Cambridge High School and Queen's College booked their places in the National Final on Thursday, finishing top of the girls and boys divisions at the fourth leg of the rain interrupted Track+Field high schools athletics series in Queenstown. In the girls competition, Cambridge completely dominated, raking in a total of 737 points. They were well clear of Barkly East High School, who ended second with 467 points in the final standings, and Hangklip High School (413) were third. The boys division was more tightly contested, with host school Queen's College earning 868 points at the summit of the table. Barkly East (697) grabbed second spot and Cambridge (620) finished third. In individual events, five athletes achieved more than 800 points in their respective disciplines, including three girls and two boys. Among the girls, Keeziah Essop won the U17 200m sprint in 26.54 seconds, while Petra Kok took the U19 200m dash in 26.27 and Charne Pautz secured victory in the U19 shot put with a 10.49m heave. In the boys division, Joshua Jordaan achieved more than 800 points in both the U19 200m and 400m sprints. Jordaan won the 400m event in 48.01 and clocked 21.64 in the 200m race. Salmon Sibabalwe also impressed, taking second place in the U19 400m sprint in 49.66. Jordaan, the captain of the Queen's College team, was delighted to have led his school from the front with two spectacular performances, making full use of the opportunity to compete in the nationwide series which will be held in all nine provinces. "It's an amazing feeling to have competed here. Our coaches are a wonderful bunch, and the athletes really stood out today," Jordaan said. "I've used this as a base mark to see where I am. The long-term goal is the national championships, and hopefully I can qualify for the SA team to go overseas, so I tried to leave it all on the track today." Abby Brummer, who runs the athletics programme at Barkly East, was pleased for their learners to have a chance to compete against the top athletics schools in the Eastern Cape. Barkly East finished second in the boys and girls divisions after they had raised money to hire a bus to get them to the event. "We're very grateful for this opportunity. Barkly East had an absolute blast. We feel privileged to have been able to compete today," Brummer said. The next leg of the Track+Field series - a joint venture between SuperSport, SA Schools Athletics and Athletics South Africa - will be held in White River, Mpumalanga on Friday, 28 February. CAPE TOWN - Residents in the Western and Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal as well as Gauteng have been warned to be on high alert as bad weather conditions set in over the weekend. The SA Weather Service has issued an orange Level Six warning.  It said these provinces will experience strong winds, heavy downpours and snow in some parts over next two days. Parts of the Eastern Cape including Gqeberha, Penhoek Pass, R58 in Barkly East, and Mountain Shadow near Elliot may already have been hit by inclement weather including snowfall.  Eastern Cape Transport Spokesperson, Makhaya Komisa said emergency services have been activated to monitor the N2 Highway towards Gqeberha. "We advise our motorists to reduce speed when driving along this road as they approach Gqeberha from Makhanda. Our traffic officers are on the scene," said Komisa. Sections Home | South Africa Motorists travelling in the Northern parts of the Eastern Cape are urged to use alternative routes or delay their trips as more passes have been closed as a result of heavy snowfall. Transport MEC spokesperson Makhaya Komisa says the Penhoek Pass on the N6 between Jamestown and Komani the Barkly Pass on the R58 between Elliot & Barkley East as well as R58 road from Elliot towards Ngcobo are closed due to heavy snow “Traffic officers are stationed at both sides of the mountain passes to warn motorists The road users are encouraged to ask for secure routes from our law enforcement officers We are making a clarion call on all the motorists to be patient and adhere to the instructions of the traffic officers.” the N3 Toll Concession has closed the N3 at Van Reenen’s Pass because of dangerous conditions including black ice The N3TC said last night that traffic is being stopped at the Tugela Plaza in Kwazulu Natal and Harrismith South Interchange in the Free State It says snowfalls and the sudden drop in temperatures are causing the formation of black ice It says road surfaces at Van Reenens are slippery and reports are being received of trucks losing traction — N3 Toll Concession (@N3Route) September 21, 2024 Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio The town of Barkly East in the northeastern region of the Eastern Cape was covered in snow on 29 June The South African Weather Service (Saws) had warned on Wednesday that parts of South Africa and Lesotho were in for a brutal cold snap in the coming days The Saws forecasted snowfall in several towns in the northeastern parts of the Eastern Cape province Snow covers a road in Barkly East on 29 June The South African Weather Service had warned that some roads and mountain passes connecting communities on the southern Drakensberg in the Eastern Cape could be closed on Thursday following the potential disruptive snow on the roads and railways Snow in the town of Lady Grey in the Eastern Cape on 29 June The South African Weather