A GROUP of community members intends to chase foreign nationals, who are allegedly operating as drug lords, out of Jan Kempdorp by Tuesday next week. Community leader Lebogang Banyatsi said that they wanted all illegal immigrants to be “deported with immediate effect”. “Over the past two months there has been an influx of foreign nationals who are peddling drugs in the Phokwane district,” said Banyatsi. “They are harassing community members and their families, including elderly grandmothers. “If the runners smoke the drugs, instead of selling it and handing over the profits, they assault them and their relatives at their homes. We are also worried about human trafficking because we have seen foreign nationals lurking around taverns, where it is obvious that they are not there for their own entertainment. Many are living nice lives and are staying in expensive houses.” Banyatsi added that they had handed over a memorandum to the Jan Kempdorp station commander and the Department of Home Affairs, requesting the assistance of the police in removing drug dealers from society. “Drugs are wreaking havoc on the lives of children and youth and we need to take a stand against this crisis. “The drug dealers must not relocate to Hartswater or Pampierstad, they must leave the country. We gave them seven days' notice to vacate. If they don’t leave we will force them out, without the use of violence, that is why we have requested the assistance of the police. The Department of Home Affairs must deport any undocumented persons out of the country.” Banyatsi stated that he had dropped off copies of the memorandums under the doors of the homes and shops of the alleged illegal immigrants. “Many are living in expensive places and are enriching themselves from the drug trade while the community is suffering.” Police spokesperson Captain Sergio Kock said that the police would be present to deal with any situation or “eventuality” in Jan Kempdorp related to the memorandum. The regional manager of the Department of Home Affairs, Ricardo Abrams, said that he was not aware of the memorandum. “We do not work on nationality but on a case-by-case basis. Anyone with information relating to undocumented persons should submit evidence to the department for investigation.” Cllr – Phokwane Municipality23 Sep 2024 in Press StatementsRoadworks in Jan Kempdorp have come to a complete standstill as Phokwane municipality fails to invest with urgency in the required equipment and supplies needed to effect repair work used by learners and workers to get to school and their places of work has shone the spotlight on the municipality’s sluggish efforts to ensure that the town’s roads are safe and drivable While preparations for repair work commenced weeks ago the municipality finds itself without a compactor and without tar to complete the job Phokwane recently terminated its lease agreement for a compactor It has also failed to proceed with the procurement of its own compactor despite this being a far more viable option the submission is being held up at the office of the Chief Financial Officer Excuses about the delayed ordering of the tar apparently hampered by municipal strike action Residents are increasingly frustrated as holes grow deeper and more treacherous with the possibility of rain likely to further aggravate the road conditions Other Jan Kempdorp roads in a visibly poor condition include Trinidad Street Jakaranda Avenue in Andalusia Park and the roads in the industrial area where heavy vehicles need access to ensure that the local economy stays afloat The DA has repeatedly addressed our concerns with the technical director Given the tendency by the municipality to prioritise Hartswater’s roads above Jan Kempdorp’s roads I also requested an investigation into the state and repair of Jan Kempdorp’s roads I have further appealed to the Municipal Manager to urgently intervene The DA is closely monitoring the situation and if the latest commitment by the municipality we will be launching a local petition to apply further pressure on Phokwane to patch Jan Kempdorp’s potholes registered non profit organisation in South AfricaReg No: 011-895 NPO Apparent security breaches and shortcomings at 93 Ammunition Depot are reasons for concern when the presence of what AfriForum calls “foreign militias” in South Africa is taken into account The Centurion headquartered civil society organisation via its community safety spokesman Jacques Broodryk raised the issue by way of a letter to Defence and Military Veterans Minister Elaborating on what he terms “serious security failures” at the Northern Cape ammunition depot administered by the Department of Defence (DoD) along with the School of Munitions that shares the Jan Kempdorp property with it Broodryk has it reports received point to a security fence in “severe disrepair” when coupled to out of order lights and trespassing incidents should be investigated and remedial action taken He wants Minister Motshekga to supply answers to the deployment of permanent guards and the readiness of “the military’s fire service” to respond to emergencies as well as the types and quantities of ammunition stored at 93 Ammunition Depot Broodryk has it the Jan Kempdorp community have “voiced concerns” about the poor security pointing out “a military facility of such strategic importance should be safeguarded with the highest level of security and the current situation represents a severe and unacceptable failure” “We are deeply concerned about the safety of ammunition stored at the depot especially in light of recent security breaches Bear in mind that foreign militias have recently been revealed to have a presence in South Africa “The community deserves answers and more importantly We cannot afford to wait until an incident occurs The time to act is now,” he said in a statement AfriForum urges the Ministry of Defence to take “swift corrective measures” including repairing the security fence ensuring proper lighting and guard patrols and verifying the safety of ammunition stored at the depot “are critical to ensuring the security of both the depot and the surrounding community” Editorial Enquiries: [email protected] Sales Enquiries: [email protected] The Department of Water and Sanitation and the Vaalharts Water User Association (WUA) have warned communities living near water canals against swimming or conducting any recreational activities in these bodies of water This follows the drowning of a 13-year-old boy from Bonita Park an informal settlement located along the Vaalharts Main Canal in the small town of Hartswater within the