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The white sangoma is in First laughing stock, now offers help to many
} Tladi Moloi BOCHABELA. – You will be forgiven for thinking another instalment of the wildly popular Leon Schuster movie Mr Bones is being filmed in Bochabela, Qwaqwa. This is the reaction of many people who come across the rather out-of-place tall figure of Phillip Griesel, a sangoma who lives and works in the rural village. Griessel’s consulting rooms are in the shadow of the small mountain on your right-hand side as your make your way into Phuthaditjhaba. The 44-years-old traditional healer is originally from Môrelig in Bethlehem. He says he had relocated to Qwaqwa after he was shown in a dream that a person who would train him was in Qwaqwa. “I had a calling from a long time ago, but I was ignorant. But it became more serious when I arrived here. I work with scrap metals in the Eastern Free State and last year I decided that I should come to this side for business. While I was here I was shown two people in my dreams that would help me with my calling,” he said. He said he first went to the mother who he had seen in his dreams, but the mother had referred him to Nkosana Nkhutha (27) from the Thajane Village in Tsheseng, Qwaqwa. “A calling is one of the things that should be taken serious. If you don’t follow it you might die. I am happy that my dream came through when I got here,” he said. “One day I was driving from work. My ancestors appeared in clouds, three of them, and since then I started having those continuous dreams. Since then I would struggle to sleep for about three hours. At the same time I would see things that will happen the next day and they would happen,” he says. He says his mother believed in traditional doctors, but he was not really into it. “She spoke Sesotho fluently and she knew more about them. She was actually a prophet, but she would not give muti,” he says. Griessel says black people were laughing at him the first time they saw him, but some of them have already come to him
PHILLIP GRIESEL, a sangoma who lives and works in the rural village of Bochabela, Qwaqwa. for help. “It was difficult to go all around because they were laughing at me, but I just ignored them. The funny thing is after having laughed they would come and ask for my number and eventually come for help,” he says. Griessel says he has been happy with his mentor, because he has been so helpful since he had arrived in Qwaqwa.
“We are working together. If I have a patient and I don’t understand something, I call him for help,” he says. However, Nkutha says Griessel has never had a serious problem with a patient. “He has done some of the things that I have never done myself. I am learning some of the things from him,” he says. Nkutha says he was surprised the first
day a white man approached him telling him about his calling. “I did not believe him and the first question was how he knew about me. He told me about his dreams, but it was hard to believe him. However, after a few question and tests I realised that he has that sangoma thing in him. I started going with him to our traditional doctor’s workshop and introduced him there.”
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EXPRESS EASTERN FREE STATE, WEDNESDAY 15 OCTOBER 2014
NEWS
Missing student at university SINOTHEMBA MKHULULI, a student at the University of the Free State’s Qwaqwa Campus, is missing and the police need assistance. You can call the Phuthaditjhaba police on 058-718-0809. REST IN PEACE: The late Dr Tshiame Kenneth Mopeli, the founder of the Dikwankwetla Party of South Africa and former chief minister of Qwaqwa, is being carried to his final resting place. Photos: Tladi Moloi
Legend laid to rest; legacy will live on } Tladi Moloi
THE Bethlehem police are looking for the family of this pensioner known as Lolo Moqabanyi (Mosaweni) from the Makwane Village in Qwaqwa. He claims that his daughter-in-law is Mmamorena Motsoeneng and her husband is Kholo (son) who is deceased now. He once stayed at the Reihoek Farm in the Slabberts district, Fouriesburg. The old man cannot hear properly.
