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Team spreads love THE children enjoyed the service to such an extent that they danced and sang praises.
Photo: Boipelo Mere
Confirmation class visits children’s home
} Boipelo Mere
THE team of 2014 Centenary Methodist Confirmation class went on their first fellowship mission to spread the Word of God in Galeshewe. The team, which is expected to be confirmed on 17 August, took it upon themselves to visit the Sinothando Children’s Centre to share their Sunday church service with them. Instead of the child- and youth-care workers accompanying the children to church as usual on a Sunday, the service was brought to them. The aim of the service was also
to motivate and encourage the workers to keep up the good work and love that they are spreading. Elaborating on the Scripture of the day, Psalm 37: 1-5, Lerato Maraba of the confirmation class said the reason for their visit was partly to show the love that they had, because they were also parents, sisters, fathers and brothers. “We want to show that it takes a village to raise a child. We are that village that you can count on,” she said to the workers. When motivating the caregivers, Khanya Mosinki motivated his peers to make the right
‘You can change your world for the better if you want to. You must never look down on yourselves.’ – Khanya Mosinki decisions and to make education their priority. “Do not look at your circumstances or your background. It is all about where you want to be. Push yourself to where you want
to be, no matter what the circumstances are. You can change your world for the better if you want. You must never look down on yourselves,” Mosinki said to his peers. Mpho Mongale, the class facilitator, said those who continued to help others received something good in return. “You need to know that there are people out there who care about you, who see the good you are doing and acknowledge the work you are doing to improve the lives of these children. This is an assurance that God is still there and He sees what you are doing,” said Mongale.
Turning to the children she assured them that as small as they were, they would receive good things. In closing the service, Jeanette Molale, one of the child- and youth-care workers, expressed her gratitude on behalf of the centre. She promised that they would continue to give the children the love and respect that they deserved. She also reminded everyone that a child was not a stone. “Re tla tswelela go tshwara thipa kafa bogaleng. Le fa e tla re sega, madi a tswa, ga a kitla a fela. A mantsi mo mmeleng,” she said.
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EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE, WEDNESDAY 6 AUGUST 2014
NEWS
Women’s role in liberation celebrated } Boipelo Mere “THE strength of a woman is not measured by the impact that all her hardships in life have had on her, but the strength of a woman is measured by the extent of her refusal to allow those hardships to dictate to her who she becomes,” said Northern Cape premier, Sylvia Lucas, at the media launch of Women’s Month in the province. The premier gave an emotional speech regarding the involvement of women in the eventual liberation of the oppressed from the yokes of apartheid in South Africa. According to Lucas, this year’s Women’s Month will focus on the 60th anniversary of the Women’s Charter which was signed a year before the Freedom Charter and two years before the 1956 Women’s March. This key document called for the removal of all laws, regulations, conventions and customs that discriminat-
THE premier rolled out the programme for the month in different districts.
‘The country has moved from a history where women suffered oppression based on their gender, colour and class to one where gender equality is now a Constitutional imperative.’ – Premier Sylvia Lucas ed against women. She even elaborated on how the march was held strategically to prevent the police from shooting at the women. “The only reason that those brave women succeeded in preventing the police from shooting at them was by putting their madams’ children on their backs. That way the police were afraid of killing white children,” said the premier. “The country has moved from a history where women suffered oppression based on their gender, colour and class to one where gender equality is now a Constitutional imperative. Government has also put in place legislation to create an enabling environment for women, and to improve their participation in income-generating activities in the economy. Although advances have been made; many women remain marginalised and vulnerable to social risks such as violence, abuse, rape, unemployment and poverty,” said the premier. According to the premier, the Stats South Africa report released recently indicated that women and especially young people still lagged behind in terms of job opportunities and employment. “To this
THE launch of Women’s Month at the Mittah Seperepere Convention Centre was attended by strong women and “a few converted men” as the premier said. Photos: Boipelo Mere end the provincial government has prioritised the employment and promotion of women’s issues. There will be a greater emphasis on the development of women and especially young women in the building and agricultural sectors. This will go a long way in ensuring that the rights and true worth of our women are promoted and nurtured,” continued the premier. Lucas made reference to the situation in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District when
she said: “Sadly, this year’s Women’s Month takes place against the backdrop of violent protests in the John Taolo District that are robbing our children of their most basic Constitutional right, the right to education. I call on women in that area to arm themselves with the strength of those 20 000 women in 1956 and stand up for the rights of their children to be educated. Do not allow anarchy to rob this province of tomorrow’s future leaders.”
EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE , WEDNESDAY 6 AUGUST 2014
NEWS
Blind couple gets a new house } Boipelo Mere THE MEC for Corporative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs (Coghsta), Alvin Botes, revealed that R35 million has already been spent and 35 pre-1994 households were identified to be restored in the Homevale Extension. Botes said this when he handed over the first house of the Homevale Extension project on Mandela Day. Promising that Coghsta will be giving away nine houses to women in August as part of the Women’s Month celebration, Botes added that the department is on a mission to demolish inhumane apartheid government housing structures. During this hand-over, Botes handed the house to the Buffel family. The house belongs to the blind couple Stoffel Buffel (74) and his wife, Elsie (84), who is wheel-
chair-bound. The elderly couple share the house with Elsie’s son, David Buffel (45), his wife, Irene, and a five-year-old grandchild. “We need to get rid of the apartheid legacy one step at a time. Our people were built houses with no inside toilets or running water. We are now rectifying that. “The house built for the Buffels has running water and toilets inside,” said Botes. He emphasised on government prioritising “our people’s privacy” and pointed out that Elsie can now enjoy the warmth of the house without going outside. The MEC continued to engage with the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) to assist the family in getting additional income for the family as Elsie was reported to be the only one who received a pension due to them not having any identity documents.
THE elderly couple Stoffel Buffel (74) and his wife, Elsie (84). “We have to assist with making provision for the family in the form of encouraging the daughterin-law to apply for a grant to assist the granny. “Through Mandela Day we are significantly contributing to the improvement of the socio-economic condition of the Buffel family and many other South Africans,” said Botes.
THE MEC for Coghsta, Alvin Botes (right), accompanied by the ward councillor Vaughn Settley (left), assist Stoffel Buffel to get in his new house. Photos: Boipelo Mere
Commitment pays off in audits } Boipelo Mere THE commitment by the Northern Cape Provincial Government to improve transparency and accountability by obtaining better audit results for the 2013-’14 financial year is reported to have paid off. This was reported by the Northern Cape premier, Sylvia Lucas, when she proudly announced that the Northern Cape provincial government obtained 10 out of 13 (77%) unqualified audit opinions amongst its departments for the year ended 31 March. According to Lucas, four of the departments have reached the milestone of clean audits, namely the Department of Social Development, the Department of Environment and Nature Conservation and the two departments that are led by the MEC for Finance – being the Provincial Treasury and the Department of Economic Development and Tourism. “This year the performance of provincial departments is exceptional and it prides me as the leader of this provincial government to boldly say that the province is definitely moving in the right direction in terms of managing its financial affairs and output on service delivery,” added Lucas. She indicated that it was a reached milestone as government’s promise to ensure that the financial affairs of government were in order and accounted for by
departments and provincial public entities. Lucas pointed out that this was a major improvement when compared to the 2011-’12 outcomes where the province had no clean reports, four unqualified reports and eight qualifications and one disclaimer. “I would like to applaud these departments for all their hard work and efforts in ensuring that we remain an accountable government that can be trusted with the taxpayers’ money.” The premier continued to applaud the departments that were mandated the responsibility to oversee municipalities and departments for indicating that they would lead by example when it came to prudent management of finances. Concerning the three departments that received qualified audit opinions, Lucas elaborated that it was due to the fact that the auditors found the financial statements to be fairly presented except on certain issues. “This remains a concern for this provincial government, especially since the Department of Health and Education are taking a substantial amount of the provincial budget. We need to know what is preventing the achievement of favourable audit outcomes and put controls in place to address it as soon as possible.” She promised to deal with the root causes once and for all and hold the people respon-
sible accountable for those departments. “Consequences will follow, especially where there is stagnation and no improvement. However, we are satisfied with the progress that has been made this far as the auditor general has indicated that there are some shortcomings that still need to be addressed and we believe that this is something that as a collective we will work towards correcting.” The premier further revealed that two of the ten public entities had received unqualified audit opinions, namely the Gambling Board and Liquor Board. The William Humphreys Art Gallery, the Northern Cape Tourism Authority amd the McGregor Museum received clean audits. “We still have four that have been qualified and one disclaimer. Managing a public entity and a department are two different things. It is much easier to run a public entity than a department. It is unacceptable that public entities have qualified and disclaimed audit opinions,” Lucas added. “We have really made good strides as a province and we will continue to work towards improvements in delivering good and quality services to the people of the Northern Cape within the confines of the financial management prescripts and ensure transparency and better accountability,” she concluded.
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EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE, WEDNESDAY 6 AUGUST 2014
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Tourism centre in horrible state My view
ODUETSE NTSIE In his personal capacity
THABO KHONKHOBE (23) and Kabelo Mathe (23) received heavy sentences.
Photo: Supplied
Rapists off to prison
TWO accused, Kabelo Mathe (30) and Thabo Khonkhobe (23), were recently slapped with hefty sentences by the Taung Regional Court for committing heinous crimes on two separate incidents in 2013. According to the the police, Kabelo Mathe was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a five-year-old toddler in Pampierstad. The rape happened after Mathe had lured the toddler inside a nearby house and raped her when he saw her playing outside her mother’s house with other children on 13 April 2013. Khonkhobe was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment for raping a 16-year-old girl. The incident happened on 23 August 2013 at Sekhing village near Pampierstad, where Khonkhobe raped the victim inside a shanty in the presence of her six-year-old sister.
