Hadeda News - 10 March 2023

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Seminar To Focus On Restoration Efforts In The Kalahari

With more than 30 mines operating in the southern Kalahari, the upcoming Restore Kalahari symposium, on March 17, will investigate how the region can be transformed into a leading restoration area within the context of industry trends, Kalahari research and recent legislation promulgated to effect this vision.

The event, which will be held at the Namakwari Lodge in Kathu, in the Northern Cape, will seek to connect mining, solar, agricultural, engineering and environmental managers, as well as scientists.

From the 1950s, profitable mining has led to tremendous expansion and development in the southern Kalahari.The Kalahari has seen significant change as a result of cumulative mining over many generations, which has been exacerbated by growing urban populations and, more recently, solar energy projects.

Rehabilitation efforts in the

Kalahari started during the 1980s. To satisfy mine closure obligations, rehabilitation expenses are increasing and the law is evolving and becoming more demanding, which calls for a deeper knowledge.

Rehabilitating mining properties in the Kalahari region is challenging owing to the region's semi-arid climate, which makes it difficult to restore vegetation and stabilise the soil.

Further, mining activities typically result in the removal of topsoil, which is rich in microbes, organic matter and nutrients, making it challenging to restore the soil’s fertility. It may take years or even decades to fully restore ecosystems.

“Many of these mines have the same challenges. In addition, the Kalahari is also now a quickly expanding solar plant area. We also have a significant history of asbestos mining in the region, which was not resolved properly, resulting in gaps in restoration,” environmental services company

Endemic Vision Chrizette Neethling tells Mining Weekly.

Arid areas, such as the Kalahari, consist of complex interactions, providing significant challenges to define a workable system that can be used for rehabilitation success.

“Everybody is trying to restore their areas as best as they can on very tight budgets and trying to comply with very tight timelines. Companies are doing trials without speaking to each other, and so there is duplication in work,” she explained.

Although the mining and construction sectors in the Kalahari have access to a sizable amount of resources to solve these issues, isolated initiatives need to be coordinated, knowledge needs to be shared and resources need to be used wisely to produce sustainable land uses after mining.

The seminar's goal is to bring together Kalahari business leaders for an exchange of

rehabilitation-related solutions. It is geared at Kalahari leaders and service providers who wish to grasp and address the region's closure and rehabilitation concerns.

“We have speakers talking about elements of restoration that we may not always think of and to include that in the full picture. It’s not just about the planting of vegetation on the waste dumps, which everyone focuses on.

“For example, we will have a specialist talk to us about the Kalahari groundwater, which is very important,” Neethling says.

The event has presenters and sponsors from the Minerals Council SouthAfrica, the Land Rehabilitation Society of SouthernAfrica, the North West University, Endemic Vision and Luhlaza.

Neethling hopes industry players and stakeholders will use the event as an opportunity to network and to find common solutions to accelerate restoration in the Kalahari. - Mining Weekly

Die pad na publikasie

van Welbekende Gepubliseerde Skrywer - Annerle Barnard

with a spike and went on writing.”

Wil jy jou manuskrip deur ‘n tradisionele uitgewer laat publiseer, maar weet nie hoe gemaak nie? Jy het dalk al probeer, maar was nie suksesvol nie? Hier is ‘n paar wenke wat jou moontlik op die pad na publikasie mag help:

5 Dinge wat voornemende skrywers moet weet Wenke: redigeer jou skryfwerk

Die pad na publikasie

1) Slypskool

Voordat ek met my eerste jeugroman begin het, het ek ‘n slypskool/skryfkursus bygewoon. Dit was van onskatbare waarde. Ek het onder andere geleer wat wys vs. vertel beteken. Dit klink dalk onbenullig (of maklik), maar dis noodsaaklik (en minder maklik as wat ‘n mens dink). Plus, dis vir alle genres van kardinale belang, ook wanneer ‘n mens boeke vir tieners skryf. Die pad na publikasie is aansienlik makliker wanneer jy weet wat jy reg en verkeerd doen.

2) Manuskripontwikkelaar Nadat my eerste jeugroman deur

‘n uitgewer afgekeur is, het ek iemand betaal om vir my ‘n leesverslag te gee. Dit is beslis die moeite werd om ‘n goeie manuskripontwikkelaar te betaal om vir jou terugvoer te gee. Vir seker ook wanneer jy jeugfiksie skryf.

3) Die uitgewer se vereistes betreffende manuskripvoorleggings

Gaan kyk op die betrokke uitgewer se webblad na hulle vereistes betreffende lettertipe, formaat en dies meer. Vir NB-Uitgewers se vereistes rakende manuskripvoorleggings, gaan kyk na die volgende blad.

4)Temas en idees

Skryf oor dit wat vir jóú belangrik is en dit wat jou na aan die hart lê. Mense vertel my dikwels dat hulle ‘n briljante idee vir ‘n storie het en dat ek dit net móét skryf. Feit is, ‘n idee/storie moet met mý praat.As dit nie met mý praat nie, gaan ek nié daaroor skryf nie. Maak seker dat jou idee en tema jou fassineer

Ek skryf jeugfiksie, want ek is mal daaroor. Dit beteken egter nié dat dit maklik is om ‘n boek vir tieners te skryf nie. Die jeug verloor vinnig belangstelling en die jeugfiksieskrywers kompeteer met elektronika, maats en sport.

