedly entered the shop, wearing balaclavas, and demanded cash. The shop-owner was threatened with a firearm and one of the suspects took a cell
phone from the complainant whilst the other suspect jumped over the counter and took an undisclosed amount of cash. The two suspects then left the shop on foot and entered the nearby veld. It is further reported that the shop-owner followed them with his bakkie. It is believed that these suspects might have left their Ford Leisure bakkie in the veld so that they could use it to get away. The complainant somehow managed to disturb the suspects, which led to them
getting out of the vehicle and fleeing on foot. The shop-owner apprehended one suspect and the other one managed to get away. Members of the Kimberley Crime Prevention Unit acted swiftly, ensuring that the suspect was detained. The arrested suspect is a 28-year-old male, believed to be a foreign national. Maj.Gen. Jean Abrahams has thanked the police members for their hard work and said she trusted that they would arrest the
other suspect soon. Abrahams also indicated that she hoped that the arrest would help in addressing the business robberies and armed robberies in the area. Detective Warrant Officer Patrick Dibebe has been tasked to investigate the case. Anyone with information that can assist in the whereabouts of the other suspect is requested to call Dibebe on 082-302-0407 or Crime Stop on 08600-10111. An SMS can also be sent to 32211.
2
EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE, WEDNESDAY 2 JULY 2014
NEWS
MEC reaches out to children } Boipelo Mere IT was a blessing for the Isibindi Child Centres when John Block, the Northern Cape MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, donated school uniforms to their children. The donation came as a continuation of the Youth Month commemoration, where the MEC donated food parcels, school shoes and uniforms to child-headed households that were identified with the assistance of the Department of Social Services and Isibindi centres from different areas of Galeshewe. Block made it clear that the donations should not be seen as an electioneering campaign, seeing that it came after the elections. He said the initiative sought to inspire those community members who were less fortunate, especially in the cold weather. One of the Isibindi workers, Kedibone, could not stop to express their gratitude to the MEC. They reported that most of the children had no school uniform especially no shoes. The staff of the Provincial Treasury are also reported to have contributed in supporting the course by raising part of the money that was used to procure the items. They reported it to be a gesture of Ubuntu and an effort to transform people’s lives. On the same day, Block also donated two sets of soccer kit and soccerballs to two local soccer teams from Jacksonville and Lerato Park. The MEC promised that his department would continue to do everything to empower children in education and sports. He highlighted the fact that people tended to eat more in winter and that some of them could not afford to keep warm, especially those who did not even have electricity. Block encouraged the staff to continue to stand together in making a difference and expressed the hope that the small gesture
THE Northern Cape MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, John Block. would make a difference. “We won’t stop here to help,” he promised as he elaborated on how government workers should feel responsible to look after the poor. According to the MEC, the handover was an extension of their programme whereby they took a decision to assist the less fortunate schools in the province in 2009. He added that the programme was also aimed at addressing social ills amongst the vulnerable. The coach of Young Achievers Soccer team, Abraham Sebolai who received the soccer kit, was over the moon. He reported that the team, consisting of five male and two female divisions, would cope better. He
THE Northern Cape MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, John Block, Young Achievers Soccer team Abraham Sebolai, HOD at the department Sello Mokoko and Paulus Mosalemane, the coach of the Colour Block soccer team during the handover. further said that donations like those would show the local teams that their efforts in sports were appreciated. “This will assist our girls in the upcoming first league games. We only had one soccer kit and had to share it amongst the males and female players,” he revealed. He, however, said that his team had been surviving with only six pairs of soccer boots that he had bought himself, because most of the players could not afford to buy boots. “I am currently the happiest man. This
Photos: Boipelo Mere
donation brings hope to my team,” said the other coach, Paulus Mosalemane of the Colour Block soccer team. According to him, his team consists of learners who push forward despite their circumstances. He said with the community’s support on all their programmes, they had managed to start playing league games in 2013 after playing rebels for a long time. The two coaches similarly said that the greatest challenge that they faced as local clubs was the lack of soccer boots.
