Arson is a crime, and may land you in prison Arson is a crime, and may land you in prison 1/1 Share GK CRONJE 4 May 2021 The imprisonment term for a convicted crime relating to arson could be set up to seven years or more, and a fine of up to R250 000, and four years of probation. The crime of arson is committed in a number of different ways in the South African context. However, what is common to all incidences of the crime is that it causes danger to property, wildlife and persons. Although the act of arson is classified as a crime against property, the crime also endangers the community. Arson is the act whereby a person sets the fire, or intends to start a fire, knowing that the fire will destroy something. The majority of arson crimes are classified as intentional, wilfully and maliciously. This means that the arsonist has the intent to cause damage upon starting the fire. It does not require targeted property to be damaged by the fire, and liability can attach even though the “wrong” property caught fire. Though the act typically involves buildings, the term arson can also refer to the intentional burning of fields, dry grass and leaves, which is a common sight in Ermelo. The crime is typically classified as a felony, with instances involving a greater degree of risk to human life or property carrying a stricter penalty. The imprisonment term for a convicted crime relating to arson could be set up to seven years or more, and a fine of up to R250 000, and four years of probation. If you see a suspected arsonist in your ward or area, please contact ACSU, the SAPS or your neighborhood watch, such as SACCW, immediately. Where possible, obtain photographs or video footage of the suspect in the act, as this will make conviction of the felon easier. < Previous Article Next Article >

SASCO steps in at GS College 1/1 Share GK CRONJE 20 April 2021 Students are also irked due to the fact that learning material allowances have not been allocated to some students, even though some have commenced with the 2021 academic year. Gert Sibande Ermelo Campus has seen its fair share of protests and unrest recently, while attempting to appease students who have not received their NSFAS grant payments, whilst others have only received partial payment. Students are also irked due to the fact that learning material allowances have not been allocated to some students, even though some have commenced with the 2021 academic year. The Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande, addressed this issue, and said that NSFAS will only receiving it's first bulk of money from National Treasury in April 2021, from where they will start disbursing funds to institutions. However, the South African Students Congress (SASCO) is having none of this. SASCO has voiced its concern regarding the non-payment to TVET Colleges, and as a result many vulnerable students have been evicted from their residences. SASCO has written to the Chief Executive Officer, Andile Nongogo, requesting an urgent meeting to get a full report on the situation, and will further request to meet the DDG responsible for TVET Colleges. “We call upon all colleges affected to speedily share their registration templates with the National Financial Aid Scheme, in order to ensure that students are not unnecessarily disadvantaged due to negligence and incompetence. We will instruct our SRCs and SAVETSA to ensure that colleges are compliant and cooperating, to speedily resolve these issues. We wish to reiterate our call that TVET Colleges deserve better quality student accommodation of the same standard as universities. This move will ensure that TVET Colleges also accredit and protect the livelihood of college students, and shield them from further abuse by landlords,” SASCO said in a statement. At the time of publication, Gert Sibande College failed to respond to enquiries. < Previous Article Next Article >

AfriForum rig watertenks op in Piet Retief 1/2 Share GK CRONJE 29 September 2020 Die AfriForum-tak in Piet Retief het onlangs hul eerste ses noodwaterpunte op strategiese plekke in die dorp opgerig, sodat inwoners en gemeenskapslede in tye van nood toegang tot water sal hê. Die AfriForum-tak in Piet Retief het onlangs hul eerste ses noodwaterpunte op strategiese plekke in die dorp opgerig, sodat inwoners en gemeenskapslede in tye van nood toegang tot water sal hê. Deborah Straat, Jasmyne Straat, Magnolia Straat, Piet Retief-moskee en die AGS Kerk Fontana is almal voorsien met watertenks wat 5 kiloliter water kan hou. AfriForum bedank graag vir Build It, wat die tenks voorsien het. Inwoners word genooi om gebruik te maak van die waterpunte gedurende die twee-weke lang waterinperking soos bekendgestel. “Die projek se sukses en volhoubaarheid is afhanklik van die hele gemeenskap se samewerking en betrokkenheid. Ons wil gemeenskapslede wat daartoe in staat is, aanmoedig om tot dié projek by te dra, veral persone wat boorgate het en kan help om water te verskaf. Ons wil graag nóg waterpunte in die Piet Retief-omgewing oprig om meer water tydens onderbrekings beskikbaar te stel.” sê AfriForum se distrikskoördineerder vir die Hoëveld, Bronwen Pretorius. < Previous Article Next Article >

