MPUMALANGA –Patrick Kananga Mukandla (35) was found guilty and sentenced by the Emalahleni Regional Court on Friday 11 December 2020. Court counts taken together for the purpose of sentencing and the fact that the accused was in custody since his arrest in November 2019. The accused was sentenced to R4000.00 or 12 months imprisonment which six months is suspended for 5 years on condition that the accused is not found guilty of contravening Sec 86 (3) of the ECT Act, Act 25/2002( possession of a POS skimming device) and Sec 49 (1) of the Immigration Act, Act 13/2002 during the period of suspension.
Patrick Kananga Mukandla (35)
Mukandla was employed by a well-known fast-food take away in Emalahleni as a delivery motorcycle driver. In November 2019 complaints and suspicions were raised by the clients suspecting that Mukandla might be skimming their bank cards when making payments during the delivery of the orders.
The matter was reported to the Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation in Middelburg and the investigating officer and the complainant waited for the next delivery date and time. On the day in question, the accused went to the delivery place and he was intercepted and searched. During the search of his vehicle and flat respectively, a POS skimming device, stolen bank cards, external hard drives, laptop, three computer towers, memory sticks, two cell phones, purchase receipts, POS device printout receipts, CD’s and cash was found and confiscated together with his vehicle.
The accused was arrested and denied bail and remained in custody until he was sentenced on Friday.
The Provincial Head for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation Major General Zodwa Mokoena is making a call to the community to be vigilant when they are using their bank’s cards. She urged everyone to protect their bank cards and pin numbers all the times. She advised people not to seek help from the strangers at the ATMs. She concluded by advising people to seek assistance from the bank employees, security or rather go with trusted family members when shopping.
4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
7 And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.
16 A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.
17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.
18 But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee.
19 And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.
20 Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.
21 And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.
22 Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
Johannes reflekteer as ‘n jongman en weer as ‘n ou man oor Jesus se koms in sy eie lewe. Wat is dit wat ons by Johannes se ervaring van Jesus kan leer?
The three metal categories you need to know about. Being in the jewelry industry is not as easy as you would think. Especially in the Engagement Ring section. When someone buys an Engagement Ring, they have specific needs in regards to the specific ring. It could become difficult because sometimes it doesn’t matter how you try to advice your client that the ring would be for example, too thin and would break easily if not taken off properly or handled properly for that matter.
As jewelers, we try to advice client’s about proper caring for their Engagement ring while still giving to hem what they want. But at the end of the day, all the information we try to give gets forgotten once they have the ring, who could blame them, it an exciting time to get engaged and planning a wedding.
Is this blog we are going to give a few terms and their meanings you need to know about Engagement Rings.
These Precious Metals‘ allure, rarity, workability, and durability make them excellent for use in jewelry. Precious metals are expensive because they’re rare and difficult to extract from the earth.
An Alloy is a mixture of two or more metals. There are a few reasons why we use alloyed metals, such as to get a specific colour Metal such as Rose Gold, or to make a metal stronger. This is just two reasons of so many.
Pure Titanium or a Titaniumalloy is sometimes used. This metal is lightweight but very strong. It has a silver greyish colour, also often polished or brushed. Although it has only half the heft of silver, it’s still a good metal.Titanium resist scratching about as well as 14k Gold. Pure Titanium is hypoallergenic meaning it will not cause skin reactions or skin discolorations, it’s mostly used in body piercings.
Niobium is easy to work with but Niobium can not be soldered, it’s joined with tiny rivets and screws. Niobium’s workability is compared to silver’s. Niobium is easy to colour, basically, anything that can be made with Gold, Silver or Platinum can be made with Niobium. Niobium is also hypoallergenic and is often used in body piercings.
Although Niobium is almost as dense as silver, it does not have the heft of Gold or Platinum, but it feels more substantial than titanium. Niobium is much harder than scratch than any other Precious metal and much harder to dent than Silver and Platinum, not only this but, Niobium is also extremely resistant to corrosion.
Niobium, Tungsten and titanium can be heated or anodized to produce brilliant colours. Anodizing : an electrochemical process that results in a protective or decorative coating on metal. Anodizing niobium colours include navy blue, light Blue, Yellow, Rose, Bronze, Pink, Magenta, Midnight Blue, and various greens. These colours is so vivid that many people think it’s enamel.
