Hadeda News - 18 November 2022

Denise and Brother of birthday girl Luchiano Pic Newton Photography

New Cannabis Clinical Trial Launched In South Africa

The Cannabis Research Institute of SouthAfrica (CRI) will sponsor the first observational clinical trial on medicinal cannabis’ effectiveness in curbing opioid addiction in SouthAfrica.

The sponsored trial will be a year-long study that examines the effectiveness of medical cannabis as an alternative to opioids for chronic pain management. In addition to demonstrating therapeutic efficacy and pain relief, the objective is to provide credible, reliable, and verifiable data to the relevant authorities to regulate the availability of medicinal cannabis in SouthAfrica, said the CRI.

The study will be conducted in collaboration with the Releaf Cannabis E-Clinics, and registered participants will have free access to their medicinal cannabis through the trial.The trail will be headed up by cannabis clinician Dr Shiksha Gallow, who will work alongside a team of highly skilled doctors in the medical cannabis industry.

“While the SouthAfrican Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) does not yet have any official cannabiscontaining medicines approved for pain relief, anecdotal evidence and preliminary studies point towards its potential to be highly effective in pain

management,” said Gallow

She explained that chronic pain is defined as pain that lingers for longer than six months and can be categorised as visceral, somatic, and neurogenic. This has led to a wide range of treatments – including over-the-counter drugs and opiates such as morphine, oxycodone, or codeine, which instruct the body’s natural opioid receptors to prevent the nerves responsible for pain from signalling.

However, Gallow noted that while opiates can be highly effective in pain management, over time, the body will develop a tolerance, meaning that the dose needs to be systematically increased to bring relief, which can lead to dependence.

“Opiates are associated with many side effects, including sedation, respiratory depression – and even death. With the global increase in opiate addiction, which brings far-reaching repercussions – from ill health to broader societal issues such as crime – the research will be focussed on establishing a safer alternative to treating pain,” she said.

Opioid misuse is responsible for thousands of deaths every year. Overdose deaths

from drugs in the United States numbered 91,799 in 2020, with opioids accounting for 68,630 (74.8%).

The World Health Organization (WHO) noted that medications such as morphine, fentanyl, and tramadol are commonly used as opioid pain relievers, and it is possible to become dependent on opioids if used recklessly.

Bella Dorrington, a Senior Researcher at the CRI, said the study has the potential to change the medicinal landscape not only in South Africa but across the globe.

“This study aims to emphasise the benefits of cannabis treatment. SouthAfrica is poised to set a standard for medicinal cannabis in the world’s market as we have the resources, technology, and people to make it happen,” said Dorrington.

Willco Janse van Vuuren, the managing director of Releaf Pharmaceuticals, added that creating better solutions for patients is at the core of the study

“Ahealth-focused, conscious community needs solutions that address its needs. Medical cannabis is gaining a great deal of attention as a powerful and proven alternative to conventional medicine,” he said.

The study, which has received worldwide interest with many countries and international medical professionals eagerly awaiting the results, has been approved by Pharma-ethics, the Department of Health (DOH), and the SouthAfrican Medical Research Council (SAMRC).

SAHPRAhas been notified about the sponsor and the study protocol.

UPINGTON 30TH NOVEMBER 2022

4 Skryfwenke vir jou (2)

Wenke van Welbekende Gepubliseerde Skrywer - Annerle Barnard

op gebeure in die verlede. Sodoende kon ek agtergrondsinligting bietjie-bietjie deel, maar ook afwagting skep.

Dialoog

Vir my persoonlik moet dialoog gewig dra en jou storie dryf. In ‘n vorige blogplasing het ek reeds melding gemaak van hoe ‘n mens dialoog kan aanwend om jou storie te stuur, maar indien jy meer wil weet, lees gerus verder

Dialoog is nie slegs daar om die wit spasie op die papier in te kleur nie. Dialoog kan die volgende funksies in jou storie hê:

‘n hele aantal temas, soos wat ‘n mens in Spel, 2021 (Annerle Barnard) vind. Resensie: Spel, 2021 Die onderstaande resensie deur Cara-Lu Graham (op Goodreads), behoort ‘n goeie aanduiding van die temas in die boek te gee:

ndien jy baat by die vorige 4 skryfwenke wat ek gedeel het, gevind het, sal jy hopelik ook baat vind by die volgende 4 skryfwenke.

4 Skryfwenke vir jou (2) Wys, i.p.v. vertel Daar is wel tye wanneer die verteltegniek beter werk, byvoorbeeld wanneer karakters 3 dae lank oor ‘n berg trek en niks noemenswaardig tydens hierdie trek gebeur nie.As skrywer wil jy slegs vir die leser vertel dat hulle oor die berg getrek het en hulleself nou in ‘n ander ligging bevind. Hier sal jy dus vertel, eerder as wys.

Verder wil jy eerder “wys”, want wanneer jy wys, neem die leser aktief deel aan die interpretasie van die storie, karakters, milieu, ens.

In Spel (Annerle Barnard), op bl. 69, sit JJ aan tafel met ‘n bord kos terwyl die ander nog op pad is etenstafel toe.

Wat sê die volgende reëls uit die teks vir jou oor JJ as persoon?

JJ hou onmiddellik op beat box. Hy sit die mes en vurk waarmee hy trom gespeel het, neer. […] “En wat gaan jý doen terwyl ek onbetaald vir jou slaaf?” JJ stoot sy bord van hom af weg en vou sy arms oor sy bors. Die ringe in sy ore en lip reflekteer die pers van sy hare. (bl. 69)

Dialoog kan ook gebruik word om te wys en terselfdertyd te karakteriseer. In Sindikaat (Annerle Barnard), op bl. 180 maakAdriaan ‘n opmerking oor Paul Rudman (protagonis). Adriaan se opmerking onthul egter iets oor homself ook — en nie slegs oor Paul nie. Ek haal aan:

“Karlien, het jy nog nie agtergekom hoe mal douchebag oor hand sanitiser is nie?” wil Adriaan weet. (bl.180)

In Sweepslag (Annerle Barnard), op bl. 100 kom ons meer oor Bullet te wete:

Bullet se skrefiesmond trek nog dunner, sy gesig word beetrooi. Hy klap die kamerdeur toe, lig sy vuiste en tree nader. (bl. 180)

Dis onmoontlik om slegs te wys en nie te vertel nie, maar “die verteltegniek” moet uiteraard slegs gebruik word wanneer die teks/storie dit vereis.

Ysberg-teorie, Hemingway Volgens Ernest Hemingway se ysberg-teorie moet die skrywer slegs die punt van die ysberg (die belangrikste deel van die storie) bekendmaak, want die leser is veronderstel om die res te ontdek. Die skrywer moet daarom nie te veel inligting rakende plot en karakters aan die leser bekendmaak nie. Moenie jou leser met ‘n lepel voer en sy/haar intelligensie onderskat nie.

Te veel inligting gaan maak dat die leser belangstelling verloor en te veel inligting kom neer op “information dumping”. Wanneer ek skryf, doen ek deeglike navorsing. Ook oor my karakters en hulle geskiedenis wil ek soveel as moontlik weet. Ek het nodig om hierdie inligting te weet ten einde my storie te kan skryf, maar ek deel nie als aan die leser mee nie.

In beide Sweepslag (2019) en Sindikaat (2019,Annerle Barnard) het ek achronologiese hoofstukke. Elke eerste hoofstuk fokus op die hede en die daaropvolgende hoofstuk fokus

Karakterisering

Skep spanning Stuur die storie Wys (i.p.v. vertel) Vir die dialoog om effektief te wees, moet dit egter nie te lank aangaan nie. Jy kan veel meer sê in kort, bondige dialoog as in ‘n lang, uitgerekte gesprek.

Onthou die voorbeeld waarna ek vantevore verwys het?

“Vertel my watter tipe mens jou beste vriend was.” vs.

“Jou beste vriend was ‘n wetter, nè?”

