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An ACSU reaction vehicle patrolling Havenga Road noticed a suspicious vehicle. The vehicle sped away, and upon investigation, reaction members discovered nine cases of 750ml Johnny Walker Black Label Whisky, as well as five cases of 750ml Hennessy. The approximate value of the liquor is estimated at R218 000. The seized goods was handed over to the SAPS. ACSU seizes R218 000 worth of liquor ACSU seizes R218 000 worth of liquor 1/4 Share GK CRONJE 28 January 2021 ACSU reaction members discovered nine cases of 750ml Johnny Walker Black Label Whisky, as well as five cases of 750ml Hennessy. An ACSU reaction vehicle patrolling Havenga Road noticed a suspicious vehicle. The vehicle sped away, and upon investigation, reaction members discovered nine cases of 750ml Johnny Walker Black Label Whisky, as well as five cases of 750ml Hennessy. The approximate value of the liquor is estimated at R218 000. The seized goods was handed over to the SAPS. < Previous Article Next Article >

Power Hour Motivations Movement hosts footy tournament 1/6 Share GK CRONJE 26 April 2022 "We invited men and boys to the stadiums, because they are labeled in a bad stigma of abusing alcohol, drugs and women." With an electric atmosphere, the Easter Weekend Soccer Tournament was showcased from 15-18 April 2022 at AJ Swanepoel Stadium. The event, organized by Power Hour Motivations Movement (PHMM) NGO founder, Ntokozo “Bro Ntosh” Sithole, in association with the South African Football Association (SAFA) and Msukaligwa Local Football Association (MLFA) proved to be a massive success. The tournament was moved from Thuthukani Sports Grounds to AJ Swanepoel Stadium due to the wet weather conditions. PHMM is an NGO based in Ermelo, making a difference in many lives on the daily. During the tournament, sixteen teams participated in 4 matches per day, during all four days of the Easter Weekend. The teams were extremely excited, and had boundless fun during the event, with supporters that came in numbers to the stadium, braving the finicky weather. In a surprise part of the tournament, the Local Pastors and Ermelo Fleet met lock-heads as a Cut-In-Razors for the final: Abagcotshwa versus Ermelo Taxi Association (ETA), where the ETA won the Cut-In-Razors with 1-2. The tournament also featured prizes to end off the tournament, proudly sponsored by PHMM. The finalists were given a brand new soccer jersey to compete in, wearing it in the competition (each soccer kit per team). The winner received a trophy, and 18 gold medals, with the runner-up receiving 18 silver medals. Teams received their prizes with pride and joy. The final match of the tournament was Davel Juniors against Zone 8, with Zone 8 from Ermelo emerging as victors with a score of 3-1. “The objective of the tournament was to decrease crime rate over the long weekend. I have challenged the SAPS to hand over the long weekend crime stats to me. Unfortunately, I haven’t received any thus far, and that is a clear indication that the impact of the tournament was massive. We invited men and boys to the stadiums, because they are labeled in a bad stigma of abusing alcohol, drugs and women. We were making noise to say that there are still good men out there, and that there are men who stand against the stigma given to men as abusers in GBV,” Sithole said. “PHMM has a motto that says ‘Developing a Mentality to see Greatness in the midst of the Worst’... We still believe that we can change the status quo in our township and greater Ermelo around men.” You may view more photos on our Facebook page, Tribune Ermelo. < Previous Article Next Article >

