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Forum doesn’t give way
Wants a written agreement before learners return to school } Boipelo Mere
DIPUO PETERS, the minister of Transport.
Photo: Boipelo Mere
WHETHER the 17 000 learners of the 50 schools in the Joe Morolong District in Kuruman will return to school remains a mystery. This followed after Dipuo Peters, the minister of Transport, had reportedly failed to respond to most of the issues raised by the community in a four-hour community meeting on Monday. The community accused government of bringing nothing to the table, apart from making a noise regarding the 57 km stretch of road that had been funded by SAYOC. The Northern Cape Department of Education said it still hoped that an agreement could be reached in terms of parents allowing their children to return to school. The learners of the 50 schools had not been de-registered as was the concern of the National Department of Education. “The Annual National Assessment (ANA) examinations are to start on 16 September and we as the department are ready to administer all the examinations,” said Sydney Stander, the spokesperson of the Department of Education. The DA said on Monday that it had been announced in the provincial legislature that two contractors had been appointed and would be introduced to the site in 14 days. According to Mafu Davids, the spokesperson in the premier’s office, they expected something positive to come from the NCOP visit to Kuruman, where the premier would meet with the executive committee. “We’ll see what happens, but all systems are on track and the construction is expected to start this month,” he confirmed. The Kuruman Road Forum was not moved by the announcement. The forum said there were no transparency between them and government in terms of the appointment. “We fear that the speedy appointment of the contractors will lead to the same disaster as in 2010. “We want a written agreement with government before the children go back to school. “It is true that we were told that two contractors had been appointed for the construction of the road,” said Lucky
‘We’ll not allow our selves to be teased with the 10 km phases. We want the whole package of 130 km, because we have been lied to for many years.’ – Luck y Taibas of the Kuruman Road Forum Taibas of the forum. He said the contractors appointed by government had done shoddy work by covering the gravel road. “Gongwe ban aka kay a sekolong ha re ka bona lerole le kua ko tseleng. Ebile re batla go bona ele gore borakontraka ba simolotse ka 57 kls eo, gape ba tswere phage ka mangana ba evaluate 73 kls. (Maybe the children will go back to school if we can see the dust at the site when the work is in process. But then the 57 km should be in progress including the evaluation process of the remaining 73 km).” Taibas stated that the tender to invite the contractors had stated that the road would be constructed in phases of 10 km. He complained and said Joe Morolong had turned into a tourist destination where everything, including service delivery and infrastructure, was falling apart. “We are just sitting and watching them. We’ll not allow ourselves to be teased with the 10 km phases. We want the whole package of 130 km, because we have been lied to for many years. “That is why we want to be part of the North-West again, because we do not benefit at all from the Northern Cape Province.” ) At the time of going to print attempts to obtain comment from the premier’s office and the Department of Roads and Public Works had failed, as the phones remained unanswered.
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NEWS For more news and photos go to www.express-news.co.za. Go like Northen Cape Express on Facebook and give your opinion on stories.
Northern Cape worth a visit } Noxolo Tshukela IN the past, the city of Kimberley was known as a drivethrough, the place with the Big Hole. But today I am proud to say that Kimberley is known as a place where many things happen. The tourism industry is giving the city a boost and is changing its image to a bigger, more lively and worthwhile place to travel to and visit. With events like the Diamond City Cup Tournament, the Diamonds and Dorings Festival, the Woman to Woman Show, as well as the new Extremes Campaign and the N12 Road Initiative, it is no surprise that it has become a growing city deserving of national recognition and acknowledgement. Other things to see and explore in the buzzing Kimberley are the many historical museums and the colourful depiction of our history on the walls of the public halls. Even the entertainment industry is taking part in the evolution, with poetry sessions, hip hop jams, gospel concerts, theatre productions and the popular culture of choirs and cultural groups. So, how can anyone be bored? The only thing to look out for is the retaining of authenticity in everything going on. If only the youth can be made aware of this and can become excited and tap into the many available avenues of creative and economic opportunities in the Northern Cape. The question is, who will break the shell and be the first to surprise us? Will it be you?
