Pictured is the view towards Upington from the Slang Bridge FOLLOWING heavy rains and the opening of sluice gates at the Vaal and Bloemhof dams widespread flooding has been reported in the Northern Cape.  The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) confirmed on Monday that light motor vehicles are currently prohibited from crossing the Slang Bridge over the Orange River The precautionary closure affects a key crossing on the R27 route between Groblershoop and Upington which remains open only to trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) “The water level at the bridge remains high and poses a risk to smaller vehicles We have implemented this measure purely in the interest of road user safety,” said Emile Du Preez located just outside Groblershoop on the R27 is a critical infrastructure point in the region particularly for agricultural and freight transport The closure is expected to affect daily commuters and smaller vehicle operators travelling between Groblershoop Motorists in light vehicles are advised to use an alternative route The designated detour turns off at kilometre 11 on Section 11 of the R27 and rejoins the main road between Groblershoop and Upington via Lennertsville Sanral has assured the public that it is monitoring the situation and will provide updates as conditions change "We understand the inconvenience this may cause and apologise to all affected road users Safety remains our top priority," the agency said in a statement especially near rivers and low-lying crossings as water levels can rise rapidly and conditions may deteriorate without warning Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio As a journalist writing about the floods of 2011 I remember coming to Upington and seeing crowds of water-watchers gathering on the bridge staring in fascination at the ever-rising levels of the Orange River an idiot would be posing for selfies on the railing: a “river incident” in the offing We followed the swelling river on the Kakamas road down past the islands, where police boats were busy rescuing stranded fruit pickers. And just as I was about to pat myself on the back for being an intrepid flood reporter, I read Thirstland Treks by Carel Birkby and stayed my hand.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads who was to become one of South Africa’s premier war correspondents was on assignment to cover island rescues during the dramatic floods of 1934 He was lucky enough to be in the company of Denys Reitz but first an adventurer,” writes Carel Birkby “He leaps into an aeroplane today when Cabinet duties call as readily as he leapt into the saddle during the guerrilla war of yesterday.” The rising waters seem to hold a mesmeric grip on people (Image Courtesy Stolper and Sons Archives) Having a cup of coffee behind sandbags in flooded Upington Flood-watching is an age-old Upington sport Colonel Reitz surveyed the flood damage first-hand from the air. Then he landed, jumped into a homemade boat and joined the rescue efforts around Kanon Eiland.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “He ate grilled springbok steaks and roosterkoek and over cups of the Afrikaners’ black coffee he heard their tales of misfortune,” says Birkby the politician looks back on that as one of his happiest nights.” And now Julienne du Toit and I are about to meet a man who seems cut from the same cloth as Denys Reitz the owner of the iconic Sakkie se Arkie river cruise vessel “Sakkie is the David Hasselhoff of Upington He’ll tell you all the river stories you need to know.” The party-goers have already gathered at the bar and the double-decker boat is filling fast Spangenberg is at his post behind the wheel upstairs Swallows nesting under the bridge are launching themselves into space in the hunt for miggies those annoying little Orange River black flies There are river people fishing all along the banks Sunday afternoon river cruising on Sakkie se Arkie one of the prime tourism assets of Upington twirling the Arkie around like a fat lady on a dancefloor just under the bridge and blowing his musical Mississippi riverboat claxons for the hell of it “But we do often get groups of professional mourners.” And then they come out on Sakkie se Arkie and let their hair down after all that wailing.”  She goes over and asks the women where they’re from we’re just a social club from Kimberley,” they reply in unison and return to their festivities Sakkie se Arkie: the perfect antidote to professional mourning stress syndrome One of the riverside villages that line the Orange If he wasn’t so deeply rooted to life on the Orange River and the Kalahari Sakkie Spangenberg would be a famous storyteller on Afrikaans radio When he gets the narrative bit between his teeth Sakkie Spangenberg – the “David Hasselhoff of Upington” the river cruiser everyone loves in Upington The Kalahari Gemsbok – imagine game-catching one of these with your bare hands Sakkie has been running his Arkie since 1997 he has also rescued more than 40 people and countless beasts from drowning in the Orange River I’ve got the guts,” he’ll tell you straight in the pitch dark of night when I climb in my rubber duck to go and help somebody I say a prayer for the safe return of everyone in the boat I realise I really tempted fate that day.” The first person Sakkie ever rescued was a pensioner who had gone Awol from the local old age home. He’d wandered off to the bridge to see the rising waters, looked down at the fast-flowing water, lost his balance and fallen in.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “At first I was told a car full of people had gone over the bridge,” says Sakkie “So I grabbed five life jackets and jumped onto my jetski I went downriver from the bridge for nearly two kilometres and saw no one Then I turned back and saw his head bobbing above the water near a clump of half-submerged trees grabbed him by his jersey and laid him across the jetski saddle so he could puke out all the water so do the numbers of spectators on the Upington Bridge And the vineyards in the low-lying areas flanking the flooded Orange River go temporarily underwater a mate and I rescued a couple and their four children from one of the little islands Then a broken vineyard pole with razor wire attached came floating down and severed one of the ribs of the inflatable rubber duck “The mother grabbed me so hard she nearly throttled me I had to beg her to relax her grip on my throat.” come down to the flooding Orange River to end their lives “I once saved a guy who had jumped off the bridge I had to fight him to get him onto the boat and ducked him