TEL: 053 ­ 831­2331 WEDNESDAY 23 JULY 2014 WWW.EXPRESS­NEWS.CO.ZA FREE

Northern Cape

} Boipelo Mere

MANDELA DAY is fast becoming aninternational day of renown.Celebrities, politicians, artists and

faith-based organisations use Mandela Dayto celebrate the day Nelson Mandela wasborn.This day was also declared an internation-

al day by the United Nations.In the Northern Cape various activities

occurred throughout the week.The day itself – 18 July – resulted in a

hive of activities by various governmentdepartments, NGOs, churches and youthformations.At the Galeshewe Association for the Care

of the Aged (Gaasca) it has become a normthat various formations would gather thereto offer help to the elderly.This year Gaasca decided to up the tempo

by giving food to the people rummagingKimberley’s landfill site.The Gaasca bus left early for the dump

with volunteers and pots full of hot soupand bread which they dispensed to thepeople living there who were very happy toget something to eat.According to Irene Ndlovu, the coordina-

tor of Gaasca, they decided that they willnot only receive without also giving.“The hand that giveth, is the hand that

receives.“Therefore, to us, Mandela Day is deemed

complete if every single living being givesto the needy,” said Ndlovu.She added that she was grateful that

Gaasca was fortunate throughout the yearsand to see so many institutions and govern-ment departments coming to their aid thisyear in helping with cleaning, gardeningand feeding the elderly.Past. Lilly Fritz, who is also a founder

and president of the Women’s Empower-ment Movement International in theNorthern Cape, said that in giving, herorganisation feels it has completed Mande-la’s dream of a happy nation that is onenation in love.“Mandela was a Godsent, he was a

visionary and a miracle worker for love andpeace.“It is through Mandela and his colleagues

that women in this country are free andequal to their brethren, may his soul rest inpeace,” said Fritz.) Go to our website atwww.express-news.co.za for more pictures.

Madiba legacy continuesGaasca givesfood to needy

GLADYS MOTINNGWE (in green) serving Mongezi Vis with Buti Vuma behind him (wearing sunglasses) Photo: Boipelo Mere

2 EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE, WEDNESDAY 23 JULY 2014

NEWS

THE police are appealing tomembers of the public for anyinformation that may lead tothe arrest of an alleged serialrapist.

The suspect, aged between30 and 40 years old, has beenlinked to 15 cases of rape inthe Northern Cape.

He committed these crimesin Modderrivier, Kimberley,Kagisho, Galeshewe, Roodepanand Pabalello.

The suspect, who is reportedto be neatly dressed and has afresh smell, chooses his victims when theyleave taverns.

After befriending them, hepulls out a large knife andthreatens them to continuewalking with him in a casualway.

He is not aggressive and lureshis victims to quiet areas. Heinsists that his victims look athim while raping them.

He speaks Tswana andAfrikaans very well.

Anyone with information cancall Maj. Mandla Kheswa on082-337-3347 or WO ObreyKgatwane on 083-263-0750, or

contact Crime Stop on 086-001-0111 or SMSthe Crime Line on 32211.

} Boipelo Mere

THE John Taolo Gaetsewe District isstill plunged in a crisis as it was twoyears ago, when the residents of thedistrict were up in arms against theNorthern Cape government, accusing itof failing to construct roads leading totheir different villages. For the past twomonths the community in that districtclosed the N14 and forced all schools inJoe Morolong to close.

This has led to pupils failing to sit forthe half-yearly examinations, a fact thatis detrimental particularly for this year’smatriculants.

This year’s action by the residentscomes as the Northern Cape governmenthas already advertised the tender for theconstruction of the road. The communitywants the government to construct130 km of the 720 untarred roads in JTGas premier Sylvia Lucas announced lastmonth.

According to the resident, JTG is thehome of manganese and iron mines inSouth Africa with tons and tons of thoseminerals leaving for the coastal areaswhere they are shipped overseas. In theprocess the roads are damaged by thetransportation of the minerals.

According to one of the leaders of theRoad Forum in the community of JTG,Lucky Kaebas, the action is not political-ly influenced, like government suspects,it is community driven.

Kaebas said; “The situation is so badthat not even a grader can drive there,because the roads are bumpy forstretches of kilometers.

