We are all excited about our new brand we added to our multi-franchise dealership The new Suzuki dealership will definitely have a huge and positive impact on business Mitsubishi and now also Suzuki multi-franchise in Mashishing (previously Lydenburg) in the northern part of Mpumalanga She says they recently celebrated the official opening of the dealership and are now eagerly waiting for the much-anticipated new Suzuki Swift that is on its way to the dealership “The Suzuki brand has an excellent track record in South Africa and is already popular in our region Adelene says the new Suzuki dealership forms part of the existing multi-franchise with its Nissan and Mitsubishi dealerships “We revamped the set-up around our used car division to accommodate a showroom for Suzuki “We have also appointed a new parts salesperson for Suzuki and our current technical staff have done all the necessary training on the brand Our sales team is also up to date with the new addition to our business,” she says Adelene tells Dealerfloor that with the demise of the popular “cash cow” on the Nissan side the Suzuki Eeco panel van and Super Carry bakkie are ready to step in and handle virtually all the tasks that made the NP200 so popular as a commercial vehicle She says that business conditions in Mashishing are tough like in most other “Our area consists of a large agricultural sector (citrus and we have platinum and chrome mines in the area we have a lot to be thankful for and with the addition of Suzuki Suzuki is a volume brand with a strong value-for-money approach and a favourable entry price that will boost our business the Suzuki Fronx and the Ertiga are among the most popular models so far,” she says In the meantime Adelene says they are looking forward to the official Suzuki Swift launch and to introduce this top seller in the Japanese brand portfolio to the local customers in the region they will cover an area all the way to places like Graskop eMakhazeni (previously Belfast) and Dullstroom Well-known South African racing driver and competitor at the annual Simola Hillclimb died this weekend when his Lotus left the road Mitsubishi Motors South Africa was presented with the Top Performer award in the After-sales – Customer Experience category at the brand’s recent annual global after-sales business excellence awards ceremony in Thailand The South African new-vehicle market showed its resilience yet again during April this year with an 11.9% increase compared to the same month last year This is notwithstanding the number of public holidays that manifested in long weekends with school holidays in between Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous 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 Reports and images of a Transnet freight train derailment between Lydenburg and the Dullstroom/Belfast area have been circulating widely Lowvelder reports the images shared on various Facebook and WhatsApp groups in the region show the train lying on its side after leaving the track The train was reportedly carrying tonnes of iron ore and was believed to be en route to the Port of Maputo a small railroad station in the Nkangala District Municipality the train appears to have gone off the rails while nearing a turn The railway line where the incident allegedly occurred is primarily used for transporting bulk freight from mines and smelters in the Lydenburg/Steelpoort area to the Port of Maputo in Mozambique it is a major import and export route connecting South Africa’s northeastern provinces with Mozambique’s capital and main port According to www.sarpn.org this railway also serves the South African provinces of Limpopo as well as the Kingdom of eSwatini and southwest Mozambique The corridor runs through some of the most industrialised and productive regions of southern Africa Steelburger/Lydenburg News sent queries to Transnet Freight Rail about the incident The company acknowledged receipt of the enquiry but declined to confirm any incidents over the phone instructing the publication to send an email instead It remains uncertain whether the incident occurred or if it is part of an elaborate hoax Sergeant Cave Dilebo of the Lydenburg SAPS said train derailments are rarely reported unless there are serious injuries or fatalities and he confirmed that the police have no information on the matter Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel Read original story on www.citizen.co.za NATIONAL NEWS - Two suspects believed to be involved in the farm attack that led to the death of a domestic worker and the torture of another woman were arrested in less than 24 hours The attack took place at Finsbury Smallholdings outside Lydenburg in Mpumalanga on Monday The suspects’ arrests were confirmed by the Lydenburg SAPS According to spokesperson Sergeant Cave Dilebo two Mozambican nationals were apprehended during a joint operation between Lydenburg’s Detective Services Nelspruit Provincial Detectives and Lydenburg Bushveld Crime Investigations One of the suspects was apprehended in Mandela Village outside town and the other in the Lydenburg CBD Simone van Niekerk (31) and Vinolia Sedibe (41) were alone in the house when the attack took place who was later identified as a farm employee from Mozambique They reportedly forced Van Niekerk to open her safe threatening to rape her if she did not comply The suspects instead took money belonging to Van Niekerk “The situation escalated when the suspects allegedly took Sedibe into the nearby bushes with her hands tied behind her back with cable ties Emergency medical services attended the scene and declared Sedibe dead,” Dilebo told Lowvelder Van Niekerk suffered injuries inflicted by a panga during the ordeal The police and the Local Criminal Record Centre processed the scene and Sedibe’s body was transported to the Lydenburg State Mortuary by a pathologist The attack has left the community reeling and raised serious concerns about safety in rural areas Dilebo says the suspects will appear in court after all the necessary statements identity parade and crime formalities have been concluded He says that due to the nature of this serious crime the suspects might not appear in court until all investigations have been completed remain in police custody until their first court appearance.” Article: Caxton publication, The Citizen ‘We bring you the latest Garden Route The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) and members of the Mpumalanga provincial legislature have endorsed the provincial health department’s decision to rebuild Lydenburg Hospital from the ground up This followed an oversight visit that highlighted the limitations of ongoing renovations of the hospital in Mashishing the delegation assessed the refurbishment of sections of the hospital It became evident that the near 100-year-old infrastructure needed an overhaul The facility would not meet modern healthcare standards without a complete overhaul The delegation voiced concerns that further investment in patching up the dilapidated building would be futile One that could support the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) system Mpumalanga health department MEC Sasekani Manzini acknowledged the delegation’s concerns She confirmed the hospital’s inclusion in a broader redevelopment plan “Lydenburg Hospital is part of our 10-year plan for rebuilding key hospitals across the province While we are committed to constructing modern facilities financial constraints mean we cannot do it all at once Middelburg and Mapulaneng hospitals are under construction,” said Manzini led by Mpumalanga provincial