Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio “The ponds were full of dirty water with algae floating on it We threw in some food but no fish appeared So we got the caretaker to drain one of the ponds and there were dead fish at the bottom It was a fish farm with nothing but dead fish But the caretaker was continuing to feed them.” NSPCA inspector Wrolien Rabi was visibly upset by what she found at Small Kloof Fisheries, a government-sponsored Mozambican tilapia fish farm in Volksrust. The owner (whose name is known to Daily Maverick) denied her entry, demanding that she obtain a search warrant, and then disappeared when she did.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The NSPCA found dead fish in a wheelbarrow The roofing system protecting the fish tanks was missing “It’s tough walking into a scene like that,” she tells me “You see the outside and alarm bells start ringing ‘What am I walking into?’ Especially with a hesitant owner who insists on his rights My partner and I walked through and saw the dead fish lying there; the shocking condition of the ponds You wonder if there’s any chance that fish are surviving in those conditions Fish tank covered in algae indicates absent filtration A net cast into the tanks found no live fish According to an NSPCA report, the farm had been given to the owner by the Mpumalanga Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform, which it says knew of the facility’s deteriorating conditions. This raises questions about oversight and accountability.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “We were able to confirm that the department provided the land,” says Rabi “They were supplying fingerlings and apparently were planning to offer more funding to fix up the structure. But the owner doesn’t seem to communicate with the department. It was one of those Estina-type projects We’ve written to the department and are awaiting their response in terms of the role they play on this farm.” who heads the NSPCA’s Farm Animal Protection Unit said the state of the farm was the latest in a worrying trend “This isn’t the first time something like this has happened The problem with government-funded projects is that the government provides the infrastructure and resources But the owner is then expected to maintain what has been given to them as part of the government initiative these projects fail due to poor mentorship and lack of skills among the recipients It’s amazing how the government awards these projects without ensuring the recipients have the necessary skills “The aquaculture farm was a brand-new facility built for this individual, but due to mismanagement and negligence, this is the current state. The department gave a very expensive project to someone who knows nothing about fish farming.”advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads It wasn’t possible to ascertain how much it cost to set up the Volksrust aquaculture operation, but a similar project in North West province cost the government R1.6-million to build.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads According to a local website on fish farming success comes down to good water management This means regularly monitoring the water quality and paying attention to factors like temperature A good filtration and temperature control system is essential Rural Development and Land Reform essentially washed their hands of the issue The department’s Zanele Shabangu said they were investigating the NSPCA’s findings but added: “The management and maintenance of the facility lies entirely with the beneficiary following the handover.”  She added that the department “continued to provide technical support and address technical issues” and noted rather unhelpfully – given that all the fish are dead – that “if the water quality within the system is maintained at optimal levels, fish mortalities can be entirely avoided”.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads the NSPCA has had to close down many such projects “There was one two years ago in Limpopo… another government project with state-of-the-art facilities the place was in shambles – the beneficiaries were fighting and there was no feed for the animals What next for the fish farm?advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “It’s clear that the department would be shooting themselves in the foot if they gave this individual more fish or tried to resurrect the project,” says Appalsamy “The facilities are not up to standard and the owner clearly lacks the knowledge needed for fish farming The fact that they were still feeding ponds with no living fish is an indication of their inability to manage the farm “There wasn’t a single fish alive and they were still feeding them The department gave a very expensive project to someone who knows almost nothing about fish farming.” DM Did the project owner drive off in a nice new Range Rover but for the lack of any detail with regards to the owner … fustrating Hi! Please help me get financial support, i have been trying but with no luck i am a dedicated fish farmer based in limpopo my story is in different articles including daily maverick [email protected] 064 687 7683 i have market around my area and the skills Multiply this scenario and hand over industrial farms…this is always the outcome It’s nice and shiny on handover due to the previous owners skill and competence but come back four years later and it’s an unproductive wasteland Hi! Please help me get financial support, i have been trying but with no luck