Stainless steel is an alloy. It is composition varies with it’s purpose, but to be called stainless steel it must be at least 10.5% chromium. The presence of chromium creates an invincible surface fil that resist oxidation. Most Stainless steel alloys are strong and ductile, and all are corrosion resistant. Stainless Steel alloy used to make jewelry is composed of iron, chromium and Nickel. It’s more Scratch resistant than ant of the three precious metals, but exceed only silver in it’s resistance to denting. Stainless steel takes a high polish.
This Post was first published on https://ralphjacobs.co.za/4-metal-facts/
This was a catastrophe of a year for most people, but that doesn’t mean you can’t end it on a happy note! We present to you a countdown of 10, 9, 8…of the most lavish, popular engagement ring trends to choose from for the end of 2020. Continue reading for eight of the biggest sought after engagement ring trends in 2020.
1. Black Diamonds
Source: www.shemazing.net
Seriously popular, a chic black diamond set in yellow gold is a stunning design and with an Art Deco style is popular with engagement ring trends, you would have an engagement ring that would be the talk of the town.
This engagement ring trend is a truly unique combination and one that not many other ladies will have on their finger. Many of the best jewellery designers now use computer software to create 3D replicas of the piece before any work commences, allowing the client to study every aspect.
3. Fancy Cuts
Ralph Jacobs Emerald Cut Moissanite Engagement Ring
You can expect to see Asscher and Marquise cuts and larger stones are the order of the day, possibly due to the value they hold in this uncertain time of COVID-19, and the Emerald cut is perfect for the Art Deco look. If you’re truly about showing off and making your stone visible to all to see, you must opt for a fancy cut engagement ring.
4. Classic Styles
Ralph Jacobs Bezel Setting Moissanite Engagement Ring
Some of the most classic and minimalistic rings have become increasingly popular because of their clean lines and versatile style. They’re a perfect match for anyone seeking a timeless piece that they’ll never get tired of wearing.
5. The Center Stone Showcase
Ralph Jacobs Halo Engagement Ring
It’s crucial to put all emphasis on that stunner of a sparkling center stone, which is why halo designs are perfect this year to showcase that center stone.
6. Mixed Metals Mania
Ralph Jacobs Mixed Metals Combination Wedding Bands
For a customized look that is easy to pull off, think about stacking multiple bands of different metal color, stone shape and design. Once you decide on the engagement ring and wedding band, you can stack additional bands for special occasions.
7. Coloured Moissanite Engagement Ring
Ralph Jacobs Vintage Moissanite Engagement Ring
This is a trend that has been growing more popular throughout the year. Probably because everyone felt so dull and emotional this year, to bring a little colour into their lives they’ve opted for colour gemstones and moissanites more.
8. Dimensional Contours
Ralph Jacobs
Fluid, floating, dimensional contours can both showcase the metals while also drawing attention to the center of the diamond.
This Post was first published on https://ralphjacobs.co.za/ring-trends-8-end-of-year-engagement-ring-trends/
Nog ‘n “So is die lewe” rubriek vanuit die pen van Ds Marius Britz. Titel is “Ek voel nie lekker nie!”
Hy word die oggend wakker met ‘n gewig so swaar soos ‘n olifant op sy bors. Sy vrou kreun deur die slaap toe hy met haar praat. “Ek voel nie lekker nie,” sê hy. Sy vlieg vervaard op, en sê: “Ek is laat vir werk! Ek sal moet gou maak!” Sy verdwyn eensklaps agter die toe badkamerdeur in. Hy sug, trek sy klere met moeite aan, en besluit om net koffie te drink. Vanoggend het hy nie lus vir ontbyt nie. Sy vrou skreeu haastig in die gang af dat hy ‘n lekker dag moet hê, en hy hoor haar motor straataf dreun. Die hele pad kantoor toe, terwyl hy deur die spitsverkeer worstel, is hy bewus van hierdie drukkende pyn op sy bors. Hy voel sweterig en angstig.
