The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture will on Sunday October 28 host a Provincial BIG WALK in Mmabatho as part of a national initiative to promote a healthy lifestyle. Registration is at 06:00 am.

The event comprises 2km, 5km and 10km walks, with the start and end at Mmabatho Stadium. The event is geared towards attracting participants from the ages of 5 to 80, with incentives such as t-shirts and other paraphernalia for the participants.

“The BIG WALK is a non-competitive recreation activity based on the National Sport and Recreation vision that encourages an active and winning nation,” says MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture, Ms Tebogo Modise. “It caters for all: young and old, people with disability, rich and poor. It aims to encourage active participation in communities, so that they adopt the habit of walking as a form of leisure activity.”

Ms Modise has called on families and health enthusiast to be part of the BIG WALK. “We place strong  emphasis on improving physical fitness, acquiring better walking skills and increasing bonding time for families. We are firm believers in the idea that a family that plays together, stays together. “

The Universal Declaration of Human rights asserts that all persons have the right to leisure and a standard of living adequate to their health and well being. This right, gives effect to other rights such as the right of children to engage in play and recreation activities; women’s rights to participate in recreation activities and sport; as well as the right of the disabled to participate in sport on an equal basis with others.

The Objectives of the BIG WALK are to:

• Provide opportunities for individuals to development through walking activities
• Provide opportunities for social contact and development of lasting friendship that supports strategies of the Department of Sport and Recreation
• To provide recreation for individuals, regardless of their skills, ability, gender and age
• To promote opportunities which develop a positive attitude towards lifetime recreation
• To promote opportunities for personal growth and development , fellowship opportunities through participation

By Obakeng Maje

Banyana Banyana’s CAF African Women Championship 2012 campaign will need to be actioned without the services of injured midfielder Yola Jafta, but her return to South Africa has only made the 20 players remaining in camp more determined to succeed.

Jafta flew back home after Banyana Banyana head coach Joseph Mkhonza consulted with the medical staff on whether the University of Johannesburg (Sasol League Gauteng) player’s injured hamstring would recover in time for action at the African tournament.

The Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana open their CAF African Women Championship 2012 schedule of Group A matches, against hosts Equatorial Guinea on Sunday, 28 October 2012.

“We have looked at our options and decided not to call for a replacement, so we will choose our starting line up from the 20 players available,” said Mkhonza.

“Injuries have plagued Jafta this year, and we all know she was also side-lined from a few camps in the build up to the London Olympics, but we wish her well in her recovery and look forward to monitoring her form at Sasol League club level for possible call ups to future national team camps.”

“The players were disappointed when we told them that Jafta had to return home. She hasn’t been able to train this week due to the injury, and we had to make a call in the interest of the team and our goal of doing well at the CAF African Women Championship 2012,” added Mkhonza.

The Banyana Banyana medical team is also keeping a close eye on Cape Town Roses (Sasol League Western Cape) midfielder Nocawe Skiti who is battling with tonsillitis.

“Injuries and sickness are part of the game, and some of the challenges which the players often face impact on the strategies of coaches, but Safa and Sasol need to be thanked for allowing Banyana Banyana to train together since the start of October in Johannesburg, including a 5-day camp in hot, humid conditions in Yaoundé, Cameroon,” said Mkhonza.

Following the Group A match against Equatorial Guinea, Banyana Banyana will face Senegal in Malabo on 31 October, and will travel to Bata for their encounter with DR Congo on 3 November.

The semi-finals will take place in either Malabo or Bata on 7 November, with the 3rd/4th place playoff and the title decider both scheduled for Malabo on 11 November.

Banyana Banyana were beaten by Equatorial Guinea in the semi-finals of the CAF African Women Championship 2010, held in Ekurhuleni, near Johannesburg – a result which cost the South Africans the chance of playing at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011.

Mkhonza’s team will be looking to set the record straight against the tournament hosts in Malabo.

 Click here to download image [Right-click to save]- Yola Jafta

By Kgatliso Ramose

Taung- Rebaone Gaothuse aka Zebar is slowly making his name on the local music scene. He is a producer, sound engineer and a DJ.

He spin the decks on the local clubs and have two single under his belt.

“I have two single out called Mapula ft African Riot and I will mend my broken heart ft Delisile”  said the hyperactive Dj.

The fantabulous Dj hails from Cokonyane Village in Taung and now residing in Buxton.

Buxton is populary known by many for a Taung skull, Zebar didn’t know that life will turn the way it does.

“Like my peers, I wanted to be a doctor when I grow up” he uttered.