under a couple of times – just so he could get a taste of what drowning was all about when we approached the bridge and the people began cheering he made another attempt to jump out of the boat rainy night Sakkie got a call to rescue two young boys who were stranded on an island “Even at three-quarter throttle the boat was stationary so I had to gun it flat-out to get upstream And I thank the angels for protecting me.” DM This is a short chapter excerpt from Karoo Roads IV – In Faraway Places (360 pages, black and white photography, R350 including taxes and courier in South Africa) available from  September 2024. Anyone interested in pre-ordering a first edition, author-signed copy should please contact Julie at [email protected] for more details The Karoo Quartet (Karoo Roads 1 – 4) consists of more than 60 Karoo stories and hundreds of black and white photographs. Priced at R960 (including taxes and courier in South Africa), this Heritage Collection can also be ordered from [email protected] My father was one of the handful of Water Affairs engineers building the Orange River irrigation scheme canals and pipes that are still keeping the whole area fruitful and irrigated Buchuberg Dam is what he referred to as the “barrage” used to divert water from the Vaal into the canal system ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " Cape Town Spurs drew 2-2 with Upington City in the Motsepe Foundation Championship match played at the Mxolisi Dicky Jacobs Stadium on Sunday afternoon The draw saw the Urban Warriors remain 14th in the league standings but they are now two points above the relegation zone and are also undefeated in their last two matches Coach Ernst Middendorp’s side will travel to the Limpopo Province where they are scheduled to take on Venda FC in the Nedbank Cup Last 32 encounter on 25 January The Urban Warriors got off to the perfect start in Upington as Asanele Velebayi hit the back of the net to hand Spurs a 1-0 lead just 10 minutes into the match and it was the club captain’s third goal of the season The visitors then pushed for their second goal of the match and they punished Bafana Ba Gucci in the 31st minute as Therlo Moosa netted his second goal in as many matches to make it 2-0 to Spurs the hosts applied pressure on the Urban Warriors towards the half-time break and they pulled one back through Trevor Mokwena who converted a penalty in the 44th minute The score was 2-2 at half-time after Mokwena set up Karabo Theletsane who scored in first-half stoppage time Both teams created chances after the restart with Spurs goalkeeper Marlon Heugh making smart saves to keep Upington at bay the game ended in a 2-2 draw with Spurs collecting an important point on the road If there’s one big town in the Kalahari-Karoo crossover zone that has been awakened by the Northern Cape mining boom Settlements relying totally on extractive industries are eventually doomed to ghost town status, but Upington has her riverside agricultural giants and regional tourism is up like never before. So, long after the big lorries and the big spenders have left, Upington will still be there. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads but will still be the go-to outfitters for north-bound travellers in need of food and camping supplies for their annual Kalahari safari And the riverside dwellers who surely own some of the finest real estate in the Northern Cape will still dip their toes in the passing floodwaters of the Orange and toast the evening skies with fine brandy Julienne du Toit and I check in at the Riverbank Lodge unpack the bakkie and settle in for a sundowner whisky at water’s edge which was at one stage the best resort around Our Cradock-based friend Ludi Schröder remembers that his grandmother planted the palm trees that now line the avenues and resort grounds like watchful giants with crazy hair Die Eiland resort on the south bank of the Orange River in Upington We’ve just photographed the camel-cop statue outside the Upington police station when I notice the bakkie is a little low on fuel.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads At the local Engen an old fellow approaches me pointing at the “Karoo Stories” sign on the outside of my door Julie and I are seated in a neat little lounge in the suburbs listening to one Nico Steenkamp while his companion “When I was a young man in the early 1990s My friend John Fichter had a 15,000-ha piece of ground in the Kalahari So we pooled our assets and went farming Karakul sheep together Magdaleen Human and her partner Nico Steenkamp The hard yards: Nico’s collage of Kalahari karakul farming memories What follows is an interesting ramble about Karakul farming on the deep Kalahari sand, “where sheep never get fat”. I asked him what happened to the Karakul lamb carcasses once their day-old pelts had been removed.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads A statue dedicated to the camel-mounted constabulary of the Kalahari Classic old bakkies and Kalahari camel riders on a long-ago shopping expedition to Upington (Photo: Courtesy of Stolper & Sons Archives) Upington back in February of 1982 was a hellish hotbox Our hotel was still stuck in the early Sixties: wine-coloured drapes in the vast dining area permanently closed against the midsummer Kalahari outside We never seemed to find shaded parking for our little red hire car so it also offered its unwelcome services as a mini-sauna The courtroom had a dodgy air conditioner that seemed to grunt and stutter nearly as loudly as the witnesses on the stand Even the river outside looked like it had simply fallen asleep Six years later, the Orange River would come roaring down, brown and angry, through Upington and beyond, claiming more than 20 lives and causing billions of rands’ damage to agriculture. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “The river takes its Christmas box early,” the locals say (Image courtesy Stolper and Sons Archives) The first train to cross the new bridge at Upington in 1935 (Image Courtesy Stolper & Sons Archives) Let’s fly back in time to 1948: World War 2 has been over for three years but, ironically, the victorious Allies are going through a terrible depression while the defeated nations (Germany and Japan) are being rebuilt at an incredible rate.