Mabopane Daily News

09/12/2025

POWER OUTAGE FRUSTRATIONS IN WINTERVELDT:
CITY TEAM STILL BATTLING CABLE FAULT
Mabopane Daily News

Winterveldt, Ext 3 Phase 1 residents have endured two to three days of continuous power outages, with the latest update confirming that the problem stems from a faulty cable inside a steel pipe along an electricity pole.

According to Ward 19 Councillor Cllr Mazibuko, technicians have struggled to access and identify the correct size of the damaged cable, which has prolonged the restoration process.

Despite the challenges, the City of Tshwane’s electricity team returned to the site today, continuing their efforts to locate, assess, and replace the defective component.

Cllr Mazibuko issued an apology to the community on behalf of the municipality’s electricity artisans, acknowledging the inconvenience caused by the prolonged blackout.

He further expressed appreciation for residents’ patience and support, noting that teams across Region 1 are working “tirelessly” to stabilise power supply.

“Let’s hope for the best, bahlali,” he said.

Mabopane Daily News will continue monitoring the situation and provide updates as soon as new information becomes available.

09/12/2025

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09/12/2025

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09/12/2025

THE MATRIARCH OF SOUTH AFRICAN STORYTELLING
THE UNBREAKABLE LEGACY OF MMA NKOSHENG (LYDIA MOKGOKOLOSHI)

THE WOMAN WHO SHAPED GENERATIONS THROUGH A SINGLE LOOK
PF

Before she became South Africa’s most unforgettable matriarch, before her voice echoed through living rooms across the nation, before the name Mma Nkosheng became synonymous with respect, fear, wisdom, and cultural authority — she was Lydia Mokgokoloshi, a young teacher with a heart full of discipline and a calling to shape lives.

Today, her journey stands as a towering legacy in the tapestry of South African television history.

Lydia Mokgokoloshi’s portrayal of Mma Nkosheng in the classic Sepedi drama Bophelo ke Semphekgo didn’t just entertain — it became the blueprint of authentic township storytelling.
She transformed a fictional character into a living symbol of:

A mother’s power

A community’s fear

A matriarch’s authority

A nation’s mirror

Her voice could silence a room.
Her presence commanded the screen.
Her acting brought realism so sharp it cut through generations.

Mma Nkosheng wasn’t just acted — she was embodied.

Before stepping into the spotlight, Lydia was a respected educator.
She taught with the same conviction she later displayed on screen — firm, fair, and unforgettable.
This background gave her characters depth and truth, and audiences felt it.

Her move to acting didn’t erase her teaching spirit — it magnified it.
Millions learned from her, not in classrooms, but through her characters.

While many know her for her fiery role in Bophelo ke Semphekgo, a new generation fell in love with her through Koko Mantsha in Skeem Saam.

This time, she wasn’t the feared matriarch — she was the warm, protective grandmother.
A national Koko.
A beloved anchor in a modern South African story.

Her ability to shift from stern dominance to tender humor proved her unmatched range.

Lydia Mokgokoloshi has received:

SAFTA Lifetime Achievement Award

Admiration from industry giants

Resounding love from every corner of the country

Few actresses manage to transcend eras. She did.
Fewer become cultural symbols.
She became a living monument.

Off-screen, she is gentle.
Humble.
Soft-spoken.
A woman whose power doesn’t rest in volume, but in presence.

She ages gracefully, beloved yet unbothered by fame.
Her decision to slow down acting wasn’t retirement — it was a well-earned breath.

Her story continues to teach us:

Greatness is not in being seen,
but in being remembered.

Mma Nkosheng influenced how South Africans saw their mothers, grandmothers, and community leaders.
She showed the complexities of Black womanhood in a way TV had never dared before.

She lit the path for future actors.
She carried Sepedi storytelling into the national spotlight.
She left footprints too deep to ever fade.

Lydia Mokgokoloshi —
Mma Nkosheng, Koko Mantsha, The Nation’s Grandmother —
is not just an actress.