whip Sylvia Nxumalo they stressed that new infrastructure must come with improved service delivery “A state-of-the-art infrastructure without improved services is not progressive We need effective service delivery alongside these modern hospitals,” Nxumalo stated the delegation also inspected human settlement projects They discovered a faulty sewerage pipeline spilling raw sewage into homes The delegation expressed alarm over the potential health risks The Thaba Chweu Local Municipality officials gave commitment to resolve the issue before the end of September Nxumalo criticised the persistent issue of delayed and incomplete infrastructure projects They have long impacted service delivery in Thaba Chweu “These delays are unacceptable and must be addressed as a matter of urgency Our communities cannot continue to suffer due to poor infrastructure management,” she 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 A 39-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for the rape of his friend’s wife The incident happened after a funeral in Mashishing was part of a group of friends who had gathered together for an “after-tears” drinking session After the victim made the decision to go to bed the accused went back to the victim’s house and raped the gullible woman while she was resting “The victim felt tired and decided to call it a day They all got into a car and dropped her off at home,” said Mpumalanga provincial police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli “Thereafter they went back for entertainment and the house was locked by the victim’s husband “It was further revealed in court that the accused decided to go back to the house alone and somehow got hold of the house keys “He got inside the room where the woman was asleep It was during this time that the accused raped the victim.” the victim called the police to report the assault and the FCS Unit —which deals with family violence and sexual offenses — opened an investigation The man was later taken into custody and prosecuted The Lydenburg regional court sentenced the offender to 10 years of direct imprisonment this week the acting provincial commissioner of police in Mpumalanga and investigators in obtaining this conviction “We are definitely addressing the scourge of gender-based violence and we are encouraged whenever perpetrators of these heinous crimes are removed from society for a very long time the identity of the offender will not be revealed; however this conviction sends a strong message that such crimes will not be accepted Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content The Swedish Stirling technology we’re rolling out at our Lydenburg smelter has the same effect on the climate as  renewable electricity generating power at lower prices than market With the cost of power an increasing consideration across our South Africa operations by investing in clean energy generating technology we can pass on these savings to our customers This means we can produce ferrochrome at lower cost for our customers who use it to produce the stainless steel that makes everything from cutlery to skyscrapers the innovative technology means at our Lydenburg smelting operation we now generate electricity ourselves and supply it back to the smelter network It’s another step in integrating sustainability into all of our operations and helping make responsible and sustainable mining a reality We’ve recently signed a deal to build a power-generation facility that will reduce emissions and cut power costs at our ferrochrome smelter at Lydenburg This partnership is another example of our ongoing commitment to supporting a transition to a low-carbon economy through incorporating technological innovations to change how we operate for the better The new plant will be built in partnership with Swedish Stirling a leading global sustainable-energy company Swedish Stirling’s systems use CO2 emissions from flare and industrial gas to generate electricity with external-combustion Stirling engines The planned power-generation facility aims reduce carbon emissions by up to 80,000 tonnes per year when it is fully operational the equivalent of almost 17,000 cars being taken off the road  It will produce 9.9MW at maximum capacity and generate carbon credits that can be traded to offset carbon emissions an ActionSA delegation led by Herman Mashaba met with the Mashishing Civic Coalition (MCC) in response to their calls for help Present at the meeting were representatives of the MCC led by its president  This report aims to describe the challenges and allegations expressed by the MCC delegation on behalf of the Mashishing Lydenburg community in Thaba Chweu Municipality in Mpumalanga For over 9 years the people of Mashishing have been crying out for help to have their concerns and complaints addressed At the heart of their issues are serious allegations of police corruption and alleged complicity in criminal activity and kidnapping of young female police graduates at the Mashishing Police Station the municipal manager stands accused of alleged fraud relating to the issuing of unlawful business permits during level 5 of the national COVID-19 lockdown Cases are opened to no avail and whistle-blowers are intimidated into silence while those implicated in corruption and criminality continue with impunity Their view is that law enforcement in all of Mpumalanga Province is in a state of paralysis the MCC further detailed 10 key issues as follows: The MCC reported that their concerns arise from gross maladministration in the Thaba Chewu Municipality the Thaba Chweu municipality has received 10 adverse disclaimers recorded in the Auditor General’s report there has been no consequence management nor has there been a single recommendation been implemented regardless of the municipality having spent approximately R1m for the compilation of a forensic report to investigate municipal losses to the value of up to R700m no effort has been made to implement the recommendations of the report people implicated in the report have been awarded by being appointed to higher office The Auditor-General has expressed concern that the unauthorised and wasteful expenditure continues without consequences The MCC also raised issues relating to appointment practices in the municipality with allegations of breaches of the Municipal Systems Act and accompanying regulations Directors and other employees in the municipality are allegedly employed without relevant qualifications required of those who occupy senior positions The silence of the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs is glaring Council has decided to pardon those implicated in the forensic report conducted in 2017 revealing irregular fruitless and wasteful expenditure to the value of about R500m the meeting also alleged that RDP houses in Lydenburg and Graskop meant for the benefit of the poor are being occupied and/or are owned by municipal employees The community further expressed concern regarding municipal tenders continually being awarded to politically connected comrades a joint letter by the MCC together with the Kellysville Community Forum (KCF) was sent to both the municipal manager and executive mayor regarding the illegal sale of RDP houses “….A series of protests by community members concerning their houses being sold not mining engineers and senior officials of Thaba Chweu Municipality We as a matter of urgency demand and RDP audit and give both to respond within seven days.” Neither the MCC nor the KCF has ever been received a response from the municipal manager or the executive mayor It