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Limpopo Mirror, Louis Trichardt (2025)

18/09/2025

Sadly, we carry a number of crime-related stories in this week’s edition. It starts with a father who is seemingly on the run after allegedly ra**ng his 15-year-old daughter. In the village where the girl fled to, it is said to be fairly common for fathers who are supposed to protect the girls to end up molesting them.

Two very worrying reports concern suspected suicides. In the first case, at Lwamondo Khumbe, two teenage girls are involved. In the second, at Ha Luvhimbi, a 15-year-old boy seemingly hanged himself. October was declared Mental Health Awareness Month, and we should make a concerted effort to address this pandemic.

Amid the crime reports, we also cover fatal accidents. One such accident claimed the life of an ANCYL ward leader, Vhofhani Ragwena. Another well-known person who passed away last week after a short sickbed, is the young gospel star, Palesa Ravele.

On page 3 we carry a report on an illegal recycling plant in a residential area that was shut down by the Makhado Municipality. This story, however, has a long history.

In early 2022 we first reported on the activities, where an area zoned for residential use was turned into a junkyard, with all sorts of rubbish piling up on an open site. Neighbours had to endure the stench, a rat infestation and the noise of trucks and bakkies arriving at all hours. The municipality wrote a letter to the landlord, but apart from that did nothing.

We followed up with more articles in 2023, constantly asking the municipality what it was doing about the situation. Still, very little happened and the “rubbish” pastor continued with his activities.
Last week, at last, the municipality did what it should have done more than three-and-a-half years ago. With the necessary fanfare, big trucks and graders arrived on the scene, with the traffic department on hand to ensure the operation ran smoothly. The mayor was photographed smiling in front of the house, literally filled to the rafters with rubbish. The operation was described as a victory for the people.

On a more uplifting note in this week’s edition is the story of safari guide Joe Masindi. He had an interesting brush, first with a nyala and then with a pride of lions. Joe, however, is no ordinary guide, and his story truly makes one proud of the type of people our region produces.

On the sports pages we report on the results of the past weekend’s clashes in the ABC Foundation Tournament. All eyes will be on Makonde Stadium this weekend for the final matches.

At the time of going to press, Black Leopards were still in the dark, not knowing whether they will face Lerumo Lions on Saturday. The team remains constrained by a transfer ban imposed by FIFA.
Your Limpopo Mirror is out on the streets, so be sure to get a copy.

10/09/2025

We have a very busy Limpopo Mirror this week, starting with an article about plans for another toll gate — this time, apparently, at the Beitbridge border crossing. Some say it’s good, others reckon it’s bad. Read the story and decide for yourself.

Something far more worrying is the outcome of borehole tests in the Nzhelele area, which show alarmingly high concentrations of arsenic and manganese in groundwater. This is certainly not what you would want in your drinking water. Environmental groups are pointing fingers at mining companies, but the link may still be circumstantial.

On Sunday night many of us stepped outside to watch the moon — and it didn’t disappoint. At one stage it even blacked out completely. But what do traditional beliefs say about a lunar eclipse? Traditional leaders we spoke to believe it’s a message from the ancestors that good things are on the way. Let’s hope they are right.

One municipality determined not to leave residents in the dark is Collins Chabane. It has received approval from NERSA to produce and sell electricity, with plans to establish solar plants and launch a pilot project in three villages. It’s an exciting initiative — perhaps that lunar eclipse really was a sign of a brighter, greener future.

This weekend also sees the popular Phalaphala FM Royal Heritage Festival. If you are lucky enough to have tickets, enjoy the performances.

In sport, we look at the results of various knockout soccer competitions. With the new season about to start, these tournaments gave top teams the chance to fill their coffers with prize money.

Meanwhile, Black Leopards’ dispute with FIFA is still unresolved, meaning they cannot register new players. This weekend’s clash with Upington City has been postponed to give them more time to resolve the impasse.

Your Limpopo Mirror is out on the streets early every Thursday morning. It’s made especially for you, so enjoy it.

03/09/2025

Earlier this week, another prominent “man of God” made an appearance in court. Bishop Vhonani Baldwin Netshidzivhe of Muledane is suspected of being involved in hijackings and robberies. Are we shocked?

How many of these “men of the cloth” preach the holy Gospel on Sunday, only to be found wanting the next day? They preach “all is well”, to quote directly from the book of Jeremiah, when it is not the case. Jeremiah warned about false prophets who assured their flock they were leading exemplary lives. “Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush.” (Jeremiah 6:15)

But let’s, for a moment, assume the innocence of the bishop—no matter how difficult that may be. This is even harder to do when we think of the brutal murder at Univen last week. We cannot agree more with Univen spokesperson Dr Takalani Dzaga, who lamented that things are simply not getting better. What purpose does Women’s Month or Women’s Day serve if our women are still being killed at random?