The victim managed to escape and ran for her life and reported the matter to the police. Both the accused were refused bail and they spent their time awaiting trial behind bars. The Hartswater Cluster commander, Col Thabiso Lekhu, lauded the sterling investigative work displayed by the Hartswater Cluster Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offence Unit, by securing hefty prison sentences on the two men accused of rape in the Pampierstad area. The police pledge their commitment to bring crime perpetrators to book. “Crime against women and children should be condemned on the strongest terms at all times. “Men must learn to protect women and children and not to take advantage of their vulnerability,” stated the police.
Murderer, rapist sentenced THE Northern Cape police welcomed the life imprisonment sentencing of Basil Daniel Van Rooi (35) of Kimberley. Van Rooi was sentenced by the Galeshewe Magistrate’s Court where he received a life sentence for two counts of rape and 12 years’ imprisonment for the murder of a 55-year-old woman from Soul City in Kimberley. The two sentences will run concurrently. The victim, Feiky Booysen (55), was reportedly raped and then murdered in the early hours of the morning of 24 December 2012 after she was last seen drinking with the accused at her shack in Soul City. Her naked body was discovered in her shanty by a neighbour at approximately 09:00 on 24 December 2012, which led to the arrest of the accused a few hours later. Van Rooi was linked to the crimes through DNA. The Galeshewe cluster commander, Maj Gen Kolie Matthys, congratulated Det. WO Essie Esterhuysen and the Kagisho detective team for their good investigative work. Matthys is confident that this conviction will serve as a deterrent to any
BASIL DANIEL VAN ROOI (35) during his sentencing. Photo: Supplied would-be rapists and murderers. “The sentencing was as a result of an integrated approach by different units within the criminal justice system, which shows that crime against women and children is a priority for the police and we reiterate that those who commit such inhumane crimes will be detected, prosecuted and sentenced to lengthy terms of imprisonment,” Matthys says.
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REGARDING the Kimberley Tourism Centre and the adjacent bus terminus: The bus terminus at the tourism centre has no basic amenities such as a shelter to shield commuters against criminals, rain, cold, heat or any adverse weather conditions while waiting for a bus. The long-distance taxis waiting area is no different. It is no secret that buses, taxis and trains as a public mode of transport are used mainly by the poor. Sad as it may be for the tax payers and the downtrodden, if anything decent for their use has to be done, they first have to shout, fight and cause chaos. They have to act impatiently and be labelled unreasonable. The poor always have to act in a manner that appears disorderly in order to draw the attention of those responsible. When this occurs, the poor police know that they will be called upon as the first line of defence. Really, should one or more commuters first be robbed, beaten, raped or killed at this bus terminus before we wake up from our comfort zone? What has happened to the Batho Pele principles? It is not surprising therefore that in Kimberley the elite may not know the conditions our people have to endure while waiting for public transport at the tourism centre. If they did, the open space used as the waiting area by bus commuters would have been regarded as unsafe and dangerous. Or am I expecting too much? Why would anybody chauffeured around in a cosy, state-ofthe-art vehicle be bothered by conditions that are so far removed from them? The tourism centre’s waiting area is a
barren and desolate open space. It is an embarrassment to commuters and visitors in general. In Kimberley, the crime capital of the province, our children and women are sitting on a time bomb about to explode in the form of rape or worse. Commuters have no access to toilets, water or sitting facilities. How are mothers, women and children expected to help themselves in the absence of an ablution block facility? It would be reckless to blame apartheid for this 20 years into democracy. An hour’s drive from here to Bloemfontein, you find a totally humane picture. Their tourism centre boasts a welcoming, secure environment of restaurants, TVs, ornaments and artefact shops. In addition, there is a bus enquiry office that keeps commuters up to date on the circuit of the coaches 24/7, all under one roof. If we cannot copy anything so close to us, what is there that we can still learn? Spare a thought for those poor people who come from Barkly West, Delportshoop, Jan Kempdorp, Douglas and even Kimberley who arrive early in the day to catch a bus to Cape Town or Johannesburg. Most buses arrive and depart at the tourism centre between 22:00 and 02:00 daily. Some of the commuters do not know anyone in the city where they can spend time while waiting for a bus. It boggles the mind how the lack of such important features to attract and increase tourism to the city can escape the powers that be. How inhumane have we become to those we are supposed to be serving? Or does it not matter because some of us do not use such public facilities? It is a place where soon many would-be students of the Sol Plaatje University are expected to disembark and use buses. One can only assume with the major developments of a university around the precinct plans would have been made to include the safety and a shelter for commuters.
