Zoutpansberger

27/07/2024

Dit is in hierdie selfde omgewing waar ‘n groep entoesiastiese argeoloë vanaf 1 tot 12 Julie vanjaar opgrawings by die terrein van Considine en Lumley gedoen het.

Die naam “Crooks Corner” vertel reeds ‘n storie. En stories was daar gewis - verál in die vroeë twintigste eeu. Hier, in die verre noord-oostelike deel van die Krugerwildtuin, het ‘n klompie bedrywighede plaasgevind. Lesers sal onthou dat die Zoutpansberger gedurende Maart 2016 oor Bvekeny...

26/07/2024

Vir die Groenewald-familie was Ben se skielike dood veral traumaties so kort ná Ben se vrou, Carol Ann Groenewald, se dood. Die 72-jarige Carol-Ann is op 9 Mei vanjaar oorlede.

Inwoners van Louis Trichardt en omstreke het Saterdagaand, 20 Julie, met groot skok verneem van die skielike dood van die 73-jarige Ben Groenewald. Ben was ‘n baie bekende gesig op die dorp, asook die Louis Trichardt Rolbalklub, waar hy kort ná die dag se spel Saterdag in die klubhuis inmekaar ge...

26/07/2024

‘n Afname in die ledetal die afgelope paar jaar, hetsy deur lede wat elders heen verhuis het of oorlede is, hulle genoop het om hulle spreekwoordelike deure na 65 jaar te sluit.

Bergcare op Louis Trichardt het Dinsdag, 23 Julie, sekerlik hulle grootste enkele skenking ontvang ten bedrae van R176,000 van die Rotariërs van Louis Trichardt. Die oomblik was egter bittersoet, aangesien dit ook die laaste amptelike aksie van dié klub was wat ná dese nie meer bestaan nie.

26/07/2024

The decision not to appoint the most suitable candidate was driven by the ANC’s political management team in the province. They were severely criticised for this “irrational” decision, and the council also had to foot the legal bills of all parties when the matter went to court.

The infighting between two factions within the ANC in Vhembe seems to be getting more intense, and the power balance may be shifting, judging by what happened during the Makhado Municipality’s Council meeting on Monday. Several ANC councillors ignored the ANC Vhembe Region’s instruction to boyco...

26/07/2024

Several frequent road users the newspaper spoke to in the past two weeks indicated that the poor condition of the road, despite the preventative maintenance projects, has forced them to use alternative routes to and from Louis Trichardt. “It looks like all work just stopped,” said one irate farmer.

The Road Agency Limpopo (RAL), the responsible authority for the busy R522 road between Louis Trichardt and Vivo, has come under severe criticism over the past few months for the snail's pace at which preventative maintenance is taking place. In mid-April this year, large parts of the road’s surfa...

26/07/2024

“Ek is glad nie kwaad oor dit wat met my gebeur het nie. Dit het inteendeel baie deure vir my oopgemaak. Ek sou wat wou gee om weer te kan speel, maar die verskil wat ek moet maak moes my deur daardie proses neem. “

Koben Hofmeyr (22), oud-Triegie en matrikulant van 2021, is steeds besig om homself te beywer om ander te help. Hy het onlangs ‘n ambisieuse projek geloods om te help om geld in te samel om onmiddellike finansiële steun te kan verleen aan kinders wat ernstige sportbeserings op skool opdoen.

25/07/2024

Alhoewel TLU SA Limpopo steeds inligting ontvang rakende die werklike omvang van die skade, kon die syfer van meer as R1,3 miljard rand reeds deurgegee word.

Ná die verwoestende swartryp sowat drie weke gelde en ewe verwoestende brande net daarna het ‘n vergadering plaasgevind tussen TLU SA Noord/Limpopo en die pas-aangestelde hoof van die provinsiale rampbestuursentrum in die provinsie, dr. Takie Makananisa. Die vergadering het op 17 Julie plaasgevin...

25/07/2024

Wyle Hennie is gebore op 23 November 1950. Hy en sy vrou was oud-inwoners van Louis Trichardt vanaf 1985 tot 1999.

Met mooi herinnering neem familie afskeid van Hennie (Hendrik Jacobus) Pretorius, 'n eggenoot, pa en oupa wat op Saterdag, 20 Julie, in die ouderdom 73 jaar om 13:00 aan 'n hartaanval oorlede is. Hy was gelukkig nie alleen nie, maar by sy vrou Marie by sy huis op sy stoep.

25/07/2024

The company’s offices and depots remained closed this week despite numerous court proceedings launched by Tayfin on behalf of Alliance Fuel.