Errie kuns beste in Mpumalanga Voor (v.l.n.r) staan: Thobani Mbuli, Ilandri Nel en Gift Mthethwa.Agter (v.l.n.r) verskyn: Biance de Jager, Ancois van der Berg, Inge van der Walt en Me Carin van der Merwe. Voor (v.l.n.r) staan: Thobani Mbuli, Ilandri Nel en Gift Mthethwa.Agter (v.l.n.r) verskyn: Biance de Jager, Ancois van der Berg, Inge van der Walt en Me Carin van der Merwe. 1/1 Share Content Supplied 30 August 2022 Die tema was 'Sirkels' en leerders moes die tema op ’n kreatiewe manier interpreteer as ’n praktiese taak. Die Erries neem die afgelope agt jaar deel aan die Mpumalanga-kunskompetisie wat deur die Departement van Onderwys geloods word. Elke jaar behaal die Erries plekke op die top 10 en selfs’n tweede of derde plek. Vanjaar het die Erries egter die kompetisie oorheers en ’n eerste, tweede en derde plek behaal, asook algehele wenners van kuns as vak in Mpumalanga. Altesaam 300 inskrywings, wat Ontwerp en Visuele kuns insluit, was die meeste inskrywings nóg vir hierdie kompetisie. Die tema was 'Sirkels' en leerders moes die tema op ’n kreatiewe manier interpreteer as ’n praktiese taak. 168 visuele kuns leerders het in die provinsie ingeskryf waarvan nege leerders Erries was. Die kunswerke is deur drie kunstenaars van Mbombela en omgewing beoordeel. Ses Erries het plekke in die top 10 plekke behaal! Almal se kunswerke word in die Mbombela kunsgalery uitgestal waar die publiek dit kan besigtig. Die top 10 plekke is behaal deur: Inge van der Walt, Bianca de Jager, Ancois van der Berg (Graad 11-leerder), Thobani Mbuli, Ilandri Nel en Gift Mthethwa (Graad 12-leerders). Thobani Mbuli word as algehele wenner aangekondig, Ilandri Nel behaal ’n tweede plek en Gift Mthethwa ’n derde plek. Alle skole in Mpumalanga wat Visuele Kuns as vak aanbied, word verplig om aan dié kompetisie deel te neem en Hoërskool Ermelo is as wenner in Mpumalanga aangekondig vir die vak Visuele Kuns. Die Erries wat deel is van die top tien se werke word by die Mbombela-skou uitgestal. Hulle sal ook tydens ‘n prysuitdeling hulle kontantpryse, geborg deur die skou, ontvang. Baie geluk aan elkeen van hierdie leerders met jul pryse en uitsonderlike talent, asook aan me Carin van der Merwe wat as onderwyser die leerder lei om die sukses te kan behaal. EHS is trots op julle. - Inhoud en foto verskaf deur EHS < Previous Article Next Article >

Ligbron matrikulante geniet sprokiesmooi matriekafskeid Lungelo en Sandile. Carla Barnard en WJ Vorster. Lungelo en Sandile. 1/2 Share SH HATTINGH 27 October 2020 Die sprokiesmooi funksie het by Kralinbergh plaasgevind. Die matrikulante het die aand terdeë geniet, en bedank elke onderwyser, ouer en mede-leerling wat bygedra het tot die onvergeetlike aand. Donderdagaand, 22 Oktober, was ‘n sprokiesmooi, glans-geleentheid vir Ligbron Akademie vir Tegnologie se matrikulante toe hulle hul matriekjaar op ‘n stylvolle wyse afgesluit het, met hulle asemrowende matriekafskeid. Die Liggie-matrikulante het elkeen pragtig gelyk en behoorlik geskitter soos net die Liggies kan. Die sprokiesmooi funksie het by Kralinbergh plaasgevind. Die matrikulante het die aand terdeë geniet, en bedank elke onderwyser, ouer en mede-leerling wat bygedra het tot die onvergeetlike aand. < Previous Article Next Article >