“People die unnecessarily due to thedust of the roads as they get exposed.We hear from the media that govern-ment is doing this or that to solve theproblem, but they never come to speakto us.”

Asked why they cannot let children goto school, Kaebas said that thosechildren were directly affected, becausemany of them used the roads on a dailybasis as they travelled from one villageto the other to attend school.

“Our children understand what ishappening, they are part of this struggle.It would also be stupid for anyone tosend their children to school when theyknow that it creates unnecessary strifebetween community members. All of usare united for the realization of ourgoals,” said Kaebas.

He stated that everybody was con-cerned because the children were notattending school.

“We cannot take chances of allowinggovernment to continue to lie to us,.There are many other service deliveryissues.

“The reality is that the real distance ofroads that need upgrading is at least720 km. If they continue to say that theywill upgrade 57 km that they promisedin 2007, when will they finish?

“Even the schools are in a terrible

condition.”The Department of Education said it

was unfair for the children to suffer, asthe parents were being intimidated.

According to Sydney Stander, thespokesperson for the Department ofEducation in the Northern Cape, theHOD Tshepo Pharasi spent the whole oflast week in Joe Morolong in prepara-tion for the re-opening of schools.

“We even visited the villages of the55 schools that were closed where wedistributed pamphlets to inform thecommunity on our recovery plans forthe learners.

“On Monday when the schools opened,learners didn’t pitch for school. Even theadministration block of one of theprimary schools, Ditshipeng Primary,was burned down on Monday night,”said Stander.

Kaebas however condemned theburning of the school and emphasisedthat the actions could not be linked tothe members of the forum.

“Our motto is that no schools shouldbe burned. We will rather keep ourchildren at home.

“If we burn the schools, then it meanswe will be destroying our own property.Those who burned the school, should bebrought to book,” he said.

Stander said that the departmenthoped the provincial government cameup with something extraordinary tosolve this matter.

For updates on the JTG issue log ontothe website www.express-news.co.zafor daily updates.

Crisis jeopardisesfuture of pupils

THE efforts of the Northern Cape Depart-ment of Education HOD, Tshepo Pharasi,to convince schooling to continue, failed.

Photo: Boipelo Mere

Serial rapist on the loose

A SKETCH of therape suspect.

EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE , WEDNESDAY 23 JULY 2014 3

NEWS

Unique Jacobs

“OUR aim is to improve Mathsand Science at school anduniversity level.”These are the hopes of three

university students fromKimberley who prefer to usetheir time doing somethingpositive.Moonga Sichimwi, Alvin

Bezuidenhout and PrinslooLegoshe are all 20-year-oldstudents of Physics and Civil

Engineering at the Universityof the Free State (UFS),University of Pretoria (UP) andthe Central University ofTechnology (CUT) respectively.Almost a month ago they

decided to start a tutoringbusiness to help strugglingmatriculants and universitystudents make sense of Mathe-matics, Physics and Enginee-ring subjects. During universityholidays they come home andspend their weekends tutoring.

Making use of their ownstudy materials and questionpapers they are starting outsmall, but would like to expandand make people aware of theirbusiness.In their free time these

youngsters either participate insport such as hockey, cricketand chess, or they spend theirtime reading and socialising.Interested students can

contact them on 074-585-5145 orat moongajr@gmail.com.

Tutors teach sense

THREE university students who use their time tutoring Mathematics, Physics andEngineering subjects. From the left are Alvino Bezuidenhout, Moonga Sichimwiand Prinsloo Logoshe. Photo: Supplied

THE Department of Basic Education (DBE)launched its Book Flood Campaign incelebration of International Nelson MandelaDay.The campaign is aimed at fostering a

reading culture amongst learners beyondthe classroom and making the habit ofreading every child’s right.The initiative will run for a month,

ending on 18 August.The first launch took place at the DBE

headquarters in Struben Street, Pretoria,followed by a public launch at the MenlynShopping Mall.The department has called for donations

for sponsoring libraries and library re-sources, starting reading and book clubsand for people to register at schools to bevolunteer readers and library assistants.“The richer the learning environments in

schools, the better children learn. Where

schools have a library or book collection,an internet connection or teacher resourcecentres, learners do better,” the departmentsaid in a statement.The DBE is extending an open invitation

to all citizens, shopping malls and outlets tosupport its Book Flood Campaign’s vision ofputting a book in every child’s hands.The campaign is inspired by one of