Phokwane Local Municipality in the Northern Cape on Tuesday It is reported that the 13-year-old child disappeared under water while swimming in the canal around 4pm The department said the South African Police Service (SAPS) divers are on site since the incident has also been engaging with the local municipality including the parents of the child and community members as police work around the clock to retrieve the body “The Vaalharts WUA have also opened all head sluices in its weirs along the canal to prevent the child from getting stuck as the WUA had undertaken maintenance over the past weekend on dams in the Taung area,” the department said the water is currently running at 1.3 metres per second in speed and volume can go up to 100 000 cubic metres per hour “This means the water levels cannot be dropped at this time to ensure that dams with low levels recover and the municipalities and irrigators continue to have access to water As soon as it is possible to lower the water without the risk of putting lives in danger due to no access to water it will be effected,” the department explained The Vaalharts Main Canal stretches about 140 kilometres from the Vaal River at Warrenton in the Northern Cape Taung and ends at the Pudimoe Water Treatment Works in Pudimoe which ultimately treats and transfers potable water to Vryburg in the North West The canal is part of the Vaalharts Water Scheme which has about 1 200 kilometres of canals managed by the WUA of which the Vaalharts Main Canal is the longest and largest The department said drowning incidents are likely around canals and other water bodies during the summer season when temperatures are high and members of the community seek to cool off The department appealed to community members to desist from swimming or fishing in canals as it is dangerous “We urge parents and communities to keep children away from running water The department added that ‘No Swimming’ signs have been placed along the canal to caution the public on the dangers of swimming in canals and regularly conduct public education and community awareness campaigns on dam and canal safety Awareness campaigns are also conducted for school kids as well as interactions with the municipality “The WUA also provides training to volunteers in communities around such infrastructure to be lifesavers and provide them with the necessary life saving equipment to enable them to assist members of the community who find themselves in life threatening situations around water bodies,” the department said is expected to visit the area on Saturday to assess the situation General Enquiries newsfiles@gcis.gov.za Tel: 012 473 0213Editor Roze Britz roze@gcis.gov.za News Editor Janine Arcangeli janine@gcis.gov.zaEditor-in-Chief Zanele Mngadizanelemngadi@gcis.gov.za  Action is being taken to eliminate security shortcomings highlighted by civil society grouping AfriForum Centurion headquartered AfriForum brought the security issues to the attention of Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga by way of a letter with action indicated by her in response to a Parliamentary question The question was posed by Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) National Assembly (NA) public representative Carl Niehaus who maintains the depot security fence is in “a state of disrepair” and is “easily breached” also home to the Department of Defence (DoD) School of Ammunition “Critically important” floodlights are also apparently out of order Motshekga informed her questioner in a written response budgetary constraints are a limiting factor Plans for a 2.4 metre high concrete wall along the facility’s northern boundary to replace the deteriorating fence is seeing the DoD Works Formation probably through its Northern Cape regional works unit “actively sourcing materials” for the project interim measures are in place during infrastructure upgrades They include static guards and vehicle patrols especially in areas where floodlighting and perimeter fencing are “compromised” are part of a comprehensive strategy to mitigate risks and ensure the depot operates securely to not only ensure the safety of the depot but the surrounding civilian community in Jan Kempdorp Editorial Enquiries: [email protected] Sales Enquiries: [email protected] Home | South Africa Residents of location six-o-four in Jan Kempdorp, Northern Cape, have raised concerns about sewage spillage flowing into their homes. The affected community members claim they have been grappling with this issue since they moved into the newly constructed RDP houses in 2010. They assert that the overwhelming stench and spillages pose health risks. Owning a home has become a daily ordeal for recipients of RDP houses in Jan Kempdorp. The community, which moved into their houses some 14 years ago, contend that they face raw sewage daily. They blame the Phokwane Municipality for neglecting to conduct proper assessments after the construction of their homes, alleging that the contractor failed to adequately address sanitation needs. This has resulted in an inhumane living situation, with sewage surrounding the new homes. Rosey Kehuiltlhetse, 66, resides in a yard where all human waste flows. The pensioner expresses frustration, stating, “Not everyone can live with that sewage smell that is why I say I am heartbroken by this, every day and every night I struggle.” Residents claim they have reported the issue to the municipality without resolution. Some unable to endure the stench have abandoned their homes and relocated. Resident Maria Maxambela laments, “Our chests get affected, even our children get chest conditions, this sewage even enters my home. The smell is all over the house, you can’t even eat in such a state.” The Phokwane Municipality attributes the persistent problem to aging infrastructure. Kgalalelo Letshabo, the municipality’s spokesperson, explains, “There are three projects currently under way in the area. The municipality is busy with a bulk sewer project to upgrade and install a new sewer outfall line to address the current situation and also the upgrading and refurbishment of sewer pump station.” The municipality indicates that the ongoing projects aimed at resolving the sewage challenges are expected to conclude in September. In the meantime, residents at location six-o-four (new homes) must endure the odor until a permanent solution is implemented. THE JAN Kempdorp community handed over a memorandum to the Department of Justice and the National Prosecuting Authority this week in objection to high crime rates and slow conviction rates. Community member