i am a dedicated fish farmer based in limpopo my story is in different articles including daily maverick [email protected] 064 687 7683 i have market around my area and the skils The national department should intervene and do an immediate survey of all such farms with a view to action You can’t force someone to farm (fish) If they want to sit and do nothing that’s what they will do regardless of the opportunity offered I suppose another case of following the family tree to a connected official in the department I recall a pig farm in similar circumstances Why is the owner not named – and shamed Public interest would be enough to ensure no legal action could result The owner has effectively wasted taxpayers’ money and deserves any publicity time to name and shame them plus jail time when appropriate Even if the owner has no knowledge about fish A quick google and effort would have shown him what to do People don’t value something they get for nothing I have spent a life and made a career in commercial aquaculture after studying for six years at university Making a success of any farming is difficult and farming in an aquatic environment is particularly difficult If all it took to succeed in aquaculture was a bit of internet surfing While I agree with you that you don’t develop the expertise required to successfully run aquaculture businesses with a bit of googling you also don’t need 6 years of study to determine that those ponds are rank cesspits Hi! Please help me get financial support, i have been trying but with no luck i am a dedicated fish farmer based in limpopo my story is in different articles including daily maverick [email protected] 064 687 7683 Hi! Please help me get financial support, i have been trying but with no luck i am a dedicated fish farmer based in limpopo my story is in different articles including daily maverick [email protected] 064 687 7683 Methinks (at least I hope) he’s taking the p*** he’s serious and it’s true that DM have run a story about him on 24 May 2023 The ANC can now relax and sit back (as usual) as they’ve handed the agricultural portfolio over to a serial hard worker who gets things done His name is John Steenhusien and he’s not a shirker We trust he will get maximum support from ALL his colleagues in the GNU?? “Serial hard worker” that’s hilarious 😂 😂🤣😂🤣😂 It’s pretty much impossible for anyone to do worse than the muppets that the glorious liberation movement has been casting as ministers in their cosplay cabinet without really trying But this falls under the PAC’s department of Free Land Distribution I am often astounded at how people who comment with such authority have so little understanding of government Steenhuisen is the national minister of agriculture – this is an Mpumalanga provincial government (read – ANC) project aquaculture is in a different ministry entirely (DFFE) I am a fish farmer based in Limpopo this breaks my heart when i am struggling to get funding and someone is not taking it serious, i have been in different articles but till today i don’t have support, [email protected] or 064 687 7683 you can contact me Send me your numbers and I will send you what you need to do But in all honesty you may not like the reality that might come back I am a fish farmer based in Limpopo this breaks my heart when i am struggling to get funding and someone is not taking it serious, i have been in different articles but till today i don’t have support, [email protected] or 064 687 7683 you can contact me Its been proven to be successful in other developing countries It all boils down to government mismanagement and irregularities when it comes to these projects The projects need legitimate developing farmers and on the job training If the recipients can’t keep a tank of tilapia with their high tolerance for poor water quality alive in conventional aquaculture aquaponics is certainly not for them I ran an experimental 2500 litre tilapia and a leafy greens combo at home for a year and a bit and it took a lot of management I know engineers that tried (salmon trout high value) and those balances were just too tight to operate at scale Scale that to 50 Olympic size pools = different kettle of snoek Wait till the reporters start digging into economic development funds going to fish farmers… with no farms Or someone actually wakes up and sees the amount of cash dolled out into accelerator programs with absolutely NO outcomes audits Just fancy cars and clothes and no products “… the farm had been given to the owner by the Mpumalanga Department of Agriculture Rural Development and Land Reform…” – is this what is meant by fast tracking land reform Is the “owner” now the legal owner of the land?!? BEE “entrepreneur” blows all the money on British Land Rover Swiss watches and a Beach property overlooking uMhlali beach Maybe these officials and their ANC handlers must start listening to the people – All they want is the money They do not want the hassle to have to earn an income and look after things Having been in this space for a while the story is nothing new Government is incapable of understanding what needs to be done offhand I cannot recall a single goverment funded success story I can however cite a very long list of government employees that are employed by taxpayers in the sector Nett nett their salaries exceed total aquaculture production If we strip out abalone which privateers built DESPITE government ‘assistance’ its even worse Data solves these problems very easily and within 60 days Why isn’t there a six months