Zoutpansberger 11 June 2021

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outpansberger

11 Junie 2021 * BULLDOZERS * TLB’S * EXCAVATORS * TIPPERS

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Klubs reg vir hofstryd Deur Andries van Zyl

Voorsitters en verteenwoordigers van sportklubs in Louis Trichardt wat gebruik maak van munisipale infrastruktuur het op 2 Junie ‘n noodvergadering gehou om die Makhado Munisipaliteit se eensydige besluit om hulle 99-jaar huurkontrakte te kanselleer, te bespreek. Dat hierdie saak op pad is Hooggeregshof toe vir beslissing was gou duidelik. Elf van die dorp se amateur sportklubs staar tans ‘n duister toekoms in die gesig weens hierdie kontroversiële raadsbesluit wat op 31 Mei tydens die

Makhado Munisipaliteit se 159ste virtuele spesiale raadsvergadering geneem is. Die klubs sluit onder meer in die Soutpansberg Gholfklub, die Louis Trichardt Rugbyklub, die Soutpansberg Muurbalklub, die Louis Trichardt Stoeiklub (en ander klubs wat gebruik maak van die stoei- en gimnastieksaal), die Louis Trichardt Rolbalklub, die Soutpansberg Atletiekklub, die Soutpan Jukskeiklub en die posduifklubs. Met 2021 wat ‘n verkiesingsjaar is, betwyfel baie mense die tydsberekening van hierdie omstrede besluit. “Ons weet dit is ‘n verkiesingsjaar, so hulle doen hierdie dinge om mense te ontsenu en

politieke punte te wen, tot nadeel van die gemeenskap,” het DA-raadslid Brian du Plooy tydens die vergadering gesê. Hy het ook die vergadering belê. Du Plooy het egter genoem dat hy nie die vergadering belê het as politikus nie, maar as ‘n bekommerde lid van een van die betrokke sportklubs. “Hierdie is vir my ‘n hartsaak,” het Du Plooy gesê. As rede vir die besluit om die kontrakte eensydig te kanselleer voer die Raad aan dat die klubs uitsluitlik vir “wit” mense voorsiening maak en nie toeganklik is vir die ander rassegroepe in die woongebiede om die dorp nie. (Vervolg op p. 2)

Die Makhado Munisipaliteit het hulle politieke visier gestel op al die amateur sportklubs in die dorp, soos die Louis Trichardt Rugbyklub (foto).

Air Force finally breaks the silence on “Gripen crash” at AFB Makhado By Andries van Zyl After almost six weeks of waiting, the Zoutpansberger finally managed to elicit a

response from the South African Air Force (SAAF) this week regarding an accident at AFB Makhado during which a multi-millionrand Gripen fighter craft was damaged while

After six weeks of waiting for a response, the South African Air Force (SAAF) finally confirmed an incident during which one of its Gripen fighter craft was severely damaged during a routine maintenance incident.

basically being strapped to the ground. News of the “accident” first surfaced in April this year. Rumour had it that the cables holding down the Gripen in the engine-testing bay had snapped, after which the fighter craft veered out of control and crashed. The Zoutpansberger’s first enquiry about the then-alleged incident was made on 15 April this year through an e-mailed media enquiry directed at the commanding officer of AFB Makhado. Since then, the newspaper was sent from pilar to post regarding the incident, with its enquiry bouncing around in SAAF offices from here to Pretoria. The newspaper’s enquiry came amid the ongoing controversy regarding the initial arms deal and how it had come about that South Africa had purchased the hugely expensive Gripen aircraft from the British defence company BAE Systems. In the enquiry, the Zoutpansberger asked the SAAF to firstly confirm the incident and, if it had occurred, to indicate when it had taken place and what exactly had happened. The newspaper also wanted to know the extent of the damage to the plane in monetary terms and whether it could be repaired. These questions

were asked amid rumours that, of the initial fleet of Gripen fighter craft originally purchased, very few were still operational. Regarding this, the SAAF was asked to both confirm the initial number of Gripen fighter craft allocated to AFB Makhado and the number still operational. After five weeks of waiting for a response from the SAAF, despite numerous follow-up requests, the newspaper opted to write directly to Brig Gen Mafi Mgobozi, the head of the Department of Defence’s Corporate Communication Department, on 24 May. A week later, he responded. “The Gripen Aircraft was damaged during a ground run routine maintenance when an anchoring cable broke resulting in an accident. The incident occurred on 08 April 2021 at Air Force Base Makhado,” reads Mgobozi’s statement, issued on 3 June. Regarding the reparability of the fighter craft and the number of Gripen aircraft still operational, Mgobozi states that he cannot disclose this information “as it deals with the operational readiness of the organisation”. Mgobozi gives no other details about the incident, other than to confirm that AFB Makhado has instituted a board of inquiry to investigate the cause of the accident.


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