She is a cultural matriarch.
A storyteller of truth.
A woman whose characters became part of our lives.
A legacy stitched permanently into South Africa’s artistic fabric.

Her name will echo long after the cameras stop.

Timeless.
Respected.
Immortal.

09/12/2025

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08/12/2025

FROM SECRET WITNESS TO SILENCED WHISTLE-BLOWER
The Violent End of ‘Witness D’ Shakes South Africa’s Justice System
Mabopane Daily News

In South Africa’s long and bruising fight against corruption, few stories have cut as deeply as the rise — and brutal fall — of Marius van der Merwe, known to the nation only as Witness D. His death is more than a tragedy. It is a warning: in this country, truth can still cost you your life.

Van der Merwe was not a politician. Not a celebrity. Not a criminal kingpin. He was a former police officer turned private-security operator — a man who believed he could testify before a national commission and survive the storm that would follow. Two weeks later, he was lying in the driveway of his Brakpan home, shot dead in front of his family by assassins wielding an AK-47.

Nothing was stolen. Nothing was said. One purpose. One message.

Witness D had spoken — and that was enough to get him killed.

In mid-November, behind closed doors at the Madlanga Commission, Van der Merwe delivered one of the most explosive accounts heard so far.

He described a 2022 operation in Brakpan that spiralled into torture, murder and a full police cover-up. According to his testimony, a robbery suspect died after being suffocated — “tubed” — by officers. He claimed senior EMPD figure Julius Mkhwanazi then instructed him to dump the body in a dam in Nigel.

Van der Merwe admitted he did it — and said he carried the guilt for years.

It was testimony that connected police leadership to an alleged extrajudicial killing. It was testimony that exposed one of South Africa’s darkest policing secrets. And it was testimony that required courage — the kind that whistle-blowers in this country rarely survive.

The Commission offered him witness protection.
He declined.

Van der Merwe reportedly believed he could protect himself. He ran a security company. He understood weapons. He knew danger. But he underestimated the power — and reach — of the people he had just implicated.

On the night of 5 December 2025, Van der Merwe pulled up at his home with his wife and children. As he stepped out to open the gate, two men emerged and opened fire with an AK-47.

He collapsed instantly.
His family watched him die.
His killers vanished into the night.

Police later confirmed:

No robbery

No confrontation

No attempt to take anything

This was a hit.

A message to every other witness preparing to testify.

South Africa’s outrage is loud — but its shock is muted.
We have been here before.

Whistle-blowers are praised when they die, ignored when they ask for help, and forgotten when the inquiries end. Government has condemned the killing. Authorities promise a manhunt. Security structures say protocols will be “tightened.”

But to many South Africans, it feels too late.
A man who tried to clean up the system was executed for telling the truth.

The Commission is now not only investigating corruption — it is operating inside a climate of fear. Other witnesses are reportedly reconsidering whether to testify. Civil-society organisations are demanding urgent reforms. Political parties are calling the assassination a direct attack on the rule of law.

If witnesses cannot speak, the Commission cannot function.
If whistle-blowers cannot be kept alive, truth cannot survive.

08/12/2025

‘TAPS ONLY RUN WHEN IT RAINS ’
Winterveld Residents Say Water Crisis Now in Its Third Year
Mabopane Daily News

TSHWANE - The water crisis in Winterveld’s Maseko section has now stretched into its third year, and residents say life has become a daily battle for survival. With taps running dry for weeks at a time, communities are forced to rely on water tankers, night-time trickles, and expensive purchased water just to get by.

Many households say they must stay awake past midnight hoping for a few drops.

“We fill buckets when it starts to drip at night. That’s the only time we get something,” one resident told Mabopane Daily News.

Water tankers have become a lifeline — but not a perfect one. Some residents report irregular schedules, long queues, and inconsistent supply. Those who can afford it buy prepared or purified water, further deepening inequality in a community already struggling.