In this week’s edition, we have enough copy to keep you busy for probably more than an hour. We also follow up on last week’s article about SASSA beneficiaries who complained about deductions from their payouts. The two insurers we identified as responsible for the deductions vehemently denied any mis-selling. Let’s see how this story unfolds.

We carry reports on several crimes committed over the past week. Sadly, these include the usual fatal stabbings, and a tragic report about three siblings who burned to death in a room. On a different note, we also cover two roads that were completed and handed over to communities. The worrying part, however, is the excessive cost of these projects.

Jumping to sport — it seems Black Leopards and FIFA have not yet buried the hatchet. While the FIFA ban remains in place, no transfer of players is possible. Despite this setback, Leopards managed to draw with the University of Pretoria team last week.

Your Limpopo Mirror is out on the street early on Thursday morning, waiting for you to collect a copy. It is made for you, so don’t miss it.

27/08/2025

Those of us fortunate enough to still have grandparents, or even elderly parents, know the constant worry that they might be exploited. They are easy prey for scammers and vulnerable to ruthless villains. We have to protect them.
Reading through this week’s lead story, it is hard to remain calm. Perhaps some of these are isolated incidents where pensioners simply forgot they had signed up for policies. But why so many from just one region? For many people, R190 may not mean much – but for these elderly residents it can buy two bags of maize meal.
This week’s main article is a collaboration between Limpopo Mirror and GroundUp, and it is a must-read. It is also a reminder of what local news should be about. It’s not about getting AI to rehash press releases – it’s about visiting people, listening to their stories, and barking loudly when something is seriously wrong.
Beyond that, this week’s paper is packed with stories. As usual, we cover crime and the courts. At least the Tshilwavhusiku police made a breakthrough by arresting seven wanted suspects. In Thohoyandou a prisoner escaped, while in Musina a woman was arrested for allegedly ra**ng a 13-year-old boy. It makes one wonder where the world is heading.
We also feature our food basket comparison for the fifth time. To keep it fresh, we added some mystery items to our basket. To find out which store in Vhembe can claim to be the cheapest, you will have to buy the newspaper.
Two weeks ago, we reported on contaminated boreholes in Musina. The Vhembe District Municipality has since conducted more tests and now says the water is safe to drink. Perhaps someone should invite the district mayor to take a sip from each borehole so that we can be sure.
Sport in Vhembe may be many things, but it is never boring. Just look at this past weekend. Black Leopards had to start their season with only 10 players – not by choice, but because of a FIFA transfer ban. Let’s hope management sorts it out before Sunday, otherwise it could be a very long season for Lidoda Duvha.
Enjoy the reading – and thank you for buying a newspaper.

20/08/2025

The arrival of two new water-drilling trucks at Vhembe in early June set tongues wagging. More than two months later, the trucks are still standing idle. It now appears they were delivered without essential equipment such as drill rods.

Why were the drilling trucks ordered, and from where? What about the 17 broken water trucks at Vhembe? These and many more questions were asked, and we set out to find answers.

This past week saw a game of musical chairs at Vhembe’s municipalities. This time it was not the chief whip or a mayor changing seats, but municipal managers. Thulamela’s suspended municipal manager resigned shortly before his disciplinary hearing could start. At Musina, the municipal manager was suspended, pending an investigation.

The region also witnessed a spate of disturbing killings. On the N1 near Louis Trichardt, a motorist stranded with a broken-down car was shot dead after two men in a Toyota Fortuner stopped to “assist”. Just hours later, two men were gunned down in the Niani area. Rumour has it that at least one of the killings may be linked to cigarette smuggling.

MC Mining announced it is gearing up for full coal production. We had a quick look at its current operations.

Disgraced comedian Mr Bundu was back in the news amid rumours that he may soon be released on bail. We tried to establish whether this is true.

What is certain is that Bishop Roxley Masevhe will appear in court again to face r**e charges. Whether this will affect his planned appearance at the Royal Gospel Festival remains to be seen.

Last week we reported that Roads Agency Limpopo (RAL) has run out of budget, leaving many roads – including the R522 linking Louis Trichardt and Vivo – unrepaired. This week RAL responded, saying road users should not lose hope. The project has not been abandoned; the agency has simply run out of funds.

And at last, the long wait is over. Our top soccer teams will be in action again this week when the Motsepe Foundation League kicks off. VFC have announced their new coach and squad, but Black Leopards remain tight-lipped.