Sê nou maar net…. By die kantoor gekom, groet hy sy kollega en kantoormaat. “Ek voel nie lekker nie,” sê hy. “Weet jy hoe seer is my rug na gister se tennis?”, sê sy vriend dadelik. “My armspier trek in ‘n spasma in, en dit kramp. Jong, ek sal meer moet oefen, en salf op my spiere smeer nadat ek gespeel het. My neef het dieselfde ding oorgekom. Hy kon naderhand nie meer aan enige sport deelneem nie. Ek is so bekommerd dat dit dalk ‘n familieding kan wees.”
‘n Rukkie later stap hy by sy afdelingshoof se kantoor in. Hy is sopnat gesweet, en voel duiselig. Sy hart klop wild, en hy is kortasem. Die pyn is ‘n dodelike klamp wat meedoënloos om sy borskas styftrek. Hy groet sy baas, en sê: “Ek voel nie lekker nie.”
“Het jy al daardie kontrak vir die onderdele van die myn bekyk,” vra sy afdelingshoof in reaksie. “Ons mag nie toelaat dat daar iets deurglip nie. Dis van kardinale belang dat ons aan elke fyn detail aandag gee. Ons moet fyn kyk en nog fyner luister. Hierdie kontrak is miljoene rande werd. Jy moet al die ander dinge los, en hierdie saak as prioriteit beskou. Jy mag nie toelaat dat enige detail jou aandag ontglip nie.”
Teetyd sak hy in die stoel neer in die personeel se lokaal. Sy ander kollega, wat sestien jaar terug saam met hom by die maatskappy begin werk het en sy groot vriend geword het deur die jare, kyk na hom en sê: “Jy is bleek, mater. Jy moet meer in die son kom. Wanneer gaan ons weer bietjie visvang?”
“Ek voel nie lekker nie,” sê hy.
Sy vriend gaan net voort. “Die manne trek nou grotes uit by Hartebeespoortdam. Ek het nou die dag op Facebook gesien een ou het ‘n meneer van ‘n karp daar gevang. Daar is blykbaar ‘n nuwe winkel in Harties, waar jy net die regte aas kan koop. Ons nooi my buurman saam, hy het ‘n boot, dan werk jy sommer aan jou sonbrand.”
Hy worstel deur die middag. Hy moet doelbewus fokus om sy konsentrasie te behou. Kort-kort is daar iemand by hom. Maar skynbaar sien niemand raak hoe kortasem hy is, of hoe natgesweet hy is nie. Sy kantoormaat ryg so tussen die werk deur ‘n paar blondinegrappies in. Hy probeer nie eens glimlag nie. “Lyk my jy ken al my grappe,” sê sy kantoormaat. “Jy smile nie eers nie!”
“Ek voel nie lekker nie,” sê hy. “Het jy al hierdie een gehoor?”, vra sy kollega terstond, en rammel nog ‘n paar grappe af.
Uiteindelik is dit huistoegaantyd. Maar hulle weeklikse kantoorfunksie na werk is juis vandag, en almal is soort van verplig om iets te gaan drink. Hy sleep homself met moeite voort na die kroeg op die boonste verdieping, en bestel water met ys. Sy lyf brand net soos sy keel. “Lyk my jy het ‘n lang dag gehad,” sê die kollega langs hom.
“Ek voel nie lekker nie,” sê hy.
“Het jy gehoor daar is ‘n nuwe uitbreek van Covid19, blykbaar erg in die Oos-Kaap en Wes Kaap!” sê sy kollega. “Lyk my ons sal maar ons maskers op die strand ook moet dra. Selfs die matrieks se jaarlikse party in Plettenbergbaai is gekanselleer. Nou moet hulle boonop nog twee vakke oorskryf omdat iemand ‘n paar bokke gemaak het met die vraestelle wat hy laat uitlek het!”
Hy sluk sy water met een lang, gulsige sluk af. Sy kop draai, en die pyn op sy bors is oorweldigend. Die kroegman agter die toonbank vra hom of hy nog iets wil drink. “Nee, ek voel nie lekker nie,” antwoord hy.
“Het jy gesien dat Ford nou ‘n nuwe reeks Ranger op die mark bring?”, vra die kroegman. “Ek dink dis ‘n goeie tyd om nou een van die vorige reeks te koop. Jy gaan groot bargains kry.”
