Mthatha Express North - E-Edition - 20 November 2025

Mansentencedtolifeforelderlyvictim’smurder

A SPOKESPERSON for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Luxolo Tyali, confirmed last week that the Willowvale Regional Court has sentenced Aviwe Dambile (29) to life imprisonment for the murder of a man (74), of whom he was found guilty of premeditated murder, which stemmed from a quarrel over the distribution of traditional beer during a community ceremony in Madlutshana Village in Willowvale

“Two weeks before the murder, which occurred on 28 June, 2024, Dambile and the deceased attended a traditional housewarming ceremony where traditional beer was

being served During the ceremony, Dambile kicked over a bucket of beer that had been set aside for the elderly, protesting that young men were receiving less than their elders,” said Tyali

He added that Dambile was expelled from the event and, in anger, singled out the deceased, publicly threatening to kill him in retaliation He added that on the night of the murder, the deceased’s daughter, who works in Cape Town, had returned home and invited family members to her homestead for a drink

Tyali said that while the deceased and a friend were enjoying a bot-

tle of brandy, Dambile arrived and again repeated his threats, which the elderly man ignored

According to Tyali, after the gathering dispersed, Dambile followed the deceased and his friend

“Moments later, the deceased’s grandson, who later became the State’s key witness, heard the old man screaming for help Using his cellphone torch, the witness found Dambile assaulting the deceased with his walking stick, which broke into pieces

“Dambile then drew a knife and stabbed him multiple times When the witness tried to intervene, Dambile advanced toward him, forcing

him to flee for his safety The witness alerted his family and, while reporting the incident, Dambile returned, declaring that he had “fulfilled his promise ”

Tyali added that when asked where the body was, he directed them to nearby bushes, where they found the deceased’s body covered with his jacket The police arrested him the following day, finding him unbothered and going about his normal activities

“During the trial, Dambile pleaded guilty but claimed that he acted in self-defence, admitting that he exceeded the bounds of private defence ”

Regional Court Prosecutor Yandisa Mhaga rejected this explanation and led the evidence of the State witness, as well as the postmortem report, which revealed that the deceased had suffered a fractured skull and 21 stab wounds

“The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomes the sentence, which delivers justice for the victim and sends a strong message that violence against the most vulnerable members of society will not be tolerated

“Cases of this nature reaffirm the NPA’s commitment to ensuring justice and removing dangerous offenders from our communities ”

Anti-GBVorganisationhosts communitydialogues

BABALWA NDLANYA

TO ensure that members of the Not in My Name International Organisation continue fighting against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), the organisation recently hosted dialogues in different areas of the O R Tambo District and in Ngcobo

According to the programme coordinator of Not in My Name International Organisation, Someleze Ngoyi, among the areas they visited were Mthatha, Lusikisiki and Ngcobo He said they had hosted one of these dialogues in the Ndinisa locality in Mthatha last week, where community members were also given a chance to ask questions and to give advice on what should be done to fight this problem

He added that in Lusikisiki, they were planning to host the second dialogue because the first one was held in the Ngobozana locality, where 18 people were killed in 2024

“We even visited flood victims at North Crest in Mthatha, where we donated items to assist them We also visited the Ngcobo area, where a 19-yearold woman was kidnapped and killed recently What led us to host these dialogues is that we have realised there are many challenges that contribute to GBV Sometimes this is caused by how a person was raised at home Even the community plays a role in this problem,” said Ngoyi

He added that most of the time, when there is a problem, people try to solve it through violence

Ngoyi said another issue is that men are often referred to

as the head of the household, and some try to assert that power through violence because they do not want anyone else to have a say

According to him, the high unemployment rate also contributes to GBV

“This problem not only affects older people; young people are also victims When the idea of 50/50 was introduced, it was meant to give equal rights to both men and women But now some people are taking advantage of it and using it in the wrong way In some households, there are problems regarding responsibilities because of this rule ”

One of the community members, Busiswa Ndabangaye, said they hope there will be a positive change after this dialogue in the Ndinisa area

She said their community has been facing many challenges

“There is a high rate of rape in our area, so we are hoping that this problem will now decrease since we are having this dialogue,” she said Chairperson of Ward 35 Ministers Fraternal, Apostle Zandisile Notsolo, said they were pleased about the dialogue, and they hope the members will return

