registered non profit organisation in South AfricaReg No: 011-895 NPO ───   KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 08:34 Sun Years of political instability and municipal neglect have left residents of Maluti-A-Phofung enduring an ongoing water crisis The crisis has sparked outrage from political parties and residents who demand accountability and urgent solutions For years residents have faced persistent water cuts due to dilapidated water pump stations and infrastructure interventions by provincial and national governments have failed to yield sustainable solutions Lefuma criticised the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) for its lack of engagement.  "The water crisis in Maluti-A-Phofung is largely a man-made disaster With a staggering 70% of water lost due to leakages and outdated infrastructure residents are paying the price for the municipality’s neglect an elderly gentleman recently lost his life while collecting water from a borehole several kilometers away – a needless tragedy that would not have occurred if the municipality had fulfilled its obligations." The SAHRC has confirmed the municipality’s water crisis violates basic human rights and pledged follow-up actions to ensure compliance with its findings Addressing the media during an inspection of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project's Ash River Outfall Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation David Mahlobo acknowledged the severity of the water issues Mahlobo attributed the collapse of the municipality to poor governance by prior leadership we had to intervene in terms of Section 154 and later Section 139 We invested significant funds to build infrastructure including additional water treatment plants around Harrismith and upgrades to the Fika Patso pump station,” Mahlobo said Despite improvements to bulk water systems Mahlobo highlighted the municipality's inability to maintain its internal water network resulting in massive leaks and water losses He urged the municipality to refurbish its systems to reduce leaks and ensure water reaches reservoirs The Free State MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs blaming the water crisis on political instability he assured residents that steps are being taken to stabilise the municipality "We will appoint a municipal manager to stabilise administration There’s an investment of about R1 billion to address services such as roads Water and electricity supply will be stabilised in the coming months," Mokoena said Chairperson of the Vaal Central Water Board revealed previous contractors abandoned water network projects in Qwaqwa leaving them incomplete despite receiving partial payments Deputy Minister Sello Seitlholo condemned the so-called “water tanker mafias” for exploiting the crisis for personal gain and businesses deliberately compromise infrastructure to secure lucrative water tanker tenders “Residents continue to suffer because of corruption and greed,” Seitlholo said with many calling for immediate action to restore basic services OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi dg 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 ActionSA is deeply concerned about the continued dysfunctionality and financial mismanagement in Maluti-A-Phofung Local Municipality A senior official unlawfully signed a R27 million acknowledgement of debt to a company owned by his cousin exposing the deep-rooted corruption crippling service delivery The Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) has failed in its duty to ensure oversight Maluti-A-Phofung must be placed under administration or dissolved entirely as it has proven incapable of fulfilling its constitutional mandate The municipality’s financial collapse is further evidenced by its staggering Eskom debt of R8 billion as of July last year jeopardising electricity supply and worsening service delivery The recent scandal involving Corporate Services Director Sam Makhubu and Kill Crime Security Service The Free State High Court declared their agreements and the R27 million acknowledgement of debt as constitutionally invalid Judge Joseph Mhlambi’s ruling exposed a deliberate scheme to exploit municipal resources with both individuals effectively “capturing” the municipality We call on the national government to step in place Maluti-A-Phofung under administration The people deserve better than a municipality hijacked by corruption It is time to restore good governance and ensure municipal funds serve the community Home | Politics Thirty years into democracy, residents of Maluti A Phofung municipality in the Free State continue to be on the receiving end of poor services due to political instability the municipality which incorporates Qwaqwa has been struggling with inconsistent water and electricity supply Government admits that political instability has worsened the situation “I walk a long distance to fetch water at a school as a result I got injured in the process,” laments one it’s a struggle to go there because I am old.” The provincial government admits it has failed residents when it comes to water supply It says it is working on improving the water infrastructure For more than ten years residents have been fighting for the provision of water in the area despite national government committing billions of rands in 2019 to fix the infrastructure Another R1-billion has been committed to the municipality by the provincial government Cooperative governance MEC Saki Mokoena elaborates “We can safely say that there is an investment of about a billion for Maluti A Phofung from all levels of government to stabilise the road network We should be expecting to reach better levels in the next couple of weeks or months in terms of two critical issues – water and electricity.” some political parties are threatening to bring a motion of no confidence against the coalition-led municipality’s