Police looking for witness THE Northern Cape police are looking for Nokuthula Victoria Mtsweni (25) as it is believed that she could be a potential witness to alleged internet banking fraud committed on 18 January 2011. According to the police, Mtsweni’s last known address is 58 Tlhwaele Street, Kwa-Thema, Springs. She is currently suspected to be in the Thembisa area. The police appeal to members of the public to assist in tracking Mtsweni and to report this to the SAPS. Information concerning her whereabouts which may bring her into contact with the police can be given to the investigating officer Det. Mmaserame Seleke on 071-3517253 or 053 8385 551.
NOKUTHULA VICTORIA MTSWENI (25)
Kock get 28 years for 2 murders THE Northern Cape police welcomed the sentencing of Wessel Kock (25) from Onseepkans for a double murder and two counts of assault with the intention of committing grievous bodily harm (GBH). Kock appeared in the Gariep Periodical Court in Upington last week, where he was sentenced to 28 years’ imprisonment for the heinous crimes. He was handed down 14 years’ imprisonment for the murder of his mother, Agnes Kock (43), ten years’ imprisonment for the murder of his grandmother’s boyfriend, Isak Brandt (50), two years’ imprisonment for the assault on his grandmother, Katrina Kock (72), and another two years’ imprisonment for the assault on his uncle, Gert Kock (48). According to the SAPS report, the
WESSEL KOCK and the investigating officer, Det. Const. Ronald Strauss, during the sentencing. Photo: Supplied incidents took place on 6 September 2013 at about 22:05. The Pofadder cluster commander, Lt Col Nico Beukes, commended Det. Const. Ronald Strauss for excellent investigative work which had led to the sentences.
EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE , WEDNESDAY 6 AUGUST 2014
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NEWS
What a blast!
BIG BANG: The Kolomela Iron Ore Mine set a record on Monday when two million tons of iron ore was released from the earth’s crust with a single explosion.
Minister launches Women’s Month SUSAN SHABANGU, the minister in the presidency responsible for women has launched the 2014 National Women’s Month programme, which will see the building of almost 2 000 houses in each province. Speaking during the launch of Women’s Month on Thursday, Susan Shabangu, minister of Women’s Affairs, announced that the Department of Human Settlements will this week launch its annual Women’s Built Project, where 1 956 houses will be built in each province. “This will be done through a partnership between the department and sector stakeholders such as South African Women in Construction,” Shabangu said. The 2014 National Women’s Month programme marks the coming together of women from across the African continent and the diaspora to launch one association, the Pan African Women’s Organisation. The month-long programme, which kicked off last Friday, will be held under the theme Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Women’s Charter and 20 Years of Freedom: Moving Women’s Agenda Forward. The sub-themes are: ) Equality – Recognising the need to address the historical imbalances between women and men in all spheres of life including the political, civic and social life. ) Non-discrimination and rights – Women’s rights are human rights and include rights to legal status, land, property, inheritance, dignity and freedom of association. ) Socioeconomic empowerment – A focus on women’s education, health, access to productive resources (land, credit and employment, amongst others) and social infrastructure. ) Moving the women’s agenda forward – Reviewing progress made on women’s empowerment and gender equality over the 60-year period and charting the road map for women’s advancement, development and a better quality of life. Pres. Jacob Zuma will on Saturday deliver a keynote address during the National Women’s Day celebrations to be held in KwaZulu-Natal, where various South African artists will feature on the
‘August is a special month for both men and women.’ – Minister Susan Shabangu cultural programme, particularly to honour the resilience of women. In the last 20 years of freedom, the democratic government declared 9 August as Women’s Day to honour the role of women in the emancipation of South Africa. Shabangu said August was a special month for both men and women. “On 9 August, we remember and celebrate the resilience and vanguard of our women in fighting institutional racism and apartheid oppression. This is not an ordinary public holiday – this is a day that has its roots in the committed and principled political activism of women who defied their personal circumstances to take up their rightful place in the struggle for freedom,” Shabangu said. Activities for the month: Other key highlights of the month will be the launch of a cellphone-based application programme called MomConnect, which will register all pregnant women in the country to assist them through pregnancy and child birth. The application will be launched by the Department of Health on 21 August, and will allow communication between the department and pregnant women. Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa announced that a centre for remembrance for Sara Baartman will be built in the Eastern Cape. A Khoi woman, Baartman was taken from South Africa and then exhibited as a freak across Britain. Mthethwa said the story of the country’s liberation cannot be told without sharing the story of people like Sara Baartman. “People must know them as they know other leaders of women who contributed much earlier than the 1950s,” Mthethwa said.
