TRISTAN de Lange and Courtney Liebenberg were comfortable winners of the elite men and women’s categories at the third Nedbank Mountain Bike Cross Country Series at Farm Windhoek on Saturday De Lange completed the seven-lap course in a time of one hour 14 minutes 39 seconds to finish nearly seven minutes ahead of Xavier Papo (1:21:35) while Denzel de Koe came third in 1:22:29 and Niel Swanepoel fourth in 1:31:32 De Lange said he enjoyed the race and thanked the sponsors and organisers they always pull through and give us a nice day out “The young guys always have a lot of power at the start and it’s nice to see the talent coming through and every year I come back the level just goes up a bit so it’s always nice to see it and to have a good challenge.” De Lange elaborated a bit more about his performances so far this year as well as his plans for the rest of the year I went to Europe for a month to race in the first two rounds of the World Cup and I’ve come back now to prepare for the Namibian National Championships and also to take a bit of a breather for the travelling that’s going to come up at the end of the season with the Cape Epic being shifted to the end of the year.” In the elite women’s race over five laps Liebenberg was a comfortable winner in 1:08:24 who won the first two legs of the series is still the overall leader on 50 points but Liebenberg moves into second place on 38 points followed by Michelle Doman on 36 and Steyn on 29 points Louis Prins won the men’s sub veteran category over five laps in 1:04:00 followed by Kolja von Wentzel (1:07:42) and Michael Falk (1:09:25); Kevin Lowe won the u16 boys category over five laps in 53:43 followed by Adrian Key (59:35) and Oscar Roeber (1:03:50); and Ethan Le Strange won the junior men’s category over five laps in 58:18 Hans du Toit won the veteran men’s category over five laps in 59:52 followed by Philip Steyn (1:00:56) and Vernon Maresch (1:01:40) while Greg Chase won the master men’s category over four laps in 49:20 followed by Stefan Bohlke (50:31) and Stefan van Doorn (52:09) Michelle Doman won the sub-veteran women’s category over four laps in 57:25 while Elanor Grassow won the veteran women’s category over four laps in 57:03 followed by Marion Schonecke (59:49) and Anneke Steenkamp (1:11:27) Ada Kahl won the u16 girls category over four laps in 58:01 followed by Lotte Beulker (58:20) and Laura Engling (58:44) while Mandy Huysamen won the master women’s category over three laps in 50:00 Christiane Beulker won the marathon women’s category over three laps in 51:44 followed by Bianca Janse van Vuuren (52:13) and Lena Dolle (53:34) while Berrit Graf won the grand master women’s category over two laps in 38:56 copyright in the content of this website vest in The Free Press of Namibia (Proprietary) Limited (Registration No 85/058) The unauthorized making of copies or use of this material constitutes a copyright infringment under the Namibian Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Protection Act Powered by PageSuite © 2025 The Namibian This site asks for consent to use your data We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio former president Jacob Zuma charmed a gathering lassoed together by the diamond dealer Louis Liebenberg Former president Jacob Zuma (second left) and his diamond dealer benefactor Louis Liebenberg (second right) with supporters at The Afrikaner Leaders Forum held at The Maslow Times Square in Pretoria on 16 March 2024 At the upmarket conference centre, a gathering spot of the city’s who’s who, Liebenberg sat listening attentively as Zuma addressed the crowd, promising that white people would be safe if the uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party came to power.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Diamond dealer and Zuma benefactor Louis Liebenberg (centre) in the audience during former president Jacob Zuma’s address at The Maslow Times Square in Pretoria on 16 March 2024 The MK party made a weekend of it and the day after the Liebenberg meeting where Ekurhuleni displayed its growing support during a recruitment drive on 16 March 2024 MK party members shake hands at the recruitment drive in Mapletonm Ekurhuleni Ekurhuleni has 25% of Gauteng’s registered voters will be a key battleground in the 29 May election were offered for sale and traders did brisk business including the lamentation Wenzeni uZuma (What has Zuma done?) MK party members dance to struggle songs in Mapleton Richard Hleta uses a loudhailer at the MK party recruitment drive in Mapleton MK faces two court cases from a spooked ANC, which is challenging its registration by the Electoral Commission and its use of the name uMkhonto Wesizwe.