have slammed the impounding of their vehicles over permit issues They say the police has been doing this since 2008 Secretary of the Ga-Rankuwa United Local and Long Distance Taxi Association says that despite an agreement with police to exempt local taxi operators from penalties several of their taxis were seized over the long weekend every time they come to us for a special operation but everything else we will be arrested for; we are fine with that came to Ga-Rankuwa and arrested 20 cars for lack of permits The manager says because they were not part of the agreement regarding permits they are not bound by it,” says Letlape At least five taxi drivers were shot at yesterday with rubber bullets and assaulted by police Two of them were arrested for allegedly inciting violence The taxi drivers claim their group has been unable to obtain permits for their vehicles for years due to concerns with Section 66 of the National Land Transport Act The taxi operators say they were peacefully protesting the impoundment of their vehicles when police officials opened fire on them a local taxi driver who witnessed the incident says they’ve had enough of being told to pay fines for missing permits “We needed for our voices to be heard We are tired of having our taxis seized by the police and being requested to pay a lot of money every week one of the taxi owners from the Ga-rankuwa United Local and Long Distance Taxi Association who was also present at the incident says some drivers required medical attention and that some of their vehicles were also damaged “One of the drivers was assaulted by police and he bled through his ears and is now limping as a result Another one was shot on his back with rubber bullets and they even nearly hit me too with the rubber bullets One taxi’s window was also shattered because they hit it with rubber bullets,” says Magagula He says it’s unfair that they were attacked when all they’re trying to do is put food on the families’ tables The taxi drivers protest comes as the country prepares to commemorate Workers Day on Thursday with some claiming that they should be appreciated for their contributions to the community as labourers rather than being restricted as if they are a distraction to society which employs Avanzas and Ventures to transport local commuters inside the township and it is costing them a lot of money just to get by “They only had specifications for long distance taxis We asked them to give us specifications for local cars because we can’t use Quantums for short distances around the township They then said the government doesn’t have specifications for local cars They even told us that they are just following the law and that they have to impound our cars due to lack of permits,” says Madumo He claims that the police officers who approached them claimed to be following Tshwane by-laws which they claim diverge from the national government’s legislation for public transport The drivers believe the police’s current behaviour is unconstitutional whose vehicle was confiscated while travelling with his wife and children has criticised the police for being reckless after leaving them on the street to find their way home who requested anonymity for fear of repercussions says he feels degraded following his ordeal yesterday Written by: Lindiwe Mabena Go back or visit Home Page An intelligence-driven operation has led to the arrest of three suspects aged between 34 and 57 for kidnapping and robbery in Tshwane District A collaborative effort between the police from Akasia and Ga-Rankuwa resulted in the successful rescue of a 50-year-old woman kidnapped in Ga-Rankuwa on 31 March 2025 The victim's son reported her missing and it was later discovered that funds were withdrawn from the victim's bank account Police investigations led to two suspects at a house in Karen Park She was rescued and provided medical treatment before being reunited with her family Police further recovered a white Polo vehicle that was allegedly used in the kidnapping The three suspects are expected to appear before the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrates Court soon Gauteng police management has commended the swift response of the members which led to the successful rescue of the victim and the arrest of the suspects General Enquiries newsfiles@gcis.gov.za Tel: 012 473 0213Editor Roze Britz roze@gcis.gov.za News Editor Janine Arcangeli janine@gcis.gov.zaEditor-in-Chief Zanele Mngadizanelemngadi@gcis.gov.za  Home » News » South Africa By Oratile Mashilo Ga-Rankuwa residents were left without access to healthcare services for hours on Monday after heavy rains flooded the Phedisong 4 clinic caused water to seep into the facility through the doors According to the Gauteng Department of Health the facility was closed for three hours on Monday to allow for a cleanup ALSO READ: WATCH: Tornado leaves a trail of destruction in Tshwane as rain persists Images and reports of the incident surfaced on social media showing the extent of the flooding inside the clinic Speaking to The Citizen on Wednesday, department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba stated that operations resumed on the same day “There was diversion of emergency clients to Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital and facility referrals by medical staff to ensure continuity of quality healthcare,” he said ALSO READ: VIDEO: Massive sinkhole spreading in Centurion The weekend’s heavy rains also led to significant damage across Tshwane The new sinkhole appeared on the corner of Van Riebeeck and Trichardt streets it caused the house boundary wall and part of the front yard to collapse Ward councillor Johan van Burren confirmed that the ground gave way on Saturday There are concerns that the sinkhole may collapse at any moment since secondary fissures have appeared around it Last week another hole formed on DF Malan Avenue City of Tshwane MMC for corporate and shared services Kholofelo Morodi last week led a tour and assessment of the five largest sinkholes in Centurion Morodi said the situation demanded urgent action and the administration had begun to implement a comprehensive plan to restore and protect the region Additional reporting by Marizka Coetzer NOW READ: Sinkholes and fallen trees cause havoc in Tshwane It was a busy day on Thursday afternoon outside the Ga-Rankuwa north of Pretoria house of the late author medical doctor and political commentator Dr Gomolemo Moake Residents of Ga-Rankuwa Zone 1 gathered outside Mokae’s house on More Street on Thursday afternoon to pay their last respects to the late author whose decomposed body was found in his house on Wednesday night Gauteng police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said police are investigating a case of murder “A case of murder is opened for further investigations after the body of a 61-year-old man was found decomposed in his