maintenance/result check up on these costly gifts Forgot… MAINTENANCE is a word unknown to the ANC ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " Ikemukwu Benjermin Ezirim (39) and Christian Valentine Uchenna (37) have been remanded in custody following their appearance at the Volksrust Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga on drug-related charges The arrests occurred on Thursday during a multidisciplinary operation led by the Hawks’ Secunda-based Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit in collaboration with the Serious Corruption Investigation spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) “The operation was initiated after actionable intelligence was received regarding suspects involved in drug trafficking one suspect attempted to dispose of evidence by flushing drugs down the toilet and a subsequent search of their vehicle revealed additional narcotics concealed within the vehicle’s body and tyres Further investigation revealed that both individuals lacked valid documentation to be in South Africa.” The operation resulted in the seizure of drugs valued at approximately R1.2 million five cellphones worth an estimated R15,000 and a silver Mercedes-Benz C180 valued at around R400,000 The suspects appeared in court on Friday and were remanded in custody Their case has been postponed to 9 December 2024 for a bail application commended community members for providing information that led to the arrests and the seizure of the drugs This incident underscores the ongoing challenges of drug trafficking and undocumented immigration in Mpumalanga four individuals were arrested in separate incidents in Sabie and Volksrust for drug-related offenses were apprehended in Sabie with approximately R54,000 in cash They also faced charges under the Immigration Act for lacking valid documentation a 23-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman were arrested for dealing in drugs with 39 suspected Mandrax tablets valued at about R13,900 seized two men believed to be major suppliers of drugs in the Standerton and Volksrust areas were arrested A subsequent search of his residence uncovered a stripped blue Toyota Etios The second suspect was arrested in Volksrust with nine stones of unpacked Cat weighing 372 grams and valued at approximately R18,000 🔴Central News Weekly Edition 085🔴 Download the Latest Weekly Edition | Top Story: “Hlabisa Classifies Food-Borne Illness as a National Disaster Threat” https://www.magzter.com/ZA/Central-News-Pty-Ltd/Central-News/Newspaper/All-Issues  Central News also offers Sponsored Editorial Content To place your advert on our platforms (Print Newspaper or Digital Platforms) : Please email : sales@centralnews.co.za Send your Stories / Media Statements To: newsroom@centralnews.co.za Social Media Platforms (@centralnewsza) : Linkedin and website in this browser for the next time I comment The major renovations along the N11 have gained significant traction with the roadworks now progressing to the Volksrust area This development is set to transform the very scope of the national road for local motorists travelling between Newcastle and Volksrust According to a public notice issued on behalf of SANRAL the roadworks on the N11 running through Volksrust officially began on Saturday While the temporary closure is in place and additional Stop/Go systems are being implemented to ensure the work is done safely Residents and road users are being requested to be patient and avoid using the N11 in Volksrust where possible “Due to the volumes that travel in the area daily members need to be patient and proceed with caution especially during the mornings with fog in Volksrust.” Newcastillian News reported in March 2024 that SANRAL is currently undertaking a significant road construction upgrade on the N11 between Ladysmith South and Nkunzi River This will ease traffic flow upon completion as there has been an increase in traffic along the N11 The contract for Phase 1 was awarded to Raubex Construction (Pty) Ltd in February 2023 at a cost of R864,888,000 (inclusive of VAT) The contractor for Phase 2 is yet to be procured which stretches between Ladysmith and Elandslaagte commenced in March 2023 and is due for completion late in 2026 covering the section between Elandslaagte and Nkunzi River is set to commence in the first half of 2024 construction activities will take place up to 2028 To read more, click here With the progress along the N11 gaining momentum and temporary road closures being implemented along the road in Volksrust what are your thoughts on these developments Share your views in the comment section below Commenting Guidelines we value the voice of our community and encourage open dialogue it is crucial to maintain a respectful and constructive environment We remind everyone that using fake or anonymous identities does not shield you from being identified and held accountable for your comments malicious personal attacks and the use of offensive language are not tolerated and will be promptly removed It is also important to note that remarks targeting individuals or companies must be factual and free from unfounded accusations or reveal confidential details can lead to legal consequences for the commenter We reserve the right to remove such comments without prior notice to ensure our community standards are upheld Please note that while we encourage diverse opinions and lively debates Newcastillian News does not intervene in comment disputes Moderating such interactions is unfeasible and often leads to further complications It’s important to remember that the commenter could face legal consequences if a comment infringes on someone else’s rights Let’s all strive to contribute positively and remember that in this small community Read our TERMS, CONDITIONS AND USER RULES for further information We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform 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website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns © 2024 Newcastillian News - KwaZulu-Natal by Pixelfish Marketing Solutions in Volksrust, Mpumalanga the driver of a Ford Ranger bakkie allegedly caused a major collision involving two trucks before fleeing the scene.  