For poorer families, the crisis hits even harder.
Without the money to buy water or the transport to reach far tankers, many are forced to wait for rain or hope for a small midnight flow.

Residents say they have reported the matter repeatedly over the years, but no sustainable solution has been implemented.

They are calling on the City of Tshwane to restore a stable water supply urgently and communicate clearly about long-term plans.

This is a developing story. Mabopane Daily News is requesting an official response from the municipality.

07/12/2025

WINTERVELD UPGRADE SURGES AHEAD — MMC MALULEKA WELCOMES RAPID PROGRESS IN LONG-AWAITED SERVICE DELIVERY PROJECT
Mabopane Daily News

The transformation of Winterveld — a community that has waited decades for dignified water and sanitation infrastructure — has taken a major step forward. Tshwane MMC for Human Settlements, Ald. Aaron Maluleka, conducted an oversight visit today at the ongoing Water and Sewer Reticulation Project, confirming that the work is moving significantly faster than expected.

According to project engineers, construction has reached 45% completion, with the contractor performing 11% ahead of schedule — a rare achievement for large-scale municipal infrastructure in South Africa.

To date, the project has delivered:

11,900 metres of water piping installed

16,200 metres of sewer piping laid

809 toilets constructed, with 794 already completed up to roof level

The MMC expressed satisfaction with the workmanship and pace of delivery, noting that the upgrades are essential for restoring dignity and ensuring health and sanitation for thousands of households across Winterveld.

Winterveld’s infrastructure upgrade forms part of the Winterveld Urban Renewal Programme (URP), a multi-phase development strategy first launched in 2010. The URP aims to tackle deep service backlogs that have historically affected the region, including the absence of piped water, shortage of flushing toilets, ageing sewer systems and a housing backlog estimated at more than 30,000 units.

Over the years, Winterveld Extensions 3 and 4 have been prioritised as key nodes in the renewal programme, and the current reticulation project is one of the largest water-and-sanitation interventions undertaken in the area in more than a decade.

The northern regions of Tshwane — including Winterveld, Mabopane, Soshanguve and Ga-Rankuwa — have struggled with ageing infrastructure, water losses, illegal connections and health risks linked to inadequate sanitation. Many households continue to rely on pit latrines, which pose hygiene and safety challenges.

The ongoing installation of new water and sewer networks, combined with the construction of hundreds of toilets, represents a major shift toward modern, functional and reliable services.

For Winterveld residents, this project marks the beginning of the end of historic neglect. Proper sanitation and clean water supply are expected to significantly improve living conditions and health outcomes for thousands of families.

While internal reticulation is progressing at impressive speed, the City is also investing in critical bulk infrastructure — including new reservoirs, bulk-water pipelines and outfall sewer lines — to ensure long-term stability and pressure management throughout the area.

These upgrades are crucial: without sufficient bulk capacity, new household pipes and toilets risk becoming non-functional. The City has confirmed that bulk upgrades for Winterveld Extensions 3 and 4 have already started and form part of long-term regional development.

As work continues ahead of schedule, MMC Maluleka urged residents to remain patient and supportive, saying the City is committed to completing the project to the highest standard. For Winterveld, the progress marks a turning point — a tangible moment where long-promised development is finally taking shape.

02/12/2025

WORLD AIDS DAY SHOCKWAVE-
TLAMELONG CLINIC DEMANDS MABOPANE TO CHEKA IMPILO NOW!
Mabopane Daily News

MABOPANE — In a bold and urgent call to action, Tlamelong Clinic has turned World AIDS Day into a powerful community wake-up moment — pushing residents to confront the realities of HIV, get tested and support those living with the virus.

With this year’s theme anchored by and , the clinic is taking a no-nonsense stance: health complacency is costing lives, and the time for silence and stigma is over.

On Monday, Tlamelong Clinic staff rolled out intensive awareness programmes, free HIV testing, counselling sessions and information drives aimed at empowering Mabopane residents with honest, life-saving knowledge. Nurses, health educators and community partners formed a united front, urging locals not only to test, but to understand that HIV is manageable, treatable and not a death sentence.