house at Ga-Rankuwa on 5 March 2025 The circumstances surrounding the incident and cause of death are subject to police investigations,” said Nevhuhulwi Sunday World visited Mokae’s house in Ga-Rankuwa there were a group of men seated on chairs and having light conversations Inside the yard a group of men dressed in blue overalls were busy cutting down a tree with a chain saw Countless packed chairs were also seen in the yard When Sunday World approached Mokae’s neighbours for comment about what happened to him They told this newspaper to “wait for the family to speak officially” about the matter The neighbours said Mokae’s family members were not present at his house They would only be available to speak on Friday He was the last of eight children born of a Methodist minister Reverend Modisagarekwe Michael and Lotlamoreng Elizabeth Mokae His parents’ migrant missionary life took him across Limpopo Province Mokae’s tertiary education was acquired at the University of Natal Medical School Mokae thereafter served his internship at Baragwanath Hospital (now Chis Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital) He later started a general practice in Soweto before moving on to Ga-Rankuwa Mokae was an ardent and active promoter of African languages He had numerous literary works published and television dramas broadcast The secret in my bosom and Nnete ke serunya Lisenethini – It’s a goaland and The secret in my bosom Mokae has received numerous honours for his literary works and social activism The African Achievers’ Award from Ekhaya Foundation Maskew-Miller-Longman’s African Heritage Literary Award The Nation-Builder Award from Batho Batsho Bakopane (“B3”) The latter was for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts and Humanities from the University of Natal In 2003, Vista University awarded him an honorary doctorate for his literary works. Also for his political and social activism. The following year, the institution conferred on him a scholastic Ph.D. for this biographical study of former ANC guerrilla Robert McBride Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Tel: +27 11 268 6300 Fundudzi Media (Pty) Ltd. All rights reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms & conditions and privacy policy. President Cyril Ramaphosa has been saddened by the violent death of renowned medical doctor, author and black consciousness intellectual and activist Dr Gomolemo Mokae. Dr Mokae, 61, was found dead in his Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria, home on Wednesday, 05 March 2025, after he had last been seen on February 28. President Ramaphosa offers his deep condolences to the family, friends, neighbours, patients and comrades of Dr Mokae who was a former national spokesperson of the Azanian People’s Organisation and a founder member of the Socialist Party of Azania. In addition to his medical practice, Dr Mokae published several books and wrote for television as a proud exponent of his mother tongue, Setswana. President Ramaphosa offers his condolences as well to the family, friends and fellow activists of Gqeberha-based whistleblower and gender activist Ms Pamela Mabini, 46, who was shot outside her home on Friday, 7 March. President Ramaphosa said: “The brutality inflicted on Dr Mokae and Pam Mabini – and recently, Imam Muhsin Hendricks – demonstrate that violent criminals have no regard for the lives of South Africans, including selfless and caring citizens who become known publicly for the contributions they make to the upliftment and protection of fellow citizens. “Dr Mokae, who had spent many years caring for patients in Ga-Rankuwa was experiencing health problems of his own when he was shot in his bed. “Pam Mabini stood up for women who experienced gender-based violence and made her mission to ensure the police and our courts brought perpetrators to justice. “Their deaths and those of all victims of violence must move communities to work together more closely as citizens and in partnership with the police to prevent violence and to identify perpetrators in instances where attacks result. “I call on anyone who has information about any criminal activity – including these current cases – to play your role in making South Africa safer by sharing information with the police or community police forums. “All of us look forward to law enforcement agencies playing their role in bringing violent criminals to book.” Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za In South Africa, youth experience challenges with oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) access and uptake. Taking services out of healthcare settings has the potential to increase reach and overcome these challenges. This paper presents young and older people's preferences for decentralized, simplified PrEP service delivery and new long-acting HIV prevention methods, in Ga-Rankuwa, South Africa. Providing long-acting PrEP methods through decentralized, simplified service delivery was appealing to this population. They provided practical locations for decentralized service provision to potentially increase their engagement with and uptake of HIV prevention and SRH services. Adolescent Reproductive Health and Well-being Volume 4 - 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/frph.2022.1081049 This article is part of the Research TopicHighlights in HIV and STIs 2022/23View all 6 articles youth experience challenges with oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) access and uptake Taking services out of healthcare settings has the potential to increase reach and overcome these challenges This paper presents young and older people's preferences for decentralized simplified PrEP service delivery and new long-acting HIV prevention methods both PrEP user and non-user adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) and men who have sex with men (MSM) were recruited to participate in focus group discussions (FDGs) in Ga-Rankuwa potential acceptability of long-acting HIV prevention products and digital tools to facilitate access to PrEP and other SRH services A qualitative approach using inductive thematic analysis was carried out to explore emerging themes on decentralized simplified delivery and the acceptability of long-acting methods Results: Of the 109 participants included in the study approximately 45% (n = 50) were female the median age was 23 years ± 5.3 A third (n = 37) were current or previous PrEP users 59.5% (n = 22) collected PrEP refills from the clinic simplified service delivery was appealing; health facilities pharmacies and institutions of learning were preferred as service points for PrEP and SRH services and recreational spaces preferred for dissemination of health information and engagement ABYM were more open to having recreational spaces as service points Long-acting Cabotegravir was preferred over the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring due to concerns around perceived side-effects Conclusion: Providing long-acting PrEP methods through decentralized simplified service delivery was appealing to this population They provided practical locations for decentralized service provision to potentially increase their engagement with and uptake of HIV prevention and SRH services need to provide these populations with easily accessible HIV prevention services We carried out formative research in Ga-Rankuwa, Gauteng, South Africa with two aims. Firstly, to refine our design of decentralized, simplified service delivery utilizing the hub and spoke concept as the foundation (47) is supported by a range of additional community service points for the provision of PrEP and SRH services (spokes) we sought to examine end-users' preferences for existing and new long-acting HIV prevention and PrEP methods to simplify PrEP delivery The aims of this formative study are important in preparation for expanding services and access to PrEP products Findings from this formative research will provide insights into the acceptability of decentralized and simplified health service points for PrEP and SRH delivery and provide data on acceptability of new long-acting HIV prevention methods Ga-Rankuwa has three primary health clinics and one community healthcare centre Oral PrEP is currently available in two of these primary health clinics The study employed purposive sampling to identify the populations of interest. Purposive sampling is the deliberate selection of study participants based on the qualities they possess (55). To recruit female participants, we layered with an existing PrEP implementation programme (Project PrEP1) identifying those who had consented to participate in their research related activities aged 15 −29 years was generated from Project PrEP's database and the majority of the ABYM a different recruitment strategy was needed They were recruited through community outreach Participants were eligible if they resided in Ga-Rankuwa at the time of the study and/or Tswana; willing to provide written informed consent or assent and parental/guardian consent if younger than 18 years The list included people who were current PrEP users The PrEP user's category enabled us to look at actual experiences with these services PrEP non-user's participants were considered eligible for PrEP services providing information on perceived experiences with these services All potential participants were contacted telephonically or approached by trained study fieldworkers The fieldworkers explained the study and assessed their eligibility they were then invited to participate in the study Two semi-structured FGD guides were developed: one for PrEP non-user participants and one for PrEP users The aim was to capture differences between PrEP non-users and PrEP users in relation to their experiences views on long-acting methods and PrEP decision-making The PrEP users' FGD guide assessed their journey and the challenges they may have experienced while using PrEP whilst the PrEP non-users FGD guide examined their knowledge and theoretical acceptability of oral PrEP Both guides sought to understand their opinions and beliefs around the best ways to receive SRH and HIV prevention services The guides further sought to assess the preferences for a decentralized simplified service delivery for PrEP and SRH services providing PrEP and SRH services to potential end users and its footprint expanded through community services points places where potential end users congregate (such as hair salons the service points that were presented to the participants were a hospital The service points were identified and selected through prior engagements and end user surveys where end user's reported socializing Decentralized and simplified service delivery points were presented to the study participants to facilitate a discussion both guides sought to assess the potential acceptability of long-acting HIV-prevention methods the participants were given a brief description of the new long-acting HIV prevention methods (DVR and LA-CAB) including the mode of delivery and frequency of administration and the advantages and disadvantages associated with each method The long-acting cabotegravir injection can be taken by both males and females while the DVR can only be used by females and those assigned female at birth both guides sought to examine the potential acceptability of demand creation and digital innovations which could facilitate access to information and services study procedures including human research ethics Following one of the FGD's with PrEP non-user ABYM we realized that the audio quality of the FGD recording was inadequate The same participants were called and invited to participate in a repeat FGD therefore 22 FGDs were completed but only 21 transcripts have been included in the analysis Participants completed a short COVID-19 screening form prior to entering the FGD venue (a large church hall in Ga-Rankuwa) collecting demographic information and data on their use and experience of PrEP social media use and other digital innovations A second fieldworker took notes during the FGDs but participants were encouraged to keep what was discussed in the group confidential in participants' preferred language (Setswana The FGDs were audio-recorded on a digital recorder Participants were assigned a unique number to ensure anonymity when identifying themselves for the audio recording Two analysis workshops were held where four research team members (PM The first round of codes was created through open coding of 2 transcripts during the workshop these codes were further organized into 18 main codes The remaining 19 transcripts were divided among and coded by two research team members (PM and NM) the 18 main codes were further grouped into five major themes ‘Dissemination of information’ ‘Decentralized and simplified service delivery to facilitate access to services’ ‘Acceptability of long-acting methods’ and ‘Digital tools.’ However ‘decentralized and simplified service delivery to facilitate access to services’ and ‘acceptability of long-acting methods’ Ethics approval for the study was granted by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the University of the Witwatersrand (#M210107) Written informed consent/assent was sought from participants before all FGDs as well as permission to audio-record the discussions and provided their parents/guardians phone numbers to the fieldworkers Parents/guardians of interested minors were contacted telephonically by fieldworkers and informed about the study Willing parents/guardians gave verbal consent for the minors’ participation in the study A total of 109 participants were recruited (45.9% female, 49.5% male, and 4.8% who identified as ‘Other’). Table 2 provides a description of the participants' demographic characteristics The median age of the participants was 23 years ± 5.3 Over half of female participants were aged 18–24 years (58.0%) there was an equal split between those aged 18–24 years and 25–29 years (42.6% each) just over a third of all participants (33.9%) had ever used PrEP higher among females (38.0%) than males (29.6%) PrEP was predominantly collected from a public health clinic (59.5%) followed by mobile outreach services (35.1%) and from private projects/organizations (2.7%) participants were in favor of decentralized and simplified service delivery noting the benefits and challenges of providing PrEP and SRH services at each of the presented service points There was no consensus on which service points the participants preferred the most The views on each service point are presented in turn below: The integration of PrEP services with family planning and other SRH related services was preferred by all participants as this would encourage participants to access holistic prevention services and would reduce the number of clinic visits and money spent on transportation: There were a variety of service delivery characteristics that AGYW thought would encourage them to access healthcare services at clinics and pre-packaged medication (which would reduce time spent in facilities) Participants had mixed views about the local police station as a service delivery point A few noted that they would not mind receiving SRH and PrEP services at the police station and noted safety and accessibility as reasons for this The police station was also viewed as a place of respect and dignity Some participants stated that using the local police station as a service point removed the element of privacy and discretion they would want when accessing services They also believed that the police officers would foster and perpetuate PrEP related stigma in the community they were open to considering it if there was a private consultation room There were no differences between AGYW and ABYM preferences for police stations as service delivery points AGYW and female sex workers stated that places like pubs and eateries would not work as service points because of lack of privacy They further stated that they feared being judged by patrons if seen accessing PrEP and SRH services at these service points: They were also concerned about safety and confidentiality at a pub stating that intoxicated pub-goers will be disruptive towards the healthcare providers and clients seeking PrEP and SRH services Distance was also noted as a reason against pubs as service points especially among participants who lived far from the pub on the decentralized and simplified service delivery model a few AGYW and MSM participants described pubs as inappropriate for receiving PrEP services because pub goers are there to have fun and drink alcohol and won’t want to be told about PrEP one MSM participant expressed that providing self-care products such as lubricants at pubs may draw their attention and encourage their engagement with PrEP and SRH services “I feel that if maybe you are at certain it's a PrEP paper [paper bag] maybe you…maybe put in 4 lubes I know that I don’t have lube…Guys also like lube Which guy doesn’t like lube?… So you have given us a nice small package friend and we’ll be there.” (MSM Most ABYM participants were more open to the idea of using pubs and eateries as service delivery points compared with AGYW One participant believed that there won’t be any judgement or stigma at the pub because everyone will be there to enjoy themselves and mind their own business some participants suggested that pubs and local eateries be used to distribute information on PrEP and SRH services and as PrEP pick-up points MSM and ABYM were open to the park acting as a service delivery point It was noted that parks are good places to access young people They further stated that having events at the park targeted at educating the community on PrEP and SRH services would attract potential end users the issue of safety at parks was raised by AGYW participants with some stating that “It is not safe” (AGYW AGYW stated that this could be mitigated if a mobile van and security were provided Participants had mixed views about having the local university and secondary schools as service delivery points The majority of participants felt universities would be acceptable because they believed that they won’t be judged or stigmatized They described the university students as understanding and mature and believed that they too will benefit from the PrEP and SRH services female sex workers and MSM were accepting of secondary schools as service delivery points They felt that secondary schools were safe because: Older participants also suggested that all schools in Ga-Rankuwa be considered as service points because every zone has a school They believed that this would ensure that everyone has easy access to PrEP and SRH services and will not need to travel to collect PrEP They felt that they would be less likely to experience judgement or stigma in these environments because secondary school children were too young to understand the services they would be seeking younger AGYW and ABYM participants were concerned about lack of privacy stigma and judgement at the secondary schools They feared that if seen accessing PrEP and SRH services security guards and students would judge them The majority of participants liked the idea of having local pharmacies as service delivery points They also suggested using private pharmacies at the local shopping complex as places to collect their medication and get multi-month dosing Participants described pharmacies as convenient g) Additional service delivery points and suggestions most participants suggested that the community service points should be private Participants suggested additional possible service delivery points community-based organizations (CBO's) They suggested that local libraries and churches be used for sharing information on PrEP and SRH services community centers and brothels (specific to FSW) be used for providing PrEP and SRH services Participants were excited about the prospect of having multiple PrEP methods to choose from Most of the participants believed that the long-acting methods would reduce time spent at clinics as they would remove the burden of taking a pill daily (as with oral PrEP) The participants emphasized that their potential uptake of the long-acting methods would be based on their personal preference and perceived effectiveness of the methods Their preference was largely based on continuation No distinct gendered differences were observed and concerns of the DVR and LA-CAB are detailed below: Most AGYW and all the pregnant AGYW and female sex worker participants stated that they would not use the DVR because of the perceived side effects: and false concerns related to misunderstandings of their anatomy “What if it goes