5) Die begin van jou manuskrip

Selfs as laerskoolkind het ek in die biblioteek boeke oopgemaak om die eerste sin en eerste paragraaf te lees.As dit my nie geïnteresseer het nie, het ek die boek nié uitgeneem nie.

Maak seker dat jou storie se begin die leser se aandag trek. Ongelukkig (gelukkig!) moet jy die spanningslyn dan vir die res van die manuskrip volhou, maar die lewe is kort en daar is baie boeke. Wanneer lesers (en uitgewers) nie deur jou skryfwerk gefassineer is nie, gaan hulle die boek toemaak.

Neil Gaiman, die beroemde skrywer (veral bekend vir sy jeugfiksie), sê die volgende: “As a writer, you’re always going to be rejected, and that’s basically healthy.”

7) Herskryf: die pad na publikasie.

Wanneer die eerste weergawe klaar is, is die manuskrip nog baie ver van klaar af. Herskryf, herskryf, herskryf!Tydens elke herskryf, leer ‘n mens nuwe dinge en sien jy foute wat jy vantevore nie opgemerk het nie. Herskryf en redigeer!

Ek moet eerlik erken dat ek dit baie geniet om te redigeer en hoe meer ‘n mens aangaande die skryfproses leer, hoe lekkerder raak dit.

8) Lees

Lees is van onskatbare waarde. Dit stimuleer onder andere jou eie kreatiwiteit. Lees veral soveel as moontlik in die genre waarin jy skryf. Ek lees daarom hope boeke vir tieners.

9)Ten slotte

6) Hou moed op jou pad na publikasie!

Veral jeugfiksie moet van begin tot einde boei. My twee tieners raak gou verveeld wanneer die storie die spanningslyn effens verloor Luister na ‘n uittreksel uit Sindikaat (silwerwenner van die Sanlamprys vir Jeugliteratuur) en kyk of jy kan agterkom hoe ek spanning skep. Dit maak dalk nie vir jou sin nie, maar wanneer jy skryf, moenie op publikasie fokus nie. Dit sal mettertyd kom. Leer soveel as wat jy kan en skryf elke dag. Word skryf-fiks. (Is daar so ‘n woord?)

Baie skrywers se eerste pogings word afgekeur — selfs die wat groot en onaantasbaar lyk. Stephen King het in sy boek On Writing gesê dat hy elke ‘nee dankie’brief vanaf ‘n uitgewer aan ‘n spyker in sy muur opgehang het. “By the time I was fourteen,” he continues, “the nail in my wall would no longer support the weight of the rejection slips impaled upon it. I replaced the nail

Een van ons land se bekendste skrywers het (voordat ek begin skryf het) vir my gesê dat skryfwerk wat in jou laai lê, nie van jou ‘n skrywer maak nie. Wie nie waag nie, sal nie wen nie.

Sterkte!!!

NOORD KAAP TUINE

Wenke

30 ml kakao

250 ml water

2 Bar One sjokoladestafies

4 eiers

250 ml suiker

125 ml olie

375 ml koekmeelblom

15 ml mielieblom (maizena)

20 ml bakpoeier

Plaas die kakao, water en Bar Ones in 'n glasbeker en verhit in die mikrogolf tot die sjokolade gesmelt en die kakao daarby ingemeng is. Laat eenkant staan.

Klits die eiers en suiker saam tot lig en romerig. Voeg die olie by en meng goed. Sif die meel, mielieblom en bakpoeier by die eiermengsel in en meng liggies. Voeg nou die kakaomengsel by en klits tot alles goed gemeng is. Gooi die mengsel uit in.

'n gesmeerde diep tuitpan en bak teen 180 grade vir ongeveer 30 minute of tot gaar. Laat effens in die pan afkoel en keer dan uit om heeltemal af

te koel.

Versier met Bar One Versiersel.

Versiersel:

2 Bar One sjokoladestafies

60 ml melk of room

Smelt die Bar Ones en melk saam. Smeer oor die koek wanneer afgekoel.

'nTuitpan is die pan wat die uithaalbodem het en dan maak die ronding van die pan

Bron: Facebook / Bak en Brou / Resepte en Lekker resepte en iets van alles.

UPINGTON

Who Are We ?

We as Koda Multipurpose Community Development Association are a PBO registered community-based NPO, operating in the Upington, Northern-Cape area. We cater to the physical, spiritual and emotional needs of our communities by voicing community needs, sourcing and mobilizing resources to address various socio-economic issues.

Our Mission

Our mission is to mobilize resources, build partnerships and develop local capacity, as we work to:

Promote integrated development and environmental custodianship with a focus on sustainable livelihood

Support the marginalized and vulnerable, to voice their needs and address the root causes of poverty

Our Vision

Our vision is to create resilient, optimally functioning families and communities that care for, protect and develop their children.

What We Do ?

Since 2017 we've been providing those in need with warm nutritious cooked meals, groceries, toiletries, stationery & toys on a daily basis. (Avg 450 people per week) Promote stable families and communities through appropriate social welfare programs and services.

We work with various stakeholders to facilitate numerous awareness and advocacy programs.