WATCO Emergency Medical Services Spokesperson Charles Steyn explained that WATCO received a call at 9.45 pm on Tuesday night regarding a collision involving two side-tippers and a bakkie on the R23 near the crossing at Chris Hani Street in Volksrust the white Ford Ranger bakkie was travelling on Chris Hani Street towards the R23 (Govan Mbeki Drive) and did not stop at the intersection.” colliding with the other tipper travelling towards Perdekop the two drivers of the trucks sustained slight injuries the clean-up operations continued throughout most of Wednesday, 26 October 2022 What are your thoughts on the above-mentioned Emergency personnel in Volksrust, Mpumalanga, found themselves embarking on a sizeable task on Saturday night, 15 October 2022 This followed a truck crashing into a bridge after some confusion, becoming lodged underneath the structure WATCO Emergency Medical Services Spokesperson Charles Steyn explained that a call came through late on Saturday night regarding reports of a coal side tipper truck accident in Volksrust EMRS and the Fire Department all rushed to the scene to assist The driver and an occupant who had been sleeping in the back of the cab sustained moderate to serious injuries and were treated on scene before being taken to hospital Steyn added that the emergency personnel worked closely together to extract all three occupants as they were trapped in the vehicle. With this in mind “Thank you to all the relevant role players in extracting the patients from the wreck.” emergency personnel then turned to the task of removing the truck from under the bridge Steyn said that the vehicle was finally freed on Sunday afternoon, 16 Sunday 2022 Newcastillian News and Pixelfish Marketing extend our heartfelt condolences to the deceased’s family one person has died following a fatal collision in Volksrust According to Charles Steyn, WATCO Emergency Services‘ communications officer, on Monday, 29 November, WATCO Emergency Medical Services received a call from SA Community Crime Watch (SACCW) Volksrust SACCW Volksrust stated that they needed immediate assistance with a collision near Sasol on Given Mbeki Drive—where two occupants were trapped in a vehicle and in need of help “WATCO Emergency Services arrived on scene within minutes and found a Toyota Fortuner collided with a stationary truck.” the Volksrust Fire Department was called to aid in the removal of the patients from the vehicle “The patient’s condition deteriorated, and a call was made to transfer the patient to a specialised hospital employing (HEMS) Helicopter Emergency Medical Service. Furthermore, Steyn reports that ROCKET Air Ambulance arrived in less than an hour to assist with the stabilisation and transfer of the critical patient The Newcastillian – Online News sends its sympathies to the deceased’s family Home | South Africa Volksrust Primary School, situated under the jurisdiction of the Pixley Ka Seme Local Municipality in Mpumalanga, has been disrupted as frustrated parents have brought teaching and learning to a standstill Their grievances centre on the Education Department’s perceived failure to complete the construction of the school The Education Department had recently announced that the second phase of construction is scheduled for the 2026/27 financial year a timeline that has raised concerns among the parents Chairperson of the Volksrust Primary School’s School Governing Body (SGB) Mandla Kubheka stressed the urgency of completing the school’s construction “If our concerns as parents of Volksrust Primary School are not addressed we will be left with no choice but to disrupt the normal school proceedings This action may jeopardise the ability of matric students to write their exams as the individuals sent thus far have claimed their hands are tied We understand that sometimes the only language our leaders comprehend is direct action they start to take our concerns seriously.” Education MEC Bonakele Majuba explained that the redirection of funds for the purchase of personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 period had contributed to the backlog in school infrastructure This shift in resources had a ripple effect causing delays in infrastructure programs across the province “The plans for infrastructure in the province and the country have been stalled as a result such as the one for Volksrust Primary School have been left behind by two years due to these unforeseen circumstances This issue is not unique to this particular school; many others across the province have encountered similar challenges.” EFF Statement On The Department of Educations Failure To Construct Classrooms at Volksrust Primary School pic.twitter.com/6BC9lI2jY3 — @Mpumalanga _EFF (@MpumalangaEff) September 27, 2023 This article may contain graphic and/or adult content unsuitable for minors and