to your womb?” (AGYW A few ABYM participants were also worried about perceived side effects particularly pain during sexual intercourse and low efficacy of the DVR: “Eventually at the end she will say “ah my guy I’m no longer enjoying sex” then it will become a problem the relationship will be somehow.” (ABYM Some AGYW and female sex worker participants also had concerns about the impact of everyday use of the DVR using the ring during menstruation and vaginal hygiene They also expressed concerns around the possibility of the ring being felt during sexual intercourse with one participant stating that; “Coz you know those things right they can be felt in here (referring to the vagina) And then when you start being intimate with someone they will feel that thing and it hurts them.” (Female sex worker The participants were also concerned that the ring will be invasive and that they might feel discomfort or pain while inserting it Most of the participants stated that LA-CAB would be accepted by potential end users and the larger community because of their familiarity with the injectable contraceptive the LA-CAB as an injectable was preferred “Injection is better” (Pregnant AGYW PrEP non-user) to the oral pill because it 1) eliminates burden of daily pill taking 2) ensures continuation because participants will not forget to take pills a few AGYW noted that they would not opt for LA-CAB because they feared that they would experience similar side-effects to the injectable contraceptive such as menstruation cessation and weight gain Despite participants' enthusiasm about the long-acting methods some participants stated a preference for alternative prevention methods One PrEP non-user ABYM said he preferred the oral pill instead of LA-CAB because he feared injections and advised that future biomedical inventions should consider developing a once monthly oral PrEP pill as it would be more convenient and reduce the pill-taking burden An ABYM participant in a sero-discordant relationship stated that he preferred the daily oral PrEP pills because they did not use condoms He noted that taking a daily pill is a constant reminder to prevent HIV transmission and that by taking a pill everyday he could support his partner who was on ART A few AGYW participants indicated they would be interested in a multipurpose prevention technology that would prevent HIV and other STI's: This study sought to assess the acceptability of decentralized simplified PrEP and SRH service delivery and to explore the range of additional non-facility service delivery sites and user provider interfaces This study also sought to examine potential end users' preferences for existing and new long-acting HIV prevention and PrEP methods as a means to simplify PrEP delivery The integration of PrEP and SRH services was valued by participants as this may reduce transport cost and minimize the number of clinic visits all participants were accepting of decentralized and simplified service delivery They shared the pros and cons of each service point and there was no consensus on which service points sub-groups preferred the most They welcomed the prospect of having more PrEP methods to choose from in the future LA-CAB was preferred over the DVR among most cis women Decentralized and simplified service delivery points should be tailored to also be male-friendly Other service delivery points suggested by participants included the local libraries Despite having a range of participant groups represented in this research there was no group consensus around a specific preferred service delivery point: this highlights the need for a range of service points to meet the needs of a variety of populations and effective use of HIV prevention and SRH services among target populations Decentralizing and simplifying PrEP and SRH services by providing services outside the traditional healthcare setting will bring services closer to clients and has the potential to increase access to and engagement with end users service orientation and delivery cannot be considered homogenous Different population groups have different needs and preferences; therefore they need service delivery options that provide integrated services and fit their preferences and lifestyle Addressing concerns of the DVR through counselling and sex positive messaging could improve its potential acceptability among cis women A variety of engagement and education strategies with potential users partners and key gate keepers are also critical to the uptake and effective use of any HIV prevention methods increased choice in HIV prevention methods allows the end user to choose a method that meets their needs and suits their lifestyle Providing a variety of long-acting PrEP methods has the potential to increase access to prevention services SN conducted data coding and preparation of the manuscript analysis and preparation of the manuscript MM assisted with data analysis and preparation of the manuscript All the authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version This work was supported in whole by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation [INV-022667] Under the grant conditions of the Foundation a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Generic License has already been assigned to the Author Accepted Manuscript version that might arise from this submission The findings and conclusions contained within this study are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation We are grateful to the study participants for their valuable contribution to this research We appreciate the dedication of the fieldworkers who recruited study participants conducted the FGD's and transcribed the recordings We are thankful to Northern Hope Foundation for assisting us with recruiting study participants The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher funded by Unitaid and led by Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute is an AGYW-focused implementation science project seeking to inform the introduction and integration of oral PrEP as part of combination HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health services in South Africa Approval for the implementation of this study was received from the Wits Human Research Ethics Committee (M180860) 1. 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Accepted: 16 December 2022;Published: 9 January 2023 © 2023 Mataboge, Nzenze, Mthimkhulu, Mazibuko, Kutywayo, Butler, Naidoo and Mullick. