Mzansi went into lockdown exactly on Friday, March, 27, 2020 in a bid to curb the spread of covid-19. From today I am going to share some reflections and thoughts from my fellow writers who are monitoring the 21-days lockdown policy.





Riba Cross, Limpopo; Today marks exactly 14-days since lockdown was imposed on us. From there all the fun, noise and violence associated with my village ceased immediately.  Riba Cross is usually lit during this time of the year, especially when it’s Good Friday. People come to play and they play really big and hard until the wee hours of the morning. Two popular taverns just a street away from my house, Evergreen liquor Rest and Janette tavern usually  remain opened until midnight and booze flow out of this taverns like Tubatse river after a heavy rainfall. The unstoppable sounds of guns that fire this village, housebreaking, theft and muggings that have turned Riba Cross into a notorious and no-go zone have all disappeared like smoke.



This days all I hear and get from people around is when Ramaphosa ending this crazy lockdown. There is no more booze and cigarettes on the streets of Riba Cross village. Evergreen liquor rest is closed, it closed immediately after the lockdown came into action, Janette’s tavern on the road to Ga-Riba did try to remain open, but after few days it closed. I’m not sure if one can still buy booze backdoor from both this taverns but on the front they have all shut their doors. Bo-my friend (a name given to those Somalis, Ethiopians and Indians trading in the villages and townships) also tried to close their shops, but I see them operating this days. I don’t know why but I guess maybe someone told them that Mme.Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (minister of Local government and traditional affairs) went easy on them. As for smokers and drunkards Ntate Bheki Cele went for the jugular on them (even thou Cele act all bossy and bullish). These days I am undated with questions from friends and family wanting to know if the lockdown is going to be extended.



The answer is let’s wait and see, but it’s possible it might.



The is little visibility of Police in Riba Cross but when they finally show-up, this guys are always aggressive, bully and chase everyone around without bothering to ask where they’re going. Just yesterday (Wednesday, April, 08) I saw two police vans with police wearing what look like face masks chasing evry boy and girl on the streets- from Lehlaba corner all the way up close to the school, they caught one boy and shoved inside the back of their van. They proceeded to drive towards Ga-Riba road where they did the same thing, chasing everybody around. I think our police are taking this lockdown hard or they enjoy being a bunch of bullies in the name of enforcing regulations. As for the soldiers I’ve never seen them around the village. I guess they’re doing their thing in town.


Overall Riba Cross is further up with the lockdown and can’t wait for it to end. But most of them are seen staying in their yards and that’s what matters the most.

Lockdown: Not yet decided to unlock South Africa from 21-days lockdown.

South Africans, particularly those living in the rural villages are not happy with the current lockdown as mostly feel left-out of most government services, and they are betting on President Cyril Ramaphosa not to extend the current 21-days beyond what it is now. Thou the president has not yet made that decision to extend the lockdown but all signs show a glaring possibility of an extended lockdown happening.  

All my news feeds as well as a reliable number of sources on my radar  have informed this writer that South Africans, including those in Tubatse (Burgersfort) should brace themselves of a possibility of an extended lockdown, this because government has not yet gotten the grip of the virus and its movement patterns. My sources tell me that, government has not yet received any scientific assessment nor any tangible report that indicate whether government the government’s lockdown and its regulations are yielding any fruits. So without this evidence backed research, it will be impossible for the president to neither take nor make any decision regarding the lockdown and its effectiveness.

This happens while our district, Sekhukhune continues to report no sign of the Coronavirus (SARS-Covid-19) anywhere. In Limpopo province as a whole Sekhukhune District including Tubatse in particular, we are the only area where the is no clear confirmed case of coronavirus. Other districts have reported more than 2 confirmed cases of the virus. There are currently 1 749 confirmed infections across South Africa with Gauteng province still leading with more confirmed cases up until today.

Government continue to encourage all of us to adhere to the lockdown regulations until president obtain those scientific assessment reports and pronounce otherwise. According to News24, President Cyril Ramaphosa said, government will receive the report in few days’ time. Today marks 13^th day of the lockdown, an increase of 63 confirmed infections and 13 confirmed deaths from yesterday.

