Limpopo Mirror

28/07/2024

“I contributed a lot to the musical careers of artists like Spenza Man, Candy Stanza, Messiah Kinds, to name a few.”

The name Tshimangadzo Derick Phuluwa might not ring a bell for many, but he is an unsung hero who has worked hard behind the scenes for many years to make things happen. At the age of 62, Phuluwa deserves acknowledgement and recognition for his role in producing and marketing big names in the South....

27/07/2024

“Knowledge has no boundaries, and I will continue studying until my last day on earth. I would like to encourage young people to take education seriously because it is the only weapon that we can use to free our minds and our country.”

At the tender age of 33, Paul Mudau has proven beyond doubt to the youth of South Africa that any dream can be realised through hard work, dedication, and consistency. Mudau, from Musina Nancefield, received his PhD in Law from Wits University during a graduation ceremony held on Monday (8 July).

27/07/2024

Disgruntled hawkers complain that more than a year has passed since they were given just two days to vacate the road after selling there for more than two decades.

Scores of angry residents from Elim and the surrounding areas engaged in protest action on Monday, 22 July, to complain about the delay in completing the D4 road connecting the N1 to Elim and passing through Malamulele to Vuwani. Protesters blocked intersections with burning tyres and tree branches,...

27/07/2024

“I played the guitar like there would be no tomorrow, not knowing that I was saying goodbye to my beloved guitar.”

Skilled guitarist and Tshivenda traditional-music star Thiathu Netshikweta, from Hamakhuvha village near Matatshe, is a worried man. The reason for his worry is that part of his life has been destroyed in what he believes is misfortune meant to test his bravery in the music industry.

26/07/2024

With seven albums under his belt and 14 significant awards, Vendaboy Poet is regarded as one of the country's leading poets.

The dream of performing at the opening of Parliament came true last week for local poet, musician, and praise singer Lutendo Evens Mugagadeli, better known as Vendaboy Poet.

26/07/2024

Tshikota High's coach, Mr. Justice Matloga, said that they were going all out to win the competition again.

Tshikota High’s soccer team will represent the Vhembe region in the provincial U/19 Motsepe Cup, which will be played in Polokwane. Tshikota defeated Mabvuka High 1-0 in the Vhembe final, which was held at Musina on Saturday.

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

This past week, it also came to light that the Musina Council knew for at least 18 months that they were overpaying senior officials but had done very little to rectify the situation.

A meeting to discuss the overpayment of officials at the Musina Municipality could not proceed on Tuesday as there was no quorum. It is believed that the meeting was boycotted by a certain faction within the ANC that is protecting, among others, the municipal manager.

26/07/2024

The Zambian national was spotted at the team’s training ground in Polokwane on Monday. Should he finally append his signature on the dotted line, this will be the second time for the 33-year-old sharpshooter to play for Lidoda Duvha.

The former Orlando Pirates and Moroka Swallows striker, Mwape Musonda, is likely to be parading in Black Leopards’ colours when the Motsepe Foundation Championship League programme for the new season starts towards the end of next month.

25/07/2024

“He taught us that feathers must be separated from the chicken, and they must not be scattered but placed in the bin and later destroyed. This is where we started seeing the cleanliness that Tsh*tahe learned from his work as a soldier.”

Hundreds of people from all corners of the Vhembe District and as far as Gauteng paid their last respects to Samuel Tsh*tahe (62), the former chairperson of the Dam Site Social Club and founder of the Thavha Thavha Soccer Club, during his funeral at the CWC Church in Maniini village on Saturday.

25/07/2024

Residents held a mass meeting on 18 July, blaming Waterval Police Station officers for failing to curb crime in Elim and surrounding areas.

Residents of Elim are living in fear after three women were allegedly r**ed by unknown suspects on 13 and 16 July. Two females, aged 18 and 29, were reportedly r**ed and robbed at a rental house, while a 56-year-old woman was r**ed and severely stabbed.

25/07/2024

Flying Peace and Fire Boys will meet in one of the four matches that will be played on Saturday.

The last-16-round matches for the Funanani Ndou Attorneys Soccer Tournament will be played at the Khubvi Benjie’s Grounds this weekend. Four matches will be played on Saturday, with the remaining four scheduled for Sunday.