Community stands together to rehab roadway 1/12 Share GK CRONJE 16 March 2021 Pick n Pay Ermelo rustled up meals and cold drinks, and delivered it to the teams on site, and showing their support in the initiative. Chris de Villiers Street, a notorious sight for sore eyes, and a menace to motorists and heavy vehicle drivers alike, as been partially rehabilitated in order to make the surface traversable once again. As complaints regarding this roadway has fallen on deaf ears at Msukaligwa Local Municipality for more than 4 years, residents and business owners decided to band together and take action. In an unprecedented joint operation, members of SG Coal, Van Wettens Towing Services, Wozani Berg Gasoline (WBG), Mavuso Towing and various other stakeholders toiled in the scorching heat of the past weekend, making the road surface fit for traffic yet again. Pick n Pay Ermelo rustled up meals and cold drinks, and delivered it to the teams on site, and showing their support in the initiative. Ellwyn Thomas of WBG and Gerhard de Kock from SG Coal has been on site from dawn until disk, motivating the teams, and ensuring that the rehabilitation was done in record time. FJ Oosthuizen from SG Coal was also in site, and encouraged and thanked his drivers for sacrificing their weekend for the benefit of the community. Ronnie and his team pumped water from the sinkholes to ensure easier compacting of materials, while Msukaligwa Local Municipality also provided teams and a roller to assist in the work. Vida Water Ermelo also contributed in quenching the thirst, by donating water to site workers and assistants. A local resident also expressed gratitude by providing lunch to the workers on site. A mention of thanks is also extended to James Gregory, CEO of WBG for donating fuel for trucks on site. It goes to show that if the community works together, much can be achieved. Thanks to a group of sterling individuals and companies, the nightmare that was Chris de Villiers Street is relieved for a while, and motorists and heavy vehicle drivers can traverse the roadway with very few issues. You may view more videos and photos on our Facebook page, Tribune Ermelo. < Previous Article Next Article >

TLU demands clarity on hunting regulations 1/0 Share GK CRONJE 4 August 2020 “We urge the department and government to explain why these regulations were revised,” says Mr. Meintjes. “Farmers are already fed up with the impact of the lockdown while government depends on them to continue with food production. The day will come when farmers cannot supply the demand anymore.” Media Statement - TLU SA demands an explanation about the revised regulations published in the Government Gazette on Tuesday which prohibits interprovincial travel for hunting. The department of environment, forestry and fisheries also put an end to accommodation for hunters with the regulations. “It is utterly reckless and irrational to publish these types of regulations,” says Mr. Louis Meintjes, the president of TLU SA. “This is another economic blow for game farmers who’ve had massive losses because of the regulations during the first week of the lockdown. Our members already accepted deposits and made arrangements for hunters from other provinces who would have hunted with them. The risk for the spread of COVID-19 in remote areas, where people have little contact with each other, is minimal.” Game farmers had to forfeit the income from international hunters this year and depended on local hunters to have at least some form of revenue during the hunting season. Now they have minimal opportunity to earn an income and keep their farms running. It will have an impact on employment as well. In April Wildlife Ranching South Africa reported that the limitations had negatively impacted 67% of all employers in the game industry. In many rural areas, the local economy depends on hunters and game farmers spending money in the town or district. It keeps the local community alive. “We urge the department and government to explain why these regulations were revised,” says Mr. Meintjes. “Farmers are already fed up with the impact of the lockdown while government depends on them to continue with food production. The day will come when farmers cannot supply the demand anymore.” < Previous Article Next Article >

The King Team actively making a difference 1/4 Share GK CRONJE 1 February 2022 "At this time, we would also greatly appreciate reflective vests and clothing, as it is extremely cumbersome working in the hot sun with full overalls." An enterprising and caring resident of Ermelo, Surprise “King” Makutu, has assembled a team of dedicated volunteers to tackle the deteriorating roads in Ermelo and the surrounding areas. Making use of compacted building rubble and neatly chipped and packed bricks, the King Team make the lives of motorists much easier, one pothole at a time. Their excellent workmanship with the materials that they have is nothing to be scoffed at. Speaking to Surprise at Mandela Drive in Wesselton last week, he proudly showed off the stellar work that they are doing. “We are doing the best that we can with what we have. We do the work in our own capacity, and aim to make a difference on the roads that residents use every day. However, we request donations from the community to keep up the work.” The team is highly organized, and have poinstmen directing traffic around the sites they work at. “If any business or individual would like to make a donation or has material to supply, we will greatly appreciate it. At this time, we would also greatly appreciate reflective vests and clothing, as it is extremely cumbersome working in the hot sun with full overalls. Reflective vests will also add to the safety of our initiative, as to alert road users that there are works in progress,” Surprise told the Tribune. The team also requires equipment such as spades, wheelbarrows and pickaxes, and other construction tools that can be used for road repairs, as they make do with their own scrounged equipment. Any business or individual who would like to be involved with this brilliant initiative, be it with material, tools, or even just a hot meal or cold drink, may contact Surprise on 066 422 3811. < Previous Article Next Article >

