to demand urgent action on the deteriorating condition of Piet Retief Road Bridge in Queensburgh and surrounding infrastructure which has been unresolved since April 2022 continues to pose significant risks to both pedestrians and motorists especially with the recent heavy rainfall that has exacerbated the damage Zulu to provide a clear and immediate timeline for when the necessary repairs will be carried out including the reinstatement of damaged sidewalks the reconstruction of stormwater infrastructure The safety of thousands of pedestrians that use this route daily pedestrians have no choice but to walk along the busy road The DA believes that immediate action is required from the Roads and Stormwater Department to address these issues and ensure the safety of the public Zulu to prioritize these repairs and provide a detailed schedule for their completion and the DA will continue to press for the necessary repairs until the matter is resolved Democratic Alliance, registered non profit organisation in South AfricaReg No: 011-895 NPO NATIONAL NEWS - A severe storm struck Piet Retief in Mpumalanga yesterday, causing significant damage across several areas, as strong winds and heavy rainfall hit businesses, infrastructure and residential neighbourhoods. Disaster management teams are assessing the situation and providing urgent support as the municipality works to ensure the safety and well-being of affected residents. Laerskool Wittenberg Schule took to its social media pages to inform the public of its closure due to the storm damage that left roads inaccessible. During the severe weather, the municipality urged all the townspeople to remain indoors and prioritise their safety. Motorists were advised to exercise extra caution, as the N2 was temporarily closed. eMkhondo Local Municipality’s executive mayor Ngelosi Ndhlovu is in the process of meeting with key stakeholders to assess the situation.  The municipality said it is committed to addressing all concerns.  Damage caused by the storm. Photo: Supplied/eMkhondo Local Municipality. Storm damage. Photo: Supplied/eMkhondo Local Municipality. The storm caused damage in several areas. Photo: Supplied/eMkhondo Local Municipality ‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’  Voortrekker leader Piet Retief began negotiations with Zulu king uDingane kaSenzangakhona for land settlement in Natal betrayal ensued when Dingane ambushed Retief and his delegation leading to their execution and the brutal Weenen massacre of over 500 Voortrekkers This event ignited the Battle of Blood River highlighting the complexities of land acquisition and the need for nuanced historical discourse Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here Following his exploration of the region between the Drakensberg and Port Natal began negotiations for land with the then Zulu monarch Retief's objective was to secure a piece of land where the Boers (who had participated in the Great Trek) could settle and establish their own republic Dingane consented to Boer settlement in Natal on the condition that Retief and his delegation were able to retrieve Zulu cattle that had presumably been stolen by Kgosi Sekonyela (of the Batlokwa) Retief and his delegation met Dingane's condition retrieving approximately 700 heads of cattle from Sekonyela through the use of force Dingane verbally agreed to sign a treaty that would grant land between the Tugela and Umzimvubu rivers to the Boers for settlement Retief drafted the Piet Retief/Dingaan Treaty that outlined the aforementioned area in Natal would be signed by Dingane at his residence in Umgungundlovu a confident and optimistic Retief travelled with his delegation to Umgungundlovu for the signing of the treaty many historians agree that Dingane signed the treaty on the 6th of February in the presence of at least six witnesses a cunning Dingane invited an unsuspecting Retief (together with his delegation) to watch his warriors deliver a special performance in his royal kraal Retief and his delegation entered the royal kraal without weapons Dingane instructed his warriors to capture Retief and his delegation and send them to a nearby hill (kwaMatiwane) for execution Zulu warriors clubbed Retief and his entire delegation to death Dingane ordered his warriors to attack nearby Voortrekker laagers This violent process resulted in the ruthless killing of at least 534 innocent people (death toll includes Khoikhoi and Basotho that accompanied the Voortrekkers) It has become known as the Weenen massacre in Afrikaner history Read more: Looting bonanza for KZN communities following N2 truck blockades Naturally, Retief's murder, coupled with the Weenen massacre, eventually led to the Battle of Blood River on the 16th of December, where approximately 470 Voortrekkers defeated an army of 25 000 to 30 000 Zulu warriors. The rest, as some would say, is history. Dingane's betrayal of Retief and the subsequent slaughter of the Voortrekkers is a significant moment in our history that I have deliberately hand-picked because it demonstrates complexity – a hallmark that no longer features in our public discourse on history. Our discourse on history, particularly that of land, no longer includes nuances that accurately capture the human experience.  No mention is made of the fact that the Boers attempted to acquire land from the Zulus through peaceful and diplomatic means. Perhaps, most importantly, no mention is made of the fact that there are several other similar cases where Westerners attempted to acquire land from Africans without using violence or force. The complex history of land acquisition in our country is reduced to dispossession and white people, collectively, are condemned as criminals.  