police in Allanridge were called to the scene of a body found floating face-down in the Stink Dam officers retrieved the body of an African male blood stains were observed around his neck stated that an inquest docket has been opened for further investigation Authorities suspect the body had been in the water for an extended period The police are appealing to the public for assistance in identifying the deceased and locating his relatives Anyone with information is urged to contact Investigating Officer Sergeant Tshidiso Mabaso of the Allanridge Detective Services at 082 466 8193 located near the Nyakallong township in Allanridge has been a site of concern for the local community the dam has been associated with pollution issues primarily due to toxic liquid waste from nearby mining activities and municipal sewage systems Residents have reported health problems attributed to the dam’s contamination including respiratory issues and skin irritations The dam’s unpleasant odour has led to its colloquial name there have been previous incidents involving bodies found in the dam the bodies of a 27-year-old woman and her 7-month-old baby were discovered floating in the dam  These incidents have heightened community apprehensions regarding safety and environmental hazards associated with the dam 🔴Central News Weekly Edition 087🔴 Download the Latest Edition | Top Story: “Building ‘The Ngwathe We Want’:Dr Mothamaha Drives Cost-EffectiveSolutions with New Fleet Acquisitions” https://www.magzter.com/ZA/Central-News-Pty-Ltd/Central-News/Newspaper/All-Issues Central News also offers Sponsored Editorial Content To place your advert on our platforms (Print Newspaper or Digital Platforms) : Please email : sales@centralnews.co.za For Business Related:business@centralnews.co.za Newsroom:Send your Stories / Media Statements To: newsroom@centralnews.co.za Office Administrator:admin@centralnews.co.za Social Media Platforms (@centralnewsza) : Linkedin and website in this browser for the next time I comment Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio Life is unbearable for dozens of residents of the small town of Nyakallong in Allanridge in the Free State Daily Maverick visited the area which is about 32km from the province’s second-largest town It falls under one of five Lejweleputswa district municipalities – the Matjhabeng Local Municipality  advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The municipality is one of many struggling in the province according to the Auditor-General’s 2021/22 report which raised concerns about the municipality’s debt exceeding its assets by R8.4-billion Read more in Daily Maverick: AG slams failing Free State municipalities after no clean audit in 5 years The stench is so bad that residents have to keep their doors and windows locked all day This is the only road available for them to get to town Abandoned Nyakallong homes swimming in foul water Some had no choice but to leave their homes In December 2022 it was reported that the road would be fixed at a cost of R22-million work on the road was still under way despite expectations that it would be completed earlier We are forced to lock him inside the house because we are afraid he’ll run around and step on faeces Ntombizonke Leseke is one of many residents who are unemployed and relies on her husband to put food on the table For many years she had a small vegetable garden behind her house with cabbages and carrots which she would sometimes sell to neighbours to make a living Some Nyakalong houses are surrounded by contaminated water (Apple Maps) But she can’t do that anymore because contaminated water has filled part of the yard her husband and two children arrived here in 2010 they had no history of illness but have since been diagnosed with sinus problems “The smell is unbearable and there is no way to evade it It is slightly better when we keep the windows and doors closed every day,” she says Leseke’s troubles echo those of Mosele Katu, except that in the latter’s home the sewage water runs throughout the yard. One walks with caution to avoid stepping in the contaminated water that starts at her gate. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads According to her, the water suddenly started filling up in May 2021. This was exacerbated by heavy rains in September.  advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The vocal Katu said that after attempts to get answers about the source of the water a local councillor said it was coming from a nearby mine Daily Maverick was taken to the councillor’s house It is worth mentioning that his home too was awash with foul water For years Katu looked forward to raising her children and grandchildren in the family home “I have never thought that one day it would be like this.”   “We are no longer happy for the rain which is known to be a blessing from God… in fact a young child watched from behind a locked burglar door “We are forced to lock him inside the house because we are afraid he’ll run around and step on faeces.”    Leseke said that while she is able to control her two children’s movements, sometimes it is beyond her control.  advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “I think it is by the grace of God that no child has died from this water so far,” she said some residents pray while some sit anxiously “We are no longer happy for the rain which is known to be a blessing from God We don’t want it; in fact we pray it doesn’t rain because things will get worse for us,” she said Tshidi Lamela outside her home in Nyakallong The plight of another resident, Tshidi Lamela, is slightly worse. A neighbour had to move to relatives, leaving a home destroyed by water. Yet another neighbour was forced to abandon their home, which was flooded inside and outside.  advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads With her home being next to the two ruined houses “I cannot sleep when it rains because I think one day the water will come inside the house like they did with my neighbours and I might get swept away because I am old.”  Unlike her neighbours she cannot afford to relocate nor does she have extended family The three residents’ biggest concern now is death, since they would have to hire venues, which they cannot afford, or ask those not affected to open their homes for memorials and funeral services, which is taboo in most black communities.  advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Lamela’s neighbour could not be buried at home because contaminated water had filled the entire house.  Other events have been affected too. “We’ve had to cancel parties, unveiling ceremonies and everything else because you cannot have people come over in a place like this,” said Katu.   None of the three residents had information about the source of the water beyond the promises from officials, who visited the area in 2022, that they would be moved to temporary accommodation.   “They have been coming here with fancy cars, even MaNtombela (former premier Sisi Ntombela) came and promised us things until she was removed. We have never heard anything from the new premier.”   Daily Maverick approached the South African Human Rights Commission’s provincial manager, Thabang Kheswa, about the plight of the Nyakallong residents.    Kheswa said the commission was aware of the problem but not that it had become worse.    “That sounds a bit urgent. We might have to approach the high court on an urgent basis while we are looking at other options.”   The commission is one of a few institutions that can litigate on behalf of the people. It is able to enforce its reports through court orders when it feels its recommendations are not followed up.  Some residents in Nyakallong have abandoned their homes after they have been flooded by contaminated water. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla) Kheswa added that they were aware of other problems in the province.  The commission was planning a provincial investigative inquiry in the first quarter of the year, when municipalities would be called to testify about problems in their jurisdiction. The commission had over the years produced investigative reports on the long-standing issues, including the water crisis, but nothing had changed.   The metro [Mangaung] is a mess. The national government has intervened but we don’t see any improvement,” he said.     Lejweleputswa District Municipality mayor Veronica Ntakumbana confirmed that the water at the residents’ homes had become contaminated and that a plan had been put in place to move them to a different area. However, they were “stubborn”.   Ntakumbana said she had been to the area twice since taking up the position in 2021.  “We have approached the people there. What is difficult when you think about moving people from one area to another area, you know very well that our people have that [stubbornness] of saying ‘I grew up here’.   “The first phase of that area was to move them because that area is in water… the houses are already sinking in water, the water that is there is not ordinary, it is water with acid, the area is sinking down.   “We wanted to have an alternative place for the people, but people themselves are not interested in being moved – that is the crisis we are sitting with,” she said.  However, all the residents Daily Maverick spoke to had no knowledge of the information from the mayor.   Empty houses to accommodate residents of Nyakallong who are affected by overflowing sewer water. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla) One of the houses readied for residents forced out of their homes by contaminated water. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla) Among other issues, residents struggle with are crime and water scarcity. According to Katu, crime is rampant, mostly at night, and a lack of functional street lights makes things worse.   “We don’t walk around at night because it’s too dark and it’s easy for the young boys to chase and rob us. But even in our yards, they get in and take whatever they can find in order to go sell at a scrapyard.”    The residents also expressed dismay with water cuts which have been occurring for more than four years – between 10 and 15 hours at a time.   Leseke said: “The water can be cut from 10pm to 10am the next day, it’s a normal thing for us, now.”  Asked how they survived, she said: “We are used to it now.”   The accident-prone R30 road outside Allanridge in the Free State is still under construction. It was expected to be completed by 15 March 2023. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla) The R30 road outside Allanridge. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla) DA councillor Igor Scheurkogel lamented that R45.4-million in unspent infrastructure grants had been sent back to National Treasury.   “Yet, the municipality’s infrastructure has deteriorated to such an extent that water losses have gone up from 22% in 2019 to 56% every year. This is a loss of water to the value of R324-million per year, while communities are left without water for weeks on end,” he said.  “There is no shortage of funds to maintain municipal infrastructure. The ANC is incapable of governing the municipality and the daily water problems are a direct result of the ANC’s incompetence.” DM Watch out for publication of Part Two of this series, where we take a deeper dive into the state of affairs of the Lejweleputswa District Municipality. There is only one way out of this mess. Chase an incompetent president out of his job and vote the corrupt ANC out of power. The old age problem – no rates or service fees paid = no services delivered. I’m wondering what the Dutch did when they arrived with nothing in South Africa, worked the land, built communities and a sustainable economy? Hard work, effort and community involvement seemed to have paid off as there was no “government” with free handouts or even promises of hand outs apart from farming concessions to grow and provide food. It’s a really interesting comparison in my opinion! ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " It was described as Kariega’s Carnegie Hall because of its capacity to hold concerts and events but now the Allanridge Community Centre has become the target of vandals.And each week the state of the centre just becomes worse.. A subscription gives you full digital access to all our content Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@heraldlive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00 Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now Please read our Comment Policy before commenting The destruction of the Allan Ridge Community Hall in Kamesh highlights how urgent action is needed to restore the rule of law in the community and similar communities across South Africa was built in 1984 and hosted a number of community functions such as dances and prizegivings but has been destroyed since the Covid-19 pandemic When I visited the hall with ActionSA President we were shocked at the extent of the destruction of the historic hall which was referred to as the famous “Carnegie Hall” of the Eastern Cape is an empty shell of its former glory and is emblematic of the breakdown of the rule of law in communities across South Africa under the ruling party which is located across the road from the hall has apparently done nothing to stop the vandalism of the hall leaving the community defenceless to drug users former convicts and criminals who destroyed and stripped the hall to sell to scrap yards Repeated promises by politicians to fix the hall have also yielded no results even the sports facility adjacent to the destroyed community centre has been totally vandalised One of ActionSA’s core values at formation three years ago was ethical leadership and to restore the rule of law in communities in the Eastern Cape and across South Africa we must restore ethical leadership in our communities Our communities need to take ownership and civic responsibility for public property and protect it from criminal elements such as those that have destroyed the Allan Ridge Community Hall adopted at our inaugural policy conference in September we must ensure that our police and National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) are independent of political interference we will also abolish parole for serious crimes such as rape and murder to ensure that a life sentence means a lifetime in prison Prisoners will also contribute to society by working on State owned farms or on public-related projects and people will only be allowed to enter the country legally and they must adhere to our laws Those found guilty of breaking our laws will be prosecuted and deported ActionSA believes that the rule of law can be restored in South Africa but that would require voters to take action in the upcoming elections to remove the ruling party from power the ruling party has allowed South Africa to descend into lawlessness and ActionSA is committed to turning it around Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela visited Allanridge this week to inspect the R30 towards Bothaville The road has been closed "to prevent further loss of life" Farmers in the small town of Allanridge in the Free State are furious with government’s decision to close the R30 road while harvest season is in full swing The closure follows a visit by Premier Sefora Ntombela and members of her executive council on Wednesday (1 June) to conduct a site visit to the notorious road towards Bothaville without railing and flanked on either side by dam water has reportedly caused dozens of fatalities in recent months “I was informed that nearly 30 people have lost their lives so far… We have taken a decision to close the road to prevent further loss of lives,” Ntombela said The leadership of the province is appealing to motorists to avoid the road and to make use of alternative routes tells Food For Mzansi that closing the road was a senseless move that will have a negative impact on the agricultural sector and economy of the area “Closing the R30 at this stage would be very bad timing as harvesting is currently being done All farmers north of Allanridge would be cut off from Allanridge silo “Delivery to Odendaalsrus silo would be possible via the S86 but would be much further and more expensive because of fuel costs,” he explains about the extra 18 km of gravel road adding that it will cost precious travelling time too Free State Agriculture commercial manager Jack Armour agrees that the road closure is a huge inconvenience and says that farmers were not consulted about it beforehand He also does not believe that a bridge is the most cost-effective and safest solution which roads and transport MEC William Bulwane said engineers have recommended as a permanent solution No time frame for the reopening of the road has been given and a meeting has been called with the office of the premier officially about the consequences of closing the R30 The Free State government has recently come under more pressure from farmers and community members for the poor road infrastructure that was costing businesses in the area millions of rand A meeting between provincial government officials and FSA also did not result in solutions for fixing the province’s roads issues Vast kilometres of the province’s roads in rural and farming areas are in a dilapidated state and farmers have taken it upon themselves to fix it The MEC promised in the meantime to have the R34 fixed by 19 September 2022 “An appointed contractor will commence with phase two to rehabilitate the road Phase one [to determine the scope of the necessary work] has already been completed The project will cost R60 million,” he said ALSO READ: Road repairs: Farmers, NW govt sign official agreement Sign up for Mzansi Today: Your daily take on the news and happenings from the agriculture value chain Tshianeo Mathidi in Venda is cultivating more than just potatoes – he's growing back a family legacy.. With 21 global awards in the first six years of its existence Food For Mzansi is much more than an agriculture publication unashamedly saluting the unsung heroes of South African agriculture We believe in the power of agriculture to promote nation building and social cohesion by telling stories that are often overlooked by broader society Contact usOffice: +27 21 879 1824News: info@foodformzansi.co.zaAdvertising: sales@foodformzansi.co.za This article may contain graphic and/or adult content unsuitable for minors and sensitive readers The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has heeded the calls of residents in Kariega to address the continued vandalism of the town's iconic Allanridge Civic Centre That's after community members called for an urgent public meeting with Safety and Security MMC The hall became the target of vandals during the hard Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020 - despite it being located directly across from the Kamesh Police Station hundreds of events and concerts were hosted at the community hall which has the capacity to accommodate over 1 000 people Residents have now called on the Municipality to intervene as the vandalism has drastically increased over the past few months The adjoining library is possibly the worst affected with books strewn across the floor and thousands of bricks which use to make up the walls MMC Troon said political parties who are delaying the process of passing the Metro's R15 billion adjustment budget are not helping the situation.  