“It seems the issue of GBV does not start with violence but begins with small arguments When there is a misunderstanding among families, there should be someone who intervenes so that it does not escalate to the point where violence occurs,” said Notsolo He encouraged young women to work hard so they can sustain themselves instead of depending on men for support

Mthathatherapistreleases Biblicalfinanceguide

BABALWA NDLANYA

AN occupational therapist from Ikhwezi Lokusa Special School in Mthatha, Ncumisa Kutu, has released her new book titled The Unshakable Foundation: Building Financial Literacy on Scripture, which educates readers about managing finances using lessons from the Bible

She resides in Callaway Park, Mthatha, and leads the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa (AFM of SA), Quarry of Life Worship Centre outside Mthatha

“I have qualifications in Occupational Therapy, Theology and Christian Counselling, and I am currently pursuing a master’s in divinity I noted with concern that our God, who is the giver of wealth, lacks nothing, owns everything, and has declared His children blessed beyond measure those who will lack nothing and receive whatever they ask for,” she said

Kutu added that Christians today often struggle with debt, providing for their families, paying tithes, and giving to the house of the Lord Many are unaware of the full range of Biblical financial principles outlined in God’s Word

She noted that not all religious organisations have someone adequately trained to provide guidance and counselling on Biblical financial principles “Only a few Biblical financial principles are taught in religious organisations Church mem-

bers often do not understand the role of the church and Scripture in financial literacy, nor do they realise the spiritual benefits of financial literacy programmes for Christians ”

Kutu has been working on this book since 2022, starting with a survey to assess Christians’ understanding of Biblical financial principles in the AFM She conducted further research to review existing literature on the subject, and the book was finalised in October 2024

“It introduces readers to Christian Financial Management (CFM), a

spiritual approach to wealth building and resource stewardship rooted entirely in Scripture It covers principles such as avoiding and managing debt (Proverbs 22:7), the wisdom of saving (Proverbs 6:6-8), investment and multiplication (The Parable of the Talents), and the importance of having a responsible financial plan and practising stewardship ”

Kutu said that people of all ages can learn valuable lessons about money management from the book She said having a financial plan, or budget, never gets old, and it is wise to have a clear plan that is reviewed occasionally to guard against misuse She also advised readers that avoiding competition with others helps one maintain living within one's means

Kutu confirmed that she is working on another book addressing emotions and brokenness in Christian society “To date, not much has been done in marketing and promoting my book I am currently using my Facebook page and WhatsApp status to spread the word I also have events in November where I will have opportunities to market the book ”

Those interested in placing orders can do so via WhatsApp or phone call at 060 530 8747 Deliveries are available around Mthatha, or the book can be collected at Dr Mani’s Medical Centre on Sprigg Street For orders outside Mthatha, a delivery fee of R70 applies via Paxi, and buyers should send delivery details with proof of payment (POP)

Lusikisikisingerreleases body-positiveanthem

BABALWA NDLANYA

AFRO-POP singer Abongile Nqubula, known as Chunky Jama, from Palmerton in Lusikisiki, has released his new single titled My Fohloza, featuring Anathi Diko, known as Khalmesh

He said this song is more than just a summer hit, as it aims to motivate and show love to “lovely chubby sisters” hence the title encompasses a mixture of sounds such as Afro-pop and hip-hop

He added that this message also serves as awareness to alert society to stop body shaming and show respect and love to all women, as they are very vocal and influential about society’s injustices

He said he has released the EPs Send’khulule and Uzohamb’ubuye, as well as several singles so far

“My music is suitable for all ages because it does not contain vulgar language What people can learn from my music is that you should not judge others based on their body size that person could be the one who changes your life I started singing in 2009, and my role model is Jabulani Hadebe, known as Sjava I suppose that is why my music is similar to his,” he said He added that as the festive season approaches, his followers should plan ahead when going out Whether they are socialising or attending parties, they must plan in advance how they will get home

safely According to him, the song is for all age groups, young and old, as it is a very vibey, catchy sing-along that can be performed at any event, such as weddings or nightclubs, and anyone and everyone can get down to this jam for the whole festive season

He added that he won the Mahindra Fusion Festival that was held in Pretoria in March this year “I was selected as the winner of the competition by Cassper Nyovest, so I became a Mahindra Ambassador for the Eastern Cape, and I was coached by Sjava ”

