Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning The Pantry in Rosebank, Johannesburg was the Thursday, 3.30am meeting point for an epic, four-day, 2 200km road trip in electric cars from Johannesburg to Cape Town And it got off to a smooth start on day one before running into trouble late in the afternoon The road trip – involving Naamsa – The Automotive Business Council the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth Development Office is aimed at bringing a focus to the challenges that might face EV owners doing long-distance road trips in South Africa The day started well enough, until we reached Colesberg a small town about 620km from Johannesburg and a popular stopover for motorists on the N1 as it is roughly halfway between Gauteng and the Western Cape There are three direct current (DC) fast chargers in the town but when we arrived at around 3pm on Thursday More on this “Colesberg crisis” in a moment the team of 13 people participating in the road trip set off at 4.30am en route to a public charging station in Ventersburg The vehicles being used on the road trip are the: None of the vehicles gave any trouble on day one your correspondent spent a comfortable first day in the Volvo XC40 where we topped up the Volvo to 56% on a GridCars-operated 60kW DC fast-charger giving us an estimated range of just over 200km We were pleasantly surprised to discover a (relatively slow) alternating current (AC) charger at Gariep Dam (at the De Stijl Gariep Hotel) where — while having (a very good) lunch — we topped up the battery from 23% to 32% at a charge rate of 11kW the AC charger refused to release the charging cable from the Volvo and a team from the hotel had to be called to open up the charging station with a screwdriver in order to release it That cost us about 15 minutes — nothing too serious After a short drive over the magnificent Gariep dam wall we proceeded to Colesberg (about 50km away) where the plan was to charge all the vehicles to at least 80% of their capacity for the final drive to Nieu-Bethesda On the eastern side of town (on the approach from Gariep Dam) an Astron filling station promised two DC fast chargers but both were on the fritz when we arrived The RFID authentication on the display of the charging unit was giving an “invalid card” error Leaving two of the vehicles at Astron (the BMW and the Mercedes) to try to solve the problem VW and BYD – proceeded to the Engen 1-Stop on the other side of town where the slower AC charger worked but the only DC charger refused to initiate the charge with any of the vehicles even though it authenticated our charging cards After a lengthy call with GridCars customer support we were unable to resolve the issue and returned – with our batteries now running close to empty – to Astron on the other side of town where GridCars had found a workaround with the two DC chargers The solution was to provide a one-time Pin to bypass the card authentication error But with a queue of EVs and only two charging stations available it turned into a lengthy wait – and the prospect of an after-dark drive to Nieu-Bethesda down the N9 offer your correspondent the opportunity to write this article and publish it More will follow in Friday’s update after we’ve (hopefully) had a good night’s rest in Nieu-Bethesda Our next leg will take us through Graaff-Reinet and on to Gqeberha EV road trip: Jansenville, Gqeberha and the stunning Tesla Model Y Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning. TWO TEENAGE boys from Colesberg have been sentenced to five years of direct imprisonment for the rape and sexual assault of two young girls in a harrowing case that has shocked the community The Colesberg Regional Court handed down the sentences on February 25 following a detailed investigation into the brutal attack that took place just over two years ago According to Northern Cape police spokesperson Colonel Cherelle Ehlers when a group of children were playing in the veld near a local dumping site arrived at the scene and chased the children away - except for the two victims The boys then sexually assaulted and raped the young girls before fleeing the scene The traumatised victims courageously reported the incident to the police leading to the swift arrest of the perpetrators Detective Sergeant Willy Isaacs of the De Aar Family Violence and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit successfully secured a conviction The court sentenced one of the accused to five years of direct imprisonment for rape and sexual assault while the other received five years of direct imprisonment for rape both have been declared unfit to possess firearms The sentencing comes as the Northern Cape grapples with a rise in child-on-child sexual crimes In the latest third-quarter crime statistics released this week provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Koliswa Otola raised concerns about the alarming trend stressing that urgent intervention and awareness campaigns are needed to address the growing crisis Authorities are urging communities to remain vigilant and report any suspected crimes against children The public can provide anonymous tips via the MySAPS app or call the Crime Stop hotline at 08600 10111 The Khoisan king and his family have been struck by tragedy after a fatal accident on Friday claimed the life of the Khoisan queen The accident occurred on the N9 road between Colesberg and Noupoort The vehicle carrying the royal couple and three passengers suffered a tyre burst According to police spokesperson