The status quo remained unchanged this week at the beleaguered Alliance Fuel, and on Wednesday morning all of its depots were still closed, with the staff prohibited from doing any business. Alliance Fuel was closed by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) following a raid on 10 July.

25/07/2024

Eerskomende naweek sal die klubs in die Noordstreek se duiwe weer vanaf Wolmaransstad vlieg.

Duiweboere in die Noordstreek, insluitend lede van die Hangklip (Hlp) en Soutpansberg (Spb) Posduifklubs, se duiwe het die afgelope naweek weer mekaar die stryd aangesê in ‘n jaaroud- en opewedvlug vanaf Wolmaransstad oor ‘n afstand van sowat 610 km.

25/07/2024

There might just be a shift in political power in Vhembe, and perhaps sanity may prevail after all. Following a lengthy process, which even had a chapter in the High Court, a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) was permanently appointed by the Makhado Municipality on Monday. This was not without the necessary drama and only happened after a group of ANC councillors defied the Vhembe region’s instructions to boycott the meeting.

The old saying “he who pays the piper calls the tune” is very relevant. In the past, the officials deployed were often just the sock puppets of dodgy politicians. Perhaps the appointment of the best candidate (as stated by the selection panel) may be a sign of good things to come. Let’s hope.

Op ‘n vroliker trant berig ons in hierdie week se uitgawe oor die opgrawings wat gedoen is by Crook’s Corner in die noord-oostelike deel van die wildtuin. Diegene wat ons geskiedenisrubrieke ‘n paar jaar gelede gevolg het, sal onthou dat dit die tuiste was van onder meer Bvekenya Barnard, die legendariese grootwildjagter.

‘n Artikel wat nou werklik as bittersoet beskryf kan word, handel oor die R176,000 skenking aan Bergcare. Die skenking kom vanaf die plaaslike tak van die Rotariërs. Wat dit egter hartseer maak, is dat dit die laaste skenking is wat die Rotariër-tak beoog om te maak. Die tak het heelwat van hul lede die afgelope dekade verloor en het besluit om eerder te sluit.

Nog ‘n tikkie hartseernuus, handel oor die skielike afsterwe van die 73-jarige Ben Groenewald. Hy was ‘n bekende gesig by die rolbalklub op Louis Trichardt.

Op die agterblad berig ons oor ‘n oud-inwoner wat steeds presteer. Koben Hofmeyr het min bekendstelling nodig in die plaaslike gemeenskap. Hy is in 2018 verlam na hy ‘n besering op die rugbyveld opgedoen het. Dit het egter nie sy veggees gedemp nie en hy studeer tans by die Universiteit van Pretoria waar hy onder meer rolstoelrugby speel. Hy beywer hom ook om fondse in te samel om kinders te help wat sportbeserings op skool opdoen.

Blaai gerus deur ons kalenderblaaie om te sien wat die komende week oplewer. Vrydag en Saterdag vind die Haantjiefees plaas by NG Moedergemeente. Dit is een van die geleenthede wat nie gemis kan word nie. Daar is min dinge so aangenaam soos ‘n “boerebasaar” en hierdie is tradisioneel een van die bestes.

Die Zoutpansberger is reeds beskikbaar by kafees en restaurante regdeur die streek. Koop gerus ‘n koerant en lees nuus wat jy kan vertrou. As lesers twyfel oor enige iets wat ons publiseer, kan hulle ons skakel en met ons daaroor gesels. (Gaan probeer dieselfde met Facebook doen ...)

19/07/2024

“Gedurende die laaste paar maande het my nierfunksie baie verswak en ek moet so gou as moontlik met dialise begin.”

“Dit is ‘n wonderwerk dat ek nog leef,” sê Daleen Venter van Louis Trichardt wat tans slegs 6% van die gebruik van haar niere oor het.

19/07/2024

Venter noem dat hy gereeld oproepe en boodskappe ontvang waarin hy vermaan word om liewer sy neus uit hierdie gebeure te hou – 47 jaar ná die gebeure.

Louis Trichardt skrywer dr. Philip Venter het geen bekendstelling nodig nie. Van die 32 titels wat reeds uit sy pen verskyn het, is RauTem sekerlik dié een wat deesdae die meeste opspraak verwek.

19/07/2024

Mr Daniel believes in giving back to the community, actively motivating pupils and staff to ‘get involved’ for the benefit of their community both near and far.

The Ridgeway family in Louis Trichardt has extended a warm welcome to Mr Craig Daniel, the newly appointed principal of Ridgeway Preparatory School.

19/07/2024

An analysis of the last few years’ annual financial statements and budget documentation shows that the residents of Musina might carry a burden that is way too heavy for them.