“We want our people to live boldly, live openly, and live responsibly,” a healthcare worker at the clinic told Mabopane Daily News. “Testing is the first step. Treatment is available. Stigma must fall.”

Community members who attended described a day filled with compassion, courage and reflection. Others highlighted how the clinic’s efforts are restoring trust and inspiring young people to take charge of their health.

As World AIDS Day continues to shine a global spotlight on the ongoing fight against HIV, Tlamelong Clinic is reminding Mabopane that the revolution begins at home — with education, testing and standing with those affected.

Because in Mabopane, the message is loud and unfiltered: KNOW YOUR STATUS. BREAK THE SILENCE. CHEKA IMPILO!

01/12/2025

THE MASTER OF MINDS & MAKER OF MOVEMENTS
The Remarkable Life of Michael Mojalefa Phehla — Mabopane’s Academic Alchemist and Cultural Architect
Mabopane Daily News

For more than 15 years, Michael Mojalefa Phehla has been one of Mabopane’s most transformative forces — a man whose influence flows effortlessly between classrooms, creative stages, community halls and radio studios. He is an educator, artist, mentor and cultural catalyst whose fingerprints lie across an entire generation.

Before Phehla became known for his wide reach in tutoring circles, he made his first mark in the formal schooling system at Atlegang Middle School. This was before middle and high schools were restructured into today’s secondary school model — a shift that saw Atlegang merge into Mabopane High. Its neighbour, Ditshego Middle School, transitioned into Moreosele High.

During these early years, Phehla wasn’t just teaching — he was shaping learning foundations for young adolescents transitioning into the most crucial stage of their academic lives. His presence at Atlegang planted roots that would later grow into the powerful teaching legacy he carries today.

Today, Phehla is revered for his ability to turn academic struggles into victories. He works with learners from Grade 8 to 12 specialising in the subjects that intimidate most:

Mathematics

Physical Sciences

Accounting

Technical Maths

Mathematical Literacy

His methods don’t just improve marks — they restore self-belief.

His influence has spread across key platforms in education:

CyberMaths Tutor – as a Mathematics facilitator in a growing online academic space.

Thutopele Academy – where his Saturday Maths and Physics classes are known for producing dramatic academic turnarounds.

Lefathuto Edu-Projects – his own specialised tutoring and motivational organisation offering house-call lessons for tailored support.

He also plays a crucial role in guiding tertiary students, giving structure and mentorship to those struggling with course demands, ensuring many push through to complete their qualifications.

Away from textbooks, Phehla is a man of remarkable creative range.
He is a poet, performing artist, radio content producer and presenter, accountant and mentalist — proof that intelligence comes in many forms, and he masters more than one.

Before academics defined his public profile, Phehla was deeply rooted in Mabopane’s Hip-Hop and poetry renaissance.

He worked closely with local creatives hosting and organising performance sessions at House Number 6 in Block C, a humble but electric space that became a creative sanctuary for young rappers, poets and performers.

These gatherings evolved into the iconic Ghet-To-Spit sessions — a lyrical battleground and talent incubator.

As the movement grew, so did its reach:
Expanded sessions at Lethabong in Morula Sun
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This was a monumental leap for local artists — taking township creativity to a professional stage.
And Phehla was there: organising, supporting and energising the movement.

Michael Mojalefa Phehla is a rare soul who moves comfortably between different worlds:

A classroom and a stage.
A study desk and a microphone.
A poetry circle and a physics lesson.
A hip-hop session and a university consultation.

His life proves that brilliance is not singular — it is layered, dynamic and generous.

In Mabopane, Phehla is more than a teacher.
More than a poet.
More than an organiser.

He is a pillar of academic strength,
a custodian of culture,
and a mentor who builds minds and voices.

Michael Mojalefa Phehla is not just part of Mabopane’s story — he is one of the authors of its future.