Mandela’s quotes: “One of the sad realitiestoday is that very few people, especiallyyoung people, read books. Unless we canfind imaginative ways of addressing thisreality, future generations are in danger oflosing their history.”Mandela Day inspires individuals to take

action to help change the world for thebetter and empowering communities acrossthe globe. The running slogan for the day isTake Action, Inspire Change. Make EveryDay a Mandela Day. - SAnews.gov.za

Campaign launched

THE Department of Correctional Services heeded the call by the Department of Basic Edu-cation (DBE) to all citizens, shopping malls and outlets to support its Book Flood Cam-paign’s visionof putting abook in every child’s hands.During theirMandelaDay 67minutesInitiative in partnership with the Thebe ya Kgomotso NGO at the Mankurwane PrimarySchool, the department gave the children books, while the pre-school children were givenhampers with goodies. Photo: Boipelo Mere

4 EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE, WEDNESDAY 23 JULY 2014

NEWS

TWO suspects, Benjamin Mongale (27) andThapelo Modise (28), appeared before thePampierstad Magistrate’s Court today oncharges of armed robbery, as well ashouse-breaking and theft. That is after theirarrest last week in Pampierstad, following atip-off from the community that thesuspects were in possession of firearms.Members from Pampierstad Shift A assistedto swiftly arrest the two suspects.After their arrest, the police discovered

that the two suspects were being sought forarmed robbery of livestock at a nearbyfarm. The robbery happened on Sunday, 6July, at about 13:00.On this day the two suspects entered a

farm and held a 40-year-old man hostage.The victim was tied up and one suspectfired a shot on the ground. The suspects gotaway with ten sheep to the value of aboutR9 000.The preliminary investigation led the

police to discover a firearm, as well as nine

sheep that were already slaughtered at thetime of the arrest.Another firearm was also confiscated as

the investigation proceeded. The victimmanaged to identify the two suspects.More investigations revealed that one of

the firearms confiscated was alleged to bethe one that had been stolen from a policeofficer in a house-breaking and theftreported in May.Other items stolen during this house-

breaking were also recovered from thesuspects. The investigation is at a sensitivestage and some information cannot berevealed at this stage, but there areintentions from the police to link these twosuspects with other cases, includingmurder.During their court appearance, the

suspects remained in custody for furtherinvestigation. They are due to appear beforethe Pampierstad Magistrate’s Court againfor formal bail application.

THE government is currently in talks withthe private sector to introduce a newhousing scheme for public servants whofall under a pay bracket that cannot afforda home loan or qualify for low-costhousing.The Public Service and Administration

minister, Collins Chabane, announced thiswhen briefing journalists prior to tablingthe Budget Vote for his department inparliament on Thursday.His announcement comes after the

Human Settlements minister, LindiweSisulu, also alluded to holding similartalks with banks to cater for the workingclass in the same pay bracket outside thepublic service.“We have reached a point where we

think government will have to intervene.“There is a housing subsidy now, but

the problem persists, and we have totackle the problem differently. That iswhere the issue of the housing schemebecomes important for us.“For us, the task was to explore the

possibility of setting up a housing scheme.We have done all the paper work and thenumber crunching. We have looked at thevarious models and we think we are readyto finalise it,” he said.Chabane said this plan had already been

discussed with labour unions, and that it

would, once finalised, form part and parcelof future wage negotiations as far as thehousing allowance was concerned.He said while public servants got paid a

housing allowance, it was still not enoughfor them to get decent accommodation.“There is a problem, and the problem is

that a majority of public servants –particularly at lower (salary) levels – isnot able to access bonds in the markets.They are not able to access low-costhousing.“Let me tell you an anecdote. I am

sitting as a public service employee. I ama clerk, and I have to process low-costhousing for those who can’t afford it. Iprocess a house for people who are notworking, and I go home and sleep in ashack.“This category of people has a housing

subsidy, but this housing subsidy cannottranslate into a house,” he said.He said the housing market was not

friendly enough to afford people at thatlevel an opportunity to own a house.The minister said for this reason there

was a need to find a formula in the formof a scheme to help this category of peopleafford housing.“I think we are at a point now where we

can provide a solution to the problem,” hesaid. – SAnews.gov.za

Housing schemefor working class

Suspects in court

PICTURED with the confiscated goods are from the left, front: WO Thuso Setumisho andWO Lucas Letebele; back: Serg. Mogakolodi Pitoro, WO Godfrey Molatane, WO FusifosoFoso, Det. Segwai Molawa, WO Kooko Seakgwa, Det. Brown Seboloke, WO David Masireand Const. Xolani Shwabane. Photos: Lt Donald Mdhluli

