Latest news with #Joost
The South African
21-06-2025
- Sport
- The South African
RWC 1995 anniversary: Remembering Joost van der Westhuizen
Next Tuesday will officially mark the 30th anniversary of the 1995 World Cup final, a match in which Joost van der Westhuizen pulled off one of the all-time great tackles on All Blacks superstar Jonah Lomu. That was just one special moment in a career littered with heroic acts from Van der Westhuizen, who is undoubtedly one of the greatest Springboks to have ever donned the green and gold. Tragically, Joost is one of five Springbok players from that RWC final who has passed away. In the second part of this remembrance series, we look back at the career of the legendary scrumhalf. You can find part one here Van der Westhuizen added a Tri-Nations and two Currie Cup titles to his honours roll in a career that lasted eight years beyond the 1995 World Cup. He went on to represent the Boks at the 1999 and 2003 World Cups before retiring as the then most-capped Springbok. Capped 89 times for the Springboks Joost became the country's first choice scrumhalf in the mid-to-late nineties to early 2000s retiring a rugby legend with a career test try tally of 38 earning him the record of being the scrum-half with the most tries in Test Rugby. Inducted in the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 2007 he represented South Africa in three Rugby World Cups in 1995, 1999 and 2003. Of course one of his most iconic moments came during the famous 1995 triumph when he completed an incredible tackle on Lomu. He is also the only Springbok to captain his country in both the Sevens and the 15-man games in World Cups. After retirement, stints in front of the cameras at SuperSport followed briefly before he moved into other avenues of business. Van der Westhuizen was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2011, an illness he fought until he passed away at the age of 45 in 2017. The J9 Foundation, founded in 2012, assists other MND sufferers, and Van der Westhuizen's family remains actively involved with this charity. *Keep an eye on TheSouthAfrican as the four remaining articles in this remembrance content series will be published over the next few days Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Water quality improvement project to benefit Oconomowoc River watershed
Work recently wrapped up on a $500,000 construction project in Oconomowoc to improve an unnamed stream, locally known as Cottonwood Creek. The Oconomowoc Watershed Protection Program kicked off the stream restoration construction about 18 months ago, and finished on June 10, according to Erik Joost, watershed manager of OWPP. He said the work will improve the water quality of the creek, which flows into Lake Lac La Belle. "We're in Lake Country, that speaks for itself," Joost said. "Water quality has a huge influence on the community and culture in the area." Cottonwood Creek is one of three tributaries of Lac La Belle. A tributary is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream, river or lake. Lac La Belle has been designated as impaired by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources due to excessive phosphorus levels. Lac La Belle is one of the 17 connected lakes in the Oconomowoc River watershed system in northern Waukesha County. The 49-mile-long system ultimately drains into the Rock River. Cottonwood Creek is plagued by high phosphorus concentration and sediment, according to Joost. Sediment is when naturally occurring particles like sand, clay and silt settle at the bottom of a body of water; it can become a source of pollution when excessive amounts enter waterways, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. High phosphorus can negatively impact water quality and flow, the EPA said, because it promotes chlorophyll in the water, causes excessive algae growth and can be fatal to aquatic life. The EPA lists sediment as the most common form of pollutant in rivers, lakes and streams. Many factors can contribute to this, including erosion from both private and public property, according to Joost. Cottonwood Creek flows through agricultural land, a golf course and a marsh before it drains into Lac La Belle. To complete the project, OWPP worked closely with Tall Pines Conservancy, which has staff with experience in working on stream restoration. Paul Meuer, land protection manager with Tall Pines Conservancy, said in a news release that the project will help keep Lac La Belle clean, healthy and vibrant. He said crews used proven ecological techniques like planting native wetland vegetation to absorb excess nutrients before they reach Lac La Belle. They also installed root wads, strong tree root systems, sometimes with the trunk of the tree still attached, along the banks to provide habitat for aquatic life and to act as a natural protection against erosion, Meuer said. Joost said the restoration efforts will work to slow down the stream's flow, block sediment and encourage sediment to settle out. Overall, Cottonwood Creek will flow with curves and bends that will reduce erosion and improve drainage, the release said. For this project, which Joost said cost roughly $500,000, OWPP worked with a municipal flood control grant program through the DNR. This grant offers a 50/50 cost share partnership. The remaining funds were donated and contributed by the Lac La Belle Management District, the City of Oconomowoc, the Town of Oconomowoc, Tall Pines Conservancy and the Village of Lac La Belle. Part of the OWPP's mission is to work closely with farmers. When Joost started as a watershed manager with the OWPP two years ago, one of the first farmers he met told him about the erosion he had noticed on Cottonwood Creek and asked for some help. Shortly after, OWPP started looking into different options, talking to stream engineers and identifying grants they could go after for the restoration, Joost said. Six months later, OWPP was approved for the grant. They then moved into the permitting and design process, and construction has taken place for the past 18 months. OWPP's mission is to work in partnership to protect and improve water quality in the Oconomowoc River watershed. "I grew up fishing these lakes and rivers, and I love the waters of Lake Country," Joost said. "I recreate on them, I appreciate them for just how pristine they generally are. It's a resource that's not commonly found. It's just a special area." Liliana Fannin is a 2025 summer intern at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel covering the Milwaukee suburbs. Have a tip? She can be contacted at lfannin@ This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Oconomowoc stream restoration project completed on June 10
The South African
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The South African
Gone, but not forgotten: Joost's son shares sweet tribute
The son of the late Springbok Joost van der Westhuizen paid a touching tribute to his famous father at the Loftus Versfeld stadium last weekend. Jordan, whose mother is Amor Vittone, was a teen when the rugby player died in 2017 of motor neurone disease. The now 21-year-old is a model and rising soccer star. Last weekend, Loftus was alight with excitement for the Bulls vs Sharks URC semi-final. Jordan, representing his famous father, donned a Bulls shirt in memory of his dad's home club. The young man, who bears a striking resemblance to his dad, showed off the words 'Dad, Joost' printed across the back. The sweet tribute acknowledged Joost's home at Loftus and the number 9, which was his jersey number for both the Pretoria club and the Springboks. Jordan's mom, Amor, posted the pictures on Facebook, liking comments from her followers who claimed that Joost would be 'proud' of his son. At the time of his death in 2017, Amor and Joost were separated after 15 years of marriage. The couple also have a daughter, 18-year-old Kylie. Jordan and friends at Loftus Versfeld Stadium tonight ❤️ #rugbyleague #Loftus #game #bullsrugby Posted by Amor Vittone on Saturday 7 June 2025 The son of the late Springbok and Bulls player, Jordan van der Westhuizen, is pursuing his own path in sports. But unlike rugby legend Joost, the 21-year-old has taken up soccer. Having previously played for the Valencia youth academy as a goalkeeper, Jordan later joined the UK's Reading Academy. And he's one step closer to his goal. According to Amor Vittone, Jordan is keen to one day play for his dream club, Liverpool. Apart from his love of soccer, Jordan is also a professional model, and he has signed up with the Ice Model Agency. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 .