Ketelo ya panSALB dikolong
RE le Lekgotla la Dipuo Tsohle Afrika Borwa (PanSALB) re ile ra tsebisa setjhaba ka letsholo la ho kgothatsa baithuti ho ipabola ka dipuo tsa bona tsa lapeng. Baithuti bana ka bomong ba bona ba fumana iPad4 tse nang le 1Gig Data le ditifikeiti tse pakahatsang tlholo ena ya bona! Dimpho tse tla fumanwa ke baithuti bana kaofela ke tsa boleng ba R60 000. PanSALB jwalo ka mehla re se re qadile ho etela dikolo tsena ka bomong ba tsona ho ya nehelana ka dimpho tsena pontsheng ya baithuti ba bang ho ba kgothaletsa ho rata dipuo tsa bona le ho sebetsa ka thata selemong sena. Re bile re bone ho le molemo ho thoholetsa seabo sa matitjhere a rutileng baithuti bana ka ho ba abela ditifikeiti le bona. Ka la 23 Phupu 2014 re bile sekolong sa Eunice mona Bloemfontein ho ya abela Johanna Van Tonder dimpho tsa hae. Ke bone ho le molemo ho arolelana maeto ana le babadi ba lesedinyana lena. Re tla lekola boemo ba sekolo ka seng hoba re ithutile hore hangata sekolo ke sekolo ka motsamaisi wa sona. Ebang sekolo se na le mosuwehlooho ya hlwahlwa hangata le sona se ye se ipabole. Ebang sekolo se na le mosuwehlooho wa moswahla re ye re bone ka diphetho tsa sona. Sekolo sa Eunice ke sena se tsejwang e le dikolo tsa ‘Model-C’. Tjhe mona ho bonahala ha boitshwaro e sa le ba mantlha. Dikolo tsena di lehlohonolo hoba di na le mehlodi yohle e hlokehang hore baithuti ba hlahelle ka mahetla. Re hlokometse hape hore meaho e ntjhafaditswe mme polokeho ya baithuti le matitjhere e maemong a hodimo haholo. Ha ho ka moo motho o ka ikenelang feela ntle le ho itlaleha balebeding. Sebaka sa kamohelo ya baeti le sona se ikgethile mme motho o ikutlwa o amohelehile e le ka nnete. Ditsebiso di etswa ka tsela ya sejwalejwale ka se bitswang inthakhomo. Mona melaetsa e utlwahala diphaposing tsa borutelo kaofela mme ha ho hlokehe hore bana ba nne ba iswe hodimo le tlase. Re hlokometse hape hore ha ho ngwana ya sa apareng yunifomo! Sekolo sena se bile se na le holo e kgolo moo dikopano di tshwarelwang teng nakong tsena tsa mariha kapa ha pula e na.
Photo: Supplied
A re bueng Vusi Ntlakana PanSALB Free State manager
‘Mohlomong nako e fihlile ya hore dikolo tsena di ke di be le dikopano le tse makeisheneng ho ya arolelana mahlale. Basotho ba re thebe e sehellwa hodima e nngwe mme ebang re ka ahana re ka una tse ngata.’ Re hlokometse hape hore tlotlo kapa mpho efe kapa efe e fumanwang ke sekolo kapa baithuti; ke taba e nkelwang hloohong haholo mme ha e tlodiswe mahlo feela. Ka kakaretso, tsamaiso sekolong sena le tse ding tse tshwanang le sona ke ya maemo a hodimo. Le ha ke dumela hore tjhelete kapa ditekanyetso tsa sekolo sena di batla di phahametse tsa dikolo tse ding, boitshwaro ha bo hloke tjhelete. Mohlomong nako e fihlile ya hore dikolo tsena di ke di be le dikopano le tse makeisheneng ho ya arolelana mahlale. Basotho ba re thebe e sehellwa hodima e nngwe mme ebang re ka ahana re ka una tse ngata. Ketelo ya rona e bile e monate etswe e ne e le ya bobedi sekolong sena esale letsholo lena le qala ka selemo sa 2009. Bekeng e tlang re leba Harrismith sekolong sa Lerato Uthando ho ya aba kgau le dimpho tsa Mosia Hlompho e leng moithuti ya hlwahlwa wa puo ya isiZulu provenseng ena. Re tla boela re fetela sekolong sa Witteberg se mane Bethlehem ho ya aba kgau le dimpho tsa Mariska Muller ya ipabotseng ka puo ya Afrikaans. Ke tla boela ke beha babadi sehlohlolong sa ditaba hore re fumane boemo bo le jwang dikolong tsena ka bobedi molemong wa ho dula re ntlafatsa dikolo tsa rona! Ha e lale! ) Mang kapa mang ya a batlang ho ngola kholomong ena, a ka ikopanya le Jabulani Dlamini ho 051-404-7910 kapa email: ) Jabulani.Dlamini@volksblad.com ) Mongodi ha ana ho lefiwa. ) Where necessary Express edits some columns - Ed.