We run an outreach program which sees us going door to door, addressing community issues such as GBV, abuse of elderly persons, drug abuse, child abuse, etc. right at home. Assist the youth of our community with registrations to tertiary institutes, resume typing and business registrations.

We make use of the visual and performing arts to not only combat socio economic issues but also give the youth a voice.

We work with the NCR TVET College in providing a conducive working environment for their students to not only complete their practical training but also develop the necessary skills to dominate the employment market.

We Don’t Need To Have Deep Pockets or be Rich to Help the Poor, the Needy & the Hungry....We Need to have a Heart

KODAladies Willene de Klerk, Elize van Wyk, Rashieda Zwartz and Jayda Zwartz with a local Rosedale resident getting some assistance

THE POOR NEED AFRIEND TO HELPBRING POVERTYTOAN END

Building & Construction is Ongoing at the KODA Centre

Karee Dam Calvinia Runs Dry-Water Issues

The Karee Dam that feeds Calvinia and surrounding areas is bone dry Strict water restrictions are now in place in the Northern Cape town, where residents are praying for rain. The dam is meant to supply water to Calvinia, Niewoudtville, Loeriesfontein and Brandvlei.

Where Diamonds Are Found And Mined In South Africa

Alluvial diamonds were the first diamonds to be discovered in SouthAfrica.Alluvial means these were diamonds that had been removed from their primary position by erosion over millions of years, and deposited in a river bed, ocean floor or shoreline. By 1869, diamonds were found far from any stream or river, first in yellow earth and then below ground in hard rock called blue ground near and in what was to become Kimberley in the Northern Cape, the world’s diamond capital. The blue ground was subsequently named kimberlite, after the mining town.These kimberlites in ancient, verticallydipping volcanic pipes are the primary sources of SouthAfrica’s diamonds most of which were initially suitable for open-cast mining.

The first diamonds were found at the future site of the Big Hole on the farm Vooruitzicht belonging to the De Beers brothers, in 1871. The ensuing scramble for claims led to the place being called New Rush, later renamed Kimberley

From 1871 to 1914 up to 50,000 miners dug the hole with picks and shovels, yielding 2,720kg or 13,600,000ct of diamonds.The Big Hole has a surface of 17ha and is 463m wide. It was excavated to a depth of 240m, but then partially infilled with debris reducing its depth to about 215m. Since then it has accumulated about 40m of water, leaving 175m of the hole visible. Once aboveground operations became too dangerous and unproductive, the kimberlite pipe was also mined underground by the De Beers company to a depth of 1,097m.

There is currently an effort in progress to register the Big Hole as a World Heritage Site. Diamonds were later discovered in significant quantities in kimberlites in what was then known as theTransvaal – the Cullinan mine near Pretoria was opened in 1902 and then Venetia in 1992.The Finsch mine in the Northern Cape opened in 1967. Alluvial diamonds and small diamondiferous fissures have been known and worked for many years along the southern banks of the Orange River as well as along and off SouthAfrica’s west coast.

Agro Solutions: Best Goat Breeds For Your Farm

While there are plenty of animals you should consider adding to your farm, we would argue that there’s nothing quite like owning a goat or a herd of goats, of course.

That’s because they are very hardy, they offer you plenty of milk to go with your morning croissant and better yet, their meat is considered to be one of the most delicious in the world.

But the problem that a lot of people face off against after they decide to get themselves a goat or two is what breed they should opt for

The reason as to why this is such a conundrum for a lot of people is because there are well over 200 different goat breeds for you to pick from.

So, choosing the perfect one is not going to be an easy job.You will need to look into the best goat breeds based on your personal preferences, budget and of course, based on their accessibility around your area.

Interestingly enough, it is believed that the main reason why the Kalahari Red goat was produced in the first place is to be a direct contender for the Boer goats on the market.

It was specifically designed to be a tougher and more robust version of the Boer goats, and, while we can’t say whether they achieved their goals or not, we can still safely say that they produced one of the best goat breeds in the world.

The Boer Goat

Taking up our number one spot, we have the Boer goats, and honestly is anyone even surprised at this point?

The Boer breed is commonly referred to as the best goat breed for meat around. While other breeds such as the Kalahari Red Goat do try to rival it, they hold no candle to the original Boer Goat. That’s because the quality of the meat alone is above anything else you will ever taste.This does raise the price up by quite a lot, but it isn’t for no reason either as the Boer goat is more than worthy enough of every cent.

So, that’s about it for the best goat breeds you could add to your farmhouse.

While there are definitely more than a handful of other breeds you could get, we personally believe that these are the best options you have on the market.

The Nigerian Dwarf Goat

The Nigerian Dwarf goat is by far one of the most universally acclaimed goats breeds your money could get you.

They are pretty much perfect for most farms out there, as even though they are on the smaller end, being only around 2 feet tall and weighing in at 75lbs each, they still pull their weight exceptionally, thanks to their high-quality milk production.

Apart from that, the Nigerian Dwarf Goat also makes for one of the sweetest and most lovable breeds you could get. So, if you’re afraid that breeding bucks will be a bit too difficult for you, you can always just start off with Nigerian Dwarf goats and ease your way through the process.