RIGHT: Bonolo Masilo (left) and Kgoth-atso Raadt (both five years) from theMankurwane Primary School in Gale-shewe were amongst the pre-schoollearnerswhowere spoiledby theDepart-ment of Correctional Services and theThebe ya Kgomotso NGO on MandelaDay. The children each received a packetcontaining goodies and toys.

Photos: Boipelo Mere

BELOW: Galeshewe-based gospel choirmembers of Badumedi ba Jehova spentMandela Day cleaning the MankurwanePrimary School’s yard ahead of the re-opening of schools after the holidays.According to the members, it is wheremost of them went to primary school,and they also used to use the school hallto practise, thus they felt theneed togiveback.

CelebratingMandela Day

DETECTIVES ofthe Galeshewepolice are on thelookout for amurder suspect orsuspects followingthe shockingdiscovery of thebody of ThobaneEdward Gxalaba(53) on 5 May 2013.Gxalaba’s body wasfound by a neigh-bour at about 07:00inside a desertedhouse on the cornerof Rosa and Moeket-si Street, number 2.Gxalaba sustained

multiple stabwounds to his bodyand head and thepolice are thusappealing to thepublic to assistthem in their investigation.Anyone with information that can lead

to the arrest of the suspect(s) in thisheinous crime can contact Detective

Sergeant Attie Browers on 053-807-6000 or082-469-0138.Crime Stop can also be contacted on

08600-10111 or SMS’s sent to 32211.

Police looking for suspect(s)

THE deserted housewhere Edward Gxalaba’s (53) bodywas found.Photo: Supplied

EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE , WEDNESDAY 23 JULY 2014 5

NEWS

} Sidwell Guduka

ERNST MIDDENDORP, Bloem-fontein Celtic coach, has ex-pressed his satisfaction with histeam after their Charity Show-down success this past weekend.

Phunya Sele Sele defeatedAmazulu 2-0 in the final to becrowned champions of the

inaugural pre-season tournamentat the Bidvest Stadium in Johan-nesburg on Saturday.

Vuyani Ntanga and GabadinhoMhango’s efforts in the secondhalf were enough to earn Celtic ahard-fought victory.

Middendorp’s men booked theirplace in the final by beating hostsBidvest Wits 1-0 in the first

semifinal, while Amazulu beatMpumalanga Black Aces 2-1 inthe other semifinal on the sameday.

Both teams, Celtic in particular,put out vastly different sides tothe ones which had done dutyearlier in their semifinal encoun-ters.

“I’m very happy with the way

my team played in the CharityShowdown.

“These types of games are goodbecause we use them to trydifferent combinations before thenew season starts,” said Midden-dorp.

Celtic, who will be launchingtheir new kit at the Sanlam Plazain Bloemfontein on Friday at

12:30, will lock horns with Wits inthe MTN 8 Cup in Johannesburgon 1 August. The kick-off isscheduled for 20:00.

Siwelele will start their leaguecampaign with a home fixtureagainst Aces in the Free StateStadium on 10 August at 15:00.) For more sports stories, visitwww.express-news.co.za

Coach happy with Charity champsBLOEMFONTEIN CELTIC were crowned the Charity Showdown champions in Johannesburg last Saturday. Photo: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix

} Sidwell Guduka

IT is official Bloemfontein Celtic areunder new management.

This was confirmed by the Augoustis(former owners) and Tshabalalas (newowners), and it finally ends the specula-tion about the future of the Mangaung-based club.

“It is official, we are the new ownersof the Bloemfontein Celtic Football Club.We signed a deal with Jimmy Augoustiand we’ve formally taken over the team.”

“I’m very excited,” Matlabe “Max”Tshabalala, the managing director ofCeltic, told Express.

“We’ll be working with the Augoustisduring the transition until the end ofthis month so that we can get thecontract and the books under control,”he said.