When sensible people among us challenge such reductive narrations of history, they are dismissed as "sellouts" or self-hating Africans who are obsessed with pleasing white people. As I write this column, I am aware that some of its readers will respond with the usual insults. But this doesn't bother me. Nor should it bother anyone else who is committed to narrating history as accurately as possible, with all its shades and nuances. History has never been a black and white thing, and it never will be. It is complex and we all need to come to terms with it so we can develop a richer and more complete understanding of our past.  *Ayanda Zulu is an independent columnist who is currently completing an undergraduate degree in Political Science at the University of Pretoria. JOHANNESBURG - Mpumalanga Safety MEC Jackie Macie has issued a warning to traffic law enforcement officers to exercise extreme caution while on duty. This plea follows the tragic death of officer Jabulani Ndlovu, who was hit by a minibus taxi on the N2 between Piet Retief and Ermelo on Friday. Ndlovu was reportedly attempting to stop the taxi during a speed enforcement operation when the accident occurred. He succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment at a nearby hospital. Mpumalanga’s safety department spokesperson, Moeti Mmusi, said police were investigating a case of culpable homicide. Sections Mpumalanga is facing a growing crisis of sexual violence This according to the latest crime statistics and Piet Retief are now among South Africa’s top 30 areas for reported rape cases These communities have become the most dangerous places for women in the province a total of 646 rape cases were reported in Mpumalanga This is a 5.2% increase from the same period in 2023 doubling the figures from the same period in 2020 Pienaar and Piet Retief each reported 35 cases with Piet Retief’s numbers nearly tripling from 2020 the president of Not In My Name International NPC “The increase in rape cases in Mpumalanga signifies a disturbing trend It demands urgent and concerted action,” he told Sunday World The impact of these crimes is devastating for the victims 316 of the cases involved perpetrators who were family members or friends “The reality that many rapes occur within homes adds layers of trauma and fear for the victims,” Jentile added He emphasised the need for safe spaces and better resources for survivors The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mpumalanga is also alarmed by these figures the party’s spokesperson on community safety “Kabokweni and Piet Retief are among the Top 30 Police Stations across the country with the highest increase in reported rape cases.” He pointed out that the numbers show a failure in the government’s current interventions “Both Not In My Name International and the DA are calling for urgent action They believe that increased police presence in these hotspots is crucial they also stress the importance of community engagement It demands a shift in societal attitudes,” Jentile said The DA plans to meet with the MEC of community safety They want to hear the MEC’s plans for dealing with the rise in rape cases Sekaledi stated: “It is deeply concerning that sexual violence cases have increased in the province This demonstrates that the government’s current interventions are not yielding positive results.” Jentile concluded: “It is our collective responsibility to respond with urgency and resolve.” Attempts to obtain comment from the department of community safety 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 Home | South Africa The Mpumalanga Department of Education is monitoring exams in the Mkhondo Local Municipality after a severe storm damaged school infrastructure on Sunday night residential buildings and schools in the area Mpumalanga Education MEC Cathy Dlamini visited the affected schools And I am also told that learners were here We thank the executive mayor that if needs be they are going to use a community hall until we finish our exams but now none of them were affected whatsoever.” Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Thamsanqa D Malinga is director at Mkabayi Management Consultants; a writer as well as author of Blame Me on Apartheid and A Dream Betrayed It was during the Soweto unrests of the 1980s that I ended up in the small Mpumalanga town of Piet Retief It was a desolate place that had been cast out of the main economic activity of what was then Eastern Transvaal Piet Retief seemed like an ideal place to send your kids to since schooling was never disrupted and the acquiescent nature of the people in the township never raised eyebrows about runaway activists “in hiding” simply because people from urban areas were seen as flocking in for schooling life in that part of town was no different from the apartheid homeland states — Transkei Venda and Ciskei (known as the TBVC states) As a child oblivious to the monster called apartheid it was in Piet Retief that I got a first-hand experience of understanding that blacks were non-beings It was towards the late eighties and some shops there still had separate queues for blacks and whites I still have a vivid memory of how one black woman pulled me by the collar while standing in a queue with whites dragging me towards the queue for black people I also recall how one shop owner refused to sell me white bread and instead shoved brown bread towards me I recall how I was made to put the money on the counter rather than give it to the white cashier in the hand It was after my two-year stay in the Highveld town and being in Soweto and starting to be politically conscious that I understood that in Piet Retief I was a k****r I took a keen interest in reading about anti-apartheid operatives and their activities This newfound hobby revealed a dark