was noted that the Thaba Chweu Municipality’s electricity debt is estimated at R900m and continues to escalate Over 80% of residents do not pay for services rampant illegal electricity connections within the municipality are left unmanaged It was further alleged that the relationship between Eskom and Duma Power Station is problematic the MCC disclosed that the Duma Power Station project was not approved by the national treasury The MCC complained that there are more than 6000 ghost electricity meters installed and billed but that are not registered with the municipality The community also has knowledge of municipal employees and shop-stewards who are involved in the unlawful connections of bridging electricity meters in Lydenburg No action has been taken against these employees the High Court ruled that the more than 110 employees who were unlawfully appointed to work in the municipality without following due human resources recruitment guidelines were to be rescinded the court order has never been implemented the municipality should be viewed to be in contempt of court Numerous issues relating to the theft of municipal assets were raised In 2018 an electricity transformer worth R500 000 and a municipal water pump were stolen in Lydenburg and Sabie respectively where it was discovered that two municipal employees were involved no consequences have been followed to date In 2019 municipal fleet petrol cards and vehicles and misused It is further alleged that municipal employees and councillors are unlawfully selling municipal land for personal gain the MCC together with the KCF sent a joint letter to the municipal manager stating that: “The community of Mashishing is extremely appalled by the illegal selling of land in the entire municipality with impunity Upon our investigation we found that 5-Schoeman Street is a property of municipality The two parties also requested that the municipality furnish them with council resolution granting permission for the sale of properties a municipal refuse compactor truck was suspiciously stolen there have been no leads as to the investigation into the theft Allegations of the municipal manager’s office being in cahoots with a firefighting service provider for the municipality in the unlawful issuing of business permits to foreign nationals in return for bribes during the lockdown period and at the expense of local businesses The municipality is spending more than R16m on legal fees annually toward litigations This money could instead be channelled toward providing quality service delivery to the people of Lydenburg Legal firms are alleged to be working with municipal employees and councillors to gain access to municipal resources through unnecessary ongoing litigations that do not translate into adequately dealing with fraud The MCC asserted that service delivery in Mashishing is non-existent The town’s road infrastructure is riddled with potholes with no road markings and functioning traffic lights Refuse collection is inconsistent and the non-functioning of the sewer plant has meant that there are sewer spillages all over the town because of neglect and lack of maintenance An R1.5m fumigation tender being unlawfully awarded and selectively implemented where the more affluent parts of town were serviced while townships not being fumigated/serviced The closure of the Glencore Lydenburg Smelter has meant that direct and indirect job losses estimated at 672 employees and 132 contractors have been affected the Statistician General’s report published that South Africa’s unemployment rate increased by an estimated 2.3% during the COVID-19 national lockdown the challenges faced by the Mashishing community can be expected to worsen even further The MCC registered their disappointment regarding the closure of the Glencore Lydenburg Smelter while South Africa has the world’s largest reserves of chrome Why would we opt to export our raw materials to outside countries instead of ramping up our own capacity to preserve and create jobs Rather they would have expected that the government would prioritise the interests of Mashishing residents and affected employees instead of allowing the closure and further increase the unemployment rate within Mpumalanga Province Issue 10: Sexual Harassment at Lydenburg Police Station Among the issues of even greater concern involves police corruption and misconduct At the centre of the allegations is the Lydenburg Station Commander who has been accused of alleged sexual misconduct toward young Despite complaints and a case been opened against the station commander no action has been taken to investigate or remedy the situation the station commander has been allowed to carry on with absolute impunity the MCC vehemently expressed its displeasure and demands that law enforcement must be brought to account to the aggrieved female police officers and be made to face the consequences of their misconduct The meeting stressed that if we are serious about gender-based violence in this country then how are ordinary women and children to be protected the MCC appealed to ActionSA to take steps in assisting the Mashishing community in bringing their issues to national attention as has been done with the Barberton community with the Lily Mine container disaster that steps be taken to have corrupt police and municipal officials answer for their unlawful and criminal activities particularly those involving gender-based violence and abuse in the police force the meeting noted that despite stated issues of police corruption and misconduct credit must be given to the Thaba Chweu K-9 Unit as the only functional and effective police unit in Thaba Chweu ActionSA commits to following up on these matters as and when necessary Two leopards were recently spotted at the Nooitgedacht Trout Lodge outside Mashishing (Lydenburg) According to Lowvelder Ray en Arabel Hunter says two different leopards were spotted in recent days “The area has quite a nice population of leopards and it sometimes feels that they literally live on our porches.” Lydenburg Toyota has a rich history of how it developed from a small operation several decades ago to the modern Today the dealership is a well-known beacon in the region not only in the town of Lydenburg but also in the wider Mpumalanga region Ohrigstad and up to the border with Limpopo province Lydenburg Toyota is no stranger to winning It has several prestigious Toyota Dealer of The Year Awards under its belt especially since the Erasmus family took over the reins The dealership developed over decades on a premises that included several other businesses and even a church before moving to a different part of town decades later It all started when plans were drawn up for a forecourt and restaurant in 1962 This led to the establishment of Lydenburg Motors Limited the original premises were leased from Total SA by Bendries Motors en Agentskappe Pty Ltd This was a company formed by Ben Havenga and Dries van Tonder who used the facility to open a Renault dealership in town Stonie Steenkamp established a Toyota dealership on this premises with an agreement from Toyota and an operating lease from Total SA Fifteen years after Stonie opened the Toyota franchise – on 1 December 1986 - Fanie Erasmus bought a 49% stake in the business and became the Dealer Principal Before joining Lydenburg Toyota as partner and DP Fanie (Sr) was involved in the gold mining industry in the Free State In his last position before entering the retail trade Fanie was the mine manager of Cullinan Minerals in Lydenburg Fanie bought the remaining 51% in 1993 and became the sole