Service had warned that the towns of Molteno Lady Grey and Matatiele could be affected by disruptive snowfall on Thursday A road is covered in snow on the morning of Thursday in the town of Barkly East in the Eastern Cape Heavy snowfall in the southern Drakensberg region on Thursday 2023 has transformed the town of Barkly East in the Eastern Cape into a winter wonderland Snow falls in the garden of a home in Barkly East Outdoor furniture and pot plants in the garden of a home in Barkly East are covered in snow on 29 A snow-covered tree in the central town of Barkly East on 29 June The branches of trees in the town of Barkly East are covered in snow on Thursday morning The South African Weather Service said that these snowy conditions were the result of the passage of a cut-off low system along the west coast of South Africa The South African Weather Service has warned that disruptive snow could affect roads and mountain passes in the area and the icy temperatures could also claim livestock in the region ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " certain ‘is this really happening’ moments tend to get most South Africans very excited At the top of the ‘things that make South Africans excited’ list is the idea of getting to experience the snowscape and for the town of Barkly in the Eastern Cape You’d be forgiven for thinking that the North Pole uprooted to South Africa this year after watching this video filmed by Anelle De Bruin capturing the snowy scenes in Barkly South Africans from other provinces couldn’t help but share their hopes that other provinces (like Cape Town and Gauteng) might exchange their winter weather patterns for a few snow kisses Others couldn’t believe that we do get snow in parts of South Africa ‘Did South Africa move continents?’ While Barkley turned into a snow town, other parts of the Eastern Cape have also been blanketed in snow, with some warnings for disruptive snowfall over parts of the Drakensberg and along the mountain passes, as Vox Weather recently reported. As for the rest of South Africa, we’ll have to make do with our other winter pastimes, like planning for Spring. Ashleigh Nefdt is a writer for Good Things Guy Ashleigh's favourite stories have always seen the hidden hero (without the cape) come to the rescue her labour of love is finding those everyday heroes and spotlighting their spark - especially those empowering women sustainability shakers and creatives with hearts of gold she's dedicated to her canvas or appreciating Mother Nature Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "a87f7ba1793cfec4e3cb0a55812f8fe9" );document.getElementById("d2d9e305b5").setAttribute( "id" and website in this browser for the next time I comment Would you like to receive truly phenomenal inspirational and good thing stories right to your inbox Then subscribe to our weekly GoodThingsGuy newsletter today I accept GTG’s Privacy Policy GoodThingsGuy is the home of everything good and those are the things that really matter We believe that there is good news all around us and over 1 million readers a month agree with us GoodThingsGuy was officially launched on the 1 August 2015 in order to only promote good news inspirational stories and promote only positive multi-platform media company that distills unique content across multiple media platforms We consider individual and corporate contributions through the website or mail us directly here. Be sure you have your GPS enabled and try again AGRICULTURE NEWS - “You can catch everything from the same rivers: smallmouth and largemouth yellowfish and muddies [mudfish],” enthuses Andrew Clark chairperson of the Barkly East Angling Society (BEAS) that makes the myriad streams and rivers in the Barkly East district so tantalising to fly anglers Despite the presence of the indigenous yellowfish fly fishing in Barkly East was actually kickstarted by the introduction of alien trout into the region’s rivers more than a century ago Read the full article here on the Caxton publication, Farmer's Weekly The N6 between Jamestown and Komani (Penhoek Pass) The R61 between Graaff-Reinet and Cradock (Wapadsberg Pass) Four passes in the Eastern Cape have been closed due to heavy snowfalls and slippery roads: The R58 between Eliot and Barkly East  (Barkly Pass) The N9 between Graaff-Reinet and Maroeba (Loodsberg Pass) Department of Transport spokesperson Unathi Binqose said traffic officers are on the scene controlling traffic; however motorists are advised not to use those routes and rather choose alternative routes until the snow subsides. There had also been an accident involving a bakkie and two trucks on the N10 between Cradock and Middelburg towards Cookhouse – 40km outside Cradock near Daggaboer, Binqose said. The driver of one of the trucks has died and five passengers from the bakkie are critical and have been taken to Cradock Hospital. Talk of the Town is the weekly newspaper of record for the community of Ndlambe and serves readers in and around Port Alfred, Kenton on Sea, Bushman's River Mouth, Alexandria, Kleinemond, and Makhanda. There are no road closures currently but roads in the north-eastern Cape are slippery because of snowfalls, includinig the Barkly Pass. Widespread clearance is expected later on Thursday. The remainder of the week will see cool and largely rain-free conditions. This article may contain graphic and/or adult content unsuitable