Lebogang Banyatsi said that while Jan Kempdorp was a small town, violent crimes were reported on a daily basis. “Last year an eight-year-old girl was raped and the case is still ongoing. A 28-year-old woman was brutally killed in May 2022 in Masakeng township, where up until today no arrest has been made. A three-year-old boy went missing for almost a week and his body was found in the veld last year,” said Banyatsi. “More than 50 cases of housebreaking were reported since June 2022, and the complainants are still waiting for case numbers. The majority of stolen goods such as cellphones, laptops and plasma televisions are never retrieved.” He added that the community was aggrieved that criminals were granted free bail even if they had previous convictions. “Criminals are coming into our homes to steal, some are armed with weapons to threaten to kill us and our children, yet when we fight back for what belongs to us then we are arrested.” Banyatsi indicated that a homeowner was recently charged with attempted murder after criminals made a forced entry by breaking a window and stole his laptop and cellphone. “It appears as if the justice system is there to defend criminals more than protect innocent citizens.” He said the community had given the Department of Justice until next week to respond to their grievances. PROTEST action in Valspan and Jan Kempdorp has been temporarily called off to allow for a response from local government regarding poor service delivery, within the next seven days. A memorandum of grievances was handed over to a delegation that was deployed as part of the provincial rapid response team to address the community on Tuesday. The community is demanding the implementation of an infrastructure management plan to oversee roads, stormwater and infrastructure. “The residents of Valspan/Jan Kempdorp at large are concerned by the ongoing disregard for challenges facing our community resulting from a lack of any interventions from both the local municipality and provincial government. We are protesting because of our frustration with the persistent failure of the government to address appalling public services from Phokwane Municipality, decaying community infrastructure, rising poverty, unemployment and crime.” The community wants potholes and defective street lights to be repaired, issues regarding sanitation and sewage spills to be fixed and water and electricity problems to be attended to. They have also called for “safer communities” and want an investigation to be launched into the abandoned water project in the area of 604 stands. The memorandum has also called for a review of the appointment of the Phokwane municipal manager and the entire council, where it was indicated that a legal complaint was laid. “Council is neglecting its duties. We demand the immediate publication and audit of the asset registry of Phokwane Municipality dating back from 2014. There is alleged corruption and mismanagement of the municipal assets where municipal land disappeared from the asset registry without a trace.” It was also pointed out by the community members that since the “turnaround strategy” was supposed to have been implemented there have been no visible improvements at the municipality. “Questionable municipal governance is the main reason for the protest. Ever since the invocation of Section 139, the municipal governance has in fact worsened. We therefore demand that immediate remedial action be taken to ensure that municipal services are provided to communities.” The Valspan Communal Interest group sent a letter to Northern Cape Premier Dr Zamani Saul on Monday expressing their frustration over the slow response to service delivery complaints. They believe that the premier's promise of an “honest, uncorrupted new dawn" was nothing more than a “political façade”, where regional ANC conferences were instead given priority above the needs of the community. “Provincial government has disregarded our challenges and issues over the years. The Valspan community is sick and tired of 'talkshops' and verbal promises from representatives who only tell us lies. Our issues are not taken seriously.” The spokesperson for the Office of the Premier, Bronwyn Thomas-Abrahams, confirmed receipt of the letter. “The premier notes the concerns of the community and has therefore delegated a team of MECs to attend to the concerns raised by the community.” the Valspan sewage plant was not functioning at all NON-GOVERNMENTAL organisation Gariep Watch has cautioned Northern Cape communities that they are drinking “purified sewage water” as water sources are contaminated with high traces of raw sewage stated that large volumes of untreated and semi-treated sewage water were being discharged into the Vaal River and the Harts River from the wastewater treatment works at Bloemhof He pointed out that it is a criminal offence to pollute water resources “Several local municipalities are discharging a continuous flow of sewage water into the lower Vaal River where communities are at high risk of contracting waterborne diseases,” said Bekker He stated that the municipal managers at Lekwa-Teemane (Bloemhof and Christiana) Phokwane (Jan Kempdorp and Vaalharts) and Sol Plaatje (Riverton) local municipalities should be held accountable for failing to take reasonable preventative measures “Criminal charges were filed against the responsible municipal managers at the SAPS stations of each local municipality Further charges will be filed with the South African Human Rights Commission the Department of Water and Sanitation and the Department of Health.” Gamagara and Joe Morolong local municipalities were also affected by contaminated water supplies He warned that infected livestock and fresh produce that was irrigated with contaminated water in the Province from the lower Vaal and lower Orange rivers “Contaminated agricultural products can carry waterborne diseases such as hepatitis A “The country stands to lose 200,000 jobs if the fruit export industry is shut down because of any pathogens on the exported products,” warned Bekker He indicated that 1,280 farms that produced olives vegetables and grain were irrigated from the Vaalharts Dam “The confluence of the Vaal River and Orange River close to Douglas supplies the bulk water supply to towns such as Prieska It also supports an extensive agricultural industry He added that contaminated bulk water supplies were threatening the health and livelihoods of countless people in Kimberley and other Northern Cape communities “This sewage water is associated with high levels of bacteria toxic trace metals