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Suid-Afrikaanse junior toutrekkampioenskap

Mimi Swart

Vrydag en Saterdag 18 en 19 Maart 2022 het die junior toutrekatlete van Postmasburg op Malmesbury in die Wes-Kaap saamgetrek om ná Covid weer deel te neem aan die jaarlikse en tweede grootste sportbyeenkoms in Suid-Afrika, naamlik die  Suid-Afrikaanse junior  toutrekkampioenskap.

Daar was 1200 atlete afkomstig van 160 skole en 36 klubs regoor die land. Postmasburg Toutrekklub was goed verteenwoordig en het aan die laerskool- of Kaalvoete- en aan die hoërskool- of Junior Boots-afdelings deelgeneem. 

Postmasburg het in die Plaat- of B-afdeling deelgeneem en baie goed presteer: 440 kg – goud junior boots: 600 kg – goud, 400 kg - brons:  560 kg - goud. 320 kg - brons  

Ná verlede jaar se suksesvolle senior kampioenskappe in Kathu, is daar goeie nuus dat daar weer ‘n klub besig is om te ontstaan. Beplanning het al ver gevorder. Enige belangstellendes kan vir Werner Kleynhans (082 921 2651) kontak vir meer inligting.

Welgedaan aan die spanne wat die Noord-Kaap se naam hoog gehou het in die Wes-Kaap.

Minister visits Kathu Primary School

The Minister of Basic Education, Mrs Angie Motshekga, paid Kathu Primary School a blitz visit on Friday 11 March 2022 to assess the state of the provincial back-to-school campaign.

In the photograph Minister of Basic Education (centre front) accompanied by the MEC of Education Zolile Monakali, officials from the department, school principal, SMT and educators.                      

Baster die Brak musiekvideo kompetisie

Wednesday, 16 February 2022 17:48

Yolanda Swiegers het laasjaar Oktober 2021 vir Menandi ingeskryf vir Baster die Brak musiekvideo kompetisie.

Na omtrent ñ maand het hulle die opwindende nuus ontvang dat Menandi Swiegers toe een van die gelukkige finaliste was. Daarna het hulle elkeen ñ nommer ontvang en daar is stemlyne oopgemaak vir almal om te kan stem vir hul gunsteling.

Na ñ hele lang ruk daarna, het hulle die goeie nuus ontvang dat sy een van die musiekvideo wenners is.

Opgewonde het ons gewag vir die beoordelaars om verdere inligting met hulle te deel

Begin Februarie het die beoordelaars ñ Whatsapp groep gestig waarop al die ander wenner se ouers ook was. Hulle was omtrent so 20 maatjies.

Ons het die inligting ontvang dat sy 12 Februarie 2022 in Pretoria, Pierneef teater moet wees vir die video opname. Hulle het ook reeds vooraf vir hulle die liedjie gestuur van Baster Die Brak wat hulle goed moes leer.

Saterdag met ons aankoms daar, was dit ñ teater vol kameras asook ons Liewe Baster en Bella met wie hulle die verhoog gedeel het. 

Die danspassies is gou vir hulle geleer, en daarna het hulle dadelik begin met die opname. Hulle moes dit n hele paar kere oor en oor doen, tot die kamera "span" tevrede was.

Menandi is baie passievol oor haar drama. Behalwe dat mamma self ook betrokke is by drama, ontvang sy ook profesionele afrigting, asook Naratiewe terapie, by ons eie groenvingers aanbieder, Edrien Erasmus. Sy het die rol van die sielkundige vertolk in Binnelanders.

Menandi was bevoorreg genoeg om laasjaar Desember, haar 1ste teater "voorskou" optrede te kon doen, vir Edrien en Rika (Prokureur van Binnelanders) se toneelstuk, Trapsitting. Die gebeurtenis het plaasgevind in Centurion teater. 

Sy was ook bevoorreg genoeg om die verhoog te kon deel met ander akteurs, onder andere Oom Nico van die fliek "Arende", asook ñ blinde meisie, Vernice wat binnekort ook haar eie dokumentêr op televisie gaan doen. 