Hy besluit: ek kan nie meer nie. Hierdie dag was te lank. Hy ry huis toe, en sukkel om te konsentreer. Sy hele borskas is ‘n vlammende, onstuitbare pyn soos branders wat aanhoudend spoel en spoel. Hy voel lam van sy ken af, deur sy arm tot diep agter sy borsbeen in. By die huis gekom, sien hy dat sy vrou alreeds in die kamer is, besig om haar voorbereiding vir die volgende dag op die skootrekenaar te doen. “Jou kos is in die oond,” sê sy. “Ek is nie honger nie, ek voel nie lekker nie,” antwoord hy haar. “Weet jy, hierdie voorbereiding en admin mors soveel van mens se tyd,” kla sy. Nie lank daarna nie, sit sy haar lig af, en sê: “Nag skat, lekker slaap.”
Hy trek sy pajamas aan, lê natgesweet in die donker en hoor hoe sy vrou se asemhaling meer en meer reëlmatig word, en oorgaan tot ‘n ligte snork.
UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED FOR CONTRAVENING IMMIGRATION ACT
MPUMALANGA- In responding to the National calling by the President of the Republic of South Africa in fighting the scourge of Gender-based –violence including trafficking in-person crisis that is tearing our society apart, the Hawks together with the other stakeholders identified houses used as brothels in Witbank. The disruptive operation was conducted by members of the Hawks Mpumalanga, Local Criminal Record Centre, When Duty Call Head Office, Corporate Communication, Tactical Response Team, Family Child Protection Unit Witbank, SAPS Witbank and Department of Home Affairs in Witbank on the early hours of Thursday 10 December 2020.
During the search in the identified premises, sex workers were interviewed and they confirmed that they originate from Zimbabwe and Lesotho and all Provinces.
More than ten suspects were arrested and taken to the police station and charged for contravening the immigration ACT and dealing is drugs. The suspects between the ages of 29 and 49 will appear before the Witbank Magistrate court on Friday 11 December 2020.
The main of the Hawks was to disrupt the illegal activities and to create awareness on Gender-based violence including trafficking in persons.
During the campaign, the more information was shared by the community about gender-based violence and trafficking in persons.
In closing the MMC of Emalahleni Municipality and the Provincial Head for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation Mpumalanga Major General Zodwa Mokoena applauded the work done by the teams in organising and executing the program successfully. They made a call for unity in fighting against crime. They concluded by encouraging all victims to report their complaints to the police and undertook to continue with this type of campaigns to create awareness to our communities.
Moissanite is an affordable gemstone simulant that’s becoming a popular alternative for engagement rings and jewellery. Just like diamonds, rubies, and sapphires, moissanite is graded based on several quality factors known as the 4C’s – colour, clarity, cut and carat.
This blog discusses the 4 C’S of moissanite grading in-depth to help you make an informed moissanite purchases.
Your moissanite colour grade refers to the amount of colour present in the stone graded from a scale of D for colourless to Z for a slight yellow tint. Moissanite color grades are broken down into three major groups:
Colorless: Comparable to a D, E, or F color grade
2. Slightly Colorless: Comparable to a G, H, or I color grade
3. Yellow Tinted: Comparable to a J or K color grade
Source: www.withclarity.com
2. Moissanite Clarity Grade
So if we’re talking clarity regarding a diamond or moissanite, we’re talking imperfections. Clarity grade indicates the number of imperfections, known as inclusions. Nearly all gemstones have inclusions, but luckily for moissanite, most of its inclusions are not visible to the naked eye and require intense magnification to be seen.
The clarity of your moissanite is dependent on the number of inclusions the stone has. These grades can be brown down into five easy to understand categories:
1. FL, IF: Flawless and internally flawless
2. VVS1, VVS2: Very, very slightly included
3. VS1, VS2: Very slightly included
4. SI1, SI2: Slightly included
5. I1, I2, I3: Included
So what are these INCLUSIONS we mentioned? Common moissanite inclusions are needles, mineral crystals, clouds, feathers, knots, chips and cavities.
Needle-like imperfections are the most common type of inclusions for moissanite. Needles are difficult to see without close observation, and only compromise the moissanite’s beauty if many needles are clustered together.
Mineral crystals are crystal like objects within your moissanite or diamond that appears lighter or darker. Clouds are milky looking spots within the stone. Feathers are miniature fractures within the gem, which look like a crack or a feather.