Tshabalala’s family takes over the club

from the Augoustis (Jimmy and Ikie) whobought it from Petrus Molemela for areported R600 000 in 2001.

“I want to thank the Augoustis for whatthey’ve done for me.

“The deal went very smoothly and I’llbe with Ikie at the office to sort out thecontracts of both the players and theadmin personnel.

“The Augoustis will be with me untilthe end of the month,” said Tshabalala.

“The Tshabalala family has people thatwill run that team and everything; I wasjust representing them.

“We have professional people to takecare of the club,” he added.

Tshabalala has assured the multitude ofCeltic fans and the Free State people ingeneral that the club will remain in theprovince.

“As I have mentioned previously, Celticwill still be based in Bloemfontein.

“We are going to run the club from thesame offices Celtic are currently using.We are also going to play our homematches in Mangaung,” he explained.

Ikie also confirmed the sale of the clubto Express yesterday.

“The deal was concluded on Monday,”he said.

“It was an emotional decision to sellthe club after being in charge of it for 13years.

“Selling the club is something we neverplanned, but we had to to considercertain factors before we made up ourminds,” he added.

Celtic was founded by Norman Mathobi-sa and Victor Mahatanya in 1969 andthey named it Mangaung United FC.

In 1984, businessman Petrus Molemelatook over the club and changed the nameto Bloemfontein Celtic after GlasgowCeltic of Scotland, hence the green and

white stripes.In 2001 Molemela sold a majority share

to Jimmy Augousti, a former Celticplayer.

This was after the club had beenrelegated to the lower division.

The club regained its PSL status threeyears later and ever since they havegrown to be one of the most colourfuloutfits in South African football, with themost passionate and innovative support-ers.) Media reports suggest Celtic was soldfor an alleged R42 million.) To read more about this story, visitwww.express-news.co.za.

Celtic have new ownersAugoustis sell Celtic to Tshabalala family for R42 million

PETRUS MOLEMELA Photos: Sidwell Guduka

MATLABE “MAX” TSHABALALA DEMITRI “JIMMY” AUGOUSTI

6 EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE, WEDNESDAY 23 JULY 2014

NEWS

EMILY SEREBOLO (72) from Santa inKimberley’s life was changed for the betteron Mandela Day.

The granny, who stayed in a cold, tinyone-room shack which was small andleaked when it rained, with her twochildren and her grandchild, received anew shack from the Northern Cape Depart-ment of Transport, Safety and Liaison.

The structure was donated by theTransport Regulations Directorate in thedepartment with stakeholders such as theSAPS and the local ward committee comingon board with other donations. The elderlyalso received groceries, new curtains, warmclothing and blankets.

The Directorate’s director, Lesego Wolfe,said the effort was an act of kindnessinspired by the human heart after thedepartment’s area EPWP safety volunteerhad identified the elder to receive aid.

“This is also to honour the call of TataMadiba. We also want to highlight efforts ofthis working government to say we can

relate and we want to help,” he said as hehugged the elderly.

“We want you to be in a better positionand for you to see a difference from whenwe had arrived.

“We want you to be safe and warm,” headded.

Shack gets makeoverHOLDING onto her walking aid, Emily Serebolo was on sight as workers build her newhome.. Photos: Supplied

THE Serebolo’s old home.

THE provincial SAPS personnel startedtheir Mandela Day activities by embarkingon a 3 km fun walk on 17 July in an effortto raise funds.

The funds raised were utilised to pur-chase cleaning material for the variousplaces that had been identified for cleaningon Mandela Day.

On Friday, members of the ProvincialCrime Detection Unit also donated theirtime by painting and cleaning the Relebo-hile Community Centre in Diamant Park inGreenpoint where approximately 200children are fed on a daily basis.

A vegetable garden was also started atthe same premises.

The Provincial Legal Team donated 45blankets to the aged people at the Seocho-areng Oldage Home in Galeshewe wherethey shared hot soup and bread with theelderly.

The Provincial Women’s Network andpolice members of the SAPS in Hartswateralso took time off to spoil the elderly inHartswater and handed out 67 blankets,soap and packets of sweet to the elderlypeople. The police members at the SAPSHartswater also prepared hot soup andbread which was welcomed and enjoyed bythe guests on that chilly day. They werefurther entertained by the SAPS Choir whomade the day memorable.