Hulle weet nog nie wanneer die Baster musiekvideo gaan reg wees om uitgesaai te word nie, hulle sal ons in kennis stel. Menandi is 8 jaar oud en ñ trotse Laerskool Kathu leerder.

Foto: Menandi Swiegers

Kumba has been on a business transformation journey over recent years. We have been implementing our Tswelelopele Strategy to enhance our margins, extend the life of our mines, manage costs, reduce the breakeven price and ensure we are sustainable for the future.

Our transformation journey includes deploying breakthrough technologies and new ways of working to become safer, cleaner, more productive and more competitive on the global stage, while driving demand for our quality ore. It also includes a targeted organisational restructure to ensure that the right work is done at the right time, in the right way by capable people in roles that are designed with clear accountabilities and authorities.

Guided by our company values, we have initiated a targeted consultation process with the employees who may be affected and our focus will be on helping them to manage the transition and prepare for the future.

The final numbers will be confirmed post the consultation process.

Emotions are running high as Kumba Iron Ore, a subsidiary of Anglo American plc, issued a notice that could affect 1600 employees at its Sishen and Kolomela mines and its head office. This comes in the wake of Kumba’s recently declared robust figures for the financial year ended 2020.

On Friday 05 March 2021, Kumba confirmed that the company had initiated a targeted consultation process with the employees who might be affected.

Spokesperson for Kumba Iron Ore, Sinah Phochana, explained that Kumba has been on a business transformation journey over recent years. The company has been implementing a strategy to enhance margins, extend the life of the mines, manage costs, reduce the breakeven price and ensure that it remains sustainable for the future.

She further said that the transformation journey includes deploying breakthrough technologies and new ways of working to become safer, cleaner, more productive and more competitive on the global stage, while driving demand for the company’s quality ore. It also includes a targeted organisational restructure to ensure that the right work is done at the right time, in the right way by capable people in roles that are designed with clear accountabilities and authorities.

Ms Phochana said that, guided by their company values, the final numbers would be confirmed post the consultation process, but that Kumba would help the affected employees to manage the transition and prepare for the future.

Meanwhile, labour union Solidarity’s Deputy General Secretary for the Mining, Agriculture and Chemical Industry, Riaan Visser, said the process could result in substantial job losses. Mr Visser said that Kumba’s reasons for the retrenchments had no grounds given the company’s strong financial performance in 2020.

Last month, Kumba, a subsidiary of Anglo American, delivered record earnings and dividends during the 12 months to the end of December 2020 on the back of 19 percent higher iron ore prices to $115 (about R1765) a ton and R20.7-billion of free cash flow, which supported the board’s decision to declare a final cash dividend of R41.30 a share. Combined with the interim cash dividend of R19.60 a share, the total cash dividend for the year increased by 30 percent to R60.90 a share, representing a pay out ratio of 86 percent of headline earnings.

Mr Visser said that employees had worked throughout the Covid-19 pandemic crisis, their families had already been affected by retrenchments, and they were struggling to put food on the table. “We understand that there are industries that are suffering terribly at the moment. However, it makes it that much worse when a mining giant such as Kumba wants to retrench employees after an excellent financial year. With unemployment currently at the highest level in South Africa’s history, a business cannot justify such actions in any way,” Mr Visser said.

Chief intervenes on unemployed youths

Forty-five youths from the entire region left for the Cape Coast college on February 14, 2021, to attend three-year courses. The noble idea had been suggested by the local chief who felt greatly indebted to assist youths who did not make it to matric level.

Chief Bakang Desmond Petlhu from Camden invited representatives from different government departments sometime last year to his village to showcase different opportunities available for the youths. It was through that platform he sold the idea to the Department of Labour on why the youths, especially non-matriculants, could be empowered by attending various courses that would ensure they made a living.