“This is a serious, serious disease, as South Africans we must also take it seriously” said Ramaphosa. The 21-days lockdown is due to end next week Thursday, 16^th, April, 2020. Until then let’s all adhere to regulations, encourage, inform, and educate each other about the virus and its effects on human life particularly. As to whether the lockdown will be extended or not let’s wait on Ramaphosa to give us a way forward. Right now Cyril Ramaphosa has not yet decided to unlock South Africa from 21-days lockdown. But you can be certainly sure that this BLOG will be there to inform you with everything as it unfolds.

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THABANG MAUPA’ KILLERS ARRESTED.

Two suspects in the murder case of former Ward 5 Councillor Thabang Maupa appeared in the Praktiseer Magistrate Court today. The suspects were apparently napped last week after a manhunt was launched by the SAPS after the Cllr Maupa was gunned down execution style while waiting in his car for his wife to close their restaurant in 2018. The suspects could not be named because they have not pleaded guilty and the case was remanded to 2^nd December for further investigations. It is rumoured that the suspects have refused a state lawyer and opted to hire a private lawyer, that also contributed to the case’s postponement as the was no legal representative for the suspects yet in court today.



The police have confirmed that two suspects have arrested in connection with the murder and are currently in custody awaiting bail hearing, while investigations are on-going.

Shoki Maupa, family spokesperson when responding to SABC said, “The family is expecting the police to make more arrests as they believe more people are involved in the murder of the councilor. The family is also expecting justice after the way Maupa was killed”



The is finally hope that the family of Thabang Maupa will finally get to know the truth about the murder surrounding the death of their loved ones. The community of Ward 5 in Riba Cross Village, outside Burgersfort is also hopeful that those involved in the death of Maupa will be named and brought to book, because the case has been long overdue.

The Ward 5 Councilor’s death shocked many, as it happened during the height of the so-called VBS expose and many people including members of the African National Congress (ANC) and its allied believe Cllr Maupa paid the price for trying to expose the VBS looting in his own rank. So the arrest of the two suspects will shed more light on this saga.

Praktiseer magistrate court today was filled to the rafters; some were barred from entering the tiny courtroom as it could not accommodate the large crowd that went to attend the hearing. Security was tied as Police presence was visible outside the courtyard. After the court hearing people hurried near the court gates hoping to catch the glimpse of the suspects as they were escorted into a police under a heavily police guard.

The suspects are expected back in court by 2^nd December with their legal representative, where the state is hoping to argue against granting the suspects bail.

AFRICA REJECT SOUTH AFRICA

Initially I wanted to dedicate my blog post to the magnificent and terrific performance displayed by my home-grown talented Youth Choir, the Ndlovu Youth Choir at the America’s Got Talent (AGT) stage. One would know how America values this show; by the way its citizens fill up every seat ensuring a sold-out show. So for our talent to appear there and reach the finals, even if they didn’t win is a feat compared to none. It’s a win on its own! The Ndlovu Youth Choir really took our country and placed it at the highest level in terms of art and talent. We saw this by the way they nailed every son and the way they dressed on stage. I know America is one country that isn’t shy to emulate. Soon you will see how they’re going to emulate the styles and infusions of every song sang by this choir. Congratulations to this amazing, talented choir of young people whom I know many of them will cherish this moment forever. I see great things happening to this choir in the future. Appearing at the America’s Got Talent was just the beginning.

But like I said, that was what I wanted this blog to be about, until I stumbled on the remarks of our Minister of Home Affairs Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi in this Sunday’s City Press, 22 September 2019 when he was addressing Parliament’s Portfolio Committee about the issue of migrants in South Africa, especially those undocumented ones, who are refugee seekers. This in the wake of a recent attack South Africans inflicted on foreign nationals. The Minister’s address forced me to take a detour from my initial intended purpose of this blog to address the issue, not directly so about what Minister Motsoaledi was addressing at the committee but rather what the whole country stand to gain from the recent attack of foreign nationals by our people.