JEANETTE FOURIE (left), netball team manager, with George Benjamin, Kolomela Mine public affairs manager, and Benadette Kotze, netball team member. Photo: Supplied
Kolomela donates money to netball
IN an effort for PMG netball to reach out to their community and further develop the sport in Tsantsabane, Kolomela assisted the club by donating R20 000 to them. Kolomela is proud to be associated with such initiatives that uplift the community they operate in. Anglo American Kumba Iron Ore’s Kolomela Mine understands the importance to support sport within the Tsantsabane community as this contributes to the well-being and social development of its people. “We believe that sport unites and drives people in a positive direction, eliminating negative behaviours such as crime and substance abuse amongst our youth,” says George Benjamin, manager of public affairs at the Kolomela Mine. The Postmasburg Netball Club, established in 2008, is a sports initiative that brings women in the community together. The club is registered under the Siyanda league and consists of Kolomela employees and wives of employees, contractors and local women from Postmasburg.
Since 2008, the PMG netball club had numerous players representing the club on provincial level at the Spar national championship. The club has built up an outstanding record over the past few years, winning the bronze medal in 2008 and 2009 out of 14 teams in the league. Then, through hard work and dedication, the club had won the silver medal from 2010 to 2012. With such passion and enthusiasm for the sport, the ladies outperformed their counterparts and managed to bring back the gold medal as league champions in 2013. The club is now aiming for greater heights, which is to enhance the membership and produce more provincial or national players. “We are grateful for the sponsorship by the Kolomela Mine. This donation will not only help the team, but also two of its members to participate in the u.21 South African National Championship which will take place in July 2014,” said Jeanette Fourie, PMG netball team manager.
Reaching out to the needy THE provincial leader of the DA, Andrew Louw, accompanied by Harold McGluwa, DA chairperson, visited two families whose houses were left destroyed after fires had broken out in Roodepan, Kimberley. The DA handed over food parcels and blankets in an effort to help these families during freezing cold weather conditions. Here Louw is with one of the house owners, Alice Booysen. Photo: Supplied
Missed previous editions of Express? Simply go to www.express-news.co.za or go like Express Northern Cape on Facebook and give your opinion on stories.
EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE , WEDNESDAY 2 JULY 2014
NEWS
Keidebees rapist receives life imprisonment } Boipelo Mere
RESIDENTS say the Sol Plaatje Municipality is lenient to the illegal squatters in West End, so they marched to the municipality to raise their voices. Photos: Boipelo Mere
We had enough! } Boipelo Mere ANGRY residents of West End in Kimberley say they are sick and tired of witnessing squatters relieving themselves in the veld on a daily basis. They want the Sol Plaatje Municipality to remove the squatters who are living next to their houses as soon as possible. During a march organised by the DA on Wednesday, the residents emphasised that their interests and safety were not being considered as ratepayers. They handed over a memorandum of their demands to the mayor of Sol Plaatje, David Molusi, and the municipal manager, Goolam Akharwaray. Their memorandum included some pictures of the conditions that the squatters were living in. The residents want a response within 14 working days. During the march the ratepayers were angered because the mayor used the platform to address the municipality’s challenges of developing areas that were already occupied illegally. Molusi made it clear that the squatters were not going anywhere, but would rather be moved temporarily in order for the land to be developed, so that RDP houses can be built. They shouted that they were not interested in the squatters’ challenges and said it was the municipality’s problem. The mayor was also accused of using apartheid as an excuse whenever they wanted to raise their concerns. The residents claim that they only want the squatters to be moved somewhere else. One of the residents even challenged Molusi to allow the squatters to build homes on his doorstep, since he believed in a rainbow nation. She was referring to this statement that Molusi had made: “We want to do away with the apartheid plan. We want all our people, irrespective of their colour, to live together so that we can become a rainbow nation.” They continued to blame the tremendous crime growth in West End on the existence of the squatter camp. The municipality was labelled as shameful and disgusting for allowing human beings to reside in informal settlements where there were no services such as electricity, water or sanitation. As ratepayers, they claimed not only to being driven by bitterness of their property values dropping due to the shacks, but also of the squatters’ dignity being ignored. “These people pay for their services and