Sergeant Timothy Sam were rushed to Mannie Dipico Hospital in Colesberg “The Noupoort police are investigating a culpable homicide following the tragic accident,” said Sam Sam stated that while the queen was sadly pronounced dead The Khoisan group has been camping at the Union Buildings since December 5 to protest for First Nation recognition and land rights King Khoisan had been returning to Pretoria to resist an eviction notice when the accident occurred The Khoisan King spoke to Pretoria Rekord on Friday as he anticipated to arrive in Pretoria by 18:00 in order to fight off an alleged eviction process that would see him forced out of the gardens at the National key point “I will only be arriving at [the] Union Building 17:00-18:00 I am travelling from Port Elizabeth [Gqeberha] we will not vacate the Union Buildings,” said King Khoisan SA in response to the eviction notice The group has faced controversy over the years: Noupoort police have reminded road users to remain vigilant and inspect vehicles before trips Read original story on www.citizen.co.za made a brief appearance at the Colesberg Magistrate’s Court recently to face charges of fraud According to Northern Cape Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Nomthandazo Mnisi the allegations stem from Vorster's time as a customer consultant at Standard Bank in Colesberg between November 2011 and October 2012 granting them credit facilities without adhering to the required protocols The accusations include granting credit facilities without necessary documents such as proof of income Vorster is accused of manipulating Standard Bank’s new delivery system by falsifying and inflating applicants' income This reportedly enabled unqualified individuals to access credit facilities they would not have otherwise received Standard Bank suffered a potential loss of R1,846,663.73 as many clients were unable to repay the credit extended under these false pretences Vorster was released on R1,000 bail on December 12 and the case has been postponed to February 19 Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio wrap-around silence is broken by the first joyous song of a Karoo chat Then the lisping creak of a spinning windpump On any given school day, there is another sound, a faint growl that grows steadily louder. It is a convoy of white vehicles winding along a gravel road through the veld, trailing a veil of dust. The kids are off to school.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads spinning wind pumps and exclamation-mark poplars the neat red roofs and white walls are visible from kilometres away The South African flag flutters above a quadrangle of clipped green grass This farm school is part of the Hantam Community Education Trust (HCET) mostly the sons and daughters of Karoo farmworkers including nomadic sheep-shearer clans who live in a nearby shanty settlement called Die Nek — The Neck They are among South Africa’s poorest people facing the attendant problems of malnutrition The very real success stories coming out of this school are those of children from unpromising backgrounds who have gone on to become nurses we have made visible progress in breaking the downward spiral of poverty,” says Lesley Osler along with Clare Barnes-Webb and Anja Pienaar Barnes-Webb was running a farm shop on land her husband Peter managed selling basic foods to farmworkers at cost price every Friday She remembers seeing that injuries were often treated with random remedies: boot polish A convoy crosses the vlaktes near Colesberg carrying children to an exceptional farm school A donkey cart vignette at Die Nek settlement The HCET campus in the background is working to uplift the poorest of the Karoo’s poor Barnes-Webb cleaned and brightened a farmstead storeroom, made play-dough, and rounded up toys, crayons and paper. She collaborated with neighbours Lesley Osler (a former teacher) and Anja Pienaar (a former financial controller), who were both keen to bring children from their farms to the playschool. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads the community had chosen three young women: Lettie Martins The trio took the train to Viljoenskroon and came back two weeks later The little playschool brought the new teachers together with the children three times a week But there were no plans to take things further It was the parents of the children who pushed for something more “So we asked the parents what they had in mind and they said: a primary school but not one of us knew anything about actually running a school then called a meeting with the whole community We wanted to know who would back such an initiative.” there is usually a sprawling soccer game on the go Netball is a perfect game for a small school courtyard Play is the best form of education in early childhood The school takes children from Pre-grade right up to Grade 9 Hanna Phemba and the Persona doll the children named Thabo The three founders of the Hantam Community Education Trust “We wanted it to be the best we could make it,” said Barnes-Webb “It had to be good enough for our own children.” the new school was named Umthombo Wolwazi (Fountain of Knowledge) and started off with 60 children The Department of Basic Education contributed by paying some of the teachers’ salaries they had 96 children coming from 28 farms in a 50km radius Pienaar and Barnes-Webb had to form a Trust in order to raise more funds London and New York for the funding that would give their learners the best possible chance in life Lesley Osler: “We teach people