The Department of Labour welcomed the idea and then finally secured a college that could accommodate such students to obtain the relevant skills that could see them self-reliant in the future.

Different youths from different villages namely, Gamagara, Magobing, Camden and others were identified in the region and left for the Cape Coast where they now attend courses. Among the courses that different students will follow, vary from primary health, fitting and turning, automotive, education and development.

In an interview with Chief Petlhu as he was bidding farewell to the youths at the labour offices, he said that his initiative has come to fruition.

“After selling the idea, the District Manager Ms Nombeko Dibe of the Labour Department came back to Camden telling me that 45 youths have secured the opportunity to go and study for the next six months. Twenty-four more youths are yet to get the opportunity as accommodation became a restraint to all of them.

“It is disheartening to see children just loitering around the streets. As a community we shun delinquency, but these children are exposed to such temptations, because they have nothing to keep themselves busy with. An idle mind is always prone to go astray - especially that of a youth,” explained Chief Petlhu.

These educational opportunities were organised by the Department of Labour, led by Ms Nombeko Dibe in partnership with the West Coast College in the Western Cape.

Malfeasance, coupled with aging infrastructure and decreasing expenditure on maintenance, have been blamed for Eskom implementing load shedding over the past five days.

This emerged in what Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and Eskom management termed a frank discussion on the country’s current energy supply challenges.   

Addressing the media on Tuesday 19 March 2019, Mr Gordhan said that the rolling blackouts were a result of aging power plants and maintenance that has been deteriorating due to maintenance expenditure.

“This is a difficult time. Many people are frustrated because of the uncertainty around what is happening. We fully understand the frustration. We apologise for the burden that we are placing on South Africans at this point in time; [also] to the businesses - small and big – that are working under difficult circumstances in the current economic climate,” the Minister said.

He emphasised the importance of understanding where Eskom’s challenges emanated from, saying that the entity was doing its utmost to normalise the situation.  

“It’s going to be a huge struggle for us to overcome this emergency. We want to give the public as much information as we possibly can and have at our command so that we all have similar information.”

Mr Gordhan pointed out that Eskom is an old organisation and thus has some historical elements. The unravelling state capture allegations have also crippled the power utility.  

Responding to questions on how long load shedding would last, Mr Gordhan said that the various committees and task teams were investigating the extent of deterioration at the country’s power plants.

“At this point in time, we are still trying to get a better grasp of the technical problems and other problems that the power stations are confronting. That is why there is the Eskom presidential task team that was created in January. Eskom board and management are developing a turnaround strategy and a nine-point operational plan,” he said.

“This,” he said, “demonstrates government’s eagerness and determination to resolve the problems identified and answer how long load shedding would last. The answer to that question is that we need to complete these investigations and we will come back to you in the next 10 to 14 days,” the Minister said.

Eskom board chairman Jabu Mabuza said that the power utility’s problems are financial, structural and operational. “We have tried to do what we call a clean-up. What is clear now is that there is money stolen. This is clear. It’s clear looking at the financials that there has been no maintenance. The expenditure on maintenance was getting less and less until 2018. The question is how was money being spent ? That is a matter for law enforcement.”

He pointed out that the commissioned units under construction at power plants in Medupi and Kusile have not produced enough energy. “The one power station has one unit and the other has two but they keep tripping. We are in a situation of a gap and demand. The new plants are producing enough capacity and the old ones are too old,” Mr Mabuza said.

He said that over the past five years, expenditure on maintenance had decreased from R37-billion to R10-billion. Owing to low maintenance, power plants were beginning to “fall apart”.

Eskom CEO Phakamani Hadebe said the power utility would over the next five years use R50-billion to maintain power stations.

“Over the next five years, R50-billion has been set aside. That will not only be dealing with generation because that’s what we’ve been concentrating on, but we’ve taken a decision that if we don’t deal with transmission and distribution, we’ll be facing the same challenges as we are with generation.

“Going forward, we are to make sure that distribution and transmission are maintained,” he said.