TOURISTS can sit back and relax in their camping chairs and enjoy the adventure the Northern Cape has to offer. It has become an increasingly popular extreme adventure destination and its reputation is sustained by staging or hosting events such as the Bloodhound Project, a world-record attempt to break the land speed record in a supersonic car and the Kalahari Desert Speed Week which is the only time trial event of its kind on the African continent. Photo: Supplied
EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE , WEDNESDAY 10 SEPTEMBER 2014
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Mme Bacon o lebogiwa ke kereke
} Boipelo Mere
MARIA BACON (85), yo jaanong a tsamayang ka thuso ya thobane a re o diretse Morena Modimo wa gagwe ka botlalo. Ka Sontaga se se fetileng (31 Phatwe) ene le bagogi-mmogo ba babedi eleng Pigeon Sebolai le Thomas Steward ko Centenary Methodist ba ne ba lebogiwa ke kereke ka go abelwa ditifikeiti tsa dingwaga tse masome a mabedi le botlhano e le bareri mo kerekeng. Moruti Thibane o ne a lebogela bagogi ba boineelo jwa bone le go dirisa maitemogelo a bone mo kerekeng mo dingwageng tsotlhe tse di fetileng. Mma Bacon, jaaka a bidiwa, o ne a tlotlela mokwadi wa lokwalodikgang la Express Northern Cape jaaka a ne a rata le go tlotla pitso ya gagwe ya boreri. “E ne ele pitso mo go nna. Ga kea ka ka bewa go nna Moreri fela,” ga bua mma Bacon pele ga a kopa gore mokwadi a mo neele Beibele e e neng e bapile le ene. One ne a blokwalo la Ditiro 9:4 le 5, mme a le bala, a tlhalosa fa a ne a sa itse boroko pele a latela Moruti wa gagwe yo e neng e le Moruti Malotle go mo tlhalosetsa fa a nale pitso ya boreri dingwaga tse some a mabedi le borobedi (28) tse di fetileng. O ne a itumetse tota gore a bo a neelwa gape certificate a nale le rre Sebolai ka gonne ba ne ba tlhomiwa go nna bareri mmogo. “Ka nako eo ke ne ke le modumedi ebile ke le mme wa thapelo, gape ke le member ya Independent Order of Tested Templars (IOTT). “Ke ne ka tlhalosetsa moruti Malotle fa ke nale chesego ya go bolelela batho gore Jesu ke
BARERI ba ne ba ipela ka ditefikeiti tsa bona. Bano ke Pigeon Sebolai, Maria Bacon, Thomas Steward le Moruti Thibane mo morago. Photos: Boipelo Mere Morena. Ka kgona go kgabagantswa ke komiti ya kereke, ka ba ka falola ditlhatlhobo ngwaga wa ntlha le ya bobedi,” a tlhalosa. Mma Bacon are o nnile leloko le le tletseng la kereke ka 1947 ke le dingwaga tse lesome le borobonngwe, mme a apesiwa seaparo sa bomme ka 1949. O ne a tswelela ka gore o ne as sa natefelwe ke sepe sa lefatshe
ntle le kereke e sale a tlhongwa go nna moreri. “Ga gona nako e nka go bolelelang ke re e ne ele thata mo tseleng e ke neng ke e tsamaya. Ke ne ke tsamaya le ditopo go ya go di fitlha ntle le poifo, ke lala mo mafatshing a ke sa a itseng. “Mme fela Modimo o ne o nketelela pele. Ke ne ke diragatsa pitso yame, ke romiwa ke kereke
MMA BACON ko gagagwe.
go ya gongwe le gongwe, go sena nako e ke ngongoregang ka yone. “Mo borering jwa me ke berekile le baruti bale thataro go fitlha jaana. Mme ga gona ope yo nkatreng ke ne kesa berekisane sentle le ene. Le gompieno jaana ke ka ntlha ya go palelwa ke dinao fela ke sa kgoneng go ya kerekeng ka dinalko tsotlhe. Mme hela ha motho a thaya a re ke tla
go lata go ya kerekeng, ga nke ebile nkitla ke re nnya.” Mma Bacon o gopola a dirile le baruti bale lesome le bongwe mo bodumeding. Ebile a tswelela ka go eleletsa bareri ba bangwe maele a gore ba nne boikokobetso ka go kopa tshwarelo mo Modimong le go ineela mogo Ena ka dinako tsotlhe.