owner of Lydenburg Toyota Fanie Jr finished his national service and joined his father including the forecourt and convenient store a part of the premises behind Lydenburg Toyota was acquired and transformed into the entrance to the dealership and in 2011 a new Automark division followed,” Fanie Jr tells Dealerfloor “But in 2011 we identified a brand-new premises in the eastern part of Lydenburg We had the official opening in January 2012 and today we can rightly claim to have one of the most modern dealerships we are classified as a medium-sized dealership.” Asked about the local economy and Lydenburg Toyota’s involvement in the community Fanie says they are committed and very involved in their community “Mining and agriculture are the two big contributors to the local economy with platinum and on the farming side a lot of livestock Fly-fishing is especially popular in this region.” He says although their area of responsibility is their main focus they do deliver vehicles across the country thanks to Internet marketing “In terms of the stock shortages all dealers are experiencing these days you have to except it is something that is not in your control “Stock management is critical and sometimes you go with your gut-feel to increase stock levels where and if it is possible we are very active but are aware of the high prices of used cars today owing to shortages on the new side.” He says since the arrival of COVID-19 and the aftermath of the pandemic they took their marketing campaigns to the next level while also carefully controlling costs and focusing on increasing productivity levels And if the Erasmus families are not at the dealership “We just love the bushveld and the sea and any outdoor activities,” he tells Dealerfloor If you are not taking care of your customer Home | South Africa With only a few days to go before the Local Government Elections residents of Mashishing and Sabie are eager to vote and bring in a local government that they hope will deliver services to the community This is despite the poor service delivery by the Thaba Chweu Municipality in Mpumalanga The residents feel the municipality has failed them for years electricity and poor road infrastructure are some of the grievances The municipality is still unable to service the debt of over R900-million it owes to Eskom Residents say they have had enough of politicians who only feed their stomachs Mashishing residents still travel a long distance to collect clean drinking water The state of the municipality is a cause for concern Efforts were made by community activists to engage the Thaba Chweu Municipality to deliver services to the people These issues have also been reported to the Human Rights Commission The municipality was also invited to make its submission to the Commission but failed to attend Kellysville Community Forum George Viljoen says service delivery is hampered by the arrogance of the political leadership “We are still sitting with the same problems in the area Mashishing and in town The most concerning is the sewer spillages The other issues are the potholes affecting our motorists in tow They are currently busy with one or two streets but we are asking the question why now before the elections for all the community members of Lydenburg It feels like a catch because we are going for local elections,” says Viljoen The municipality is one of the struggling municipalities it has been faced with the incurring of irregular and wasteful expenditure But Mayor Friddah Nkadimeng feels that there has been an improvement “We have already electrified 248 households and this has been done phase one and we are having another informal settlement which is called Nkanini which has 165 households and we managed to electrify 117 households in phase one.” Nkadimeng acknowledges Eskom’s debt but remains adamant that they will retain their seats after the elections we are having an Eskom debt that is amounting to R997-million to date We are managing to pay the current account; we are struggling with arrears The members of the ANC are speaking to the people one-on-one and they don’t have a problem voting for the ANC again to power we make them understand why our municipality is in this status and they are ready Come the first of November the ANC is going to come out victorious.” The Municipality has 14 wards and 27 seats in the council the ANC won the majority of seats with 14 seats The Bushbuckridge Residents Association has got one seat Thaba Chweu residents to vote in hopes of service delivery:  Adelene le Roux turned the tide and brought a brand back to its former glory Morgan Nissan Lydenburg recently won the title as top dealer in the manufacturer’s Dealer of the Year awards for small dealerships Adelene was appointed as the Dealer Principal at Morgan Nissan in Lydenburg (nowadays called Mashishing) when the motor group bought the dealership. Dealerfloor reported on her appointment as DP towards the end of the COVID period in 2020 walking away with a top award outshining others was no small feat as the category champion for 2022 She was tasked to revive the brand in this important tourism fly-fishing and agricultural town in Mpumalanga And seeing that the opposition is well established in the town and broader region Adelene had a specific plan to achieve the group’s goals with the new dealership After a successful career as a Sales Manager at another well-established motor group in Lydenburg Adelene decided to take on the challenge and accept the new job offer “First order of business was to get everyone on the same page Some individuals left but the majority stayed and bought into the plan to make it work but the success of the dealership and specific good customer relations and my position is to lead and motivate them I cannot stress enough the importance of the assistance I received from the group’s owner Faced with the strong position of competitors she decided to win back the trust of the people “We started with small things like painting the dealership making it neat to show potential and existing customers that something is happening on the Nissan side We also consolidated and slowly but surely got all our ducks in a row in terms of processes and how we would move forward,” Adelene tells Dealerfloor we had to bring a new focus and attention to customer service We contacted all our existing customers and potential new ones we ran campaigns relating to service and after-sales safety checks before holidays and went out of our way to assist customers like never before “We also realised that we had to be involved in the community in various forms and got the message out that Nissan is back and that we mean business We have a product range that suits a variety of needs we have other products that can do the same and better the price difference between the Navara single cabs and the NP200 is vast but safer and offers a lot more in terms of specifications and equipment We have no choice but to make this work,” according to her She says they want to retain the title and expand on it and we will execute our plan with precision to stay profitable and grow more Our message got out and the results are more than promising,” Adelene says Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot and anyone going faster than you is a maniac MASHISHING-The bustling town of Mashishing has ground to a halt as all mine workers have been prevented from going to work causing significant disruption to the local economy and community The abrupt halt in operations has left residents and businesses reeling with many grappling with uncertainty and financial