Erries vaar goed vanuit wegspring blokke 1/1 Share SH HATTINGH 2 March 2021 Zané du Plessis (o/16) eindig met ‘n tyd van 78,52 sekondes in die 400m-hekkies. Nege Erries het op Saterdag, 27 Februarie 2021 aan die eerste Atletiek-liga van Noord Gauteng deelgeneem. Hierdie leerders het elkeen individueel ingeskryf vir die byeenkoms. Lana Herholdt (o/19) neem deel aan die 400m-hekkies, en eindig met ‘n persoonlike beste van 67.51 sekondes. Sy verbeter ook haar persoonlike beste vir die 100m-hekkies met 15,92 sekondes. Carla Ferreira (o/17) gooi ‘n afstand van 38,58 meter in die spiesgooi-item. Zané du Plessis (o/16) eindig met ‘n tyd van 78,52 sekondes in die 400m-hekkies. Mia Davel (o/15) behaal persoonlike bestes in beide haar items. Sy eindig met tye van 47,48 sekondes en 14,60 sekondes in onderskeidelik 300m- en 90m hekkies. Michaela Hand (o/14) se afstande in gewigstoot en skyfwerp is onderskeidelik 11,09m en 28.9m. Ruan du Toit (o/19) hardloop die 400m in 53,31 sekondes. Chester Mpahlele (o/16) eindig met ‘n tyd van 4 minute en 36 sekondes tydens sy 1500m. Bongmusa Vilakazi (o/16) voltooi sy 1500m in 4 minute en 22 sekondes. Tyrone Berning (o/15) behaal ook ‘n persoonlike beste in die 300m-hekkies met ‘n tyd van 39,45 sekondes. In hoogspring behaal hy ‘n hoogte van 1,85m. “Baie geluk aan elkeen van die atlete wat deelgeneem en besonder goed presteer het. Dankie dat julle Hoërskool Ermelo se naam hoog hou. Die Erries is trots op julle en wens julle toe vir die byeenkomste wat voorlê.” Op die foto verskyn Zané du Plessis (links) en Lana Herholdt tydens die byeenkoms. < Previous Article Next Article >