Fun walk raisesfunds for charity

MEMBERS proudly marching with the banner in Kimberley. Photos: Supplied

POLICE MEMBERS assisting a child from the Relebohile Community Centre in Greenpointto paint the structure.

THEWomen Empowerment Movement International joined South Africans and the worldin the celebration of 67 minutes on Mandela Day. On Friday they served the elderly peopleat Gaasca in Galeshewe. After delivering a short spiritual ceremony the movement serveda warm meal as the movement’s youth movement, Kids for Christ, entertained the elderswith their dancing skills that they had prepared specifically for that day. Here are fromthe left Johannes Salome from Gaasca, Justine Links, Jeanette Mkhatshane, VirginiaKeetile(Gaasca),WinnieMosikare and Lilly Fritz, the founder of theWomen EmpowermentMovement. Photo: Boipelo Mere

THE Department of Education teamed up with The New Age and Miss South Africafinalist Lizzy Stuffa to spend their Mandela Day by cleaning Baby Lerato’s home,start a food garden and hand out presents for the baby. Pictured are Stuffa and Rose-line Taylor from the Department of Education holding baby Lerato on the day.

Photo: Boipelo Mere

Reaches out to the elderly

EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE , WEDNESDAY 23 JULY 2014 7

NEWS

UNDER these coldweather conditions itis important to saveelectricity. Here aresome tips on how todo this:

) Turn the geyser’stemperature down to60 °C. Maintainingthis temperatureuses less electricitythan 70 °C.) You use less hotwater when youshower than whenbathing. Only fill thekettle with as muchwater as you need.

Wash a full load ofdishes and use coldwater for laundrywashing.) Switch off equip-ment when not in use and plug appliancesout at the wall after use. Also switch offthe geyser when you leave your home foran extended period of time.) Reduce excessive heating or cooling.Use localised equipment rather thancentral air-conditioning or heating

systems, and only heat or cool occupiedrooms. Fan or oil heaters with thermo-stats are best, and avoid under-floorheating. In summer use a fan rather thanair-conditioning.) Insulate the geyser, as a geyser“blanket” maximises heat retention.

Tips help you save electricityTHE Red Ants will give the Gauteng HumanSettlements Department 48 hours beforeexecuting an eviction.

This comes after Human Settlements MEC,Jacob Mamabolo, signed a Memorandum ofAgreement with the security relocation andeviction company in Johannesburg last week.

According to the agreement obligations,the Red Ants will be expected to carry outevictions in a manner that does not violatethe dignity and human rights of thoseaffected by the eviction.

The Red Ants will also assist with theprotection of vulnerable groups in the eventof an eviction. Mamabolo said under theagreement, the department would communi-cate whenever an eviction was eminent orwas anticipated by the Red Ants.

He said a senior department official wouldalways be available when their interventionor assistance was required when the RedAnts were notified of an eminent eviction.

Once such information is received, thesenior official from the Security Directorateof the department will forward the sameinformation to the Rental Tribunal and theMEC’s office.

Mamabolo said part of what they would bedoing with the Red Ants would centre onverifying the validity of the eviction order.

He announced that a syndicate usingillegal eviction orders had been arrested

for allegedly trying to evict 350 families froma flat in central Johannesburg.

Mamabolo said while the agreementshowed that vulnerable groups would now betreated with dignity during eviction, therewere cases that would never be tolerated bygovernment.

“There are cases that we will nevertolerate and this includes illegal invasionof land or property, hijacking of any build-ing, taking over houses meant for the poorand the use of women and children asshields during the illegal occupation ofland to score cheap political points,” hesaid.

Red Ants CEO, Johan Bosch, said: “I thinkit will clear a lot of misunderstanding,because government will know what we willbe doing and we know what governmentwants . . . In the past, government would justsee an eviction taking place but (lacked)more information on why it was happening.

“Now with this agreement, the departmentwill be fully aware of all the evictions wewill be carrying out.

“Through this agreement, we can reportback to the department whether things wentright or wrong, and we will be open foradvice. If they want to mediate betweenparties, they will be welcome to step in, butit should be before the eviction.”– SAnews.gov.za

Agreement signed

8 EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE, WEDNESDAY 23 JULY 2014

} Boipelo Mere

THE team representing the NorthernCape in the annual u.21 SAB LeagueChampionships in Mahikeng was aninstant hit and a favourite team at thetournament.