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited in accordance with accepted academic practice distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms *Correspondence: Paballo Mataboge cG1hdGFib2dlQHdyaGkuYWMuemE= Specialty Section: This article was submitted to Adolescent Reproductive Health and Well-being a section of the journal Frontiers in Reproductive Health Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish A 36-year-old female patient at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital in Ga-Rankuwa She was found hanging by a cellphone charger cable on Monday afternoon Acting Gauteng health department spokesperson Khutso Rabothata confirmed the matter He said the patient was admitted at the hospital on Saturday in ward 37 Rabothata said two nurses found the patient’s body inside a bathroom around 1pm on Monday afternoon ­“The Gauteng department of health (GDoH) is deeply saddened by the tragic passing of a 36-year-old female patient at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital The patient had been admitted to the hospital on 21 September 2024 and was receiving care in the hospital’s ward 37 a nurse making her rounds noticed that a bathroom door was locked ­“After knocking several times without response she requested assistance from another nurse The two nurses forcefully opened the door and devastatingly discovered the patient hanging by a cellphone charger cable inside Immediate efforts to resuscitate her were undertaken And a doctor was called to the scene and subsequently certified her dead,” said Rabothata He said police are investigating the incident who were deeply affected by this traumatic experience The SAPS has been informed and is currently investigating the matter GDoH extends its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased during this difficult time The department remains committed to providing compassionate and safe health care It will continue to work toward preventing such incidents from occurring in the future,” said Rabothata a 35-year-old female patient  died after a tragic fire broke out at the facility The incident happened at the Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital’s psychiatric ward said the patient was admitted on June 20 2024 she was put in a seclusion room on Monday (June 24 2024) a little fire and smoldering smoke emerged from the seclusion chamber,” said Modiba Modiba said the safety and well-being of the patients were secured and protected right away the patient in the seclusion room sustained fatal injuries This despite the fire being swiftly contained and put out by the fire department Seventeen other patients in the psychiatric unit were successfully evacuated Modiba said they were temporarily relocated to a different wing of the psychiatric department Modiba said the incident was reported to the police for further investigation He said families of the 17 patients safely evacuated from the fire were given counselling Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms & conditions and privacy policy Home | South Africa say the construction and refurbishment of a multi-million-rand shopping mall in the township seems far from complete The project was initiated by the Public Investment Corporation on behalf of the Government Employees Pension Fund in 2019 Residents say the project has stalled due to challenges with the previous contractor and the construction mafia who have demanded a share of the project about 183 infrastructure and construction projects worth over R60 billion have been affected by the construction mafia in the country Residents have called on government to intervene “I think the government need to take the effort and be on the ground establishing crime intelligence task team to deal with such situations that we are facing as South Africans Because most constructions even take over five years you will find that the project is supposed to take two years but with shady deals it takes over the period of the contractual details.” Meanwhile, the Durban-based business forum, Amadela ngo-kubona has fingered politicians as being behind the construction mafia. The group has been linked to disruptions and attacks on workers in major construction sites. But it denies any involvement with gangs who’ve been using mafia-style tactics to demand contracts from construction companies in KwaZulu-Natal. Image: Facebook Gauteng police are investigating a case of murder after the decomposed body of medical doctor and author Dr Gomolemo Mokae was found at his house in Ga-Rankuwa “A case of murder is opened for further investigations after the body of a 61-year-old man was found decomposed in his house at Ga-Rankuwa on March 5,” said Gauteng police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi The circumstances surrounding the incident and cause of death are subject to police investigations Mokae was an active promoter of African languages, with a few novels under his belt such as Masego, Kaine le Abele and Nnete ke serunya. He also authored a book about Robert McBride called Robert McBride: A Coloured Life Among some of the accolades he received for his work are a Multi-linguist Award from the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) for promoting the use of indigenous languages in South African literature In 2003 the then Vista University awarded him with an honorary doctorate for his literary works and for his political and social activism The following year the institution conferred on him a scholastic PhD for his biographical work on McBride SowetanLIVE Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now Please read our Comment Policy before commenting Renowned medical doctor and black consciousness activist Dr Gomolemo Mokae was shot dead in his bed Ramaphosa said Mokae’s decomposed body was found in his Ga-Rankuwa Mokae (61) was last seen alive on February 28 and was subsequently murdered “President Cyril Ramaphosa has been saddened by the violent death of renowned medical doctor and black consciousness intellectual and activist Dr Gomolemo Mokae,” said Vincent Magwenya “Dr Mokae was found dead in his Ga-Rankuwa after he had last been seen on February 28 “President Ramaphosa offers his deep condolences to the family who was a former national spokesperson of the Azanian People’s Organisation and a founder member of the Socialist Party of Azania “In addition to his medical practice Dr Mokae published several books and wrote for television as a proud exponent of his mother tongue Ramaphosa said the brutality inflicted on Mokae and Pam Mabini — and recently Imam Muhsin Hendricks — demonstrates that violent criminals have no regard for the lives of South Africans including selfless and caring citizens who become known publicly for the contributions they make to the upliftment and protection of fellow citizens The Gqeberha-based whistleblower and gender activist Mabini (46) who was shot and killed outside her home on Friday played a crucial role supporting victims in the Timothy Omotoso alleged rape and trafficking case was shot and killed execution-style in Gqeberha in February who had spent many years caring for patients in Ga-Rankuwa was experiencing health problems of his own when he was shot in his bed “Their deaths and those of all victims of violence must move communities to work together more closely as citizens and in partnership with the police to prevent violence and to identify perpetrators in instances where attacks result.”  Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said police are investigating a case of murder in connection with Mokae’s death “A case of murder is opened for further investigations after the body of a 61-year-old man was found decomposed in his house at Ga-Rankuwa on 5 March 2025,” said Nevhuhulwi “The circumstances surrounding the incident and cause of death are subject to police investigations.”  residents of Ga-Rankuwa Zone 1 gathered outside Mokae’s house on More Street to pay respects to the late author Mokae’s funeral service will take place at Thabong Lodge in Ga-Rankuwa Zone 3 on Tuesday He will be buried at Kgabalatsane Cemetery in Ga-Rankuwa Thabiso Goba8 July 2024 | 4:00Tshwane municipality counting losses in revenue collected at landfill sitesThe municipality has lost at least R29 million in the last decade.City of TshwaneJacaranda trees in the City of Tshwane. Picture: South African Tourism/Flickr PRETORIA - The capital city currently has four landfill sites that are active: Hatherley, Ga-Rankuwa, Bronkhorstspruit and Soshanguve.  A recent report tabled to council showed the municipality is not getting as much money as it should from the sites. For the 2022/23 financial year, the projected revenue from the landfill was R114 million. However, the actual revenue collected was R85 million, leaving a variance of over R29 million.  “The income realised for previous financial years could be increased if the landfill operations were equipped with proper infrastructure such as weighbridges to support rigorous collection of billing data,” the report stated. There are a number of other reasons the capital city is losing revenue on its landfill sites. Several council reports have cited an outdated billing system, poor security and non-operational weighbridge amongst others. Ziyanda Zwane, Tshwane MMC for environment and Agriculture Management, said the city is working on digitising its systems, which will improve revenue collection. “Currently we are using a manual system as is highlighted on the report. On the manual system, we are making sure that our city contractors, when they submit invoices, we recover all the landfill fees before we pay them what they invoice, and also on our private customers, we have a manual system that captures the amount of waste they are bringing in and then we are sending them bills,” he said.  The municipality also generates a stop list every month, which has details of private clients who owe the city and must not be allowed to dispose waste until they have settled their accounts. However, a much more pressing concern for the municipality will be its weighbridges that Zwane said have not been working for about a decade, resulting in significant revenue loss for the city. A weighbridge is used to measure the weight of a vehicle and its contents. At landfill sites, weighbridges play a crucial aspect at determining how much a customer should be charged for the waste they are carrying. A report recently presented to the Tshwane council has cited vandalism and a lack of infrastructure maintenance as the main reasons behind the weighbridges not working. In the absence of a weighbridge, the municipality has been charging its customers based on the maximum capacity each vehicle can carry. However, as the report states, this is not an accurate measure of weight, as most customers usually pack more waste than their vehicles are regulated to carry. Zwane, said this also works the other way, where the city is paying contractors more money than the waste they collected. “What is more important about them working actually is we are able to measure the amount of waste we are managing in the landfill so the reporting is accurate. Number two, we are able to plan in terms of budgeting in that this is the amount of waste we are receiving, and we need to budget this much so that we are to upkeep the landfill,” he said. Without giving an actual number, Zwane said the city was planning on repairing a few weighbridges this financial year. However, the cash-strapped municipality will have to fork out about R17.6 million rand to fix its landfill weighbridges The report estimated R4.4 million would be needed for the repair and upgrades of each weighbridge at the landfill site.  Zwane said the municipality is working on finding the money. “It’s an ongoing engagement and we are promising to find a budget in these coming financial years to solve the issue,” he said. For this current financial year, the municipality has set aside R5.2 million for repairs at landfill sites. Another issue for the municipality is the growing number of waste pickers at its landfill sites, which has compromised the security and infrastructure. The report recently said the capital city’s four landfill sites all suffer from “excessive vandalism” along its parameters. This has led to unauthorised entry of persons and waste into the sites, resulting in revenue loss for the city.  Sections Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio Lerato Mohlamme called her mother pleading to be removed from the Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital in Ga-Rankuwa She was admitted on Thursday, 20 June, and on Monday, 24 June, died in a fire that engulfed a section of the hospital.  advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The 35-year-old mental health patient from Makau in Ga-Rankuwa had been placed in a seclusion room as part of her prescribed treatment according to Gauteng provincial health spokesperson Motalatale Modiba “Immediate actions were taken to safeguard the safety and wellbeing of patients The fire was quickly contained and extinguished by the fire brigade but unfortunately the patient in the seclusion room sustained fatal injuries,” said Modiba The 17 other patients in the unit were evacuated and temporarily relocated to a different wing of the psychiatric department The Mohlamme family is considering suing the hospital should it not take full responsibility “Their negligence has caused us so much pain traumatised and with a lot of questions which have not been answered,” Lerato’s mother Perhaps she would still be alive if they did not lock her up “I did not send my daughter to hospital for her to be killed. The hospital must take full responsibility and assist us with the burial. We were not expecting this, and I do not have any money to bury her.”    advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The hospital’s CEO, Dr Fhatuwani Mbara, told Newzroom Afrika that Lerato Mohlamme “was quite aggressive — mentally we did everything in our power to assist her.”  