25/07/2024

The internal squabbles among the power-hungry politicians are severely impacting the people of Vhembe. In this week’s edition, we report on two council meetings that clearly show how the best interests of the politicians and their sock puppets are the priority, and not the best interests of the people they are supposed to serve.

In Musina, a faction of the ANC boycotted Tuesday’s meeting scheduled to discuss the overpayment of senior officials. What is very disturbing is that Musina’s councillors knew for more than a year that they were paying their senior officials a lot more than what is legally allowed. Instead of addressing the issue when confronted by, among others, the MEC, it was simply put on hold.
The old saying “he who pays the piper calls the tune” comes to mind. The pipers in Vhembe, however, come at quite a price.

In Makhado, the tables were turned, and the majority of ANC councillors opted to ignore a call from the Vhembe REC to boycott the meeting. This meant that the best candidate for the job, based on the selection panel’s recommendation, was finally appointed as CFO.

Luckily, it’s not all gloom and doom in this week’s Limpopo Mirror. Our cover boy is the inimitable Lutendo Mugagadeli, better known as Vendaboy Poet. His dream came true when he was the praise singer during the opening of parliament last week.

Last week, Mandela Day was celebrated throughout the region. We carry almost two pages of photos, showing how people from all spheres dedicated at least 67 minutes to charity.

On Tuesday, the VBS saga had a “local episode” with a gathering of the VBS Minority Shareholders Forum. They not only demand their money (which one would presume is what all people want), but they also want the bank to be resuscitated. Whether their new finance partners will be able to run a more reputable bank is an open question.

Our sport pages are, as always, very busy, albeit mostly with between-season knockout leagues. We also speculate as to the chances that Mwape Musonda will be donning the colours of Black Leopards this season.

The Limpopo Mirror is already waiting at your favourite café or supermarket in Vhembe. It’s there for your enjoyment.

20/07/2024

That Dasco Mahn was destined to be a top musician is no mystery. He was born into a family where music was a daily staple. He did not have to go far to study music, learning from the best teachers: his parents.

Tshivenda traditional and reggae musician Dasco Mahn has bounced back, spitting fire. His last release, “Volume 2 Afrika,” was in 2022, and while he took a break from the studio, he did not stop performing his music. The musician from Vondwe, outside Thohoyandou, whose full name is Mbulaheni Leo...

20/07/2024

“During my journey, I realised that there was just so much injustice in the world and our people are less informed on how the law works and the types of recourse at their disposal.”

A former Phalaphala FM presenter and producer, Ms Lutendo Tshisikule, was recently admitted as advocate to the High Court. Tshisikule, who worked for 19 years in the broadcasting industry, left the station in January 2023. She completed her LLB degree in 2021 and began focusing on her career as a le...

19/07/2024

“They needed my permission to take him to the doctor as he was starting to vomit. By the time I arrived at the doctor, he had already passed away.”

“Instead of celebrating the return of my two boys from initiation school like other parents, I have to prepare for a funeral for one of them, which doubles the pain for me.” These were the words expressed by local poet Sheila Mathevula from Bungeni village after her 16-year-old son, Pfano Khomol...

19/07/2024

“We went to school together at Tshiluvhi Primary School and, to tell you the truth, he was a star learner. The boy was down to earth, and we never thought he could be capable of doing such evil.”

The past week's headlines were dominated by one story – the sentencing of one of the kingpins behind the looting of VBS Bank, Tshifhiwa Matodzi. The former flamboyant banking boss pleaded guilty to 33 charges of theft and fraud and was sentenced to serve an effective 15 years in prison.

19/07/2024

Sparks are expected to fly when Tshamutilikwa Fire Boys test their strength against Tshishivhe Tiger Boys.

Following the success of the opening matches played at the Matatshe Materetere Grounds this past weekend, teams affiliated with the Apollo Bottle Store Soccer Tournament will play their quarter-final matches at the same venue on Sunday.

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

Mr Khiphitheni Tshifularo, the elder brother of the deceased, said she was currently studying at Vhembe TVET College. He described her as a cool and collected person within the family and said her death left a void that would be difficult to fill.