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Dutch photographer Frits Stolper arrives in Upington and sets up his business with one Box Brownie camera and one roll of Kodak film at the counter of the very camera shop where Noel and I used to buy film more than 40 years ago his mother Tannie Jane and his brother Charles But Kurland knew something no other Upington Gentiles were aware of: during the war Frits had smuggled Jewish refugees out of Holland he had risked his own life to sneak Jewish families out from under Nazi noses And these humane deeds are never forgotten So Kurland let Stolper have a modest studio behind the main street café then we talk.” Frits had the place rent-free for five years Thus began a photographic dynasty as successive Stolpers recorded the growth of Upington It was also the start of a generations-long friendship between the Stolpers and the Kurlands has moved from photographic work to printing and framing And then Freddie Stolper offers us the use of his family collection of historic Upington photographs (including ones from the pre-Stolper days) free and for mahala It’s that old Karoo-Kalahari spirit of hospitality all over again… DM This is a short chapter excerpt from Karoo Roads IV – In Faraway Places (360 pages, black and white photography, R350 including taxes and courier in South Africa) available from  September 2024. Anyone interested in pre-ordering a first edition, author-signed copy should please contact Julie at [email protected] for more details The Karoo Quartet (Karoo Roads 1 – 4) consists of more than 60 Karoo stories and hundreds of black and white photographs. Priced at R960 (including taxes and courier in South Africa), this Heritage Collection can also be ordered from [email protected] I lived and worked in Upington in my early twenties The Stolpers were definitely the got to guys for things photographic Cape Town Spurs were held to a 1-1 draw in a fierce contest with Upington City in the Motsepe Foundation Championship at the Athlone Stadium on Sunday evening leading to a share of the points in the Mother City The match was intense from the very beginning with City being awarded a free kick and Spurs defending the danger well.  Trevor Mokwena opened the scoring for the away team in the 27th minute and the Urban Warriors found themselves behind Mervin Boji scored for Spurs towards the end of the first half after receiving a pass from captain Asanele Velebayi in the 39th minute Both teams continued with high energy to grab the lead but the scoreline remained 1-1 well into the 70th minute Michael Morton was sent off after committing a foul on Clayton Maravela The match ended 1-1 and the two teams shared the spoils in Cape Town and for Upington City they’ll feel they’ve worked hard for the point but for Spurs it’s definitely a disappointing result.  Overflying the Orange River in the Karoo-Kalahari crossover zone at 10,000m in an SAA Boeing 737 was like watching a restless green anaconda writhing its way through a vast khaki landscape Descending, you could see the vibrant river, the lush farms on her flanks and the stony desert beyond. Even a city-bred youngster like me could instantly work out the economics of the situation. Having a riverside farm with canal access meant you were blessed. Anything further out and you farmed hard, Kalahari-style.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads (Photo: Courtesy of Kalahari-Oranje Museum) The Pierre van Ryneveld Airfield back in the 1950s long before it became the Upington Airport photographer Noel Watson and I had been sent to Upington by the Rand Daily Mail newspaper in Johannesburg to cover a murder case that had a land battle at its core A local farmer had lost his prized river island property to the man he had borrowed money from a well-known senator and prominent Karakul sheep farmer one guy died and the other guy was up for murder Read more: Colours of the Kalahari — answering the desert’s call The dinky little Upington Airport with its super-long landing strip (Concorde was tested here and, if it really needed to, the Space Shuttle could have touched down here as well) became our sunset stop-over for more than a month. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads We would hand the day’s shot film over to a willing passenger on the 7.30pm flight to the Big Smoke He would then drop it off at the Avis counter and someone from the office would pick it up rush it to the darkroom and print up selected photographs for the late morning edition of the Mail Let’s just say there were some irate phone conversations with various editors (news editor picture editor and night editor) over the weeks that followed Drunken flight passengers from Upington don’t make the most reliable film couriers (Photo: Courtesy of Die Gemsbok newspaper) Jones had the look of a long-ago Hollywood matinee idol He had a gruff voice and a direct manner and being the only other journalist to cover the murder case in those first few days a great sense of generosity towards the two urbanites who were plying him with drinks at the bar Jones quickly brought us up to speed on the murder case at hand the main players in the courtroom and the dynamics of life along this stretch of the river Douglas Jones had worked just about anywhere a South African reporter could land a job including Die Vaderland and Die Republikein in Windhoek he brought all his old-school skills with him and gave this wonderful little country paper everything he had who had taken up the reins of Die Gemsbok after his passing we do some sight-seeing to orientate ourselves We spend most of our first Upington day doing the drive-around touristy stuff: the Kalahari-Oranje Museum and the donkey statue dedicated to all the beasts of burden that helped build the Orange River Scheme a century ago said black ox in the veld followed by a quick spin with Lady Luck at the slot machines of the Desert Palace Casino The Working Donkey statue outside the Kalahari-Oranje Museum at Upington Here’s the thing about regional newspapers like Die Gemsbok: They have eyes and ears on the ground – not only in the form of in-house journalists but also in the large network of contacts spread out in the towns, villages and farming communities within their catchment area. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads These news gatherers know which school or club won their rugby games last weekend, which old age homes are staging a fundraising fête on Saturday and which farmer produced a giant 11kg head of cabbage last month.