Ten einde verder te illustreer, haal ek uit Spel, 2021 (Annerle Barnard) aan:

“Wat het jy kom soek, Lukas?” probeer Romeo weer

“Weet nie. Kan nie onthou nie. Julle het my heeltemal van my wysie af.” (bl. 147) en

JJ kyk na Lukas. “Jy’t die interpersonal skills van ‘n robot.” Hy draai na Dimpho. “Hoe hou jy dit met die ou? Het jy nie actual vriende nie?”

“Kom saam as jy wil.” Lukas voel aan die patrone in sy baadjiesak. “Jy kan doen as ‘n skild.” (b. 56)

Temas

Die temas in jou storie is ongelooflik belangrik. Wat wil jy sê en slaag jy daarin om dit op ‘n subtiele, maar suksesvolle, manier te sê? Soms het ‘n storie

Spel is veel meer as slegs ‘n jeugroman. Dis ‘n boek met soveel lae en fasette dat enige persoon tussen 14 en 100 daarby aanklank sal vind. Spel handel oor Lukas, `n 17 jarige seun, wat deel is van die klein persentasie van die aardse bevolking wat oorleef het nadat die res van die mensdom deur oorlog en siekte uitgewis is. Die Saevissimi, `n superras transterrane, is aan bewind en hulle is op Lukas se spoor

Spel se temas fassineer: vryheid en onderdrukking, die stryd tussen goed en kwaad, samewerking vs. oorlog, medemenslikheid vs. kunsmatige intelligensie, sowel as die ekoangs van die moderne mens. Dis ‘n verhaal oor verlies en vindingrykheid. Hierdie boek se groen tema is van kardinale belang vir ons hedendaagse samelewing.

Lukas en Dimpho, asook Lukas en Fidelis se vriendskap dien as metafoor vir dit wat vermag kan word wanneer mense saamwerk en kennis deel. Spel is uitstekend nagevors en geskryf, maar dit lees terselfdertyd lekker Lukas en Jolene is aangetrokke tot mekaar. Gaan Lukas die moed hê om met Jolene oor sy gevoelens te praat? Die spanningslyn boei en die vele intriges hou die leser nuuskierig.

Hierdie boek is veel meer as ‘n goeie storie en sterk karakters. Die verhaal handel oor die belangrikste spel ooit, ‘n spel om oorlewing en wie die beste skuif kan maak ten einde die spesie se voortbestaan te verseker. Die skrywer slaag daarin om oënskynlik uiteenlopende temas in te span om ’n heerlike storie — met baie stof tot nadenke — te vertel.

Laat weet asb. indien jy enige spesifieke vrae betreffende hierdie of ander skryfwenke het.

Lekker skryf.

Baie klam en geurig. Jy kan dit sommer in 'n skoenboks bak!!!

Dis baie baie lekker klam!!!!

15ml kakaopoeier 15ml kitskoffie poeier 500ml kookwater 1,5kg droë vrugtekoekmengsel

2 opgehoopte teelepels (12,5ml) koeksoda 450g suiker 190g margarien 500g rooi kersies, in kwarte gesny en in 50ml brandewyn geweek

4 ekstra groot eiers, geklits 550g koekmeelblom

2 opgehoopte teelepels (12,5ml) bakpoeier

2 ml sout 7ml gemengde speserye 7ml fyn gemmer 250ml brandewyn

Vorige dag - los die

kakaopoeier en kitskoffie in n groterige kastrol in die kookwater op. Voeg die vrugtekoekmengsel, koeksoda en suiker by. Laat 5 minute lank kook. Verwyder vd hitte en voeg die margarien en die kersies in brandewyn by. Bedek die kastrol en laat oornag staan. Voor erhit die oond tot 150°C. Smeer 3 dadelbroodpannetjes en voer dit met waspapier uit. Voeg die geklitste eiers by die vrugtekoek-mengsel in die kastrol. Sif die koekmeelblom, bakpoeier, sout, gemengde speserye en gemmer saam en voeg by die vrugtekoekmengsel. Roer baie goed deur sodat daar geen klontjies droë bestanddele is nie. Skep die mengsel

in die dadelbroodpannetjies. Bedek die bokante met aluminiumfoelie. Plaas die pannetjies in 3 stewige skoen bokse en sit die deksels op. Plaas die skoen deksels op n bakplaat en bak 1 en 'n halwe uur lank.Toets vir gaarheid met 'n toetspen en bak nog 'n halfuur indien nodig. Haal die skoen bokse se deksels af en laat die koek 10 minute lank oop bak. Besprinkel die koek met die brandewyn sodra dit uitgekerf is. Laat afkoel. Draai goed toe met aluminiumfoelie. Plaas die vrugtekoek in 'n plastieksak en maak goed toe. Laat dit minstens 2 weke lank veroudering voor gebruik. Bron: Facebook /Resepte vir Almal.

New Bank Branches Where You Can Get Your Smart Id And Passport In South Africa

The Department of HomeAffairs is slowly rolling out its services to more bank branches in South Africa, with a new office opening up in the Northern Cape, and more on the way

Presenting to the portfolio committee on HomeAffairs on Tuesday, the department said that it is in the process of opening a new office at the Kathu Mall in the Northern Cape.

The office is currently taking walk-ins as part of its stress testing and will go into full operation soon.

This brings the total number of active bank branches with Home Affairs services to 27, with the department anticipating the rollout of 43 more branches once agreements with the participating banks are signed in 2023.

Progress in signing the agreements with banks has been slow, however, with the department noting several issues that have been raised.

Banks are hesitant to get into bed with the department due to the reputational risk involved with extended periods of downtime.

“The banks have raised the State InformationTechnologyAgency’s (SITA’s) turnaround times as a big reputation risk for them – and need assurances that their sites won’t be offline for longer periods,” the department said.

The period for the banking Home Affairs pilot ended in July 2022, it said, but the banks have agreed to extend the pilot to 31 March 2023. The department said that it envisages that it would have signed agreements with all the participating banks before that date. In the meantime, the DHA said that SITAhas embarked on a R400 million upgrade of its core network which will take place over the next five years. Of the amount, R159 million has already been spent.

The upgrades will focus on replacing old equipment and expanding network capacity to ensure that there isn’t a fight

among various DHAsites over the limited bandwidth.

Banking groups participating in the DHApilot previously told BusinessTech that they are keen to roll out HomeAffairs services to more branches in the country, but they are waiting for the DHA to sign service-level agreements and lay out its strategy

The banks which offer DHA services – including Discovery, Investec, Standard Bank,

Nedbank,Absa and FNB – said that there is a growing demand among their customers to make use of the satellite offices, and they remain engaged in discussions with the department on how to expand the services to more regions.

HomeAffairs is also looking to roll out satellite offices at popular malls in the country.Business Tech

Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) recently sent a delegation to SouthAfrica to assess progress in the development of crossborder tourism in theAi /Ais RichtersveldTransfrontier Park based on commitments in a bilateral agreement before Covid.

TheAi /Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park is a crossborder park straddling the border between SouthAfrica and Namibia. It was formed in 2003 by combining the NamibianAi /Ais Hot Springs Game Park and the SouthAfrican Richtersveld National Park.

NWR Managing Director, Matthias Ngwangwama in a statement highlighted how activities such as the desert night cycling event that last took place in 2017, as well as desert kayak trails, brought about innovative and sustainable ways to raise funds for conservation activities

in the park while creating shortterm jobs and training opportunities.

“With the cycling race that involved competitors having to pedal day and night across the beauty of theAi /Ais National Park, we saw throngs of adrenalin hunters enjoying themselves and creating a strong marketing for Namibia and the park. We hope to see the same soon again.This means more revenue for Namibia in terms of tourism,” he said.

According to Ngwangwama, NWR as a member of the Joint Management Board as per the treaty is the national implementing agency in Namibia as the government manager of all rest camps in the national parks.