Knots look like white or transparent crystals within the stone, whereas chips are shallow openings on the stone’s surface, typically resulting from its owner accidentally damaging the moissanite during daily wear. Finally, cavities are just like a tooth cavity, moissanite cavities are openings on the stone that easily trap dirt and oil, creating unsightly dark spots.
3. Moissanite Cut Grade
The cut grade denotes how well a stone is cut and with grades ranging from Excellent to Poor. With excellent cut grades, light can best travel throughout the stone and sparkle. Alternatively, poorly cut stones will not allow light to effectively travel throughout the stone, resulting in a lifeless looking moissanite.
4. Moissanite Carat Weight
For diamonds, carat weight refers to how heavy the stone is. However, moissanite is less dense than which makes the two stones difficult to compare by weight. Due to the density difference, a moissanite’s “carat weight” is denoted by the stone’s size in millimeters.
Please refer to the image below to better visually understand the colour and clarity grading used for moissanites.
This Post was first published on https://ralphjacobs.co.za/grading-101-lets-talk-moissanite-grading/
When people think of “Gold” they think of, rich, warm tones, Yellow Gold has been around for many many year. Ancient Egyptians Pharaohs, Roman Emperors and Royalty all over the world have been draped in yellow gold since the beginning of civilization. Some of the pieces they wore were big yellow gold crowns, luxurious rings on their fingers. Over the 80′ it was thick yellow gold chains, never ending trend with yellow gold.
Though yellow gold is not as popular as it used to be back in the day, there is still some trends going around with yellow gold.
While there is a chance that yellow gold could make a come back, there are a few things to keep in mind about yellow gold.
Yellow Gold is naturally yellow, meaning there is no necessary upkeep with Yellow Gold. However as a Yellow GoldRing will show scratches as time goes on, couples tend to get their ring polished now and then.
To conclude this blog, Yellow Gold does not have any upkeeping if it is your choice. If you would like to get rid of the scratches on the ring, you are more than welcome to send your ring in for re-polishing. There is little reports about Yellow gold giving people extreme rashes. Making it a good choice of metal if you are prone to skin reactions.
At the end of the day, even if Yellow Gold is not the most popular metal at this stage, it is bound to make a come back one day. It’s always good to know about the different metals, how to take care of the different metals and what the different metals consist of.
This Post was first published on https://ralphjacobs.co.za/3-yellow-gold-facts/
Cushion cut engagement rings are constantly ranked as one of the absolute most popular shape engagement rings and remain a classic cut.
The cushion-cut dates back to the early 19th century when it was coveted for its distinctive soft shape and brilliant facets. A highly sought after cut and a highly revered style in the 19th century. This antique style cut has a classic, romantic appeal, and is also known as “pillow-cut” diamonds.
A little fun fact about this interesting cut engagement ring is that it was referred to as the “mine cut,” before it became known as the cushion cut. The mine cut was named after the Brazilian diamond mines, which became known as the “old mines” after diamonds were discovered in South Africa, as well.
A cushion cut diamond or moissanite is square-shaped but features rounded corners to give it a softer look. This is a great choice for women who prefer their gemstones and moissanites in more rectangular shapes. This shape allows for a brilliant sparkle, the large facets, which in laymen terms are the flat surfaces on the diamond reflect light, making cushion cut proposal rings absolutely glitter in the sunlight.
If your perfect lady is somewhat of a dark horse and loves to stand out from the crowd the cushion cut is the right choice for her. The cushion cut is a special shape and won’t be seen on just any hand. This unusual cut will help your future bride’s ring stand out from the pack.
Below is Ralph Jacobs’ four different cushion cut settings that is readily available for you to purchase and start adoring!
1. Solitaire – Cushion Cut
Yellow Gold Chanel Engagement Ring from Ralph JacobsRose Gold Ellie Engagement Ring from Ralph Jacobs
2. Three-Stone – Cushion Cut
White Gold Carrie Engagement Ring from Ralph JacobsYellow Gold Brooklyn Engagement Ring from Ralph Jacobs
3. Halo – Cushion Cut
Rose Gold Mia Engagement Ring from Ralph JacobsRose Gold Adeline Engagement Ring from Ralph Jacobs
4. Vintage – Cushion Cut
White Gold Sophia Engagement Ring from Ralph Jacobs
This Post was first published on https://ralphjacobs.co.za/4-cushion-cut-engagement-rings/