need to be listened to. It is a shame to see that women, especially the elderly, and children have to use the veld as an ablution facility. Besides the humiliation attached to this act, it is extremely dangerous for them to visit the veld during the day or night. There are so many dangers, such as rapists and other criminal activities,” said Andrew Louw, who was leading the march. “The people who are living there are human beings and we feel sorry for them. We are here to ask the municipality what their stance is about them.” According to the ratepayers, the same squatters were given an interdict in 2009, thus they demanded to know from the municipality what the current status of that interdict was. The failure of the government to deliver houses to the people leads to squatters taking the law into their own hands by squatting illegally on open spaces of land all over the province. The direct failure of Secured Property Management (SPM) to identify available land where people can squat and failing infrastructure also cause people to take the law into their own hands,” continued Louw. He insisted that the squatters be moved to a place that was earmarked by the municipality to put up proper infrastructure. Confrontation had already erupted amongst the ratepayers and the mayor when Andrew Louw managed to keep the calm and urged the angry ratepayers, who kept on interrupting the mayor when he addressed them, not to take the law into their own hands and do everything within the parameters of the law. Molusi was explaining how problematic it was for the municipality to finish installing infrastructure on land when residents occupy it illegally. He said the municipality was still in the process of developing the land when the squatters illegally started building on it. “Please give us the chance to develop the land first before you start building on it,” he pleaded to all the people of the Sol Plaatje area. “We have had enough because people are breaking into our houses on a daily basis. Even the women, children and the elderly residents of West End do not feel safe in their houses anymore. The criminals also poison our dogs and kill them,” shouted the angry residents at the mayor. ) Visit www.express-news.co.za for a video of the confrontations.
DA LEADER Andrew Louw hands over the West End ratepayers’ memorandum to Sol Plaatje mayor, David Molusi, with the municipal manager, Goolam Akharwaray, looking on.
ELTON MIENIES (35) was recently sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of the rape and attempted murder of a 44-year-old woman. On the count of rape Mienies was sentenced to life imprisonment and on the count of attempted murder the accused was sentenced to eight years. That is in relation to his arrest on 30 May 2013, following his first court appearance before the Upington High Court on 20 June 2013. He reportedly attacked, assaulted and raped a 44-year-old victim from Upington whom he saw walking in the nearby bushes in Keidebees, Upington, on 15 February 2013. According to the police, the trial was scheduled from 22 to 25 April this year but could not start due to the investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Abram Coku, having difficulties in locating witnesses on the day before the trial commenced. Mienies also reportedly disappeared on 24 April this year during the postponement of the case, and thus could not appear before court the following day.
After a warrant of arrest was issued for Mienies, he was spotted in the Upington CBD by a member of the police. He was arrested and detained at the Upington Police Station before he was transferred to Kimberley for trial. The police applaud the investigating officer who did his job with diligence and commitment in spite of a lot of challenges in this case. These challenges include finding out the whereabouts of witnesses and the accused. The police stated that it was tough as the crucial witnesses did not have fixed addresses and they were staying in Keidebees, a bushy area of Upington. “This success can be dedicated to the work of Detective Sgt Coku of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit in Upington. “Brig. Paul Cengcani, the cluster commander of Upington, has welcomed the sentence and thanked Detective Sergeant Coku for the hard work that he has shown and encouraged other members to continue to serve the public with diligence and commitment in ensuring that the community is living in a safe and secured environment,” stated Lt. Donald Mdhluli, provincial corporate communications.
For more news and photos go to www.express-news.co.za. Go like Express Northern Cape on Facebook and give your opinion on stories.