EHS Groentjieskonsert sorg vir groot opwinding 1/11 Share SM HATTINGH 23 March 2022 “Baie geluk aan elke leerder wat ‘n deel gehad het aan sy/haar huis se Groentjieskonsert." Hoërskool Ermelo se jaarlikse Groentjieskonsert is ‘n eeu-oue tradisie wat jaar-na-jaar sorg vir groot opwinding, strawwe kompetisie en komiese vermaak. Die jaar 2022 se konsert was geen uitsondering nie. Die dag het oudergewoonte begin met die Graad 11-dirigente se aankoms. Nelstehuis se “FBI”-tema het die oggend afgeskop, gevolg deur die manne van Huis Veltman met hul “Money Heist”-tema. Dit was egter die Dorpies wat monde laat oophang het en die verbeelding aangegryp het met hul “Steampunk”-tema. Die leerders het daarna die geleentheid gehad om vir die eerste keer in drie jaar ‘n optog te hou, en hul gees deur die strate van Ermelo ten toon te stel. The climax of any Groentjies Day is the concert. The Grade 12 learners of each one of the Houses (Dorpshuis, Huis Veltman & Nelsthuis) had eight days to write an original story, build decor, design costumes and direct their Grade 8's into a unique concert. Each year the houses receive different themes. This year’s characters were based on the animation, Toy Story (Woody, Buzz Lightyear and Slinky Dog). The Errie value themes for the year were hard work and Errie heart. Each concert should also include a news bulletin and an advertisement. The instructions given to learners included that this year’s advertisement should link with 2022’s Grade 8 theme - From Seed-to-Sapling. Elke huis het hul uitstekend van hul taak gekwyt, en ‘n konsert van hoogstaande gehalte op die planke gebring. Die uitslae was as volg: Beste Dirigente - Dorpshuis, Beste Hulpdirigente - Nelstehuis, Beste Huisdans - Nelstehuis, Beste Tema-uitbeelding - Nelstehuis, Beste Advertensie - Huis Veltman, Beste Kostuums - Nelstehuis, Beste Dekor - Huis Veltman, Beste Groentjiesdans - Nelstehuis, Beste Humor in Storie - Huis Veltman, Beste Nuusberig - Nelstehuis, Beste Storieverteller - Joshua du Toit (Huis Veltman), Beste Akteur - Ruan Ludwig (Huis Veltman), Beste Aktrise - An-Euné van Niekerk (Nelstehuis), Beste gebruik van Verrassings-element - Huis Veltman, Meriete Toekenning - Clarissa Nel & Elané Nel (Dorpshuis), Beste Konsert - Huis Veltman en die Algehele Wenners - Huis Veltman. “Baie geluk aan elke leerder wat ‘n deel gehad het aan sy/haar huis se Groentjieskonsert. Die Erries het hierdie jaar weereens getoon dat alles wat hul doen, eenvoudig wêreldklas is.” Sien meer foto’s op ons Facebook blad, Tribune Ermelo. < Previous Article Next Article >

Erries skitter met skryfwerk 1/2 Share SM HATTINGH 28 September 2021 Twee Erries se skryf stukke is ingesluit in die “Poort”-bundel. Dit is ‘n publikasie van die Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie en Kuns. Twee Erries se skryf stukke is ingesluit in die “Poort”-bundel. Dit is ‘n publikasie van die Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie en Kuns. Leerders kon inskryf vir ‘n kompetisie, vir die geleentheid om hul werk te publiseer. Zara Büchling, ‘n Graad 12-leerder in 2020, se opstel “Die dag toe ek gewaag het”, en Isabelle Burgers, tans ‘n Graad 10-leerder, se opstel “Dawid Hellebaard” is in die bundel vervat. “Baie geluk aan elkeen van die leerders wat op die verskeie platforms presteer het. Die Erries hou julle skryf talent met afwagting dop! Baie dankie aan die Afrikaanse Departement van EHS, wat ‘n passie het en liefde kweek vir die taal en vir die vak.” < Previous Article Next Article >

Naked woman found murdered in Wesselton Naked woman found murdered in Wesselton 1/1 Share SH HATTINGH 3 November 2020 The woman was naked, and she had stab wounds in her neck. She is still not identified. The body of a female was found on 31 October at 01:00 in an open field next to Nelson Mandela avenue in Wesselton. The woman was naked, and she had stab wounds in her neck. She is still not identified. Any person with information regarding this case please phone Sergant S. Ndukwana on 017-819 2321/8 or 082 373 8389. In a second case, the owner of a local business closed shop at 17:00 on Saturday, 31 October, and was on his way to his father's business when he was apprehended by 3 suspects. They fired warning shots, took a bag with money from the complainant and fled. A lookout was given with a description off the vehicle and a registration number. Members from Ermelo SAPS discovered the vehicle at a house in Extention 32. One suspect was arrested, and two are still at large. The bag with cash was recovered. < Previous Article Next Article >

Ligbron het rigting 1/1 Share SM HATTINGH 24 August 2021 Baie geluk aan die Liggies wat silwer sertifikate ontvang het vir hul prestasie in die Geografie Olimpiade, die Liggies is baie trots op julle. Baie geluk aan die Liggies wat silwer sertifikate ontvang het vir hul prestasie in die Geografie Olimpiade, die Liggies is baie trots op julle. Links agter (v.l.n.r) staan: Ruan Matthee, Danika Drotsky, Hano van Dyk, Krynauw Mulder en Leri-Gene Nel. Voor sit (v.l.n.r): Amanda Lottering en Jeannette van Niekerk. < Previous Article Next Article >