QWAQWA. – Hundreds of mourners gathered in Maphiring, Namahadi, on Saturday to pay their respects to Dr Tshiame Kenneth Mopeli, the founder of the Dikwankwetla Party of South Africa and former chief minister of Qwaqwa. Mopeli died on 1 October in the Manapo Hospital in Qwaqwa following a long illness and years of battling with cancer of the colon. The funeral service started at 08:00 and Mopeli was laid to rest around 14:45 at the Thaba-Bosiu Cemetery. Moeketsi Lebesa, the president of the Dikwankwetla Party of South Africa (DPSA), said: “Dr Mopeli deserves glory, because
he worked for us. We are what we are today because of him.” He said Mopeli’s name would be written in golden letters when the history books were rewritten. “We’ll have his public lecture every year. We want our children to know about him,” he said. Lebesa described Mopeli as a legend of pure love. “He was very loyal and guided me in politics. I am proud to say I am a product of his,” he said. Hlaudi Motsoeneng, the SABC chief operating officer (COO), said Mopeli had been known in the whole of South Africa. “He started the school in Qwaqwa in his time. Everyone who wanted an education came here,” he said. He said it was time that some
of the politicians learnt from Mopeli. “No one can deny that he had worked hard during his time. Some leaders die without having done anything for the people,” he said. Sisi Ntombela, MEC for Social Development, said Mopeli had been her principal at the Tiisetsang Secondary School and had always been good to everyone. “Mopeli always fought for Sotho and we should make sure that we keep the language alive. We should be proud of our heritage,” she said. Mopeli is survived by his wife, Matseliso Judith Mopeli, one child (Shoeshoe), four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
MOPELI'S heartbroken wife, Matseliso Judith.
Residents will have to wait longer for houses } Tladi Moloi BETHLEHEM. – It seems like the residents of Polar Park and the Silahliwe Informal Settlement will have to wait longer than expected for the new houses they have been promised in Vogelfontein near Baken Park. There seem to be more problems than solutions on the site with the sub-contractors even downing tools and demanding answers. On Friday, when Express Eastern Free State visited the site to check on the progress which had been made on the 500 houses, workers were sitting around enjoying the sunshine. Allegedly, this was as a result of one of the sub-contractors who had removed the machines he had hired to Raymond Lee of Unital Holdings CGCOC (the main contractor). According to the sub-contractor, the machines were removed because Lee owed him a lot of money. Kamoho Mokoena, the spokesperson for the concerned sub-contractors, said they wanted Olly Mlamleli, the MEC for Cooperative Governance, Traditional Affairs and Human Settlements, to
NO work is being done at Vogelfontein near Baken Park as workers have downed tools. come down and talk to them. “We are being treated like children. No one is listening to us. The person who should be representing us with the Chinese is doing the opposite,” he said. Mokoena said even though they had been given jobs with the hope that it would empower them, they were losing. “We need material. We are getting paid per house built, and we sometimes build two houses per month because of a shortage of material. When you ask for
window frames you are told they are on their way. When you ask again after a few days, they change their story saying the transport has broken down,” he said. Mokoena told Express Eastern Free State that they would not work until they received answers from those responsible. “We don’t know whose project this is. No one has come to address us since we have started. Ace Magashule or Mlamleli should visit the site,” he said.
Photo: Tladi Moloi
He wanted to finish at least half of the required 500 houses. “We have even lost some of our workers because we can’t pay them at the agreed time because we don’t receive our money from the main contractor on time,” he said. Paul Tshabalala, the community liaising officer (CLO), rubbished rumours that he was not representing the sub-contractors. “It is not true. I am here because of them, so how can I do that?” he said.
He said he was aware that there were problems but added that he had never been approached about these. “I don’t know about their issues. If I knew, I would have responded,” he said. Tshabalala confirmed that one of the sub-contractors came early on Friday and removed his machines. “He said he was doing it because the main contractor owed him,” he said. When asked about the problem at the site a week ago, Mlamleli said: “Who told you? Let the responsible person (me) tell you. You don’t even know how many houses are going to be built. We are starting with 500. And those house are for the Selahliwe residents.” She said she had been at the site night and day to monitor progress. “If they don’t do the work, I’ll fire them.” Mlamleli said they were very slow. She had warned them and since the warning they had been working very hard. “Sub-contractors who steal materials are making our work very difficult. The houses will be finished in March,” she said. ) Lee could not be reached for comment.