side of Piet Retief that made me understand the town and what made the people in the township docile with its proximity to Swaziland where most liberation fighters would skip South Africa and seek refuge or use as a base for operations was in fact some sort of a station or fort for the notorious Security Branch to execute underground operatives Throughout my years of reading and researching about underground Struggle operatives I lived in a township just outside of a town where mass killings and torture of black people were taking place while I was still a young kid who refused to buy white bread in a white-owned shop in Piet Retief notorious hit squad member Eugene de Kock had kidnapped and murdered Japie Maponya the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) records that Jameson Ngoloyi Mngomezulu was abducted from his home and taken to Piet Retief where he was assassinated by members of Vlakplaas and the Jozini Security Branch A year after I had left the place, Surendra Lenny Naidu, Lindiwe Mthembu, Makhosi Nyoka and Nontsikelelo Cothoza — all unarmed African National Congress (ANC) members — were shot dead when their car was ambushed at Piet Retief in 1988.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Barely weeks after the brutal murder of the four were shot dead in an ambush just outside the town Political Violence in the Era of Negotiations and Transition Michael Mcetywa was killed by local IFP member Emmanuel Mavuso (who) was subsequently convicted of the murder alleged that Mcetywa’s killing had been planned by both IFP leadership and the Piet Retief Security Branch.” I could go on and cite a lot of anti-apartheid activists’ killings in Piet Retief; South African history records are littered with the evils of the town This brings me to the subject of the alleged killing of two “protesters” (other reports say they were evicted farm workers and others say they were job seekers) by farmers in the town just last week the incident saw the town’s Central Business District being brought to a standstill as the accused appeared in court and the locals (read blacks) protested in the vicinity of the courthouse with the key narrative being that of the killing of farmers Piet Retief and those who own or inherited the Security Branch’s “death farms” still live in the shadow of a town that was a killing field for blacks In fact, if anyone dares to raise the farmer murders, I dare them to read the Human Rights Watch 2001 publication Unequal Protection: The State Response to Violent Crime on South African Farms where it states that “the most serious reports of abuse concerning commandos came from southern Mpumalanga and northern KwaZulu-Natal This is an area where the majority of farm residents have historically been labour tenants and where reports of serious abuse by white farmers and police date back many years.” Piet Retief has been some sort of ungazetted killing field for blacks dating back to the anti-apartheid era It is as if the town made a declaration to be the spot to avenge the 6 February 1838 massacre by Dingane ka Senzangakhona of the colonial Voortrekker Piet Retief — whose name the town bears — and his followers No matter who the two were, for me, the alleged murder of Mngcini Coka and Zenzele Coka in Piet Retief last week shows nothing more than a town living in the shadow of being the epicentre of unwarranted deaths of black people.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads but I will tell you this: I know Piet Retief my first experience of racism as a child was in Piet Retief their voices will resound across the plains and their truth will echo through the valleys As will the three innocent women that were killed by Robert McBride in the bombing of innocent civilians in Durban ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " Nuwe Geskiedenis van Suid-Afrika in Woord en Beeld Kaapstad & Pretoria: Human & Rousseau.|Wallis Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar Sorry there was an error loading the audio over my interactions with customer service agents who needed to get my surname right An idlozi, then. An invisible shade, in a country dedicated to veneration of the ancestors. (A disclaimer: Piet Retief is my namesake and symbolic ancestor; I am, in fact, descended from the Retiefs who remained in the Western Cape.)advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Here, for example, is Piet Retief in his own words, in his 1837 manifesto justifying the Great Trek: which we have been forced to sustain by the emancipation of our slaves.” And “It is our determination to… preserve proper relations between master and servant.” The likely spot where Piet Retief and his party were asked to leave their guns Some mention of Dutch-speaking children being forced to use English English settlers taking over the area — anything that could allow me to see the Voortrekkers as cultural independence fighters rather than racially aggrieved colonists I sought in vain. It was all race, race and race. As for Piet Retief’s vaunted treaty with Dingane ka Senzanghakhona, ceding him a third of the Zulu empire in exchange for returning a few hundred head of cattle from Dingane’s rival, Sekonyela?advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Even if the document was real — and Jay Naidoo has famously argued it was a hoax — the whole deal smelled to me of colonial hubris: Manhattan for a handful of beads; Lobengula tricked into signing away Matabeleland I found myself in the reconstructed Zulu royal city of Umgungundlovu KZN — a quiet cluster of beehive-style huts looking out over grassy hilltops The royal enclosure Umgungundlovu has been beautifully reconstructed from archaeological and other records Seeing the city for the first time in 1835 