speaker Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) councillor Chicco Mkhwanazi explains “There is nothing that is happening in this municipality the community is still struggling about everything so we are not happy at all and we are busy now engaging our leadership to put the motion of no confidence against all this troika because they are doing nothing.” The DA in the Free State has called on government to put the Maluti-A-Phofung municipality under administration due to the shocking state of its road infrastructure Many roads in the area are in a deplorable state with gaping potholes and some having the tar scraped off and left exposed in what appears to be an incomplete project Sunday World reported about the poor state of roads in the area which includes Qwaqwa but frustrated residents say nothing has changed “We have been in this situation of horrendous roads for many years and this has become a reality for us to live in this state We have to budget money for tyres and rims due to these potholes We are not being taken seriously as the residents of Qwaqwa,” said resident Kgauta Mokgatla Sunday World has established that areas such as Tseki Matebeleng and Dithotaneng are some of the worst affected Local businesswoman Ntsekiseng Moloi said she tried many times to speak to the municipality regarding the state of roads and our businesses are also affected as it becomes difficult for our clients to access us easily due to these terrible roads “I am running a hardware and many of my clients use transport to collect material and they have challenges driving on these roads with heavy stuff loaded in their vehicles Those responsible for providing services have failed us,” she said Another resident Sello Mofokeng also decried the situation pointing out that the challenges faced by Qwaqwa people will only be resolved if the municipality is placed under administration “The only way to resolve service delivery issues here lies with the provincial government putting the municipality under administration We are being taken for fools by the councillors and the mayor but we are forced to drive on these bad roads everyday they do not know what they are doing and intervention is needed.”   Alison Oates said the municipality shifts the blame to the provincial roads department each time they seek answers “There are packets of tar at the municipality that can be used to patch potholes but nothing is happening We only find people on the road hustling for themselves patching potholes and accepting donations from generous motorists “But the tar is sitting there at the municipal premises while there are people working for the municipality doing nothing to fix those potholes We have been saying for years that the Maluti-A-Phofung should be put under administration but Cogta nationally and provincially are doing nothing,” said Oates Maluti-A-Phofung spokesperson Thabo Kessah said there is a road infrastructure handover that was made in January by former premier Mxolisi Dukwana and former MEC of roads MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae “There’s work being carried out by both the municipality and the provincial government on a number of roads  Free State Department of Roads and Transport spokesperson Walter Macala said “the department is responsible for a total of 247,85 kilometers of the network within this area of Qwaqwa The department has recently conducted condition assessment on approximately 90% of its network including roads within Qwaqwa the department is aware of the general conditions of the roads The roads started to deteriorate over the past five years with the reality of population growth in the area The majority of defects are attributed to leaks in water lines and malfunctioning of stormwater systems due to people having built houses in waterways and channel outlets.”   “A project plan has been drawn up and is being implemented by the contractor to deal with not only the road surface but also the water channels Two roads in Lusaka and Dithotaneng have had their surfacing removed as part of preparing work areas for the local SMMEs because these roads shall be paved by interlocking bricks done by them.”  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 SANRAL exposes Maluti-a-Phofung youth to educational opportunities Caption: Learners from Maluti-a-Phofung attentively listening to SANRAL presentation at the career exhibition Harrismith, 5 September 2024 – Scholarships are available to all high school learners who are in grades 8 to 12, irrespective of subject choices, the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) has announced. More than 800 high school learners from Maluti-a-Phofung attended the agency’s Career Expo this week and were encouraged to apply for the scholarship and bursary opportunities provided by SANRAL. Speaking to the learners, Maluti-a-Phofung Education District Director Khothatso Molefi said: “The purpose for today’s event is to show you the way and expose you to different careers. The opportunities presented here are for you. Everyone is here to help you choose your careers, to succeed and have a brighter future. Take this opportunity and use it to your advantage.” Nomfundo Vilakazi, Human Resources graduate intern at SANRAL’s Eastern Region, encouraged learners to choose their careers wisely. “I am a recipient of a SANRAL bursary. If I can do it, so can you. You must have a dream as a young person. There is no limit to your dream. As the youth you are powerful to change your future. You have the power to change your situation at home,” said Vilakazi. She encouraged the learners to make use of the opportunities presented to them and to focus solely on their education. “To qualify for these opportunities, students at universities need a 60% pass mark while matriculants must obtain a 70% pass mark. Our bursary programme benefits students who want to study towards fields such as procurement, finance and human resources, and not