The treaty is a commitment between the government of Namibia and the SouthAfrican government to foster transnational collaboration and cooperation.This will facilitate effective ecosystem management in the area comprising the transfrontier park. - Economist

KOMPETISIE COMPETITION

The state-owned company, which provides loans to established and emerging farmers, is profitable again after being on a moneylosing streak for two years since 2020.The Land Bank pencilled in a profit of R1.39-billion for the year to 31 March 2022, from a loss of R711-million in 2021, and a loss of R905-million in the previous year

The Land Bank’s latest profits were largely driven by crafty but legitimate accounting practices. The Land Bank quickly wrote off soured loans of farmers to ensure that manageable and not large losses were recorded — an exercise that contributed to about 93% of its profits.Also boosting its profits were gains or income it received on its investments and the reduction of company expenses, mainly managing its loan book worth more than R20billion internally rather than paying fees for someone else to do so.

The Land Bank’s financial books received a clean audit from the Auditor-General as they were presented in a way that reflected the company’s true financial state. Another sign of progress at the Land Bank is that the company resumed its lending activity after two years of rejecting loan applications from farmers because it was broke.The Land Bank’s operations are important for SA’s food security system as it provides 30% of the country’s agricultural debt.

When a private sector company

records such progress, it is usually nothing to write home about. But when one of SA’s state-owned companies does this, it is an event, considering the dire performance of such companies.

Problem areas at the Land Bank Although progress has been recorded at the Land Bank, the company is far from celebrating a complete turnaround as it is still under financial strain. Without a diverse source of income, the Land Bank still largely relies on loan repayments from farmers to stay afloat.This is arguably a dangerous business model because if the fortunes of farmers turn for the worse as a result of uncontrollable events (such as adverse weather conditions), they won’t be able to service their loans from the Land Bank.This will, in turn, negatively affect the company’s financial situation.

The inability of farmers to repay their loans is still a big problem for the Land Bank.

The Land Bank’s non-performing loans — referring to payments not made by farmers for a period of time (usually beyond three months) — increased by 2.8% or R337.6-million to R12.3-billion. Expressed as a percentage of its total loan book (of more than R20-billion), the non-performing loan ratio increased from 32.5% in 2021 to 47.7% in 2022.

In banking circles, rising nonperforming loans are bad news because banks/lenders generate their profits from the timely repayment of loans by borrowers with interest.And in the Land Bank’s case, the rise in non-

performing loans underscores that the company is still having a tough time recovering loan repayments from farmers.

The Land Bank’s board and management say that reversing the rising trend of non-performing loans is receiving urgent attention. But this is a problem that has persisted for many years, and turning the situation around won’t be easy

Exodus of Land Bank staff and debt problems

Another worrying situation at the Land Bank is that the company is losing talent, especially individuals who bring institutional knowledge. In 2019, the Land Bank had 486 permanent workers, which reduced to 349 workers by 2022. More recently, the company has been operating without a CEO afterAyanda Kekana resigned from the top job at the end ofApril. Kekana was the Land Bank CEO for less than two years.The high turnover of executives contributed significantly to the Land Bank’s financial and governance crisis, as the company had a sizeable number of interim CEOs and CFOs since 2019.

The crisis in question is the Land Bank defaulting on debt repayments in early 2020 to its lenders, which prompted them to immediately demand the money they are owed.

The Land Bank’s financial problems have been caused by an exodus of executives, lack of oversight from NationalTreasury (representing the SAgovernment as the bank’s sole shareholder), “junk” downgrades of its credit rating by Moody’s, and drought conditions which have made it difficult for farmers to pay back their loans.

The Land Bank defaulted on debt payments of about R40.2-billion inApril 2020 to lenders, whose exposure to the bank is mainly through two publicly listed notes or debt instruments called domestic medium-term note (DMTN) programmes.To raise money on the open market, a

company would issue debt or notes to lenders with a promise of paying back the money with a fixed and floating interest rate at a later stage.ADMTN programme is like a sophisticated company credit card that a company uses by withdrawing money contributed by lenders to fund its operations.

About R17.3-billion of the R40.2billion defaulted debt amount has been repaid by the Land Bank to lenders, including interest payments. Some of the lenders that have received payments include the Government Employees’Pension Fund, which has funded the Land Bank to the tune of R2.6-billion.

Land Bank ChairThabi Nkosi recently told Parliament that the Land Bank hoped to solve the debt default with lenders by the end of 2022, which would include revised repayment terms with local and international lenders.

Land Bank lenders have rejected three proposed solutions to fixing the company’s debt problems as they wanted guarantees and protection from NationalTreasury or government that their amounts owed would be repaid.

Read more in Daily Maverick: “High noon for efforts to save Land Bank from collapse”

For farmers, the good news is that the Land Bank has resumed its lending activity The bank has partnered with the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development to launch a scheme in which R1.95-billion in grants and loans will be provided to farmers over the next three years.

The scheme will start with an initial minimum annual grant allocation of R325-million from the department.The Land Bank will match these grants with loans on a rand-for-rand basis for three years.To extend loans to farmers in this scheme, the Land Bank will tap into its cash reserves of R9.8-billion in 2022, which improved significantly from R700million recorded at the height of its financial crisis in 2020. DM/BM

as the Land Bank finally turned a corner? Possibly

Kolomela’s Air Ambulance Service Saves Lives

Kumba Iron Ore’s Kolomela mine have partnered with Rocket, an air ambulance service, to enable the rapid transfer of critically ill patients between hospitals. Rocket is a private helicopter air ambulance and air rescue provider in South Africa.Through a groundbreaking agreement, its services can be activated by Kolomela’s emergency team in medical circumstances where urgent medical attention is required. The specially built ambulance helicopters can speed up an interhospital transfer and lessen the time it would normally take on the road.Advance trauma personnel administers specialised in-flight medical care to the patient.The air ambulance can also be used to intercept critical ill patients from a road ambulance and transport them promptly to appropriate medical facilities.The service is available to community members that are in a rare critical condition.Air ambulance services is ideally suited for roadside assistance where quick despatch of medics to incidents

and rapid evacuation of injured is required.The operations are highly synchronised and timesensitive as land ambulance must arrive at the exact time at theTommy airfield strip as the helicopter

Rescue capabilities of helicopters

The Rocket ambulance group prides itself on being fully licensed and accredited to render air rescue services in critical circumstances.This partnership puts at the disposal of Kolomela a centralised air rescue and emergency management service that is supported by an 24/7 in-house emergency management centre. The ability to quickly dispatch lifesaving apparatus to lifethreatening situations makes the aeromedical ambulance ideal at large community events like the recent Kolomela road race or in disaster situations like wildfires.

Community emergency preparedness

Kolomela mine remains committed to provide emergency support within and around theTsantsabane municipal area.The emergency team has, among others, four land ambulances, one rapid response vehicle, four fire fighting vehicles and one water tanker available to respond to community emergencies. The teams have a night- and dayshift and services the three mining pits, five exploration sites and

the greaterTsantsabane municipal area.The team responds to fires and roadside assistance.

Kolomela mine has an 24hr onsite emergency control room which can be contacted on: 053313- 9111 or 071-744-2354.

Kolomela Mine’s Emergency Service Manager, Dewald Botha can be contacted for any queries on email: dewald.botha@angloamerican.com

Andries Scholtz Andries Scholtz

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Cheetah Locomotion Study Gets Major Funding Boost

Robotics and artificial intelligence can be used to great effect inAfrica – especially if we, asAfricans, can control the narrative, saidAssociate ProfessorAmir Patel, the director of theAfrican Robotics Unit (ARU) based in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of CapeTown (UCT).

Associate Professor, Patel who already holds a prestigious Google Research Scholarship, has just received a US$125 000 (approximately R2.2 million) award from anAmerican company, MathWorks, to further his laboratory’s research into cheetah locomotion.

“I think the award is fantastic because it’s a recognition of us doing interesting multidisciplinary scientific work, enabled by MATLAB, the computer software produced by MathWorks.And what’s also worth mentioning is that we are the firstAfricans to receive this award,” said Patel.

MathWorks specialises in mathematical computing software which Patel and his colleagues use in their day-today research. Patel is energised by the award and he thanked MathWorks for their belief in his ongoing research. “It is very gratifying because it recognises that theAfrican Robotics Unit is a research group that’s pushing the boundaries of how the MathWorks’tools are being utilised – specifically the innovative use of their software,” he said.

