Platinum Bushvelder

17/07/2025

LIVING IN FILTH
Regorogile’s Ongoing Sewage Nightmare

Regorogile/ Thabazimbi – It’s been described as unbearable. Raw sewage flowing down residential streets, past homes, shops, and schools — not for hours or days, but in some areas, for months.

And this is no exaggeration. In parts of Regorogile, children are walking to school alongside running sewage. Residents are cooking meals, caring for babies, and trying to live normal lives — all while surrounded by the stench of human waste.

“This isn’t just an inconvenience. It’s a health crisis,” said one resident, who asked to remain anonymous. “We’ve had sewage running past our house since April. You can’t eat, you can’t open windows, and we’re constantly sick with diarrhoea. No one should have to live like this.”

A local business owner echoed the frustration. “No one wants to eat here because of the smell. I’ve been struggling with this same blocked drain for two years. I even considered using my own money to lay pipes just to redirect the mess. It would cost less than what’s spent hiring honey suckers every time it overflows.”
The sewage crisis in Regorogile is not new. Ageing infrastructure, limited municipal resources, and community misuse of the system have all contributed to the growing problem. The Thabazimbi Local Municipality has repeatedly urged residents not to dispose of foreign objects into drains — a plea worth repeating. But while improper waste disposal certainly contributes to blockages, it’s only one piece of the puzzle.

The consequences are serious. Beyond the foul smell and discomfort, residents are facing real health risks. Open sewage attracts flies and vermin, spreads waterborne diseases, and contaminates the very areas where food is prepared and consumed. Summer is around the corner. Higher temperatures will only worsen the stench — and with it, the health hazard.

It’s clear that a long-term solution is urgently needed.

Photo 1: Platinum Bushvelder July 2023 Issue 3 Frontpage

Photo 2: A chicken crosses a pool of sewage. Soon, it may be eaten — or lay eggs for human consumption. Right now, it’s standing in human faeces.

Photo 3: Between homes – a stream of untreated waste runs where families live, cook, and raise children.


Extracted from Platinum Bushvelder newspaper – July 2025 Issue 3

16/07/2025

15/07/2025

15/07/2025

Aitsa!

15/07/2025

15/07/2025

THE ENDANGERED WILDLIFE TRUST MOURNS DR PAUL BARTELS

The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) is saddened by the sudden passing of a former colleague and a leader in the use of assisted reproductive technology for wildlife conservation, Dr Paul Bartels.

Paul was a pioneer in this cutting-edge field which merges science and conservation by aiming to futureproof the genetic composition of captive and wild gene pools when wildlife populations may not be able to do this naturally.

Paul’s vision led to the establishment of the first wildlife biobank in Africa—the Wildlife Biological Resource Centre (wBRC), was established in 1996 as a working group within the EWT. The wBRC was dedicated to the collection, processing, banking, use, and distribution of wildlife biomaterials for biodiversity conservation and biotechnology development.

Starting out from humble beginnings as a small research project based out of the Tompi Seleka Agricultural College in the former Lebowa (Limpopo) where Paul worked as a wildlife veterinarian and lecturer in Animal Health, the project quickly grew to provide a learning platform for students from across the globe and spearheaded the development of biotech to safely and effectively collect, store and potentially reuse the reproductive materials of wildlife species such as lions, buffalo, eland, bontebok, blesbok, elephant and rhino.

In 1998, the wBRC made global history with the birth of the world’s first artificially inseminated wildlife baby, an eland female called Graca, after South Africa’s then First Lady. Graca was conceived via artificial insemination using the s***m that had been collected post-mortem from an eland bull that had died 4 hours prior to semen collection. The semen was then frozen and used over a year later to inseminate an eland cow at the Johannesburg Zoo. Graca made history, by showing the world that the genetics from wild species can still play a role in maintaining genetic diversity, even after the donor animal has died before collection.

Paul’s work was considered of strategic importance, resulting in the wBRC moving from the Endangered Wildlife Trust to the National Zoological Gardens under the National Research Foundation, and later became the National Wildlife Biobank under the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI).

He used his 25 years’ experience in wildlife tissue banking, to found a company to produce meat in a laboratory that would contribute to food security. As an avid entrepreneur, he also founded WildBio Co, which uses cutting edge scientific research and innovation to produce cell-lines for wildlife conservation, food security and novel product development; and later CryoWild, a non-profit organisation. WildBio developed the world’s largest African species biobank for accelerating the development of the biomedical, foodtech and biotech industries.

Paul also served as a lecturer in wildlife management at Tshwane University of Technology and was recently appointed as a Research Fellow at Stellenbosch University’s Department of Animal Science, where he led cutting-edge work in Cellular Agriculture Biobanking. Additionally, he initiated the Save Magaliesberg Species Project in partnership with the Wildlife and Environment Society of SA (WESSA), and volunteers and students of the Tshwane University of Technology’s Department of Nature Conservation.

Paul worked for the Endangered Wildlife Trust for more than a decade, and we are deeply saddened by the loss of this visionary leader in biotech and wildlife conservation. We are, however, eternally grateful for the legacy he leaves in the form of cutting-edge science, dozens of empowered and highly trained scientists, an African wildlife biobank and leading science that can be used to save wildlife, support ethically and sustainably food security and secure the genetic diversity and future of dozens of threatened Africa wildlife species.

Endangered Wildlife Trust press release, 15 July 2025

10/07/2025

MTEExpos

- As advertised in the Platinum Bushvelder newspaper

10/07/2025

POLL:
Do you agree that the Pension Funds Adjudicator should decide who gets a deceased person’s pension?

A new law lets anyone challenge who a deceased person nominated as a pension beneficiary. The Pension Funds Adjudicator now has the final say – not the fund, and not the deceased’s stated wishes. This aims to protect vulnerable dependents who may have been left out. But it also means the person who paid into the fund no longer has full control over who receives it. Is that fair, or not? What do you think?

Here’s how you can participate. Email us at
[email protected] or WhatsApp your response to 081 579 7000.

Include the following:
Your answer: Yes or No
Why? We want to hear from you!
A recent photo – We’d love to publish your pic alongside your answer!
Your town/city
Deadline – Be sure to send your response before 12:00 on Monday, 14 July 2025.

Vote results: The outcome of the poll will be featured in our next issue. Be a part of our community’s story!
P.S.: Don’t forget, you can also voice your opinion on our Facebook post about this topic.
Join the conversation!


Extracted from Platinum Bushvelder newspaper – July 2025 Issue 2

10/07/2025

HAVE YOUR SAY:
Do you think addiction to sugar should be recognised like addiction to alcohol?

While alcohol addiction is widely acknowledged and treated, research shows sugar triggers similar reward pathways in the brain. Some experts argue it leads to dependency, mood swings, and health risks. Should sugar addiction be taken just as seriously in public health and policy discussions?

PUBLIC POLL: THE RESULTS ARE IN!
Do you think addiction to sugar should be recognised like addiction to alcohol?
NO: 51% YES: 49%


Extracted from Platinum Bushvelder newspaper – July 2025 Issue 2

10/07/2025

THABAZIMBI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY
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RESOLUTION LEVYING PROPERTY RATES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1 JULY 2025 TO 30 JUNE 2026
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See attached document for more details.

- As advertised in the Platinum Bushvelder newspaper