Africa will reject South Africa. As a country we have been aware of how fellow African countries treat us whenever we are in their shores and it isn’t good. Now imagine what they are going to do to us now that we have killed and displaced many of their uncles and Aunts, forcing them to flee here empty-handed. It’s not going to be a pleasant one; they are going to make our stay in their home lands nasty, unpleasant, volatile and dangerous. They are going to reject every item we export to them, as they have already started doing so with businesses coming from here. We have seen how MTN and Shoprite were recently forced to shut down their businesses after they were attacked and vandalised. They are retaliating; they are inflicting every pain possible just to show us that they are also capable of doing exactly what we have done here. Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi tells Parliament’s Home Affairs Portfolio Committee about the lamentations of International Judges at the recent Conference about our judge’s judgements and how they impact on them in their respective countries. The Minister even goes further and proposes that we overhaul the entire country’s legal regime, citing an abuse to the system as if we created that system.

One is tempted to agree with him. As truthful as this may sound and be, particularly since we have seen how some of this migrants abuse the refugee status. However this is not a justification of a violent attack to any foreign national, whether they are legal or illegal in South Africa. South Africans who continue these xenophobic attacks without being slammed for it continue to cause calamity to fellow South Africans who like to travel to other African countries. I agree with Miss South Africa, Zozibini Tunzi when she said, “This is making things harder for me”

It is making things hard for her and for some of us to make South Africa look great to foreigners because we attack and kill them when they are here. Yes, we may put the blame on the system, but it’s our very own people who abuse the system, making it difficult to identify who is documented and who is not. What the Minister should first propose is to do away with the current abused system and come up with the new system, strengthen our border controls and pay officials well so that they can be discouraged from accepting bribes.

Overhauling the entire legal regime would not assist much, the people who allow foreigners in our country illegally are the officials not those judges who passes those judgements or the parliamentarians. Minister Motsoaledi should rather slam the violent manner in which foreigners are attacked, deal with his systems and officials as soon as possible. Then, just maybe then we can come up with a solution to address the cries of those Judges at the International Judges Conference. Until then the Minister should just stay away from the legal regime.

Ralepane Mmamekwa is back town

                                                                                    Mayor: Ralepane Mmamekwa.

Naume Phala and Ralepane Mmamekwa

Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality (FTLM) has a new boss. Ralepane Mmamekwa is back in town to resume the mayoral role AGAIN. Mmamekwa was first elected mayor when the Municipality was known as Greater Tubatse Local Municipality (GTM) between 2007/2008 after the ANC successfully won the local government elections. At that time Tubatse was still a relatively unknown town on the verge of a booming mining Industry. Mmamekwa led the municipality as mayor, where he first experienced the wrath of the community of Ga-Malekane after he failed to deliver basic services there. This writer was told that the situation became so volatile that the mayor ran and left his bodyguards behind.

Ralepane Mmamekwa was again retained as mayor after the sacking of Nkosi Josias Mahlake. The ANC council sacked Mahlake after accusing him of poor performance and coming to work drunk. When he (Mmamekwa) arrived, the municipality was under a great distress. Service delivery was slow, and in some other areas non-existing. Wards went months without water; others had no electricity, Roads and Sanitations. Mmamekwa arrived with great promises of turning Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality around, but the community saw the same pattern of slow service delivery, lack of water, electricity and Roads normalized.

The was no change which communities saw when Mmamekwa was mayor, except that their living conditions deteriorated and became unbearable. His promises only benefitted the select few, presumably those closest to him. One can argue that FTLM is not responsible for water services, but the municipality was allocated R 84, 9 Million for water projects in several villages, that money just evaporated because those villages are still as dry as the karoo desert. In his speech of July, 13, 2008, he promised a sanitation project worth R20, 5 Million, but today Burgersfort stinks like hell. Some parts are so dirty you wouldn’t tell whether you’re in town or some hell hole.

