Which news report that appeared in Limpopo Mirror this year attracted the most interest? Under normal circumstances it would not be possible to get the correct answer, but with technology almost everything is possible.

From our webpage limpopomirror.co.za, we were able get a relatively accurate indication of our readers' reading patterns. This exercise yielded several interesting and unexpected conclusions. It is not always the dramatic hard news that we published on the front page of our printed copy that created the most interest.

We also realise now that our art and entertainment page is extremely important for our communities, with discussions of musicians and new CDs ranked very highly. The statistics will also be a shock to our sports lovers.

Our top-ranked story was published in October under the heading Kidnap drama, narrating the abduction of Hlulani Maswanganyi (17) and her month-old baby, Timothy Mbavala, in Malamulele. Baby Timothy was found unharmed and, at the time that we wrote the report, Hlulani was still missing. The body of a young woman was recently found in a decomposed state at Nandoni and many believe that it is Hlulani. The body has not yet been positively identified. According to our statistics, a staggering number of nearly 200 000 readers have spent time on the report on our website.

In second position is the tragic death of local gospel star Mpho Victor "Rigalo" Gangashe. The 49-year-old singer died in a vehicle accident between Bandelierkop and Louis Trichardt in May, and the page was visited by nearly 195 000 readers. Third, with more than 180 000 visitors, is a report and video clip from Musina, where a large mob of residents of the border town had set alight a house that belonged to an elderly pastor. This followed after the pastor had allegedly made a public confession about his “witchcraft” activities on Charis TV channel.

Reports on entertainment issues took up six positions in our top 20 news articles. In fourth place (115 000 visits) is a report on veteran musician, singer and producer Joe Shirimani. In sixth place is a story about a new CD of local rapper Isaac “Ramzeey” Ramalata (78 000), the preview of the Tshima awards is seventh with nearly 63 000 visits, a report on rapper Racha Kill is ninth (43 800), rapper Prefix is 14th (43 000) and a story of the Afro-jazz/soul musician, Muofhe Lavine Mulovhedzi, in 15th place (nearly 33 900).

Moving back to hard news, our report in June about the death of the Ramabulana twins, Tshilidzi Richard and Tshifhiwa Yolanda Ramabulana (34), and their neighbour, Thendo Dagada 30), in a vehicle accident on the road between Louis Trichardt and Levubu attracted the fifth most readers with 104 000. Our editorial staff predicted that our eighth most popular report would have been at least in the top three. “We are not part of the new municipality” - traditional leaders, was the heading of the report when local traditional leaders and many members of different communities demanded that their areas be excluded from the newly envisaged fourth municipality in Vhembe. The report was read by nearly 53 000 internet users.

A report on last year's matric results was published in January under the heading Vhembe the best in Lim. This report is the final story in our top 10 with just under 42 000 readers.

Our 11th-ranked story appeared at the end of September, under the heading Area in turmoil as Univen student is butchered. The report on the tragic death of Nyambeni Jeffrey was read by nearly 40 000 people. In July we reported on an own municipality for Malamulele, and with 35 500 readers, this report was the 12th most popular. Our 13th ranked report, with only about 200 fewer than number 12, links with the previous story and its heading was Own municipality for Malamulele the key to Vuwani’s problems?

Our 14th-ranked story appeared under the heading Young woman stabbed to death. The tragic phenomenon of women killed in Women's Month hit our readers again. About 33 000 readers worldwide took time to read the report of Miss Patience Mukhuba (18), from the Nzhelele area, who was stabbed numerous times all over her body.

Number 17 on our list took place recently and affected numerous Grade 12 pupils in Vhembe. It highlights the leakage of a Life Sciences matric exam paper at Marude Secondary School in Thohoyandou. Nearly 33 000 people read the report. Number 18 on our list appeared under the heading I killed the tokoloshe. More than 31 00 people read the allegations of Mr Fhulufhedzani Munzhelele (26) of Tshifudi-Mushungwa outside Thohoyandou, who said that he had killed a fierce animal believed to be a tokoloshe. Several people reacted to the report, saying that Munzhelele had actually killed a harmless bush baby!

The second last in our top 20 with 31 000 readers is a report on the controversy of the Charis TV channel about a local pastor’s alleged witchcraft involvement that caused a lively debate on social media platforms (see number three on our list). The producers of the television programme were accused of being irresponsible and were criticised for the manner in which they had disclosed personal details of participants on the show. Our 20th most popular report was a preview on the installation of a chief for Rambuda by King Toni Mphephu Ramabulana (30 000 views).

Looking at sports, our popular league logs are in position 31 (22 300) and the highest-ranked sports report is 34th, with 21 000 readers.

The year 2015 was full of dramatic news, with tragedies and hardship, but also of good news that inspires people. We hope that our readers will now enjoy a wonderful festive season and that 2016 will be the best year ever for all our readers!

08 January 2016 - Correction

In the final edition of Limpopo Mirror of 2015, we reported on the stories that attracted the most interest throughout the year. The news report on the tragic death of local gospel star, Mpho Victor "Rigalo" Gangashe (photo) in May last year was our second ranked story. The report on our website was visited by nearly 195 000 readers. In the report we erroneously mentioned that he was 49 years old. It came to our attention that the singer was only 29 years old when he was killed in a vehicle accident near Bandelierkop.