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads They also attend municipal council meetings they’re the first news responders at a crime scene and they know who’s cooking the books in the halls of local power the whistle-blowers and the colourful characters populating their landscape In a world where most advertisers have run off to Facebook But when you kill your local newspaper by not supporting it with your pocket you cut yourself off from happenings in your home town And some people in the halls of power cheer madly because they can now continue the business of ripping you off This is why I am delighted to see this little country paper still on its feet and steered by Elsa Jones, who came to Upington back in 1986 with a BA journalism degree and honours in communications from the University of Potchefstroom.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads had only one question for the young graduate: Because Jones covered the courts and the crime Elsa’s beat became the softer side of the newspaper: social events women’s group activities and human interest stories “A third reporter covered the sports,” she tells us settling back into her chair in the editor’s office we built on that network and trained our contributors in the basics of photojournalism It’s amazing what you can do with smartphones these days.”  “Every now and again we leave town to cover stories Last weekend I was at a cultural festival 250km away The newspaper prints only 7,000 hard copies every week but it boasts a mind-boggling distribution system mentioning destinations that include Rustenburg “And then we have a guy who drops newspapers off for us at Augrabies,” she adds The 90-year-old Gemsbok faces the same financial pressures as iconic foreign newspapers 30 times its size with dwindling advertising revenues and reduced editorial budget “Although we cover the floods and the scandals we are also always on the lookout for positive stories,” she says “A community paper is essential for the people who live here.” She replaced Douglas Jones not long before his death He just wanted me to spell the Afrikaans word weereens (again) for him A lot of people fall in the river in summer Read more:  The legend of Victorian-era Kalahari outlaw, Scotty Smith One of the strangest stories Marina has investigated began with a report on the birth of a half-human half-goat born up in the border village of Rietfontein It turned out to be a malformed goat foetus This is a short chapter excerpt from Karoo Roads IV – In Faraway Places (360 pages, black and white photography, R350 including taxes and courier in South Africa) available from  September 2024. Anyone interested in pre-ordering a first edition, author-signed copy should please contact Julie at [email protected] for more details The Karoo Quartet (Karoo Roads 1 – 4) consists of more than 60 Karoo stories and hundreds of black and white photographs. Priced at R960 (including taxes and courier in South Africa), this Heritage Collection can also be ordered from [email protected] Great to read that ace reporter and fine editor writer and photojournalist Chris Marais on community newspapers they’re the heart and soul of the places and people they serve they are the last bastion against tech-bro brutality I once dreamed of running a small town paper This story reminds me of when I was conscripted to cover a Himalayan expedition I employed a team of Sherpa runners to Kathmandu to fly to it via London to Jhb to the ad agency that was going to make weekly movies… Big snafu Cape Town Spurs will be targeting a second successive win in the Motsepe Foundation Championship at the Mxolisi Dicky Jacobs Stadium on Sunday The Urban Warriors got off to a winning start in 2025 as they secured a 1-0 win over Casric Stars at home courtesy of Therlo Moosa’s late goal on 10 January The victory saw Spurs remain 14th in the Motsepe Foundation Championship standings – a point above the relegation zone with 15 matches left A victory over Upington would see coach Ernst Middendorp’s side boost their confidence in their bid to avoid relegation and challenge for promotion Upington started the new year with a 0-0 draw against Pretoria Callies at home on 11 January in a clash between two teams hovering just above the relegation zone Bafana Ba Gucci are placed 12th in the Motsepe Foundation Championship standings – five points ahead of Spurs coming into Sunday’s encounter This will be the second competitive meeting between Spurs and Upington across all competitions Their first-ever meeting ended in a 1-1 draw in Cape Town on 20 October as Mervin Boji cancelled out Bokang Mokwena’s opening goal Small-scale livestock farmers on common land in Upington are desperate for water The farmers’ kraals and grazing areas are on municipal commonage in this hot and arid town south of the Kalahari desert And most of the 80 or so farmers on the commonage do not have access to water at their kraals for sheep There are communal water tanks supplied by the municipality but the farmers say there is little water in the tanks who farms on the Rosedale side of the commonage said that the pressure in the water tanks was very low and that water only dribbled out “We are dependent on the vegetation,” said Van Wyk Andre van Wyk fills his tank with water that he had to fetch from home Farmers have resorted to fetching water from their homes and carting it daily with their trucks to their thirsty livestock Rosedale farmers are also battling frequent livestock theft. There is no fencing.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Carl Stevens says he lost about 64 of his livestock in January “They were either stolen or just lost,” said Stevens Farmer Frankie Koopman wondered how the municipality expected them to farm enough to export and earn a living “It is any person’s desire to make your farming successful No one wants to farm just for the sake of it,” he said Carl Stevens said that over 60 of his livestock were either stolen or lost in January farmers’ kraals are lined up next to one another and they are cramped When the farmers were moved here they were told it was only temporary There is nothing here any more,” said farmer Paulina September Overgrazing and lack of water makes it difficult for the emerging farmers to feed their livestock Yet they pay a fee to the municipality for each animal for use of the commonage “For eight months I haven’t had water here There is no water,” said farmer Mangaliso Mashiyi “Can they not take us somewhere where there is wetter ground?” Mashiyi said the day they had access to water they would have no trouble paying their bills Maria Lankalebalela has to transport bales of feed as there isn’t enough food for the animals to graze on She says that she is also struggling with access to water “The municipality is running away from that power,” said Ranayeke The draft policy sets out a framework for the management of the commonage through a “Commonage Committee” representatives of the municipality and the departments of agriculture water and the South African Police Service This committee will make recommendations to the municipal council Every commonage is also to have a management committee with emerging farmers as members The management committee would be responsible for managing the commonage and reporting to the Commonage Committee There isn’t always water available for the animals when they return from grazing in the field The acting district manager of the Northern Cape Department of Agriculture’s directorate for Agricultural Producer Support and Development said that the management of the commonage is the “sole responsibility” of the Dawid Kruiper Local Municipality Majaja said the last commonage committee meeting for Dawid Kruiper Municipality was held on 14 February 2014. A meeting to revive the Commonage Committee was held on 19 September 2024, but only two farmers attended the meeting, and “the meeting didn’t reach a desired outcome”.