AVBOB celebrates a milestone by rewarding its members on a large scale Flood-hit Matlosana residents urged to evacuate Home | South Africa A Search and Rescue mission is underway in Klerksdorp after an unconfirmed number of pedestrians were swept away by flood water the people who were swept away were attempting to cross the Schoonspruit when they got into trouble Houses and businesses in the town have been flooded following persistent rain in the area Though water has subsided in some parts of Klerksdorp some pedestrians were swept away by fast-flowing water “About three to four people were in the water and then they disappeared I phoned the necessary people – the fire brigade all over … until now we did not see anybody or found anybody,” says North West hi-risk unit Casper Bester Bester says the ages of the victims are not known at this stage Some community members have warned others to be vigilant “We are very much shocked about this incident because we are not used to heavy rains,” says a resident “This is the second incident we had in two days please do not go close,” another resident said Rescue officials are still on high alert while authorities have cautioned people not to take unnecessary risks (The) last night we received a similar incident and we saved three lives of people who were almost swept away by water in the same area We are told – which is unconfirmed information received from security officers – that there were four unconfirmed people who were inside the water Our search and rescue team are here from the municipality SAPS and private companies to come and assist and to make sure we satisfy ourselves with the information that we have received,” says Matlosana Local Municipality Executive Mayor KLERKSDORP - Klerksdorp taxi associations and SANTACO closed off the N12 on Monday The group expressed their anger with the lack of service delivery in the area dilapidated roads and delays in getting taxi permits SANTACO said that they have raised these issues with the provincial ANC and have received no response NORTH WEST - Search and rescue operations have been suspended in Klerksdorp.  It was suspected that an unconfirmed number of people had been swept away by flood waters But nobody has been reported missing.  The police say the area where the alleged incident occurred will be monitored closely.  residents whose homes were flooded are trying to salvage their belongings while authorities have cautioned people not to take unnecessary risks Senior reporter Silindelo Masikane has more.   SuperSport Schools Plus and it includes Hoërskool Zwartkop welcoming Hoërskool Klerksdorp to Pretoria on Friday for matches between the boys’ 1st It will be the first time that the schools have met since 2018 Zwartkop heads into the season full of confidence after a strong 2024 during which they played 34 games The school’s Boys’ Hockey Director told SuperSport Schools his 1st XI has 350 caps of experience between them “Our preparation is going to plan,” he said “although one always feels that we can do more.” There has been a change to the coaching setup at Zwartkop as Gouws explained: “We have had a change in coach from last year with our previous coach moving to Noordheuwel to take up the reins as 1st team boys’ coach there We are lucky enough to have snatched up Connor Flowers to take over.” and Friday’s outing will be no exception with the Zwartkop team needing to adjust to the change of coach “It is an entirely new playing philosophy and structure that might take a match or two to get used to First games are always a nervy affair with the new boys needing to get used to the higher intensity of the game and the new players,” he said The Pretoria school should not find it too difficult to gel At least half of their successful 1st team of 2024 was in grade 11 and that has given them a base from which to build “We are lucky to have had almost a 50/50 split for the last two years,” Gouws said before detailing the make-up of 2025’s squad: “Eight of the 16 are matric learners Related News Dominant Jeppe u16A claims Alan Monk Top 10 title Vuyo Ndudane 2025-05-05 Parktown Boys’ High School hosted 10 hockey schools from across Gauteng for the u16 Alan Monk Top 10 Tournament Four goals by Reece Theunis highlighted a comprehensive 6-3 victory by South African College High School (SACS) over Paarl Gimnasium Paarl Gimnasium held their nerve to beat Herschel 3-2 in a penalty shootout to lift the inaugural Belgotex Sport Girls and elation highlighted day three’s action of the Standard Bank Hibbert Shield Herschel and Pearson will go head-to-head in the semifinals of the Belgotex Sport Girls Hockey Challenge on Saturday Parktown Boys’ High School hosted 10 hockey schools from across Gauteng for the u16 Alan Monk Top 10 Tournament KLERKSDORP - It's almost two weeks since the community of Klerksdorp and nearby townships,has been waiting to see their loved ones resurface from disused mining shafts in Klerksdorp.   