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MEC Makamu returns to Mohlaletse to address traditional council matters

MOHLALETSE

Recently, MEC for Limpopo Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA) in Limpopo, Basikopo Makamu, was back at the Bapedi Kingdom headquarters in Maebe Tjate Royal Palace, Mohlaletse Village, for high-level talks aimed at resolving administrative challenges within the Marota Mohlaletse Traditional Council.

The meeting formed part of the department’s ongoing intervention to support good governance and stability in traditional communities across Sekhukhune District.

MEC Makamu met with Her Majesty Queen Leganabatho II Thulare. Key items on the agenda included the status quo on the appointment of headmen and headwomen, and a review of how the 2026 Initiation Schools’ Season which were conducted under the council’s jurisdiction.

Speaking at the engagement, MEC Makamu stressed the importance of partnership between government and traditional leadership.

“Our engagement with traditional leadership is essential to ensuring stability, good governance and effective service delivery in our communities. We remain committed to working together to resolve outstanding matters and strengthen traditional institutions for the benefit of our people,” said Makamu.

The department said it remains committed to collaborating with traditional authorities to develop and deliver services to communities, particularly around land administration, cultural practices, and the recognition of traditional leadership structures.

CoGHSTA indicated that follow-up engagements will be held to monitor progress on the appointment processes and to ensure that future initiation seasons are carried out in line with provincial policy and customary law.

EPMLM silent on electrical skills shortage

MARBLE HALL

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality (EPMLM) is calling for urgent answers from the municipal manager and the mayor over what they describes as a looming electrical skills crisis that could leave residents facing longer power outages.

DA Caucus Leader in EPMLM, Cllr Flip Jacobs, said the party submitted comprehensive written questions to the Council since 8 April 2026, seeking clarity on the municipality’s preparedness for the retirement of senior electrical personnel who operate and maintain the 11kV high-voltage electricity network.

A formal follow-up was sent on 8 June 2026, requesting answers within a stipulated period. According to Jacobs, the municipality has still not responded.

"The retirement of experienced technical personnel is not an unforeseen event but a foreseeable management challenge that requires proper planning, skills transfer and succession management. The municipality's continued silence suggests that adequate succession planning is not in place and that there is insufficient internal 11kV operational capacity," Jacobs said.

The DA questions covered seven key areas, the municipality’s succession planning and skills audit, remaining internal capacity to maintain 11kV infrastructure, skills transfer and mentorship programmes, operational and financial risks, contingency plans for electricity failures, compliance with safety regulations, and accountability for workforce planning.

Jacobs warned that the lack of skilled staff poses a direct threat to service delivery.

"Electricity infrastructure is one of the municipality's most critical services. Council and residents deserve answers. Reliable electricity services depend not only on infrastructure but also on the availability of competent technical staff to operate, maintain and repair that infrastructure safely and efficiently," said Jacobs.

He added that the current situation exacerbates the risk of longer power outages due to a shortage of skilled personnel and is a foreseeable crisis that can be prevented.

As of Monday 3 August 2026, the DA is demanding a response within seven days. Failing that, Jacobs said the party will pursue available oversight mechanisms to hold the municipality accountable and ensure a stable grid.

At the time of go to press, the Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality could not respond to the publication’s enquiries.

Sports facilities depicts FTLM’s failures in execution, planning and oversight

KGOPANENG

The excitement on the recently completed Kgopaneng Sports Complex has subsided. Ward 16 residents in Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality are now up in arms about what they termed “below-par and shoddy work “rendered by the municipality at the sports facility.

According to the residents, the project is incomplete. “We need floodlights and completed pavement. Another major concern is the lack of athletics track. The artificial pitch is already showing split seams and melted spots,” complained the communities.

Speaking during the official opening, Mayor Eddie Maila said: “Today we are not only opening a sports facility, but investing in the dreams and potential of our young people. These upgraded facilities will provide a safe and conducive environment for sporting activities, talent development and community recreation. We call on residents to protect this investment so that it continues to benefit future generations.”

Residents demanded that the FTLM return back to install the omitted facilities. “We were told to take good care of the centre, and we will do that, but now we plead with them to at least install floodlights at the sports complex.”

Sekhukhune Dispatch’s attempts to solicit a comment from the FTLM’s communications team drew blanks, they were yet to respond to our queries at the time of going to press.

It appears sports facilities are earmarked to misuse the taxpayer’s money in the FTLM or they are the  alleged cash cow for corrupt individuals.

The Praktiseer Stadium has become a grazing field for cattle, goats and pigs after years of being left unfinished.