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NEWS
Mayor proud of 2 Field Engineer Regiment } Tladi Moloi BETHLEHEM. – Tjhetane Mofokeng, the executive mayor of the Dihlabeng Local Municipality, said their partnership with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and 2 Field Engineer Regiment in particular was important to their municipality. He said he was proud to have this regiment in his municipality – the only combat engineering regiment in South Africa. “This regiment consists of men and women who put their interest in the people of South Africa. They risk their lives for the freedom of the country and the African continent,” he said. Mofokeng spoke at the 2 Field Engineer Regiment Freedom of the City Parade at the Bethlehem town hall on Friday morning. He said the parade was a clear message that the municipality had the manpower and a dedicated force to ensure everybody’s safety. “The parade creates a sense of stability and awareness that
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THE members of the 2 Field Engineer Regiment in Bethlehem salute during the 2 Field Engineer Regiment Freedom of the City Parade. Photos: Tladi Moloi
TJHETANE MOFOKENG, the executive mayor of the Dihlabeng Local Municipality, and Lt. Col Luxolo Velile Shalom Peace Ngwadla, the 2 Field Engineer Regiment commander, during the 2 Field Engineer Regiment Freedom of the City Parade.
the municipality has a fighting force geared to secure the safety of the people,” he said. He said the Freedom of the City was an honour bestowed by a municipality upon a valued member of the community, or upon a visiting celebrity or dignitary. “It can also be granted by municipal authorities to military units which have earned the city’s trust, this allows them the freedom to parade through the city, and is an affirmation of the bond between the regiment and the citizens,” he said. He said the regiment had been awarded the rights to march through the streets of Bethlehem with bayonets drawn and fitted in October 1970. “This is known in military parlance as a Freedom of the City Parade. Since then 2 Filed Engineer Regiment presents it every second year. “This year they celebrated 44 years of the Freedom of the City under the command of Lt. Col Luxolo Velile Shalom Peace Ngwadla.”
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Qwaqwa campus rewards its finest } Nkareng Moloi PHUTHADITJHABA. – Isaac Msibi was the overall winner at the University of the Free State’s (UFS), Qwaqwa Campus Excellence Awards. The 22-year-old student was called to the stage five times to collect the awards he had worked for. Msibi claimed the title of top student in residents, Accounting, Economics, Business Studies, as well as a dux award, which goes with R12 500 for the university’s hardest worker. He scooped all these awards at the ceremony at the Qwaqwa campus last Friday. At the ceremony, the students were awarded for their excellence in house and residence affairs, sports, student development and academics. Some awards were sponsored by the Qwaqwa United Taxi Association (Qwauta) and the dux award was sponsored by the Compass Group. Prof. Prakash Naidoo, the campus principal, congratulated the students who were won the awards on the day. “Congratulations are in order to those who won awards. But it would not be fair for me not to appreciate the job done by the late Dr Tshiame Mopeli. If it were not for that great man, this university would not be here and you would not be receiving this award. It is because of the schools he built in Qwaqwa,” Naidoo said. He also motivated the students who did not get awards. “You are also winners, but you have to work harder to claim your prizes next year. So you have the whole year to prepare yourself for that. This red carpet will then be rolled out for you. Go and work hard, you will reap the rewards,” Naidoo concluded. Msibi told Express Eastern Free State that he did not have many words to describe his excitement. “I am so happy to have been the overall winner today. I was only expecting two awards, but to my surprise I got more. It is due to hard work and having the ambition of knowing more than what is in the text book,” said Msibi. He said that basics guided him to the top.
FROM the left are Teboho Manchu, vice-campus principal: Support Services, Johan Nel, assistant dean: Faculty of Economic Management Sciences, Dr Ana Tsotetsi, Isaac Msibi, overall winner, Patricia Kissane, regional manager of the Compass Group, Dr Elsa Crause, vice-campus principal: Academic and Research, and Prof. Prakash Naidoo, University of the Free State Qwaqwa Campus principal. Photo: Tladi Moloi
“I did nothing new to win this. I studied hard, asked questions where I did not understand and used technology like YouTube to understand better. And that helped me to get what I got today.”
Patricia Kissane, the regional manager of the Compass Group, said they were glad to invest in education. “I am happy that we don’t just supply catering to the university – we also invest
and plough back to the campus,” said Kissane. “This is the second year we have sponsored the award with R10 000 and we hope to continue sponsoring, as we see its impact.”