over a thousand illegal miners have come to the surface READ: Government says there are legal routes for zama zamas The zama zamas are being flushed out through an operation between the SAPS and the army The Department of Mineral Resources says while it continues to work with law enforcement agencies to clamp down on zama zamas it also has formal programmes in place for those who want to mine legally Nine taxi operators have been arrested in the North West after taking part in a taxi strike on Monday morning The taxi operators barricaded the N12 national road between Potchefstroom and Wolmaransstad with objects They were demanding that the North West Department of Transport and Community Safety consider issuing them permits They said they had not been able to renew their licenses since 2017 The taxi owners indicated they could not renew their permits because officials from the permits office told them that the system would no longer issue permits “We have already purchased taxis and must make monthly instalments We can’t renew them; how are we supposed to operate?” he asked said they were told they could no longer apply for permits “Last week he heard that permits will no longer be issued here in the North West … they say the systems are not working; we make a lot of trips to that office Monnatlala said getting an operating license was essential “We have taxis that are taking children to school We have taxis that commute people to their destination daily “This is our daily bread and the traffic officers always impound our taxis when they realise that we do not have operating licenses “We pay R1 500 to release a taxi when it is impounded; that’s a loss and a fault that could have been prevented if the department was doing their things correctly,” he said The provincial spokesperson for the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) demanded that their members be released from police custody “We have met with the MEC for transport [Wessels Morweng] and he has agreed that the operators will be released tonight “We have managed to reach an agreement and everything will be back to normal tomorrow,” he said Matjekani said Morweng told them that there was a miscommunication when it came to the permits “We just learnt that what they wanted to communicate was that there won’t be any issuing of new operation licenses “Taxi operators thought that the government was talking about the ones that needed to be lifted,” he said The North West MEC for the department of transport management and community safety said the taxi operators have agreed to open the road “There will be further engagement on the issues that they have raised The misunderstanding was purely the communication between themselves and the officials in terms of how the operator license was to be issued “We have paused the process until we do our audits to check on how many taxi operators are on the road “Some people were issued with licenses and they had expired; some somebody in the taxi industry misunderstood that the non-issuance was only for the new license rather than the operating licenses,” Keonyaditse said Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content  Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Tel: +27 11 268 6300 Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms & conditions and privacy policy ───   KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 08:04 Thu Residents and road users have been left stranded while authorities work to mitigate the effects of the floods and ensure public safety residents of Klerksdorp and surrounds — especially those near Schoonspruit — were advised of potential evacuations as rising floodwaters caused significant road flooding The City of Matlosana media liaison Ntswaki Makgetha urged motorists to avoid driving through flooded areas and to exercise caution on slippery roads She also emphasised the importance of switching on headlights to improve visibility and remaining alert to pedestrians and cyclists The flooding has affected key roads across the province including the N18 outside Mahikeng towards Stilfontein the R30 between Klerksdorp and Ventersdorp such as the N14 between Sannieshof and Delareyville Traffic authorities from the Department of Community Safety and Transport Management have been deployed to assist motorists and manage the situation Residents and motorists affected by heavy flooding in North West and Traditional Affairs MEC Gaoage Oageng Molapisi said like other provinces North West has been experiencing above-normal rainfall during this seasonal period Several provincial roads have been heavily impacted leading to closures and rerouting of traffic The Mahikeng and Ditsobotla municipalities have been especially hard hit with multiple roads rendered impassable and motorists stranded in flood-affected areas forcing drivers to take alternative routes homes in Signalhill Village have been waterlogged and mud houses in Bodibe Village have sustained partial damage with some completely destroyed in Mareetsane the National Department of Human Settlements has approved the establishment of temporary residence units for affected communities Additional units are being processed for the Bojanala District.  