Although the team did not make it tothe finals, they reached the quarterfinals, where they lost 0-1 to KwaZulu-Natal.

The Northern Cape’s fortune seems tobe turning as they are slowly becominga force to reckon with in the soccerfraternity.

Reports coming from Mahikengindicate that the boys from the North-ern Cape made a statement and hadmany scouts exchanging numbers withthem.

The SAB League is the largestgrassroots football division adminis-tered by the South African FootballAssociation (Safa).

Gregory Afrika, the coach of theNorthern Cape u.21 side, says that theteam gave the best performance in fiveyears.

“Remember that in 2009 we reachedthe final and we lost to the Free State.We were unstoppable at that time, aswe were this time in Mahikeng.

“The Northern Cape has the potentialto go all the way. All we need as aprovince is to develop coaches who willin turn develop good players,” saidAfrika.

According to Afrika, he has sixoutstanding players in this team: ElroyBaartman, Gregory Afrika, ChristopherBalie, Zizan Coetzee, Howard Mabasoand Evrin Vries.

According to Muzi Chonco, the SAB

manager for sustainable development andcorporate social development, the SAB isconstantly striving to be a force of goodwithin the society and has proven itscommitment to grassroots football develop-ment through decades of investment in theSAB League.

“We have no doubt that the youthdiversion programme, coupled withparticipation in the SAB League, will helpunleash the full potential of these futurestars, expose them to positive role models,and help them refrain from risky behav-iour, particularly irresponsible alcohol

use,” said Chonco.Meanwhile SAFA has turned its

attention to Durban where thepromotional play-offs for the firstdivision, called ABC Motsepe, is takingplace.

The Northern Cape is fully represent-ed by Steach United, who promised theprovince that by this coming Sundaythe province would have a representa-tive in the first division.

The task for Steach United is not thatbig – they only have to beat two teamsand draw with one and they are in.

NC side a hit in Mahikeng

THE Northern Cape u.21 SAB League team for 2014. Photo: Supplied

Formorenewsand

photosvisit

www.express-news.co.za

ARE you good at sport, or is someone inyour school or place of education good atsport? Are you motivating or trainingothers to be good at sport? Are you gettingpeople active at your school, community orgym?Express Northern Cape wants to hear

from you. SuperSport and Let’s Play, inassociation with Express Northern Cape, haslaunched a special initiative. ExpressNorthern Cape wants to find and giverecognition to learners at either primary orhigh school level who excel in sport, orhelping others to be more active.

The SuperSport Let’s Play Sports Star ofthe Month is a competition for anyone aged6 to 18.

You can nominate yourself or be nomina-ted by a friend or teacher, lecturer or coachat your school or place of education. Youcan even be nominated by a family memberor friend who know how good you are.

From all the entries received each month,one will be chosen as the SuperSport Let’sPlay Sports Star of the Month. The monthlywinner will receive a Let’s Play hamper. Atthe end of the year one entry from all themonthly winners will be chosen as theSuperSport Let’s Play Sports Star of theYear.

Nominations received before the 20th ofevery month will be included in thatmonth’s selection. Nominations receivedafter the 20th of every month will becarried over to the next month’s selection.

Your nomination must include yourname, age, contact details and a shortparagraph (less than 200 words) about yourachievements) You can email your nomination tosupersport@zpr.co.za or send a fax to086-552-4922.) For more information, call Lynne orJuanré at Z PR on 051-522-9574.

Nominate asports star

} Boipelo Mere

THE Department of Sport, Artsand Culture wishes the SteachUnited Football Club a success-ful tournament in the NationalSecond Division play-offs thatstarted yesterday.

The team from Galeshewe,has been drawn to competewith three other teams ingroup B of the tournament andwill qualify for the NationalFirst Division (NFD) if theyend up as group winners.

Nine teams from two seconddivision streams of four and

five teams respectively willparticipate in the play-offs.

The winners of each streamwill gain an automatic promo-tion to the National FirstDivision.

The same two teams will alsoplay against each other todetermine the overall SecondDivision champions who willwalk away with a R1 millioncash prize.

The runners-up will receive awhopping R500 000.

This game will be played onSunday in the King ZwelithiniStadium.

Department behind team