sensitive readers. A strong cold front and cut-off low are expected to bring widespread rain, snow and a significant drop in temperature across South Africa this weekend into Monday. Freezing levels are expected to drop significantly from Saturday, spreading to Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Limpopo by Monday. On Saturday, the snow is expected to start falling over the Matroosberg and Cederberg in the Western Cape and Sutherland. On Sunday the snow is set to spread over the Nuweveld mountains of the Karoo and the northern mountainous areas of the Eastern Cape and Drakensberg. Ground snow is possible near Barkley East at the foot of the southern Drakensberg. Forecaster Wayne Venter says towns like Dullstroom, Volksrust, Ermelo and Belfast could wake up to a winter wonderland. "On Monday, snow will continue to fall over the Southern Drakensberg and parts of Lesotho and the mountainous areas near the Midlands in KwaZulu-Natal. Weather models are currently picking up significant ground snow possible on Monday in Mpumalanga. Every two to three years, snowfalls in parts of the Free State, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal," he added. The GFS (Global Forecast System) weather model is currently picking up a slight chance of light snow on Monday in parts of Gauteng, but not all-weather models agree, so this could still change, but it’s not impossible. “If the forecast holds, light snow or freezing rain is also possible in parts of Limpopo. Meanwhile, several warnings have been issued for the Eastern Cape this weekend with disruptive snow that could result in the closure of mountain passes. Loss of livestock can also be expected over the Chris Hani, Joe Gqabi District Municipalities, Matatiele, Umzimvubu, Raymond Mhlaba and Dr Beyers Naude (Graaff Reinet) Local Municipalities. Journey to Justice, an exclusive podcast on the life of Vicki Terblanche, a slain Gqeberha mother. Dive into the expansive world of motoring with Naresh Maharaj. Join Mark Marshall as he shares his extraordinary encounters with everything from bees to reptiles i The Economic Freedom Fighters in Mpumalanga has accused the provincial education department of failing to provide an environment that is safe and conducive for teaching and learning at the Volksrust Primary school in Volksrust area, Mpumalanga. The party says the school has not had enough or suitable classrooms for more than 10 years and that has negatively affected teaching and learning. EFF provincial chairperson Collen Sedibe says the principal does not have a decent office, which complicates administrative operations of the school. Sedibe says in June this year, representatives from the school visited the education department where a meeting was held in relation to the construction of the classrooms. The party says the inspections were done and it was found that there are no adequate ablution facilities and no office for the principal. Sedibe says R11 million was allocated to construct the school but only a portion of the funds were used to build several classrooms, saying seven important classrooms are yet to be built. He also says it is for those reasons that parents and the School Govering Body took a decision to close the school until their requests are granted. Meanwhile attempts to get comment from the education department drew a blank as the spokesperson Jasper Zwane’s phone rang unanswered and did not respond to messages. Copyright © 2022Capricorn FM.All rights reserved Altogether six former municipal employees appeared in the Volksrust Magistrate’s Court last week in connection with fraud and corruption of more than R34.7m According to a statement from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation Bhekuyise Happy Buthelezi (40) and Joseph Solly Madubula Mabuza (50) were arrested by the Middelburg-based Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team on March 30 The accused face charges of contravening the Municipal Finance Management Act corruption (receiving a benefit) and fraud The court explained that he must get higher bail because of a previous case in a similar matter Thwala is a former municipal manager of the Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Municipality and a member of the Mpumalanga Legislature Tshabalala a former municipal manager and Mpangeva formerly an employee of the Project Management Unit also has a pending case for fraud and corruption Nicholas Buthelezi resigned from a position as a director for the Project Management Unit Bhekuyise Buthelezi is a current technician for the same unit and Mabuza and the court imposed conditions on all of them not to interfere with the investigation The court warned that if they don’t come to court on the day set a warrant of arrest will be issued against them and the bail money forfeited to the State Read original story on ridgetimes.co.za Four people were killed on the R23 between Perdekop and Volksrust shortly before midnight According the the Department of Community Safety a Volkswagen Golf collided sideways into a Peugot sedan after which it crashed into a minibus taxi that was travelling in the opposite direction Four of the victims were occupants in the Golf and they include the driver and three passengers including the driver and passengers in the minibus sustained serious injuries and they are currently receiving treatment at a hospital who were the only occupants in the Peugeot sedan were not injured but were also taken to hospital for observation Read original story on ridgetimes.co.za