just civil engineering,” said Vilakazi. Thandeka Ngema, SANRAL’s Eastern Region Stakeholder Coordinator, said: “As much as SANRAL builds national roads, we go by our motto which is ‘Beyond Roads’. At the Career Expo, we share information about our scholarship and bursary programmes and also talk about career opportunities in fields such as civil engineering, environmental engineering and electronic engineering, among others. We want the learners to know there is financial assistance for them to further their studies.” Other partners in this programme include various government departments, including the Department of Employment and Labour; the Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority (WRSETA), as well as educational institutions such as Eduvos and the Central University of Technology, both based in Bloemfontein. The residents and business owners of Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality are up in arms and extremely frustrated with the ongoing electricity crisis Constant interruptions and instability have been negatively impacting the economic flow for years The outstanding debt to Eskom has reached a staggering R8,1 billion Apart from the obvious cost impact on businesses having to find alternative ways to generated power and job cuts to keep their doors open this persistent lack of electricity has further impacted the daily lives and well-being of the community in the following ways: This unfortunate crisis could however have been remedied by now was it not for the defiant ANC governed municipality senior officials His Lordship Mr Justice Sardiwalla ruled the nisi rule issued on 24 May 2021 This means that Eskom was supposed to have been appointed as the Service Delivery Agent of MAP in respect of its electricity business on terms and conditions contemplated In the Active Partnering Proposal submitted by Eskom on 8 December 2020 Thus by implication Eskom would be being accountable for the implementation of electrical infrastructure and slowly recovering the insurmountable debt owed to them The DA will be calling on both the National Minister and the Provincial MEC of Cogta to intervene and have the Eskom DAA (Distribution Agency Agreement) implemented and that bi-weekly progress reports on the status be submitted We strongly urge that the DAA be fully operational by November 2024 In addition we will request an investigation of contempt of court on the perpetrators that previously failed to adhere to the court order It is fundamental that effective measures to address the electricity crisis in Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality are implemented To restore reliable electricity and improve the quality of life of the residents residing within its demarcation we understand the need for reliable and sustainable electricity supply The DA will continue to monitor the progress and hold the governing bodies accountable Phuthaditjhaba police are asking for the community’s assistance in searching for two armed suspects after a woman (61) and her son (40) were shot and killed in their home Phuthaditjhaba police are asking for the community’s assistance in searching for two armed suspects after Maluti-a-Phofung councillor Moshe Lefuma (40) and his mother It is alleged that on Saturday (23/11) Dinah was home with her sons when two unknown men walked inside the house and asked about her eldest son Moshe When questioned why they were looking for him they proceeded straight into his bedroom and she followed them that is when the youngest son heard gunshots and ran from the house “Police received a call about the shooting incident at a certain house in the Snake Park section of Bluegumbosch upon arrival police found two bodies in the bedroom,” said Free State police spokesperson Molefi Shemane “Both bodies sustained gunshot wounds in their heads and were declared dead by emergency services the motive for this killing is not yet known.” We appeal to anyone with information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of the suspects to contact Colonel Milela of Phuthaditjhaba detective services at 079 889 3311 or crime stop at 08600 10111 “The DA in the province is shocked and saddened by the brutal murder of Maluti-a-Phofung DA Chief Whip Moshe Lefuma and his mother after an attack on their home,” said Maluti-a-Phofung DA constituency head “The DA deeply mourns the loss of his young life as someone who still had so much to give his community and we will remain unwavering in our pursuit of justice “We visited the family on Saturday (23/11) and extended our deepest condolences to their loved ones during this difficult period,” he said OFM News/Zenande Mpame cg After resisting being removed from her position by the ANC struggled to string sentences in English while delivering the state of the municipality address in 2021/2022 The party axed her after she had refused to vacate her position as instructed by the party’s top brass last month the ANC appointed Malekula Melato as the new mayor of the cash-strapped municipality Melato is the regional secretary at the Thabo Mofutsanyana region She was appointed after a lengthy struggle to kick out the defiant Lakaje-Mosia Sunday World reported last month that the axed mayor had told the ANC bosses that she was not going to resign The delegation included former MEC of corporate governance and traditional affairs Ketso “Toto” Makume and Jeff Mohapi This was despite being told that the party had reviewed her position and gave her marching orders Lakaje-Mosia threw a fit and told the ANC leaders that she was not going to resign She said she had not signed the appointment letter when she was appointed acting mayor Phuthadichaba region confirmed the situation They stated that gatvol ANC leaders in the Free State confronted her telling her that her behaviour was unbecoming And that she needed her to leave the office in a respectful manner “Masechaba was told nicely time and again