3
4
EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE, WEDNESDAY 2 JULY 2014
NEWS
Exhibition paints picture of past } Boipelo Mere WHAT is dubbed as the biggest exhibition by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform came to Kimberley. This travelling exhibition has been to different provinces since it was launched in Tshwane in January. In Kimberley, the provincial capital of the Northern Cape, the exhibition was mounted in a large dome similar to the one erected during the late Nelson Mandela’s funeral in Qunu. It also coincided with the 38th commemoration of 16 June which was held in Kimberley. Hence the attendance of the deputy president, Cyril Ramaphosa, and a host of other cabinet ministers such as Jeff Radebe, Buti Manamela, Mcebisi Skhwatsha, Gugile Nkwinti and Nathi Mthethwa. The premier of the Northern Cape and members of the Northern Cape executive council also attended. The biggest exhibition ever undertaken in the country takes you through colonial history, land dispossession, repression, resistance and transition to democracy and the legacy of the last 20 years of freedom. According to the department, the exhibition is aimed at creating awareness, especially among the youth, about the journey travelled this far and the progress made by the government towards reversing the negative legacy of the 1913 Native Land Act and related racially motivated laws. The exhibition features a vibrant cast including actors from the Northern Cape and other respected actors, such as Presley Chweneyagae (of the award-winning movie Tsotsi). It also covers three broad themes on colonial and apartheid land dispossession, resistance to colonialism and apartheid and the restitution of land rights to victims of forced removals under the democratic government. “The exhibition is interactive and it gives the participants an opportunity to experience life before colonisation, during apartheid and life post-1994 where we now begin to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s legacy,” said Nomfundo Gobodo who is the chief land claims commissioner. The exhibition will stop permanently in Thaba Nchu in the Free State after it has travelled the nine provinces. At the end of the figurative journey of the exhibition people have an opportunity to sign a pledge. Go to our picture gallery at www.express-news.co.za for more pictures on the exhibition.
REPRESSION: Shocked Refilwe Molawa was refused entry into the town without her pass book.
LAND DISPOSSESSION: This scene features a family that was chased off their land and had nowhere to go. Photos: Boipelo Mere
THEN came transition after the release of Nelson Mandela, where every South African received the right to housing.
RESISTANCE: Nthabeleng Ramafoko refused to be arrested without being read her rights.
A white woman from the surbubs was only bothered by the people who kept on toyi-toying for no reason.
FREE housing in the form of RDP houses was given to displaced families.
EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE , WEDNESDAY 2 JULY 2014
5
NEWS
Professional advice crucial for retirement investment DECIDING how to invest your retirement fund money is not about completing forms. It is about making one of the biggest financial decisions of your life. Karin Muller, head of Sanlam’s Growth Market Solutions, says the latest research results from the Sanlam Benchmark Survey show that a third of all South Africans, when faced with important decisions about their retirement fund savings options, did not make use of professional financial advice, but relied on their own knowledge, that of a colleague, their Human Resources department or their employer. “To put this into perspective, an important consideration is that a staggering 88% of people who are financially better off in
their retirement received professional financial advice.” This, she says, is clear evidence of how critical it is to ensure that you obtain advice from a professional, when you make some of the most important financial decisions of your life. “Retirement fund members don’t understand that retirement planning and providing for retirement should start on day one of their employment or the date of joining their retirement fund. “The retirement planning decisions that people make while they are employed will ultimately determine how comfortably they will be able to live during retirement. Unfortunately, most retirement fund
members only start considering retirement when they get closer to retirement.” Apart from seeking professional advice, the latest Sanlam Benchmark Survey shows that people who are indeed able to retire comfortably share a number of other successes: ) They started saving for retirement a few years earlier than the average person. ) They saved more each month during their working lives. ) They preserved their savings when they changed jobs. ) When they retired, they reinvested their lump sums to bolster their retirement income. ) They had additional sources of savings,
such as other retirement annuities. Muller says it is shocking that just 29% of South Africans are able to maintain their standard of living in retirement. People who retire experience longer retirements, but have less money to live on and many are looking after dependants in their retirement. “The starting point is to ensure that you treat your retirement planning as a priority from the day that you join a company’s retirement fund.” ) Sanlam is the sponsor of the Forum for Community Journalists seminar which takes place on 5 September. The Express editorial team are members of this forum.