Mmamekwa still continue to be touted as the man up for the job of Mayor. And he is back into the driving seat AGAIN! On August,8, he was appointed Mayor of FTLM for the third time. He is replacing Naume Phala who also replaced the recently resigned Mayor Choris Phokane. Naume Phala went back to being Speaker while Ralepane Mmamekwa resumed his role immediately after he was appointed. And word on the street is that he is the only capable Cadre to turn things around at the Municipality. Let’s hope this time he will do better than last time he was here, because communities on the ground are crying for services and so far none has been coming forth.

Nelson Mandela, a life changer.

Note: This is an extract of a speech I delivered today, 18^th July 2019, at Sunrise Place of Care, Riba Cross, Burgersfort in Sekhukhune District of Limpopo province, where Mandela Day was being celebrated. I was invited as a guest of honour and Keynote speaker.

Nelson Mandela, a life changer.

Good day, Abusheni, Sanibonani, Molweni, Dumelan..!

 I rise before you to address the purpose of the day. I am not going to take much of your time so borrow me your ears.

Today marks Mandela Day- also known as the International Nelson Mandela Day.this means that we as South Africans, we are officially joined by the rest of the world to celebrate this day. Mandela Day is an occasion for all of us to take action and inspire change.

Why was Nelson Mandela Important?

I would like us to remember few things about Nelson Mandela today;

1.      He spend 27 years in prison fighting for our freedom, when he was released instead of seeking revenge, Mandela asked all of us to forgive and create peace.

2.      He was the first black president of South Africa who said, “ there can be no greater gift than that of giving one’s time and energy to help others without expecting anything in return”

3.      And that “education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can be become a Doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that a child of a farmworker can become the president of a great nation” let us be mindful of the fact that Nelson Mandela asked us to contribute to a better South Africa.

Mandela Day is the day we are asked to give 67 minutes of our time to do good, change someone’s life and contribute to make South Africa better- we can do this by working with the police to fight crime, create jobs for our youth, encourage our children to take education seriously, and assist the elderly with patience.

“it is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it” Nelson Mandela. And the opportunity to do so is today, right now, right here.

Make your Mandela Day meaningful today; let us all contribute to building a better South Africa, a better Riba Cross (My village), a better community, a better neighbour.

“Forgiveness liberates the souls. It removes fear. That is why it is such a powerful weapon”

And “the true character of a society is revealed in how it treats its children”

with this words, I want to say Mandela Day is your chance to change. To be courageous and brave to forgive and create peace around you and your community, after all, it is Nelson Mandela International Day.

Thank you, Kea Leboga!!!!!!!

Khanyi Dhlomo shuts down Ndalo Media for Good.

It pains us in the media fraternity to learn of the complete shutting down of Ndalo Media, the company that has been bringing us Destiny, Destiny Man magazines, DestinyConnect and ELLE Magazines. 

Ndalo Media is one of the few successfully black owned Media company in South Africa and it was founded by Kanyi Dhlomo who cut her teeth at True Love Magazine. 

The Comapny (ndalo Media) started experiencing financial difficulties earlier this year, this after it failed to pay for its printing debt of R13m with CTP Printers. The debt prompted CTP Printers to haul the company before the Gauteng South High Court to force it to fork out the money.
Now staff have been briefed by Kanyi Dlomo herself about the winding down of the company before month end of January 2019. But she has promised to ensure that staff' salaries are paid and everybody is prioritised regarding the monies.

It is so disappointing and frightening to learn of another failure of a black owned entity at the behest of our economy. Just when so much encouragement is placed upon young people to start their own businesses, a business owned by a successful, educated female entrepreneur falls down so hard. Even thou nobody really knows the real reason for Ndalo Media's downfall, But it is painful that such a promising company has to face this setback. Now we have an additional number of unemployed youth and adults who will be joining the queer of job searches. How sad a situation that our country has to face at such a delicate time.

We can only pray and hope that somebody out there will come at the rescue of Khanyi's Ndalo Media and save those jobs before the end of January, 29th, 2019.