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Autism needs hands-on attitude AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD) is a term used to describe a lifelong developmental disorder that is characterised by affected people having difficulties in social interaction, communication, behaviour and learning. BOIPELO MERE did research on ASD and interviewed a mother whose child is suffering from it as well as other roleplayers. A WOMAN walking with her child loses her grip and the child jerks forward, grabs an ice cream from another woman sitting nearby and calmly walks back to her mother amidst cries of dismay from the victim and bystanders. Words, some unprintable, are hurled at the child and mother as the mother tries to explain that her child is not ill-disciplined but suffers from autism. Autism Spectrum Disorder Some people with ASD have severe learning disabilities and some may never speak. People with Asperger’s Syndrome, on the other hand, usually have an average or above average IQ and acquire spoken language at the same age as developing children. The condition affects a family in three ways: social interaction, communication (verbal and non-verbal, repetitive behaviour) and differences in sensory perception. An autistic child Charity Modiakgotla, an ambassador for autism, said that at first she had thought her child had discipline issues. “After I had learned about this condition my eyes were opened and I saw how families were suffering. All along I thought my child was spoilt and that was why she was hyperactive. “Once she was diagnosed and I realised what was wrong, I could control her condition. Today I manage.” First born Modiakgotla’s experience with her child brought her in contact with organisations dealing with autism. She said at first, when her child was one year old and acting strangely, she thought it was just the way small children behaved. “Did you know there is no cure for it (autism)? She was my first child and I had no experience of motherhood. She made no attempt to walk and only started walking when she was a year and six months old. She rolled around instead of walking.
Schooling The worst experience for Modiakgotla was when she had to send her daughter to school. “A letter of referral from ESS took two years and it took intervention from superiors before my child was admitted to the relevant institution. I still have an issue with the social worker who dealt with my case. “I ended up sending my daughter to a main stream primary school which was a nightmare, not only for my daughter, but for the school, teachers and learners. It was torture for them, because my child disrupted classes and caused confusion. But thankfully the school had good teachers who stood by me through thick and thin. I would like to thank them for shouldering my burden.”
RUTH BLOOD, the development officer of Autism South Africa in the Northern Cape. Photo: Boipelo Mere
“As time passed I started comparing her to other children her age and saw the warning signs. I worked at a crèche and by comparison she was far behind her peers.” Even though the young mother managed to put on a brave face there was sadness in her voice when she shared their experience of autism. Diagnosis Her break into understanding her child came when she took her child to the Kimberley Hospital and chanced upon Dr Annette van Zyl who diagnosed her child as autistic. “Things started adding up as I Googled autism and learnt about the disorder. “The truth is as a black person who does not have access to information, I realised it was that lack of information that made me and others think that my daughter was either very ill-disciplined or mad.”
A teacher’s perspective Speaking to the teacher, she remembered the child: “I remember who you are referring to. It is through her mother that I became aware of autism. It was an eye-opener for me and the other teachers. The teacher described how the child was uncontrolable because she was in the wrong environment. “That specific child was a lot of work. Imagine having a classroom full of learners, and her. It was so unfortunate that the other learners started labelling her as being mad. They did not know about or understand her condition and it was up to me to explain it to them and to discourage them from laughing at her. “I did not know how to keep her busy. When I gave her a book she would start tearing it apart and chewing on it. “I really wish government would take cases like these seriously. The mother was going through a difficult time and did not know where to place her child. That was an incredibly difficult time for all involved due to poor placement processes,” she concluded.
Dissemination of information “Even today nobody regards information dissemination as an essential service. I plead with government to assist and train people regarding autism. I am willing to help, as I have adequate training. This condition should receive the same attention given to the HIV and Aids pandemic. “Social workers, community development workers and psychologists should be adequately equipped to deal with autism. I still struggle to explain it in ordinary terms because in Tswana we end up saying wa tsenwa – the person is mad.