“I think we are punching well above our weight, and I’m glad that MathWorks has recognised that.”

“I’m extremely grateful to them for taking a chance on theARU because in terms of resources, the amount of funding that we get, and the amount of students we have – our research group is much smaller than our counterparts in the developed countries. I think we are punching well above our weight, and I’m glad that MathWorks has recognised that,” Patel added.

Commenting on the MathWorks award, he said this support was vital in helping him to explore artificial intelligence and robotics in uncharted domains.

“I believe this award will help me further my goal of moving biomechanics beyond the

confines of the laboratory,” he said.

Patel explained that traditionally researchers studied animal motion under very controlled environments using either model animals like rats or domestic animals – and sometimes even humans – which are much easier to work with in laboratory settings. “In our research unit, we really leverage our local resources, specifically our wildlife that no one else in the world can access. Consequently, we are doing research normally done in the lab, out in the wild,” he said.

Research critical for the design of future mobile robotic systems

The MathWorks funding will go towards Patel and his research associates’study, titled “An InverseApproach to Understanding Cheetah Locomotion”.The study will employ inverse optimal control and inverse reinforcement learning to understand how robots can mimic cheetah movements, Patel explained. These movements include high speed manoeuvres such as rapid acceleration, sharp turns and sudden stops that are the most demanding challenges in legged locomotion.

“Studying the biomechanics of manoeuvrability is critical for the design of future mobile robotic systems which need to react quickly in an unstructured dynamic world,” he said.

Consequently, this research offers interesting case studies on, and enormous insight into, how animals negotiate trade-offs between competing requirements such as safety, economy, stability, robustness and agility

Knowing the cheetah is the fastest and most agile terrestrial animal, Patel and his fellow researchers can watch and capture its manoeuvrers over a period of time. “We need to understand what it’s trying to achieve when it’s doing those motions.Then we have to boil that down into a mathematical framework so we understand what is important to the cheetah when it is manoeuvring,” he said.

“Optimal control is basically a mathematical method of using optimisation to determine, in our case, the best actions an animal or even a robot should take. For example, whether it is trying to

optimise energy, that is, use the least energy, or whether it’s trying to optimise time to get there in the fastest way possible, will each create very different action sequences.”

“So, we model the physics (equations of motion) of the system – which in our case, is an animal – then we can figure out the motion. Very similarly, reinforcement learning also entails a cost function that we are trying to minimise, but instead of using a model, we use a model-free approach to learn the best actions through trial and error,” Patel elaborated.

“Both those methods – optimal control and reinforcement learning – are based on the premise that one understands what the cost function is: what the robot or the animal is trying to achieve. With an inverse approach – and what we want to do in this project – is to figure out the cost function behind its movements. In other words, why the animal does what it does,” he said.

En route to Oxford

Patel is looking forward to his sabbatical at the University of Oxford in 2023 which will be funded by the Oppenheimer MemorialTrust FellowshipAward which he was awarded earlier this year This is the second time Patel has been granted this prestigious fellowship.

At Oxford, Patel will be working directly with world-renowned computer scientist and UCT alumnus ProfessorAndrew Markham.They will conduct research on revolutionary new systems that employ artificial intelligence and robotics to predict the health of wildlife and which, ultimately, will lead to

more efficient and effective conservation management.

In this transdisciplinary project, Patel is employing robotic techniques such as computer vision, machine learning, mechanical modelling and sensor fusion to remotely measure the vital signs of wildlife.This project is already under way. Data is being collected and algorithms developed to accurately monitor lions.

Developing uniquelyAfrican solutions

Patel has spent roughly a decade developing systems to understand the biomechanics of wildlife – cheetahs most specifically The combination of all his projects will provide much greater insight into both animal locomotion and wildlife health.

Patel is passionate about how Africa can bring its own strengths to the artificial intelligence and robotics industries. “I don’t see it as us ‘catching up’to the developed world. I think it’s really important for us to be cognisant of our environment, understand our constraints, and not just apply solutions here that have worked in the developed world. It’s difficult to compete head-to-head with our counterparts in the developed world if we’re going to play the same game, because there’s just so many more people in their labs and there’s way more funding. So, we need to find our own unique angle.”

“I definitely think that using our unique position at the tip of the continent, and our incredible diversity, we can compete and set our own narrative forAI and robotics.”

A lone cheetah stalks across the road during the ARU’s field trip to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in June 2022.

He continued: “At theARU, we really strive to leverage our unique position in terms of our environment, access to resources, and have an understanding of our constraints. Our perspective is that we can come up with uniquelyAfrican solutions to problems.This often means we have to reimagine ways that things have been done previously. I definitely think that using our unique position at the tip of the continent, and our incredible diversity, we can compete and set our own narrative forAI and robotics.”

ARU as a hub for robotics in Africa

Patel has ambitions of establishing theARU as a hub for robotics inAfrica – conducting world-class research and helping to train the next generation of African scientists.

“I see UCTas being the place

where cutting-edge,Africafocused robotic research happens!” he exclaimed. “I tell people that studying the cheetahs is similar to the space race, in that it really pushes the boundaries of what we can do and highlights the shortcomings of our current technology. In Africa we have hard, challenging problems, but they force us to innovate and find new solutions.”

AUCTalumnus, Patel completed his undergraduate Mechatronics degree in 2008. He then worked in the aviation industry designing aircraft control systems, before returning to UCTto do his PhD in mechatronics engineering, which he completed in 2015.

Patel is grateful for the many people that have helped him along in his research career. He highlighted the important role former Electrical Engineering department head, Professor Ed

Boje, played in influencing his career trajectory. “In the beginning he guided me during my PhD and as a young staff member he served as a great mentor to me,” he said.

“More recently I’ve been really fortunate in that I’ve received great support from the dean of

Engineering & the Built Environment, ProfessorAlison Lewis, and also from the ViceChancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng.They’ve both taken a keen interest in my career which has really motivated me further.”news.uct.ac.za

PhD candidate Naoya Muramatsu captures a cheetah’s movement for studies on its locomotion conducted by the African Robotics Unit.

Shares in Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas Ltd (AIM:ECO,TSXV:EOG) shot up 10% in Wednesday morning dealing as the market hotly anticipates news from drilling offshore SouthAfrica.

TheAIM-quoted explorer has a 50% working interest in Block 2B, which contains the Gazania prospect, and is the operator for the drilling of the well. Drilling kicked off just over a month ago and Eco shares are up 22% since then (and are up about 130% in 2022 to date).

Finfluencers and social media investors speculated online whether a drill report may soon arrive as Eco’s shares pushed

higher in Wednesday’s early deals.

OnAIM, Eco shares were up 3.25p or 8.2% by around 9:45am. Meanwhile, in Canada, Eco’sToronto quote saw the price rise some 18% to 73 cents per share last night.

Gazania-1, approximately 25km offshore the Northern Cape in Orange Basin SouthAfrica and in approximately 150 metres of water, is targeting a prospect of 300mln barrels of light oil.

If there is a discovery in the vertical section there is an option to drill a sidetrack from the main well bore.

TheAct provides, that operational requirements is defined as requirements based on the economic, technological, structural or similar needs of an Employer. When an Employee is dismissed for reasons based on the Employers operational requirements, also known as retrenchment, the Employee will be entitled to receive severance pay. Section 41 of the Basic Conditions of EmploymentAct states that an Employer must pay an Employee who is retrenched severance pay equal to at least one week’s remuneration for each completed year of continuous service with that Employer calculated by reference to the number of hours

the Employee ordinarily works.

As for notice of termination of Employment, this occurs when an Employee wishes to terminate his/her contract of employment by way of resignation or if an Employer contemplates retrenching Employees based on the Employers operational requirements.The period applicable is regulated by Section 37 of the Basic Conditions of EmploymentAct and provides that one party shall give the other party notice of not less than seven days if the Employee worked less than six months, two weeks if the Employee worked more than

six months but less than a year, and four weeks if the Employee worked for more than a year. During the period, the Employee will still be remunerated for the prescribed notice period worked calculated by reference to the number of hours the Employee ordinarily works and can only be waived if both the Employer and Employee party agree to it.