and emerging pollutants such as pharmaceuticals Sewage-related pollutants may include carcinogenic or mutagenic compounds and are not being tested for in the potable water supplies.” The FF+ lodged a criminal complaint against Phokwane Municipality for leaking sewage that was contaminating water sources in Jan Kempdorp File picture: Supplied Bekker indicated that there were elevated levels of contamination in Kimberley’s bulk water supply He stated that untreated sewage water was mixing with backwash water from the Riverton wastewater treatment plant before it entered the Vaal River “The water quality results show significant bacteriological contamination especially at the Riverton canal discharge locality.” He added that E coli values in excess of 130 cfu (colony-forming units) were detected throughout the lower Vaal River “There should be zero E coli in drinking water and the irrigation guidelines are set at less than one colony-forming unit of E coli per 100 millilitres of water “The water coming from the Bloemhof Dam is highly contaminated after raw sewage contributions from Bloemhof Christiana and Warrenton upstream from the Riverton water purification plant.” He identified dysfunctional wastewater treatment plants “Sewage treatment infrastructure at various local municipalities is not being maintained or operated by knowledgeable personnel Some state-of-the-art sewage treatment plants are simply being abandoned with raw sewage flowing through them towards the river.” Bekker added that research showed an alarming increase in diarrhoea cases at a provincial hospital in Upington whenever the Vaal River became flooded “People consume contaminated water from the irrigation canals directly from the river or from the potable water supply as the municipality is unable to effectively treat potable water supplies.” of which 25 were children under the age of five were admitted on one day after contracting diarrhoea when there was a high Vaal River flow Sol Plaatje Municipality spokesperson Thoko Riet said that while the quality of the Vaal River water had deteriorated due to pollution inputs from its catchment area the municipal water complied with the South African National Standards (SANS 241) "Purified water is tested and submitted to the national Department of Water and Sanitation Sewage spillages are attended to as and when they occur or are identified," said Riet She added that as Sol Plaatje Municipality abstracted raw water from the Vaal River at Riverton there were no direct sewage disposal points at the abstraction point Riet stated that Transnet had commissioned a project to abstract water from Kamfers Dam to reduce the overflow along the N12 The project is ongoing until safe levels are reached at the N12." The chief director of communications and advocacy at the Department of Forestry said 13 municipalities were presently under investigation in relation to offences related to causing harm to the environment in terms of the National Environmental Management Act Fisheries and the Environment is not in a position to provide details of active investigations ahead of issuing notices,” said Modise He added that water samples were taken by the Green Scorpions at different “crime scenes” as part of the investigation process “The samples are sent for analysis at different laboratories This evidence assists in proving the harm caused to the environment this mandate belongs to the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS).” Modise stated that DWS was the authority responsible for the country’s water resources wastewater management and sanitation as well as the water quality of towns Umsobomvu Municipality was issued with a R10 million fine that was suspended for five years after a farmer in Noupoort reported raw sewage spillages from the Eurekaville pump station Modise indicated that one of the conditions attached to the plea and sentence agreement was that water samples would be tested from the boreholes that supplied Noupoort with drinking water by an accredited laboratory “The results must be submitted to the DFFE who will in turn share the results with DWS who will be responsible for taking action should the results indicate challenges with the water quality.” He stated that the National Prosecuting Authority should be approached for comment regarding what steps would be taken in the event that an errant municipality did not have funds to pay a fine Department of Water and Sanitation spokesperson Amogelang Moholoeng said eight communities were investigated for pollution incidents “Municipalities of the eight communities were issued with directives to rectify pollution in their area of operation in the river system rectification and corrective measures were taken financial and technical support is rendered through the Green Drop programme,” said Moholoeng He stated that raw water from the Orange and Vaal river systems was not safe for human consumption although it was suitable for irrigation and other uses “That is why water is treated at water treatment works to ensure safe drinking water quality Drinking water is safe when treated and municipalities comply with the Blue Drop best practice programme “The Department of Water and Sanitation strives to protect raw water in rivers by limiting pollution and maintaining water quality with set water resource objectives.” Willie du Plessis isolated from loved ones and incarcerated with thousands of others in lice-infested camps This was the reality for many German men living in South Africa and South West Africa during the Second World War when the government of former Prime Minister Jan Smuts held them in internment camps A new donation to the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Library Services focuses on what life was like for these men during their incarceration artefacts and heirlooms was donated by Heinz Lange of Somerset West in January this year will be displayed from 16 March in the Ferdinand Postma Library on the NWU’s Potchefstroom Campus first at the Andalusia/Jan Kempdorp internment camp and later at the Baviaanspoort camp Most of the items in this special collection are marked with his prisoner number #807/40 The collection contains fascinating original historical documents correspondence and permits for visits from Willi’s wife Bertha It documents the time since he was imprisoned as a 26-year-old until his release six years later at the age of 32 Other artefacts that round off the collection include mostly handmade items such as a hat a leather book cover Willi made for Bertha three wallets with Andalusia engraved on it and a