More about autism According to Van Zyl, South Africa is lagging behind other countries regarding autism. “People suffering from autism behave differently. They live in their own world, and you must realise this. They are picky about food, rather use pictures and become upset when their routine is disrupted. “Any family with a member suffering from autism will have to adapt their lifestyle to the disorder.” Van Zyl said in her experience black communities were more tolerant than their white counterparts because the community as a whole was involved and also understood the situation. “Retlameleng in Galeshewe has an autism class but we still need a school for autism in the Northern Cape. Support groups based at
mission. “This is one of government’s array of programmes aimed at providing poverty and income relief through temporary work for the unemployed to carry out socially valuable activities. “The new phase of the EPWP will provide six million work opportunities by 2019,” said the MEC. She stated that the new phase of the EPWP will provide six million work opportunities by 2019. According to the MEC, the EPWP safety volunteers will be responsible for social crime prevention programmes in collaboration with Community Police Forums (CPF’s), SAPS Social Crime Prevention coordinators, regional managers and fieldworkers of the department and the community at large as part of the Provincial Crime Prevention Strategy. Their programmes, of which training will be provided by the department, will focus on substance abuse, public spaces, no violence against women and children,
accountability meetings, road safety and transport operations. “Thus far, we have finalized the selection process of 400 EPWP safety volunteers for the 2014-’15 financial year.” Bartlett said these safety volunteers are recruited and deployed at the focus priority police stations throughout the Northern Cape. “Through this action, we are emphasizing that the safety of each and every one is a basic right. “When communities do not feel safe and live in fear, the country’s economic development and the people’s well-being are affected, hindering their ability and potential.” Bartlett continued to plead with the safety volunteers to assist government to mobilize all stakeholders, including the community, in fighting the scourge of crime in society as the Northern Cape provincial government will continue to improve the lives of ordinary South Africans through the creation of decent work and serving the most vulnerable.
clinics can be useful. The problem is the state is not equipped to deal with this disorder.” Traumatic experience Modiakgotla told Express Northern Cape her daughter had been raped in 2010 by a 13-year-old boy in their neighbourhood. She was seven years old. “Nothing is being done about the case. The last I heard the court was still waiting for DNA results. So, three years down the line and I am still waiting for justice to prevail.” Autism South Africa Ruth Blood, the development officer of Autism South Africa, said that the community knows little about autism. “People tend to blame witchcraft and demons when they see the signs and symptoms. Some treat it as a disability. Children are even labelled,” she revealed. She added that parents were shocked when their children were diagnosed with autism and tended to go into denial. Blood travels all around the province to raise awareness about autism. She also encourages parents to form support groups. “The support groups are formed but are not sustainable, because the people need constant motivation. Being in a support group helps you to deal with the issue because you share ideas and experiences. Support groups also help parents to realise that they are not alone in their struggle. Parents exchange views and knowledge and experts can be invited to address them. In most cases parents are worried about their children’s future and sharing views and experiences can be encouraging to them. “I am also trying my utmost to be available whenever the groups need me to visit,” she said. She said in some cases the disorder affected marriages. “The parents start blaming each other and it can also affect siblings and other family members. There are also cases where you find that both parents are not committed to supporting the child, or the community tends to being cruel.“ There is still no known cure for autism, but there can be intervention. Advice to parents Parents of children with autism are urged to love and support their children. The community must also try their best to get information on autism. There is more on the Autism South Africa website about the disorder. Updates are given through video clips on the behaviour of a child with autism.
EPWP for safety announced this weekend } Boipelo Mere THE Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison promises to appoint 400 to 500 safety volunteers over a period of five years to create jobs and eliminate poverty within the Northern Cape communities. This is through the government’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) where a stipend will be paid to the safety volunteers on a monthly basis. The department registered the programme over the weekend in collaboration with the National Department of Public Works, the Department of Roads and Public Works and the South African Police Service. According to the MEC for the Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison, Martha Bartlett, most of these safety volunteers will be drawn from all sectors of the Northern Cape society. The volunteers will be equipped with basic training and skills to be a central component in service of community safety in line with the department’s vision and
THE MEC for the Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison, Martha Bartlett, during the launch of the EPWP safety volunteers over the weekend. Photo: Supplied
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Mine gives thanks for year
WORKERS at Kumba Iron Ore’s Kolomela Mine during the thanksgiving celebration.
ANGLO AMERICAN KUMBA IRON ORE’S Kolomela Mine celebrated yet another year of thanksgiving in August. Looking back at the Kolomela dream, it all started way back in 1953 when the first ten boreholes were drilled on the Welgevonden farm. Only five decades later the first bush clearing was done at Kolomela on 4 August 2009. A month later, Kolomela saw its first official blast, and two years later the first ore dispatched on their Waya-Waya locomotive. Kolomela represents a journey of walking the extra mile and going beyond the call of duty. This is due to the commitment and dedication of their people.