More malarkey at Standerton Hospital 1/1 Share GK CRONJE 30 March 2021 Enquiries to the Department of Health’s spokesperson, Dumisani Malamule, yielded no result. Shocking reports of healthcare workers carrying patients up and down staircases at Standerton Hospital have sent waves of shock through the community. Critically ill patients are forced to use the stairs, as the elevators have been out of order for four months. Healthcare workers have to carry patients on their backs, while others are carried in makeshift slings made of sheets. Further aggrivating the matter, is the fact that the operating theatre is on the second floor of the hospital, brining into question how emergency patients are taken to surgery, and how groggy and anaesthetized patients are transported from surgery back to their rooms. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has launched an investigation into the matter, and has also learned that the hospital has run out of theatre clothing. Patients are just wrapped with a cloth or a sheet, walking up and down the stairs naked. According to the DA, this is inhumane, and a complete violation of a patient's rights to privacy. The DA has therefore called upon the Provincial Government, particularly the Department of Health and Public Works, to urgently repair or replace the elevators at Standerton Hospital, and that the hospital must be provided with theatre clothing with immediate effect to restore patients’ dignity. The DA is pleased to announce that a tabled motion in the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature on this particular matter has been adopted. This isn’t the first scandal faced by the embattled hospital. Serious complaints have been lodged against the hospital and it its management, including breaches of patient confidentiality, unattended patients falling and sustaining serious injuries, and the overall filthy and disheveled condition of the hospital itself. Enquiries to the Department of Health’s spokesperson, Dumisani Malamule, yielded no result. < Previous Article Next Article >

Save more with Shoprite MVNO 1/1 Share GK CRONJE 30 March 2021 Airtime, data bundles and rewards only expire after 60 days, rather than the more common 30-day expiry. The Shoprite Group has announced its own mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) called K’nect mobile. The service will go online in April. Shoprite said that K’nect mobile’s key differentiator is its simplicity, with flat call and data rates, and no complicated tiers. The service piggybacks off the mobile network infrastructure of Cell C, whose roaming partnership with MTN provides coverage. The group said that airtime, data bundles and rewards only expire after 60 days, rather than the more common 30-day expiry. In addition, K’nect mobile will offer 100MB free data for three months. The group said that its call and data rates are among the most competitive in the country, with 50c per minute all day K’nect to K’nect calls, 99c per minute all day calls to other networks, and 15c per megabyte for any size data bundle, up to 1GB. K’nect mobile also offers 10% free on recharge, 10% Xtra for Xtra Savings cardholders, 5% Xtra when recharging via Money Market Account, and double airtime rewards on Xtra Savings airtime deals. Shoprite said that other rewards include early access to Computicket events and tickets, and 100MB free for three months, subject to in-store RICA and activation. “Importantly, customers using a K’nect mobile SIM card will also benefit from zero-rated data on selected Shoprite and Checkers websites and apps, including the Money Market Account, Computicket website and the Group’s jobs portal, all without incurring any data charges.” At the same time, the move will help the Shoprite Group streamline communication and drastically reduce its internal data costs, it said. Shoprite said its 141,000 employees are now able to receive communications directly on the group’s internal app, called SiyaRinga, without the need to reverse data costs. The network forms part of the group’s financial services offering, which enables customers to conveniently pay bills, buy cell phones, make money transfers, buy airtime and data, lotto tickets, electricity and even funeral insurance in partnership with OUTsurance. “K’nect mobile is part of our ever-growing suite of fintech products designed to better serve our customers,” said Jean Olivier, general manager of Financial Services. “We’ve spent a lot of time understanding how a mobile network can add value to our customers’ lives, and our solution is an easy to understand network that offers straightforward call and data rates as well as tangible rewards.” < Previous Article Next Article >