An attempt to adopt the budget during a council meeting fell flat last week after 60 councillors from parties including the Democratic Alliance Troon said funds to hire private security to protect municipal buildings has been allocated in the budget but he could not say what the amount was Troon added that the community in the surrounding areas of Joe Slovo and Rosedale need to take responsibility and mobilise against criminal elements "It is so sad to see people complain to the media yet it is our people from our communities that do this," he said Troon initially said he would only attend the community meeting if a formal letter requesting his presence was written has since confirmed that the portfolio head will attend Ward said he was devastated by the destruction of the hall which was once a magical place He recalled attending his eldest daughter's Uitenhage Primary School debutante ball back in 1995 and her 21st birthday party which was held at the hall years later "It first breaks your heart and then anger creeps in because we have lost a community asset," he said Other community members who also attended functions at the venue over the years Ward said Infrastructure and Engineering MMC Stag Mitchell will also join the meeting and a date and time for the gathering will be communicated soon an exclusive podcast on the life of Vicki Terblanche Dive into the expansive world of motoring with Naresh Maharaj Join Mark Marshall as he shares his extraordinary encounters with everything from bees to reptiles i The section of contention on the R30 in the Free State Farmers in the Free State have welcomed the appointment of contractors to fix the R30 “death road” farmers who use the road as a strategic route for delivering their harvests to nearby silos and markets have complained about the poor condition of the road Part of the R30 has been officially closed since January 2022’s floods in the province warning signs and barriers were stolen and the road was used daily Embankments were later thrown across the road which cut off farmers from grain silos “The roads department has given permission to farmers to drive their tractors and trailers over the embankments in order to deliver their products,” said Uys van Heerden of Allanridge Agricultural Association nearly 25 people have lost their lives driving on the R30 And although Free State Agriculture (FSA) welcomes the eventual appointment of contractors many lives could have been saved if the government had stepped in earlier ALSO READ: ICYMI: Farmers and govt at loggerheads over R30 The R22 million contract will see the repair of a 300m stretch of the R30 work on the road was allegedly supposed to start from 20 November 2022 the road will have to be completely closed during the repair period Meanwhile FSA said it is concerned about the time-consuming process of hiring contractors 500 contractors applied for all the road tenders issued by the department and each of these must be physically approved by two committees This is further complicated by cumbersome empowerment requirements which in the past have caused cadre contractors “FSA’s position remains that we would prefer the strategically important R30 road from Virginia to Orkney to be taken over by Sanral which has a much better record of maintaining roads than the provincial department of roads,” said Armour ALSO READ: Agri leaders urge ANC to focus on key issues Sign up for Mzansi Today: Your daily take on the news and happenings from the agriculture value chain the Kroonstad Regional Court sentenced three thieves on eight counts of copper cable theft related charges The group was sentenced to a cumulative 244 years’ imprisonment for crimes committed from March until June 2017 two will effectively carry out 16 years’ imprisonment and the third accused will carry out 12 years’ The accused were involved in eight incidents where copper cable to the value of R115 500 was stolen from Eskom They were arrested on 04 June 2017 by Combined Private Investigations a private security company contracted by Eskom for several thefts of Eskom overhead copper conductors in the Kroonstad the accused were found in possession of copper cable belonging to Eskom the accused were suspects in other case dockets with similar offences which had been closed as undetected at the police stations Upon analysis of the accused cell phone records it was discovered that they are linked to various incidents of copper theft which had occurred in the Kroonstad The accused operated as a syndicate and are further linked to various crime scenes by cell phone records of the cell phones found in their possession at the time of arrest Eskom urges the public to report information regarding conductor theft to the Eskom Crime Line number: 0800 11 27 22 © 2025 Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd Reg No 2002/015527/30 All rights reserved  |  Terms of use Home | South Africa Free State MEC for Police, Roads and Transport William Bulwane says he has decided to close the R30 between Allanridge and Bothaville until there is a permanent solution Bulwane’s decision comes after six more people were killed on the road on Saturday This brings to 23 the number of people who have died on the R30 since the beginning of the year The waterlogged road has become a nightmare for motorists while the challenge is compounded by persistent downpours Bulwane’s decision is also informed by an alleged discovery that the water overflow is exacerbated by a burst pipe from a nearby mine He will meet with Harmony mine management and the leadership from Matjhabeng Local Municipality “I have instructed the department to close that road that road will be completely closed until we do something about it because it is now becoming a killer road for us in the province.” Harmony Mine in the Free State has denied claims that some of its water pipelines are causing waterlog on the road Harmony Mine spokesperson Sihle Maake says: “Harmony has no water pipeline within the R30 road and the operation in question is approximately six kilometres from where the affected road is The municipality has also used the waste rock or gravel to basically build the ramp on the R30 which has basically divided the flood area into two separate ponds on either side of the road We don’t have contributions to this whatsoever.”