that they have every right to be treated with dignity and respect Lesley Osler checking up on a sick child at Die Nek For those who cannot cope with academic life who dropped out due to circumstances like pregnancy the Trust runs Youth Empowerment Programmes and general force of nature behind the Trust’s secret weapon for creating employable graduates: the Hantam Hospitality School This rather remarkable institute is housed in a side street of Colesberg and uses donated funding to train disadvantaged youngsters in useful skills like basic and advanced cooking front of house and basic computer skills over six months Every graduate then does an internship with lodges guesthouses and restaurants in the district Every year there is a new intake of a dozen or so new pupils sourced by word of mouth from a wide catchment area The resulting employment rate for the hundreds of graduates from this school over the years is around 96% You will find them working in supermarkets in restaurants and guesthouses all over the Karoo Mothers and babies in the Effective Parenting Programme a settlement of former Karretjiemense (nomadic shearers) Many of their children attend Umthombo Wolwazi Lettie Martin has made a positive difference in the lives of hundreds of children New Hantam Hospitality School students learn about measuring instruments for baking five young men are wielding power tools under the close supervision of Estelle Jacobs’s brother and these youngsters are fine-tuning their skills before graduating One has a slight disability and the others just did not progress well in school But their pride in what they can do is tangible They started in January 2021 by fitting a ceiling in an old outbuilding installing lights before moving on to a bathroom in one of the teachers’ houses repairing stoves and making cages for gas bottles They have learnt to weld security gates and burglar bars But just as important are the softer skills,” says Jan Jacobs how to accurately cost out materials and labour they will be placed as interns at lodges or B+Bs “I also teach them how to spot an opportunity and how to make themselves useful or even indispensable.”  Each one also gets a toolkit that contains an angle grinder They are mentored and supported through the first three years of their working careers “We are in constant contact with them via WhatsApp That’s why they have such a high retention rate.” The HCET also runs a Farm Workers’ Apprenticeship Programme where young people can be trained and mentored before becoming agricultural interns These graduates are in high demand on local farms have handed over the reins to Jacobs and Mary Ann Smith who used to manage Gary Player’s horse farm up the road one simple sign tells the whole story of the Hantam Trust project This is an extract from Karoo Roads III – The Adventure Continues, by Chris Marais and Julienne du Toit. For author-signed, first-edition copies of Karoo Roads III or the complete collection of Karoo Roads books, email Julienne du Toit at [email protected]  In case you missed it, also read The Rescuers: In the Karoo with modern-day South African heroes The Rescuers: In the Karoo with modern-day South African heroes Visit Daily Maverick’s home page for more news, analysis and investigations This is proof that local action will bring meaningful change to communities ! Take action get involved to retain your own sanity & benefit You strike a woman, you strike a rock—Bravo to you all. What a joy to read the excellent news sandwiched between an epic day of bad news. This is very important story that deserves a high profile. As a Karoo ex farm girl myself, it us gratifying but it has more universal ring to it; about respect. I sincerely hope that Johan Rupert, who own large tracts of land around Cradock and Graaff-Reinet, has made significant donations to this project. Similarities to the Goedgedacht school philosophy and programmes from their base in Riebeek Kasteel region, Western Cape. Thank you for this inspiring feel-good story abour these wonderful initiatives in the Karoo. Amidst all the doom and gloom of South Africa’s current woes, it is so good to be reminded of the positive upbuilding actions taken by so many ordinary Sourh Africans to improve the lives of those around them. Viva ubuntu viva! What an inspiring story!!! Commitment and generosity of spirit from a few enlightened individuals creating so much hope, progress and prosperity within one community. This is the new South Africa we all dreamt of. Inspiring story Julienne and Chris – we’re loving your books. And we’ll done to those Karoo farming communities for showing the rest of us what can be done! ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " TWO DEDICATED Northern Cape detectives have ensured that a dangerous predator will spend the rest of his life behind bars Detective Sergeant Ilse Fan and Detective Constable Eric Ngcapayi Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit played a crucial role in securing the life imprisonment sentence handed down to 29-year-old rapist Bonani Singape whose reign of terror in Colesberg was brought to an end through meticulous investigative work Northern Cape police spokesperson Colonel Cherelle Ehlers detailed the chilling events that led to Singape’s conviction a 20-year-old woman was approached by Singape while on her way to a local shop in Colesberg Under the guise of selling her a laptop at a bargain price his true intentions became clear - he overpowered and raped her before robbing her of her cellphone and cash