Both severance and notice of termination will apply and be paid when retrenchment is concluded, however only notice of termination will be applicable where the Employee has tendered his/her resignation to the Employer To further

understand what an Employees full entitlement will be when termination occurs either by way of retrenchment, resignation or dismissals based on misconduct, poor work performance or ill health or injury contact a Joblaw office in your area for more details.

This article aims to provide general information and does not constitute legal advice.

For more information contact 054 333 1115 /6 or email ontvangs@joblaw.co.za.

Bou Met Poort Beton in 2022

Moenie onkant gevang word nie

Forgotten Highway Taps Into Possibilities of SA Countryside

The possibilities of the longest heritage route in SouthAfrica are as wide as the horizons along the Forgotten Highway, which stretches for approximately 1 000 km from Ceres in the south to Kuruman in the north.

“How do you understand a 640 km road through the Karoo that is far too short?”

This is the rhetorical question posed by Piet Coetzer who recently launched and completed an expedition of the Forgotten Highway Heritage Route.

Coetzer and his companions covered this distance over the course of 14 days at the walking and trotting pace of six horses pulling a wagon on gravel roads.

This expedition came to an end on Sunday, 6 November, in Griquatown in the Northern Cape.

By the time church services had ended, Coetzer’s wagon with six horses of the Vreugde Vlaamperd stud, accompanied by Kobie Herselman’s 1933 Chevrolet Eagle Roadster with his horses under the vehicle’s gleaming hood, had already attracted the attention of churchgoers on their way home.

On the route from the Dutch Reformed Church to the old age home where the elderly made the acquaintance of horses Minister, Kimon,Tom, Karnet, Kristal and Klara in the rig, through the neighbourhood, back into the main street and up to the showground, residents in vehicles, children on bicycles and others on foot followed the wagon.

The warm and enthusiastic welcome in Griquatown was typical of the reception experienced during the whole trip.

As Coetzer says, “if I can say one thing about the hospitality we experienced, I must say it was overwhelming; almost too much.

‘Not the first, and not the last’ Last year, Coetzer, from Senekal, and his team completed a part of the Forgotten Highwayapproximately 700 km from Hopetown to Ceres - with the same wagon and six horses from the stud on their own initiative.

As far as possible, they followed the horse-drawn carriage route used by the Gibson Brothers of the Red Star Line during the Diamond Rush to and from Kimberley in the 1870s.

Coetzer has previously traveled to other towns with the same wagon and horses and, according to him, he is still not done. For 2023 he is planning to complete a 1 000 km route with the wagon and horses.

It was his 2021 expedition that caught the attention of Prof. DoreenAtkinson of the Karoo Development Foundation (KDF).

Atkinson, a KDF trustee and involved in various studies, is particularly interested in small town development, history, tourism, and architecture of the Karoo.

“For KDF, it was amazing that Piet and his expedition enjoyed such prominence.”Their expedition was followed by numerous people from all over the world on Facebook and a WhatsApp group.

Atkinson says KDF works very hard behind the scenes, and what Coetzer and his expedition have accomplished, is immense. Atkinson contacted Coetzer, plans were made and KDF funded this year’s expedition.

“Without him, I don’t think we would have gotten as much publicity for the Forgotten Highway even if we had ten years. Piet proved he could do it, and with this the Forgotten Highway concept grew.”

Prof. DoreenAtkinson

Encounters, then and now The Forgotten Highway was the first route that connected the Cape in the south with the northern inland region.

It is described as the longest heritage route in SouthAfrica and stretches over approximately 1 000 km from Tulbagh and Ceres in the south to Kuruman in the north, with numerous side-paths.

It follows the two-way traffic roads of ancient travelers and was used by the !Xam, KhoeKhoe,Tswana, missionaries and explorers to travel into CentralAfrica.

This is a from a period as early as the late 1700s – before the GreatTrek.

During the launch expedition of the Forgotten Highway, there was plenty of time to talk, and to be quiet. Photo: Adri Smit/Ons Karoo en Kontrei

The route stretches through numerous regions, including the Ceres-Karoo, Roggeveld, Nuweveld, Bo-Karoo, GriqualandWest, Ghaap and into the Kalahari.

Parts of it overlap with footpaths used by the !Xam and other hunter-gatherer groups, as well as the KhoeKhoe herders with their sheep and cattle,Tswana farmers and later Xhosa groups who entered the Karoo in the late eighteenth century

From the late 1700s, the pioneers, hunters, fugitives, traders, discoverers such as William Burchell, ivory hunters and missionaries who traveled in small numbers were followed by a stream of nomadic farmers.

The San, Korana, Xhosa (at Prieska and Carnarvon), the Griqua at Griquatown and the Thlaping at Kuruman met these newcomers in various ways.

The main theme of the route is “encounters”, saysAtkinson. These encounters included and ranged from trade, military display, conflict to spiritual competition, and those involved had to move out of their comfort zone to meet others from a different cultural background.

During the just-concluded expedition,Atkinson visited some of the towns through which the route stretches, as well as surrounding towns such as Williston, Victoria-West and Vosburg.At some towns, workshops were offered on the background, nature and potential of the Heritage Route.

Along the way, more evidence was gathered on the route’s sidepaths.

“We are already collecting more information, getting snippets and photos, finding ruins.There is still

so much information that needs to be assembled.”

Atkinson says the enthusiasm and interest in the towns have been great.

The Heritage Route is ideal for tourism businesses, teachers, church and community leaders, researchers, municipal councillors, and officials.

She foresees that the concept will take at least another five years to fully develop.

“Everyone has something to add, and as soon as you connect things, for example missionary history, you immediately have a subtheme.”

Apart from creating historical awareness, travelers on the route can discover unique attractions, activities, and experiences in each district. Atkinson believes there is no competition in this concept, saying it is about cooperation instead.

As in the era of the Forgotten Highway, we are all out of our comfort zone in modern-day SouthAfrica, and we are constantly busy with encounters, she says.

“We have a lot in this country to be thankful for TheTruth and Reconciliation Commission, the Zondo Commission, the looting in KwaZulu-Natal that was stopped by ordinary people...

“Even the government, which fails us again and again, teaches us to think for ourselves.

“The horizons are endless; you can start anything, even a knitting club.

“We live in an interesting period of tremendous openness,” she

says.

Charming Karoo

Adri Smit, a director and founder of Ons Karoo en Kontrei, experienced the expedition in her own vehicle.

Our Karoo and Kontrei is described as a “one-stop online guide to explore the Karoo and the surrounding countryside”.

Smit andAtkinson have previously worked together on various projects and concepts.

“The dynamics of the expedition group, regardless of personal differences, was incredible. We could read each other; gave each other enough space; and worked very well together

Amongst others, Smit was constantly on the look-out for experiences and information during the expedition to expand and supplement the online guide.

Waldo andAnsie Bosse from Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal were part of the whole expedition and joined in their well-equipped vehicle.

Bosse, a farmer, endurance rider and horseman, heard about the expedition on a horse group. He offered logistical assistance, and his vehicle towed the wagon with, among other things, horse feed.

He and his wife experienced the Karoo as a very special place with its beauty, vast spaces, and hospitality

Bosse is full of praise for Smit, who organized interesting trips and visits during the expedition and says that this added so

much more value to the whole experience.

Several other individuals and groups also accompanied the expedition for a while or for a few days.

‘Clouds full of promises’ “The street is closed, because the horses and wagons are blocking it,” is written on the website vreugdepaaie.co.za on the official launch of the expedition on Saturday morning 22 October in front of the N.P van Wyk Louw Museum in Sutherland.

Earlier the morning, more than 30 people saw the expedition off at Rogge Cloof, where they spent the night. On the way to Sutherland more horsemen and wagons joined the convoy

In Sutherland, Die Stoftrappers put on a show, roosterkoek was enjoyed and the Sutherland on Foot tour was completed.

This was the start of the expedition where there was an early rise and an early departure every morning, to take a break later during the morning and prepare breakfast.