Local talent secures finalist-spot 1/3 Share GK CRONJE 29 June 2021 The sprightly and go-getter attitude of Nompumelelo has made her an ideal candidate. 22-Year-old Nompumelelo Mabona, a chemical engineering student at Vaal University of Technology, has been selected as a finalist for Miss Township South Africa 2021. Nompumelelo hails from Siyabuswa, Extension D. The sprightly and go-getter attitude of Nompumelelo has made her an ideal candidate. “I am doing my final year as a finalist, and I am required to raise 50 pads for underprivileged girls at school or orphanages. I entered the pageant in order to create a difference, and I aim to create awareness on sanitary pad donations. I would like to see that my community outreach will reach as broad a audience as possible. I am also an upcoming writer, and I aim to publish my first novel this year, titled “Tears Blinding, A Depressed Black Child”. I am hunting to find a publishing company that will be willing to publish my book on their platform.” Nompumelelo would like to thank everyone for their support on her journey thus far. If you would like to become involved in a project with Nompumelelo, you may contact her via WhatsApp on 072 035 0519. < Previous Article Next Article >

Full-fledged VOIP call centre in the pipeline 1/2 Share GK CRONJE 15 September 2020 With the envisaged call centre, there will be a shift supervisor, and all conversations will be recorded between the caller and the call centre agent. The municipality will be also be able to track dropped and missed call through the new call centre solution systems. We appeal to the community to bear with us while we are attending to the call centre infrastructure, and professionalizing it. With the strain on Msukaligwa Local Municipality to provide service delivery and feedback to the public amidst financial woes, the Tribune spoke to Mr. Zwane, municipal spokesman, about issues faced by residents when reporting issues to the call centre. Complaints have been continuously flooding in regarding the innate lack of efficiency of the call centre. MLM has, however, previously stated that the call centre is not as it should be, and is rather a makeshift call centre to try and resolve complaints. MLM has, however, been working on implementing a full-fledged VOIP call centre, which will enable efficient logging, tracking and resolution of complaints. According to Mr. Zwane, the aim is to launch the call centre by 31 October 2020, but it should be noted that this a merely a projected date. The most notable complaints regarding the current makeshift call centre, are the lack of reference numbers or job tickets provided to complainants, as well as call centre operators more often than not failing to answer the telephone. “Queries from community members can be logged or reported in a variety of ways, including verbally, in which community members can make a verbal expression after the deficient act or action with respect to the service. Community members can log / report issues by telephone, fax, a letter or e-mail to the call centre, and can also send a WhatsApp voice note, video or picture to municipal call centre numbers. Residents can also fill in complaint, suggestion and compliment form available in all municipal offices. Please note that your address, contact number, details of query and account number (for account and billing queries) must be included with the complaint submitted in the box.” Mr. Zwane said. MLM is also working on an USSD code to submit complaints and queries, and the code will be made public as soon as the testing phase has been completed. “For each query, you MUST get a reference number. You may use the reference number to obtain progress feedback on outstanding queries. The municipal complaints management system will ensure that citizen complaints are resolved within set Service Level Agreement (SLA), and Municipal Service Charter.” Speaking to Mr. Zwane about the call centre operators who fail to answer calls, he stated the following: “Currently, the call centre agents report to the supervisor, who works between 7:30 to 16:15 on weekdays. With the envisaged call centre, there will be a shift supervisor, and all conversations will be recorded between the caller and the call centre agent. The municipality will be also be able to track dropped and missed call through the new call centre solution systems. We appeal to the community to bear with us while we are attending to the call centre infrastructure, and professionalizing it. The municipality is aware of the WhatsApp group and / or Telegram group that created to deal with municipal service delivery related queries.” < Previous Article Next Article >