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The new political party also uses the green “We want to get into power and change all challenges facing the country,” said Richard Hleta MK interim spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndlela said, “We see ourselves as a solution, not as an alternative. So Abantu [people] are organising themselves because of Msholozi [Zuma]. He has references and he’s got a track record. The people of Ekurhuleni have been ill-treated by this so-called coalition [an ANC-EFF coalition runs the metro].advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads you only need Emfuleni [a smaller council] and then Soweto [and you win Gauteng] MK joined the All African Alliance Movement (AAM) at a February gathering in Walkerville The AAAM is a movement of charismatic churches once associated with former Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng Read more in Daily Maverick: Zuma’s renegade MK Party labelled a visionless shell, but it cannot be overlooked  MK is fighting the election primarily in KZN and Gauteng the provinces with the most registered voters Recent polls have shown that its support is growing fast Why is the DIAMOND DEALER supporting a known CRIMINAL unless it has something to do with those 30 pieces of silver The question you have to ask is how will a diamond dealer benefit from an association with a bent criminla politician? Guys like this make investments for a return As mentioned Zuma had been in bed with the Soviets gir many years Because the alleged diamond dealer is a con artist running a pyramid scheme himself Liebenberg’s pyramid scheme offers its victims shares in alleged diamond transactions that don’t actually exist it’s a known criminal helping another known criminal Vincent this country is fast becoming a gangster paradise DA has all the potential to save this but they need to get their priorities right and pay more attention to the people who count most and their numbers will beat any vote Obviously a mate of convicted diamond dealer Hilary Crane who supported Winnie Mandelas political ambitions….and look what happened to her Beware the company you keep Mr Liebenberg – you lie down with dogs If you cant see it theres no point in explaining Bad company finds bad company is the gist of it you may wake up with lead poisoning (like Hazel RIP) Liebenberg should enrol the services of Carl Niehaus They are so similar in make-up and character they could be brothers There is potentially a great deal of money to be sucked from the KZ fiscus and should the MK party rule there MK members will be left sitting and blinking in the sun at Nkhandla wondering what the hell happened Cyril Ramaphosa IS GOING to be ARRESTED and Duduzane Zuma IS GOING to be PRESIDENT This shall be a Sign of the times a decree by the Word of the Spirit Don’t know about that….but I do know that these MK wannabes are all very well fed Yeh … just look at Kulebuse …and the pot belly on JZ Squealing on your comrades replaced by stealing from your people – sounds about right Let’s pray to God Almighty to deliver us from evil dishonest leaders He (God) promised that He will rise up governments and put others down Any diamond dealer supporting Zuma needs investigating by the Hawks What is this ‘hawks’ of which you speak Hawks are not allowed out of their cage the attack any prey currently or previously associated with the ANC a gathering spot of the city’s who’s who…” That picture is proof that money don’t buy you class….or is there a 1990’s fashion revival in Pretoria Why would a wealthy white Afrikaner bankroll a known criminal who has done so much damage and devastation to the country and who hates whites in general It simply does not make sense any other way There has got to be a big prize or pot of gold waiting in the wings should this walking-disaster-Zuma It’s not that he hates whites in general” And you would find that his actions do more harm to black people than the white people We’re going to vote mk BCS we want changed in South Africa If you are successful the change you get may not be all that pleasant Liebenberg is not a criminal diamond dealer Simply because there are no diamonds to deal in His ponzi is built on digital packets of diamonds I think the article needs to be corrected and Liebenberg simply referred to as “well-known criminal” Rock up to the Ncuntlasnake with enough cash & it will be more than happy to pimp its own daughter… I agree with you but maybe we shouldn’t be using 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 word in our collective invectives I thought Zuma had only black interests as he says what was he doing at an Afrikaana gig is he now part of WMC as he calls it Old man is here to shake South African politics for so long as he breathe loathing someone because we do not like his political stance only proves our short-sightedness to the