The cause of the fire has not yet been determined Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital on 12 June 2020 in Pretoria The hospital’s chief director of occupational health and safety said a committee would be set up to investigate the fire “There is nothing she would not do for children; she enjoyed assisting them with homework and just playing around with them.”  Both Mohlamme’s children have been informed about her death only my mom is missing — when is she coming from hospital?”   because I am too old?” asked Mohlamme’s mother Her sister Molebogeng said: “We are in deep pain. We cannot bury my sister without all the answers. We need to know what happened because the condition in which her body was in was too heartbreaking.”advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Mohlamme had graduated with a diploma in marketing and her last job was as an assistant at an old age home City of Tshwane Emergency Services spokesperson Thabo Mabaso said firefighters arrived on the scene to find that hospital staff had already extinguished the fire using portable fire extinguishers. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “A female patient aged 35 suffered burns inside the ward and She was declared dead by a medical doctor on the scene,” said Mabaso Daily Maverick reported that patients had died at the hospital because vital CT scans could not be done as machines had broken down and management had failed to renew maintenance contracts Read more in Daily Maverick: Doctor blows whistle on CT scanner disaster at major state hospital  The EFF has expressed concern about the conditions at the psychiatric ward. “Overcrowding, inadequate bedding and patients forced to sleep on the floor due to resources shortage are troubling signs of systemic failures and a disregard for human rights,” said the EFF’s provincial chairperson, Nkululeko Dunga. DM ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " PRETORIA - Using illegal electricity connections has become the only option to keep the lights on for hundreds of informal dwellers in Ga-Rankuwa, north of Pretoria.  Community members at the Bringa Ville squatter camp in Zone 21 told Eyewitness News that they pay R170 per month to keep their homes lit, via middlemen who make it happen. Residents allege the area has been without electricity since the first informal structure was erected in 2016. They said they are not ashamed of flouting the system, adding that their calls for government help have fallen on deaf ears. After protesting for better service delivery, Bringa Ville squatter camp residents decided to use what is known as "izinyoka" connections to light up their homes. Illegal connections at the informal settlement are hard to miss, with cables running from electricity poles to several households in the area. A resident who spoke to Eyewitness News on condition of anonymity said she's aware of the risks associated with "izinyoka" connections but said she had no other choice. “The municipality hasn't bothered to connect us to electricity, they don’t even know that there are illegal connections here. So, I don’t think the government cares at all about informal settlements.” She said some residents paid a once-off fee of R3,500 to have their homes permanently connected to "izinyoka" electricity. PRETORIA - Residents in Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria, say their calls for basic service delivery are being neglected as the seventh democratic elections approach. Some households don't know what it is like to have water running from their taps and others have experienced prolonged power outages. Moreover, the community is plagued by rampant crime. These are some of the challenges highlighted by residents in Ga-Rankuwa. Eyewitness News spent time in Ga-Rankuwa on Tuesday to gather the residents' service delivery complaints. “We don’t have water and we get our electricity legally. We really feel like the government has neglected our community,” said one resident. “We have never seen police officers in this area. Our homes get broken into, but police never ever come. We have CPF [Community Policing Forum] members who attend to us, but that’s not enough,” lamented another. are hoping to get answers from political leaders on the many issues they face in the township Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and City of Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink will respond to concerns raised by community members at 702’s first election town hall on Wednesday - Lights out at local Ga-Rankuwa police station give rise to crime uptick concern - Ga-Rankuwa community left with no choice but illegal electricity connection - How a Ga-Rankuwa resident earns a living from fixing potholes in area On Tuesday, Eyewitness News spent the day speaking to Ga-Rankuwa residents about service delivery shortfalls the community experienced in the last five years. Youth unemployment, high crime rates and inconsistent electricity and water supply were the main concerns raised in the Pretoria township. Hundreds of community members gathered at the Ga-Rankuwa Community Hall in Zone 1, where political leaders would be accounting for service shortfalls in the City of Tshwane.  Dozens of them sang struggle songs outside the venue as they told Eyewitness News about the hardships they faced under the City of Tshwane’s coalition government. The community members said it seemed both the municipality and the provincial government were failing to work together to address crime and youth unemployment on that side of Pretoria. One community member said: “The critical thing, here, is to say, after talking, after having done all this, what’s next?” “I don’t have confidence in political leaders. They have done nothing,” another member added. With the general elections fast approaching, Ga-Rankuwa residents want to see a change in the community. PRETORIA - A 29-year-old Ga-Rankuwa resident has told Eyewitness News about how he is earning a living from fixing potholes in the area Thabiso Tefu said he gave up on finding formal employment in 2023 after many years of searching for a job - Ga-Rankuwa residents say basic service delivery calls go unheard: ‘Govt has neglected us’ Tefu began fixing potholes when he realised that vehicles often suffered damage on Ga-Rankuwa's bumpy roads. He survived from money handed to him in the form of tips by motorists who appreciated his efforts. As one drives on Main Street, past Ga-Rankuwa Zone 22, they are greeted by bumpy roads bearing potholes and cracks. This became an opportunity for Tefu to make ends meet. “I use sand and rocks to fill the potholes. It doesn't make the road perfect but it's much better than it was last year.” He showed Eyewitness News a jar that was half-filled with coins he received from motorists. “I do this to help people. It also helps me feed my family. I don't want to end up like my peers who are in jail now because of crime.” However, he said many other young people in his community were struggling to put food on the table as a result of unemployment.