to vacate the office but she flatly refused She cited the same thing: that she was never appointed to the position she was told it’s either she gets expelled from the party or toe the line she realised that she was going to see herself outside the ANC [Since the prospect] would be the end for her Another insider claimed that the axed mayor demanded to know where she will be deployed Magogo wanted to know where she was going to be deployed She told the ANC leaders that she had a family to feed Lakaje-Mosia was just a liability in the municipality The only thing she knew was to go pose for pictures when the transformer had exploded,” said a source ANC Thabo Mofutsanyana regional secretary Jeff Mohapi also did not respond to our questions Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content Fundudzi Media (Pty) Ltd. All rights reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms & conditions and privacy policy. The Maluti-A-Phofung Local Municipality (MaP) has elected Malekula Melato as the Executive Mayor following the resignation of Masechaba Lakaje on 10 May 2024 The Public Protector found her appointment as Manager: Special Programs in Naledi Local Municipality irregular citing her misrepresentation of qualifications she violated the Supply Chain policy by irregularly approving deviations and awarding tenders without proper procedures It is alarming that someone with such a history is now entrusted to lead MaP The municipality requires a leader with integrity and a genuine commitment to serving the community she made sweeping promises about improving service delivery and combating corruption—echoing the empty vows of her predecessors She pledged significant progress within her first 100 days The DA will hold her accountable to these promises ensuring that Maluti-A-Phofung sees real improvements The DA will closely monitor her administration’s actions continuing our vigilant oversight as we have done with previous mayors The residents of Maluti-A-Phofung deserve more than empty promises; they deserve a functioning and transparent government The DA is committed to being the driving force behind this change Former Maluti-A-Phofung local municipality chairperson of Municipal Public Account Committee (MPAC) who was a member of African Content Movement (ACM) a political party that was formed by the former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng is said to have taken his own life on Sunday morning in Qwaqwa According to insiders at the council and close friends Thulo was experiencing challenges in his personal life Insiders claim that the 34-year-old councillor hanged himself with a rope in the house of his friend The friend is also a councillor of Maluti-A-Phofung “Tumelo had personal problems with his girlfriend He never spoke much about his personal life But what we know is that he was fighting a lot with his girlfriend He would bottle up things without getting any help from anyone …He preferred to deal with his own issues all by himself,” said a source Another insider claimed that he lost it when he allegedly noted that his girlfriend was cheating on him The guy she was allegedly cheating with was from the same region “He had been there for the woman and supported her in everything But after he lost his job as an MPAC chairperson Thulo was hurt that the woman he loved betrayed him and he ended up taking his own life,” said a source He was recalled from his MPAC position by his party in July This after being accused of allegedly not taking his job seriously Despite his attempts to push the boundaries to get his work done He was replaced as an MPAC chairperson by the former ANC councillor Another source claimed that Thulo also fell into depression after losing his job “We got permission from his father to speak Indeed servant Tumelo Thulo had passed on,” said Tshabalala-Holley also conveyed his condolences to Thulo’s family “We have lost a brilliant youngster who had a bright future in politics and his work will forever be commendable And we are grateful to have worked with him for our people at ACM,” said Motsoeneng Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content Surrounded by the remote brown mountains of a country in drought, the three small slopes of Afriski mountain resort in Lesotho are this year layered in artificial snow created with water pumped from eight surrounding dams Afriski is a rare winter treat that attracts visitors from the continent and beyond and returns this season after power cuts and other issues kept it closed in 2023 At 3,000 metres (10,000ft) high up in the Maluti mountains the resort has weathered a series of challenges since it opened 22 years ago Surrounded by the remote brown mountains of a country in drought, the three small slopes of Afriski mountain resort in Lesotho are this year layered in artificial snow created with water pumped from eight surrounding dams ───   KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 11:08 Wed “Eskom will come in and take over the electricity running department of the municipality with a view of providing reliable electricity.” Eskom has officially taken over the electricity supply operations in the Maluti-a-Phofung Municipality in the Free State The signing of the Distribution Agency Agreement (DAA) between Eskom and the municipality marked a pivotal moment in the ongoing efforts to address the longstanding challenges plaguing the region’s electricity infrastructure The ceremony led by the Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister David Mahlobo and Eskom Executive Director Monde Bala at the Multi-Purpose Centre in Bluegumbosch on Tuesday (7/5) marked a new era of cooperation between Eskom and the municipality ‘DA branded the deal as an electioneering campaign’ But the DA branded the deal as an electioneering campaign of a “solution to the electricity debt crisis” was first made by former Deputy President David Mabuza in December 2020 and followed legal action spanning the previous two years which had led to the Eskom Task Team being established said DA Free State Cogta spokesperson Leona Kleynhans.  