Author: Motlhaping Modise
The Mahikeng Local Municipality in the North West, has expressed pleasure to have finally settled a historic debt spanning over decades with Magalies Water Board. The Municipality was over R230m in arrears owed to the two now defunct water boards, Sedibeng and Botshelo Water (formerly the North-West Water Supply Authority Board). Speaking on YouFM News Hour, the municipality spokesperson Johnny Nkwane, attributed the milestone to the current administration led by the Executive Mayor, Tshepiso Mphehlo, and the management team under the stewardship of the Municipal Manager Advocate Dineo Mongwaketse.“When the 5th Council took over, the municipality had over R230m in…
Two months into the new academic year and yet another scholar transport scandal has broken out. This after a bus moving in a rather unusual way was captured on video allegedly ferrying learners in Tigane township outside Klerksdorp in the North West. In the video widely shared on social media platforms, the bus is seen moving in an oblique direction seemingly driving in two lanes of the road and was temporarily stopped by concerned road users.The video was captured by the South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) Provincial spokesperson Mzukisi Jam on his way to Mahikeng. Jam is overhead in…
The latest deaths of five mineworkers in two separate incidents at the Doornkop mine in Soweto and Joel Mine in the Free State respectively has sparked fresh calls for comprehensive investigations. Harmony Gold confirmed that the incidents happened on Tuesday, at two of its mines although unrelated. Mining expert at the Bench Marks Foundation David Van Wyk said that earth seismic is common in the mining industry due to the earth being fragile. “According to the initial reports, while the miners were in the process of drilling the face in the development end, an explosion occurred of which the cause…
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) is the latest to condemn the killing of two Rea Vaya bus service drivers in Soweto on Monday night. Both drivers were shot while on duty in two separate incidents in Protea Glen and Mapetla, in Soweto. NUMSA National spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola says the latest incidents are shocking and warrant a thorough investigation. “NUMSA sends its deepest condolences to the families of Sam Slinder and Rhendane Tshilande whose lives were cut short by merciless criminals. It cannot be that workers are killed simply for doing their job. We demand that both…
The Department of Social Department said it’ll appeal the judgment of the North Gauteng High Court which declared that aspects of the regulations governing the COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant (SRD) unconstitutional and invalid. The ruling, which was delivered two weeks ago, ordered the government to take steps to increase the value of the grant, ensure that no eligible applicants are excluded, and address systemic failures in the administration of the grant. The matter was brought to court by the Institute of Economic Justice and #Paythegrants arguing that millions of South Africans who qualify to receive the grant are…
The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has defended its decision to grant Eskom a 12.74% tariff increase below the 36.15% requested by the state-owned enterprise. The regulator also approved increases of 5.36% and 6.19% for Eskom’s 2026/27 and 2027/28 financial years. This, against applications for 11.8% and 9.1% respectively, made in Eskom’s sixth multi-year price determination application. Speaking on You FM Newshour on Thursday evening after the announcement, Nersa’s acting Executive Manager for Electricity Welile Mkhize said the decision was justified. “It was a difficult decision bearing in mind that it was probably one of the highest applications…
Police in the North West have made one of the biggest drugs bust, when they intercepted a huge transportation of drugs estimated to be over R37 million in Zeerust on Wednesday afternoon. The drugs were found following a police raid of a vehicle that was believed to be heading to Johannesburg from Zambia through the Kopfontein Border Post near Zeerust. The North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management Wessels Morweng has applauded the police swift action for intercepting the drugs and the arrest of the two occupants of the vehicle, a Tanzanian and Zambian nationals respectively. Speaking on…
The Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) statement that it has successfully recorded a R400 million profit in the 2023/24 financial period has been disputed. The state-owned entity’s CEO Mpumi Mpofu revealed this during a media briefing at the OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park on Tuesday. “ACSA is steadily recovering from the years of COVID in terms of overall performance. This is the year in which we declared a profit.Despite a number of issues that marred ACSA, more specifically, the recent jet fuel shortage, and power disruptions ACSA recorded a R400 million profit in the 23/24 financial period…
North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management Wessels Morweng, has commended the province’s festive road safety measures, that resulted in the low recording of fatalities during the festive period. This as the province recorded 100 fatalities from 98 crashes in the 2024/25 festive period, compared 98 fatalities from 86 crashes in the 2023/24 period. Morweng was addressing the media in Mahikeng during the release of the provincial statistics on Monday. “Despite this slight increase, the province remains second best performing in terms of least recorded fatalities. It is also worth mentioning that we did not record any major…
The illegal mining phenomenon continues to rear its ugly head in other parts of the North West province. Eastern parts of the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality are also experiencing the rising incidents of illegal mining in the recent years.The Baphalane Traditional Council led by Kgosi Mmanotshe Ramokoka has condemned illegal mining of Chrome in Witrantjie village, which earlier resulted in the exchange of fire between employees of two private security companies, which the police said resulted in three males sustaining serious injuries. Police have confirmed that a video doing the rounds on social media depicts a confrontation between residents and illegal…