Latest news with #Steenkamp
The Citizen
09-08-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Local athlete claims Masters 3 title at WPC competition
Con Amore School's woodwork teacher Johan Steenkamp proved he's just as strong outside the classroom as he is inside it, clinching first place in the Masters 3 (100kg) division at the World Powerlifting Congress (WPC) event held at Urban Shack in Benoni on June 15. The veteran lifter impressed judges and spectators alike with a 240kg squat, 140kg bench press, and 280kg deadlift, marking another high point in a powerlifting career that spans more than two decades. Steenkamp has long been a powerhouse in the sport, having held numerous national and world records under the WPC. ALSO READ: Model Transportation Fair set for August 2 at Wynand Marais Hall His journey began 21 years ago, competing in equipped categories with the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF), where athletes use squat suits, bench shirts, and knee wraps for added lift capacity. He represented South Africa at the 2007 Commonwealth Games in New Zealand, finishing fourth overall. The following year, during the World IPF event in Potchefstroom, he earned his SA Protea colours as a coach. 'I feel my hard work and dedication paid off,' said Steenkamp. 'At the end of the day, what you put in is what you get out.' In 2014, Steenkamp joined the Rhino Powerlifting Club (RPC), and by 2018, transitioned fully into the WPC, where he says he found his true competitive home. Since then, he has racked up nine South African records and five world records, including standout lifts like a 285kg squat, 160kg bench press, and 285kg deadlift, with a total lift of 730kg. His international appearances include the 2019 WPC Championships in Lahti, Finland, where, despite battling severe cramps, he managed a total of 686kg. ALSO READ: Kempton athlete to represent SA at world pole sports event Later that year, he dominated the SA WPC Nationals, winning the overall Masters title and breaking the Master Two (90kg) deadlift record. In 2021, he returned to the national stage to set a new world record with a 275kg squat, cementing his status as one of South Africa's most enduring lifters. His journey hasn't been without setbacks. In 2022, he tore his right shoulder's supraspinatus muscle and suffered a minor tear in the left shortly after. After nearly a year out, he returned to training in July 2022, with the support of his youngest son, Franco, who now trains alongside him. 'Franco keeps me focused and motivated,' he said. 'Training together is special.' Steenkamp's resilience runs deeper than injury recovery. Diagnosed in 2001 with an enlarged blood vessel on the brain, doctors warned him against heavy training. But with successful treatment and his oncologist's encouragement, he returned to the sport and never looked back. 'Powerlifting gave me a new perspective on life,' he said. 'It's taught me discipline, mental strength, and patience – qualities I use daily as a teacher working with special needs learners.' ALSO READ: Kempton athlete to represent SA at world pole sports event He credits much of his success to coach and mentor Pieter De Waal. 'He taught me never to give up. Powerlifting is a sport that builds both mental and physical endurance.' Now, Steenkamp is focused on his next challenge – the 2025 WPC World Championships, set to take place in Durban on November 6. 'I'd like to thank my wife Louise for her support, my eldest son Jason for managing my nutrition, and Franco for being my daily motivation,' he said. 'Their support keeps me strong and focused as I prepare for the Worlds.'