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Ranayeke said the reason the meeting was badly attended was because the municipality had postponed meetings with the farmers so many times Another meeting, where farmers were due to address the council, was cancelled. The farmers were told this when they arrived at the municipal buildings.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Majaja said the fees farmers were paying to the municipality were for the use of grazing The funds should be applied to maintain fences and stock water systems on commonage farms About 80 small-scale farmers live on commonage land in Upington there are no sustainable agricultural management practices followed and these grazing areas tend to be the first to show signs of drought when conditions are unfavourable,” he said Dawid Kruiper municipality spokesperson Patrick Williams promised to respond to GroundUp’s questions but had not done so by the time of publication First published by GroundUp. THE NATIONAL Department of Transport, in collaboration with the Northern Cape Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison, will commemorate International Civil Aviation Day (ICAD) on Saturday with an exciting air show at Upington Airport. National Department of Transport spokesperson Collen Msibi highlighted that a mega career expo will be held during the event, aimed at informing the youth and school pupils about career opportunities in the aviation and transport sectors. “ICAD is celebrated annually on December 7 each year to observe the signing of the International Civil Aviation Convention in 1944,” Msibi explained. He added that this year’s event has been made possible through partnerships with the South African Civil Aviation Authority, Airports Company South Africa, Air Traffic Navigation Services, Dawid Kruiper Local Municipality, ZFM Mgcawu District Municipality, the Transport Education and Training Authority, the South African Police Service Air Wing, the South African Air Force, and South African Airways. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the provincial Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison, Rennie Andrias, announced that the 2024 provincial festive season road safety campaign would be launched in Upington on Thursday. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Cllr – Dawid Kruiper Municipality26 Nov 2024 in Press StatementsThe Democratic Alliance (DA) has reported Dawid Kruiper municipality to the Green Scorpions for failing to stop sewage from spilling into the town’s irrigation canal is contaminating the canal in the vicinity of the municipality’s electrical unit in Cohen Road through Lemoendraai and then along the Keimoes Road to Mctaggarts Camp The canal is used for the irrigation of town gardens and also by emerging farmers for vineyards Klippunt and Kalksloot also make use of the canal water for household purposes The situation poses a serious health risk to the community surrounding the canal especially to people and animals using the water and consuming the produce that is being irrigated with it The situation also poses an economic risk to the smallholder farmers whose livelihoods are being threatened by the resultant water quality issues Sewage in the canal water is also triggering an algal growth This is making canal maintenance increasingly difficult for the Upington Besproeiingsraad I reported the sewage spill to the Municipal Manager and the Director of Civil Services three weeks ago The municipality inspected the site last week but there remains no sense of urgency to stop the sewage leak The DA also submitted a written complaint to the MEC of Environment and the Green Scorpions for their urgent attention Given the reliance of many communities on canal water especially amidst ongoing water restrictions being imposed in Upington the situation cannot be left to develop into a bigger health and water crisis Democratic Alliance, registered non profit organisation in South AfricaReg No: 011-895 NPO View this post on Instagram A post shared by Soccer Laduma (@soccer_laduma) SA News African News World News The Club House Podcasts & Videos More Motsepe-Foundation-Championship Hot on the heels of having departed Richards Bay FC owing to poor results Brandon Truter has entered the gates at Upington City with the Motsepe Foundation Championship outfit announcing him as their new head coach on Monday.The news was confirmed on Monday morning in a club statement that also revealed that current head coach Thulani Nkosi would be stepping down from his role we are pleased to announce that Coach Brandon Truter will take over as the new Head Coach of Upington City FC effective immediately," the statement reads READ | Truter: I'd rather not let it come from me where he previously served as Senior Coach and his experience and familiarity with the team will be invaluable in guiding the players and staff during this transition period "We are delighted to welcome Coach Truter back to Upington City FC His appointment is a significant boost to the team and we are confident that he will lead the team to success." Upington currently sit in 11th place on the Motsepe Foundation Championship log table with just four wins from 13 matches.  