Musina Municipality, the smallest municipality in Vhembe, has some of the best-paid officials and councillors in the country. The budgeted remuneration for the municipal manager and the chief financial officer is roughly R1.9-million each per year. Many residents believe this is one of the reasons f...

18/07/2024

“This matter is sub judice and I shall refrain from commenting on issues under judicial deliberation.”

More than a week after the South African Revenue Service (SARS) raided the offices of the well-known Louis Trichardt-based fuel company Alliance Fuel, the company’s offices and all of its depots remain closed. The exact reason for the closure also remains unknown, but with SARS involved, the probl...

18/07/2024

The sudden closure of one of the region’s biggest fuel suppliers caught many by surprise last week. A team from SARS swooped in and closed the company’s offices and fuel depots. This, of course, caused a lot of speculation as to why SARS acted in this manner. It was quite difficult to find answers, but we tried our best.

On the subject of taxes, an economist (whose name I can’t remember) said many years ago that there is no such thing as tax morality. You pay the minimum that you are legally required to pay, and nothing more. Whether one agrees with that or not makes no difference, because it seems to be the motto of many of our municipalities, but just the other way around. You pay officials and councillors as much as you can, and perhaps even a bit more.
Musina municipality has been under fire for a lack of service delivery and the exorbitant remuneration of officials and councillors. In this week’s Zoutpansberger, we scrutinise the municipality’s annual budgets as well as financial statements for the past few years. Musina has been paying its top officials more than the maximum limits for a few years now. The question is whether one of the most impoverished municipalities in the region can afford such extravagance.

In hierdie week se uitgawe van die Zoutpansberger berig ons ook oor die dapper stryd wat ‘n 42-jarige inwoner teen nierversaking voer. Daleen Venter moet egter ‘n reuse bedrag insamel om vir behandeling te betaal en ‘n fondsinsamelingsprojek is geloods om haar te probeer help.

Die bekende leraar, dr. Philip Venter het ‘n baie interessante nuwe boek gepubliseer, wat handel oor die opspraakwekkende Smit-moorde van 1977. Die boek is reeds in sy vyfde druk, en ontlok wye reaksie.

Lesers kan gerus die koerant se kalenderblaaie deurgaan om te sien wat hierdie naweek alles plaasvind. Volgende naweek gaan egter baie bedrywig wees, met die NG Kerk Moedergemeente se Haantjiefees waarskynlik ‘n hoogtepunt. Die week daarna is dit weer tyd vir die Soutpansberg Lugskou en “Fly-in”, wat by die Louis Trichardt vliegveld aangebied word.

Die Zoutpansberger is reeds beskikbaar by alle vooraanstaande kafees en supermarkte. Kry gerus ‘n kopie en ondersteun plaaslike joernalistiek.

18/07/2024

Eerskomende Saterdag sal die klublede se duiwe deelneem aan wedvlugte vanaf Wolmaransstad oor ‘n afstand van sowat 610 km.

Lede van die Hangklip (Hlp) en Soutpansberg (Spb) Posduifklubs se duiwe het die afgelope naweek deelgeneem aan ‘n jaaroud- en opewedvlug vanaf Sannieshof oor ‘n afstand van 570 km. Die duiwe het letterlik die wind van voor gekry, met ‘n sterk noordewind wat die duiwe se spoed afgebring het na ...

12/07/2024

“Currently, we are at the project preparation phase of implementing a 500MW solar power plant with prospects of ramping up to 1,000MW over a medium to long-term period.”

The Musina Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ) CEO, Mr Lehlogonolo Masoga, confirmed on Monday that they had completely abandoned their plans for a coal-fired power station in favour of renewable power solutions.

12/07/2024

“We are having a conversation with them about exploring various options provided for in the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) as approved by the national government to find a solution for the security of power supply to the MMSEZ, and there is no need for anyone to be alarmed.”

The CEO of the Musina Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ), Mr Lehlogonolo Masoga, has categorically stated that no deal or agreement had been signed between the MMSEZ and Stratek Global regarding the possible use of small, modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) to power the proposed development.

12/07/2024

With the addition of 24 languages in 2022, using Zero-Shot Machine Translation, Google Translate has now included Tshivenda and siSwati, bringing the total number of South African languages offered to nine.

The recent inclusion of the Tshivenda language in Google Translate has been warmly welcomed by the people of the Vhembe District. Google Translate has made significant strides in overcoming language barriers through its latest expansion, driven by artificial intelligence.

12/07/2024

Five-hundred apartment blocks, 3,204 medium-sized erven, and 801 large-sized erven are among what is envisaged as part of the Musina Makhado Special Economic Zone’s planned township development at Mopane.

Five-hundred apartment blocks, 3,204 medium-sized erven, and 801 large-sized erven are among what is envisaged as part of the Musina Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ) planned township development on their southern site (Mopane). This is according to their notice of application for township devel...