Waverley cigarette tin covered with carefully crafted leather Willi’s correspondence shows that life in the internment camp was not easy Suicides were rife and the monotonous passing of time must have been soul destroying but Willi did not allow conditions to grind him down and he used his time as best he could It was in the dreary camp that he learned to play the mandolin He also broadened his knowledge by attending various courses presented by the other prisoners (some of whom were professors) rugby games and jiu-jitsu were all keenly pursued in the camp librarian for special collections at the North-West University Libraries the camp had a profound impact on Willi and his family Not only did she lose her husband for six years but he was also the breadwinner of the family She had to move back to her parents in Green Point Cape Town and after Heinz’s birth to her sister in Gardens to survive “She had to travel from the Cape to Jan Kempdorp to see Willi She could only see him for half an hour each month they could talk to each other through a chicken-wire fence with guards watching them the whole time As young children were not allowed to visit By that time Heinz was already almost six years old.” Adri says these men were not imprisoned because they were politically active ― they were taken merely because they were German citizens it took 10 months after the war ended in 1945 for the prisoners to be released “If losing so much precious time weren’t enough they had to wait until March 1946 to be reunited with their families.” Life would never be exactly what it was before the men were incarcerated The effect the camps had on the prisoners lingered with them for a long time his father suffered from post-traumatic stress after being released and shunned people for a period of time Adri believes the collection gives everyone who sees it the opportunity to reflect on a piece of South Africa’s history that is not often talked about “The collection gives us pause to remember that this happened in our own country we are doomed to repeat history,” she concludes librarian for special collections at the NWU permits and artefacts that were among Willi Paul Karl Lange’s personal belongings during his incarceration Willi made the handbag and three wallets himself The photos are part of an album by LT Weichardt titled “Agter Doringdraad” Willi Paul Karl Lange took mandolin lessons during his imprisonment Willi Paul Karl Lange made this from an empty tin of Waverley cigarettes He covered it with leather and masterfully crafted the patterns as a gift for his wife The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the Northern Cape believes three SANDF members should face criminal charges The three South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers are facing charges of grievous bodily harm malicious damage to property and common assault They allegedly assaulted police officers in October 2022 in Jan Kempdorp The trio face a further charge of contravention of the disaster management act They are expected to appear in the Jan Kempdorp Magistrate’s court on March 30 NPA spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane says we do believe that these three members of the South African Defence Force have a case to answer to They will be back in court so as to be able to set up a date as well as consultations.” Parliamentary question: ammunition depot at Jan Kempdorp All ammunition in field storage was removed and placed in ammunition storage facilities which was inspected and licensed by the ammunition inspectors All ammunition is kept in safe licensed storage During 2010 a quantity of seven-hundred-and-eighty-eight (788) lightening conductors were inspected at the depot and one-hundred-and-thirty-two (132) were found to be non-conforming These conductors were repaired and conformity certificates were issued Editorial Enquiries: [email protected] Sales Enquiries: [email protected] ───   KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 14:22 Tue The Northern Cape R31 road is set to remain closed until engineers work on the life-threatening potholes and damaged layers of road This is according to the MEC for Roads and Public Works in the Northern Cape who addressed the media on the comprehensive plan for the R31 road at the Squarehill Park in Kimberley OFM News earlier reported that the department had closed the R31 road between Koopmansfontein and Middelpos after the road was flooded as a result of recent rainfall in the area Makatong said that more damage to road layers is expected to be uncovered as some roads remain submerged “The engineers have advised that after they have put some gravel on the road just to clear the road yesterday They could establish that in the one lane there is a big pot hole of a metre deep and that it will not be safe for people to continue to use the road it cannot start if the road is still submerged,” adds Makatong Also read: Flooded R31 in Northern Cape remains closed Meanwhile road users travelling from Kimberley to Kuruman should use the N12 route to Warrenton Those travelling from Postmasburg to Kimberley should use the R325 to Griekwastad and then join the N8 to Kimberley Those travelling from Lime Acres to Kimberley should use the R385 to Campbell - which is 69km of gravel road - to join the N8 Makamo further added that the gravel roads will have to be heavily maintained due to the overload of traffic on various diverted routes OFM News Parkeerterrein-aanranding: Klerksdorper se hofsaak begin Ondersoek begin ná brand by spogskool in Kimberley Questions mount over deaths of Free State constables Swaar straf gevra nadat jong kinders doodbrand Family of abandoned North West baby sought Oekraïne vra Suid-Afrika om ontvoerde kinders te help terugbring Wyle pous Franciskus het begrafnisrituele vooraf vereenvoudig Mianmar-aardbewing: Hulp stroom in ná meer as 1 700 sterftes Suid-Afrikaners wen gesogte blommeskou-trofee in China A 66-year-old woman from Jan Kempdorp in the Northern Cape has opened a case of fraud with the South African Police Service This after she allegedly lost R7 000 of her savings with PostBank The woman says she had R17 000 worth of savings and was shocked to find out that some of it was withdrawn without her knowledge She is the second person to come forward complaining about savings going missing at the bank This 66-year-old pensioner and her family are shattered She is still in disbelief that her savings with Post Bank are missing She claims more than R7 000 was withdrawn in September at the Post Office. She discovered the fraudulent transaction in