The Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality in Limpopo is accused of refusing to issue a letter approving a provincial government-funded project to fix a sewer that is now spilling into a daycare center. According to the community members, the spillage problem started approximately 12 years ago and was reported to the local authorities, but nothing was done about it. In 2021, Mopani District Municipality appointed a service provider who allegedly failed to come up with solutions and asked to be released…

Concerns have been raised following the confirmation that 11 children from a school in Mpumalanga were rushed to a medical facility after falling sick due to food poisoning. The latest incident happened on Wednesday at Babati Primary School in Justacia, near Bushbuckridge. It follows sporadic incidents where children have either died or recovered from the alleged food poisoning across the country. “On Wednesday, learners became ill after they allegedly ate snacks and biscuits from some of the learners. Most of…

The Limpopo provincial government and other relevant stakeholders failed to provide clean water to the communities because they were incompetent. This is according to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) report released this week. SAHRC launched the investigation following several complaints by communities and concern groups accusing the municipalities of failing to provide clean, running water. “Access to water is essential to everyone’s health, dignity, and prosperity. In recognition of the fundamental importance of water, the Constitution entrenches the…

A succession battle within the Femane Tribal Authority in Limpopo has intensified, with two royal families quarrelling over the interpretation of a court outcome. The Marupene Mphaphudi and Khorommbi Mphaphudi, royal families want control of the chieftaincy of the Femane Tribal Authority at Femane Village in Ga-Modjadji near Tzaneen. Their dispute followed the death of traditional leader Marupeni “Jippi” Mphaphudi on December 16 last year. To resolve the impasse, the families took the matter to their local tribal court within…

A ruthless criminal syndicate is on the loose in Limpopo, assaulting and robbing unsuspecting ATM users who withdraw huge sums from Polokwane banks. The gang allegedly works with unscrupulous bank employees who tip them off about clients withdrawing huge amounts of cash. On October 6, two people were robbed of huge cash after leaving ATMs in separate incidents in Polokwane, northern South Africa. According to victims and a crime researcher, the gang targets people who drive flashy cars and wear expensive…

The African Radical Economic Transformation Alliance (ARETA) has urged all South Africans to take part in a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the Israeli embassy in Pretoria, saying Hamas attacks were “legitimate retaliation against Israel”. Party president Carl Niehaus also called on all left-wing political parties and civil society organizations to rally behind Palestine on Monday in the same way the Palestine Liberation Authority (PLO) supported South Africa’s struggle against apartheid. Under the PLO’s former leader, Yasser Arafat, Palestine threw its weight…

A VIP Protection Unit police officer assigned to Free State MEC for Finance, Gadija Brown, has appeared in court on a charge of attempted murder after allegedly using his firearm to avenge himself for being assaulted with a beer bottle at a tavern. Warrant Officer Vusumuzi Matthews Makhaza, 49, was released on warning when he appeared in the Mangaung Magistrate’s Court this week. Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) spokesperson Robbie Raburabu said Makhaza was arrested last month following the incident,…

A Limpopo woman who previously worked in the pharmaceutical industry has blamed the Department of Home Affairs for her heart surgery, which she says resulted from its flawed identity document (ID) blocking system. Elizabeth Shingange, 46, of Nkowankowa in Tzaneen, says the department, which she compared to “Satan”, cost her the capacity to earn a living more than ten years ago after unfairly blocking her ID. She says her struggles are far from over, despite her ID being ultimately restored…

A Limpopo government official accused of raping his 14-year-old stepdaughter with the help of her mother made a brief court appearance on charges of rape. The 42-year-old man, whose name has been withheld to protect the child’s identity, works for the Department of Correctional Services. On October 2, he appeared in the Lulekani Magistrate’s Court in Phalaborwa with his 46-year-old wife, who is also accused of aiding him in raping the juvenile. “The victim’s stepfather as well as the minor’s…

The rapidly increasing prevalence of ukuthwala, or child marriages, in the Nkomazi region of Mpumalanga has prompted a well-known lobby group advocating for women’s rights to join forces with concerned community members in a bid to combat the disturbing practice. Positive Women’s Network (PWN) decided to lend a helping hand following the discovery that many young girls in areas such as Mjejane, Tonga, and other villages surrounding Nkomazi were forced to marry older men by their families. According to Thandi…