The Citizen
11-07-2025
- The Citizen
Daylight surgery robbery in Mabopane ends in life behind bars
Forensic evidence linked Tshiovhe to a deadly daylight robbery at a Mabopane surgery. The court handed him life plus 50 years. A daylight robbery in April 2021 ended in tragedy and a life sentence for a North West man after forensic evidence sealed his fate. The North West High Court sentenced 34-year-old Shakandinnyi Ndivhoswami Tshiovhe to life imprisonment plus 50 years after his conviction for murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition. On 7 April 2021, Tshiovhe and a group of men stormed Dr Steenkamp's surgery in Block A, Mabopane, and robbed the doctor and patients in broad daylight. Surgery patient fatally shot in robbery During the robbery, one of the suspects fatally shot a patient, who died at the scene. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Sivenathi Gunya said Dr Steenkamp fired his licensed firearm in self-defence as the situation escalated. The doctor shot Tshiovhe in the chest. 'Witnesses reported seeing Tshiovhe bleeding as he fled the scene with his accomplices in a white Toyota Quantum parked outside,' Gunya said. ALSO READ: 'Filthiest perpetrator' handed life in jail for raping 91-year-old woman The next day, the police went to Odi Hospital to look into the Quantum after following up on information from a witness. Surveillance footage led to the identification and arrest of Tshiovhe and another suspect. 'On 5 May 2021, an identification parade was conducted, during which some victims positively identified both individuals,' Gunya said. Forensic evidence linked Tshiovhe to robbery 'Furthermore, blood samples collected from the scene were forensically linked to Tshiovhe through buccal sample analysis.' The case against the co-accused was later withdrawn due to a lack of sufficient evidence. In court, Tshiovhe pleaded not guilty to all charges. ALSO READ: German murdered: Thai biker receives death penalty, Germans get life State Advocate Ferdinand Tlatsana, however, argued in the aggravation of sentence that the prescribed minimum sentence was justified due to the seriousness of the offences and the absence of significant and compelling circumstances. The North West High Court agreed and sentenced the accused to life imprisonment for murder, 15 years for two counts of robbery, 10 years for attempted murder, five years for unlawful possession of a firearm, and five years for unlawful possession of ammunition. The court ordered that all sentences are to run concurrently with the life sentence. Tshiovhe was also declared unfit to possess a firearm. Life imprisonment plus 50 years The NPA welcomed the hefty sentence handed down. Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari, commended State Advocate Ferdinand Tlatsana, the investigating officer, and all stakeholders involved in securing the conviction. 'These sentences underscore the National Prosecuting Authority's unwavering commitment to fighting crime, upholding the rule of law, and ensuring justice for victims of violent crime,' she said.
The Citizen
05-07-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Watch: Groundbreaking elephant tusk extraction in Cambodia led by UP professors
A distressed elephant with a fractured tusk is not unfamiliar to Prof Gerhard Steenkamp, a veterinary specialist in dentistry and maxillofacial surgery at the University of Pretoria's (UP) Faculty of Veterinary Science. Over the years, he has travelled the world to lead and assist with specialised procedures involving elephants and other wildlife species. But this time, an emergency call took him to Cambodia, where a tusk extraction procedure on an elephant had never been done before. The journey leading up to this huge undertaking began about 18 months ago, when Dr Navaneetha Roopan, head veterinarian of Wildlife Alliance – a conservation and rescue NGO that operates in the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre in Cambodia – visited Kulen Elephant Forest (KEF), where he noticed that a 45-year-old elephant named Chi Chlorb had a fractured tusk. The KEF is a 400-hectare elephant retirement reserve in Siem Reap province that provides sanctuary for former captive Asian elephants, many of which spent most of their lives in the tourism industry. According to a post on KEF's Facebook page, the life-saving procedure was necessary to relieve her from ongoing discomfort and prevent serious infection. Roopan and Steenkamp's paths crossed at a conference last July in China, where Steenkamp had delivered a lecture. 'After the talk, Dr Roopan approached me and asked if I would assist with Chi Chlorb's case,' says Steenkamp, who also owns Vetdent International, a dentistry and maxillofacial service for all animal species, including wildlife. 'Of course, I agreed.' The intervention was planned for this year, and Steenkamp and Prof Adrian Tordiffe – a veterinary wildlife specialist at animal rescue centre Vantara in India, and a lecturer at UP – travelled to Cambodia to perform the tusk extraction. Tordiffe has worked with Steenkamp on various missions around the world and typically administers the anaesthesia for procedures. This time was no exception. 'This was also the first time an elephant had ever undergone general anaesthesia in Cambodia,' Steenkamp says, adding that it is significant that the Indian centre supported this project. 'It shows how much knowledge and experience they've developed – and continue to develop – at Vantara, and how they may continue to play a significant role in supporting veterinarians and wildlife conservation across Asia in future.' From sedation to standing, the surgery took about an hour and a half and was a great success. Watch: A video of the surgery (not for sensitive viewers): The extraction procedure also served as a valuable learning and observation experience for veterinarians from Thailand and Singapore who attended the surgery. Since the operation two weeks ago, Chi Chlorb has been recovering well. The impact of this procedure goes far beyond the well-being of a single elephant. It is a powerful example of how UP's Faculty of Veterinary Science continues to contribute its expertise to global wildlife conservation, fostering knowledge sharing and capacity building across continents. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Gulf Today