They are so friendly that for the most part, Nigerian Dwarf goats are even recommended as pets for young children.

The Damascus Goat

The Damascus goat, or theAleppo, as many of the locals prefer to call it, is a native breed of Syria that has made its way around the globe, thanks to its increasing popularity

But what makes it so special? Well, it is considered to be one of the best alternative breeds to go for if you want something similar to the Nubian that is raised for both milk and meat at the same time.

The Damascus breed is known as one of the best dual-purpose breeds of the Middle East, and for good reason too.

The Beetal Goat

Beetal Goats are especially popular around India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, but lately it has also made its way into a lot of European andAmerican farms too.

If you want to get your hands on a

pure bred goat, you will need to pay an extra buck or two, simply because there are very few ways to actually export it properly from Punjab.

The breed standard is as follows, with the goats having a short and lustrous coat and a rather convex face.

The ears are also worth noting here as the Beetal goat has a very unique pair of long, droopy ears that curl up more and more the lower they fall.

The Black Bengal Goat

The Bengal goat is known as one of the smallest goat breeds out there that can still provide you with a lot of high-quality milk as well as meat.

It is one of the most popular goat breeds in Bangladesh and Northeastern India and it is known for having a very unique black coat that is made up of short hair

It is a bearded breed that is known for weighing in at around 40 to 44lbs, but do keep in mind that that’s only for the bucks.The does will only weigh in at 35 to 40lbs at max.

The Savanna Goat

Also commonly referred to as the white Boer, this breed was first developed in SouthAfrica and it almost immediately caught on, thanks to its beautiful white colored coat.

While its coat alone will fetch you a nice price on the market though, it isn’t the only financial reason why you should invest in a Savanna goat.

In fact, you should know that the Savanna breed is known as one of the big three most popular meat breeds inAfrica and most of the world, with the other notable breeds being the Boer and the Kalahari goats. - SOURCE: AgronoMag

The Kalahari Red Goat

The Kalahari Red Goat

The Kalahari Basin Area: A 'sprachbund' On The Verge Of Extinction

The Kalahari Basin area project (KBA) is a group of linguists and social and molecular anthropologists working together on questions regarding the population history of nonBantu-speaking peoples in southernAfrica, otherwise known as 'Khoisan'.

Although Khoisan is regarded by some as a single language family, the KBAwill investigate the hypothesis that the various language families in this area share traits due to extensive contact.The languages and culture of the people in the Kalahari Basin are rapidly dying out, thus the project additionally aims to conduct as much linguistic

and anthropological documentation as possible before it is too late.

The KBAproject is made up of six project teams of scientists based at six different institutions and is funded by the European Science Foundation and various other countryspecific funding bodies.

The historical distribution of the three major established language families in the Kalahari Basin area are Khoe-Kwadi, Ju-ǂHoan and Tuu as shown on the map below, with various individual languages in red.

- https://www.eva.mpg.de/

KIMBERLEY

Hoerskool Martin Oostuizen

se Johan van Niekerk Kry

Protea Meriete Kleure

Hoërskool Martin Oosthuizen

TENTPEGGING

PRESTEER: Johan van Niekerk (gr 11) verwerf tydens die Junior SA Tentpeggingkampioenskappe 'n goue medalje.

Hy word ook opgeneem in die Protea meriete span. Baie geluk Johan. Ons is trots op jou.

Bou Met Poort Beton in 2023

Het u al die materiaal wat u benodig om u projek suksesvol af te handel ?

Moenie onkant gevang word nie

An Autonomous Mining Roadmap For De Beers’ Venetia Underground

reinforcement, and loading and hauling. Sandvik is also providing itsAutoMine® system for the remote operation of loaders and trucks and its OptiMine® system for machine health monitoring, task management and location tracking.

Solutions.

De Beers has devised an autonomous mining roadmap for its Venetia Underground Mine (VUG) that will – once fully implemented – result in the new $2 billion mine becoming one of the most mechanised and automated mining operations in the world.

The VUG replaces open pit operations at the Venetia Diamond Mine and extends mine life to at least 2046. Expected to start production within 2023, it will use the sub-level cave mining method. According to Giel Marais, Principal Automation & Information at De Beers, the objective in terms of automation at the Venetia Underground Mine (VUG) is to have a number of autonomous mining systems performing multiple mining processes by 2027.

“This is an ambitious goal but we believe achievable given the major technological advances made in recent years, particularly by the Original Equipment Manufacturers who produce underground mining machines,” he says. “In the case of the VUG, our primary technology partner is Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, which manufactures a full range of ‘intelligent’mining machines that can operate independently underground within access controlled safety zones or be remotely operated from control rooms on surface.”

Marais’colleague, Freddie Breed, UndergroundTechnical Services Manager at De Beers, points out that the group has previous experience of autonomous mining. “De Beers commissioned the first – and only – automated trucking loop in SouthAfrica, and one of the first worldwide, at the Finsch diamond mine in the Northern Cape in 2005,” he says.

Marais says that while the Finsch system was revolutionary it was also limited in some respects. “The system was limited to one machine type – articulated dump trucks (ADTs) – performing one

process, namely hauling, on a single level of the mine,” he explains. “By contrast, at the VUG we will eventually have a number of mining systems operational, with a variety of machines, not just ADTs, executing multiple mining processes within the same operational area.These systems will be deployed and operating simultaneously during a shift on different levels of the mine.”

