25/09/2025
While most people were enjoying National Braai Day – officially called Heritage Day – we were hard at work putting the newspaper to bed. The result? More than two dozen stories, neatly wrapped in newsprint and already waiting at your favourite café or supermarket.
We start with a report on our notoriously bad roads. The provincial government has announced that 22 of them will be revamped to “improve the quality of life of countless communities”. Yes, we’ve heard that before. And some insiders warn that much of this is lip service – so commuters shouldn’t get their hopes up just yet.
The Makhado Municipality also went on a demolition blitz last week, tearing down several derelict houses and illegal structures. Among them was the infamous “brothel” on the corner of Grobler and Joubert streets. The s*x workers weren’t happy – they threatened retaliation and even hinted at raising their tariffs.
In this week’s issue, we also republish an article from the SA Accountability Journalism Project on sand mining in the Limpopo River. It’s deeply worrying to see the same well-connected people implicated in these practices, again and again.
And if you need to visit the clinic or magistrate’s court in Louis Trichardt – best use the loo before you go. For more than two years there’s been no running water, forcing staff and visitors to rely on buckets. The government departments responsible? They just keep passing the bucket.
Finally, we bring you the last instalment of Oom Willem van den Berg’s travels. Over the past four months, we’ve shared his journeys between 1926 and 1930 – beautifully captured on 16mm film. It’s been an amazing trip back in time, and we hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have.
Terug in die hede – Ons berig oor ‘n ietwat onwelkome gas by Laerskool Louis Trichardt – ‘n 1.5 meter Mosambiekse spoegkobra. Die laerskool is ongelukkig vir hom (of haar) nie slangvriendelik nie en ta moes verskuif word.
Wat sport betref, merk ons dat Louis Trichardt se eerstes slaggereed is vir die eerste Gold Cup-wedstryd. Die krieketmanne het hulself ook goed laat geld in die provinsiale T20-liga.
Die komende naweek is bedrywig, met verskeie kerkbasaars, ‘n rolbalkampioenskap en ‘n brood-en-biltongaand. Ondersteun gerus hierdie initiatiewe. Vir diegene wat nog nooit by ‘n kerkbasaar was nie – julle weet nie wat julle mis nie.
Geniet die lees.