a 37-year-old woman fell prey to his deceitful tactics threatening her with a knife and dragging her into a nearby veld where he raped her he stabbed her in the arm before fleeing with her cellphone and clothing He remained in custody throughout the trial leading up to his sentencing in the Colesberg Regional Court on Tuesday this week the court ruled that Singape is unfit to possess a firearm and his name will be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders The Northern Cape SAPS provincial management commended Detective Sergeant Fan and Detective Constable Ngcapayi for their relentless pursuit of justice Their commitment to ensuring that violent criminals are held accountable has brought a sense of relief to the community of Colesberg “The detective’s tenacity and meticulous investigation ensured that the perpetrator of these heinous crimes is removed from society.” The authorities noted that the life sentence will serve as a firm reminder that crimes of this nature will not be tolerated and justice will prevail for the victims of such heinous acts Northern Cape – The Umthombo Wolwazi Farm School is supported by the Hantam Community Education Trust which has led the school to thrive It all started 28 years ago when a play school was set up in a disused farm building Since then it has grown into an early learning centre housed in a complex built on land donated by a local farmer The school is managed by the trust as well as a few other perks which the community can make use of “The Trust utilises advanced educational methods including innovative new approaches to achieving basic numeracy and literacy and helps its learners to complete further education and training It also manages community health and youth development programmes.” including the State President’s Award for Community Initiative in the Northern Cape They have 6 divisions which are focussed on uplifting the farm community of Colesberg children can access educational care from a young age They then move on to primary and high school learning From there the young adults are assisted with tertiary education they gain access to bursaries for further education and training and receive continued guidance and support The 4th division of the trust is youth development this programme is run for those that do not get the opportunity to go to university They all have the opportunity to get training that will help them enter the job market Everyone that is involved in the trust’s programme have access to medical care through the trust’s 5th division Learners and their families receive home visits from health workers and benefit from a community health clinic and pharmacy The final division of the trust is community participation The community is part of how the trust is governed having a say in how the children within the community are uplifted This approach has been a massive success and should be used as a model for how other towns can break the cycle of poverty by focusing on the foundation of society The trust operates on some governement funding but mostly relies on local and international donations. You can read more about it here You can watch how their trust has bred success over the last 28 years Tyler Leigh Vivier is a writer for Good Things Guy Her passion is to spread good news across South Africa with a big focus on environmental issues Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "a3c9496fd2d3f9edafdd8d7dec5bdcef" );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 Transportation from widespread farms around Colesberg is one of the Hantam Community Education Trust’s greatest expenses A Climax windpump spins and creaks quietly alongside a dirt road linking Colesberg with the blue horizon There is a cool morning breeze and a few sheep bleat in the distance they are drowned out by the distant roar of a straining engine emblazoned with the words “Hantam Community Education Trust” packed with children wearing grins as wide as the sky The bus heads over the hill and pulls up at a set of neat white buildings red-roofed and surrounded by trees and lawn the Hantam Community Education Trust’s central project and it is like no other farm school you’ve ever seen most of them the sons and daughters of Karoo farmworkers and nomadic sheep-shearers Charles Gavaza is explaining how pumps work Later they’ll head out to a windmill so the kids can appreciate the beautiful simplicity of one in action teacher Hanna Phemba is interacting with the class via a Persona doll dubbed Thabo This lifelike figure is given its own personality by the teacher and the children various issues can be discussed – everything from bullying to problems with reading or racial discrimination where they live In a classroom for those with learning disabilities Delia Allens has the kids (nicknamed the Musketeers) on exercise balls drawing infinity curves with both hands to help co-ordinate the left and right halves of their brains now the librarian – is cataloguing another of the many thousands of donated books grade 9 teacher Anel Heydenrych talks of her passion for teaching “The moment when a light goes on in a child’s head A farm school in the middle of nowhere is the last place you’d expect to buck the poverty cycle The founders of the Hantam Community Education Trust (HCET) are Lesley Osler they had no idea their humble little plans would end up as this little miracle of a school What these three farmers’ wives had in mind back in 1989 was a little crèche for their workers’ children Its success led to the parents begging