The implementation of automation at the VUG will be carefully phased in on an incremental basis starting with automated machines (which still require an onboard operator although many functions are automated). Next to be introduced will be autonomous machines (which do not require an onboard operator as they are equipped with automated machine navigation and tramming and can perform – while stationary in one location – most sets of routine functions without operator input required during the cycle).The final phase of implementation will see the introduction of full autonomous mining systems.

The key characteristic of autonomous mining systems is the use of multiple autonomous machines which are managed by an integrated central traffic management system.The machines operate in predefined safety zones that are dynamically combined to create autonomous operating areas.

Autonomous mining not only creates a safer and healthier environment for workers (by removing them from potential high risk areas of the mine) but, if implemented correctly, is also more productive than traditional techniques when measured in terms of output against available operating time.

Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions is supplying all the primary mining equipment for the VUG for both mine development and production.This includes machines for development and production drilling, rock

As one of the first steps in its automation journey, the VUG is about to commission a pilot project which will prepare the production team for the use of remote loading at the drawpoints and autonomous tramming to the tip. With cave mining, there is a risk of mudrushes and water ingress at drawpoints and remote loading will allow material to be loaded without putting operators at risk.

“This pilot project will have a single loader operating underAutoMine® Lite in a dedicated area on 44 Level that is isolated from other areas of the mine,” says Breed. “The machine will be controlled locally from a mobile tele-remote station just outside the autonomous operating area and not from surface.”

He adds that an integrated operations centre on surface at Venetia Mine is under construction and that it will be equipped and commissioned in H1-2023.

Facilitating VUG autonomy with Kinetic Mesh wireless mesh connectivity

In a separate but related announcement, Rajant Corporation, the pioneer of Kinetic Mesh® wireless networks, says it has collaborated with Sandvik on digital mining tests to ensure that wireless communication can be used with tele-remote and autonomous vehicles destined for Venetia.

Venetia is SouthAfrica’s largest diamond mine. It has been mined as an open-pit since 1992, with a Rajant Kinetic Mesh network providing resilient connectivity for surface vehicles.The Venetia Underground Project will rely upon autonomous and remotely operated vehicles to mine the diamond-bearing rock efficiently and safely, adopting new techniques for precise sub-level caving extraction.

“Our collaboration with Rajant demonstrates real cooperation in adopting best-in-class technology to enable our customers to mine safer and more efficiently Allied with Sandvik’s world-leading mining machines, the Rajant Kinetic Mesh wireless connectivity allows full utilisation of our advanced systems,” says Elen Toodu, Director of Global Automation Product Line & Projects, Sandvik Mining and Rock

“Testing and validating with Sandvik demonstrated the ability to maintain the network connections required, not only to ensure safe operations but to be able to stream live video from the machines as they operate autonomously,” says Jouni Koppanen, Product Line Manager, UndergroundAutomation, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions.

The Sandvik intelligent loaders and trucks feature smart solutions that rely on ubiquitous network connectivity within the challenging underground environment. Rajant’s network nodes, called BreadCrumbs® are mounted in fixed points within the mine and on every vehicle to directly connect to the vehicle’s cameras and control safety systems.This ensures that the controlling systems have 100% connection to the onboard systems.

“All Rajant BreadCrumbs communicate with all other radios, creating a unique, high-capacity, dense mesh network of connected assets, operating the advanced software systems at the heart of modern mining,” shares Chris Mason, Rajant VPof Sales, EMEA. “Rajant continuously develops its network offerings by working closely with machine and system manufacturers and the end-customer, enhancing the hardware and software systems that deliver mission-critical connectivity. Working with Sandvik on this task was a true illustration of collaboration across organisations and continents.”

Adds Mason, “Rajant’s extensive mining heritage in over 270 mines globally has led to the development of the latest Peregrine BreadCrumbs used for validation.This not only proved the resilience of connectivity and ruggedisation to survive in the mining environments but provided extremely high throughput and ultra-low latency required for multiple application use.”

Rajant technology is deployed across many mines globally, offering future-proof wireless connectivity. Each time Rajant launches a new BreadCrumb with added functionality, such as increased throughput, additional radio frequencies, or advanced management and control software, each new version is backward compatible with earlier models.

This offers a clear path to continual improvement and network upgrade – critical when operations extend well into the future, like Venetia. - International Mining

SOPA2023: Northern Cape Premier Flags Energy, Infrastructure Development As Provincial Priorities

Delivering his State of the ProvinceAddress, Northern Cape Premier Dr Zamani Saul said that along with addressing youth unemployment, the province's key priorities include energy and infrastructure development.

Reflecting on the current energy crisis, he said the province will be seeking ways to mitigate its impact, especially for small businesses which have buckled under the pressure of the rolling power cuts.

“The province has developed a renewable energy strategy that focuses on rooftop solar PV installation.The strategy seeks to address the limited participation of small, medium and micro-scale enterprises in the renewable energy value chain.