the Gauteng High Court ordered that Eskom take over the electricity function in Maluti-a-Phofung after the ANC-led council resisted the agreement “The Democratic Alliance has since 2018 said Eskom must take over the electricity function in MaP because the municipality has neither the capacity nor the resources to fulfill its service delivery obligations in this regard The municipality has one of the highest debts to Eskom in the country,” added Kleynhans Mahlobo dismissed allegations of using such projects for electioneering citing that the government work cannot stop only because off the elections period He admitted the MaP residents have gone through a lot due to a lack of service delivery as a result of a collapsed municipality and no governance due to corrupt officials in the past The intervention led to the agreement and signing of a pledge to assist the municipality in ending issues of electricity With the ink still drying on the agreement attention now turns to the pressing issues that have precipitated this intervention and the implications for residents and businesses alike “We seek Eskom will come in and take over the electricity running department of the municipality with a view of providing reliable electricity,” said Bala we want to support the municipality in building up the skills for the provision of electricity and then towards the end of agreement we will then hand over back the running of electricity business back to the municipality so that people of Maluti can continue enjoying reliable electricity.” Maluti-a-Phofung Municipality has grappled with a multiple challenges stemming from illegal connections The municipality has been inundated with a staggering number of households and businesses connected illegally exacerbating the strain on an already fragile power supply network ‘The financial implications of this crisis loom large’ OFM News previously highlighted the dire situation facing residents across QwaQwa where the scarcity of electricity has become a daily reality With many households resorting to sharing electricity from a limited number of transformers the strain on the system has reached critical levels The consequences of this power crisis extend far beyond mere inconvenience as businesses struggle to stay afloat amidst prolonged outages The financial implications of this crisis loom large with Maluti-A-Phofung Municipality accruing a staggering debt of R7.6 billion to Eskom OFM News/ Kekeletso Mosebetsi dg Stellenbosch University researchers have identified two new species of mushrooms containing numerous substances that induce powerful hallucinations and other mind-altering effects – and which have long been used by traditional healers in Lesotho US researchers have found that these substances may actually stay in the brain for weeks which sheds light on why users experience such vivid effects The Psilocybe ingeli and Psilocybe maluti mushrooms contain the compound psilocybin known for its ability to produce hallucinations a citizen mycologist (a self-trained fungi expert) and co-author of a research article published recently said traditional healers in Lesotho use these mushrooms for spiritual purposes “The Psilocybe maluti is the one species with which I was particularly involved I discovered its psychedelic use in tribal settings," he told News24 Our traditional healers are world-renowned for their herbal use And that’s where the Basotho use of this mushroom comes in… our first official account of psychedelic mushroom use in sub-Saharan Africa.” He said speaking to traditional healers in Lesotho during his research he learned that this mushroom was and still is used “in a psychedelic manner” “Our mushrooms specimens here in South Africa are excellent sources of psilocybin and psilocin… the most crucial thing is that our traditional healers have been using these for the same purposes for which they are being studied across the globe: for anxiety for figuring out what’s wrong with human beings on a psychoanalytic spectrum discovered the first known sample of Psilocybe ingeli growing in KwaZulu-Natal pastures Daniella Mulder found the elusive Psilocybe maluti in some cow manure on a small farm in the Free State a leading expert on South African fungi based in Somerset West The researchers turned to Breyten van der Merwe a trained mycologist and chemical engineering postgraduate student at the University of Stellenbosch who received the specimens for further analysis Van der Merwe employed DNA sequencing and analysis in the Department of Microbiology lab under the leadership of Professor Karin Jacobs which resulted in the discovery of the two novel species of hallucinogenic mushrooms Jacobs said it was important to incorporate traditional knowledge into scientific research “We possess knowledge systems regarding plant use including indigenous uses for various medications and medicines It's essential to involve people without formal scientific training but with expertise on these mushrooms in the research paper and prevent misinterpretation by outside parties,” she said The main goal is to harness this finding’s potential for the betterment of South African society and economy “We want to ensure that the advantages of this discovery remain within our borders and are used to improve our communities rather than being exploited for external gain.” The finding by US scientists – that the psychedelic compound in magic mushrooms not only gives people a day trip but an influence the brain for weeks – may explain why taking psilocybin can result in a distorted sense of space and may help in treating severe depression a co-author of the work from Washington University School of Medicine said the research could also bring benefits to companies testing novel psychedelics and