Entries on the website and the Facebook page Ons Karoo en Kontrei, as well as quips on the WhatsApp group reflect the atmosphere that prevailed:

“We had nice rain at night which makes the road soft and nice during the day.”

“... travelled under dark clouds full of promises.”

“Alot of time for talking and for being quiet.”

“This guy (Piet) not only drives horses, but people too. He says, ‘It doesn’t help if you get up at

five and you don’t wake up until nine.’”

Afurther extract from entries and events is as follows:

Monday 24 October:Aguard of honor of children awaits the expedition at Fraserburg. Marinda Oberholzer from Karoo FossilTours offers a tour where “stones are read”.

Wednesday 26 October:At Loxton the “wind was blowing wildly”, but Delta the sheepdog and Esté Matthew of the Endangered WildlifeTrust’s working methods could still be observed.Among other things, Matthew monitors the movement of the rare riverine rabbit and determines “how many of them are hopping around”.

With Delta’s keen sense of smell, he smells out the droppings of the rabbits that are collected for DNAsamples. For example, it has already been found that the DNAof Loxton’s riverine rabbits differs from that ofAnysberg.The riverine rabbit was first observed in the Victoria West and Loxton area in 1901 and was first reported in Uniondale as recently as 2018.

Thursday 27 October:Also in the Loxton area, the “most beautiful sheep shearing store in the district” was visited.The group also observed the pregnancy scan of ewes.

Friday 28 October:At Pampoenpoort, outside Carnarvon, the milking of goats was observed. From the goat’s milk, “delicious goat butter” is made.

Saturday 29 October: Beyerskloof has a “majestic cemetery where the oldest

grave dates back to 1820”.

Monday 31 October: Between Carnarvon and Vosburg is Karelsgraf where a person by the name of Karel was trampled to death by an elephant.The date on the stone is 1750.

Tuesday 1 November: Coetzer wrote: “We leave at 06:00 from the South Pole. It’s freezing cold, I’m wearing a jacket, a big coat and long trousers, gloves, as well as a blanket over my legs. It starts to rain, and we pull the tarpaulin over the wagon.As soon as we are done, it stopped raining.”

Saturday 5 November:At Niekerkshoop, the expedition arrives with their horse-drawn wagon in the middle of the school’s athletics meeting where they received a great welcome.

After the expedition, messages and well wishes from as far away as Pietermaritzburg and CapeTown were received on the WhatsApp group:

“Well done.The expedition opened our eyes to what happened and what was done years ago.The horses and oxen opened up SA, tamed it, and started civilizations.”

“Piet, you are a legend. In years to come people will still talk about you and your horses.”

For more information about the Forgotten Highway, send an email to doreen@karoofoundation.co.za; or

Visit the webpages karoofoundation.co.za or onskaroo.org.za; or Visit Ons Karoo and Kontrei, as well as Karoo Development Foundation on Facebook.

Adri Smit, founder and a director of Ons Karoo en Kontrei, Prof. Doreen Atkinson, trustee at the Karoo Development Foundation, and Piet Coetzer, expedition leader

Leach Lodge Spa Kuruman

Eerste vir STAAL

Jou -deur Andries Scholtz

Geestesgesondheid

‘n Mens hoor deesdae al hoe meer die term "geestesgesondheid". Dit kan moontlik toegeskryf word aan die tye waarin ons leef en die impak wat die Covid-19-pandemie op ons gehad het en steeds het.

Maar wat is geestesgesondheid presies? En hoekom is dit belangrik?

Kortliks is dit ons emosionele, sielkundige en sosiale welstand. Ons geestesgesondheid beїnvoed ons denke, gevoelens en optrede. Die stand van ons geestesgesondheid bepaal dan ook hoe ons stres hanteer, met ander mense omgaan en die keuses wat ons uiteindelik maak.

Die term geestesgesondheid lyk miskien eenvoudig, maar die waarheid is dat dit diep binne 'n baie komplekse begrip is waarvoor daar geen enkele globale definisie is nie. Daarom is dit soms die maklikste om sommer net 'n onderwerp te kies en daaroor te praat soos stres, depressie

selfbeeld want dan weet almal waaroor dit gaan.

Vrae wat Pla

???

Jy kan nou al jou geestes gesondheid vrae vra. Stuur WhatsApp na 0722123204 METJOU

VRAAG.”

Groetnis Andries Scholtz Spesialis berader

BA,B.Th, M.Th. PracticalTheologie (UOV)

FunctionalTherapy (Post Graduate UNISA)

Fecilitative Leaderschip (US) Substance abuse (SANDRA) Cert IV Veritas Colage (Perth Bible Collage) Tel: 0722123204 Upington

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SouthAfrica’s junior mining sector is being held back by multiple obstacles including well documented problems with Government policy and implementation.

But the country’s emerging miners also faced a financial services and investment culture that is not conducive their success. It’s a case of regulation among the financial service providers,” said Errol Smart who heads up the Minerals Council’s emerging mining desk. “Juniors are viewed as too risky for South African institutions so they get little support.”

He was commenting in a recent Financial Mail report which also identified a number of poorly run junior mining firms, some of which ended up in the courts.

There are also fundamental reasons small mining gets better support in places like Toronto which has a vibrant junior mining sector, or Sydney “TheASX is open to sophisticated investors from a knowledgeable and well educated retail base,” says Smart. More than four decades of regulation enabling Australians to manage their own pensions has provided an active market of individuals willing to take a punt.

Paul Miller, a business

development specialist at consultantsAmaranthCX said that small mining companies that perform well on the JSE are penalised for their success as institutions are not allowed to own more than 0.5% of small caps. It means a lot of promising business don’t even attempt to access the public markets, and that can lead to unintended consequences.

Adecade ago, the majority of SouthAfrica’s coal production was owned by a handful of companies.Today, there are roughly 69 new, privately-owned colleries. Since they operate beneath the radar this puts greater responsibility on the state in having these operators comply with environmental regulations, which is a risk.

Similarly, manganese production has grown from four main producers to 11 operating roughly 25 mines, most of which are in the Northern Cape.The outcome is chronic oversupply of the metal.The sector is crying out for a listed major that could use public valuation in order to benchmark the rest of the sector, and set about muchneeded consolidation.

The main danger, however, is what’s happening to South Africa’s mining sector as an investment centre. Financing junior mining is about primary capital raising, not the

secondary market where investors pick up shares and perhaps one day enjoy a socalled ‘ten-bagger’. Without easy access to SouthAfrica’s capital markets, grassroots mining is restricted.

Asolid investment base of well capitalised backers is needed because junior mining is a longterm undertaking.Take Southern Palladium for instance, which took the bold step of listing the JSE, via an inward secondary listing, in June. Despite favourable longterm prospects for platinum group metals (PGMs), which few dispute, shares in the company are nonetheless 52% lower since debut simply because the company ran into a sharp pullback in commodity equities globally Understandably, the backers behind Sedibelo Resources, which operates the Pilansberg Platinum Mine, are holding off on its listing plans given the current PGM market.

Southern Palladium CEO, Johan Odendaal says junior miners in SAhave no option but to look outside of the country to raise capital. Poor capital raisings “leave the company with a weak balance sheet to take the project up the value curve,” he says. In its defence, Southern Palladium has a strong board:Terence Goodlace, the former CEO of

Impala Platinum is its chairman for instance. Quite often, junior miners lack depth in skills while their assets represent slim pickings given the fact South Africa is a mature mining district.

Other junior miners are still emerging nonetheless.

Copper360, which is planning to mine surface copper in the Northern Cape, is planning to list.The company is backed by Jan Nelson, the former CEO of PanAfrican Resources.And there’s speculation that Rudolph de Bruin, a co-founder of the mining fundAMED and an member of the Cape Mining Club, is considering multiple listings of his companies on the CapeTown Stock Exchange.