Ntoampe Sports Centre in Moroke is also one of those neglected in Tubatse. Due to poor municipal oversight and lack of security, the facility is vandalized and   was stripped of critical infrastructure. Ntoampe was upgraded at a cost of R3 million and is now a shell of what it once was.

Rolling back the years, the Ga Motodi Stadium was handed over to communities with no stormwater drainage or water reticulation system as per the scope of the project. The are no parking facilities. There are no changing rooms and also the pavilion has no roof.

EFF demands urgent Council Meeting in FTLM over withheld equitable share

BURGERSFORT

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality (FTLM), has written to the Office of the Speaker, calling for an urgent Extraordinary Council Meeting to address the withholding of the municipality’s July 2026 equitable share allocation by National Treasury.

The EFF Caucus said the decision by National Treasury points to a grave breakdown in financial governance and compliance and now threatens the municipality’s ability to deliver essential services to residents.

The party argued that the funding freeze puts the municipality at risk of failing to meet its financial obligations and its constitutional mandate. It warned that any delay in convening council would be contrary to the interests of the people of Fetakgomo Tubatse.

EFF Chief Whip and Caucus Leader in FTLM, Tshepo Malepe, said council must act immediately to restore accountability.

“Council has both a legal and constitutional responsibility to exercise oversight over the Executive and the Administration. We cannot allow a financial crisis of this magnitude to unfold without answers and decisive action,” Malepe said.

He indicated that the party is requesting five key items be placed before council at the extraordinary sitting. First, a comprehensive report from the Mayor and the Municipal Manager explaining the circumstances and compliance failures that led to National Treasury withholding the funds. Second, a detailed report on the municipality’s compliance with the Municipal Finance Management Act, including all directives and correspondence received from the National Treasury Department.

Third, the EFF wants a full report on unauthorized, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure, together with updates on the implementation of audit recommendations and consequence management against responsible officials. Fourth, council must be presented with an urgent financial recovery and compliance plan outlining corrective measures to secure the immediate restoration of the equitable share allocation.

Lastly, the EFF is calling for council to consider further oversight interventions to safeguard municipal finances, ensure accountability and protect service delivery.

According to Malepe, the party has asked the Speaker to urgently confirm the date, time and venue for the meeting. The municipality has not yet responded to the publication’s enquiries on whether they acknowledged the correspondence from the EFF.

30 years after democracy, Taung and Mafarafara still waiting for proper roads

TAUNG/MAFARAFARA

In Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality (FTLM), the fight in Ward 22 and Ward 23 is no longer only about potholes. For residents of Taung in FTLM Ward 22 and Mafarafara in FTLM Ward 23, two of the oldest villages in the municipality, the collapsing gravel network has become a public health emergency. 

With no tar in sight and asbestos-laced roads turning to dust in dry weather and mud in the rain, the community says people are paying with their health, their jobs, and their children’s schooling.

Community leader, Fannie Mzimba, says the villages have been omitted from municipal planning for decades. 

“The roads are deplorable and inaccessible. The municipality doesn’t include the villages in the IDP budget. It is like we don’t exist,” Mzimba said. 

He traces the neglect back to 1994. “No one listens to our communities regarding service delivery ever since the dawn of democracy. The villages are very old but without government intervention for services,” he said.

The health toll is what worries residents most. Asbestos mines once operated in the area, and Mzimba says that material was later used to surface local roads, leading to residents breathing asbestos fibers which causes asbestosis chronic lung disease. 

“There were asbestos mines in our area. Our roads are full of the material and many are suffering from asbestosis,” he said.

Another concerned resident, Choshi Masehla, says women and children bear the worst in the current situation. 

“We sweep dust from our homes three times a day and still our children cough at night. When it rains, ambulances can’t cross. When it’s dry, the dust is so thick you can’t hang washing. We are breathing our roads,” he said.

Masehla added that pregnant women and the elderly are often carried across the Tubatse River on makeshift structures when crossings flood, because Mafarafara still has no clinic. Taung has only a community clinic. 

“Thirty years later we are still asking for tar and a clinic at Mafarafara. How long must we wait?” Mzimba asked.

The road crisis is also strangling income. Some taxi drivers reportedly refuse the route after rain.

“Residents opt to fix the roads themselves but they don’t have proper resources because the roads are very bad. Without graders, gravel, or funding from the municipality, the community patchwork does little to fix the wider network,” Masehla said.

He said the community has started mapping sick residents and recording how many days schools are cut off, to present to the Department of Health and Public Works. 