“The objective is to assist the SMMEs in entering into power purchase agreements with the

government and private sector to acquire loan funding from banks to procure the PV systems. Fifty-one SMMEs have received the PV Green Card training.The Northern Cape Solar Energy Business Incubator (NOCSOBI) was also established and we will launch it inApril 2023,” Saul said.

R9bn to to spent on infrastructure projects

Turning to infrastructure development and investment, the premier said the provincial government will be spending some R9bn on various projects. These will be focused on building schools, health facilities, roads, housing, energy, and water and sanitation infrastructure.

“Infrastructure investment is the backbone of a thriving economy Through the implementation of an integrated infrastructure growth path, the province will be able to improve the

socioeconomic conditions of the residents of the Northern Cape,” he said.

Saul said road infrastructure will also receive attention.

“Despite lack of a sufficient budget to service our provincial roads, we are committed to increase access to affordable and reliable transport infrastructure.The province also transferred 16 roads over to Sanral on 2 November 2022.

This will help the province focus on roads which are used mainly by local motorists.

“Apivotal development related to the latter is the fact that Sanral will also be opening an office here in the Northern Cape; this will help to strengthen focus on our roads which are critical to the success of our provincial and the national economy,” he said.Bizcommunity

Hey Leah PRINT SIGNAGE DESIGN Hey Leah

Northern Cape Premier Dr Zamani Saul. Source: premier.ncpg.gov.za

Bracing against the vibrations of the jackhammer, illicit diamond miner Jefferson Ncube bores steadily into the rock face before him, sending chunks of dry stone clattering to the ground and filling the air with a cloud of pale gray dust. He's 30 feet below the surface of the desert in the Namaqualand region of South Africa in a tunnel barely tall enough to crawl through.

"I don't enjoy this at all, but I need the money," says Ncube, who holds a degree in agricultural science from the University of Pretoria but says he has been unable to find work elsewhere. "I have a family to support, a wife and a 1-year-old child."

The Nuttabooi mine, near the coastal town of Kleinzee, was once mined by the diamond giant, De Beers, the largest of dozens of industrial mining operators who, for the best part of a century, formed the backbone of the region's economy

But over the past 20 years, rising operational costs and a dwindling supply of diamonds have made large-scale industrial mining increasingly unviable.The sector's steady decline has left a legacy of chronic unemployment in Namaqualand but has also created opportunities for a growing number of desperate young men and women willing to tolerate hardships and dangers as they eke out a living in abandoned mines.

Known locally as "zama-zamas" — loosely, "ones who try their luck" in isiZulu — unlicensed miners like Ncube are considered illegal by the government.Yet here on SouthAfrica's wild and diamond-richAtlantic coast, residents say the number of zama-zamas has burgeoned in recent years, fueled by the lack of jobs, the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rising cost of living, as well as by political and economic crises in neighboring countries.

Earlier this year, SouthAfrica's minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, described illegal mining as a "plague" amid reports of rampant corruption, extortion and violence linked to zama-zama activity across the country, not only in relation to diamonds but also coal, and other minerals such as gold and chromite. Once confined largely to the country's estimated 6,100 abandoned or ownerless mines, officials say illegal mining is increasingly spilling over into operational mines too.

Ncube is part of a 12-man team, all of them migrants from

Zimbabwe, where hyperinflation and unemployment have made it all but impossible to build a stable life for their families. Out in the desert, living conditions are bleak and working conditions even worse, but with some basic tools and a little knowledge of geology, they manage to make ends meet. The men, almost all of whom have arrived in the past two years, share the work and split whatever profits they make.

"We dig down until we hit the bedrock, then we go sideways through this belt," says Ncube, pointing at a band of rock and gravel on the side wall of the tunnel. "This is where we find the diamonds. In the past, they used hammers and chisels. But if you use a jackhammer, you can take out more rock and then there are more diamonds for you."

Danger in the tunnels

The miners have little in the way of safety equipment, and their tunnels are prone to collapsing.A little more than half a mile from here, at the neighboring Bontekoe mine, a simple granite plaque in the desert commemorates the miners who lost their lives in a particularly deadly collapse in 2012. Smaller accidents occur frequently and often go unreported. Community leaders say that at least six people have died at Nuttabooi alone in the past few months.

To try to stay safe, Ncube and his colleagues make a point of leaving "pillars" at 6-foot intervals as they tunnel through the ground. But it's an imperfect system, made harder by the fact that tunnels dug by different groups of miners often collide.

"If the hole is ‘paying,' people get greedy and they eat away at the pillars until the whole thing is just hanging," says Ncube. "That's how some guys died just two holes away from here. If you get greedy you'll die down here, and then your family will suffer even more."

After handing over to a colleague, Ncube climbs carefully back up the vertical mine shaft and hauls himself over the edge.At the surface, in a stark, lunar landscape of craters and piles of rubble, zama-zamas cluster together around their holes, sifting through gravel and chatting over the low hum of diesel generators. Afew hundred yards away, the old De Beers mine lies abandoned, a massive scar on the face of the desert, hemmed in by towering mine dumps.

"De Beers has taken all the diamonds out of Namaqualand

and now we're back in poverty," saysAndrew Cloete, a longtime illicit miner who lives in a small tent of black and red plastic sheeting in the ever-expanding squatter camp below the Nuttabooi mine. "The companies left us like they found us — with nothing. But if we just sit there thinking about it, our kids will die. So we, the diggers, come in here and take the scraps.”