Molapisi said municipalities continue to conduct needs assessments to determine the full extent of the damage while provincial disaster management centres have been activated to provide support Molapisi urged residents and motorists to stay up to date with weather reports across various platforms OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi cg North West scholar transport operators will finally receive payments Vrystaatse ouerpaar in hof ná kinders doodbrand Besoekers sprakeloos oor skouspelagtige Augrabies UV ontken aantygings oor buitelandse werknemers Ondersoek duur voort ná skietery op Lichtenburg Oekraïne vra Suid-Afrika om ontvoerde kinders te help terugbring Wyle pous Franciskus het begrafnisrituele vooraf vereenvoudig Mianmar-aardbewing: Hulp stroom in ná meer as 1 700 sterftes Suid-Afrikaners wen gesogte blommeskou-trofee in China Police in the North West have launched a manhunt for suspects who fatally shot one of their own at Randlespark in Klerksdorp on Tuesday Police management in the province has condemned the incident where Sergeant Fundiswa Motlhaoleng was killed Provincial police spokesperson Sabata Mokgwabone says the case is being investigated by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation the member who is stationed at Jouberton Visible Policing was shot by unknown suspects while in her private vehicle and on her way to work and fully in uniform The incident took place on Taljaart Kruger Street Randlespark where three empty cartridges and ammunition were found.” Mokgwabone says Motlhaoleng’s body was found with what appeared to be gunshot wounds to his right jaw and hand A black Volkswagen Polo vehicle with four occupants was allegedly spotted driving off from the scene at a high speed JOHANNESBURG - More illegal miners continue to surface from an abandoned shaft in Klerksdorp in the North West It follows a Vala Mgodi operation that stopped their supply of food Almost 600 have already resurfaced and have been arrested READ: North West police force at least 225 illegal miners to resurface in Orkney Several of them will appear in court on Monday morning Police and soldiers are monitoring all exit points that extend to Orkney and Stilfontein They believe some of the zama zamas have been underground for over a year Police waiting for the illegal miners to resurface JOHANNESBURG - Thousands of miners remain holed up in an abandoned mining shaft in the North West Police and soldiers are monitoring exit points for any of them who resurface It's estimated that about 4,500 are still beneath the surface in Klerksdorp WATCH: Illegal mining | Army and police monitor shaft exit points They are reportedly weak with many severely unwell There are also reports that some died after food and water supplies were cut off It was part of a Vala Mgodi operation by SAPS and the Army Over a thousand of their colleagues have already resurfaced and have been arrested Stellantis has announced the expansion of its multi-franchise dealer network with the addition of the Fiat and Jeep brands to the existing Westvaal Motor Group dealership in Klerksdorp in North West Province Westvaal Klerksdorp is already home to Opel The expansion continues to bolster dealer representation across North West Province in support of Stellantis’s ambitious plans as one of the largest importers in the South African motor industry The Westvaal Motor Group is a network of prestigious new demo and pre-owned vehicle dealerships across South Africa offering a full range of sales It is a national retail group priding itself on excellent customer service and superior value since 1977 Stellantis dealers meet the highest standards providing customers with an unparalleled sales and after-sales experience “We’re excited to be expanding our relationship with the Westvaal Motor Group This partnership not only broadens our reach but also enhances our ability to offer exceptional service to our customers,” says Mike Whitfield Managing Director of Stellantis South Africa “By bringing the FIAT and Jeep brands closer to our customers in North West Province we are making these outstanding brands and their products more accessible.” Westvaal Klerksdorp is committed to Stellantis’s Customer Care Pledge which includes a 5-year/100 000km warranty a mobility guarantee for vehicles under warranty that require more than 48 hours at the dealership or 30 days at an approved repairer and optional security detail for roadside assistance These benefits ensure peace of mind and an exceptional ownership experience The 15th edition of the Simola Hillclimb was characterised by difficult emotions mixed with brave competition at the highest level during the King of the Hill challenge but the latest generation of Chinese bakkies is here to stay The dubious first generation bakkies from China did not draw a lot of attention from the South African car-buying consumer either as a leisure or commercial alternative Well-known South African racing driver and competitor at the annual Simola Hillclimb died this weekend when his Lotus left the road The transition from a career in the OEM environment to the business at dealership level was like chalk and cheese Audi Centre Sandton was named 2024 Dealer of the Year while Hatfield Motor Group walked away with the coveted 2024 Dealer Group of the Year prize during Audi South Africa’s annual Vorsprung Awards For a dealership to make an 180-degree U-turn within two years and then went on to win the overall Volkswagen Dealer of the Year award This dealer-focussed innovation is made possible with the support and endorsement of Absa Vehicle and Asset Finance All content copyright of Panthera Media Pty Ltd 2020 We use cookies to personalise content and ads and to analyse our traffic and improve our service You consent to cookies if you continue to use our website South Africa is grappling with growing concern over medical negligence after facing a significant increase in the size and number of claims over the past decade across both public and private sectors and inadequate care have raised alarm among the public and health-care professionals alike.  