“We are not waiting anymore. We are documenting, because data is the only language that gets attention,” Masehla said.

For now, Masehla says the demand is simple, an emergency health assessment for asbestos exposure, interim gravelling with proper material, and a commitment in the next budget cycle. 

“We don’t want promises. We want graders, we want clinics, and we want to stop burying our people because of dust,” he said.

FTLM could not respond to the publication’s enquiries at the time of going to press.

Affiliation issues halts Sekhukhune Regional Football League kick-off

SAFA Sekhukhune has delayed the resumption of the Hollywoodbets Sekhukhune Regional Football League due to lack of affiliation from participating football teams.

Scheepers appointed new Limpopo SAPS commissioner

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has officially announced the appointment of Lieutenant General Jan Petrus Scheepers as the Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo with effect from 01 August 2026, following his successful tenure as Acting Provincial Commissioner.

The announcement was made by Acting National Commissioner, Lt. Gen. Puleng Dimpane at the Premier’s Office in Polokwane.

Scheepers assumes the highest policing office in Limpopo after an illustrious 38-year policing career, bringing with him decades of operational experience, strategic leadership and an unwavering commitment to professional policing and public service.

His public service journey began in the South African National Defence Force before joining the South African Police Service in 1988 after completing his police training at the Tshwane Police Academy. During the next 28 years, he served in Gauteng Province, where he developed extensive operational expertise in community policing, visible policing and specialised policing disciplines.

He holds a National Diploma in Police Administration and has received specialised training from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as a Hostage and Suicide Negotiator, further strengthening his operational and crisis management expertise.

His appointment comes at a critical time as SAPS advances its Reset Agenda, which seeks to strengthen accountability, rebuild public confidence and create safer communities through ethical leadership, decisive policing and meaningful partnerships with communities.

Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba welcomed the appointment of Lieutenant General Scheepers, describing the position of Provincial Commissioner as "not a soft seat, but a suit of armour in the fight against crime."

MEC for Department of Transport and Community Safety, Violet Mathye said her department stands ready to work with Scheepers to intensify prevention, response and support for victims of GBV. No province can progress if our homes are not safe.

“Communities expect visible policing, swift response, integrity and partnership. The #SAPSResetAgenda calls for professional, ethical and effective policing. As provincial government, we commit to walk with you — strengthening Community Safety Forums, supporting operations in crime hotspots, and integrating road safety, crime prevention and victim support.”

Ramathuba targets industrial growth at China energy conference

POLOKWANE

Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba and MEC for the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, Dr Tshitereke Matibe, attended the South Africa-China Electricity and Energy Investment Conference in Beijing, China.
The conference was held on August 3 and 4.
The South African delegation was led by the minister of electricity and energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa.
Speaking at the conference, Ramathuba highlighted that the difference between the mining and manufacturing contributions to the provincial economy presents a unique opportunity for major job creation for its residents.
The mining contribution stands at 19.1%, while manufacturing contributes 3.6%. She said this sizeable gap presents an opportunity to drive industrialisation and retain more value from the province’s abundant mineral resources.
Ramathuba explained that, rather than exporting raw minerals, Limpopo is positioning itself to beneficiate and manufacture locally through its Special Economic Zones, using energy infrastructure as a catalyst for industrial development.
She said this approach will strengthen value chains, grow local industries, expand skills development and create sustainable employment. “Limpopo’s future lies not only in extracting minerals, but in transforming them into products that create jobs and build industries right here at home.”
She said that, through co-ordinated government support and investor facilitation, the province is laying the foundation for a manufacturing-led economy that will unlock inclusive growth and transform the face of Limpopo.
Ramathuba said the China visit strengthened bilateral co-operation between South Africa and China while mobilising investment in electricity and energy infrastructure, including transmission expansion, grid modernisation, renewable energy, energy storage, industrial localisation and skills development.
Limpopo’s participation in the conference underscores the province’s strategic position as a mining, industrial and energy hub with significant investment potential.

COGHSTA hosts Readiness Engagement ahead of 6th Term Local Government transition

GROBLERSDAL

The Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA) in Limpopo, has moved to tighten coordination across municipalities, as the province prepares for the transition to the 6th Term of Office for Local Government Councils.

In partnership with key local government stakeholders, COGHSTA recently convened a Secretariat Support Team Readiness Engagement, held at the Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality (EMLM) Council Chamber in Groblersdal.

The session was aimed at assessing preparedness and aligning processes ahead of the dissolution of current councils and the inauguration of new ones.