MECs Majuba and Shongwe visit Cebisa School 1/2 Share GK CRONJE 18 August 2022 The suspect is a fellow student, and has since been arrested on a farm between Ermelo and Breyten. Following the gang-related fatal stabbing of a student at Cebisa Secondary School in Wesselton on Tuesday, 16 August 2022, the eyes of the country are on the government to take action. Mpumalanga education MEC, Bonakele Majuba, condemned the incident, and also conveyed his sincere condolences to the bereaved family. “Regrettably, the stabbed learner succumbed to his injuries at Ermelo Provincial Hospital. It is alleged that the learners belonged to different troublesome gangs in the township,” the department said in a statement. The suspect is a fellow student, and has since been arrested on a farm between Ermelo and Breyten. MEC Majuba visited the school on this morning, together with Mpumalanga Community Safety and Security MEC, Vusi Shongwe, and other officials, who rendered psychosocial assistance to all who are affected by the incident. During the visit, it was also announced that an imbizo will be hosted at the Wesselton Stadium on 28 August 2022. The imbizo will commence at 11:00. The imbizo will be led by MEC Shongwe, where gang violence and school safety will be discussed. < Previous Article Next Article >

Nomsa makes great strides in Mrs. SA pageant 1/1 Share GK CRONJE 4 May 2021 To vote for Nomsa, and help her to achieve her dreams in the pageant, you can send an SMS, with her name, Nomsa Mokoena to 35959. In a prestigious pageant, where only the best of the best advance, 49-year-old Standerton resident Nomsa Jennifer (Nkutha) Mokoena has secured a spot in the semi-finals of the competition, and has show no signs of slowing down. Being selected for the Mrs. South Africa pageant is an achievement of note, as only 100 women are selected to enter. Sponsors and sessions are hosted and presented at Emperor’s Palace in Gauteng, with the entrants and contestants of Mrs. SA focusing on charity work en empowerment. The event over the weekend was hosted and featured famous guests and delegates from across the country. Nomsa is a successful, self-employed business woman, and does not back down from any challenge. “My main motivation for entering the Mrs. SA pageant was to help the community, and to pave the way for me to fulfill my dreams in helping the needy. I am honored to fulfil my obligations set forth by the Mrs. SA pageant, and my own charity work includes a unique elderly day care that I established in collaboration with my mother.” Nomsa was in the fray, mingling with the influencers, and marking her space in the pageant. “I thank God that my journey in the Mrs. South Africa pageant continues, and I managed to secure one of four sponsors. I still require 3 confirmed sponsors, but believe that I will prevail, and I will never give up.” To vote for Nomsa, and help her to achieve her dreams in the pageant, you can send an SMS, with her name, Nomsa Mokoena to 35959. Appearing on the photo: Margaret Hirsch, the executive director of the mega appliance store, Hirsch’s, with a beaming Nomsa Mokoena, during the weekend’s event at Emperor’s Palace. < Previous Article Next Article >

Cecilia kort hulp met veloorplantings 1/3 Share SH HATTINGH 10 November 2020 Cecilia sterk baie goed by haar suster aan, maar moet nou veloorplantings ondergaan, wat ‘n groot bedrag gaan beloop. Die gesin beskik nie oor ‘n mediese fonds om te help met al die mediese onkostes nie. Cecilia Earle, ‘n jarelange inwoner van Ermelo, was op Donderdag, 8 Oktober 2020 betrokke in ‘n tref en trap ongeluk met ‘n swaar motorvoertuig. Cecilia sterk baie goed by haar suster aan, maar moet nou veloorplantings ondergaan, wat ‘n groot bedrag gaan beloop. Die gesin beskik nie oor ‘n mediese fonds om te help met al die mediese onkostes nie. Enige persoon wat meer inligting wil hê is welkom om Sue-Marie by 082 734 0867 te skakel. Die trust fonds is as volg: PWG Prokureurs, Eerste Nasionale Bank, Ermelo, Takkode: 270344. Die tjek-rekeningnommer is 52180048278. Barmhartige samiritane moet asseblief E745/Earle gebruik as verwysing. < Previous Article Next Article >