The plight of the zama-zamas

There is a palpable sense of anger, particularly among the miners who grew up in Namaqualand, over how little of the region's diamond wealth has stayed in the local area. Over several decades, vast quantities of diamonds have been exported overseas, yet most of the area's roads are still unpaved, service provision is haphazard at best and poverty and alcoholism are endemic. Unemployment in the province stands at over 46%.

“Africa's f***ed up. We don't have jobs, all we have is minerals — but they're being looted by the West," said one miner, an unemployed mechanical engineer who didn't want to be named, citing concerns that he may be targeted by the authorities. "This is ourAfrica.This is our land.These are our minerals."

Outside Cloete's tent, men wander through a small city of plastic leantos that has sprung up in the desert over the past two years. The camp has enveloped a handful of derelict buildings left behind by the mining companies, where zama-zamas now sleep side by side on filthy mattresses on the floor The camp, home to around 1,500 people, has no electricity, running water, clinics or sanitation but a surplus of bars and taverns that do a steady round-the-clock trade.

"Nobody would live in conditions like this if there wasn't a need," says Cloete, gesturing toward the

scene outside. "We're here because of poverty, hunger and joblessness."

They're not getting rich off their diamonds

After lighting a cigarette, Cloete reaches for a small glass jar and takes out a plastic packet from inside. Carefully, he empties its contents into his palm.About a dozen small, rough diamonds tumble out. On international markets they might fetch a substantial sum, he says, but due to the illegal nature of their work, the zama-zamas have little bargaining power and are forced to sell their finds to black-market buyers for a fraction of their true value.

"They buy diamonds like they're buying sweets," complained one zama-zama. "You get people buying diamonds for 100 Rand [about $5.50]."

JCloete, who founded an informal group of mineral rights activists known as the "Mining Fighters," has spent years petitioning the SouthAfrican government to find a productive way to formalize zamazama mining, a move that he says would lead to safer working conditions and a fairer marketplace for local diamonds, as well as bringing in considerable revenue for the government. Similar systems are in place in many otherAfrican countries, where so-called artisanal mining, carried out by individuals or small groups using traditional methods and basic equipment, is now a major employer and revenue generator

But Cloete says he has yet to receive a response. "They treat us like we're criminals," he says.

Many in the formal diamond sector would also like to see the legalization and regulation of informal mining, which they say Continues on pg 28

Jefferson Ncube, an illegal diamond miner from Zimbabwe, works on his latest tunnel at an abandoned De Beers mine near Kleinzee, South Africa. Ncube is a univeristy graduate, but has been unable to find employment. / Tommy Trenchard for NPR

Bladsy 28

hampers their legal operations and fuels a parallel black market in illegal diamonds.

"At the end of the day, it's a situation that's totally unbearable for us," said Gert Van Niekerk, chairman of the SouthAfrican Diamond Producers Organisation, an industry body representing legal diamond miners. "This is not the Wild West."

In Kleinzee, a faded mining town once owned by De Beers, where most homes now lie empty, residents say the influx of illegal miners from around SouthAfrica and neighboring countries has led to a rise in crime.

The uncertain future faced by zama-zamas

"Zama-zamas aren't welcome here," said one Kleinzee restaurateur. "They have knives, they have guns, they're gangsters. They can come and buy things here, but afterward they must leave. We don't want them here.”

Police raids are frequent. In one major operation in July, a combined force of police and other law enforcement bodies backed by two helicopters and a spotter plane raided the Nuttabooi site, arresting over 100 people and confiscating 130 generators and 121 jackhammers, along with other equipment. But within days, mining

activity had resumed. In a policy document released in March, SouthAfrica's Department of Mineral Resources and Energy announced its intention to create a new police unit dedicated to combating illegal mining. It also laid out plans to make it easier for artisanal and small-scale miners to legally acquire mining rights by streamlining the expensive and time-consuming process of applying for a permit.

But creating new legislation to support the policies could take time.And critics say it's unrealistic to hope that many zama-zamas will voluntarily cease their activities, undergo training, comply with regulations and start paying taxes and royalties to the

government, especially given that many are in the country illegally and would not be eligible for mining permits.

In the meantime, Namaqualand's zama-zamas don't intend to wait around.

“There's nothing for us out there," said Kim Cupito, a former fruit trader who lost her job during the pandemic and now lives with her husband in a derelict De Beers building with gravel piled up in the hallways and gaping holes in the roof. "We need to survive, and this is God's ground. It's for everybody."https://www.gpb.org/

Kim Cupito, who lives with her husband in a derelict building left behind by De Beers, lost her job during the pandemic. "We need to survive, and this is God's ground. It's for everybody," she says. / Tommy Trenchard for NPR

A diamond miner hauls up a bucket of gravel at an illegal mining site in South Africa's Northern Cape Province. / Tommy Trenchard for NPR

Andrew Cloete, a diamond miner and activist for mining rights, photographed in his shack in a squatter camp at the Nuttabooi mine in Namaqualand, South Africa. The government considers the activity at Nuttabooi illegal because the miners do not possess permits. / Tommy Trenchard for NPR