The engagement focused on four critical areas, the formal conclusion of the current municipal councils, the establishment of new councils, the induction of incoming councillors, and the formation of council committees.

Opening the programme, Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM) Municipal Manager, Meshack Kgwale, stressed the need for unity and forward planning. 

"Collaboration, effective planning, and coordinated support among all stakeholders are essential to enable a smooth transition while ensuring continuity and stability in municipal governance," Kgwale said.

Stakeholders then tabled detailed presentations on their respective mandates. 

Wilson Mohlala from Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality (FTLM) outlined the administrative and legislative steps required to conclude the current term of councils. 

Masebati Bilankulu from COGHSTA followed with a briefing on the processes for establishing new councils for the incoming term, including compliance requirements and timelines.

Dr Dan Raseluma from South African Local Government Association (SALGA) Limpopo addressed transition management and councillor welfare. He emphasised that supporting newly elected councillors was key to effective governance and improved service delivery in communities.

The discussions ended with a joint resolution from all participants to work together to ensure a seamless handover and to strengthen effective local government administration across Sekhukhune District Municipality and the broader Limpopo Province.

The readiness engagement forms part of COGHSTA’s provincial programme to support municipalities during election and transition periods.

Mayor officially hands-over Maepa Access road project

MAEPA

Gone are the days when Maepa residents will travel on dusty and undriveable roads  in the village.

The community led by the traditional authority representatives and the local councilor  were the recipients of the 4.5 kilometres Maepa Access road  on Wednesday February 11.

 Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality’s mayor Eddie Maila officially handed the road project to more than 200 delighted community members.

Handing over the completed project, Maila thanked the community of Maepa for their support during the erecting of the road.

"We are gathered here today to officially hand over the Maepa road project to the community. This is an honour and privilege for this council to fulfil the promise made to change the lives of our communities. The community of Maepa has been starved off service delivery for many years and here we are today to hand over this well constructed road project," said the mayor.

He thanked the community leaders and the tribal council for working with government to make this project a success. 

"We are also happy that during the implementation of the project, many people benefitted in terms of employment and business opportunities. This project is going to change the lives of many people in different ways. The face of this village has completely changed as access has been improved and even the travel distance from the main road into the village. Many economic activities will take place due to accessibility and turn around time. ."

Maila made an appeal for the community to take care of this project and increase its lifespan. "We must desist from damaging infrastructure when we are confronted by challenges. The doors of the Office of the Mayor are always opened for any engagement at any given time. We cannot afford to damage our legacy, but our main objective is to guard against any vandalism especially on infrastructural projects."

He commended the Maepa people for playing an important role in ensuring that the project is not delayed during the implementation. He said this has assisted the FTLM to spend 100% on both MIG and INEP projects.

Representing the communities, resident, Paulinah Coetzer, thanked the FTLM for  promising them a road, and delivering on their promise.

“As a community, we are excited about this milestone, we will easily manoeuvre around the village. We are also satisfied with the quality of the road made by the contractor.

“We are relieved that FTLM has finally heeded our pleas for  a proper road. ”

The Maepa road project started on 2 September 2024, it  was erected by Tseamiso Trading Contractor.

The contractor thanked the community for supporting them in orchestrating the successful project.  

Bothashoek’s Illegal water connections a major safety concern

BOTHASHOEK

Some residents in Bothashoek, Ward 20 of the Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality are still struggling to access clean water.

 According to residents, illegal water connections in the area have left many villages with dry taps.

Residents have been without running water for quite some time now because of these actions. Not only is illegal connections depriving residents of water, they also pose danger to communities, especially children.

One of the affected residents, explained that the problems started when locals and business people connected to the main pipeline on the Bothashoek road, which links to the R37.

"Illegal connections were made, but because the Sekhukhune District Municipality is failing to provide clean water to the residents, none of the municipal workers intervened, they folded their arms and ignored these illegal deeds," alleged one of the residents in Mahubahuba.


Another local resident complained that the illegal connections leads to water spillage all over the ground because pipes were inserted illegally and directed to people’s households.

“We are all deeply affected by this, because when people start taking matters into their own hands, they ruin the water infrastructure. We need the SDM to take accountability and ensure they bring water to the people” added the community members.

On 18 November 2025, this publication forwarded queries to the spokesperson for the SDM, Lemson Moropjane, part of the questions included reasons for the shortage of water in Bothashoek, as well as the SDM's failure to intervene in the illegal connections.

Unfortunately, the SDM was yet to respond on these matters, the Sekhukhune Times will run a follow-up when they respond.