constitutional democracy ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " All eyes will be on the nine finalists when the winner of the Toyota SA/Agri SA Young Farmer of the Year and New Harvest competition will be crowned The excitement and nerves among young farmers are building ahead of this year’s Toyota SA/Agri SA Young Farmer of the Year and New Harvest competition Agricultural role players from all corners of Mzansi will make their way to Johannesburg tonight (17 November) to celebrate agricultural excellence and crown the new young farmer of the year The process initiates at a regional level where various farmers are put through an evaluation process From a provincial selection to a regional winner the farmers then compete against each other nationally Farmers must be between the ages of 18-35 and needs to be a member of AgriSA’s provincial organisation for at least two years to qualify Finalists are all selected by the provincial departments and of course challenged in various ways to be able to qualify on a national level These challenges are not taken lightly as finalists are tested on financial they are nominated on a national level based on their regional performances The nine finalists representing their regions are looking forward to enjoying an evening where their hard work will be displayed and be able to cheer for each other as the top harvest winner will be announced Agri SA’s media and communications manager Thea Liebenburg shares more information on the finalists: Burger farms with sheep and cattle on the farm Eureka in the Wepener district He believes in creating a working environment where employees are empowered to reach their full potential Du Preez farms on the farm Gruisfontein in the Lichtenburg district with poultry The use of technology is one of his priorities for the upcoming season Lindeque farms between Kaapsehoop and Nelspruit near Barberton with macadamia nuts and also operates a macadamia nursery Cunningham farms with deciduous fruit and wine grapes in the Elgin and Villiersdorp districts He says he is working on a legacy that is synonymous with innovation and quality Fritzhenry farms with merinos on the farm Hartbeeshoek in the Aberdeen district He believes in the importance of resource conservation and his cultivation practices make provision for contour walls to counter erosion and improve veld density Wolvaardt Boerdery is located in the Letsitele district of Tzaneen with 30 ha of sweet peppers produced under specialised farming netting as well as 26 ha of tomatoes and 42 ha of citrus Jenkins farms on the farm Plantforum in the Tshwane district He is a specialist vegetable seedling grower and also produces micro vegetables and edible flowers Dempers produces maize and barley under irrigation He farms on the farm Dempers Boerdery in the Vaalhards district Williams farms on Canelands and Sekela Estates in the Inanda district of KwaZulu-Natal each farmer comes with their unique farming style and will bring amazing people together as they share this special moment in Johannesburg on Thursday ALSO READ: Eat Out Awards: Meet the top 8 chefs Sign up for Mzansi Today: Your daily take on the news and happenings from the agriculture value chain Just one important aspect of joining the South African hospitality industry on taking up a food and beverage job, is doing your.. With 21 global awards in the first six years of its existence Food For Mzansi is much more than an agriculture publication unashamedly saluting the unsung heroes of South African agriculture We believe in the power of agriculture to promote nation building and social cohesion by telling stories that are often overlooked by broader society Contact usOffice: +27 21 879 1824News: info@foodformzansi.co.zaAdvertising: sales@foodformzansi.co.za thesouthafrican.com is a division of Blue Sky Publications Ltd Reproduction without permission prohibited Home » Alleged diamond scammer Louis Liebenberg abandons bail application Alleged diamond fraudster and scammer Louis Liebenberg has ditched his bail application because of illness According to SABC NEWS suspected fraudster and diamond dealer Louis Liebenberg has dropped his bail application in the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate’s Court.  Liebenberg had moved his bail application on Monday after his attorneys withdrew from the trial The couple and seven others involved are not only suspected in the abovementioned charges; their fraudulent case relates to another case in which they were involved in an alleged investment fraud that conned investors more than R4 billion.   According to the DailyMaverick,  Liebenberg denied scamming money from investors “It is an absolute lie that we have taken R4.5 billion from people We have delivered R4.6 billion and paid around R4.5 billion but the state accuses us of theft,” he said.  