NOTICEAND INVITATION TO THE IDP/BUDGET/PMS REPRESENTATIVE FORUM AND MPAC ROADSHOWS

Noticeisherebygivenintermsofsection34oftheMunicipalSystemsActof2000thatthe Mbhashe Local Municipality is on a consultative programme and invites members of the public registered stakeholders w th n Mbhashe Local Municipality government institutions,privatesector,civilsocietyorganisations,CommunityDevelopmentWorkers, and Ward Committees to participate n a meeting of the IDP Budget & PMS RepresentativeForumandtheMunicipalPublicAccountsCommittee(MPAC)Roadshows forthefollowingitems: • PresentationoftheSituationalAnalysis • PresentationoftheAnnualReport2024-25FinancialYearforpubliccomments Thesepublicsessionswillbeasfollows:

Forfurtherenquiries,pleasecontacttheSeniorManagerOperations-MsM.Mpahlwaat 0474895864oremailmpahlwam@mbhashemun.gov.za

ISSUEDBY: M.NAKO MUNICIPALMANAGER

Sport

your Mthatha

Mvumelwanotournamentfinalesetforweekend

HOSEYA JUBASE

THE Mvumelwano Sports Day tournament is expected to be finalised this coming weekend

Due to the high number of teams responding to the tournament, it was not finished last week owing to time constraints The tournament aims to empower youth and is organised by Qumbu United FC

Twenty-four football teams participated in this year’s tournament

One of the organisers, Ngawonke Bulala, said they are optimistic that this coming weekend they will crown the champions of the inaugural tournament

GagaclaimsfirstSpargs

SuperSpar5kmcrown

ANELE RAZIYA

PAN African Resource Athletic Club athlete, Bayanda Gaga, was crowned the new champion of the annual Spargs SuperSpar 5km race in Mnquma over the weekend

The Mthatha-based athlete outpaced over 100 athletes who took part in the annual Spargs SuperSpar 5km race in Butterworth on Saturday Athletes from various clubs in Mnquma and surrounding areas came out to compete in the 5km race, which started near the Spargs SuperSpar entrance in Butterworth town and finished at Butterworth Training College (BTC) in Mission village

The race started at a fast pace, with all athletes wanting to lead at the front, but the pace changed when runners were approaching the bridge in Mission village

This is where Gaga, who represents the Gauteng-based Pan African Resource Athletic Club, showed his running experience when he took the lead

At the turning point, which was the BTC gate, Gaga was still holding first place until he reached the finishing line at the Spargs SuperSpar entrance with a time of 15:32 Mvuzo Mpofu from Ngcobo Athletic Club, who was chasing Gaga, finished in second place with a time of 15:48, followed by Sihle Qomboyi from Mchubakazi Athletic Club in third place with a

time of 15:55

Speaking to Gaga after he won the race for the first time, he said he was very happy and excited to win the Spargs SuperSpar 5km race, and also highlighted that the event was tough, particularly at the start

“The race was very competitive from start to finish, and I respect all the athletes I was competing against because they gave me a tough time,” said Gaga, who was visibly delighted

He said he had competed in the race in previous years but fell short of winning it, as Gwadana village-born athlete, Yanga Malusi, had been winning the event back-to-back

Furthermore, he said this victory would boost his confidence and assist him in preparing for upcoming events, as he is targeting competing in every available race

In the women’s race, Esihle April, from Royal Strides Athletic Club, was the best-performing female, taking first place with a time of 21:10, followed by Sidontsa Asonge, from Royal Strides Athletic Club, with 22:01, and third place was taken by Liso Mvalo, from Royal Strides Athletic Club, with 22:30

Prize money was identical for both categories, with winners in each receiving R700 Second-place athletes received R600 each, and third prize was R500 Athletes who finished fourth and fifth received R400 and R300 prize money

“The purpose of the tournament is to create a platform for youth talent, so they may get the necessary exposure and showcase their God-given talents to potential recruiters from higher leagues and levels of sport We want to give rural talent a chance to prove their abilities at the highest levels of our sporting platforms,” said Ngawonke Bulala

“The tournament is still ongoing; it will be finalised next weekend, as time was short, and more teams responded to the call than expected There was a lot of interest shown by teams, and we could not finish the tournament in the two days of the weekend, so we had to extend it to the following weekend ” Ngawonke said this is their first tournament, and they are going to make it an annual event

The tournament is held at Mvumelwano Sports Field in Qumbu under the Mhlontlo Municipality