12/07/2024

“It is a privilege to represent my country for a second Paralympics, and I want to thank my Father in heaven for his continued grace.”

Another proud moment for both the James family and the Soutpansberg arrived with the news that local Paralympic medallist Sheryl James from Louis Trichardt was officially selected for the South African Paralympic team to represent the country at the upcoming Paris Paralympic Games.

11/07/2024

“Ongeag die weer, wat buite ons beheer was, het vanjaar se Hanglip 54 nog die vlotste ooit verloop.”

Die warm en winderige toestande het die baan tydens vanjaar se Hanglip 54-gholftoernooi besonders moeilik gemaak en die vol veld van 128 spelers moes alles in die stryd werp vir ‘n plek op die podium.

11/07/2024

“Ons sê dit aanhoudend vir mekaar: As André geweet het hoeveel mense vir hom met gebed ingetree het, sou hy verbaas gestaan het.”

Vir die K**k-familie van Louis Trichardt het die nuus van die dood van die 44-jarige André K**k net ná 20:00 Sondagaand as groot skok gekom. André is bietjie meer as ‘n week vantevore in die Tshilidzini Hospitaal opgeneem ná ‘n ernstig motorfietsongeluk.

11/07/2024

Kutama/Sinthumule Correctional Centre to be fully operational by the end of July.

The national commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), Mr Makgothi Thobakgale, visited the Kutama/Sinthumule Correctional Facility on 4 July to assess the progress of building repairs.

11/07/2024

“Die winter is nog nie verby nie. Die hele Julie en Augustus lê nog voor, met koue winde wat kan kom. So ons moet versigtig wees, die winter kan dalk vir ons nog ‘n uiterste gee.”

Hierdie was sekerlik een van die slegste weke in ‘n lang tyd om ‘n boer in Suid-Afrika te wees. Landswyd het talle boere massiewe skade gehad met swartryp, en asof dit nie erg genoeg was nie, is die rypskade opgevolg deur verwoestende brande. Ook die Soutpansberg is nie gespaar nie.

11/07/2024

If the drivers behind the Musina Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ) have their way, the area close to Mopane will soon be bustling with thousands of new residents, living in houses and apartments built on more than 4,000 new erven. There will be shopping malls, conference centres, four schools, a hospital, and even a five-star hotel. And it may be powered by a small, modular nuclear reactor.

The ambitious plans were not well received by the rather sceptical environmental lobby groups. They seem to be less convinced by the “it will come from Zimbabwe” reply when asked where the water will come from to serve the massive development.

In this week’s Zoutpansberger, we carry three articles dealing with the MMSEZ. Our lead story deals with the details of the development plans, but we also carry an article in which the proposed nuclear plant’s possible benefits are discussed.

Die afgelope week se wind en koue het groot skade veroorsaak vir die streek se boere. Die swartryp, veral in die Vivo- en Alldays-omgewing, het die aartappelboere sleg gevang. Die sterk wind het egter ‘n ander probleem meegebring, deurdat verskeie vure verwoesting in boorde gesaai het.

Ons het verlede week berig oor die ongeluk waarin André K**k (44) beseer is. Die slegte nuus is dat André Sondagaand oorlede is.
Wat sport betref, was dit verlede week weer tyd vir die jaarlikse Hanglip 54-gholftoernooi. Die weer het sake so bietjie moeiliker gemaak vir die spelers en die sterk wind het heelwat b***e in die ru-veld laat beland. Tog kon twee spelers daarin slaag om kolhoue te behaal en vir een van die spelers het dit ‘n R100,000 meevaller in die sak gebring.

Finally – our own Paralympic medallist, Sheryl James, is busy packing her bags for Paris. She is included in the Team South Africa team of 26 athletes who will try and collect medals at the Paralympic Games from 28 August to 8 September. Well done, Sheryl, and we will be holding thumbs for you!

06/07/2024

Trying to make sense of the complete budget of Makhado Municipality is a mission on its own. The first challenge is to establish which version is the “true” version.

Two weeks ago, the Makhado Municipality officially adopted its budget for the next financial year, but it may have to go back to the council for reconsideration. The North Gauteng High Court ruled on Friday that municipalities that did not conduct proper cost-of-supply (CoS) studies may not implemen...

05/07/2024

"With that, we will also address the appearance of the casualty department to reflect a similar style to the new building’s design.”

Residents of Makhado were left wondering what was happening at the newly opened Crestcare Zoutpansberg Private Hospital in Louis Trichardt the past week, after a notice issued by the hospital was circulated on social media stating that their casualty department would be closed from 1 July until furt...