The traditional leader of Dzimauli Haramuvhundu and Muledane villages in Harambuda, Vhamusanda Vho Matshidze Ndondeni Ramuvhundu, has strongly condemned all forms of violence, especially against women and children. This follows the stabbing of a young woman from the area in what appears to be anothe...

18/07/2024

Details surrounding his death remain unclear, but reports indicate that Tshinakaho had had an altercation over a woman at a tavern in nearby Gaba on Saturday.

Members of the Tshinakaho family from Tshaulu are still in shock, following the brutal murder of the 23-year-old Mr Norman Tshinakaho, a well-known stone paver. His body, with multiple shot wounds, was discovered on the road near a bridge.

18/07/2024

Tshikota faced Manaledzi High in the final clash, and the exciting match ended in a 1-1 draw. Three schools contested the finals and played each other on a round-robin basis.

Tshikota High School were crowned the local champions of one of the richest junior tournaments, the U/19 Kay Motsepe School Cup. They won the Soutpansberg cluster, with the final matches being played at the Makhado Show Grounds on Saturday.

18/07/2024

We start off by talking about the fall from grace of the former flamboyant VBS boss, Tshifhiwa Matodzi. He is, of course, a local boy who grew up and went to school in Thohoyandou. The question so many people have asked is: “What went wrong?” Why would someone who told the court that he grew up in a God-fearing home, with values such as honesty and integrity instilled in him, become a criminal? The short explanation is – greed. Our reporter tried to trace his roots and speak to the people who knew him as a young man.

Our “long read” for the week also touches on greed, but this time seemingly legal. Musina Municipality has been under fire for a lack of service delivery and for the exuberant remuneration of officials and councillors. In this week’s Limpopo Mirror, we scrutinise the municipality’s annual budgets, as well as financial statements for the past few years. The question here is whether it is morally acceptable for councillors to claim the maximum compensation and appoint officials who collect packages way above the maximum scales. This is in one of the most impoverished municipalities in the region.

The long-awaited court case to (hopefully) determine who the king or queen of the Vhavenda should be started in Polokwane this week. We popped in to get a picture of Princess Masindi testifying, but our readers will have to wait for a more complete report.

The Kutama area saw protest action this past week when a long feud between concerned residents and Thovhele Vele Kutama flared up again. The sad part, as always, is that schooling and transport are disrupted, while the public spat continues.

On the sporting front, most of the action seems to be in the Sasol Women’s League. This weekend, two of the main contenders, Sinthumulekutama FC and Rodadau FC, will meet. We look at this match as well as the outcome of several local knock-out tournaments.

Your Limpopo Mirror is waiting at a café or supermarket near you in the Vhembe district. Remember that the newspaper you buy shows your support for local journalism.

13/07/2024

At its peak, Muvhango attracted viewership figures exceeding 4 million. The show, which first aired in 1997, enjoyed significant success, particularly in the late 2000s and early 2010s, consistently ranking among the most-watched TV programmes in the country.

The end of an era has arrived with the last episode of the popular television soapie, Muvhango, airing last Thursday. For 27 years, this beloved series was a staple in hundreds of thousands of households, with fans following the lives of their favourite characters as if they were real. Now that the....

12/07/2024

“I switched off my phone to charge it at work and, upon turning it back on around 05:00, I was swamped with messages alerting me that my house was on fire. I rushed home to find neighbours and firefighters still struggling with the fire.”

The community of Itsani Thivhulawi, and the Mbumi family in particular, are left with many unanswered questions after an arson incident that razed part of a four-room house owned by Mr Khathutshelo Mbumi.

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

The past month saw numerous disruptions, with the offices of the municipality being closed for days on end. Angry residents kept vigil at the entrances to the municipality, effectively shutting down the offices.

The relatively small municipality of Musina is caught in the crossfire between two warring factions within the ANC. Both groups are hurling abuse at each other and calling for action, but while the fighting continues, the residents in the region are left without proper services.

12/07/2024

“We expect thousands of people to attend this event, and it will have a positive spinoff for our local businesspeople.”

All systems are up and running for this weekend’s Silala Music Festival Episode 1, with no expense being spared in preparation for the event. The much-awaited event will be hosted at the Berea Madzonga Resort in Niani, Zwigodini.

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.