for a new school to be created Umthombo Wolwazi (the Fountain of Knowledge) started in 1991 on a vacant house on one of the farms Soon it was serving children in a 50 km radius some from the poorest of the poor – the itinerant sheep-shearers some of the teachers were picking up health issues in the children’s development Soon they had a fully-fledged clinic managed by a pharmacist and two sisters; three years later This is also where pregnancy tests are carried out As soon as they hear a woman in the district is pregnant Trust community workers will go to her and explain to her what is happening with her body that she risks passing on the curse of foetal alcohol syndrome if she drinks liquor during her pregnancy Through constant interaction and education The families become part of the Trust’s Effective Parenting Programme the community workers teach the mother about the stages of development about allowing babies to crawl and move freely “We’ve found that children who don’t crawl have much greater difficulty learning to read and write later on.” the community health workers take toys with them and toss balls to the children to check coordination They talk to the children and check their hearing They discreetly check food availability in the house and give advice on everything from growing veggies to creating toys from scrap The holistic approach doesn’t stop when the children leave the school after grade 9 For those that need it and have good marks there are bursaries that help them matriculate at nearby schools those kinds of bursaries are available too There are hundreds of little success stories – sons and daughters of barely educated parents who have gone on to become teachers Ninety percent of their past pupils are gainfully employed The Trust also runs the Hantam Hospitality School that trains school-leavers in hospitality: basic and advanced cooking They leave with an accreditation certificate from City and Guilds in the UK The students from the Hantam Hospitality School (now in its 10th year with more than 100 graduates) are drawn from towns like Cradock take turns cooking for each other and doing weekly budgets they are sent on practical internships in their home towns Project co-ordinator Estelle Jacobs says 96% of the students are employed in part because they are mentored through the first three years of their working careers “We are in constant contact with them via Whatsapp.” The HCET has also started a Farm Workers’ Apprenticeship Programme where young people can be trained and mentored on farms before becoming agricultural interns “You have got to be quite patient and tenacious There is no silver bullet that fixes everything,” says Lesley “But you can never compromise on quality and the building of trust 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 Pictured is Dr William Grimmer and his wife Jean (nee Patterson) was the first District Surgeon of Griqualand West his eldest son Irvine was a prominent sportsman and De Beers Consolidated Mines assistant general manager was the last personal secretary and close friend of Cecil Rhodes was married to Judge Johannes Henricus Lange fourth child of six from the union of John Robert Grimmer and Ellen Grimmer (nee Gibbon) All of their six children were born in England before the entire family emigrated to Colesberg in the Cape Colony where they purchased the farm “Holle River” – the large area to the east of the railway line in Colesberg William’s eldest sister Anne married David Arnot in Colesberg in 1845 Arnot being well-known for his part in the Griqua nation’s claims to the area that included the diamond fields Not much is known about the early life of William excepting that he went to Scotland to study medicine at Edinburgh University which is where he met his wife Jean (nee Patterson) being employed as a medical inspector in 1862 before promotion to District Surgeon in 1863 their first child Irvine Rowell Grimmer being born in Colesberg on 7 July 1862 It was William that organised the first cricket match in Colesberg who together with others cleared an area south-west of the town for the field appointed umpires and erected awnings to shelter the ladies from the sun The ladies duly appeared in “fashionable gowns” a massive storm hit the Colesberg region and the river that runs through the town flooded its banks and the nearby houses The Grimmers resided in a cottage on the corner of the Market Square closest to the river and Jean was considered fortunate to escape with her (then) three children to higher ground South Africa (and Colesberg) was economically depressed at the time and the discovery of diamonds on the Orange River in late 1866 coupled to the later discovery of diamonds at the dry diggings of Dutoitspan and Bultfontein in November 1869 did much to alleviate the financial problems of the Cape Colony It was also the death knell for Colesberg as most of the citizens including well-known names such as Ortlepp took a few more years before he too departed for Klipdrift (Barkly West) in April 1872 having accepted the position of District Surgeon for the Pniel District paying some £400 per annum It was in early 1875 he took up his appointment as Resident Surgeon of the Carnarvon Hospital at a salary of £300 per annum and then became the District Surgeon at a higher salary He remained as District Surgeon until his retirement shortly before his death the job entailing much work in connection with sudden death and his name is mentioned in most of the murders in early Kimberley in connection with