Diamond miners at an illegal dig site in Namaqualand, South Africa. / Tommy Trenchard for NPR5

An ilegal diamond miner breaks up rocks at the Nuttabooi mine near Kleinzee, South Africa. / Tommy Trenchard for NPR

A swimming pool lies empty in the town of Kleinzee in the Namaqualand region of South Africa. The town was once the property of the De Beers diamond company. In its heyday, it was a thriving settlement of 4,000 people with about 30 recreational clubs. After closing down its mines in the region, De Beers sold off the town, which is now largely empty. / Tommy Trenchard for NPR

Eerste vir STAAL

Leach LodgeSPA Kuruman

Tankwa Padstal: The Place Where A Car Fell From The Sky And The Food Is A Gift From The Heavens

Nearly 100km from Ceres on Route 355 sits an oasis of curiosities that will have you tilting your head from side-toside trying to make sense of it. There sure are a lot of surprises in the Karoo, writes Herman Eloff.

As soon as we hit the gravel road coming from Ceres' side, we pull over to let some air out of the tyres.

Adonkey cart trots past us with two donkeys, a driver, and a single passenger There's no other soul in sight.

Before we left town, we stopped for carrot cake and a braaibroodjie at the cosy coffee shop on the main road through town, where two local ladies were celebrating a dual "babatee" (baby shower) in the

corner

We're about to journey down SouthAfrica's longest gravel road, perhaps best known as the path to the legendaryAfrika Burn festival. But we won't dance around fires or run wild without an "onderbroek" (underwear).

We're off to theTankwa Padstal, also serving as waterpoint 4 for the News24 Karoo Burn this weekend.

Just a few months ago, this same road was flooded to the point that canoeing down it was the preferred mode of transport.

Mud puddles and washed-away lanes of sand are the only evidence left behind.

"You must see the videos online," Susan Lange from the Padstal tells us of the

December floods, which she captured on camera.

The first thing you see when approaching Route 355's oasis is a giant silver UFO crashed into a hillside. Some say it landed there one night; others claim Susan and her hubby, Hein, erected it on 17 June 2021 as a tourist attraction. I guess we'll never know

The next thing to catch your eye is Wynkaptein.The 1979 Peugeot 504GR looks like it fell from the sky and got buried head-first into the ground like a nervous ostrich hiding from the world. With its backside in the air, the powder blue car has provided shelter from the sun since 2017.

TheTankwa Padstal is a little bit Tarantino and a little bit Sons of Anarchy

Behind the bikes and the bakkies stands the general dealer, a roadside restaurant, and a bar named Werkswinkel (Workshop).

Visitors usually work their way through from the front to the back, where they end up in the Werskwinkel to talk shop and share road trip stories.

In-between welcoming cyclists to the waterpoint, we order one of Susan's legendary beef burgers with chunky chips and a Twizza (like a Coke but much sweeter).

When your order is ready, you'll get a call over the loudspeaker, guaranteed to shake loose nostalgia from running barefoot at primary school sports days.News24

A UFO on a hillside. (Photo: Herman Eloff/News24)

The workshop at the back. (Photo: Herman Eloff/News24)

Tankwa Padstal. (Photo: Herman Eloff/News24)

In the shade. (Photo: Herman Eloff/News24)

So Maak Mens Die Lekkerste Namakwabrood

Jy knie mos nou jou deeg met suurdeeg, dan laat staan jy die skittle deeg op warmwater laat dit lekker kan rys.As dit gerys het, dan knie jy dit weer terug. Dan laat staan jy die deeg weer do n bietjie laat dit weer kan rys. In die meantime smeer jy jou panne lekker botter of jy kan n bietjie olie gebruik.

Dan loop tel jy n paar “krummels” op soos mamma goed mos altyd gesê het.

Julle wat nie geweet het nie, donkiemis of perdemis kan ook gebruik word...my ouma grootjie goed het dit altyd gebruik...my straat se hele minse gebruik dit mos hoeka al die jare.

Dan soak ons so twee ou lelike lappe in water

Ons gaan dit later gebruik om die oond toe te maak.

Dan maak os mos nou die oond lekker skoon, krap dai ou as uit, en dan maak maak jy die vuur

Dan sit jy jou panne in die oond vir so n uur lank. Hou jou tyd dop.

Terwyl die hout brand, dan kom sit jy solank jou deeg in die panne. Dan laat staan ons weer die panne deeg do n bietjie. Dan gooi jy so bietjie melk bo oor die deeg laat die brood nie Swart brand nie.

Dan haal jy dit onmiddelik uit en dan smeer jy dit so n bietjie botter...sommer so warm-warm laat dit kan dag raak...anders is die brood kliphard buitekant.

Dan maak jy die oond toe met die een nat lap, dit help laat daar nie wind in die oond in kom nie.

Na 50 minute kan jy kom check hoe lyk die brood.

For Attention: The Mining Industry

Dan maak jy die oond lekker toe.

Bydra van RushphianoLamour Cloete - Namakwakind Upington

UPINGTON

Happy Birthday Merlin...!!!

We’d Like to thank Mrs. Merlin Padmaker, one of our volunteers who's just turned 36 (6 March 2023) for her time and devotion to helping those in need, we see you and it’s highly appreciated

-KODAManagement & Staff