November when her granddaughter attempted to deposit money into the savings account. “I am so disappointed that they took all my money at Postbank. So far no one has updated us with the case and the crime happened last year. Instead, the Post Office and the police have been taking us from pillar to post. I am so disappointed that the person who has been assisting us at the Post Office is the one who stole my money,” says Elsie Mtoto. Mtoto’s granddaughter says she alerted the family immediately after discovering the fraud. She says following the police’s preliminary investigation. It was discovered that her signature was forged. “I arrived at the Post Office to deposit money in the savings account. But upon my investigation I realised that money has been taken out of the account. I alerted the Post Office who later admitted the crime,” says Phumla Mtoto, granddaughter. Mtoto’s story is not an isolated one. Recently, a Barkly West couple also opened a case with the police after more than R100 000 of their savings were allegedly stolen from their account. “It’s a regrettable situation where perpetrators of crimes target people’s savings and, in this case, the Postbank is aware of that a case was opened. It is to investigate a case of fraud that includes collusion within our system,” says Postbank spokesperson Dr Bongani Diako. Northern Cape police say a female suspect was arrested but released on bail. She’s expected to appear in the Jan Kempdorp Magistrate’s Court next month. Meanwhile, the Postbank has encouraged customers to report suspected fraud cases via its e-mail address Fraud@postbank.co.za. NORTHERN Cape Agricultural High School hosted Justice Baratang Constance Mocumie, who is a judge at the Supreme Court Of Appeal, for a breakfast, to inform the community and youths about opportunities in the judiciary. Legal practitioners, magistrates and private attorneys from Warrenton, Jan Kempdorp, Pampierstad and Hartswater, as well as from Legal Aid South Africa, also attended the event last week. Justice Mocumie said the first woman judge in South Africa was Judge Leonara van Heerden, who originated from Kimberley and practised as an advocate at the Free State Bar. She also pointed out that several judges occupying high-ranking positions in the justice system were from the Northern Cape including Justice Mokgoro from Barkly West, who was one of the first woman judges to be appointed to the Constitutional Court. “We are all from small towns in a vast province. We have done our best to serve our Province and country well,” said Justice Mocumie. “Justice Steven Madjiet, who hails from Kenhardt, is also a judge at the Constitutional Court. Judge Sharon Chesiwe from Kimberley is an acting judge at the Office of the Chief Justice in the Free State High Court and Judge Nxumalo, who is also from Kimberley, is a judge at the Northern Cape High Court. Our local magistrate, Mr Morolong, was born in Warrenton and returned to serve the community that raised him.” She commended justice officials from the Province who gave back to their communities and helped uplift local communities. “We come home to try and set an example to young people that they too can make it if they dedicate their time and energy on achieving what they aspire to. “We come back home to ground ourselves and remember where we come from.” Justice Mocumie added that local magistrates had offered to educate youths about the justice system. “We encourage young people to be humble, respect their parents, especially single parents who manage to offer them an education. Youths should not disrespect or look down upon their parents as domestic workers. They should not envy the big cars they see judges and magistrates driving as they do not how hard they worked to be where they are. They should rather aspire to achieve what they want through commitment to their studies and hard work.” They pointed out that the Northern Cape Department of Education’s decision to shut the school was jeopardising the pupils’ futures “There have been no classes since Monday … and what about the Grade 12 pupils who are missing out on valuable lessons No one informed the parents and the pupils were left standing outside the premises.” The parents are demanding the appointment of the deputy principal who was elected by the school governing body (SGB) “There are some teachers who are insisting that he is not appointed and attempts were made to appoint him at another school.” According to a message that was addressed to the chairperson of the SGB pointed out that teachers were forcibly removed from the school premises without due processes being followed “Despite my efforts to find alternative spaces this is not so easy especially given the fact that no formal charges were laid against the teachers concerned regarding any charges of misconduct on their side We are still in the process of talking to all the parties involved.” She indicated that due to the volatile nature of the situation at the school and threats that were made by parents it was decided to keep the school closed in the interests of the safety of staff and pupils “Myself and the MEC were hoping to meet with the SGB and parents but were advised that the situation is very volatile.” She added that she was threatened and screamed at during her last visit to the school “I know that parents might not be happy but I was never disrespectful to anybody while engaging in meetings but had to endure much disrespect which I did for the sake of peace at the school “Right now I have to act in the interest of the safety of all employees and pupils I am praying that the situation will be calmed down by yourself and SGB members as responsible community leaders I am once again pleading that we continue to talk and allow learning and teaching to continue.” Northern Cape Department of Education spokesperson Geoffrey van der Merwe said on Tuesday that they were extremely concerned about the situation at Tlhwahalang Secondary School “Chaos erupted on Monday when five educators were forcefully removed from class by some members of the school governing body and community on receiving reports from departmental officials and the police decided to close the school for the safety of learners “Our district office and the head of the department have engaged the concerned members of the community and SGB on two previous occasions to try and find amicable solutions to their demands concerning the filling of a deputy principal post and the removal of specifically mentioned teachers.” He added that it was unfortunate that a number of accusations counter-accusations