for minors and sensitive readers. The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) in the Eastern Cape has completed various upgrades on the provincial roads to ensure smoother and safer travelling conditions for road users during the festive season. It says workers and contractors will go on shutdown on Thursday and will be back at work on 8 January 2024. Regional manager Mbulelo Peterson says they will have skeletal staff on standby in case of any emergencies that might arise on the road. To plan your journey SANRAL gave an update on the various projects in the province that will resume next year. R58 between Maletswai (formerly Aliwal North) and Lady Grey R61 section between Baziya and Mthatha Airport R63 from Fort Beaufort to Dikeni (formerly Alice) R67 between Komani (formerly Queenstown) and Whittlesea Peterson says the province's national road network condition varies from fair, good to very good but in some places, it can be described as bad, especially those roads that were transferred to SANRAL in 2022. He says they took over some provincial routes that were in a very bad condition and promptly attended to bringing them to a drivable state but "by and large" the roads will be open for traffic. R61 outside Mthatha towards Port St Johns (flood-damaged road infrastructure) N2 ongoing roadworks along Kei Cuttings will have an impact on traffic flow due to a one-lane closure (no lane closures during shutdown) N2 Ndabakazi Interchange construction site near Butterworth N2 between KwaBhaca (Mount Frere) and Ngcweleni River towards Kokstad N2 from Makhanda to Fish River, and further up between the Green River and Buffalo River near eQonce (King Williams Town) N2 Breidbach and Belstone Interchanges towards East London R411 between Viedgesville and Coffee Bay received emergency pothole repairs by SANRAL but three flood-damaged bridges are only 80% complete. Motorists will be able to access Coffee Bay as the Nenga Bridge will be open to traffic during the shutdown. Journey to Justice, an exclusive podcast on the life of Vicki Terblanche, a slain Gqeberha mother. Dive into the expansive world of motoring with Naresh Maharaj. Join Mark Marshall as he shares his extraordinary encounters with everything from bees to reptiles i It was a full weekend affair for  5FM radio host Fix Moeti and her boo They got married on a family farm in Barkly East in the Eastern Cape TV personality Maps Maponyane was one of the guests at the wedding and posted snaps from the wedding - including a stunning picture of the beautiful bride A photo posted by Maps Maponyane (@mmaponyane) on Jan 7 A photo posted by Yo Yum Tum (@yoyumtum) on Jan 8 A photo posted by Candice Heyns (@candiceheyns) on Jan 8 On Saturday Olympic champion Caster Semenya and her long-time girlfriend Violet Raseboya exchanged their vows at a wedding venue in Pretoria The ceremony was attended by close friends and family A photo posted by Mokgadi Mokgadi Mashishi (@castersemenya800m) on Jan 7 A photo posted by Mokgadi Mokgadi Mashishi (@castersemenya800m) on Jan 7 A photo posted by Mokgadi Mokgadi Mashishi (@castersemenya800m) on Jan 7 A photo posted by Mokgadi Mokgadi Mashishi (@castersemenya800m) on Jan 7 Black Coffee and actress Enhle Mbali finally walked down the aisle for their white wedding The glitzy ceremony was attended by a number of high-profile celebs and politicians A photo posted by Jarred Doyle (@jarredlove13) on Jan 8 A photo posted by Blue Chalk Communications (@bluechalk_sa) on Jan 8 A photo posted by DON LUCIANO (@therealdonluciano) on Jan 8 A photo posted by Khanyi Dhlomo (@khanyidhlomo) on Jan 8 The pair had a traditional wedding back in 2011 They formally registered their wedding at a private ceremony held at their home on Thursday evening Home | Sci-tech The overnight snowfall over parts of the Eastern Cape caused traffic disruptions in the affected areas A mini-bus taxi also overturned near Barkley East due to the slippery conditions The Lootsberg Pass between Graaff-Reinet and Middelburg is also closed to traffic Joe Gqabi District Municipality Spokesperson says a team from disaster management is out and about monitoring the situation “Motorists are advised with caution on the R58 between Barkly East and Elliot This morning a taxi overturned after a driver lost control due to snow and slippery road No injuries are reported as yet,” says Gceya The Lootsberg pass between Graaff-Reinet and Middelburg closed due to snow. Traffic authorities monitoring the Wapadsberg pass, which is still open. There was also light snow on the Carlton Heights pass between Middelburg and Colesberg. #sabcnews Pics: EC traffic department pic.twitter.com/izqTeVJJNm — Jurie Blignaut (@kluisenaar) August 14, 2021 Eastern Cape Today ‘s Weather overview: 14.8.2021 pic.twitter.com/eYBwrdJV6I — SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) August 14, 2021 The Wapadsberg Pass between Graaff Reinet and Cradock in the Eastern Cape is now also closed due to snow the Lootsberg Pass between Graaff Reinet and Middelburg was also closed Spokesperson for the provincial Department of Transport says the Penhoek Pass towards Jamestown on the N6 is also being monitored but is still open There was also light snow on the Carlton Heights pass between Middelburg and Colesberg Binqose is urging motorists to exercise extreme caution as road conditions in the snow-affected area are slippery