“It’s easy to list but it’s hard to remain listed,” said Smart. That’s one way of looking at the connundrum facing junior miners in SouthAfrica. His Orion Minerals recently raised R250m from the Industrial Development Corporation finalising a funding puzzle underway for the past three years. Orion is actually reopening previous worked mining properties so it doesn’t strictly qualify as a start-up miner.You can only admire the buccaneering spirit of the companies that start from scratch. - Mining MX

Innovative Energy Solutions For Municipalities Now Needed To Build Sustainable

TheAfrikanerAfrica Initiative (AAI), representing twelve Afrikaner organisations and leaders, organised an Energy Indaba for local authorities with the support of the KonradAdenauer-Stiftung andAfriForum. TheAAI stressed the need for communities to work together and find innovative solutions for the ongoing energy crisis.

The indaba was opened by the mayor of CapeTown, Geordin Hill-Lewis, and focused on the importance of municipalities increasing and diversifying their energy supply because they cannot rely solely on Eskom.

The mayors of Mossel Bay, Plettenberg Bay, George and Riversdale in the Western Cape, and Douglas, Springbok, Upington and Kimberley in the Northern Cape, as well as experts in the energy sector and interested stakeholders from the private sector, attended the indaba.The indaba provided an opportunity for new role players in alternative energy technologies to offer innovative technology solutions for greater security of energy supply

Jan Oberholzer, Chief Operating

Officer of Eskom, brought new insights into the role of Eskom in a rapidly changing energy environment. He emphasised that Eskom is doing everything possible to solve the power crisis.

According to Johan Kruger, Head of Community Sustainability at AfriForum, the overwhelming message from the speakers at the indaba was that communities should seize upon the opportunities for collaboration with pioneers in energy innovation in the private sector

Chris Opperman, the convener of theAAI, said that the participants discussed a range of exciting alternative technologies, including nuclear and solar energy solutions, at the indaba.

Independent power producers have become indispensable to SouthAfrica’s energy future. Communities should, however, work together to ensure that the political will exists to address their interests and not only the interests of the private sector “We must ensure that no one is left behind,” Opperman stressed.

As the mayor of CapeTown, HillLewis made it clear that this metro has already come a long

way to greater energy independence through agreements with independent power producers.

Contributions by other speakers included success stories from different parts of the world where microgrids consisting of hybrid solutions for renewable energy have achieved great success and on successes of private energy supply in SouthAfrica.

André Pienaar, a venture capitalist and founder of C5 Capital, made an important contribution by expanding upon his involvement in developing modular pebble bed nuclear technology. “It is clear that nuclear energy can and must play a major role in making towns and cities energy independent in the future,” said Pienaar

DrTheuns Eloff, Co-chairperson of theAAI, emphasised that a wide variety of role players are now starting to collaborate, which did not happen before.Afrikaner organisations are ready to do their part to solve the energy crisis and want to offer their expertise and technical knowledge for the benefit of the country AfriForum and Solidarity,

Neasa, the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns, Saai, Sakeliga, the FAK, the Vryheidstigting and the Afrikanerbond are working together under the banner of the AAI to be of service to South Africa in many areas of endeavour. Flip Buys, Chairperson of the Solidarity Movement, also emphasised the role that communities can play in finding solutions.

“Government owes it to the country and its citizens to encourage municipalities to find alternative energy solutions and not only rely on Eskom. Eskom remains a key player, but communities need a reliable energy supply to thrive and prosper. We have the answers, but municipalities will have to act and innovate to bring about a turnaround in the energy landscape at the local level. Therefore, there must be a realisation and the will that we need to join hands with local communities, municipalities, Eskom, and independent power producers to find sustainable energy solutions,” concluded Kruger and Opperman. - Issued by Chris Opperman, Convener, Afrikaner Africa Initiative

Northern Cape Cricket Aims To Retain Home-grown Talent

Northern Cape Cricket (NCC) on Thursday evening launched a junior cricket development scheme at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley which they hope will serve as a feeder to the senior Northern Cape Heat franchise squad.

At the launch the provincial franchise revealed the names of the sponsors who have come on board to support the junior cricket development initiative. NCC president Gibson Moale, announced the names of several corporate sponsors who backed the plan, namely Griqualand Wes Korporasie (GWK), Ekapa Mining and Momentum.

Molale appealed for more involvement by provincially based corporates in assisting with the junior cricket development initiative as well as the senior men’s cricket team.

He pointed out that while the franchise has signed on several talented players to the squad this season, they were unlikely to hold on to those talents for an extended period owing to their demand in the domestic cricket market.

Molale singled out the current first team captain Ernest Kemm, who was also at the launch as part of the NCC entourage. He said the company was unlikely to hold on to the talent of the likes of Kemm especially since Kemm has been a prolific run-scorer in the last few games where he has reached a triple-ton tally

The president went on to say that they needed a sponsor for the first team so that they could offer better incentives to talented players to stay on at the franchise.As things stand the franchise was likely to

lose the services of key players as their value rose with each match played.

“We have nothing in the front of our team shirt. We are playing with a clean shirt (unbranded) We do not have a sponsor … these guys are going to the first division. For them to be there they will need something. Next year (some of them) will leave this province because we cannot afford them”.

Northern Cape Heat head coach Mark Charlton, speaking on the theme of the launch, said, “The first team Northern Cape Heat was in a fortunate position where it was in pole position for promotion to division one of the CSAdomestic competitions.

The team had won the 4-Day competition last year and had made it to the final of the CSAT20 Knockout competition as well, Charlton remarked. “So far this season we have recorded two wins from two matches and we currently top the log of this season’s 4-Day competition. Right now we are in a very fortunate position (of the long format).

Charlton said the Northern Cape Cricket board had at its strategic session highlighted two areas that they would like to focus on and put a lot of energy in for sustainable success.

The first was the “upliftment of the cricket pipeline”.This includes the development of young players throughout, from cricket nursery to the top. “This includes creating heroes. In this regard NC Heat are doing a good job of creating heroes and being heroes for the young players of the Northern Cape”.

Charlton said the second leg of the project was to “develop them at home, keep them home and bring them home to the Northern Cape”.

He said the Northern Cape development project spoke to both issues and had the backing of sponsors GWK, Ekapa and Momentum.

Charlton said the high performance training project the franchise; NC Heat completed sometime inAugust and September this year where the best and brightest new players trained with the senior team had yielded amazing results. Äfter training with us they were completely different players.

“We had 15 young players, ladies and men, from schools around Kimberley. We sent players to schools where they upskilled the young players in their specific

skills.It was really cool to see the improvement that those youngsters acquired after those couple of sessions.

“We’ve had eight sessions already and we plan to have eight more. “The corporates in the Northern Cape have also helped us to have our programme reach out to the communities around those schools.”

Charlton said in terms of the second leg of the initiative, the plan was to, among others, facilitate the return of former homegrown stars to their birth province and to provide them with enough incentives for them to stay in the province and pursue their careers.

Northern Cape Heat will next play against theTuskers at the Pietermaritzburg Oval from November 17-20. - DFA

Top guns (from left): Mark Charlton NC Heat coach, Howard Marsden of Ekapa Mining, Hannes Viljoen of Momentum (at centre back), Thapelo January NCC CEO, Niel De Klerk of GWK and Ernest Kemm NC Heat captain. Picture: Soraya Crowie.

Intercape Vaar Uit Teen Mbalula

Die langafstandbusmaatskappy Intercape het Vrydag hofstukke by die Makhandahooggeregshof in die Oos-Kaap ingedien.

Die busdiens het regstappe geneem weens die minister van vervoer, Fikile Mbalula, se gebrek aan dringendheid in

die hantering van aanvalle op sy busse, en die tekort aan ‘n veiligheidsplan om sy busse oor die Desembervakansie te beskerm.

Dit volg in die nasleep van ‘n toenemende aantal aanvalle teen die maatskappy se busse.

Ahhh !!!! 10kms to Port Nolloth.... A Feeling of Bliss and Joy

The view that so many Northern Cape residents know thats gives a huge sense of relief and knowing the the smell of the sea is not far away, those travelling from Upington, Kathu, Kurumam Kimberley breathe a huge sigh of relief when they come out ofAnnanous Pass.