Captain Allan Gardner noted “the circular fence of the town appeared like a distant race-course” with numerous huts that were “snug Along with the extensive descriptions from missionaries these have allowed experts to restore the royal enclosure (Isigodlo also refers to the royal enclosure as a whole.) at the site of the missionary’s former station Francis Owen appears to have dined with Piet Retief and Dingane both he and Dingane “were much pleased with the frank and open manners of our guest” where he tried in vain to persuade the Voortrekker leader not to embark on the cattle-returning errand because Dingane had supposedly already promised this land to Queen Victoria despite the latter’s imperviousness to his entreaties Owen assesses Retief as being “all mildness” and deeply committed to peaceful coexistence with both British and Zulus Visit Daily Maverick’s home page for more news Owen’s account is, of course, at odds with the Zulu izibongo or oral tradition. For example, historian Sifiso Ndlovu notes that Retief and his party broke protocols and wandered around the city, causing locals to suspect them of military reconnaissance.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Later, when news reached the Zulu royal city of Mzilikazi’s rout at the hands of the Boers in November 1837, a pre-emptive defensive attack therefore seemed prudent.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Owen appears not to take this warning seriously instead believing Dingane’s assurances of friendship Interior of the reconstructed palace of Dingane ka Senzangakhona Even when the Zulu king revealed his displeasure that Retief would return the stolen cattle Owen manages to be doubly wrong about Dingane’s invitation “The Dutch will be too wise to expose themselves in the manner proposed,” he writes “but I cannot conceive Dingane meditates any treachery.” the fenced enclosure where Piet Retief and his party attended their final festival is perhaps 80 paces from the palace I stood at the gap that served as an entrance — the precise spot where my ancestor’s party was asked to leave their guns What, I wondered, went through Piet Retief’s mind? I have travelled at least 100 times, white and unarmed, into modern, black African townships, shebeens, villages and cities. Never have I confronted any crime, and my memories of those meals, conversations, dances and friendships are some of my most treasured.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads that historic trauma still seems to affect many whites who view townships as too unsafe to visit a shisha nyama or overnight in a guesthouse A view out of Dingane’s reconstructed palace Owen documents Retief dancing on horseback for Dingane firing his guns to impress the monarch upon his arrival back in the city on 3 February a sign points tourists towards Kwa-Matiwane records with palpable horror the execution of the 100-odd group of Voortrekkers and their black servants: “About 9 or 10 Zulus to each Boer were dragging their helpless unarmed victim… Presently the deed of blood being accomplished the whole multitude returned to meet their sovereign and as they drew near to him set up a shout which reached the station and continued for a long time.” Owen returned to Port Natal soon after the massacre a giant cement cross adorns a hotel and church on the site of the former missionary’s house There is a monument at the mass grave the Voortrekkers later dug but I was unable to find any path or road leading to the execution site itself So the place where Retief died seems to consist just of scrubby bush and cattle paths what regrets he must have felt for trusting Dingane A plaque marks the direction of Kwa-Matiwane where the Voortrekkers and their servants were bludgeoned to death Like the narrator of TS Eliot’s “Journey of the Magi” to the zinc roof and whitewashed walls of Mooimeisiesfontein The sweet smell of earth after rain; the rocky ridge behind it where at night he would have heard the crickets and cicadas it had always been easy for me to distance myself from Retief drenched in the same late afternoon summer sunshine that once shone over my ancestor’s head I found it much harder to deny that we shared much more than a name We also shared a willingness to lay down our weapons at a doorway Breaking trust is a transgression that bears ugly fruit especially when they align with your passion This rings true for Graham McManus and his father who dared to leave the mining industry behind 15 years ago to venture into the world of motor retail and Graham trained on the technical side of the mining industry and today boast of being the owners of the award-winning Nissan McManus dealership in the small southern Mpumalanga town of Piet Retief Despite Nissan having closed its doors in Piet Retief 12 years ago the father-son duo's combined skill set and determination prevailed being runners-up and winning various awards they achieved the remarkable feat of being named the Dealer of the Year in the category for very small dealerships at the annual Nissan Dealer of the Year awards While Gordon still takes care of the finances Graham’s forte is the selling side of the business and keeping an eye on the after-sales with his technical background Graham tells us they also acquired the Renault franchise about 18 months ago and together with Nissan they serve a vast region that includes among others “We have a large timber industry with many factories and a big number of independent farmers connected to the industry in our region a substantial part of the community is German speaking and the annual German festivals like the Beerfest and other food festivals are well known,” Graham says Graham's passion for sales and his strong ties within the community have played a vital