Re latlhile setso le mekgwa ya rona GO na le mekgwa e Batswana batho ba ba ntsho ba nang le yone. Fa ngwana a tsalwa, lenyalo, loso, bogwera, badimo le tse dingwe go ne go na le ka moo re neng re dira ka gone. Matsatsi a ga re sa di dira. Re latlhile ditso le mekgwa ya rona batho ba bantsho. Re are ke sejwalejwale. Gongwe re tshwanetse ra boela morago ra bona moo re latlhileng setso gona. Lenyalo e ne e le nngwe ya tse re neng re na le setso le mekgwa ya gore re di dira jang. Mosadi o ne a rerwa. A sa ithere. Bo-Malome ba ne ba kopela mosimane sego sa metsi. Bogadi bo ne bo duelwa mme morago e nne moletlo o mogolo re tlhaba dinku le dikgomo. Fa ngwetsi e fitlha e ne e amogelwa. Ngwetsi e ne e apesiwa diaparo tsa bongwetsi mme a tlhabelwa namane go mo amogela. Fa mosetsana a ka ima pele go lenyalo go ne go isiwa molato ko ga bo-mosimane. borra-mosimane ba ne ba itsisiwe gore ngwana wa bone o sentse mme ba itlhotlhoetse ba tle go kopana le bo-rra mosetsana. Pele go ka buiwa ka lenyalo borra-mosimane ba ne ba duedisiwa kotlhao ya go senya
A re bueng
Advocate Kuni Ditira Author mosetsana. Mme morago ga moo ke gone go ka buiwang ka lenyalo. Fa ngwana e le mosetsana o ne a fophiwa ka thupa kgotsa a tshelwa ka metsi. Go ne bo bewa mo mathuding kgathi kgotsa terata e batho ba neng ba bona gore go motsetse mme ga go tsenwe. Bomme ba ne ba gelela metsi ba isetsa motsetsi. Ba ne ba isa le dimpho tsa ngwana jaaka sesepa le diaparo. Mme fa nako e fitlha ya go belega o ne a ya kwa ga bone mme a dule le ngwana nako e ka fitlhang go dikgwedi tse tharo morago ga ngwana go belegwa. Se, se ne se fa mme nako ya go fola le gore ngwana a tutuge. Ngwana fa a fitlha kwa gae o a amogelwa mme re tlhaba nku go mo itsise badimo. Maina a a neng a rewa bana a ne a na le bokao. A re ke nako a batlana le
ngwana mme o utlwa ngwana a setse a tlhokofetse. Se se diragala morago ga ngwaga tse 20. Go borre ba ba naganang gore ngwana ke wa bone mme go se jalo. Mo gongwe mme le ene a bo a sa itse fela Batswana ba re ngwana o itsiwe ke mmaagwe. Mo gongwe re be re sa rate gore ngwana a itse rraagwe ka se se ka mo tlhakatlhakanya. Rre ke yo o godisitseng ngwana. Mme o atle a nyalwe le ngwana mme rre a amogele ngwane go sena mathata. Go botoka go bolelela ngwana nnete fa a setse a godile gonne batho bangwe ba ka mo utlwisa botlhoko ka go mo bolela nnete e ne a sa itse. Fa rre a nagana ngwana ke wa gagwe o mo bolelela nnete leng? A go na le nako e e siametseng se? Se se thata. Fela nnete e tshwanetse go bolelwa. Loso e ne e le selo se se masisi.