strain The situation arose as a result of a series of unforeseen circumstances that unfolded early this morning Reports indicate that a blockade was set up at the entrance to the mine effectively preventing workers from accessing their places of employment The reasons behind the blockade remain unclear but tensions have been mounting in recent weeks over various labour disputes and concerns regarding working conditions Workers have been evacuated from their transport including buses public transport and general transport but school children and other workers have not been restricted Buses and public transport were all forced to unload workers Those from the city we see filling the streets and walking back to the city The cause is currently unknown and all mines are affected including Mototolo and website in this browser for the next time I comment We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again Tensions are continuing between some residents of Mashishing and the Thaba Chweu Local Municipality in Mpumalanga Residents forced workers to leave the municipal offices before locking them The concerned residents say the offices will remain closed until all their complaints are properly addressed by the executive mayor They suspended their violent protest action a day after the Nkadimeng municipality representatives addressed them last week they say they are not satisfied with the municipality’s response to their complaints The community members are calling on Nkadimeng to take action against alleged corrupt officials accuses Nkadimeng of protecting officials who are illegally occupying RDP houses in the area “70% of the occupants of the RDP houses are the officials of the Thaba Chweu Municipality You find particular officials having three or four houses Some have transformed or changed those RDP houses to guest houses and that is to the knowledge of the mayor,” says Ledwaba Mayor Nkadimeng admits that some officials do own RDP houses they were allocated the houses before they were employed by the municipality “There are officials that manage to get those houses when they were approved because at that time they were not working and they were earning less than R3 500 Human Settlements approved them and houses were allocated to them at the time they were not working Now they are working and Human Settlements is not able to say you have to get out of the house because now you are working The one I know is working as a PA in my office and others are in other departments of the municipality,” the mayor says Nkadimeng has also called on the concerned residents to submit a memorandum of their grievances to the municipality as their complaints had only been raised verbally the municipality announced that it will forge ahead with its plan to cut power to residents who are struggling to settle their electricity debts it has called on the residents in question to contact their councillors regarding payment arrangements NATIONAL NEWS - The South African Weather Service (SAWS) issued a warning for severe thunderstorms with strong damaging winds and hail in places along the escarpment and Lowveld areas of Mpumalanga and Limpopo regarding Sunday afternoon and early evening Dullstroom Road (R36) and the Burgersfort Road (R37) resulted in severe property and vehicle damage yesterday afternoon These are just a few photos that have been shared on emergency WhatsApp groups and Facebook pages – Lydenburg What’s Happening and Lydenburg Staan Saam Some hailstones were larger than golf and cricket balls The weather posed a danger of localised damage to infrastructure SAWS also warned of localised flooding of susceptible roads and we are one of the world's largest and lowest-cost producers Most of the world's ferrochrome is used in the production of corrosion resistant steel Most of the world's manganese is used in carbon steel production Vanadium alloys are used to strengthen specialty steels for use in niche and high-end applications It is also used in the production of vanadium redox batteries Our chromite assets are held via our majority stake in the Glencore–Merafe Chrome Venture and our vanadium assets via our majority shareholding stake in the Rhovan-Bakwena Vanadium Venture.  Through our 79.5% stake in the Glencore-Merafe Chrome Venture we have interests in the following mines and smelters: We have a number of ferrochrome smelters with varying technology: Rhovan is an open-cast mine and smelter complex which mainly produces ferrovanadium and vanadium pentoxide Char Technologies produces high-quality electrode paste and char that are used in the production of ferroalloys.  of pivoting towards a new normal and above all to survive the many challenges the year violently hurled at us it is turning out to be a year of facing those challenges and embracing the new opportunities it brings with it This is exactly the case for newly appointed Dealer Principal at Morgan Nissan Lydenburg who started as DP in August when the Morgan Group took over the dealership the dealership started out as Morgan’s Garage in the late Sixties my team is ready to deliver great service and provide top quality Dealerfloor had the opportunity to ask her some questions: Do you have any specific plans to ensure the success of the dealership?I believe that dealerships are only as successful as the employees who run it I plan to empower my team members to make their own decisions I plan to create an environment where employees want to stay for the long haul Reducing staff-turnover means you can rely on more knowledgeable staff more competent and engaged employees.In my mind teamwork is key Another key element is to understand and meet our customers’ needs and desires With customer’s expectations continuously evolving the best dealers constantly innovate to provide that expectant experience A positive experience with a customer can turn him or her into being a lifetime customer while at the same time building your brand by word-of-mouth.2 There aren’t too many women DPs in the industry What is you view?Whether you are male or female working in the automotive industry then you can succeed in the automotive industry Women have been part of the dealership for ever It was bound to happen for women to move through the ranks as they have proven their value in all the sectors.3 Any advice for young women who are considering the auto industry as a career option?It is a fast-moving industry can work hard and you are a first rate multi-tasker How important are extended warranties and service plans?It is very important to keep our customers in a stable being aware of any unforeseen situation that could place further financial strain on them If the maintenance expenses of their vehicles are included in the monthly instalment they will have peace of mind being covered Lydenburg is at the centre of the fly-fishing industry Which Nissan vehicle is best suited to drive if you are into that hobby and why do you say so comfort and the fact that you can add roof racks for all your gear you and your family will be able to drive in comfort on almost any terrain What do you consider the best part of working at Morgan Nissan Lydenburg?I am passionate about my workplace and absolutely adore the automotive industry we are a team and I feel as if I am part of a family I am fortunate and grateful that someone saw my potential giving me the opportunity to make this a success while aiming at the sky.7 WineYour favourite meal: Chicken breastWhich car do you drive: Any vehicle good quality carYour favourite thing to do when you have time off: CyclingTell us something most people don’t know about you: I am an open book I was once run over by a car being pushed by two guys Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio Police say three trucks were set alight by unknown men on Monday along the R547 Lydenburg road in Limpopo bringing to 14 the number of trucks torched countrywide in three days SAPS Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said one a truck driver told the police that six men travelling in a car blocked his truck, held him at gunpoint and ordered him to park and get out of the vehicle.