Hundreds of angry protesters marched to the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday to hand a memorandum to the senior magistrate, to oppose the bail application of two traditional healers charged with the brutal ritual murder of the late Maanda Sendedza (25) of Makonde village.

The ritual murder drama continues to unfold as two more prominent local traditional healers were arrested and charged with murder during the weekend. The latest police breakthrough brings the number of traditional healers in police custody for ritual killing to four.

Plaaslike jong sportsensasie, Marli Knoetze, is genomineer as ‘n finalis vir Suid-Afrika se Sportvrou van die Jaar.

Die dorp het met hartseer verneem van die afsterwe van ‘n welbekende inwoner, Gordon Muirhead.

Die kwessie rondom die borsbeeld van Voortrekkerleier Louis Trichardt het hierdie week ‘n nuwe wending geneem toe aangekondig is dat die standbeeld tydelik in die munisipale biblioteek vertoon sal word.

In a major breakthrough, illegal Zimbabwean cigarettes with an estimated value of R20 million were discovered in three trucks at Beit Bridge last Saturday during a combined operation by SARS and the police.

Johan Furstenberg from Levubu proved to be ‘tough enough’ and was crowned Toyota’s Young Farmer of the Year for 2005 at a function held in Ermelo recently. The prize-giving took place in Ermelo because the 2004 winner hails from the district.

Chief Magistrate Sakkie Scheepers last week lashed out at the Makhado Municipality after the municipality brought an urgent application that the local magistrate and prosecutor should recuse themselves from the “painted statue” case.

Mnr. André Naudé, voorsitter van die Voorsittersvereniging (VV), het hom die afgelope week heftig uitgespreek teenoor die manier waarop die polisie die arrestasie van die 24-jarige Dieter Venter in verband met die verf van die standbeeld van Makhado hanteer het.

Die moord verlede Saterdag op mnr. Willie (Billy) Meyer van Vivo kon verhoed gewees het as die SAPD op Mara twee weke gelede die inbraak by sy huis ernstig opgeneem en moeite gedoen het om die skuldige te vang, sê mnr. Dries Joubert, voorsitter van die TLU SA Noord.

“As jy blank is, het jy moeilikheid!” So sê die 40-jarige mnr. Willie Erasmus, nadat hy en die 48-jarige mnr. Danie Deysel vir ‘n hele naweek lank op Dzanani toegesluit is op blote suspisie dat hulle moontlik betrokke sou wees by die omstrede verwery van padtekens en die standbeeld van Makhado.

Die dorp se omstrede naamsveranderingsage het laat Woensdagoggend ‘n dramatiese wending geneem.