Zoutpansberger

26/07/2025

Among the treasures Oom Willem left behind were film reels dating back to 1926. He also left a collection of stories, some of which were captured in an interview with the late Mr Piet Adendorff, a close friend. These stories were later transcribed by Adendorff’s granddaughters.

For several weeks now, we have been “touring” with Oom Willem van den Berg. Guided by the 16mm film reels he left behind, we have travelled back in time to the places he visited between 1926 and the early 1930s.

26/07/2025

Tannie Ingrid recalls how she was once asked to help Oom Willem’s wife, Tannie Jo, after she had broken some ribs when she fell from her horse. At the time, Tannie Ingrid was only in Standard 5 (Grade 7). This happened in 1950.

Most of our readers were introduced to Oom Willem van den Berg for the first time through his exploits captured on 16mm film and now brought to life again in our weekly column about his travels over the past few weeks. But some of our older readers actually knew the Van den Bergs and still remember....

25/07/2025

Hoërskool Louis Trichardt se tienertoneel het Donderdagaand, 24 Julie, die gehoor diep geraak met twee emosie-belaaide produksies. Die aand het bestaan uit die toneelstukke Thalita, Die Goedheid van God en ’n Gebreekte Hartklop, wat elk ’n kragtige en aangrypende boodskap aan die gehoor oorgedra het.

Verskeie roerende oomblikke is vasgevang deur Karla van Zyl van die Zoutpansberger en Limpopo Mirror.

Hoërskool Louis Trichardt

25/07/2025

He was deeply rooted in the values of simplicity, hard work and generosity. A man of quiet strength and many words, his actions left a lasting impact.

It is with profound sadness that the family of Mr Chitranjan Patel, fondly known as Chitu, announce his passing on 17 July at the age of 80. He was a pillar of the Louis Trichardt community.

25/07/2025

To date, no clear explanation has been provided as to where the funds were allocated, whether the money was spent or remains in reserve, or whether any conditions were tied to the VBS dividends.

The ghost of the ill-fated VBS Mutual Bank is still haunting the Makhado Local Municipality (MLM) – but this time, ironically, not for what was lost but for what was found. Councillors have called for a thorough investigation after municipal officials allegedly failed to declare nearly R12 millio...

25/07/2025

Zitha, a former chief traffic officer from Bungeni, and Mathonsi, a traffic officer from Waterval, face 25 charges, including fraud, corruption and contravention of the National Road Traffic Act.

A traffic officer and a former chief traffic officer from the Makhado Municipality have been granted bail after being arrested for allegedly defrauding taxi operators of more than R100,000 by selling fake operating permits.

25/07/2025

“We hope that this serves as a message to everybody out there who is also doing the same thing. From our side, we say wild animals belong in the wild, not captivity. People should leave them there.”

Well-known local snake catcher Jan “Slang” van Rooyen was back in the Louis Trichardt Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 17 July, facing charges related to contraventions of the Limpopo Environmental Management Act (LEMA), Act 7 of 2003.

25/07/2025

“Dit was harde wedstryde. Geen wedstryd teen Potties was al ooit maklik nie. Maar ons spelers het dit deurgehaak.”

Louis Trichardt se eerste, tweede en derde rugbyspan het die afgelope naweek voortgebou op hul goeie vertoning van die afgelope paar weke met ’n segetog oor die Potgietersrus Rugbyklub.

24/07/2025

Municipality says it will conduct weekly tests to determine any contamination of the Limpopo River in the near future.

The Vhembe District Municipality (VDM) has confirmed that the tests done on the water quality of the Limpopo River last week came back negative. This follows fears that a possible large-scale pollution event had caused the river to turn almost bright green overnight.

24/07/2025

Eerskomende Saterdag, 26 Julie, vlieg die klub wedvlugte vanaf Sannieshof oor 570 km.

Duiweboere in die Noordstreek se duiwe het die afgelope naweek die spreekwoordelike wind van voor gekry in hulle jaaroud- en opewedvlug vanaf Delareyville oor 605 km. Die weer was merendeels bewolk, met ‘n sterk noord-oostelike wind wat oor die hele roete gewaai het.

24/07/2025

“I didn’t put it there. They put it there – their contractors. Now I must transport it back at my own expense?”

The state-owned company behind the controversial Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ) in Limpopo is facing a R12-million lawsuit after one of its subcontractors allegedly removed road-building materials illegally from a nearby, privately owned property.

23/07/2025

The controversial Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ) is once again the subject of our reporting. This week’s article, we believe, highlights the incompetence – and possibly the greed – of those at the helm of the project.
A staggering R200 million was pumped into township development on land that does not even belong to the MMSEZ. The project came to a halt when it emerged that road-building material had been illegally removed from a nearby private farm.
The landowner is now pursuing a R12 million lawsuit after it became clear that he would not be compensated for the loss. The contractor abandoned the site after being paid R50 million.
Last week we reported on the greenish hue of the Limpopo River. The Vhembe District Municipality has since conducted tests and reported back that it was nothing more than algae. The crocodiles and hippos, it seems, should be fine.
The SPCA has started tightening the screws on individuals illegally capturing snakes and other reptiles and keeping them in captivity. Jan Slang spent several days behind bars in a case that may still take some time to conclude. A snake catcher from Thohoyandou also had to spend a weekend in jail after capturing several snakes and boasting about it on social media. It seems snakes are not only dangerous because they’re venomous.
Our weekly column on the travel adventures of the late Oom Willem van den Berg takes a slight detour this week. We’re not trying to figure out where he shot his 16mm film reels in the late 1920s. Instead, we focus on some of the wonderful stories he shared with his friends.
Wat die sport betref, het ons rugbyspanne sommer skoonskip gemaak in hul wedstryde die afgelope naweek teen Potties. Doe so voort ...
Wat die weer betref is dit tipiese “skouweer” – nat en koud. Gaan kry ‘n Zoutpansberger vroeg Donderdagoggend, vind ‘n warm plekkie in die huis en ontspan.