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EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE, WEDNESDAY 6 AUGUST 2014
NEWS
March held to unite against crime } Boipelo Mere MORE than 100 community members participated in a march and motorcade in support of a partnership against crime in the Northern Cape. The event, which saw the South African Police Service Kimberley Cluster, Northern Cape Agriforum, Department of Education, Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison, Community Policing Forum, the district council and faith-based organisations pledging their partnership, was held last week in Griekwastad. The event also afforded pastors the opportunity to pray for the police to have strength and courage to fight against crime while the Northern Cape Police Band provided entertainment. The community and stakeholders pledged their commitment to working closer with the police in their endeavours to eradicate social crimes and other related criminal activities within the Northern Cape. In her address to the communi-
THE Northern Cape Police Band provided entertainment during the service.
DIFFERENT stakeholders participated in the motorcade in Griekwastad.
ty, Maj. Gen. Jean Abrahams, the Kimberley cluster commander, emphasised the importance
according to her, eradicate crimes against women and children.
Dog fighting a form of organised crime DOG FIGHTS are not the work of a single law breaker, but instead constitute a form of organised crime. It is a multi-million rand industry with an intricate underground web ranging from impromptu events in a back alley with stolen dogs to a carefully planned and organised enterprise held in a location specially designed and maintained for the purpose of showcasing this brutal event. The theft of dogs like Staffies, pit bull terriers and bull terriers have taken on enormous proportions in the last few years with these types of dogs being stolen from all over the country on a daily basis. These dogs are being used in dog fighting rings across South Africa and they suffer the cruellest fate anyone could ever inflict on what is supposed to be man’s best friend. An alarming fact is that one would expect these things to take place in the poorer areas of South Africa and yet it has been found in very affluent areas and even in richer farming communities, so it is not confined to poor areas. Statistics have shown that this kind of activity is on the rise. The modus operandi of these criminals is to send youths into a selected area to scout out dogs. These kids have lists of the dogs that are in demand from various buyers. They make notes of where these types of
dogs are and later the dogs are stolen from their homes. Female dogs are used as bait to lure unsterilised male dogs to the fence to find out the sex of the dog. In many cases the dogs’ coats are coloured to make them difficult to identify. “Many people do not realise the seriousness of dog fighting, the related crimes and the dangers presented to our inspectors who conduct these investigations and enter the premises during a raid. Prevention of cruelty to animals is our mandate, and putting an end to the dog fights is our mission, but we also have to keep the safety of our inspectors in mind,” says Este Kotze, deputy chief executive officer of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA). “Although our teams may enter with the police, our inspectors may still be in the line of fire – both during the raid and in weeks that follow a bust.” According to the NSPCA, the law does not need changing. “It’s not the Animal Protection Act that is the problem, but the enforcement and interpretation of that act. “Unfortunately, many people do not consider animals important. In terms of the actual animal protection legislation, South Africa has the third strongest in the world,” a senior inspector of the SPCA says.
of the involvement of all sectors in the Moral Regeneration Campaign as this would,
Photos: Supplied
She also urged those present to respect the Constitutional rights of individuals.
New houses support legacy Ilse Watson THE Stanley and Daphne Nkosi Foundation has extended a helping hand by restoring the dignity of eight impoverished families from the Magobing, Kanana, Magojaneng and Deurham villages in the Northern Cape when they presented them with the keys to their new homes. The Stanley and Daphne Nkosi Foundation has undertaken worthy causes that have benefited a number of communities. Run by the surviving spouse, Daphne Nkosi, the Stanley and Daphne Nkosi Foundation was set up to pay tribute to Stanley Nqobizizwe Nkosi who passed away on 23 July 2008. Nkosi was a struggle veteran and a lawyer by profession. The foundation has undertaken altruistic causes for the benefit of those who are less privileged, through partaking in a number of worthy causes including giving out bursaries to gifted and needy students and homes to destitute beneficiaries. Mashile-Nkosi recently honoured his vision by helping those in need of both a home and the foundation’s vision of building a better South Africa for all. The foundation also celebrated Nkosi’s passion for education by supporting effective and sustainable initiatives aimed at alleviating
A BRAND-NEW house is handed over at the Magobing Village. Daphne Mashile-Nkosi (left) and Meme Shuping (local councillors) cut the ribbon. Photo: Supplied poverty and empower people through education. “We as his family are proud to be able to provide opportunities for others to benefit from Stanley’s legacy and that is why it has become customary for us to celebrate a life well lived. Stanley was passionate about helping his fellow man, and the foundation feels duty-bound to carry on his legacy of making the world a better place,” said the late Nkosi’s
wife and chairperson of Kalagadi Manganese, Daphne Mashile-Nkosi. “We cannot turn a blind eye on the fact that there is no delight in not owning and sharing a place called home. “As members of a nation with values and principles rooted in the spirit of ubuntu, today the foundation, its partners and the broader Kalagadi family portrayed a sense of humanity towards those in need.” she concluded.