Truter will get his first chance at steadying the ship when his side meets Hungry Lions at the Suzuki Stadium on Friday ALSO READ | Benni on Soweto giants offer: I did speak with the Chairman... Upington City FC would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to outgoing Head Coach Thulani Nkosi for his invaluable contributions to the club since its inception.Coach Nkosi has been an integral part of Upington City FC's journey guiding the team through its formative years and helping to establish the club as a competitive force in South African football.Throughout his tenure Coach Nkosi has demonstrated unwavering dedication His leadership and expertise have been instrumental in shaping the team's identity and culture.Today marks Coach Nkosi's last day with the club We would like to thank him for his tireless efforts and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.Coach Nkosi has been a true ambassador for Upington City FC and his contributions will never be forgotten We are grateful for the time he spent with us and wish him continued success in his coaching career.As we bid farewell to Coach Nkosi effective immediately.Coach Truter returns to the club and his experience and familiarity with the team will be invaluable in guiding the players and staff during this transition period.We are delighted to welcome Coach Truter back to Upington City FC and we are confident that he will lead the team to success This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page After losing ground at the top of the Motsepe Foundation Championship table last time out both Upington City and Durban City will aim to return to winning ways during matchday nine in South Africa’s first division this weekend Upington City, who suffered a 2-1 loss against Orbit College last weekend, are scheduled to face Casric Stars at the Mxolisi Dicky Jacobs Stadium on Saturday. The defeat saw Upington City slump to third place on the table, with 14 points to their name after eight matches played. Elsewhere, second-placed Durban City will face the University of Pretoria at the Chatsworth Stadium on Saturday with the view of closing the gap to Milford City at the top of the table. The club, formerly known as Maritzburg United, will head into their next fixture on the back of a 2-1 loss against Black Leopards. Then, log leaders Milford will once again target back-to-back victories in the Motsepe Foundation Championship this weekend when they face Baroka FC at the Global Park on Saturday. Milford jotted down an emphatic 3-0 win against Leruma United last time out, which came after a surprise 3-0 defeat against Orbit College on 19 October. As it stands, Milford lead the way in the Motsepe Foundation Championship after securing 17 points in eight matches played this season. Milford Stallions 1-0 Upington CityMilford Stallions opened a four-point gap over second-place Orbit College with a 1-0 win over Upington City in the Motsepe Foundation Championship on Sunday. The table-topping host continue their winning run of form and early push for automatic promotion, with the winning effort coming in the first half. Bafana Ba Gucci, who were recently in the top-three having made a strong start, now slip further down barrel and suffered a successive defeat following last weekend's outing against Black Leopards. University of Pretoria 1-1 Venda Football Academy University of Pretoria failed to bag a third successive win and remained mid-table following a 1-1 draw against Venda Football Academy. With the match delayed due to inclement weather, there weren't a lot separated between the two as the opening spell finished goalless. Kgomotso Mosadi, who was on the book of Sekhukhune United last season put the host ahead in the second period but Leon Sithole replied after a while and evidently forced an even outcome. Durban City got back to winning ways after hammering JDR Stars 5-2 on Friday evening. The Hammerboys were in the top-three prior with the host all down in sixth as the indifferent run of results culminated both ends. JDR were first to pull clear before a stomping finish at the close of the half by Siphamandla Ncanana brought the contest on a level footing again. The Hammerboys continued on the attack thus regained the lead only for the Team of Choice to go on and gain control through Lemohang Maseko and a spot-kick by Ruzaigh Gamildien. Namibian international Joslin Kamatuka got in on the act before Gamildien returned for a brace and aided the host to a resounding victory on home soil. Black Leopards' two-match winning streak in the Motsepe Foundation Championship ended after a goalless draw with Kruger United on Saturday. Furthermore, the boys from the Limpopo province surrendered second spot due to this outcome and now lie fourth on the table. Kruger, who last weekend thumped Leruma United 4-1 to move closer to the top-half, have now dropped one spot from ninth to tenth on the table. Highbury FC bagged a third consecutive victory with a 3-0 triumph over Pretoria Callies in a mid-table contest. Momentum either side contrast, with the visitors on a winning streak and moving up the table to the Romans slumping to the bottom-three following a successive defeat. The victory moves the new boys two places from 11th to ninth spot on the table, with the damage on the Romans either side of the half. Orbit College made it five wins on the spin to continue their resurgence through a stern 2-0 victory over the struggling Cape Town Spurs in Rustenburg. More disappointed falls though on the side of Spurs with this their third successive loss and have just one win across the last six matches played. Both efforts from Orbit against the men from Western Cape province came across either side of the half – leaving Ernst Middendorp a lot to ponder. Baroka FC registered a comprehensive 3-1 victory over Leruma United on Saturday afternoon. The host weren't slow out of the blocks as Mogale bagged the opener before Matura Mothipi followed suit with a second after the break. Leruma got hope of a comeback after Yannick Angoume halved the tally, but Bakgaga restored ascendancy with Mothipi bagging a second and confirmed maximum points – ending the five-match winless run. 10 Freedom Way, Milnerton, Cape Town, 7441, South Africa Cllr – DA Whip: Dawid Kruiper Municipality25 Oct 2024 in Press StatementsDawid Kruiper municipality must urgently implement an operational plan to address water leaks and losses before imposing undefined and open-ended water restrictions on Upington residents The DA voted against the water restrictions tabled in today’s Special Council meeting This is not because we are opposed to water restrictions but rather the municipality’s attempt to lay the blame for the water shortages on residents while not taking any initiative to address major municipal water failures Dawid Kruiper is currently losing approximately 50% of potable water due to leaks in addition to its extremely low reservoir capacity from years of neglect and lack of maintenance The municipality also adopted national water usage norms for locations with an average