“We can proudly celebrate our achievements and give thanks for another year that passed without losing any lives because of our production here at the Kolomela Mine,” said Aart van den Brink, general manager of the Kolomela Mine. On this day Van den Brink also unveiled the Kolomela Wall of Remembrance with these words: “Although this serves as a sign of respect we must all pledge to continue mining fatal free”. He then asked for a minute of silence to remember colleagues who had died during mining operations elsewhere. He thanked everyone on behalf of the leadership team for their contribution.
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Operation Siza Nani to combat crime THE Northern Cape police, in partnership with the Departments of Agriculture and Home Affairs, adopted a multi-faceted approach in the execution of Operation Siza Nani (Operation Help One Another). The operation started on 1 August with the purpose of raising awareness regarding serious crimes such as stock theft, more particularly in the rural areas. Matters pertaining to stock theft legislation were highlighted where the livestock were brand-marked and tattooed. The role of the Department of Home Affairs in Operation Siza Nani is to verify the details of the farm employees during farm visits by checking the identity documents and passports of the employees on the farms. This will also assist with information concerning illegal immigrants employed on the farms. Farmers are encouraged to continue to brand-mark their livestock as this will reduce the
rate of stock theft in the Northern Cape. The farmers who are ignoring the call to brand-mark and tattoo their livestock, will be issued with fines if they are found not complying with the prescripts of the legislation which regulates the livestock brand-marking and tattooing thereof. The cooperation amongst the relevant role players will be heightened and all the hot spots will be monitored. “We will continue to embark on road blocks and cross-border operations to combat the illegal transportation of livestock and stock theft.” Since the operation had started, the farmers in the De Aar Cluster and Hartswater Cluster welcomed Operation Siza Nani with its content of education and awareness regarding livestock brand-marking and tattooing. The operation is on-going. Operation Siza Nani will be held in the Kuruman Cluster in October.
FARMERS were shown how to brand-mark and tattoo their livestock.
Photo: Supplied
Act calls for language units THE Arts and Culture minister, Nathi Mthethwa, has called on all government departments, public entities and enterprises to establish indigenous language units for the public to obtain information in the language of their choice. This follows the adoption of the Use of Languages Act, 2012 (Act No. 12 of 2012) to regulate the use of official languages by national government departments. Section (4)(1) requires all national departments, national public entities and national public enterprises to adopt official language policies within 18 months of commencement of the act. The act was promulgated in the Gazette on 2 May 2013, which means that the final date for adoption of national language policies is 2 November 2014. “I wish to remind and call upon all governments across all tiers to speed up the establishment of language units as there are less than 60 days left towards the deadline,” said Mthethwa. Section 4(2) (4) of the act and the regulations in terms of the act set out the requirements for, and guidelines on drafting, language policies. Both documents may be accessed at the department’s website.
“We wish to remind all levels of government to establish language units for us to give to the letter and spirit of section 6 of the Constitution which regulates languages and to promote equitable use of official languages in South Africa. “As we observe 20 years of democracy and freedom, we urgently need to enable all South Africans to use the official languages of their choice when engaging with government and its institutions. “This is to ensure equal access to government services and information,” the minister said. The act provides for a regulatory framework to facilitate the effective implementation of the constitutional obligations concerning multilingualism. “If we wish to touch the heart and soul of our people, we must speak to them in their own languages,” Mthethwa said. Mthethwa said the act was a very important piece of legislation that allowed the public at large to access information and assisted using languages that they understood. – SAnews.gov.za
Many medals under her belt
MARISKA VAN TONDER
MARISKA VAN TONDER has been selected as the August winner of the Express Northern Cape SuperSport Let’s Play Sports Star of the Month. The 14-year-old Adamantia High School learner in Kimberley excels in amateur wrestling. The active young sports star has a string of achievements under her belt including winning gold at three events: the Eastern Gauteng Open Tournament in Northern Gauteng, Sand du Plessis Tournament in Bloemfontein, Indlove Tournament in Kimberley and Van Rooyen Tournament in Bloemfontein. She has been competing yearly at the South African championships. In 2014, she won gold in her age group. In her weight category she won a gold and silver medal. She qualifies yearly for her Northern Cape and South African colours. Mariska is also one of the assistant coaches at the Indlovu Wrestling Club when needed. She has the necessary skills to be a good coach and is very disciplined. Mariska is currently coached by Riaan Roets and Jacobus Human. Send us your nomination for your SuperSport’s Let’s Play Sports Star of the Month. Nominations received after the 20th of every month will be carried over to the next month’s selection. The SuperSport Let’s Play Sports Star of the Month competition runs from February to November. 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.