Fa go le loso o bona ka mokgwa o batho ba itswarang ka gone. Moaparo o ne o shupa go tlotla. Batho ba ne ba apeisa bashwelwa mme ba tla go ba thusa go apaya, go rema dikgong, go tlhaba diphologolo le ditiro tse dingwe. Morago ga phitlho go ne go gorolwa ba losika. Se se dirwa letsatsi morago ga phitlho. Go ne go tlhabiwa nku, mme moswang o kopanngwa le legala le tlhokwana la tsela. Bashwelwa ba tlhapisiwe e sale ka phakela mme ba sa tshwanela go tlhapa go fitlhela moriti o thaya. Motlholagadi o ne a apara bontsho mme moswagadi o ne a fapa khai e ntsho mo letsogong. Re ne re etela mabitla go bua le ba ba ithobaletseng. Re ba lotlegela gore re ntse re ya jang le diphethogo tse di leng gone mo matshelong a rona. Rona re dumela gore re ka nesa pula ebile re ka e thibela. Go na le morafe o o dumelang gore Kgosigadi wa bona o nesa pula. Fa re ntse re gola go ne go na le selo gotwe ke leshokwane. Batho ba ne ba taboga motse otlhe ba neeletsana leshokwane gotwe go bidiwa pula. Gone jaanong gatwe batho ba leleka pula. Gatwe batho ba ba foromang
ditene ba e leleka ka e ba sitisa go dira ditene. Batho ba ba nang le mekete kgotsa phitlho ba leleka pula. Go tumelo ya gore fa o ka besa seretse pula ya tsamaya. Bangwe ba re gofejana a pepe thuana. O ka se itse kwa o yang o sa itse kwa o tswang. A re se timetseng bana ba rona ke bone bokamoso. A re ba ruteng kwa ba tswang le ditumelo tsa rona. Merafe e tshwanang le Maindia ba sa tshwere setso sa bone. Rona re re ke selosesha, ke semanjemanje. Re apara le go keteka setso fela ka 24 tsa Lwetse. Ke gone re aparang diaparo tsa setso. Bana ba rona ga ba tlhole ba itse setso. Ga ba itse puo. Ga ba itse le dijo tsa rona le metshameko ya rona. A re ipeleng ka borona. A re se tlhabiwe ke ditlhong go tlhompha setso sa rona. Ke lo eleletsa letsatsi le le monate. ) 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.
EXPRESS EASTERN FREE STATE, WEDNESDAY 15 OCTOBER 2014 5
NEWS
Is Ebola the next HIV?
THABISO MOKOENA, Bohlokong, Bethlehem:
THE world has been hit hard by an outbreak of the Ebola virus, hitting the Western part of the African continent the hardest. Ebola has proven to be very problematic and it poses a number of challenges to many countries, for it is not only threatening the lives of Africans and the world, but also its economies. We recently witnessed ministers of health taking all precautionary measures in combating it, to the extent that in some parts of the world people are tested just as they arrive at airports, particularly those who travelled via West Africa. The governments issued statements assuring citizens that they were Ebola free, as no cases had been reported yet. Investors and tourists are updated in many parts of the world to make sure the harm economically is minimal. This observation has left me with one question: Could the Ebola virus be the next HIV? I might not have scientific information relating to Ebola, in comparison to my knowledge of HIV, but I have observed similarities in the manner in which the virus is unfolding. Firstly, the most-welcomed theory explaining the origin of HIV is that between 1884 and 1924 somewhere near Kinshasa in West Africa hunters killed and ate chimpanzees. Some of the animals’ blood contained a virus called the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) and this entered the hunters’ bodies possibly through wounds and they became infected. Gorillas and chimpanzees are pointed to as the origin of the Ebola virus. It is stated that traces of the Ebola virus were detected in carcasses during the 2001 and 2003 outbreaks. It is further said that animals like bats and birds are considered carriers of Ebola.
Phiyega’s statement not thought through REV. THEUNIS BOTHA, Christian Democratic Party leader: THE Christian Democratic Party (CDP) has expressed concern with the statement the Police chief, Riah Phiyega, made during the Human Rights Commission’s enquiry into farm murders that no distinction could be drawn between a murder in a shebeen and a farm murder. One would expect more judicial knowledge from the minister of Police. The courts indeed draw a huge distinction between a drunken fight in a liquor joint
Secondly, the treatment of Ebola patients is reflective of exactly what the earlier patients of HIV experienced and perpetuates the same kind of stigmatization. They are separated and disconnected from the rest until they either die or their condition changes. Lastly, both impact negatively on the life expectancy on our continent, although it has changed with HIV intervention. However, there is still no cure for either and they pose a serious threat to both society and the economy. I have noted reports of a newly developed vaccine by the United States- (US) based National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases and a second trial of vaccine developed by Canada’s health agency is being undertaken in America. This is a great and promising advancement and the results are pending. One cannot help but wonder if this will lead to political resistance from African leaders, as was the case when the former South African president Thabo Mbeki questioned Western pharmaceutical companies’ behaviour in seeking to increase their sales by selling AZT to the South African government despite it not being registered for the then intended purpose and was perceived as ineffective, thus exploiting the justified health concerns of Africans. With all these similarities, one cannot help but ask if Ebola could be the next HIV.