His passion for music kicked off early 2010 while he was studying sound engineer in Pretoria.

“I want to have my own artists under my able and run my a Music Academy based in Taung” said the young DJ.

“Like any other aspiring musician,things does not always run smoothly” Rebaone said.

The challenges that I’m facing with as an aspiring musician are people who don’t believe in what I’m doing and some of them want to sabotage me” he said.

But this does not stop this young dreamer as they say what does not kill you,makes you stronger.

“All this negativity makes me to believe more in what I do”  he continued.

Through difficulties Zebar draw his strength fom people closer to him.

“I would like to thank my family,friends and people from my hood for unconditional love and support” he concluded.

To get in touch with Zebar you can invite him on facebook Rebaone Gaothuse Zebar or e-mail him at

gao2crebs@gmail.com bookings.

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews 

South Africa will play a friendly international against Norway in Cape Town on January 8, officials have said.

It will be one of four warm-up game for Bafana Bafana ahead of their hosting of the next African Nations Cup finals.

The team start their preparations after Wednesday’s draw with a home match against Zambia for the Nelson Mandela Challenge. That international against the reigning African champions will be played at Soccer City on November 14.

It will be followed by a game in Durban on December 23 against a top African opponent who are also headed to the Nations Cup – but not one of the sides who will share South Africa’s group.

The team then have a brief holiday break and re-assemble to play against Norway in a match confirmed after the visit to the country by Kjetil Siem, the former chief executive officer of the Premier Soccer League, now the general secretary of the Norway Football Federation.

The last preparatory game will again be against another Nations Cup finalist, set for Gauteng on January 13. The venue will be either the Orlando Stadium, Ellis Park or Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

The two opponents for Durban and Gauteng will be set tonight after the draw as SAFA officially identify who they want to play and then enter into discussions.

Rustenburg – Two men accused of the murder of a NUM official were denied bail by the Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

Magistrate Carnel Badenhorst said it would not be in the interests of justice to grant Zenzile Nxenge and Siyakhale Kwazile bail.

They are accused of killing Daluvuyo Bongo, branch secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in Marikana.

“The two are members of a rival union to the deceased’s union. Keeping you in custody is not a punishment, it is for your safety,” said Badenhorst.

The State opposed bail, stating that the addresses of the two accused in the Eastern Cape had not been confirmed and the firearm used to kill Bongo had not been recovered.

The matter was postponed to December 5 for investigation. – Sapa

Rustenburg – The Farlam commission has exposed “unholy” deals in the mining industry, the Pan Africanist Congress said on Wednesday.

“The labour relations in the mining sector has collapsed and is replaced by deals between mining moguls, politicians and the union leaders,” secretary general Bennet Joko said in a statement.

“These deals have suppressed the interests of workers over a long period of time. It is tragic that the ruling elite and mining shareholders led to the slaughter of the mineworkers in Marikana.”

ANC national executive committee member and businessman Cyril Ramaphosa’s name was prominent on Tuesday at the inquiry investigating the deaths of 34 striking miners at Lonmin’s Marikana mine.

Advocate Dali Mpofu, representing the miners injured and arrested after the shooting on August 16, mentioned an e-mail in which Ramaphosa strongly condemned the protests, described them as criminal acts, and suggested “concomitant action”.

“This (e-mail) was on 15 August at 2.58pm, exactly 24 hours before the people were mowed down on that mountain.”

Mpofu said there were e-mails sent between Lonmin management, government ministers, and Ramaphosa.

The commission’s brief was to investigate the shooting that left 34 miners dead when police tried to disperse them on August 16. The workers, who wanted monthly salaries of R12 500, had been carrying knobkerries, pangas, sticks, and iron rods.

Joko said the inquiry confirmed that mineworkers were being exploited, which had resulted in their rejecting trade unions.

The unrest at the Lonmin platinum mine had been blamed on rivalry between the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union and the National Union of Mineworkers.

Joko said the families of the miners injured and killed in Marikana needed to be fully compensated.

“The R75 million allocated to the commission (must) be matched rand for rand as compensation to the families.”

He called for further investigation into deals made in the mining industry involving mine bosses, trade unions, and the government. – Sapa

North West – A North West woman has been found dead in her house in Gopane Village, Motswedi near Rustenburg, police said on Wednesday.

The body of 65-year-old Emely Mmsethilo Ramogale was found by neighbours on Tuesday, The body had head injuries, Captain Aasje Botman said.

Botman said it seemed she was hit with a sharp object. – Sapa