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Gulf Today
Oscar Pistorius competes in triathlon 12 years after murdering girlfriend
South African former Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius was spotted taking part in a triathlon last weekend in the coastal city of Durban, 12 years after murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in a crime that drew worldwide attention. Pistorius, 38, was freed from jail in January 2024 after completing more than half his sentence and is on parole until his sentence expires in 2029. Singabakho Nxumalo, spokesperson for South Africa's Department of Correctional Services, said Pistorius had approval to attend the race, the Ironman 70.3 Durban. "There was no breach in terms of his parole conditions," Nxumalo said. Afrikaans-language news website Netwerk24 first reported Pistorius' participation in the event on Wednesday. Conrad Dormehl, an attorney for Pistorius, confirmed to Reuters that Pistorius had featured in the Durban race. "This forms part of his rehabilitation into society. Whilst he particularly enjoyed participating in the event and seems to have been bitten by the bug that is triathlon sport, he isn't eyeing any comeback into competitive running just yet," he said. Pistorius — dubbed "Blade Runner" for his carbon-fibre prosthetic legs - shot dead 29-year-old model Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door on Valentine's Day in 2013. He repeatedly said he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder and launched multiple appeals against his conviction on that basis. His release on parole after about eight and a half years in jail, as well as seven months under house arrest, provoked a raw response in a country scarred by violence against women. Netwerk24 published a photograph of Pistorius riding a bicycle with the race number 105, his distinctive tattoo and prosthetic legs visible. Reuters contacted the photographer who gave the news agency permission to publish images similar to the one Netwerk24 used. Results published online by sports-timing company SportSplits show an athlete called Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius with race number 105 came 555th among all participants in the Ironman race and third in the "physically challenged" category. The course involved a 2-km swim, a 90-km bike ride and a 21-km run - a total distance of 70.3 miles. Pistorius was once a darling of the sports world, and a pioneering voice for disabled athletes, for whom he campaigned to be allowed to compete with able-bodied participants at major sports events. He won six gold medals over three Paralympic Games in Athens, Beijing and London, and competed in able-bodied races at the London 2012 Olympics. Reuters
Metro
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Metro
Oscar Pistorius in first appearance at sports event since murdering girlfriend
Oscar Pistorius has been spotted competing in a triathlon event 18 months after his release from prison for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The double amputee, dubbed 'Blade Runner' for his prosthetic legs, made his first public appearance at a sporting event since the 2013 killing at an Ironman 70.3 competition in Durban. He shot model Steenkamp, 29, through a locked bathroom door on Valentine's Day 12 years ago. His release on parole after about eight and a half years in jail, as well as seven months under house arrest, provoked a raw response in a country scarred by violence against women. Netwerk24 published a photograph of Pistorius riding a bicycle with the race number 105, his distinctive tattoo and prosthetic legs visible. Singabakho Nxumalo, spokesperson for South Africa's Department of Correctional Services, said Pistorius had approval to attend the race, the Ironman 70.3 Durban. Pistorius's lawyer Conrad Dormehl said: 'This forms part of his rehabilitation into society. 'Whilst he particularly enjoyed participating in the event and seems to have been bitten by the bug that is triathlon sport, he isn't eyeing any comeback into competitive running just yet.' Results published online by sports-timing company SportSplits show an athlete called Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius with race number 105 came 555th among all participants in the Ironman race and third in the 'physically challenged' category. The course involved a 2km swim, a 90km bike ride and a 21km run – a total distance of 70.3 miles. Pistorius was once a darling of the sports world, and a pioneering voice for disabled athletes, for whom he campaigned to be allowed to compete with able-bodied participants at major sports events. More Trending He won six gold medals over three Paralympic Games in Athens, Beijing and London, and competed in able-bodied races at the London 2012 Olympics. Pistorius shot Ms Steenkamp, a model and reality TV star, several times through the bathroom door with ammunition designed to inflict maximum damage to the human body. He always claimed he shot his girlfriend in error after mistaking her for a dangerous intruder, saying he didn't realise that she had got out of bed. Pistorius was freed from jail in January 2024 after completing more than half his sentence and is on parole until his sentence expires in 2029. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Ex-Arsenal prodigy jailed for four years over £600,000 cannabis smuggling plot MORE: Teen jailed for killing OAP with shoe and girl, 12, who filmed attack avoids prison MORE: Man charged and deliberately infecting victims with HIV appears in court