temperature of only 28 degrees Celsius Given Dawid Kruiper’s semi-desert and extreme heat conditions loss of water due to evaporation is much higher and people and animals require much more water We therefore do not agree that these norms are appropriate for the Upington area The DA today submitted a list of demands to council that we firmly believe must be implemented alongside the imposing of water restrictions Installation of water meters for everyone; Replacement of broken water meters and re-connection of by-passed water meters; The development of Standard Operating Procedures for the repair of broken pipes and leaks including that workers should be on site within 30 minutes of the incident being reported; to lower hiring costs and improve service delivery; Altering the water usage norms to accommodate the prolonged high temperatures; Implementation of measures to allow residents to keep their gardens alive to still be able to market Upington as the “Green Kalahari”; Restoration of pipelines from sewerage works to allow recycled water to be piped to cemeteries The above measures place the onus of managing Dawid Kruiper’s limited clean water supply on the municipality in contrast to making residents carry this burden alone They will also go a long way in addressing the water crisis currently being experienced in Dawid Kruiper the DA will embark on an intense oversight in the Upington area to identify leaks and households in need of water meters registered non profit organisation in South AfricaReg No: 011-895 NPO Ayabonga Gwangqa will be plying his trade in the Betway Premiership with Upington City confirming his transfer to Polokwane City The homegrown star defender has been an almost everpresent in the Upington side for the past two seasons featuring 28 times in 2023/24 and 14 times in this campaign The 22-year-old will now look to earn his spot in Phuti Mohafe’s high-flying Rise and Shine team New Adventures 💙🤍,” Upington said on their social media account “Join us as we bid farewell to one of Upington City Football Club’s home grown talents as Ayabonga Gwangqa spreads his wings to Betway Premiership side Polokwane City Football iDiski Media was founded in December 2019 and comprises of a range of football media products Contact us: [email protected] iDiski Media (Pty) Ltd, 3886 Jan Frederick Ave, Randpark Ridge, Randburg, 2169 Newly appointed Upington City head coach Brandon Truter has outlined his mission at the club while also explaining why he never stays out of employment for too long.Truter is still waiting for his pay-out from Richards Bay FC who sacked him before the end of his one-year deal could expire READ: Manqoba proud of 'dirty linen' decision at Sundowns I signed for one season plus option," Truter explains to KickOff.com as he is fondly known,has never finished a season without a club to coach, having previously also coached the likes of Swallows FC (later renamed Moroka Swallows) they lost a bit of steam with results not going their way they wanted to make a change before it's too late there's still [an] opportunity for outright promotion or via the play-offs We're playing tomorrow [against Hungry Lions] The game will enable me to make an assessment," he adds.  Truter is hopeful that during the upcoming December recess the technical team can work on the squad's shortcomings and venture into the transfer market in preparation for the second round.  There's enough points and enough games left and this is the game that will be used to assess the team We are playing a derby against Hungry Lions READ: Silence broken on Mngqithi and Chiefs links "They can see my efforts behind the scenes, they trust my ability. That's why they always see it fit to bring me in, and there are others who only see the front and don't see what is happening behind the scenes." Bafana Ba Gucci are currently in 13th place in the standings, with only a single win gathered from 13 matches. Dire, but there are many ways to skin a cat and Truter believes he is the right man for the difficult task that lies ahead. Rivalries between schools have long been a significant part of student life. Back in my school days, the competition between Northern Cape High School and Diamantveld High School was intense, but over the years, it seems like that fervour has dwindled. These days, it’s more a case of a quick Saturday event with a few cheers. However, this isn’t the case in Upington. The fierce tradition between Duineveld High School and Upington High School remains strong, so much so that there is not even interaction between pupils, staff and parents of rival schools in the week leading up to the event. This past weekend, Duineveld High School hosted the annual Big Interjol, an event like Kimberley’s Classic Clashes. Duineveld High School is seen performing one of their cheers during their Interjol that was held in Upington over the weekend. Picture: Danie van der LithIn the Big Interjol, Duineveld and Upington face off to claim the title of the best in their region. Driving around the school, you could see flags on lamp posts proudly representing Duineveld High School. The fields and grounds were festively decorated. On Friday afternoon, I spoke with one of the parents, and it was evident that the rivalry extended beyond the students to the parents as well. In the lead-up to the interjol, even if a sibling’s child attends the rival school, things go unsaid for the entire week. Upington High School is seen performing one of their cheers during their Interjol that was held in Upington over the weekend. Picture: Danie van der LithThe event kicked off on Friday with boys’ and girls’ hockey matches. It was heartening to see the rivalry alive and well, but even more so to witness the respect the players had for each other, a testament to the character being instilled at both schools. Saturday morning saw the real action begin, with rugby, netball, and hockey matches taking place simultaneously. The day was filled with high-quality sports, teamwork and school pride, but it was the final rugby game that stole the show. The stands were filled with students from both schools, each dressed in their uniforms, ready to cheer and showcase their spirit. Each school had a chance to perform the cheer they had been perfecting for weeks, and both delivered impressively. The first rugby teams from each school took to the field, standing before their peers and singing their school anthems. The game that followed was nothing short of thrilling. Both teams played with intense determination, as if their lives depended on it. Duineveld High School dominated most of the match, but in