and when innocent people are attacked in a carefully planned operation, brutally assaulted and killed in the most horrific way. In many cases the victims were ambushed returning from church. We strongly condemn these comparisons, and regard the commissioner’s statement as showing a lack of understanding of the seriousness of the matters she is responsible for. The Appeals Court drew a clear distinction between dolus directus and dolus eventualis (the perpetrator objectively foresees the possibility of his act causing death and
persists regardless of the consequences). Surely the chief of Police should know this. A premeditated farm murder is a far cry from someone losing their life in a pub brawl. Surely, a police chief cannot direct policing and the safety of people when attacks on law abiding citizens are treated in the same way as people who engage in drunken fights and die as a consequence thereof. We demand a public apology on behalf of all of those who have lost family members as a result of farm murders.
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EXPRESS EASTERN FREE STATE, WEDNESDAY 15 OCTOBER 2014
NEWS
Programme seeks to better skills THE South African Breweries (SAB) has launched a national retailer business training programme aimed at improving tavern owners’ business skills and educating them on how to run a profitable and sustainable business in a socially responsible manner. The Customer Business Development Programme (CBD), targeting approximately 4 200 tavern owners across South Africa, seeks to build and enhance tavern owner business skills. The SAB also aims to raise trader awareness of their obligation to trade responsibly, a requirement to maintain their licence to operate and to help minimise the harmful effects of alcohol in society. The CBD Programme is an extension of SAB’s Mahlasedi Taverner Development Programme which ran from 2004 until 2009 and reached more than 16 000 taverners through an investment of R54 million. Tavern owners that participated in Mahlasedi reported an increase in business performance. “Local licensed traders make a valuable contribution to the success of the SAB as a business and towards the economy of the country. The CBD Programme allows us to empower them with the skills necessary to maintain and grow sustainable, profitable and responsible businesses, which will continue supporting their families and improving others’ lives through the creation of employment,” says Refentse Shinners, the SAB’s manager for enterprise development. Tavern owners undergo a four-day training programme allowing them to gain better understanding of how to manage their personal finances, basic business skills, as well as how to plan and grow a tavern business. Additionally, tavern owners will be given valuable information and skills on how to trade responsibly as a means of minimising the harmful effects of alcohol abuse within their communities. This is provided through SAB’s Responsible Trader Programme (RTP), a high-impact and holistic approach to engaging liquor traders on alcohol abuse and the harm it causes communities, and a first of its kind in South Africa. Introduced in 2011, RTP is the first programme in the country to actively position the liquor trader as a champion in the fight against alcohol abuse. The programme highlights the importance of trading responsibly to ensure the sustainability of the businesses of liquor traders. SAB developed the Responsible Trader Programme in response to the company’s deep concern about the harm alcohol abuse can cause to individuals, families and communities. Its objective is to encourage self-regulation amongst traders by creating awareness of the social, health and economic consequences of irresponsible trading. Added to the devastating impact of alcohol abuse on communities and individuals, irresponsible traders face tough consequences for their behaviour, including the potential loss of their trading licence and in turn, a loss of income. The Responsible Trader Programme focuses on three key areas: 1. Creating awareness about the harm caused by alcohol abuse and the role the trader plays in driving a reduction of alcohol abuse in their respective communities; 2. Building trader competence to actively ensure responsible trading in the outlet; and 3. Building trader competence to create awareness amongst outlet staff and customers about responsible trading and the harm caused by alcohol abuse. On completion of the CBD Programme, tavern owners will be provided with certificates and plans are underway to offer post-training business management support from the SAB.
