Kathu Gazette

29/10/2025

29/10/2025

SIYATHEMBA
Partnership strengthens food security
Erika Viljoen

After 24 years, Dingleton Community Workshop NPO, a local non-profit organisation is still going strong, serving the community of Siyathemba (previously Dingleton) with dedication and enthusiasm, in spite of increasing financial pressure.
Established in 2001 in Dingleton, its main objective was to sustain the soup kitchen that catered mainly for the pensioners by providing meals a few days a week. With the relocation of the community of Dingleton to Siyathemba by Anglo American Kumba mine, the NPO and soup kitchen migrated with the community. In recent years the soup kitchen has been forced to provide meals from Mondays to Fridays and also to a wide variety of recipients, not just pensioners. This necessary change was brought about by the steady increase in unemployement and poverty in Siyathemba.
Currently the soup kitchen feeds 333 people a day with funding from Kumba, the Department of Social Development as well as vegetables and bread provided by local businesses such as Food Lovers Market, Boxer and Trenex Gamagara hydroponic farm. Only one person per household may receive a plate of food per day. This means that mothers will fetch a plate of food, which will then be divided amongst several children and adults in a household. There is no distribution of food on weekends and public holidays.
Substance abuse in the community has also increased drastically and the NPO expanded its scope of services by providing healthy entertainment and activities to the youth during school vacations.
In spite of the dire situation, Mr Jack Jantjies, the chairperson of the NPO remains hopeful that they will be able to continue to serve the community of Siyathemba with the support of the current and new stakeholders.
On 16 October 2025, the NPO hosted a gathering at the Siyathemba Community Hall to commemorate World Food Day and to introduce the new partnership between the NPO and Trenex, a public benefit organisation (PBO) committed to foster sustainable community development.
Trenex undertook to provide a piece of land as well as training to community members to enable them to grow their own vegetables. They also planted a small vegetable garden in Siyathemba for the soup kitchen.
Representatives from other stakeholders like Kumba and Famsa also attended the gathering and confirmed their continued support for the community of Siyathemba.
Rochelle de Lange, the administrative official of the NPO, encourages anyone who wants to donate clothes, food or cutlery to the NPO to contact her at 0837834425. She added, “We also want to restart the sewing group, which sadly had to stop their operations during COVID. Any donations of sewing materials will be highly appreciated.”
Siyathemba means we hope and it is clear that the community of Siyathemba is prepared to continue to fight for a better tomorrow. Let us join hands and support them to remain hopeful in spite of difficult circumstances.

Photo : The Dingleton sewing group.
Photo : Members from Trenex assisting in the soup kitchen.
Photo : The ladies operating the soup kitchen.
Photo : Mr Jack Jantjies, the chairperson of the NPO.

29/10/2025

KATHU
Former learner wins provincial round of WorldSkills competition

A former learner of Kathu High School, Pieter van der Merwe, participated in the Northern Cape provincial round of the WorldSkills South Africa competition held from 6 to 10 October 2025.
The Northern Cape provincial competition, which took place in Kimberley at the Northern Cape Urban TVET college, featured 20 talented competitors in 6 skills, including carpentry, hairdressing, cooking, bricklaying, electrical installations and plumbing. These talented young artisans showcased their skills, passion and innovation. Pieter competed in the Electrical Installations category and walked away with first place.
He will now compete in the national round in Durban during March 2026. If he wins, he will have the honour of representing South Africa at the international competition in Shanghai, China, during September 2026.
Kathu High School is incredibly proud of Pieter and will be routing for him during the next round. It is always an honour to celebrate with alumni who continue to build on the fundamentals taught to them at Kathu High School.
Kathu High School communication

Photo 1: Pieter van der Merwe during the Northern Cape provincial round of the WorldSkills South Africa competition.
Photo 2: Pieter with other provincial winners during the closing ceremony.

29/10/2025

POSTMASBURG
Drill squad impresses during competition

On 18 October the drill squad of Postmasburg High School, for the first time, competed in the 15th annual Mitchells Plain Schools Marching Drill Competition held at the Jan Burger Sports complex in Parow North.
This annual march and drill competition is hosted in association with SAPS Mitchells Plain and Midea Marketing and Promotions. The squad from Postmasburg High School achieved an impressive second position in the school division. Their outstanding debut also earned them a well-deserved trophy for best newcomer.
Postmasburg High School is extremely proud of them for their commitment and discipline.
Postmasburg High School communication

Photo: The drill squad from Postmasburg High School.
Photo: The squad achieved second position in the school division.