similar “It could help to determine if a novel drug is hitting the right targets and to decide what is the optimal dose,” he told The Guardian Siegel and a team of colleagues report how they carried out a randomised control trial with seven healthy participants who agreed to take psilocybin in the name of science “It was also a requirement that they had taken a psychedelic at some point in their life partly because they were taking a high dose claustrophobic magnet (while) on psilocybin,” said Siegel adding the team needed to be sure participants would be able to tolerate the situation “So we wanted to make sure we knew that they would be able to tolerate that.” The participants were randomly assigned either a 25mg dose of psilocybin or a 40mg of methylphenidate – the generic form of Ritalin – but were kept in the dark about which they had been given One to two weeks later the participants were given the drug they did not initially receive The participants underwent MRI scans before while after six to 12 months four of the participants returned to receive another dose of psilocybin and scans The results reveal taking psilocybin – but not methylphenidate – was associated with a loss of synchrony in what is known as the default mode network This is an interconnected group of brain regions that is active when the mind is wandering and the brain isn’t working on a particular task this network is involved in creating a sense of self as well as showing links to the perception of space and time “The interpretation is that that disruption is what creates this very out of the ordinary experience when taking psilocybin,” he said While participants’ brain scans largely returned to normal the day after taking psilocybin Siegel noted a reduction in communication between the default mode network and the anterior hippocampus a part of the brain critical for memory and perceptions of space and time which lasted for three weeks after the dose Siegel said the finding may help explain reports of an increase in flexibility in how people view themselves and their relationship to their environment after taking psilocybin This plasticity is thought to underpin psychedelic-based interventions for conditions such as treatment-resistant depression by making the brain more open to therapy Siegel added while the research process was demanding there seemed to be plenty of volunteers for studies into psychedelics “We didn’t have trouble finding participants,” he said A description of two novel Psilocybe species from southern Africa and some notes on African traditional hallucinogenic mushroom use Two new Psilocybe species (Hymenogastraceae) Morphology and phylogeny were used to separate the two novel fungi from their closest relatives in the genus Psilocybe ingeli was found fruiting on bovine manure–enriched grasslands in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa and differs from its closest relative P keralensis and others in the internal transcribed spacer ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and translation elongation factor 1-alpha regions maluti was collected from the Free State Province of South Africa and observed in the Kingdom of Lesotho and differences in the same DNA regions distinguish P a psychedelic that acutely causes distortions of space–time perception and ego dissolution produces rapid and persistent therapeutic effects in human clinical trials psilocybin induces neuroplasticity in cortex and hippocampus It remains unclear how human brain network changes relate to subjective and lasting effects of psychedelics Here we tracked individual-specific brain changes with longitudinal precision functional mapping (roughly 18 magnetic resonance imaging visits per participant) during and for three weeks after high-dose psilocybin (25 mg) and methylphenidate (40 mg) and brought back for an additional psilocybin dose six–12 months later Psilocybin massively disrupted functional connectivity (FC) in cortex and subcortex acutely causing more than threefold greater change than methylphenidate These FC changes were driven by brain desynchronisation across spatial scales (areal which dissolved network distinctions by reducing correlations within and anticorrelations between networks Psilocybin-driven FC changes were strongest in the default mode network which is connected to the anterior hippocampus and is thought to create our sense of space Individual differences in FC changes were strongly linked to the subjective psychedelic experience Performing a perceptual task reduced psilocybin-driven FC changes Psilocybin caused persistent decrease in FC between the anterior hippocampus and default mode network Persistent reduction of hippocampal-default mode network connectivity may represent a neuroanatomical and mechanistic correlate of the proplasticity and therapeutic effects of psychedelics Mycilogia article – A description of two novel Psilocybe species from southern Africa and some notes on African traditional hallucinogenic mushroom use (Open access) News24 article – SEE | Mind-bending mushrooms recently identified in SA have long been used by Basotho healers (Restricted access) Nature article – Psilocybin in magic mushrooms can influence brain for weeks, study finds (Open access) Study shows how psychedelics work on the brain to relieve depression Psychedelic mushrooms can help depression, anxiety, addiction Largest study finds psychedelic ‘highly efficacious’ in serious depression — COMPASS 2b trial Magic mushrooms not a ‘miracle cure’ for mental health ailments Every week your advertisement will reach more than 48,000 South African health professionals, of whom around 37,000 are medical and dental practitioners in the state and private sectors. 