6
EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE, WEDNESDAY 2 JULY 2014
NEWS
ANC backs premier } Boipelo Mere
AMIDST continuous criticism surrounding Northern Cape Premier Sylvia Lucas’s State of the Province (SOPA) address on Thursday, the ANC backs and firmly endorses the premier’s speech. According to the ruling party, the speech presented itself as an immediate testament of the overwhelming electoral support of 64,4% that the fifth administration led by the ANC had been entrusted with by the masses of the Northern Cape. “We applaud Premier Lucas, the recently-chosen cabinet and our technocrats for ensuring that the SOPA bears a reflection of the hopes and aspirations of the people. “The deliverables emanating from the premier’s address include amongst others, key areas that are aligned to the National Development Plan and our economic growth path outlook. “The Northern Cape is now well positioned to embrace
the new economic dawn of catalyst sectors of wealth creation, such as energy infrastructure, transport infrastructure, ICT and the basic needs of water and sanitation,” stated the ANC in a statement. According to the DA, Lucas should have just presented her speech via a standard house-sitting, considering that she didn’t have any real “game-changing” announcements to make to the people of the Northern Cape. “She chose the glamorous route, with estimates suggesting that the legislature has had to cough up in the region of R1,6 million for this senseless parade,” remarked the DA. The DA accuse the address as a ruse to try and create confidence in the ANC government ahead of the looming 2016 local government elections. The ANC released a statement in response after the DA had accused Lucas of blaming the global economic recession for her poor socio-economic progress in
LINDA COETZEE and Yolanda Slade also looked gorgeous during the SOPA address. Photo: Boipelo Mere
MEC FOR EDUCATION GRIZELDA CJIEKELLA-LECHOLO looked stunning in the same colour combination as Beukes. Next to her on the right are the MEC for the Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (Coghsta), Alvin Botes, and Norman Shushu (left). Photo: Boipelo Mere
the province. The DA also pointed out that the ongoing absence of a workable provincial government plan to root out corruption and grow jobs within the next five years, was worrying. “Lucas attempted to deceive the public by overstating government successes. In this regard, she mischievously referred to the new mental hospital as a positive, while in reality the facility is on the verge of another crisis. “She also rehashed old commitments of appointing qualified staff to municipalities and ensuring consequences for poor performance, with new vigour,” continued the DA. “Probably the only positive in Lucas’s entire speech is the significantly improved targets for the appointment of a large contingent of healthcare professionals. “Aside from this single ray of sunshine, it looks as if it will be business as usual for the Northern Cape government in the next five years,” said the DA provincial leader, Andrew Louw.
STUNNING AS USUAL: The executive mayor of the Frances Baard Municipality, Kgadi Moloi, loved the red carpet.Photo: Boipelo Mere
NORTHERN CAPE PREMIER SYLVIA LUCAS and the speaker of the legislature, Sandra Beukes, who looked elegant on the day. Photo: Boipelo Mere
SPOUCES of members of the provincial legislature on the day of the SOPA address at the Mitah Seperepere Convention Centre are in front: Mariaan Louw, behind her from the right are Mandisa Shushu, Roschelle Botes and Noluthando Block. Photo: Emile Hendricks
CONSULATE GENERALS who attended the SOPA are from the left Elise Auino from Namibia, Sugie Harijadi from Indonesia and Dr Swati Kulkarni from India. Photo: Emile Hendricks LEFT: EFF members were protesting outside the Mittah Seperepere Convention Centre for the Marikana miners whilst the SOPA was in progress. Photo: Emile Hendricks
EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE , WEDNESDAY 2 JULY 2014
7
NEWS
Local drama off to Grahamstown } Boipelo Mere and George Mutloane THIS will be the third year in succession that the Galeshewe Theatre Organisation (Gato) takes productions to the internationallyrenowned Grahamstown Arts Festival. In the past years Gato has taken Goon and Big Hole to the festival and Goon won an encore award. This year the same productions will be taken for re-runs and a new play called Emsini will premiere at the festival. Emsini deals with serious issues in the community after the 1994 political settlement. Seeing that the new government would not accommodate all people, those who felt entitled to benefits, but did not get any, turned against their communities, robbing and terrorising them. At some point, a heavily-armed group of people believed to be former freedom fighters, raided banks and started ATM bombings. Even today the youth in Kimberley will from time to time get out of hand and will often use the name of the struggle to justify their actions against the community. Emsini the play is an emotionally-draining rollercoaster experience. The main character, Daniel Phiri, played by Moagi Modise, drives home a clear message to youth in particular to choose the type of life they would rather characterise the fibre of our society.