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Public asked to vote for businesses } Boipelo Mere NORTHERN CAPE ESTABLISHMENTS are encouraged to enter the prestigious Lilizela Tourism Awards and members of the public to vote for their favourite business. This request was made by Thembi Kunene, chief grading officer of the South African Grading Council, during the 2014 Lilizela Tourism Awards. The event, hosted at the Big Hole, was graced by the presence of delegates and owners from different establishments and institutions, including the mayor of the Sol Plaatje Municipality, David Molusi. Sixteen provincial finalists were announced at the ceremony, of whom seven will go through to the national finals on 9 October. During his keynote address, Molusi said that tourism had become one of the most important contributors to economic growth in the Northern Cape. He, however, noted that tourism had to be kept sustainable by providing visitors
with exceptional service and memorable experiences. “That will help achieve the goal of encouraging them to stay longer and return often.” He encouraged the winners and all competitors to regard themselves as ambassadors of excellence in terms of services rendered and for them to continue to increase the level of service excellence. The mayor said the province could achieve its goal of developing the industry and drawing more visitors to the province through word of mouth. “We have been honoured to host the national Tourism Month celebrations this year in our beautiful province and look forward to welcoming you and show-casing the amazing offerings of the Northern Cape,” he said. Molusi urged each and every person working in the tourism industry in the Northern Cape to take full responsibility to wow and impress their visitors and clients.
BOITUMELO BOPAPE, the deputy chairperson of the Northern Cape Tourism Board, Thembi Kunene, chief grading officer of the South African Grading Council, Dirk Coetzee, manager at the Big Hole and award winner of the Visitors’ Experience Award, Gail Parker, member of the Provincial Legislature, and David Molusi, the mayor of the Sol Plaatje Municipality, at the Lilizela Awards ceremony. Photo: Boipelo Mere
Exciting Career Opportunities Kuruman United Manganese of Kalahari (Pty) Ltd (UMK), a leading empowerment company intent on sustainable mining and socio-economic development, seeks specialists to join its fast growing manganese mine. UMK has been awarded a Mining Right over 15 000 ha of land to the north of a dynamic Kuruman. Why not become part of the team that plans to mine an output of between 1,5 million and 2 million tons of manganese each year? With a life of mine in excess of 30 years, this well-poised company will be able to unlock your talents.
Human Resources Manager (Ref. HRM 6928) Salary range: R800 000 – R1 100 000 per annum (all-inclusive package) The incumbent will be responsible for providing an integrated Human Resources function to the Mine and for assisting Mine Management with embeding a culture of organisational excellence. Key performance areas will include: Development and implementation of processes and procedures related to: employee relations, recruitment and selection, performance management, training and development, communication, social and development planning, organisational development, succession planning, general personnel administration and adherence to relevant legislation. Requirements: • A B degree or relevant diploma • A minimum of 5 years’ relevant experience at a senior level • Exceptional interpersonal and negotiating skills • Be able to work under pressure • Excellent communicator at all levels • Advanced problem solving skills • Good organisational and leadership skills • Sensitivity to the management and valuing of diversity • A tertiary qualification will be an added advantage. Please note that the reference number MUST be quoted on your application. Please note the following: • Successful candidates will be required to provide a valid medical certificate and may be required to undergo certain medical assessments • Psychometric and other assessments may be used as part of the selection process • Verification of all credentials may be done • Must be in possession of a valid driver’s licence.