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Read more on Daily Maverick: Van Reenen’s Pass reopened in KZN after gunmen set fire to six trucks on the N3 Trucks were burnt along R547 Lydenburg road in Limpopo “The complainant was driving a Scania truck along the R547 Lydenburg Road in Sekhukhune Road heading to deliver chrome at a local mine when he was accosted by six unknown males on the road He was pointed with a firearm and instructed to block the road with the truck and also disembark through the windows and then the suspects burnt the truck,” Ledwaba said He said two trucks behind the torched vehicle were also set alight Fourteen trucks have now been set ablaze in Kwazulu-Natal Mpumalanga and Limpopo since the beginning of last weekend Six were burnt in KZN while five were burnt in Mpumalanga Ledwaba said police were hunting for the suspects Read more in Daily Maverick: Truck attacks – five torched on N4 in Waterval Boven, follows similar attack on N3 President Cyril Ramaphosa said the incidents were “economic sabotage”. Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga said the suspects had to be brought to book. DMadvertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " The Lydenburg Regional Court has found Thaba Chweu Local Municipality (TCLM) guilty of seven charges in terms of the National Environmental Managing Act after residents have been complaining about pollution for more than a decade The court case follows an investigation by the Mpumalanga Environmental Affairs’ Green Scorpions and the Department of Water and Sanitation’s Blue Scorpions says the docket was brought to the Director of Public Prosecutions’ office in 2021 for a decision to institute criminal charges Sphiwe Matsi pleaded guilty to the charges on behalf of TCLM as its accounting officer and municipal manager The court penalized the municipality with R10m of which half of it was suspended for five years on the condition that it is not convicted of a similar offence during the period of suspension meaning TCLM received an effective fine of R5m Magistrate MJ Ngobeni instructed TCLM to invest R4.8m of the R5m fine in the infrastructure of the town for the improvement of sewage and water quality before the end of the year He ordered the municipality to pay R100 000 to the Department of Water and Sanitation and R100 000 to the Department of Environmental Affairs The charges included contravention of the National Water Act 36 of 1988 the pollution of the Dorps and Spekboom rivers in Wards 2 12 and 14 and the mismanagement of the Lydenburg landfill site and two water treatment plants says the party is overjoyed by the sentencing “We work for the community and to improve the quality of life I want to thank the Green and Blue Scorpions for their continued support and investigation in the case that led to the guilty sentence today.” “We believe that this sentence will serve as a deterrent effect to certain organs of the state who do not uphold the rule of law,” says the Director of Public Prosecutions Read original story on lowvelder.co.za The Morgan Group recently acquired a Nissan dealership in Lydenburg bringing the number of Nissan dealerships in the group to eight he is very proud of the new addition to the group “We have an extremely excited and motivated team responsible for the day-to-day running of the business,” he told Dealerfloor “They have already adopted the moniker of Team Morgan at your service which is a positive sign in terms of motivated employees,” Morgan said The team in Lydenburg will be led by the able and experienced Adelene le Roux The new acquisition continues Morgan’s philosophy of establishing his businesses mainly in rural areas where customer service and relationships are pivotal to success The Morgan Nissan Lydenburg dealership will offer new and used car sales To visit them and enjoy a nice cup of coffee pull in at the corner of Voortrekker and Viljoen streets If you’re looking for a masterclass in mismanagement Mpumalanga’s Thaba Chweu municipality offers just that Ballooning costs flowing from dubious con-tracts for an electrical substation could be the financial death blow for the municipality’s main town The small municipality is already one of the worst-performing in a province full of dysfunctional local councils But what started as a R118-million project to build a 132kV substation in 2012 has spiralled to well over three times that cost Investigative journalism takes time and money. Help us do more. Be an amaB Supporter. and with a price tag of about R400-million construction of the Duma substation has ground to a halt This came after criticism from opposition councillors activists and residents that there was no need to sink such a vast sum into a substation in the first place — and that the municipality had signed away most of its electricity revenue stream to pay for it China Sinogy Electric Engineering Co (CSEEC) overburdened and unsafe — “some even have live wires exposed” There’s no disputing that Mashishing’s electricity infrastructure is in a sorry state A June 2012 audit of the town’s substations notes scant record-keeping; faulty incorrectly calibrated instruments; poor servicing; and health and safety threats “I am very concerned at the state of the substations in Lydenburg town,” the report’s author concludes such as appointing a few qualified technicians and engineers and granting a bit more maintenance funding The municipality didn’t respond to questions about this — or anything else But CSEEC says it conducted its own audit using “an independent SA consulting engineer” Critics of the Duma project say the line about a growing demand for electricity is pure fiction Thaba Chweu’s ANC administration has justified the construction of Duma on the grounds that it is necessary for a host of planned developments private hospital and an extension of the town’s residential area A former municipal director says the developments were planned as far back as 2008 The reality is that the town has been falling apart for years Its dependence on mining meant local industry suffered after the global commodities rout it’s something of a post-industrial dust bowl There are a few new townhouse developments on the outskirts — cookie-cutter complexes with aspirational names that suggest Mashishing’s economy has not yet drawn its last breath everything suggests the kind of dorp that symbolises the steady decay of small-town SA Over the past few years the amount Thaba Chweu owes Eskom has rocketed to nearly R500-million — staggering for a municipality of little more than 100,000 people it’s hard to see how the municipality’s development dreams are anything but completely out of touch Thaba Chweu municipality — which includes the towns of Sabie and Graskop — appointed a company called Tsebolo Minerals as “transaction adviser” for the Duma substation project Tsebolo would end up receiving R15.9-million it would be criticised for receiving payment for services it allegedly never provided the municipality apparently decided to turn the project into a public-private