The brutal murder of a man in Miluwani, Thohoyandou, has shocked the community and highlighted the ongoing scourge of crime. Julian Nkovani, a 40-year-old Mozambican national who worked as a hawker next to Sibasa Post Office, was murdered in what is believed to be a robbery as he was on his way home from work at Sibasa.

Die Soutpansberg-gemeenskap treur hierdie week saam met die 82-jarige oom George Fogwell van Louis Trichardt met die hartseer nuus van sy vrou, tannie Ann (77), se dood Dinsdagoggend, 26 Maart.

The spate of brutal, gangster-style killings is continuing, with another fatality in the past week. On Saturday (23^rd), an alleged member of the Black Mafia Family (BMF) and businessman, Mr Gift Nkhangweleni Mutshutshu, aged 50, was gunned down in a barrage of bullets at the gate of his home in Lunungwi Mutepeni.

A 33-year-old taxi owner was shot and killed at his home early last Friday morning. The deceased, Muvhuso Justice Mbaimbai, stayed at Ha-Mutsha Tshirangadzi.

A sick, undocumented foreign national, unable to seek medical assistance at the local clinic for fear of arrest, tragically passed away from his illness. Mr Jutasse Wildon Boene, originally from Mozambique but residing at Hamagidi Unit E in Thohoyandou, was a well-known figure in the area, earning a living as a trolley pusher transporting goods for shoppers. His touting spots included the Choice Supermarket and the Fruit and Veg next to Tops in Thohoyandou.

A senior traditional leader, Thovhele Tshedza Netshimbupfe, appeared in the Vuwani Magistrate’s Court last Tuesday (19^th) on a charge of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH). He is accused of assaulting his younger sister’s boyfriend, who was visiting her and some family members.

The debt-collection company that sent out threatening letters to consumers in Vhembe has apologised for the way the matter was handled and has undertaken to institute disciplinary action against the staff member responsible for sending it out. What also transpired is that the insulting letter was probably written using an artificial intelligence (AI) programme.

Residents of Phiphidi, frustrated with the rise in violent crime in their community, unleashed their anger and burnt down a shop owned by a local pastor. The incident happened on Tuesday, 26 March, at around 17:30.

Inwoners van Louis Trichardt is verlede Vrydagoggend (22ste) stomgeslaan met die nuus van die skielike dood van die 48-jarige Jacques Wepener, wat ‘n massiewe hartaanval gehad het terwyl hy met sy trapfiets in Songozwistraat gery het.

As election time approaches, the familiar poster war has recommenced. Despite previous reports by the newspaper on this issue, some political parties continue to place their election posters on road traffic signs illegally. This behaviour was observed once more in Louis Trichardt, where a political party adorned traffic signs with its election posters, notably at the Stubbs Street/N1 traffic circle.

The Khoja family kidnapping had a relatively happy ending when the mother and son were ultimately found and returned home safely. The two were discovered at Manamani outside Thohoyandou on Friday, 22 March. However, details of how they gained their freedom remain scarce as both the police and the family remain tight-lipped about the circumstances leading to their discovery.

For years, Pastor Godfrey Ndou has been observing revellers enjoying their beer at a local tavern in Shayandima. He would pass by, greet them, and invite them to come to his church, but only one or two would show up the following Sunday. After interacting with some, he discovered that they were hesitant to attend church for fear of being labelled as outcasts, and some cited a lack of suitable clothing as a barrier to attending.