the autopsies Dr William Grimmer died in Kimberley on 30 April 1900 This plague was decimating the British army at the time (from March to June 1900) and civilians were certainly not immune he was one of the first to be buried in the newly opened West End cemetery in Kimberley His wife Jean died on 31 July 1902 and is buried in the family plot in the same cemetery From Kimberley Calls and Recalls on Facebook By Steve Lunderstedt Shortlink for this post: https://www.kimberley.org.za/?p=19456 Privacy Policy Charter meeting of the SA Museums Association .. Newton Home opened by Reverend JD Kestell .. Depo 25 Bonus 25 Depo 25 Bonus 25 Karavan Press and uHlanga Press launched a posthumous memoir of CJ Driver at Clarke’s Bookshop in Long Street was a South African anti-Apartheid activist Dayspring was launched with a discussion between David Attwell who is currently working on a biography about JM Coetzee Dayspring is a tender and deeply personal book offering an intimate picture of a family coming to terms with the losses of the World War II It is the story of a father and son recognising their differing beliefs about a young man navigating the joys and pitfalls of romance 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 The South African Motorsport fraternity has suffered the loss of a Volkswagen Motorsport truck which was involved in a fatal accident over the weekend outside of Colesberg The purpose-built GTI models were in action at Round 3 of the GTC series at Aldo Scribante Raceway with Daniel Rowe and Jonathan Mogotsi behind the wheel throughout the weekend of racing The truck was on its way back to Johannesburg when the accident happened The models aboard the truck were engulfed in flames after the collision and were presumably destroyed in the wreckage Little information has been provided to the motoring press at this point but an official Volkswagen Motorsport South Africa statement reads: “As Volkswagen Motorsport we can confirm that there has been a fatal vehicle accident outside of Colesberg involving our truck carrying the Volkswagen Golf 8 GTI racing cars.” More details will be published once they are made available Car Magazine conveys its heartfelt condolences to the loss of life that has been suffered by the Volkswagen Motorsport team Read original story on www.carmag.co.za 2017As we drove past the Lake Gariep reservoir Toni Richard Poni points to the farm he grew up on shimmering in the late afternoon light just like all the water around it when we get close enough to walk to the reservoir Toni points out the subtleties I missed — the small island that juts up was actually a hill that flanked the farm houses those mountains on the side divided the farm between two provinces the farm-owners' homes were tucked over there It was a poignant reminder that almost 50 years after the reservoir filled Toni Richard Poni points out the site of his farm When I began my journey into the Karoo a few weeks back fully aware that Gariep and Van der Kloof dam — the pillars of the Orange River Development Project – were built almost two generations ago But with the invaluable help of famers and municipal employees in the Colesberg district is largely responsible for this — he tracked these individuals down and translated their stories from Xhosa and Afrikaans to English The story Lungile and I found was dispersed in the towns and townships of Kuyasa all of which circle Van der Kloof and Gariep Dam leaving the life of the farm behind to build new lives in the segregated townships that were a feature of apartheid life who were very young when the dam was built and then took their newfound skills to construction jobs around the country and I came to realize that the dam project was a project of its time requiring all blacks to carry identity documents with their ethnicity hindered the free movement of many workers we talked to (and were almost always derisively referred to as the 'Dompas' or Dumb Pass) Some dam jobs were reserved for blacks in the Transkei and Ciskei segregated and economically-depressed homelands that the apartheid government set aside to cordon off blacks this policy limited work opportunities for blacks who lived closest to the dam so a few people we spoke to changed their names to 'coloured' surnames in order to find work Some families spoke of rushed removals off their farms possibly because of the devastating floods that overtook the Orange River in 1968 Some spoke of how the dam allowed for a new beginning by giving them the chance to move to a township and be in a larger community the snapshot of around 20 farm and dam workers we spoke to mentioned how the bones of their ancestors remain inundated One mentioned how her ancestors were complaining that they were cold underwater Wakhanda Boots Martins looks out over his property we interviewed a few members of the Poni and Phongolo families "It was like a town," Christina Phongolo told us who was around 17 when the dam was being built hated his life of labor on the farm – the early morning work as a child and extremely low pay But the farm offered open space and livestock and free meals which many interviewees wistfully recalled Unemployment and a lack of job opportunities is rife in the townships today The Poni and Phongolo family gather for a group shot in Venterstad I was only able to speak to one farmer on camera who's father was one of the main engineers on the Gariep dam Kathy and David described a wonderful boomtown that sprung up when the dam was being built International consultants and