This week’s Limpopo Mirror carries no fewer than 53 articles, all focused on local people and businesses. You will also find 54 adverts covering everything from legal notices and vacancies to tender invitations and mouth-watering specials. Treat yourself to a copy.

13/08/2025

Listening to the news broadcasts over the weekend, I at one stage thought – WTF! It’s Women’s Day and we’re halfway through Women’s Month, yet all I hear about is killings. To call it gender-based violence almost feels like using euphemisms to hide the reality. These are monsters who have no problem stabbing, shooting and even ra**ng women. And they’re living among us.

One of my favourite pieces in every week’s Limpopo Mirror is the Vhanna Kha Ri Ambe (VKRA) column by Mr Enos Magwabeni. He takes a very open-minded approach and believes the solutions lie in dialogue – getting men to speak about their frustrations and gradually breaking down stereotypes. But even Mr Magwabeni was at his wits’ end this week. “[But] how could I speak for men in the face of such brutality?” he said.

An interesting article in this week’s paper concerns the closure of popular radio station Vhembe FM. It seems internal politics eventually caused the station’s demise. Such a pity.

If you ever want to compare the Limpopo Mirror’s reporting to, say, the national dialogue, think again. We believe what we’re doing is not just boring talk shops. Just ask Mr Joseph Nelushi. Almost three decades ago, a fraudster used his credentials to get an ID. For years, he struggled to be recognised as a South African citizen and enjoy any of the benefits. We picked up on the story, wrote about his predicament – and at last, he has received a new identity number and card.

As far as the sports pages are concerned, these are packed with results, previews and some lovely photos.

Don’t miss out – grab a copy of the Limpopo Mirror at a café or supermarket in the Vhembe region.

06/08/2025

One thing our local “superstar” Makhadzi knows how to do is dominate the headlines. She is in a class of her own. The organisers of the Royal Heritage Festival have once again learned that you dare not underplay her importance. She is not just a side mention on a poster — she is the attraction. She’s our prima donna. Deal with it.

But while entertainment plays a big role in every week’s Limpopo Mirror, it’s far from all we offer. On page 3, we report on the discovery of two human skulls, allegedly found in possession of two traditional healers. Both are now in custody and charged with murder.

Another fatal stabbing was reported at a tavern in Madombidzha this past weekend. In Munzhedzi village, a mother was arrested for allegedly strangling her baby. In Lufule, a man is believed to have murdered his partner before taking his own life. And in Ngovhela, a popular soccer player was stabbed to death.

Reading through these headlines, it’s impossible not to be affected by the grim reality of domestic violence. These are not strangers in a far-off, war-torn country. This is violence directed at loved ones — people the perpetrators know intimately.

On the political front, we follow up on last week’s story about the ANC’s reshuffle in Makhado. The party now insists that the municipality’s Chief Whip, Sampson Baloyi, didn’t resign — he was recalled. Not because he had grown weary of the corruption, they say, but because he was “deployed”. Of course.

Meanwhile, at Elim High, pupils and teachers have been waiting for years for proper classrooms and ablution facilities. So far, it’s been all promises and no action. Hopefully, in two years’ time, learners will at least have a place to relieve themselves with some dignity.

In sport, many knockout tournaments are reaching their final stages. This weekend will also feature some crucial play-off matches in the SAFA Limpopo leagues and the Kay Motsepe Cup.

And if you can spare the time, head to Thavhani Mall on Friday to cheer on long-distance runner Nditsheni Mathobo. He left Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on 21 July, embarking on a 1,080 km journey to Thohoyandou. He originally planned to complete it in 26 days, but now looks set to finish in just 18. What an achievement — well done!

Your Limpopo Mirror is available from early every Thursday morning at your favourite café or supermarket. Don’t miss it.

30/07/2025

Makhado Municipality’s Chief Whip announced his resignation during a highly emotional press briefing on Wednesday morning. He accuses the municipality of widespread corruption, tender manipulation and financial mismanagement, with senior officials allegedly turning the institution into a personal business empire.

In politics, this can mean a number of things. It could mean that he is sincere and genuinely concerned about the effect corruption has on ordinary citizens. It could also mean that he was informed he would be cut off from the spoils — and is not happy about it.

In this week’s paper, we also report on the extravagant salaries at Vhembe’s municipalities and how these erode the funds meant for service delivery. The average salary for a municipal employee in Vhembe is a staggering R51,159. At Collins Chabane Municipality, 75.85% of its total expenditure is paid to councillors, employees and the various contractors and consultants appointed to assist the staff.