29/10/2025

Batlharos
Lopez M Solutions and 4Arrows come to the rescue
Victor Mulangisi
At last, the desperate situation of Mr Sebitloane from Batlharos could be resolved by good Samaritans.
Mr Sebitloane is a well-known amputee in the Nanana section of the Batlharos community and his manual wheelchair has been the only source of transportation for quite some time. It has always been a struggle to manoeuvre the wheelchair from one point to the other and recently his struggle was recognised by an observant and caring neighbour.
Mr Kelopile Moremi, an emerging entrepreneur and director of Lopez M Solutions, took the bold step to try and find a solution to the difficult situation faced by Mr Sebitloane. He approached 4Arrows for assistance and 4Arrows recognised the legitimacy of Mr Sebitloane’s plight. Without delay, they partnered with Lopez M Solutions and handed over an electric wheelchair to the deserving recipient. Mr Moremi said that he was touched each time he saw his neighbour struggling and felt obliged to be a part of the solution to his dire situation.
“We are not all equal in society, be it physically or economically, and that is why God created us to lean on one another. As the director of Lopez M Solutions, I had to ponder on how to assist my neighbour in good faith. He told me that he had tried on several occasions to acquire an electric wheelchair, to no avail. Without giving up hope, I then approached the mines, where 4Arrows responded as if it had been waiting for the request,” explained Mr Moremi.
During the handover of the wheelchair on 16 October 2025, one of the top officials at 4Arrows Mr Kwinda Takalane said that when the director of Lopez M Solutions approached him, he was touched and immediately jumped into action to assist Mr Moremi. “The moment the request was brought before us as an organisation, we felt indebted and joined hands with this entrepreneur to help Mr Sebitloane. As long as our organisation is operational in this region, we want to be a part of the solution to these kind of obstacles, because we are a part of this community”.
Mr Sebitloane expressed his joy throughout the process and said he was at a loss for befitting words for the very generous gift.

4Arrows representative Mr Takalane Kwinda, Mr Sebitloane and the Director of Lopez M Solutions Solutions Mr Kelopile Moremi.

29/10/2025

With this year’s bold tagline, Make your ballsiest move yet, The Hollard Daredevil Run continuous to push boundaries in their fight against prostate and testicular cancers. This annual awareness campaign invites men to run 5km wearing nothing but a purple Speedo - sparking conversations, challenging stigmas and encouraging early detection through testing. More than just a run, this initiative is a powerful movement that gets people talking, testing and taking action. This year, it is taking place on Friday, 31 October. Registrations for the 2025 Hollard Daredevil Run opened on 13 August at Ticketpro at a cost of R180.00, which includes the courier of a registration pack and a complimentary purple Speedo. For more information, please visit www.hollard.co.za/daredevilrun
Hollard Insurance Group communication

29/10/2025

POSTMASBURG
Local church promotes wellness

On Saturday,11 October 2025, a local pentecostal church, Church of God Revival Center Assembly, hosted a health and well-being day at their church hall in Jacaranda street, Postdene.
The event aimed to promote a culture of wellness among congregation members and their families. The church collaborated with stakeholders like Rufco, TADS and Therapist on Wheels to distribute wellness messages. Highlights of the event included a fun fitness walk with participants divided into different age categories. Speakers focused on crucial topics like dieting, substance abuse as well as therapy.
TADS creatively used two teddy bear characters to convey the dangers of substance abuse, making the message engaging and memorable for all attendees.
Events like these demonstrate the church's commitment to nurture both body and spirit, fostering a supportive community that values overall well-being.
Kalahari memorandum communication

Photo 1: The two teddy bears used to convey the dangers of substance abuse.
Photo 2: Stakeholders, congregation members and their families took part in the fun fitness walk.

29/10/2025

Three NC schools excel in national gardening competition

Thirty-two schools from across South Africa were selected as finalists in the annual National EduPlant School Gardening Competition for 2025. EduPlant is South Africa’s premier national school nutrition and food security programme.
The three schools announced as finalists in the Northern Cape province were Segwaneng Primary School, Simololang Primary School and Moedi Secondary School. The schools were shortlisted from a total of 300 schools who entered at the start of 2024 and the winners were announced on Tuesday, 7 October 2025 during an official gala event at Camp Konka in Rustenburg, North West province. Simololang Primary School was announced as the winning school in the Northern Cape province. The school showed rapid progress and resilience in a rural setting, serving 514 learners including 50 vulnerable children by successfully converting a small, unprotected plot with infertile soil into a thriving 464 m² food garden.
Corporate Image communication

Photo: Simololang Primary School successfully converted a small, unprotected plot with infertile soil into a thriving 464 m² food garden.