engineers set up shop in the area and this sleepy slice of the Karoo came alive with restaurants Many families asked us to give them the final report when we were done — some wanted to use it to seek compensation for livestock and land losses Since the final report won't be done for a while we instead held a small exhibition at the Colesberg Museum We put up the photos we took and screened a short film based on their interviews Lungile and I purposefully omitted details like name titles or exposition about the Orange River Project since most of our audience was familiar with the project and each other I'll share some more of these narratives and stories The Poni and Phongolo families settles in for a meal after the exhibition at the Colesberg Museum I worked as a fact-checker before this fellowship I find it hard to square away the 'truth' in everyone's interviews There are gaps and inconsistencies in people's stories and timelines don't always make sense The goal of this project is to capture people's 'lived experiences,' and I've realized those experiences can be messy Memories fade and experiences weave together over time Recording life narratives may be less about combing over every detail more about listening for and appreciating the heart of the story Ishan Thakore, a multimedia storyteller and journalist, is creating a series of short films to portray a nuanced portrait of the human benefits as well as the costs of large-scale water development in South Africa. Follow him here on the Voices blog, on Twitter and on Instagram About The National Geographic SocietyThe National Geographic Society is a global nonprofit organization that uses the power of science education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world National Geographic has pushed the boundaries of exploration investing in bold people and transformative ideas providing more than 15,000 grants for work across all seven continents reaching 3 million students each year through education offerings and engaging audiences around the globe through signature experiences To learn more, visit www.nationalgeographic.org or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. National Geographic Headquarters 1145 17th Street NW Washington, DC 20036 As the town of Colesburg has no SPCA or state veterinarian Rotarians from the small Northern Cape town took the animal welfare matters into their own hands “We identified a great need for the sterilisation of dogs and cats,” explained Jackie Ramsay The Department of Agricultural was willing to provide its facilities and staff if the club assisted with organising accommodation meals and the necessary animal medications As Rotarians have run this programme for the last two years they had a good idea of how much they would need to fund the sterilisation of 200 animals The Rotarians undertook the project using a grant that they received from Rotary District 9370 (south-eastern South Africa and Lesotho) and funds the club raised More than 400 animals were either dipping against ticks and fleas and other skin conditions vaccinated against rabies and dog flu and sterilised or spayed Some were found to have tumours and these were treated as well this project has grown and it soon became a community project as guesthouses donated accommodation local veterinarians offered their services and sponsored medicines while the town’s people donated food for the visiting vets as well as the dogs that were treated A lot of work was done beforehand by Martie Hatting an animal lover and retired hospital matron Hatting helped identify the patients that needed treatment and arranged their transport All the animals needed to be documented and tagged before they could be sterilised A local husband and wife team of veterinarians supported the project and donated two days of their time to attend to the animals This project has been so enthusiastically embraced by the department officials as well as the Rotarians and community of Colesburg that it is planned to increase the number of days that the programme runs next year It has also inspired other Rotary clubs in Rotary District 9370 (south-eastern South Africa and Lesotho) which are interested in replicating the project "a8b648b4c67ca6061530bbd4fcd6f5ac" );document.getElementById("d2d9e305b5").setAttribute( "id" In a rural area east of Colesberg Northern Cape accessible only by 50kms of crumbling dirt roads is the Umthombo Wolwazi school of the Hantam Community Education Trust they have an historic link to one of the most famous South African rugby families in the country What they do know is that the World Cup starts in a week’s time Last week Springbok fever took hold of the school with a face painting competition the heart-felt singing of the national anthem and the pure joy of having a South African team competing at the ultimate world championship of rugby If the school is an indication of national opinion (as it might well be) some of the kids love Canan Moodie the hero of the school is captain Siya Kolisi The Hantam Trust has a rich Springbok history Maeder is the son of former Springbok scrumhalf Stanley Osler and nephew of Bennie Osler one of the greatest Springboks of all time This weekend we see World Cup action for the first time this year Excellence and commitment will get the Boks over their first hurdle when they play Scotland in a crunch game – but if they are short of some love and passion the kids from the Hantam Trust will add that little bit extra Pictured above: An ardent Eben Etzebeth fanImage source: Supplied