role in shaping McManus Nissan's direction With the smaller NP200-bakkie nearing the end of its life cycle the Nissan Navara has gained remarkable traction not just among individuals in the timber industry but also with farmers at large With about a 22% share of the bakkie market in the area it is not difficult to see that the family-orientated business has deep roots in the community since it opened its doors 15 years ago Gordon says they are actively involved in the community and that their reputation and client-orientated way of doing business have brought back many Nissan customers over the years “We are anticipating a new direction for Navara bakkies with the demise of the NP200 and we have already started adapting our marketing strategy The bragging rights and marketing value of us winning a highly sought-after title will most definitely give as a boost in this regard,” says Graham about their recent success at the Nissan Dealer of the Year awards “The introduction of the non-turbo Magnite offers a compelling entry-level option in the passenger car segment the shared aspects between the entry-level Renault models and their Nissan counterparts bring further advantages to our dealership Talk of a new Renault bakkie also hold great promise for the dealership's future growth and success,” says Gordon Both Gordon and Graham say McManus Nissan stands as a shining example of how dreams perseverance and a genuine commitment to serving the community can shape a remarkable success story dedication and ongoing pursuit of excellence we have positioned our dealership as a trusted name in the automotive industry and will continue to evolve and embrace new opportunities.” 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 If you are not taking care of your customer 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 Home | Business The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) is engaging local businesspeople in Mkhondo on business opportunities available as the N2 road between Ermelo and KwaZulu-Natal is due for upgrades The project will stretch about 150 kilometres and will cost SANRAL over R12-billion in the next five years The N2 road has been a cause for many road crashes due to the high traffic volumes due to trucks transporting coal from Mpumalanga to Richards Bay The local communities in Mkhondo have welcomed this engagement “The potholes were too much from this side Ermelo to Piet Retief We had been struggling when you are driving your car with 19-inch wheels People also prefer from Ermelo via Amsterdam to reach Piet Retief because that one was already fixed “Thanks to SANRAL for coming to Mkhondo to give the opportunity to embrace small business we are very thankful for SANRAL to give us this opportunity.” SANRAL says the project will be implemented in phases for the next five years until completion The road agency says engagements with local businesspeople is to give them information to avoid unnecessary disruptions when the project is being implemented SANRAL’s Regional Manager Progess Hlahla “We are preparing now for significantly upgrade the entire N2 Corridor from Ermelo to the border of KZN province this is about 150 km long in terms of the stretch and we will be spending between eleven and twelve billion rand in the next couple of years to upgrade this road We are already at evaluation stage on some of the tenders and we are saying interims of the estimate that we have with this project we are looking at around two and half per package and we have about five packages.” A 44-year-old domestic worker from Piet Retief Mpumalanga who was allegedly raped by her former employer will have to wait a little longer for the case to be finalised after the Piet Retief Magistrate’s Court again postponed the case of rape against her former employer As the country celebrates Women’s Month who cannot be named for her safety is yet to find closure following the rape incident that allegedly took place in 2014 The case she opened against her former employer has been pending for almost six years now She says she was not only raped but also assaulted by the wife of the suspect after she told her about the alleged rape incident The assault charge against the wife of the suspect was provisionally withdrawn by the state explains why the case has dragged on for so long “The delay in the finalisation of the matter is simply because of the review application brought by the difference in the matter This is after there was a technical glitch regarding the labelling of blood in the matter where the boyfriend name was written instead of the accused person’s name The matter was taken for review in High Court and two dates were set One date was in April and the other date we had was in July we could not proceed but we now have a provisional date which is the 17 of November 2020.” The victim says the only thing she yearns for is justice “I don’t know what is happening with the case I really do not understand what is happening I opened two cases including the assault against the wife Lindiwe Ntuli-Tloubatla has called on society to rally behind the victim and other ill-treated domestic workers around their communities “All we are saying is that it is painful You were raped in 2014 and you had to deal with the pain of being raped You had to deal with trauma and we know that that type of violation is the worst thing that can happen to a human being and a woman in particular What makes it painful is that the case was reported in 2014 The processes of justice concerning this case started in 2014 and we are now in August 2020 You can imagine the pain this woman is going through because the case has not been resolved.” The case against Peter Swart was postponed to the 24th of November for a High Court review