He added that after a five-year investigation regarding diamond fraud the alleged fraudster couple was arrested at a Gauteng restaurant in October 2024 Forever Diamonds and Gold has been under investigation by the Hawks for more than five years The other seven facing charges are: Former directors at companies run by Liebenberg Christell Badenhosrt (42) and Johannes Badenhorst (41) Lastly is former employee Adriaan Dewald Strydom (35).  In total, they face 42 counts of fraud Liebenberg and his wife are the only ones still in jail as the seven other accused were released on bail.  Liebenberg applied for his bail in the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate’s Court on Monday. The Citizen reported that the case was expected to proceed on Thursday Liebenberg pleaded to address the court for only 20 minutes because he wanted to tell the court issues that he had failed to mention previously He admitted to the court that he and his wife took trips to Dubai He further stated that he did not tell the court that he and Dezzi’s landlords asked for their rental agreement to be dissolved as their case was attracting high media attention Liebenberg said he had been sick for the past few days and still is “I would like to abandon my bail application at this stage and we will revisit this with the requisition to court.” The state requested that Liebenberg remain in custody until February 4 His case was postponed for further investigation Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or by emailing info@thesouthafrican.com or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 You can also follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest news Follow us on Facebook for the latest breaking news, polls - and more! Deputy President Paul Mashatile has made a commitment to safeguard the newly proposed R100 billion Transformation Fund from corruption Chaos and laughter unfold as a brave rooster chases a woman after grabbing a chicken The Department of International Relations and Cooperation has announced the decision to close the SA Embassy in Sofia There’s a lot at stake for Kaizer Chiefs who are chasing one of the continents most sought after strikers Sue Duminy – the former wife of cricketer JP Duminy – cosied up to a mystery man at the recent AfrikaBurn festival… Kaizer Chiefs midfielder George Matlou has suggested that Amakhosi supporters can expect to finally witness his best football The court has denied diamond investment scam kingpin Louis Liebenberg's wife Desiree's bid for bail release. Image: @RSA_CJSSource: TwitterTSHWANE — Accused diamond fraudster Louis Liebenberg hung back as his wife appeared in the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate's Court for her latest bail bid During an anticlimatic appearance on Thursday the state opposed Desiree's application citing she was a flight risk and would interfere with witnesses if conditionally released The couple and seven other co-accused have been charged with a laundry list of charges relating to a R4 billion fraudulent scheme PAY ATTENTION: Briefly News is now on YouTube! Check out our interviews on Briefly TV Life now! including contraventions of the Companies Act While more charges are still expected to be added but her application was postponed while Liebenberg chose not to apply Those charged alongside the couple — who had since been granted bail on 23 and 31 October — are Christelle Badenhorst The Liebenbergs' 15 November appearance was marred by chaos after the 60-year-old disrupted the hearing to slam a journalist He complained to the court about the photos being taken of him and his wife as the prosecutor led the evidence during Desiree's bail proceedings Liebenberg allegedly registered 15 companies of which Kleynhans — facing an additional charge of money laundering — and with whom he was romantically involved Liebenberg and Kleynhans registered a company styled Tariomix in 2020 and Forever Zircon a year later purportedly for buying and selling diamonds They allegedly used the proceeds to fund a lavish lifestyle Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said potential investors were lured through social media and radio A Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) and the NPA's Organised Crime Unit investigation uncovered the elaborate scheme Desiree argued in her bail affidavit that she wasn't a flight risk But the state insisted she was a flight risk which Liebenberg claimed he had hid from authorities The matter was remanded to 25 November for Liebenberg's formal bail application The rest of the accused are expected to return to court on 4 February 2025 after the case was postponed for further investigations PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!