Vodacom improves network EARLIER this year, Vodacom’s CEO, Shameel Joosub, announced plans for a 30% increase in investment in Vodacom’s network across South Africa. He stated that, amongst other things, the money would go towards adding base stations, getting more data coverage into rural areas, deploying faster technology like LTE (also known as 4G) and expanding fibre optic infrastructure to connect the base stations. Delivering on this promise, Vodacom announced last week that they had added another 293 3G sites, as well as an additional 473 LTE site, across South Africa. This represents an increase of more than 50% in LTE sites. On top of this the company announced that 74,5% of their sites were now connected using their own self-provided high-capacity transmission. The additional
capacity means that Vodacom are able to maintain superior network performance even as traffic increases in response to lower prices. Bringing this investment story closer to home, Jorge Mendes, managing executive for Vodacom’s operations in the Free State and Northern Cape, announced that just over R600 million had been earmarked for network investment in the Northern Cape and Free State in the current financial year. “Of this amount, just under half a billion rand will be spent on upgrading approximately 550 network sites to the latest Radio Access Network Technology. On a practical basis, this means that we’ll be bringing faster data services to tens of thousands of people who currently only have voice services and EDGE data services. On top of this, the upgrade will increase network capacity and
provide improved voice quality and enhanced mobile data speeds in areas such as Kathu, Kuruman, Postmasburg, Upington and the greater Kimberley areas,” said Mendes. This upgrade of approximately 550 sites is in addition to the 190 sites that have already been completed in the region. The overall programme is due to be completed by the end of September and has been specifically aimed at the extension of data services with a special focus on the rural areas as well as on the mining and agricultural communities that only have mobile voice capability and EDGE data services at the moment. In the short term, some service disruptions are possible during this upgrade period but SMS notifications are being sent out to affected customers during the course of the programme.
EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE , WEDNESDAY 6 AUGUST 2014
NEWS
YOUNG children also displayed their emotions.
Photos: Boipelo Mere
People march for liberation of Gaza
POLITICAL parties also joined the march in solidarity. Pictured are the SACP secretary, Norman Shushu (left), and Alvin Botes, the deputy secretary of the ANC in the Northern Cape.
} Boipelo Mere
THE Northern Cape Ulamah Council (NCUC), as well as the ANC, SACP and Cosatu in Kimberley, showed solidarity in support of justice, equality and freedom in the strongest opposition to the bombings by the Israelis upon the people of Palestine. The emotion-filled march took place on Friday, starting in Pniel Road where hundreds of community members participated. According to the organisations, they marched to the office of the premier to express their outrage at Israel, its supporters, its justifiers and their military media arm for their relentless bombing and killing of the peaceful people of Palestine. In an effort to add value to the international human rights standards, the marchers handed over a memorandum of demands to the premier, Sylvia Lucas, requesting her to ask the president of the country to have the Israeli ambassador, Arthur Lenk, expelled from the country. They also asked for permanent closure of the Israeli Embassy in South Africa. During the memorandum handover, the members demanded that the Israeli businesses be removed from the JSE and to boycott their business dealings due to killing, wounding and traumatising the entire nation of Palestine. “Since 1948, when Palestine was handed over to a group of Zionist Jews by Britain who had no mandate from the Palestinians, the indigenous people of Palestine have suffered under the brutal, murderous Israeli occupation force. The very nature of an occupation is that it is violent and uses the dominant hand of a lawless military machine to subject and subjugate the indigenous people in order to confine them to a small, vulnerable enclave surrounded by high walls and intimidating check points. This is the harsh reality of Gaza today where the majority of those killed in the last few days was
PLACARDS with strong messages were displayed by the marchers on Friday.
WITH Santrudia Motlekar looking on, Sylvia Lucas signed the memorandum in the presence of the provincial secretary of Cosatu. women and children. Within these enclaves, also known as an open-air prison, people are humiliated, degraded and deprived of basic human rights and medical care,” stated Satrudia Motlekar when he read the memorandum. The memorandum further highlighted how the Israeli regime has unashamedly and without conscience boldly taken up arms against a defenceless occupied and oppressed people who live in a permanent state of siege and are subjected to constant bombardment with the wide array of weapons of mass destruction. It highlights that due to Gaza’s non intention of seeking a peaceful solution, 80% of Gaza’s 1,5 million people depend on food aid and 40% are unemployed, while spare parts for hospitals, medical supplies and water purification cannot be imported and hospitals cannot keep life-saving equipment working.
‘Since the second Intifada, 13 000 Palestinians have lost their lives, the equivalent of one person every three days . . . This is Israel’s third major offensive against the densely-populated Gaza Strip over the past six years.’