Still on the subject of municipalities — Musina Municipality has spent tens of millions over the past two decades completing sports stadiums. At least four of these stadiums now lie unused and are being vandalised. What were meant to be assets to communities are now enormous white elephants.

We also report on even scarier elephants — such as those that trampled a young soldier at Madimbo on Sunday. This is a very sad story, made worse by the fact that it also highlights the immense problem of stray elephant herds. These elephants seemingly come from neighbouring Zimbabwe, where they are being hunted. The problem of overpopulation in confined areas is becoming serious and, as we saw over the weekend, can be extremely dangerous.

But it’s not all doom and gloom in this week’s paper. One of the more interesting stories features two entrepreneurs who have launched an app that allows just about any driver to become a “courier”. The app links people who want to send a parcel to an area in Vhembe with drivers heading in that direction. It’s an innovative concept, and only time will tell whether it becomes successful.

On the sporting front, we report on several knock-out tournaments that are drawing to a close. We cover the Sasol Women’s League, where Sinthumulekutama seem to be unstoppable.

This week’s paper is a genuinely enjoyable read. Treat yourself — go out and buy a copy early tomorrow morning!

23/07/2025

The weather over the past few days has been absolutely lousy. It’s miserably cold – which is all the more reason you need this week’s Limpopo Mirror to warm you up.

To get you hot under the collar, we report on a well-known “prophet” who has been arrested on a charge of ra**ng one of his 14-year-old congregants. This is not his first brush with the law.
We also cover another case of sexual assault, where a young man allegedly tried to “teach a lesson” to a woman who identifies as a le***an. When he attempted to r**e her, she fought back and stabbed him to death.

To further heat up the conversation, we bring you the story of two traffic officials who have been arrested for allegedly defrauding taxi operators by promising them permits after payments were made. One has since retired, while the other is still employed at Makhado Municipality.

There were also heated discussions among Makhado municipal councillors over a R12 million VBS pay-out, which, it seems, was not declared to Council.

Our infamous celebrity, SABC Livhu, also returns to court – but this time the drama centres more on his internal family disputes than his legal battle.

This week’s “long read” focuses on the controversial Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ) development. In May, a report was tabled before the Limpopo Legislature’s portfolio committee on economic development, explaining why construction had stalled at the northern site. The halt, it appears, relates to road-building material that was allegedly removed illegally from a nearby mine dump. The owner of the dump has since filed a lawsuit, claiming R12 million from the MMSEZ. The deeper we dug, the more absurd the story became. Some R50 million was paid to a controversial contractor to begin development on land that did not even belong to the MMSEZ.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. We also share several heart-warming stories in this week’s edition. These include photographs of individuals and institutions doing their bit during Friday’s Mandela Day celebrations. We also feature a marathon athlete who is currently running from Durban to Thohoyandou to promote healthier living.

And if, after reading this week’s edition, you feel warm enough, head over to the Makhado Show. It promises to be highly entertaining. Just make sure you dress warmly – the weekend weather forecast is not looking pleasant.

16/07/2025

Imagine a world without newspapers.

Some might think it would be bliss - but have they really stopped to think about it?

Spend just a few minutes with me, and let’s page through this week’s Limpopo Mirror. Then decide whether the world would really be better off without it.

On page 1, we cover the “talk of the town” this past week: Will a high-speed train soon reach Vhembe? The chances of this ambitious project getting on track (excuse the pun) are actually quite good. If the pen-pushers do their part, the wheels could start turning, and we may see the first trains running by 2030.

Page 3 dives into a very serious issue - the Vhembe District Municipality’s budget. Do you know of any other media outlet that bothers to analyse local municipal budgets? Facebook? TikTok? Definitely not.

But why is it important?

If the Minister of Finance makes good on his threats and withholds the Equitable Share Grant, Vhembe is in trouble. Nearly 62% of the VDM’s income comes from that grant alone. The municipality is severely bloated, struggling to raise enough revenue just to cover its massive salary bill. At face value, the powers that be seem to understand the problem - but whether they have the guts to act on it remains to be seen.

On page 5, VDM features again - this time for a damning report by the Public Protector. You can’t simply ignore problems and hope there won’t be consequences. This case is worth noting, because it could serve as a warning to other municipalities: service delivery is not a favour doled out when officials feel like it.

Page 7 brings us the latest shenanigans at Rivoni School for the Blind. The R168-million project to build new facilities has stalled - again. Reports indicate that workers haven’t been paid and building materials are going missing. And once again, the ones suffering are the children.

Let’s skip past the arts and entertainment pages - not because they’re uninteresting, but simply because we’re short on time - and go straight to our shopping survey. We once again visited stores across the region to track the prices of essential food items. Much to our surprise, the Vhembe food basket has actually become cheaper in the past month. Want to know why? You’ll have to pick up a copy of the newspaper.