totaling 4.12 billion rand ($235 million) over the last three years The auditor-general stated that payments affected the budgets of public facilities hurting the ability of the sector to deliver quality health-care services.  told Think Global Health (TGH) that clinical errors and inadequate facilities and equipment were the primary causes of medical negligence in the country She highlighted the pressure on health-care professionals due to understaffing and insufficient resources a retired teacher who experienced a devastating ordeal in 2009 after a fall at work Despite initial examinations suggesting no significant harm it was later discovered that she had injured her uterus necessitating its removal to prevent life-threatening complications.  she continued to consult with her gynecologist until she recovered a urologist revealed that my kidney had been damaged during the previous surgery," she said.  "When I presented these findings to my gynecologist he denied any responsibility," Manamela explained the urologist recommended removing the damaged kidney because of the risk of cancer She underwent kidney removal surgery hoping for better health were exacerbated by the trauma of her injuries and the subsequent legal battles although she sought legal representation for medical negligence her attorneys exploited her by taking her money even while failing to get compensation for her "These events took a severe toll on myself and my family leading to the prescription of mental health care."  and academics have argued for years that money spent on medical claims contributes to the failing health-care system she told TGH that she has asked the same lawyers she claims exploited her to sign legal documents once again this year she has yet to receive justice and compensation for her injury.  and academics have argued for years that money spent on medical claims contributes to the failing health-care system because it takes resources from other priorities.   the spokesperson for the South African National Department of Health outlined the steps the department is taking to address the problem of medical malpractice claims.  "There is no specific budget set aside for legal liabilities resulting from medicolegal claims because negligence is not a planned action," Mohale explained "Thus the department is compelled to reprioritize some of the priorities in order to honor the court judgments to settle medicolegal claims where the courts rule in favor of the other parties."  Think Global Health also spoke with Gary Austin a medical negligence and personal injury law specialist based in Johannesburg who provided insight into the prevalence of medical negligence cases in South Africa and how they are handled.   The total amount of medicolegal claims lodged against the state as of March 31 was approximately 68 billion rand [$3.8 billion]."   Although Manamela's case is severe, Austin indicated that it is relatively minor relative to cases involving babies who have suffered brain injuries at birth due to hospital negligence. He emphasized these cases' substantial financial burden on the state each of these claims could be worth approximately 20 million rand [$1.1 million] [Some] 1.42 billion rand [$80 million] in claims was actually paid out in 2022 to 2023."  Austin pointed out the complexities involved in pursuing medical negligence cases including the need for expert witnesses and the lengthy litigation process which often takes up to six or seven years He criticized the state's handling of these cases citing inefficiencies and a lack of preparation that lead to delays and unnecessary costs "Billions of rands are wasted in defending indefensible cases," he said adding that these funds should be used instead to improve the health-care system.  systemic issues within the health-care and justice systems contribute to the prevalence of medical negligence and delays in resolving cases The heads of health do not take responsibility for the inefficiency of their departments."  which stated that it has no record of Manamela's 15-year-old incident but invited her to provide her medical records and complaint for further investigation clarifying that the doctor involved is an independent practitioner and that they would respond if adverse findings are made against him.  the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) confirmed that Manamela had lodged a complaint in 2022 told TGH that their client was not guilty.  A research paper titled "Brain Drain In South Africa Affecting Health Care" published earlier this year highlights that South Africa's health-care system is facing a crisis due to the brain drain phenomenon when skilled medical professionals emigrate to wealthier countries This loss of talent not only affects the quality of health care in South Africa but also contributes to a wider skill shortage across the continent.   "Medical negligence claims significantly impact the South African health-care system by diverting funds away from essential services," law lecturer Larisse Prinsen explained to TGH She also noted how the departure of skilled medical professionals leads to reduced expertise and increased workloads for those who remain "The exodus of skilled medical professionals exacerbates the issue of medical negligence in South Africa."   other factors contributing to delayed diagnoses and medical errors include inefficient referral systems "The introduction of advanced medical technologies increases the potential cost of negligence claims due to higher expectations meaning that patients expect better outcomes from advanced treatments and any failure can lead to significant claims."   She further said that "costs are increased [because] advanced procedures are often more expensive so mistakes in these areas result in higher compensation demands This also means that when calculating future losses a longer life expectancy needs to be accounted for which means that claim amounts are higher."  Prinsen explained that patients facing medical negligence should seek legal counsel and report the incident to relevant authorities "Legal reform can help address medical negligence more effectively by streamlining processes mandating alternative dispute resolution—less costly methods to resolve medical claims and conciliation—or by improving accountability," she noted a single solution will not be sufficient."  The exodus of skilled medical professionals exacerbates the issue of medical negligence in South Africa The South African Law Reform Commission has introduced a three-tiered medicolegal claims strategy to address the issue of medical negligence in South Africa Prinsen said that more should be done: "The strategy is a good starting point but is not a one-stop fix-all solution merely starting to implement this strategy will already improve the medicolegal claim landscape in South Africa."  According to South African National Department of Health spokesperson Mohale the agency's priority is to mitigate rising medicolegal claims by addressing contributing factors and improving patient safety Mohale told TGH that adjusting the budget for medical-legal claims is not necessary: "Patient safety is our major concern and the central core of the provision of health-care services."  Mohale also highlighted the issue of fraudulent claims and the department's collaboration with law enforcement agencies to investigate such cases.   The department is implementing measures such as electronic health record systems to prevent the theft of patient records and improve record-keeping and communication He disputed the notion that staff shortages and equipment issues are the main contributors to medicolegal claims stating that most claims relate to alleged birth injuries and equipment are not the main contributing factors to medicolegal claims," Mohale asserted "Most of these claims relate to alleged birth injuries and damages on the basis that the claimant's child has cerebral palsy as a result of fetal distress."  "The South African Law Reform Commission has undertaken an investigation on various interventions such as mediation; contingency fees; the common law rule of 'once and for all'; the periodic or staggered payment instead of a lump sum payment among others," he noted.  "Because most claims are for future medical expenses and we believe this will go a long way to alleviate budgetary pressures of the Provincial Departments of Health," Mohale said.  Thabo Molelekwa is a freelance health journalist from South Africa Look for your next weekly newsletter in your inbox the World Health Organization's polio chief for the Eastern Mediterranean China is addressing health threats that climate change poses but faces challenges that require policy reforms The Intergovernmental Negotiating Body resolved long-standing disputes to meet a deadline Stay up to date with the latest trends in global health Look for our next weekly newsletter in your inbox KLERKSDORP - Around 4,500 alleged illegal miners remain underground in Klerksdorp They are refusing to resurface despite having food and water supplies cut off It was cut by police and soldiers conducting a Vala Mgodi operation WATCH | Illegal Mining | Reports suggest more miners underground Over a thousand of their colleagues have come up and have been arrested A community leader says the men are weak and in declining health He's calling on the community to come together to see how they can get them out The Jouberton Community Health Centre outside Klerksdorp in the North West had to close on Heritage Day when three armed men entered the facility and kidnapped a nurse The incident is alleged to have left the clinic’s nurses traumatised nurses and patients are currently undergoing counselling According to a nurse who witnessed the incident the problem began when a security guard failed to search a man who had carried a patient through the gate  He said the nurse asked why that individual had not been searched like other patients or people entering the facility The man became enraged and took this personally He is believed to be a member of the Al Qaeda gang group,” said a nurse who did not