CoachingcoursetobehostedatQokolweniHigh

ANELE RAZIYA

MQANDULI League Football Association is preparing to host a CAF D licence coaching course at Qokolweni High School on 29 November

The main aim of hosting the event is to empower and equip local coaches with football knowledge, coaching skills and coaching qualifications

All aspiring coaches from the Mqanduli league and those who reside outside the area are welcome to register so that they can take part in the CAF D licence coaching course later this month

Speaking with the Mqanduli League Football Association Chairperson, Sibusiso Gecwa, about the upcoming event, he said they have 30 spaces available for coaches who are interested in taking part in the CAF D licence coaching course, and

HOSEYA JUBASE

FC Ravens have destroyed their rivals’ (Sinenkani FC) dreams of contesting for the championship this season FC Ravens, known as Scarios, thrashed Sinenkani FC 2-1 during the Bizana derby this past Saturday at Mafumbatha Stadium This is the third time in two months that FC Ravens have demolished Sinenkani FC in both league and cup games

So far, out of five league games, Sinenkani FC have lost two games, drawn two games, and only won one match this season, and they are sitting in fifth position in the EC ABC Motsepe League table This

HOSEYA JUBASE

LINGELIHLE Thamela and Lusanda Bomvana emerged as the champions of the men’s and women’s 21km races, respectively, during the inaugural OR Tambo Half Marathon held this past Sunday, 16 November 2025, in Mthatha

The race was organised by the OR Tambo District Municipality together with Mthatha Athletic Club, and this was part of celebrating Oliver Reginald Tambo month

Thamela, who clinched the men’s race, expressed his excitement after emerging victorious, stating that he is now heading in the right direction to dominate all the local races

“Just two weeks ago, I won the Cheetahs Athletic race, and today I have won again at the OR Tambo

each coach needs to pay a R2,500 registration fee

“We invite all coaches who are interested in taking part in the CAF D licence coaching course to register as soon as possible because we have 30 spaces available,” said Gecwa

He said this will be the first time they are hosting the coaching course in Mqanduli, and they thanked the South African Football Association (SAFA) for granting them the opportunity to organise the event

In addition, he said that the coaching course is expected to play an important role in the development of football in Mqanduli, as many coaches in their league don’t have coaching qualifications

“By hosting the coaching course, we are giving our coaches an opportunity to empower themselves with football knowledge and gain coach-

is the worst start for Sinenkani FC since competing in the ABC Motsepe League

Meanwhile, FC Ravens are sitting in third position after five league games, having won four matches and lost only one match

Surprisingly, at the top of the table, in first position with 15 points, are the newcomers, Spear Of The Nation FC, who have won all five of their league games

Mathematically, Sinenkani FC are already out of championship contention this season

Bizana Pondo City FC, who are in second position, and FC Ravens, plus Spear Of The Nation FC, are the only teams in the Inland stream who still

ing qualifications, as modern football needs qualified coaches,” said Gecwa

Mqanduli League Football Association started their league in 2023 with U19s, then the following year they included U17s, and their target now is to establish other divisions

That is one of the reasons that motivated the association to organise the CAF D licence coaching course, as they wanted to empower their coaches, and highly qualified instructors from SAFA are expected to play an important role during the course Coaches who want to be part of the course can call Mr Gecwa on 083 210 3096 or 064 992 7563 for more information

The CAF D licence coaching course will run from 29 November to 6 December, and will be hosted at Qokolweni High School in Mqanduli

stand a chance of competing for first position

Sinenkani FC have lost more than eight players from last season’s squad, the majority of whom have received professional contracts with the NFD, PSL, and other better offers

Some of the fans who attended the Bizana derby were carrying placards written in remembrance of fans and players who had lost their lives

Otherresultsfromlastweek’smatches:

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Half Marathon This is a big achievement for me I would like to thank all the people who supported me ” Lusanda Bomvana, who won the women’s 21km race, said she was very happy to win this race “What excites me the most is that we have received our prize money today and we’ll be able to do some things at home ” Bomvana said that some of them, as runners, depend solely on the prize money to survive

Meanwhile, the OR Tambo District Municipality mayor, Mesuli Ngqondwana, confirmed that the marathon would continue next year, but it will be bigger than this year’s

“We’ll introduce 42km, and the race will continue Thank you to all the athletes who participated in today’s marathon, and to the clubs and all stakeholders for their support ”