Ermelo clinic scores lowly on service efficiency The suggestion box at Ermelo Clinic. The filing system at Ermelo Clinic. The suggestion box at Ermelo Clinic. 1/2 Share GK CRONJE 6 July 2022 “Communities are continuously complaining that the healthcare workers are in the wrong or not doing their jobs." Ritshidze, a system that offers community-led clinic monitoring, has release their report of primary healthcare in Mpumalanga, which leaves much to be desired. The institution noted that many facilities in the province experience severe staff shortages, amongst other serious issues. Ritshidze stated that the average waiting time per patient was more than four hours, which is unacceptable in light of the sheer volume of patients that require care. The delays were caused by lost files, staff shortages and inefficiency from staff. In 2021, Ritshidze reported that only 7% of facility managers at clinics in Mpumalanga said they had enough staff. The number increased to an astounding 41% in 2022. There is still a massive human resources gap, despite other marginal improvements that had been made, the report states. A total of 74% of the facilities that Ritshidze monitored in 2021 had inadequate filing systems. In 2022, the number has improved to 38%. Ermelo Clinic, Amsterdam Community Health Care, Bethal Town Clinic and Embalenhle Community Health were amongst the bad apples that saw little to no improvement. The Democratic Alliance (DA) health spokesperson, Jane Sithole, stated that clinics and community healthcare centres are barely functioning due to long overdue maintenance, ranging from dysfunctional geysers and leaking roofs, to broken water pumps, which forced nurses to collect water in buckets to clean clinics. “Communities are continuously complaining that the healthcare workers are in the wrong or not doing their jobs. What the communities don’t know is that it is not their fault, but it’s actually the MEC and the officials in the department who are failing to deliver on the basics to ensure clinics have things such as medicine and rotational doctors. Departmental health officials don’t have to face patients and their families, but it is healthcare workers who must deal with angry family members and it is understandable why healthcare workers are negative at times towards patients.” Of the Mpumalanga Department of Health’s R16 billion budget for this financial year, R10 billion has been allocated to district health services, which clinics fall under. While tabling the 2022/2023 budget, MEC Sasekani Manzini stated that her department was determined to increase access to health services. “This is done through deploying mobile clinics to augment the 292 primary healthcare facilities, particularly in remote and rural areas. The department has 92 mobile clinics with 2 186 points that service these remote areas,” she said. < Previous Article Next Article >

Merino Mall construction moving at blistering pace 1/3 Share GK CRONJE 12 October 2021 Prospective tenants have showed immense excitement and support in the project and familiar favourites are already on board as anchor tenants. Property developers Moolman Group and Abland, the developers of the Merion Mall, don’t let grass grow under their feet. Bulk earth works for Merino Mall commenced on1 July 2021, and have progressed splendidily towards the completion date of October 2022. The development will positively impact the local economy and stimulate further growth and development, as well as enhance and supporting the town’s current infrastructure. The developers makes use of the local workforce during the construction phases, and will create long-term job opportunities for residents and businesses alike. Prospective tenants have showed immense excitement and support in the project and familiar favourites are already on board as anchor tenants. They include Checkers, Pick n Pay, Woolworths, Clicks, Crazy Plastics and Dis-Chem. Crazy Plastics and Dis-Chem being especially exciting new additions in the area. The mall will also bring stores like Crazy Plastics, Cape Union Mart, Old Khaki, Cross Trainer, Queenspark, Primark and Refinery to the Ermelo community for the first time. Truworths, Identity, Mr Price, Jet, Ackermans, Foschini, Sportscene, Totalsports, Mr Price Sport, PEP, Exact, Markham, Miladys, Tekkie Town, Studio 88, The Fix, Sheet Street, Crazy Store, Mr Price Home, Pep Home, @home, and a host of others will join the Merino Mall family. Banks will include Nedbank, Capitec and FNB. Merino Mall is set to enhance the current retail offering in Ermelo, and will bring convenience, value and pride to the town’s visitors, residents, and its surrounding communities. < Previous Article Next Article >