SAnews.gov.za

Phoenix Warriors showcasing new talent

On February 26, Phoenix Warriors Kathu participated in the Jungle War X Tournament

which is a tournament aimed at nurturing and showcasing new and young kickboxing talent.

On 22 February 2020, Phoenix Warriors Kathu also participated with only 4 fighters, this year this Kalahari kickboxing club entered 27 fighters from age 4 to 33 years old.

The competition was hosted at the No Name Bar in Sasolburg, and kickboxing clubs came from all over South Africa.

Phoenix Warriors Kathu came home with several medals in various categories. Some of the fighters participated in more than one category – Gold   15, silver 17, bronze 8.

Sensei David Mac Vay expressed that he is very proud of every fighter’s achievement, considering it was a first time being exposed to such a platform for most of the fighters. “Much like me, they have to start somewhere and develop themselves, which is exactly what these tournaments will allow them to do.” Sensei David describes the Phoenix Warriors club as family orientated and welcoming to people of all fitness levels.

Toutrek die wenner 

Mimi Swart

Op Staterdag 5 Feb het die sentrale tourek gemeenskap saamgetrek by Laerskool De Aar om daar aan hul eerste toutrek kompitiesie deel te neem.

46 Spanne het in 8 gewigsafdelings (kaalvoete/laerskool en junior boots/hoërskool) deelgeneem wat neerkom op n totaal van 368 trekkers.

Van die spanne wat deelgeneem het was Postmasburg, Pirates (Kimberley), Jacobsdal, Landboudal Landbou skool, De Aar Laerskool.

Dit was n baie goed ge-organiseerde byeenkoms met goeie ondersteuning en De Aar het almal baie welkom laat voel met n lekker snoepie en goeie diens.

Al die klubs het baie goed gedoen en hul bes gegee in al die afdelings, daar was hier en daar n mamma wat moes troos en moed inpraat, maar dan word daar weer met mening getrek.

Op die einde van die dag was daar net een wenner en dit was die sport Toutrek. Wat ‘n wonderlike sport waar almal, groot, klein, seun, dogter enige ras, lekker saam kon deelneem aan een sport.

Die volgende kompetisie is 19 Februarie by Hoërskool Postmasburg se skool rugby veld om 10:00.  Daar sal nog meer spanne wees en die Seniors gaan ook die slag deelneem. Hierdie is ‘n baie belangrike kompetisie; dit berei die juniortrekkers voor vir die Junior SA Kampioenskappe wat 18 en 19 Maart in Marmesbury gaan plaasvind.  Hier word ongeveer 1800 toutrekkers verwag.

National launch of men’s netball

04 February 2022

The national launch of Netball was held on the 04 February 2023. Netball Friday forms part of the build-up programs for the 2023 Netball World Cup which will be hosted in Cape Town South Africa.

The event was opened by the MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture Ms Desery Fienies where she welcomed more than 1000 players, management and organising committee to Upington in the Northern Cape.

The department are requesting that the citizens of the Northern Cape to join this wonderful initiative and show support to the program.

As a province we are also hosting the National Men's Netball Championship in Upington at Upington High School from the 07 -12 February 2022, where we are expecting more than 900 players, managers and coaching staff from the various Provinces. There will be 5 District teams representing the Northern Cape at the National Men's Championship.

The MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture Ms Desery Fienies said that “The tournament is a catalyst of opportunities for the players participating and coupled to this it is also a platform where social cohesion and nation building can be promoted and enhanced. The tournament also provides the players with the opportunity to showcase their talent and potential to build the brand of men’s netball as it still highly regarded as a female dominated sport. It is indeed a great an honour and privilege for the Northern Cape to host a sport bonanza of such a magnitude. What is even more pleasing to us is that the Northern Cape is represented by 5 District teams in the tournament.”

MEC Fienies took the opportunity to wish Ms Jessica Du Plessis current Netball Protea Player who hails from the Northern Cape well and congratulated her on her wonderful achievement

NC DSAC