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It was reported that 3%… [More] A federal prosecutor in Washington has contacted the New England Journal of Medicine, considered the world’s most prestigious medical journal,… [More] A British woman had a leg and hand amputation after minor injuries – dropping a perfume bottle on her foot,… [More] Africa’s pharmaceutical sector is witnessing an influx of foreign interest, with Chinese companies leading the charge. This surge comes as… [More] The ZaZiBoNa initiative to harmonise the regional registration of requirements for pharmaceutical products has saved time and costs for manufacturers and… [More] MedicalBrief is Africa’s authoritative weekly digest of medical matters both on the continent and around the world It brings you a succinct summary of the latest developments Home | South Africa Some business owners have expressed their dissatisfaction over the inconsistent supply of water and electricity by the Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality in the Free State Chairperson for Business and Police forum Suren Renjith says some businesses have seen a decline with others planning on closing alongside with the business community are up in arms They demanding that the municipality improve its provision of services Renjith says its been a long-running problem the residents including the businesses and the community at large have really suffered with what is going on here Water was restored to the residents after 10 days because they are saying the same thing we are saying Planet Earth is home to possibly hundreds of species of magic mushroom that contain the hallucinogen, psilocybin. Systematic fieldwork surveys of the genus, Psilocybe, however, are "entirely lacking" for many regions of the world a new paper describes two species of magic mushroom in southern Africa that are wholly new to science That brings the total number of reported Psilocybe mushrooms on the continent from just four to six is the first scientifically documented magic mushroom with traditional maluti was originally photographed in 2021 growing on cow manure in the Free State province of South Africa The golden caramel cap of the fruiting body was collected by self-taught mycologist Daniella Mulder who sent the unusual looking specimens and some images of them to mycologist Breyten van der Merwe from Stellenbosch University in South Africa for further morphological and genetic analysis When it was determined to be a new species another self-taught mycologist named Cullen Clark along with scientists at Stellenbosch went searching for other mushrooms like it They found matching specimens in the Kingdom of Lesotho a landlocked nation fully surrounded by South Africa The team got in touch with Mamosebetsi Sethathi a traditional healer of the kingdom's most prominent ethnic group; the Basotho people Sethathi kindly shared their traditional uses for the fruiting bodies of P According to anecdotes, local Basotho healers called lingaka (plural) or ngaka (singular) consume the conically capped mushrooms as part of spiritual tradition. Basotho shamans, called linohe, use the mushrooms to "foresee the future" occasionally use the mushrooms in association with their "vast knowledge of herbs and remedies" to treat others Along with the psychoactive plant Boophone disticha the magic mushrooms are steeped in a strong tea known as koae-ea-lekhoaba which is sometimes used in traditional medicine or hunting poison When a patient drinks the brew, they enter a "trance-like state" and are placed in front of a reflective surface so they may relay what they are seeing to the healer The healer then interprets the results and advises the patient on how best to proceed "This appears to be the only recorded firsthand report of hallucinogenic mushrooms being used traditionally in Africa and the first mention of hallucinogenic mushroom use in Sub-Saharan Africa," write the Stellenbosch University led team "The knowledge shared and discussed in this study has been passed down through generations by word of mouth." The other newly described species found in Africa has been named P Found in 2023 by amateur mycologist Talan Moult in a coastal province of South Africa the fruiting bodies of this novel species were growing on grass enriched with cow manure toward the end of the rainy season The gills are light colored and the cap is dark compared to the species' closest genetic relative in Asia maluti it has only been found growing in this one province Researchers at Stellenbosch hope that their current paper will encourage further research into southern Africa's diversity of mushrooms van der Merwe and microbiologist Karin Jacobs say they are indebted to self-taught mycologists who are helping to survey Africa's Psilocybe mushrooms "There are only a handful of mycologists in Africa documenting local biodiversity," says Jacobs "Collaborating with citizen mycologists is therefore hugely beneficial collaboration also opens avenues for conversation and exploration which can lead to documenting mycophilia (the love of mushrooms) on the African continent." The study was published in Mycologia Maluti Mountain Brewery is at the summit of beer production in Lesotho a transformational vision and sustainability goals The enclaved kingdom of Lesotho is separated from South Africa by its formidable mountain ranges Covering the eastern two-thirds of Lesotho is the majestic Maloti Mountains which include some of the highest peaks in Southern Africa It is home to much of the region’s fresh water with the sources of two principal South African rivers Lesotho is known for this pure mountain water it has been a key ingredient in the local beer freshly brewed by Maluti Mountain Brewery (MMB) as well as familiar brands such as Carling Black Label and Castle Milks Stout,” opens Hannes Smal Originally established as a joint venture between the Lesotho National Development Corporation and the Commonwealth Development Corporation and has a long tradition of craftsmanship in making beer from high-quality natural ingredients MMB also imports key brands from neighbouring South Africa including