THE local Galeshewe Theatre Organisation will be showcasing their work at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival. Photo: Boipelo Mere For Modise, who is also the writer of Emsini, the fact that society has lost control of its children and youth is what is bound to damn us all. “This play, like the rest of my plays, is aimed at creating a
THE Bloodhound driving experience.
dialogue. It gives people the opportunity to realise that even if they find themselves holding guns figuratively, they still have the choice to do good,” said Modise. Asked what made him come back home to Kimberley, Modise
Photo: BloodhoundSSC
NC has a need for speed } Boipelo Mere VISITORS can get a taste of the lightning speed of the Bloodhound supersonic car as it propels itself down the shimmering sands of Hakskeenpan in the Northern Cape, when it attempts to set a world landspeed record next year. In 2015, the Northern Cape will host the Bloodhound Supersonic Car when it attempts to break the current world landspeed record at the renowned Hakskeenspan before returning in 2016 to attempt a world record of 1 600km/h. Hakskeenpan was selected from hundreds of potential sites across the globe and since the initiation of the project in 2009, the provincial government has put its full support behind this headline-grabbing effort. The Bloodhound project has already captured the attention of Top Gear’s James May and the affectionately-named Captain Slow has even machined two small components for the world’s fastest car on his home lathe. These components are currently undergoing rigorous quality checking at the Bloodhound technical centre in Bristol, England. From 20 to 27 September the traditional serenity of the Kalahari will be shattered by the roar of revving engines and screaming brakes as hundreds of speed freaks put their vehicles’ horsepower to the test when the Kalahari Desert Speedweek returns to Hakskeenpan for the third consecutive time.
explained that he had not come back home, but rather was on a journey of telling Kimberley stories they seemed to be ignoring in the larger scheme of things. “I still work in other cities. I did John Kani’s Nothing but the
truth with Pacofs in the Free State earlier in the year. “As a child of Kimberley I am painfully aware that our city is ignored and I believe that it will take us Kimberlites to tell the good and bad stories of our city. “After all, a city is said to be big when it is big on opportunities, but ours is dying, there are no more diamonds and the culture of taverning and alcohol abuse is ravaging the city that has given South Africa the economic status she holds in the world today,” lamented Modise. “Arguably the Northern Cape has long fell off the national arts and culture radar, leaving arts practitioners in the province wondering whether they are stepchildren of the republic. “Apart from an annual writers festival the relevant department in the province seems to enjoy the status of events organising during special commemorative days. “However, with the appointment of MEC Lebogang Motlhaping in the portfolio of Sport, Arts and Culture in the province, things could change for the better if one takes his words into consideration.” The other characters in the play are Fani played by Tshepo Molotsi, Kele Makgwa played by Zandile Lucas and Bro Staff played by Thapelo Thipe. ) Snippets of the play including updates can be seen on the express website www.expressnews.co.za or on the Gato Facebook page.
Styled on the legendary Bonneville Speedweek, the time trial event was the first of its kind on the African continent. Thousands of motoring enthusiasts are once again expected to descend on the desert site with vehicles ranging from pre-war classics to modern-day supercars and superbikes to set the fastest speed over the prescribed distance. According to Sharron Lewis, CEO of the Northern Cape Tourism Authority, these extreme events are contributing to the province’s reputation as a premier destination for adventure and extreme sports and have contributed to significant tourism growth in the province. “Last year, the province experienced a 23% year-on-year growth in attendance across all events, which include flagship sporting events such as these as well as community events supported by the tourism authority. The unique Northern Cape geography positions the province perfectly for successfully hosting these type of events and attracting a new tourism audience to our province, which was evident in the attendance figures of over 140 000 event participants and visitors recorded in 2013. “In addition, it also brings global media attention to the region and makes a significant socio-economic contribution in terms of financial impact and job creation in and around the isolated Mier community. The community beneficiation strategies attached to these events also include improved infrastructure and access to technology,” explains Lewis.