partnership or PPP (the resolutions would later be disputed) It was then supposed to register the PPP with the National Treasury and keep it in the loop Documents from October 2012 show that the project was registered with the Treasury appointing one of its own advisers to assist the municipality a letter from the Treasury advises the municipality to “seek the views and recommendations of the National Treasury and the Mpumalanga provincial treasury at all phases of the project” and to involve the Treasury’s PPP unit “throughout the procurement process” the municipality zig-zagged before arriving at what seems to have been a pre-ordained destination The municipality invited interested parties to bid but found that the preferred bidder “was unable to meet the requirements of the project” Then it requested a closed bid and appointed LPJ — a black-empowered SA company jointly owned by a South Korean electrical firm LPJ seems to have closed and the Korean firm’s SA operation seems no longer to exist Chinese company Sieyuan Electric entered the frame It sent a letter of guarantee to Tsebolo Minerals construction and maintenance of Duma substation for 15 years The letter also refers to a meeting on June 24 2013 between Sieyuan in which the latter agrees to finance the project Sieyuan says it would “be making payments to Tsebolo Minerals to cover the development costs” and asks that Tsebolo “get us appointed by the municipality … to start with design work” a letter retracting LPJ’s appointment was signed by the then municipal manager It states: “There has been no development or any sign that LPJ SA would ever be able to raise the required funding.” another letter appoints Sieyuan and sets aside a substantial 6.25km² of land for the Duma project (Sieyuan’s director failed to respond to questions.) a PPP agreement was signed between the municipality and Sieyuan That contract was ceded to CSEEC soon afterwards the director of Sieyuan who also happens to be a CSEEC director “introduced the companies to each other for the purpose of ceding the PPP … in line with the respective strategies of both companies” Another red flag lies in the expanding scope of the project A note from September 2014 says the project would include the replacement of two smaller substations in the town and installation of 15,000 smart meters The project seems to be growing even today When amaBhungane visited Mashishing earlier this year it was shown four new Chinese mini-substations being built around town Engineers and experts say even if the town were in need of more power there are far cheaper and more readily available ways of getting it an electricity master plan points to a hydroelectric plant 16km outside Mashishing that has the ability to supply 2.6MW but “is not operational now and is not contributing to any demand of the town” A former technical services director says: “The saving for the municipality by using the hydro-station was R200,000 per month in terms of the amount of power generated based on what they would otherwise be paying Eskom.” A forensic report commissioned by the municipality says Thaba Chweu owes R10.2-million to the contractor brought in to run the hydroplant the plant is creating “an unmanageable liability to the municipality” there is no guarantee that Eskom would be able to fully supply the substation A letter from the power utility to the municipality says: “Eskom is experiencing electricity generation transmission and distribution constraints … capacity is going to be severely constrained for the next seven to 10 years.” Many are also wary of what the municipality might have signed away in its agreement with CSEEC A document presented to Thaba Chweu’s mayoral committee says: “There is a danger for public sector partners that they could [lose] the most valuable assets the potential profits that could accrue to the public sector.” a joint account would be set up to receive money from electricity users the consultant (Tsebolo) and the municipality After paying Eskom and the lenders each month the remaining funds would be divided as follows: a 20% fee to the municipality a 15% “retainer fee” to Tsebolo (on top of its R15.9-million “development ” fee) and another 20% to CSEEC for “maintenance” Profits would then be split 50:50 between the municipality and CSEEC there are important schedules missing from the contract amaBhungane has seen and neither CSEEC nor the municipality would provide the full contract as if the municipality were not already sacrificing enough of its revenue stream documents from 2014 refer to changing the profit-sharing to 70:30 in favour of CSEEC It is unclear why Tsebolo should get a 15% retainer plus R15.9-million for setting up the deal Tsebolo says “the share of net income is to pay the permitted retainer fees in the PPP Manual” CSEEC brought in Chinese subcontractor Hexing to install smart meters in households This added R50-million to the project cost Hexing’s conduct seems to have earned it some enemies interviews with former employees and an audio recording of a senior Hexing insider suggest the company may have engaged in underhand practices several local employees were suddenly laid off and replaced by Chinese workers Some say the locals were pushed out because they were reluctant to go along with certain questionable decisions Photographs show that Hexing employees from China were brought to SA on visitor visas One former Hexing employee says this was standard practice E-mails between Hexing staff show that in November 2017 more than two years after the company signed on it had still not received the necessary certifications to commence work It did not have a valid certificate of good standing from the department of labour Staff were frantically trying to get the department to issue the certificate and were concerned that it was watching them closely especially after an accident in which a crane fell over A former employee says a Hexing manager pressured employees to pay a labour department contact to expedite the awarding of the certificate An employee was allegedly forced to drive to Pretoria to hand over the bribe Hexing did not respond to written questions but threatened legal action saying allegations against it are without foundation and highly defamatory “As the subcontractor of [the] main contractor we make performance in accordance with the agreement signed between us and fully obey the applicable regulations/laws …including employment [laws].” so did the concerns of municipal councillors A damning forensic report by Audit & Risk Management Solutions which the council commissioned last year to look into allegations of misconduct and mismanagement Why would a municipality seemingly neck-deep in sleaze commission such a report Two sources say there were signs of growing division in the Thaba Chweu ANC with rising discontent against the dominant faction linked to then premier and current deputy president David Mabuza and his ally the new municipal manager was Patrick Kgoale who is thought to be outside of Mashego’s camp It was the council that pushed for the forensic investigation But it is understood the regional ANC was furious with Kgoale for allowing the probe and that once the report was submitted the municipal management refused to make it public After protests and opposition threats of legal action The report details unbridled incompetence and plunder at the struggling municipality and says more than R350-million has been wasted since 2011 It suggests millions were misspent on lawyers; tender processes were flouted with R42-million blown in irregularly appointing 