Castle Lite “AB InBev has a proud history and global scalability which is massive within the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry not only to save and manage costs but also to have a global think tank to learn from,” Smal emphasises “Our connectivity allows us to learn and benchmark from each other With 355 members of staff including on-site contract workers MMB is part of an industry that employs more than 25,000 individuals across Lesotho is the company’s brewery plant and one of five MMB depots complemented by additional sites in Maputsoe the latter of which is also contracted to sell spirits and wines for multinational brewing and beverage company “We have developed a strong distribution base across the country Our fleet is also unmatched in Lesotho,” notes Smal As the African market that MMB operates in is largely untapped Smal is excited to be part of a team that will create the future of the beer industry on the continent I wake up and remind myself how lucky and privileged I am to be able to create a legacy with the team at MMB the passion and pride for MMB was tangible; you can’t help but fall in love with our products customers and consumers that drive the beer industry,” he smiles “It is a great responsibility to not only drive growth but also allow the business to become an integral part of society.”  Smal’s glowing words reflect the vision of MMB which is “to be an admired transformational company delivering stakeholder needs for a future with more cheers” MMB has been able to develop itself over the years to become the biggest one that “brews Basotho essence” into its much-loved brands and “brings Lesotho together” the company doesn’t stand still and is constantly reinventing itself with digitalisation currently being worked on for 2023 The BEES e-commerce platform is transforming the traditional sales model BEES allows small and medium-sized retailers to browse products and access business insights all from one place BEES is one of the largest business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce platforms in the world “BEES will allow MMB to monetise and digitise its business and allow greater ease of access to systems for both employees and customers,” Smal shares “This will lead MMB to align as a forward-thinking business and drive our vision to be a transformational organisation within Lesotho it will set us up to incorporate future revenue-growing opportunities and allow us to be able to go beyond beer and beyond the liquor industry We will be the leaders of transformation in Lesotho,” he continues but also allow the business to become an integral part of society” MMB is in the process of rolling out the Smart Agriculture Programme in the village of Ha Makhalanyane helping smallholders to access high-value seeds accompanied by experienced mentors to ensure the transfer of skills and train the community on all aspects of farming Smart agriculture is one of MMB’s 2025 sustainability goals in which 100 percent of direct farmers are skilled “Our Smart Agriculture Programme was piloted in 2021 and implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security who helped to identify the project site located approximately 15 kilometres from Maseru city centre,” Smal informs us “The main objective was to contribute towards food security but also to assess the quality of maize and whether it would be suitable to be included in the brewery’s beer production process Some observations were also made on how to make the project sustainable for example with modern farming equipment.” The Smart Agriculture Programme is MMB’s largest corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative and aims to be rolled out to other districts in Lesotho MMB’s collaboration with the Lesotho National Farmers Union (LENAFU) exemplifies the company’s commitment to CSR MMB entered into an agreement with LENAFU to facilitate the distribution of spent grain to farmers with more than 170 farmer groups having benefitted since the start of the programme MMB has a long history of distributing spent grain to farmers in Lesotho Spent grain is a by-product of the brewing industry that makes up to 85 percent of brewing waste the main uses of which are either as animal feed or fertiliser MMB acted to ensure a more transparent and equitable system to guarantee that spent grain reached those most in need MMB supported an entertainment industry severely impacted by the pandemic in style with Allianced Brewed 4U the biggest two-day party in Lesotho with performances from more than 80 local artists and DJs we supported our traders and government with hand sanitisers and masks We pride ourselves on our relationships with government and the liquor and trade industry as a whole and consistently lead the conversation for a responsible industry,” Smal adds MMB is also collaborating with government to target gender-based violence and every year supports the Department of Road Safety to drive education around responsible drinking MMB is looking to expand its brewing house to increase local production and significantly enhance the company’s ability to be self-sufficient “Our current brewery is at its capacity limit due to the age of the site Upgrading elements of the brewery will allow us to be able to generate higher yields on our brews,” outlines Smal As well as potentially doubling its capacity and equipping it with more technology the expansion will result in more jobs for local employees MMB rewards and recognises exceptional performance “Our teams are empowered through our operating model to become autonomous in the day-to-day running of our business We have found that this allows for clear communication and collaboration to elevate our business performance but also creates a sense of ownership and belonging within MMB,” Smal concludes We use cookies to ensure your best experience on our website. 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