the dying minutes, they eased off. This allowed Upington High School to seize the opportunity. In a dramatic turn of events, Upington scored in the final seconds, securing a 15-14 victory over the hosts. Some of the Upington High School rugby players on bent knee, proud winners of the 2024 Interjol. Picture: Danie van der Lith Tears of joy flowed for Upington High School, while Duineveld wept tears of regret. The emotional response from both schools’ students showed just how much this match meant to them. In the end, only one team could claim victory and that was Upington High School who will now proudly boast about their rugby first team’s victory for the rest of the year. Duineveld High School won the following trophies: Debating, General Quiz, Tennis, Shooting, Chess, Netball, Girls' Hockey Duineveld’s U-19 girls beat Upington 2-0 during their annual Interjol clash. Picture: Danie van der LithBoys' Hockey Results: Duineveld High School beat Upington 44-34 during their annual Interjol tournament. Picture: Monique van der WesthuizenNetball Results: Upington High School celebrates after beating Duineveld in the dying seconds of the match. Picture: Danie van der LithDuineveld High School in white was in control for most of the match, but Upington High School won the match in the dying seconds. Picture: Danie van der Lith Upington High School fought back until the end to snatch the win from Duineveld High School. Picture: Danie van der LithRelated Topics: Brandon Truter has bolstered his squad with three signings, including a Buccaneers duo, as they aim to climb the league table. IN A BID to tackle the ongoing scourge of gender-based violence (GBV) at institutions of higher learning, the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Upington has launched an outreach programme in collaboration with Upington TVET College. Northern Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Omphile Masegela explained that the initiative, which kicked off on February 5, aims to educate students about the dangers of GBV, substance abuse, and responsible conduct on campus. With GBV disproportionately affecting women, the LGBTQIA+ community, and other marginalised groups, police officials emphasised the urgent need for prevention, accountability, and survivor support. Addressing the students, Captain Allaetitia de Radder, a forensic social worker from the Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences unit, provided an overview of the different types of sexual offences and explained the profiles of both victims and perpetrators. She stressed the importance of awareness in helping students recognise and report abusive behaviour. The Upington station commander, Brigadier Peet Coetzee, urged students to break the silence and report any incidents of GBV. He also reaffirmed the police’s commitment to ensuring a safe and secure learning environment through regular engagements and increased police visibility on campus. He noted that GBV is a societal issue that demands collective action. He also encouraged students to remain vigilant, look out for each other, and seek help when needed. The programme is expected to continue throughout the year with awareness campaigns and active police involvement to empower students and prevent incidents before they occur. Students and staff are encouraged to contact the SAPS or relevant campus authorities should they experience or witness any form of abuse. THE GAUTENG High Court in Johannesburg sentenced 36-year-old Emmanuel Uzoaga to 20 years of direct imprisonment on charges of human trafficking According to Hawks Northern Cape spokesperson Warrant Officer Nomthandazo Mnisi Uzoaga's legal troubles started in May 2021 when the Upington police received an anonymous tip-off that he was preparing to transport an 18-year-old victim to Johannesburg via public transport for sexual exploitation Initial Investigations revealed that Uzoaga had previously transported the same victim to the same location the police obtained a search warrant and raided a house in Lonehill officers rescued three additional victims and arrested two other suspects have remained in custody since their arrests in Upington and Johannesburg was initially among the rescued victims but was later found to have been involved in the crimes Further investigations revealed that Abraham had worked as a recruiter luring friends from Upington in the Northern Cape to Johannesburg under false pretenses the victims were forced into prostitution and subjected to daily drug use Abraham was subsequently charged and found guilty of forgery Uzoaga received a sentence of 20 years for trafficking in persons and 12 months for contravening the Immigration Act He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm Abraham was sentenced to pay a fine of R10,000 or serve two years in prison The provincial head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) in the Northern Cape praised the efforts of the police and prosecution team for their hard work in bringing the perpetrators to justice Cape Town Spurs and Upington City will be under the spotlight during the latest round of Motsepe Foundation Championship action with both teams looking to impact the standings at the top end of the table Cape Town Spurs are hoping to get back to winning ways when they prepare to take on Leruma United at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium on Saturday afternoon The Urban Warriors suffered a 1-0 defeat against Durban City last time out and subsequently slumped to 7th position on the table Leruma United on the other hand currently sit in 14th place on the log following their 3-0 loss to JDR Stars on the 28th of September 🚨 NEXT MATCH 🚨 🆚 Venda FC 🗓️ 5 October, SAT.⏰1️⃣5️⃣3️⃣0️⃣🏟️ Mxolisi Dicky Jacobs Stadium #BafanaBaGucci💙🤍 #WeAreCityFC💙🤍 pic.twitter.com/pgNTPVsXEj who are unbeaten in their last four league encounters are scheduled to face Venda Football Academy at the Mxolisi Dicky Jacobs Stadium on Saturday On the back of three wins and one draw in their last four matches Upington City climbed to 4th on the standings following their 3-1 victory against Highbury while Venda sit at the bottom of the pile with no wins to their name after five matches played so far Elsewhere, JDR Stars could make it two wins on the spin when they take on Kruger United at the Mbombela Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Motsepe Foundation Championship new boys Kruger United found the going tough in new surroundings this season, after recording three losses, two draws and one win in their first five league ties. Local International Off The Pitch Orlando-Pirates