Our Beautiful Port Nolloth

Orion Minerals : IDC Becomes 43.75% Partner In New Okiep Mining

Pre-development funding for Okiep Copper Project securedas the IDC completes the acquisition of 43.75% of New Okiep Mining Company from Orion

IDC to sell shares, progress HDSAownership participation by BEE Entrepreneurs

The Industrial Development Corporation of SouthAfrica (IDC) has become a 43.75% shareholder in New Okiep Mining Company Proprietary Limited (NOM) alongside Orion, which holds the remaining 56.25% of the NOM ordinary shares.

This marks a major step towards the re-establishment of mining operations at the advanced Okiep Copper Project, Orion's second emerging production hub in the Northern Cape Province.

The IDC will now advance its pro rata share of the ZAR79 million (~A$6.9 million) total budgeted pre- development operating costs of NOM, with Orion having already advanced its entire pro rata share of ZAR44 million (~A$3.9 million) to NOM.

NOM is acquiring the Prospecting Rights and the recently granted Mining Right at Okiep from SouthernAfricanTantalum Mining Proprietary Limited (SAFTA), in which the IDC is currently a 43.75% shareholder

Upon NOM acquiring the SAFTA assets, the IDC will sell 22.22% of its shares in NOM to a BEECo, being a BEE Entrepreneur entity led by Lulamile Xate, to further the Historically Disadvantaged SouthAfricans (HDSA) ownership objectives of the Mining Charter 2018.

Thereafter, Community and EmployeeTrusts will each acquire a 5% meaningful economic participation interest in NOM, resulting in a 30% meaningful economic participation interest being held by HDSA's, consistent with the HDSAownership objectives of the Mining Charter 2018.

Orion's Managing Director and CEO, Errol Smart, commented:

"We are very pleased with the swift progress that has been made in completing our NOM deal with the IDC. We have signed definitive agreements, met all conditions precedent and have issued the draw-down notice for funding - all in less than two months after signing non-binding term sheets with the IDC. We commend and thank the IDC for the professionalism, commerciality and vigor with which they participated in this process.

"Orion, the IDC and Lulamile Xate's BEECo all share a common vision to fast-track the feasibility studies, permitting and early development of the Flat Mines Project at Okiep, with a view to restarting mining operations in this richly endowed copper district as soon as possible.The Bankable Feasibility Study is already at an advanced stage and is expected to be completed and submitted for independent peer review in the first quarter of 2023.

"While the NOM - IDC deal has been progressing, our team has also been working in parallel on the definitive agreements with the IDC for the ZAR250 million funding of the Prieska Project, announced on 21 October 2022, and we expect completion of that agreement in the near future. Our growing business relationship with the IDC as a key development partner in unlocking the significant base metal potential of the Northern Cape will also position us to deliver value for our shareholders, our host communities and our staff, who will also be shareholders in our mines."

Orion Minerals Limited www.orionminerals.com.au

Incorporated in the Commonwealth ofAustralia

Level 21, 55 Collins Street Melbourne, Victoria 3000

ASX Code: ORN

ACN: 098 939 274

JSE Code: ORN

Ordinary shares on issue: 4,750m I Options on issue: 348m

ISIN:AU000000ORN1

Orion Minerals Limited (ASX/JSE: ORN) (Orion or the Company) is pleased to advise that, after finalising recently announced predevelopment funding arrangements with the Industrial Development Corporation of SouthAfrica (IDC), Orion has taken another important step in advancing its brownfields Okiep Copper Project in the Northern Cape Province of SouthAfrica towards the planned restart of mining operations.

Orion has entered into definitive agreements which will see the IDC acquire 43.75% of the shares in New Okiep Mining Company Proprietary Limited (NOM) and trigger pre-development funding arrangements for the Flat Mines SAFTAarea, as announced on 7 September 2022.

With the conditions precedent in the definitive agreements now fulfilled, the IDC funding of predevelopment costs for the Flat Mines Project is expected to flow shortly, with initial funding of ZAR22 million (~A$1.9 million) expected to be received by NOM during November 2022.

The IDC funding of predevelopment costs in the amount of ZAR35 million (~A$3.1 million) will be advanced to NOM on the same terms as the predevelopment funding amount of ZAR44 million (~A$3.9 million) that Orion has already advanced to NOM.

Orion announced on 16 September 2021 that the IDC had signalled its intention to remain a key strategic partner in the Flat Mines Project, currently owned by SouthernAfricanTantalum Mining Proprietary Limited (SAFTA), and to work with Orion in the development of NOM, which will acquire the assets owned by SAFTA, which is currently 43.75% owned by the IDC.

The shareholding in NOM will, in the future, include Orion's 100% ownedArea Metal Holdings (Pty) Ltd (AMH6) as the majority owner with 56.25% holding of the ordinary shares, the IDC as a key strategic partner, and with historically disadvantaged empowerment partners holding shares in furtherance of the ownership objectives of the Mining Charter 2018 (refer Figure 1).

The execution of definitive agreements, and acquisition of shares in NOM by the IDC, follows Orion's 7 September 2022 announcement that it had entered into non-binding term sheets with the IDC and Lulamile Xate regarding the key principles of the funding and Historically Disadvantaged SouthAfrican (HDSA) ownership participation arrangements for NOM.

Orion, the IDC and Lulamile Xate anticipate finalising and executing the definitive agreements for the HDSAownership arrangements within the coming months, with the implementation of the HDSA ownership arrangements being conditional on the transfer of the assets from SAFTAto NOM, per the terms and conditions of the SAFTAAssetAcquisition Agreement (referASX/JSE releases 2 February 2021 and 2 August 2021).

Orion has completed a positive Scoping Study (referASX/JSE release 3 May 2021; summary in Appendix 1) for the Flat Mines SAFTAarea (refer Figure 2) which demonstrated the economic merit of developing a foundation phase

mining operation at the SAFTA properties.The Scoping Study supported a moderate scale startup mining operation on known, drilled copper deposits.

Orion's aspiration, with project partners the IDC and BEE partners led by Lulamile Xate, is the early reestablishment of mining operations on the brownfields SAFTAsite, while conducting the required work and engineering studies to support the long-term aspiration of achieving production from the Okiep Copper Project (OCP) at a similar scale to past owners Newmont and later Goldfields under the Okiep Copper Company

The OCPis a significant growth opportunity for Orion, with the potential to become a second base metal production hub for the Company in the Northern Cape, alongside its flagship Prieska Copper-Zinc Project, located 450km east of the OCP.

Feasibility studies upgrading the 2021 scoping feasibility study (referASX/JSE release 2August 2021) for the OCPare well advanced, with targeted completion in Q2 CY2023.

About Lulamile Xate

Lulamile Xate has a wide range of business experience. He is an expolitical prisoner and read for his B Com through UNISAwhile being incarcerated on Robben Island. Lulamile also has qualifications from the University of Murdoch, Perth inAustralia, where he studied energy management and renewable energy systems at post graduate level. Having completed articles at PwC, he has developed a number of successful businesses in the fishing, gas, eco-tourism, agriculture, bioenergy and forestry industries and was and is a director and chairman of a number of unlisted and listed companies. He also has interests in gold and copper mining.

About the IDC

The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) was established in 1940 through an Act of Parliament and is fully owned by the SouthAfrican Government.The Corporation pursues development impact through job-rich industrialisation and contributes to an inclusive economy by, among others, funding black-owned and blackempowered companies, black industrialists, women and youthowned enterprises. For more information visit www.idc.co.za.

For and on behalf of the Board.

Errol Smart

#icelebrateSA - KERSMARK

K E R S

M A R K

Kgalagadi Lifestyle Lodge Staff Thank the Owners for their Entrepreneurial Sprit

S.J. & Denise Koortzen, Game Changing Entrepreneurs of the Kalahari

“Today is Entrepreneur Day, and today we celebrate the two people that have made the Lodge, Black Mane Butcher & Grill and Oryx 4x4 Hire possible, Sj and Denise Through these businesses, the Koortzen family has employed many locals from the Kalahari, supported local organisations and institutions where possible through donations and continue to drive tourism to the area to showcase what our beautiful region has to offer.”