FINAL CAST: After auditions and a six-month training programme, these are the final 25 students of the Vryfees learner workshops. The programme started with 50 learners from the Headstart and Hodisa High Schools and the number was eventually reduced to 25. Photo: Badda Pictures
Vryfees provides opportunities FRUITS of the Vryfees workshop, which has seen secondary school learners in the Free State and Northern Cape trained in art projects such as drama, musical theatre and dance, will be on show during the Vryfees, which will be held from 15 to 20 July. The innovation to create workshops, facilitated by experienced facilitators in specific genres, came about as the Vryfees organisers approached Godfrey Manenye and Andile Qongnqo to be part of the festival’s selection committee in an attempt to attract a broader audience to the festival. “We immediately realised the importance of drawing a diverse and broader audience.
“In an attempt to achieve the previously-mentioned objective, we pioneered the idea of offering workshops to disadvantaged schools in the Free State and the Northern Cape with the belief that the Vryfees would bring more productions and attract a broader audience. “In totality, the initiative would provide the Vryfees with the opportunity to invest in an arts programme for disadvantaged learners,” said Manenye. The six-month long project started in February at the Hodisa Technical Secondary School in Bloemfontein and final productions of this project will take place at the Vryfees on 15 and 18 July between 12:00 and 13:00 at the open stage area.
www.express-news.co.za.
8
EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE, WEDNESDAY 2 JULY 2014
“It will do no harm if churches in our province could pray for us or if businesspeople could sponsor us with equipment or if people can put money together to hire a bus load of people to accompany us to Durban between 23 and 30 July.” Steach Mguye
Visit the Express website www.express-news for live news-streaming of all the soccer action in Brazil.
THE province will keep its fingers crossed for Steach United to qualify for the Mvela League. Photo: Supplied
Steach United fighting fit for league
} Boipelo Mere
For more news and photos visit www.express-news.co.za
LEBOGANG MOTLHAPING, the new MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture in the Northern Cape, could see his dream of having a PSL team in the Northern Cape become a reality if Steach United, a soccer team from Galeshewe, can be promoted to the first division or Mvela League by 30 July. Steach United will know their fate later this month after the national play-offs. However, this all depends on the support the team will get from the Northern Cape government at provincial level, the business sector, the Sol Plaatje Municipality and the community in general. Two weeks ago in Douglas, Steach United beat a star-studded Hungry Lions from Postmasburg 3-1. “This team has in its folds players like Moses Spandiel and Gert Schalkwyk, but we managed to beat them 3-1 under difficult circumstances,” said the owner and managing director of the team, Steach Mguye.
Mguye believes that this time the Northern Cape should brace itself for a return to first division soccer after the sale of Basotho Tigers and the relegation of Louisvale Pirates years ago. “I trust my boys and my technical team led by our capable coach Robert Sebastian. They have done wonders for the team, so much so that in this past season they won 13 games, drew two and lost only one. They are made of sterner stuff,” said Mguye proudly. “I, like many people in the province, was excited when I read that the new MEC is looking to ensure that there is a PSL team in the province. How noble, Sir. I can only appeal to the MEC not to follow short-cuts by encouraging the buying of this or that team’s status. Let us brew it here in our province, we’ll enjoy the hard work,” said Mguye. As things stand the team is appealing for financial, material, moral and spiritual support from the province. “It will do no harm if churches in our province could pray for us or if
businesspeople could sponsor us with equipment or if people can put money together to hire a bus load of people to accompany us to Durban between 23 and 30 July. “I have a strong feeling that something good is going to happen for the Northern Cape,” continued Mguye. Mguye said that his 23-man team had good players including Tshepo Molefi, Jerry Links, Tebogo Sithole and the goalkeeper, Vuyani Mangaliso, serving as the core of the team. “Our club was founded in 1990 and in that period we have been to the Nedbank Cup twice. We have scored 38 goals this season and lost just one game,” concluded Mguye. Kagisho Matile, a resident coach, said he believed in Steach United because they had been doing well the past three years and some of their players had PSL experience. “This is a moral boost for them because the team is already used to playing in tournaments,” he said. ) For enquiries or if you wish to assist the team please call Steach on 083-767-6117.