want to be named The nurse said the man waited outside the gate for the nurse to leave “They [gang members] stopped him when he wanted to go out for lunch the group called its other members for back-up They took him away and they were all armed,” he explained The nurse returned to the facility four hours later and reported that nothing had happened The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa’s (Denosa) provincial secretary He said the incident cannot be left unattended Molete said the affected nurse must also find a way to disclose what had happened to his manager “The nurse made us call on the entire health centre employees to go home and close the facility He cannot say nothing had happened,” he said Molete said the North West department of health also needs to beef up security “The department needs to improve the security of all health facilities across the province And employees must also stop protecting criminals We are not safe if someone can come with firearms and the security only has pepper spray and batons.” Molete said he was able to speak with the affected nurse “You cannot leave nurses and patients traumatised and panicking Then come to us and say you are not harmed [and] it’s business as usual “He claimed that the kidnappers instructed him to pay R1,000 as punishment for talking back at their leader This is now an extortion and abduction case if he is scared to talk he must tell his manager We cannot close the health facility for nothing Health Mec Sello Lehari said he will visit the facility tomorrow [September 26] Both police and the investigating team were called to the scene They are currently waiting for a formal statement from the male nurse This once he has completed [relevant] support from the department,” Lehari said “ I have instructed that security be beefed up to protect patients Lehari said his department will release a full report on what happened This once his team has been appraised with all relevant information on what happened “Hopefully that can be achieved tomorrow through our engagement with management It’s important to mention that police are already on the [heels] of all involved,” he said Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content NW - A number of illegal miners remain underground in an abandoned shaft in North West after over a thousand have resurfaced and been arrested The Vala Mgodi operation stopped their supply of food.  READ: Discussion | 500 Zama Zamas nabbed in North West Authorities are monitoring the situation in Klerksdorp.   eNCA reporter Bafedile Moerane has the details.  Five suspected illegal mine workers had been retrieved alive from a mine shaft in Stilfontein They were assisted by about 50 residents who volunteered to rescue the miners who were too weak to come to the surface by themselves The residents used ropes to pull out the miners who were too weak because of lack of water and food Residents estimate that around 4 500 suspected illegal miners are still underground The miners have reportedly been underground for several months It was a dangerous operation to assist illegal mineworkers struggling to get to the surface a group of 50 men from the community signed indemnity forms and started pulling up the miners from underground Those who were rescued received medical attention Residents are calling for the government to lend a hand Five illegal miners rescued by community members near Klerksdorp ‘Government’s inability’ the Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA) has expressed concern about the government’s inability to rescue suspected illegal miners who are still trapped in mine shafts in Orkney and Stilfontein in the North West The illegal miners became trapped after the Police and the SANDF launched Operation Vala Mgodi Locals say there are about 4500 illegal mine workers trapped underground Earlier today the Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni stated that the government will not offer any assistance to the stranded illegal miners MACUA National Coordinator Meshack Mbangula says it’s very important that you should be able to assist in taking out those people Save the lives of the people underground and then other processes can be followed But I find it very strange for the government not to act to save the lives of people out there Because what put those people down there is poverty people will go down there because they need to put bread on the table.” – Additional reporting by Thabiso Moss Klerksdorp community members volunteer to rescue suspected illegal miners trapped underground Police management in the North West has welcomed the 15-year prison term imposed on convicted murderer Papa Madule by the Klerksdorp Regional Court Madule was sentenced for the 2022 murder of 25-year-old Desmond Tutu of Kanana township near Orkney The court also declared Madule unfit to possess a firearm Tutu was asked by Madule if he was a member of the SVK gang Mokgwabone says the incident happened in February 2022 “Police and paramedics were summoned to the scene A case of murder was registered and taken by the provincial anti-gang unit for investigation which resulted in Madule’s arrest on Thursday Madule was found guilty and sentenced.”  — SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) March 16, 2025