29/10/2025

KATHU
Riders excel at nationals

The Western Mounted Games (WMG) Nationals took place in Parys from 6 to 10 October, where nine riders from the Kathu Western Mounted Games (WMG) club proudly represented the Northern Cape team.
The Kathu riders competed with great determination, skill and sportsmanship throughout the event. Their dedication and teamwork stood out across all categories.
Dries Ellis delivered exceptional results during both the 2025 International Western Mounted Games (IWMGA) and the South African Western Mounted Games (SAWMGA). He is the overall Junior Level 4 winner and third overall out of 20 international riders who took part in the Cup of Nations, with participants from Zimbabwe, Botswana, the United Kingdom and South Africa. He was also placed fourth overall out of an impressive field of 697 horses. These outstanding performances led to Dries being selected for the 2025 Protea Team, finishing fourth overall in South Africa. The WMG club is incredibly proud of Dries Ellis and wishes him every success in his future national and international competitions
Other outstanding achievements include Lizandri Uys who emerged as the Children’s Level 1 Overall Winner and Neels Uys who won the Senior Level 2 category.
The club is immensely proud of the achievements of every single Kathu rider who took part in the Nationals. Each competitor represented both the Kathu Western Mounted Games club and the Northern Cape with true dedication, teamwork and passion for the sport. Their hard work continues to inspire the entire Kathu WMG family.
Kathu WMG club communication

WMG 1: Members of the Kathu WMG club who competed at the WMG Nationals.
WMG 2: Dries Ellis in action on his horse Rayne.
WMG 3: Fltr Lizandri Uys and Neels Uys also delivered outstanding achievements.
WMG 4: Dries Ellis delivered exceptional results during both the 2025 IWMGA and SAWMGA.

29/10/2025

POSTMASBURG
Tournament provides learning curve for football club

Postmasburg Football Club (FC) made their historic maiden appearance at the 2025 Engen Champ of Champs tournament, held at the University of Pretoria (TUKS) High Performance Centre in Pretoria from 10 to12 October 2025, where the team gained invaluable experience and lessons for the future.
Postmasburg FC may not have secured a win at the u/18 National Tournament, but the technical team, coaches and players had the opportunity to test their abilities against the country’s finest. While the overall results fell short of expectations, some individual players delivered performances that made a lasting impression.
On the opening day, 17-year-old Roberto Iqbal was the best player on the pitch in the first match, where Postmasburg lost 2-1 to Panorama FC from Gauteng, a side that ultimately went on to finish the tournament in third place.
In the second match, Roberto Iqbal’s tournament was cut short after he suffered a fractured right arm. Rising to the occasion in his absence, Katlego Bradley Mohale delivered a standout performance, scoring twice and earning the Man of the Match award as Postmasburg held Junior Birds FC to a 2-2 draw. Junior Birds from Free State went on to finish in fourth place.
On day two, Postmasburg endured a challenging outing, suffering back-to-back defeats that brought their historic campaign to a close on a sombre note. In the opening fixture, the Northern Cape side fell narrowly 1-0 to East High Academy from Mpumalanga, before going down 2-0 in their final match against Limpopo’s Bakgaga United FC.
The team gained invaluable experience, proving that Northern Cape football deserves its place among the country’s elite. It was a positive experience for both players and coaches, with head coach Khaya Jacobs affirming that the lessons learned will shape them into stronger players and better coaches in the future.
Jacobs’s sentiments were echoed by team captain, Lerenzo Rens. “In Postmasburg, we do not have the kind of facilities that the development structures in Gauteng enjoy. Still, we wake up every day and live for football. Having proper facilities would mean so much to us as players and to the wider community, as it would give us the platform to train, grow and develop our talent,” said Rens, who plays central midfield.
Throughout the competition, Postmasburg FC received strong support from the club’s management, previous community members of Postmasburg now based in Pretoria who proudly rallied behind the team, as well as from the Office of the Mayor at the Tsantsabane Local Municipality and ANCYL ZF Mgcawu Regional Chairperson, Patrick Panas Magolane, who travelled to support the team, was among those who motivated the players throughout the tournament, which was ultimately won by Cape Town City.
Chairperson Magolane addressed the players with words of encouragement. He reminded the team of their remarkable journey from LFA level through regional and provincial stages, where they showed resilience and ultimately emerged as provincial champions. This journey remains historic, as Postmasburg FC qualified by winning the Northern Cape Provincial Playoffs on Sunday, 31 August 2025, becoming the first-ever Tsantsabane team to reach the National Finals.
The club also extended its sincere gratitude to all the supporters, stakeholders and the broader Tsantsabane community for their unwavering loyalty.
Finally, Postmasburg FC wishes to acknowledge with deep appreciation the steadfast support of its valued partners Anglo American Kumba Iron Ore, SIOC-cdt and Tsantsabane Local Municipality.
Vincent Kenneth Witbooi obo Postmasburg FC