THE students from the Tsheseng Village in Qwaqwa who were awarded certificates for completing a four-week computer training course offered by loveLife. Photo: Thabo Mokoena
Students acquire new skill
} Thabo Mokoena TSHESENG. – A total of 17 students from the Tsheseng Village in Qwaqwa were awarded certificates for completing a four-week computer training course presented by loveLife. They were awarded the certificates at a graduation ceremony that was held at the Football for Hope Centre recently. Rapelang Ntombela, the loveLife groundbreaker in Tsheseng, said the computer training course was aimed at empowering the young, especially those who were
unemployed. She said they hoped that other stakeholder would come on board and offer the teaching of other skills in future. “We know they did not choose to be unemployed and we’ll always try our level best to help them with skills,” she said. Ntombela said they were happy with the response from those who had turned up for the training. Tshidiso Motaung, a centre manager of loveLife, said: “Young people can be very ignorant. This centre has been in operation a while but they do not come in their
Helping hand offered
HARRSIMITH. – The Maluti-aPhofung Local Municipality recently offered a helping hand to some of the fire victims at the Kiesbeen Farm (Afgang) near Harrismith. The municipality, which was represented by members of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) in the absence of the executive mayor, Vusi Tshabalala, who was in India, had visited the
numbers to make use of it.” He said it was time for those who were living close to the centre to come and make use of its services. “We have computers and we run computer classes for free, but people don’t come. This is our first group to graduate since I have been appointed to run this centre, but hopefully others will join them and make use of the centre. “We realise that the certificate is not for an accredited course but I now know that at least the attendees are computer literate,” he said.
farm to hand out blankets, Jojo water tanks, food parcels and school uniforms for 14 learners. The MMC’s who attended, were Masechaba Lakaje-Mosia, MMC: Women, Children and People with Disability, Dipuo Mboso, MMC: Local Economic Development, and Kgoarai Kgoarai, MMC: Sport, Arts and Culture.
THE members of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) of the Maluti-aPhofung Local Municipality with the beneficiaries at the Kiesbeen Farm near Harrismith. Photo: Supplied
Keshi, Super Eagles not to blame FORMER Nigerian midfielder Austin Okocha has said Stephen Keshi and players of the Super Eagles should not be blamed for the poor results in the 2015 Afcon qualification. Keshi, Nigeria’s head coach, and his men have come under fire for a string of poor performances which have seen them notch up just one win in 11 matches. But Okocha, 41 and a former teammate of Keshi, believes the poor run of the African champions in the ongoing qualification of the Africa Cup of Nations is a reflection that “our football is long dead and gone”. The ex-Paris St Germain man, apart from stating that Nigeria have now found themselves in an “unusual situation” in the Afcon qualification, posed a
query by juxtaposing the country’s football affairs at administrative level and recent results on the pitch. “Anyone that blames Keshi or the boys is short-sighted. Our football is long dead and gone. This (loss to Sudan) is just the confirmation. We are in a very unusual situation. The question is: Do we deserve better, considering the state of our football affairs in recent times,” Okocha asked via Twitter. The African champions, Nigeria, are now bottom of Group A in the Afcon qualification with a point, six behind the leaders, South Africa. The Super Eagles will play hosts to Sudan in the National Stadium in Abuja on Wednesday. – Supersport.com
Celebrating heritage NTOKOZO MSIBI and Luthando Kele were photographed during the recent ABC Day-care Centre’s Heritage celebration in Bohlokong, Bethlehem. Photo: Tladi Moloi
EXPRESS EASTERN FREE STATE, WEDNESDAY 15 OCTOBER 2014 7
SPORT
Congo will be back all fired up
THE team of the Bodikela Junior Secondary School that represented the Free State in the 2014 McDonald’s u.14 Schools League National Finals, finished third. Photo: Supplied
Bodikela brings home the bronze } Tladi Moloi
BETHLEHEM. – The team of the Bodikela Junior Secondary School, the team who represented the Free State in the 2014 McDonald’s u.14 Schools League National Finals at the Actonville Stadium in Gauteng, finished third in the competition. The Bethlehem-based team were knocked out in the semi-final of the contest by the host, the Prestige College from Gauteng, by 2-0. Just after that the team had to battle it out for third place against the Khethokuhle Secondary School from KwaZulu-Natal and won 1-0. They came home with the
bronze medal. The Prestige College were the winners of the tournament hammering the Bjatladi High School of Limpopo 5-2. The tournament started with two groups, A and B. The top two teams in each stream qualified for the knock-out stage. They were the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Limpopo. Charles Molefe, the Bodikela mentor, said he was happy with the attitude of the players throughout the tournament. He said they could have won the tournament if they had had good plans to gun down Gauteng, the champions. “We dominated the tournament. We came as the under dogs but
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the type of football that we played during the competition won the hearts of many and this led to us becoming the favourites,” he said. He said Gauteng was strong on counter attacks. “They scored early and in the second half I told my boys that we should keep the ball so that they could chase it. They could not match this but it was too late for us to bounce back from two goals,” he said. He was adamant that they would return the following season. “We have about five players who will be in the team and I hope they will guide the new players who will be joining us during the season,” he said.