“As the most powerful military settlement state in the region, their barbaric deeds have continued relentlessly and deepened the severe humanitarian crisis which the Palestinians find themselves in. “This extreme violation of human dignity, fraternity and liberty has not thus far been condemned strongly enough to ensure that strong action against apartheid Israel is implemented, which will ensure that Israel abides by international law. Until such action is taken against the lawless behaviour of Israel, it will continue with its military actions against the poorly armed resisters. “Since the second Intifada, 13 000 Palestinians have lost their lives, the equivalent of one person every three days. More than 1 450 Palestinians have so far been killed and 8 300 others injured by Israel’s offensive against the coastal silver since 8 July. This is Israel’s third major offensive against the densely-populated Gaza Strip over the past six years,” read the memorandum. Amongst the demands were also for South Africa to immediately lift the inhumane siege on the Gaza enclave, and to meet with the solidarity groups within 14 days from the date of issue of the memorandum.
EMPHASIS on saving Gaza.
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EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE, WEDNESDAY 6 AUGUST 2014
Rising soccer stars require assistance } Boipelo Mere WHEN people in the community celebrated Mandela Day on 18 July, there were others like Pele Tau who makes every day a Mandela Day. Tau does not allow his unemployment and health to cow him in his quest to ensure that youth in Club 2000 in Galeshewe are exposed to positive possibilities. According to Tau, he will continue to put his training skills to use. He completed the Thabo Mbeki Sports Training Programme in 2007. “I was amongst the facillitators who were trained by a delegation from Brazil, Norway and the Netherlands as a youth developer in sport to curb HIV and Aids.” On a daily basis about 60 children gather in the Club 2000 Park in Galeshewe to participate in soccer or netball under the hawkish eye of Tau. This has been happening for the past ten years. Parents that appreciate his work, know that all the
children who go through his disciplinary hand become better children. These children are also bound to see the importance of education and sport. “I have been running this project for more than ten years without a sponsor or some kind of assistance, but that did not stop me from doing what I love.” He says he shudders to think what they would have achieved if the project was run in an affluent area. “I can assure you that some of my students would have achieved more on the sports field if we had help from the government.” He accuses government of not involving him in their programmes anymore and wants an explanation. He recalls his soccer days when the Dalton Brothers from Kimberley were playing in the now defunct National Professional Soccer League (NPSL). With a spark in his eyes he recalls how those were the years when soccer was a marvel to watch. Bra Pele Tau, as he is widely
known, is proud to be known as a former Kaizer Chiefs (Amakhosi) and Orlando Pirates (Amabakabaka) player. He played alongside three of his brothers. It became clear after the interview where Jimmy Tau got his talent and motivation in sport from. “We were four brothers in the team. It was my elder brothers Ephraime, Norman, Andrew and I.” “Every day I see boys and girls with lots of potential in my project. Some I recommend to different clubs in the city, but what happens to them afterwards is what pains me. These children need guidance and support,” he added. “Can somebody please be of assistance out there; any form of help would be appreciated” he pleaded. “Visit our practice area after school during the week and see for yourself,” said Tau. ) For more information, call Pele Tau on 072-887-1099.
THE u.15 soccer team that participated in a tournament with their coach, Pele Tau, in the right corner.
Photo: Boipelo Mere
SA athletes flex muscles
WAYDE VAN NIEKERK
Photo: Supplied
THREE of South Africa’s best Varsity Sport competition athletes have won medals in Glasgow in the last few days. The University of Johannesburg athletes Zarck Visser and Rushwal Samaai took silver and bronze respectively in the long jump, and the University of the Free State’s Wayde van Niekerk took silver in the 400 m. These remarkable achievements prove that Varsity Sport is a world-class platform for South African sports talent. The 22-year-old Van Niekerk finished in 44.68 seconds, just ahead of Lalonde Gordon of Trinidad and Tobago.
NADIA PEGRAM (11) of the Herlear Primary School is the Let’s Play Sports Star for July. Photo: Supplied
Rhythm is in her bones
NADIA PEGRAM (11) of the Herlear Primary School was chosen as Express Northern Cape’s July winner of the Let’s Play Sports Star of the Month for her achievements in rhythmic gymnastics. She currently belongs to Rhythmia Gymnastics Club in Kimberley and is coached by Tazmiah Francis. In July 2013 she won the Inland team trophy in Kimberley. She also received the Best Gymnast of the Year, as well as the Best Gymnast Level 1, 2 and 3 awards, at the 2013 Rhythmia Gymnastics Club’s prize-giving ceremony. Nadia won the South African Gymnastics Federation Inland team trophy in May. Thereafter she received first place at the interprovin-
cial competition and competed at the nationals in Johannesburg on 27 June where she won first place. Her dream is to travel the world by taking part in rhythmic gymnastics competitions. Nadia lives by her motto: Practice makes perfect, enjoy what you do and do your best. Send your SuperSport Let’s Play Sports Star of the Month nomination for school learners between the ages of six 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 086-552-4922. For more information contact Lynne or Juanré at Z PR on 051-522-9574.