How to apply: Interested applicants can forward an abridged CV to: gloria.mbatha@umk.co.za or fax: (011) 217-2801. The onus is on you to ensure that the reference number is reflected on your application. Closing date: 15 September 2014. If you have not been contacted within 30 days after the closing date, kindly deem your application as unsuccessful. PREFERENCE WILL BE GIVEN TO EMPLOYMENT EQUITY CANDIDATES (SPECIFICALLY FEMALE CANDIDATES) IN LINE WITH THE COMPANY’S EMPLOYMENT EQUITY PLAN. Only candidates who meet the stated requirements will be considered. APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THE CLOSING DATE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. www.ayandambanga.co.za 119841
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‘Our fans must stop cele brating mediocrity. Play ers must go all out to win matches. We must com pete for the league title this season.’ – Max Tshabalala
For more news and photos visit www.express-news.co.za
Coach in hot water } Sidwell Guduka
DRAW-SPECIALIST: Ernst Middendorp. Photo: Frikkie Kapp/BackpagePix
THE inconsistent Bloemfontein Celtic will be minus their head coach, Ernst Middendorp, when the team face an equally inconsistent Mamelodi Sundowns in an Absa Premiership encounter at the Free State Stadium on Sunday. The kick-off is at 15:00. Middendorp, whose big mouth caused him to receive an unnecessary red card for protesting a referee’s decision during their match which ended goalless against Platinum Stars, has been suspended for two matches and will not be sitting on the bench on the weekend. His lieutenant, Fadlu Davids, will be in charge of the team. Mazinyo.com or “MiddenDraw”, as Middendorp is affectionately known in football circles, has once again earned himself an unwanted draw-specialist tag when it comes to the Premier Soccer League (PSL). His record reads one win, one loss and three draws thus far in the campaign, which added to the ten draws last season, makes it 13 stalemates in Celtic’s last 29 league matches.
THE team of the SA van Wyk High School will prepare mentally for the finals of the Copa Coca-Cola Soccer Tournament. They promise to give other teams a hard time. Photo: Supplied
SA van Wyk facing finals THE team of the SA van Wyk High School from the Namaqua region emerged as the provincial champions of the Copa Coca-Cola Soccer Tournament held at the Vanzylsrus Stadium over the weekend. After playing a very competitive first match and beating the Veritas High School 2-0, the Springbok-based school went on to claim another 2-0 victory, this time against the Kakamas High School in the final match. Junard Brandt and Wilbur Isaacs scored the two goals for the champions. The team advances to the national finals scheduled to take place at the King Zwelithini Stadium in KwaZulu-Natal from 17 to 19 October. Allan Fortuin, the head coach of SA Van Wyk, said it was the first time they had won any silverware and that he was happy the boys played according to instruction, doing their school and community proud. “I only started to assemble the team last year and winning the Copa Coca-Cola Soccer Tournament proves that we are on the right track,” said Fortuin.
Max Tshabalala, Celtic’s new chairman, said during the Robert Marawa show on Metro FM last Thursday that he had given Middendorp the mandate to win the league title this season, or to at least finish in third position. “Our fans must stop celebrating mediocrity. Players must go all out to win matches. We must compete for the league title this season. “If we can’t win the league then we must finish among the top three teams in the league. But then we must win silverware,” Tshabalala told millions of Metro FM listeners. Truth be told, Middendorp was given a mandate he could never achieve. The Celtic-side lacks depth and quality and does not look convincing at all. It remains to be seen whether the German mentor will finish this season at the helm. Already speculation is rife that he can be shown the door at any moment. So far this season, Middendorp is finding the going tough with his men having managed six out of a possible 15 points (the club has set him a target of ten points in every five fixtures).
Another string of poor results will heighten speculation about his future. Middendorp needs to focus on tactics and winning games rather than protesting the referee’s decision (he is experienced enough to know that the referee’s decision is final), starting with three points against Sundowns on Sunday. The Brazilians, meanwhile, have had problems of their own, drawing their opening fixture of the season against Maritzburg United. Their fans are baying for coach Pitso Mosimane’s blood. However, the Tshwane-side is bound to be psyched up for a game in which they have always held their own. They will be looking to build on their recent victory over Amazulu. The best bet, frankly, is an away win for Masandawana. Sunday afternoon also sees Moroka Swallows welcoming Chippa United to the Dobsonville Stadium at 15:00. The Dube Birds, meanwhile, badly need to start firing in front of the goal after losing 3-0 to Bidvest Wits a fortnight ago. ) For more sports stories, visit www.express-news.co.za.