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THE South African goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa said it had been no joke to beat Congo away, but he expected the central Africans would be fired up for the return Afcon qualifier in Polokwane today. Bafana Bafana replaced the Red Devils as Group A leaders with a 2-0 victory in Pointe Noire over the weekend, with Bongani Ndulula and Tokelo Rantie getting the goals in the coastal city. “It will be a different match, that is for sure,” Meyiwa told Orlando Pirates’s official website. “They will come out fighting, but I’m sure we will have a good plan for them. “We did the most difficult thing . . . to go to the Congo and get a clear victory is not a joke. “Here we will stay calm and just do the basics right.” He added: “That victory is water under the bridge. Now it is back to work and show the coach, Ephraim Mashaba, we are ready to face the next battle.”
‘They will come out fighting, but I’m sure we will have a good plan for them.’ – Senzo Meyiwa Meanwhile, Meyiwa said he was satisfied with his efforts in captaining Bafana in the injury-enforced absence of Itumeleng Khune. The Bucs number one has worn the armband against Sudan, Nigeria and the Congolese, with the team picking up seven points without conceding a goal. “It is nice, it shows the coach believes in me. It is hard sometimes to be the captain as you have to be ready to protect the team. But everything is going okay and I’m satisfied with what I have done so far being the captain.” – KickOff.com
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EASTERN FREE STATE
THE Goble Park Stadium in Bethlehem will soon have floodlights. The Dihlabeng Local Municipality is currently working on it.
Goble Park to light up } Tladi Moloi
BETHLEHEM. – About R3 million has been spent on the installation of the floodlights at the Goble Park Stadium in Bethlehem, Tjhetane Mofokeng, the executive mayor of the Dihlabeng Local Municipality, told Express Eastern Free State. Mofokeng said they decided to install the floodlights at the stadium after they had received a proposal from the Absa Premier League outfit Free State Stars. “We received a proposal from the management of the team indicating to us that the light in the stadium was poor and did not meet the Premier Soccer League (PSL) standards.
“So, they asked the municipality to change the lights. “I am proud to announce that we are busy working on that at the moment,” he said. Ea Lla Koto have been using both Goble Park and the Charles Mopeli Stadium in Namahadi, Qwaqwa, for their home games. Charles Mopeli has mostly been used for the evening games and to host Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates and Bloemfontein Celtic because of the bigger crowds. However, it is likely that the Mike Mokoena-owned team will move their night fixtures to Bethlehem as soon as the lights are up and running. Mofokeng said they had
It is likely that the Mike Mokoenaowned team will move their night fixtures to Bethlehem as soon as the lights are up and running. promised that the lights would be working at the end of October. “We hope the team will be
playing their evening games at that stadium as of next month,” he said. He said he had been overwhelmed when he received the proposal stating that the team wanted to take their evening fixtures to Bethlehem because that would boost the economy. “It is obvious that some people will be sleeping here, and that means our B&B’s (bed and breakfast), guest houses and hostels will always be full. “Our filling stations and shops will make money from people who will be coming here to watch games,” he said. Dihlabeng has never disappointed in matters regarding football. They have always kept their
Photo: Tladi Moloi
cheque open for the development of sports within the municipality. The municipality pumped R500 000 into the Dihlabeng Local Football Association (DLFA), arguably one of the richest associations within the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality. He said Bethlehem was known for good football and they wanted to get it back to that standard. “I can tell that the talent is there and we have to make sure that we nurture it. “We have stars in our municipality and we have to make sure that we grab the chance to showcase them,” he said.