Photo: Postmasburg FC became the first-ever Tsantsabane team to reach the National Finals.

27/10/2025

KIMBERLEY
NC Department of Health drowns in debt
With the Northern Cape Department of Health obtaining a qualified audit in the 2024/25 financial year - the 13th in a row - the Democratic Alliance in the Northern Cape urged the provincial legislature’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts to implement its health oversight strategy without further delays.
According to Dr Isak Fritz, MPL and the DA Northern Cape Provincial Spokesperson on Health, this strategy has been under discussion by various committees of the legislature since 2023, including meetings held at the beginning of the month. The recent audits emphasised the importance of its implementation, as requested by DA members in the joint meetings of the SCOPA, health, and finance committees.
Earlier this week, the Auditor-General of South Africa cautioned the Northern Cape that service delivery departments like Health are using funds allocated for the current financial year to pay for services rendered for goods delivered in prior years. As of September 2025 the department owed R836.7-million to various service providers. More than 85% of these debts were not settled within the required 30 days, including R72-million owed to a gas supplier, R8.7-million owed to a facilities management company that also provides patient meals and R1.3-million owed to an electrical engineering company. Each of these debts had incurred penalties and fines for late payment, deepening the cycle of unaffordable debt.
Debts owed by the department also paralysed other organs of state and imperiled service delivery elsewhere, as the department owed R498-million to the National Health Laboratory Services, R26.2-million to Northern Cape fleet services and R9.3-million to the South African National Blood Services for more than 30 days. The department also owed more than R5.7-million on municipal accounts, including over R1.1-million to the Dikgatlong local municipality and more than R820 000 to the Dawid Kruiper local municipality.
Vulnerable patients depending on the state for medical care pay the ultimate price for this financial mismanagement as they wait in long queues outside under-resourced medical facilities running on skeleton staff. Even premier Zamani Saul admitted last month that the state of the mental health hospital is “an embarrassment” to the province. Clearly, delays in improving and implementing proper oversight cannot be afforded anymore.
DA communication

27/10/2025

KURUMAN
Kuruman to host Lenaka Memorial Lecture
Victor Mulangisi
All roads will lead to Moffat Mission in Kuruman on 01 November 2025.
This comes after the MEC for COGHSTA Mr Bentley Vass led a provincial government delegation to meet on 16 October 2025 with the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders (NHTKL) led by the National Chairperson Kgosi Thabo Seatlholo and the Northern Cape Provincial House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders (NCPHTKL) led by Kgosi Pelonomi Toto to discuss the planned 2025 Lenaka Memorial Lecture.
The function will take place on 01 November 2025 at the historic Moffat Mission church in Kuruman, in the John Taolo Gaetswe district. The venue is deemed appropriate to host such an event, because of its historical significance in the region and the country.
This important event, led by the NHTKL and the NCPHTKL with the support of the government, seeks to honour the heroes and heroines of the traditional leadership landscape, past and present, whose contributions have shaped the history and development of the institution of traditional leadership and the communities they serve.
The memorial lecture will be commemorated under the theme Traditional leaders looking back to take the institution forward.
The objectives of the Lenaka Memorial Lecture include the profiling of traditional leaders who have contributed to the resilience of the institution and also seek to contribute to the preservation of culture and traditional communities, as well as contribute to the body of knowledge on the institutions of traditional leadership.
The Northern Cape provincial government is committed to support the memorial lecture to ensure the communities are educated about traditional leadership, its history and its role in the current context.

Kgosi Thabo Seatlholo and Kgosi Pelonomi Toto