But now we’re out of time - and we’ve only reached page 10.
This week’s paper contains no fewer than 44 stories. Some take up a full page. Others are shorter summaries of local events. But they all have one thing in common: they focus on the Vhembe district.

No one else can say the same.

No one else goes to the lengths we do to bring you the local news.

So go out, buy a newspaper early tomorrow morning, and make us happy - please.

09/07/2025

Our lead story this week focuses on people who rely on their SASSA grants to survive. For them, it’s a crisis if even R100 is deducted — or worse, if they don’t receive any money at all. This appears to have happened in parts of Vhembe, where beneficiaries were left with either no funds or far less than they had budgeted for.

Sadly, crime continues to cast a shadow over daily life. In Mulodi, in the Mutale area, a stepfather is on the run after being accused of ra**ng his 10-year-old stepdaughter. In Tshino, near Vuwani, a 25-year-old man was found dead, with bruises covering his body. Three SANCO members have since been arrested in connection with the murder.

In Musina, a young woman lost her baby. She claims the local hospital failed to give her the care she needed. It’s a difficult case to judge — she was five months pregnant when complications began — but the outcome is tragic nonetheless.

We also took a deep dive into Thulamela Municipality’s latest budget. A troubling picture emerges: one of a municipality that, to a large extent, exists to serve itself. Once salaries and councillor remuneration are paid, half the budget is gone. Add in the fees for consultants and contractors, and the situation becomes even worse. Legal expenses alone are expected to top R24 million.

If you only have a few minutes to spare, flip straight to the arts and entertainment section. On page 6, you’ll find Ngerezah Netshifhefhe’s weekly column, this time titled The future of music might just lie in imperfection. It’s well worth reading — slightly depressing, yes, but as he so eloquently puts it, there is still a future for musicians.

Congratulations to Rabali Pull Together, newly crowned Safa Vhembe Regional League champions — a well-deserved title. Our sympathies go to Mpheni Defenders. Their hopes of promotion to the ABC Motsepe League were dashed last week after SAFA’s national office disqualified both the Limpopo and Eastern Cape contenders. The decision reflects more on SAFA Limpopo’s mishandling of cases than on Mpheni itself.

Your Limpopo Mirror is available from early Thursday mornings at cafés and supermarkets across the region. Remember, each week’s edition is unique — and who knows, it may even become a collector’s item in a few decades. Don’t miss out.

02/07/2025

What makes the Limpopo Mirror special?
Business consultants love throwing around acronyms like USPs, KPIs and even MECE. For the record, those stand for Unique Selling Proposition, Key Performance Indicators, and Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive information (which, I’ll admit, I had to look up).
Of course, if you wanted the consultants to help identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (your SWOT analysis), they would charge you a bucketload of money — and if you’re a government organisation, probably a truckload.
Which brings me back to the question: what makes the Limpopo Mirror so special? What is our USP?
I believe it’s because we do things differently. We cover news that no other media outlet covers. We pursue stories that no one else seems to be interested in.
Just this past weekend, one of our regular contributors, Thembi Siaga, won an accolade at the prestigious Sikuvile Journalism Awards. During the function, it was once again pointed out that very few small local publishers still pursue investigative journalism. The Limpopo Mirror is one of the handful in the country that continuously strives to produce quality journalism.
But that raises the question: why do so few invest the time and money into chasing the so-called “difficult” stories? Why do most media outlets — especially in radio and online spaces — prefer clickbait and shallow reporting?
Proper journalism demands a lot — from both the publisher and the journalist. It is expensive, time-consuming and emotionally draining. It can also be dangerous. So why do we do it?
A month or so ago, I asked someone for comment on a story involving possible corruption. He immediately went on the defensive, accusing me of chasing sensation. “You’re only pursuing this story to sell more newspapers!” he quipped.
Really? You must be truly bad at maths to believe that argument. The market for quality journalism is incredibly small — and with that, any real possibility of doing it profitably.
No — quality journalism is a labour of love. It’s driven by the idealistic belief that, as a journalist, you can help make the world a better place.
Journalists like Thembi Siaga deserve a great deal of respect for what they do. Newspapers such as the Limpopo Mirror provide the platform for their stories to be heard.
And that’s what makes the Limpopo Mirror special.
Please support us by buying the newspaper early tomorrow morning!

Limpopo Mirror

18/09/2025

10/09/2025

03/09/2025

27/08/2025

20/08/2025

13/08/2025

06/08/2025

30/07/2025

23/07/2025

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