and threats continued to be exchanged where the environment was not conducive for learning and teaching no middle ground has yet been found till now and the community remains adamant on their demands “The department hopes that the situation can return back to normal as soon as possible in order for learning and teaching to continue in a safe and conducive environment.” Van der Merwe stated that the department would further engage and deliberate on this matter with the community until a workable solution was found The building work of the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme – an idea of Cecil Rhodes’ in 1886 – started in 1934 in the region and by the end of the year had cost £2 million for the 300 settlements The farm Andalusia (now Jan Kempdorp) was approved for survey as a town (or village) just before World War II The Vaalharts Weir was built in the Vaal River where water was diverted to the Vaalharts Main Canal The canal system consists of a total of 1,176 km of concrete coated canals which provide irrigation water to a total of 39,820 ha scheduled land industrial water to six towns and other industrial water users and also domestic and livestock water Irrigation activities as well as storm water drainage on Vaalharts Government Water Scheme and Taung Irrigation Scheme necessitated the building of multi-purpose drainage canals in order to drain storm water as well as subsurface drainage water effectively out of the irrigation scheme To date a total of 314 km of concrete drainage canals have been built for this purpose The Ganspan Welfare Settlement was developed under the Vaalharts canal system The Vaalharts Agricultural Research Station was also developed with a listed area of 381,2 ha From Kimberley Calls and Recalls on Facebook By Steve Lunderstedt Nearly 80 years after its construction, Vaalharts remains the largest irrigation scheme in South Africa. Lani van Vuuren explores the history of this scheme which dates back at least 130 years. Click to read. Shortlink for this post: https://www.kimberley.org.za/?p=5857 Privacy Policy South Africa’s first industrial strike begins Charter meeting of the SA Museums Association .. Depo 25 Bonus 25 Depo 25 Bonus 25 Have your say: Public hearings on key bills in the Free State Motsoaledi belê vergadering nadat USAID-besnoeiings MIV-klinieke tref Welkom-verdagtes gevonnis vir poging tot moord op polisieman, meisie Police crackdown continues with more road blocks in Free State ‘Barking mad’ economy putting strain on SPCA She gave a similar answer to a question asked of her by Democratic Alliance Member of Parliament James Lorimer in November last year Then she said the plans were at a “pre-feasibility” stage despite being in the works since at least 1996 Sisulu says “the building of the demolition plant is a project that is currently being undertaken through a feasibility study; depending on the outcome of the feasibility studies the best mechanism to dispose of ammunition will be determined i.e a fixed plant or mobile satellite facilities or what the study will determine it to be.” Last year she said the department had “had discussions with a number of companies that have ammunition disposal capacity including Denel and Nammo AS.” She added the project “to identify additional ammunition disposal capacity is at the pre-feasibility stage.” the then-Portfolio Committee on Defence expressed its displeasure at the lack of progress in establishing the facility for the more than 78 000 metric tons of obsolete and expired munitions then in the DoD’s Ammunition Sub Depots at De Aar The Parliamentary Monitoring Group (PMG) reported then-Committee acting chairman Gerhard Koornhof was annoyed at being told the facility would likely only be in place “in 2010” He said that the committee had visited the De Aar dump in 2006 and had been told at the time that the need for the facility was critical Other MPs had visited in October 2004 and tabled a report to the committee in March 2005 This recorded that 90% of the SANDF’s ammunition holding was then already older than 20 years The guaranteed shelf life for shells and pyrotechnics are 10 years and for small arms ammunition 20 years South African National Defence Force Chief of Logistics Maj Gen Justice Nkonyane then said contractual issues surrounding the plant were being discussed with a construction company Industry sources say Denel conducted a feasibility study into an ADP in 1996 leading to an Armscor Request for Proposal in September 2003 A company called SANABO DEMIL (Pty) Ltd was reportedly formed in 2004 with SAAB of Sweden and NAMMO of Norway each holding 30% and black-empowerment partner Autumn Star Trading owning the remaining 40% A framework agreement between the DoD and SANABO was signed in early 2005 the shareholders had by then decided to throw in the towel and wind up SANABO after being unable to meet DoD officials since late 2008 to finalise a number of details The sources add it would have taken two years to build the plant The 2005 report by MPs noted that the open burning and open detonation of ammunition as well as the existing incinerator used at De Aar “were environmentally unfriendly who are not trained disposal professionals but also the neighbouring community.” It would take 34 years for the DoD to destroy its unserviceable ammunition in that manner could address the backlog in seven to eight years “The plant could also be used by other countries in the region and this could assist in controlling the proliferation of small arms The plant would have safely dismantled the ammunition under strict supervision During this process recyclable material is recovered while other remnants are incinerated Small arms ammunition is typically incinerated as whole units as it is not economically feasible to dismantle Sisulu added 93 Ammunition depot at Jan Kempdorp “has a detailed plan in place to demolish all obsolete and redundant ammunition at the unit’s demolition range by means of detonation Currently the obsolete high capacity [aircraft] bombs are being destroyed Denel PMP in Pretoria is in the process of disposing of the obsolete small arms ammunition.” The DoD has six licensed demolition facilities other than Jankempdorp SA stopped dumping ammunition at sea in 1995 With the demise of SANABO it will now take at least a further five years under vigorous leadership to gain an ADP Pic: A Google view of Jankempdorp and surrounds Editorial Enquiries: [email protected] Sales Enquiries: [email protected] Some 249 250kg aircraft bombs in store at Jankempdorp are showing signs of crystalisation The Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans says the bombs are unsafe for use but remains safe for storage handling and transportation and pose no threat to any lives or infrastructure It can also still be safely destroyed by qualified South African National Defence Force (SANDF) last month said the bombs where manufactured in 1978 and 1979 Aging ammunition is an increasing problem for the SANDF it had holdings of at least 78 000 metric tons of obsolete The SANDF have three large ammunition depots: that at Jankempdorp and two others at De Aar and Naboomspruit All the ammunition at Jankempdorp is obsolete Although neither the answer to the latest question nor an earlier question quantified the amount of ammunition in storage at Jankempdorp – or it total – the August question noted field disposal would take some 20 years A further issue at Jankempdorp is encroachment by an informal settlement (shanty town) the ministry said concern about this was “justified” as the invasion of the safety zone around the dump poses a risk to those who settle there To protect them storage in the nine magazines have been curtailed rated for a blast of 200 000kg have been scaled back to 15 000kg one magazine rated for 20 000 kg has been reduced to 15 000 kg and the remaining six were reduced by 1000kg each In August the ministry said all critically unsafe ammunition had been destroyed by means of controlled detonation on a licensed demolition area and field storage had been discontinued “All the ammunition is safely stored in specifically designed and licensed ammunition storage facilities.” all ammunition “is inspected on a regular basis by ammunition specialists to ensure that the ammunition is safe for storage it is destroyed immediately by specialists.” “ammunition storage facilities are inspected regularly and the licences of these facilities are adjusted accordingly This has the implication that possible threats be eliminated as the quantities of ammunition to be stored in a storage facility are adjusted to adhere to the prescribed safety distances.” Lightning conductors are also being kept in good repair “Previously they were not inspected annually but this has been rectified by the SANDF,” th ministry said in its December response “During 2010 a quantity of 788 lightning conductors were inspected at the depot “and 132 were found to be of critical non-conformity.” All 132 lightning conductors were repaired and issued with a conformity certificate “There are no outstanding inspections this year and the next inspection will be conducted during September 2011 as required by national legislation.” One defect noted was that nine roofs were leaking “and as DPW [the Department of Public Works] does not currently have the capability to repair these roofs the SANDF is investigating the possibility to repair these roofs though the works regiment.” The ministry in October said the Department of Defence is still mulling an ammunition demilitarisation plant (ADP) In a written answer in the National Council of Provinces to a question asked by African National Congress Northern Cape delegate CJ de Beer the ministry said officials were studying the question It gave a similar answer to a question asked of her by Democratic Alliance Member of Parliament James Lorimer in November 2009 Then it said the plans were at a “pre-feasibility” stage The ministry avered “the building of the demolition plant is a project that is currently being undertaken through a feasibility study; depending on the outcome of the feasibility studies the best mechanism to dispose of ammunition will be determined i.e a fixed plant or mobile satellite facilities or what the study will determine it to be.” In 2009 the ministry said the department had “had discussions with a number of companies that have ammunition disposal capacity including Denel and Nammo AS.” In November 2008 the then-Portfolio Committee on Defence expressed its displeasure at the lack of progress in establishing the facility The Parliamentary Monitoring Group (PMG) reported then-committee acting chairman Gerhard Koornhof was annoyed at being told the facility would likely only be in place “in 2010” South African National Defence Force Chief of Logistics Major General Justice Nkonyane then said contractual issues surrounding the plant were being discussed with a construction company Editorial Enquiries: [email protected] Sales Enquiries: [email protected] SAPeople.com is a division of Blue Sky Publications Ltd Reproduction without permission prohibited Home » Shoot a lion: NSPCA appalled by South African private school fundraiser The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) has condemned the planned fundraiser at Futurum Akademie near Jan-Kempdorp in the Northern Cape The private school’s advertisement promoting a game/hunt auction with the prize being the hunt of a lioness in the Tosca area valued at R40 000 has been labelled both “appalling” and “deeply concerning” by the NSPCA which unequivocally opposes the hunting of animals for exhibition The prize also includes two-nights accommodation and a hunting permit RELATED | Kruger National Park gives update on employee bitten by hyena Under mounting pressure from animal advocacy groups the school has purportedly agreed to substitute the lioness hunt with two buffalos However, according to the NSPCA’s website this compromise fails to rectify the fundamental ethical issues at hand.  The NSPCA’s goal is to foster a future where animals are not viewed as mere commodities for human financial gain but as sentient beings deserving of dignity and respect The NSPCA has long stood against the captive lion industry and has advocated for the welfare of thousands of captive lions for over two decades The SAPeople website will continue to monitor the situation and update readers regarding the school fundraiser Futurum Akademie’s fundraiser advertisement The much-anticipated ‘Lekker R11 Sale’ from FlySafair is fast approaching – but when will it kick off South Africa will welcome the G20 Financial Inclusion and Women Empowerment Conference 2025 at Sun City One of Cape Town’s famous beaches has earned a place on the 2025 list of the ‘World’s 50 Best Beaches.’ Here’s what you need to know… Following a month filled with public holidays here’s the next date South Africans should note on their calendars Ekurhuleni has issued pre-dismissal letters to 389 metro police officers over their involvement in an illegal March strike The May 2025 SASSA Older Person Grants may face delays this week due to targeted verification procedures currently underway by the agency