10 security firms; supply chain rules were routinely ignored; the municipality had paid for services that were not delivered; and R5.6-million was spent on a road that did not exist “We found that 16 projects had cost variations which exceeded 20% or R20-million of the initial cost in contravention of the National Treasury instruction,” the report says “Fruitless and wasteful expenditure … was due to interest incurred on the Eskom overdue account The interest amounted to R97.9-million as at June 30 2017.” equally scathing report — this one on the Duma project It found that the Treasury had not been consulted no feasibility assessment had been conducted on the preferred bidder’s proposal and there was no contract management plan in place The Treasury says the project “was deregistered a long time ago when the municipality decided not to follow PPP procurement processes” The report further notes that Duma’s cost ballooned from R118-million to R410-million “It is not clear what is the role of the transactional adviser [Tsebolo Minerals] in the agreement and why it was necessary to have [director Badisang Mokwena] co-sign the agreement,” it says It slams the R15.9-million paid to Tsebolo for services it “deduced” were not received He says the con-tract is entirely above board the council decided to suspend the project after receiving the report Against the fallout from the broader forensic report it may have felt it had more urgent matters to attend to EFF councillor Exodus Mabanne says there is a lack of political will to clean up the mess because the dysfunctionality serves the interests of the local ANC barons “Thaba Chweu is the ANC’s milk cow,” he says Local activist Joel Ledwaba agrees: “Thaba Chweu municipality is an ATM for ANC politicians.” including from dissident ANC members critical of the Mabuza-Mashego faction Ledwaba alleges the regional ANC is deeply implicated in Thaba Chweu’s corruption with infrastructure grants siphoned into private pockets and ANC coffers A source who worked closely with the municipality’s administration speaks of officials openly talking about directing a slice of project funding to party interests Two councillors say only three of more than a dozen officials implicated in the forensic report have been suspended — and that on full pay One official — said to have authorised payments of R47,000 to a contractor to maintain mini-substations even though no work was done — is understood to have found his way into a more senior position Some say it’s because he was not sufficiently loyal to the regional ANC Part of the problem is that Thaba Chweu’s management is a game of musical chairs with a resultant loss of institutional memory It has had at least 10 municipal managers since the provincial government last placed it under administration What ultimately happens with Duma remains to be seen The municipality continues to carry unsustainable Eskom debt And there is still no sign of the luxury hotel * amaBhungane: isizulu for “The Dung Beetles” Copyright © 2025    |    Designed by Polygram The Lydenburg police have launched a manhunt after 20-year-old Megan Griesel was killed in the early hours yesterday and a gang of at least 10 robbers targeted the safes at two filling stations Security footage from Lydenburg Convenience Engen Garage shows about 10 armed suspects jumping off a white Isuzu single-cab bakkie at the filling station The suspects bombed a drop safe and proceeded to the Quest Garage about 500m from Engen and situated at The Heads The police have not been able to confirm if they managed to open the second safe and make off with its contents The suspects robbed Quest cashiers at gunpoint they spotted Griesel’s vehicle and started shooting at it According to the Lydenburg police’s spokesperson the robbers may have mistaken Griesel’s car for that of a security company’s Dilebo confirmed that the victim had been fatally wounded during the shooting The suspects also broke into Checkers Liquor at The Heads and stole various boxes of alcohol The police are searching for the robbers and the bakkie it was last seen travelling in the direction of Long Tom Pass they can contact the police on 013 235 2233 Read original story on www.citizen.co.za Subscribe to daily business and company news across 19 industries The Mashishing Campus offers courses in Engineering Business studies and Office Administration It was established when Glencore’s Lydenburg Smelter – the largest employer in the town – approached the Mpumalanga Department of Public Works about converting some of their facilities into a TVET college and engaging the Management of Ehlanzeni College to expand the College’s footprint to Mashishing The proposal was well received by the Department and Ehlanzeni College and Lydenburg Smelter formed a partnership to develop the project The Mashishing Campus opened earlier this year at an approximate cost of R7 million “The White Paper for Post-School Education and Training recognises the importance of partnerships between educational institutions and employers and the extent to which a college is able to build such partnerships is an important criterion in assessing its overall performance,” said Maryna Marais The Ehlanzeni TVET College aims to provide programme-based vocational and occupational education and training to respond to the human resource economic and development needs of South Africa with a vision of providing excellence in education and training “We believe Lydenburg Smelter has a responsibility to develop skills in our local community,” said Poloko Baraganye Glencore Human Resource Department Senior Business Partner “We saw an urgent need for a TVET college in Mashishing.” Lydenburg Smelter handed the TVET campus over to the Ehlanzeni Management on 7 January 2019 affordable access to tertiary education for parents who can’t afford to send their children to study outside Mashishing The college also provides skills required by local industries and thus ensures graduates have relevant qualifications and stand a good chance of finding jobs or opportunities to start small businesses “Glencore supports the NDP objectives of providing opportunities and skills that will uplift communities and help them sustain themselves in the long-term,” said Baraganye “Through the Ehlanzeni TVET College we have been able to help create infrastructure that can positively impact our host community.” Courses offered at the campus have also included N1 Boilermaking From a humble beginning of just more than 150 “Report 191” students at the beginning of 2019 the College will be enrolling 699 students in 2020 Two National Certificate Vocational (NCV) programmes – Engineering and Related Design and Office Administration – will be introduced NC(V) programmes are three-year programmes comprising of a theory and a practical component The Programme Qualification Mix for the Campus will therefore include the two NC(V) programmes Engineering Studies (Report 191) and Business Studies (Report 191) TVET students can qualify for admission to a university of technology or university where they can continue their studies at a higher level Students whose combined family income (both their mother and father) is less than R350,000 per year and who are South African citizens qualify for a National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) bursary to study at TVET colleges Choose a topic below and thereafter view all articles on the topic using the "Next >" button or swiping left Choose a topic below and thereafter view all articles on the topic using the "Next >" button or the keyboard right arrow key