Apparently jailed in 2006. Rehired by same municipality in 2008. Charged again in 2015 with corruption. But Melusi Motha denies he was ever in jail
In the absence of an obituary fit to hold the entirety of the man’s illustrious life, we thought it fitting to let his own words breathe another day.
What makes a violent act one of racism? And how can it be differentiated from just another altercation? Haji Mohamed Dawjee looks into it.
Police are investigating a case of assault after what appears to be a racially-motivated attack on a petrol attendant by a group of bikers.
Three women allegedly strapped a dead man to a wheelchair to claim his pension money from the Post Office.
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/ 6 February 2009
The Mpumalanga Pumas will show you how to throw out a football team and its goalposts from their stadium — and get away with it.
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/ 10 November 2008
Two mine workers died and a third was injured following an accident at an Xstrata coal mine near Witbank, Xstrata Coal said on Monday.
Masses of workers supported a national strike against rising living costs on Wednesday, paralysing transport services and immobilising businesses.
It was going to take a special goal to win Nedbank Cup and the R6-million winner’s cheque. And it was a goal of sheer brilliance from Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Lerato Chabangu two minutes from time that earned the Brazilians a hard fought and largely undeserved 1-0 win over the gallant Mpumalanga Black Aces.
Black Aces are through to the semifinals of the Nedbank Cup after a resounding 2-0 win over fellow National First Division outfit Nathi Lions at the Atlantic Stadium in Witbank on Saturday. Jacob Machaka netted in the 25th minute and Visiwe Masonda sealed victory for Aces two minutes before half-time with a well-placed effort from the edge of the area.
Free State Stars coach Kinnah Phiri is hoping that lightning will strike twice in the same place in one season when they host Santos in the quarterfinals of the Nedbank Cup at Goble Park on Sunday at 3pm. Stars are the only side to have beaten high-riding Santos in the Absa Premiership this year.
BHP Billiton has suspended all underground operations at its Khuthala Colliery following the death of one of its workers earlier this week, the company said on Thursday. South Africa’s National Union of Mineworkers said on Tuesday that a worker had died at the world’s biggest miner’s Khuthala Colliery, near Witbank, east of Johannesburg, after a fall of ground.
Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk on Monday dismissed appeals against the decision to grant environmental authorisation for a new Eskom power station in Mpumalanga. The project involves the construction of a 5 400MW coal-fired power station near Witbank.
The Free State Cheetahs emphasised that they are top contenders to lift the Vodacom Cup title this year with a solid 34-20 win over the Pumas in Witbank on Friday night. In other matches, the Wildebeest beat the Griffons 33-7 in Welkom and a brace of tries by Wylie Human sealed another victory for Western Province.
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/ 26 February 2008
The Mpumalanga local government hopes to boost the provincial economy, attract investment and create employment over the next two years. The economy, investment and employment executive council committee on Tuesday outlined some of the projects to be undertaken during this period.
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/ 21 February 2008
There would be some very ”tough negotiations” with Eskom over the repayment of its R60-billion loan, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel said in Cape Town on Thursday. ”The terms will have to be worked out, it’s not in our interests to try to squeeze a short-term return,” he told a breakfast meeting.
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/ 20 February 2008
The government will fund embattled electricity producer Eskom to the tune of R60-billion over the next five years, according to national budget documents tabled by Finance Minister Trevor Manuel on Wednesday. At the same time, it will introduce a levy in a bid to get consumers to save electricity.
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/ 25 January 2008
Two prisoners died in nine-hour hostage drama at the Witbank Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) condemned the ”tragic” incident in which a police orderly was overpowered and disarmed by four prisoners.
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/ 23 December 2007
Jomo Cosmos showed why they are at the bottom of the Absa Premiership table with another insipid performance against Thanda Royal Zulu at the Ackerville Stadium in Witbank on Saturday. The hosts, who lost 2-1, will remain at the bottom of the log until the season kicks off in February.
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/ 26 November 2007
The Highveld regions of eastern Gauteng and western Mpumalanga, including towns such as Witbank, Standerton and Boksburg, have been declared air-pollution hot spots. ”There is little doubt that people living and working in these areas do not enjoy air quality that is not harmful to their health and well-being,” the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism said on Monday.
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/ 23 October 2007
The Green Scorpions have shut down ArcelorMittal operations at its Vaal waste site over its dumping of hazardous waste and air and water pollution, it was announced on Tuesday. The move followed numerous ”futile attempts” at getting the steel company to clean up its act, Gauteng’s department of agriculture, conservation and environment said in a statement.
A swoop by environmental inspectors on the giant Highveld Steel and Vanadium Corporation’s Vanchem plant outside Witbank in Mpumalanga has uncovered shocking levels of air, ground and water pollution. Environmental management inspectors, better known as the Green Scorpions, carried out a compliance inspection at the plant at the end of August this year.
Photographer Liam Lynch has spent years hounding South Africa’s radical rockers. Now his images are on exhibition, writes Lloyd Gedye
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/ 3 February 2007
Jomo Cosmos shared the spoils from a 1-1 draw with a determined Moroka Swallows after playing their first home Premier League game at Witbank’s Ackerville Stadium on Saturday afternoon. A sizeable crowd from the Witbank area witnessed top-flight football in their own backyard because Ezenkosi’s regular ground is under renovation.
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/ 14 January 2007
President Thabo Mbeki addressed the governing African National Congress (ANC) on Saturday to mark its 95th anniversary, at the start of what is likely to be his last year as party leader, which likely will see the volume turned up in the debate over who will succeed him.
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/ 13 January 2007
Poverty eradication is the African National Congress’s (ANC) central task in the run-up to the 2012 general election, President Thabo Mbeki said on Saturday. Mbeki, the party leader, was addressing high-profile ANC members and thousands of supporters at the ANC’s 95th birthday celebrations at the @lantic Stadium in Witbank.
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/ 13 January 2007
African National Congress (ANC) president Thabo Mbeki and his deputy, Jacob Zuma, showed a united front by dancing together in Witbank on Saturday. The pair danced on stage for a few minutes to the sounds of gospel singer Solly Mholo, shortly before Mbeki’s address at about noon at the party’s 95th birthday rally.
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/ 30 September 2006
The Lions moved into the second place on the Currie Cup log on Friday night when they demolished the Pumas 89-10, scoring 13 tries in the process. It was the biggest win yet in the competition, but it could all mean nothing to the Lions as they could move down to fifth and out of play-off contention on the last day of the Currie Cup group play on Saturday.
The Falcons scored six tries to one to run out comfortable 36-8 winners in their Absa Currie Cup clash with the Pumas in Witbank on Friday night. The Falcons were never really in trouble, although they did go behind to an 18th minute Pieter Benade penalty.
The Blue Bulls returned to some vital form as they demolished the Pumas 48-17 in Witbank on Saturday. Buoyed by a powerful forwards performance and some excellent running by their backs, the visitors turned what should have been a tricky encounter into an afternoon of tries and gave new coach Pote Human a morale-boosting victory.
A solid final-round 66 in the Vodacom Origins of Golf Tour at Erinvale reignited Eugen Marugi’s career after a rather non-descript 2004 season. Last week, Marugi underlined his comeback at the Seekers Travel Pro-Am. With back-to-back top-10 finishes, the 21-year-old Johannesburg golfer is finally back on the Sunshine Tour fairways.
The Pumas beat the Griffons 40-27 in a first-division Absa Currie Cup semifinal played at Witbank on Friday night. They will face either the Falcons or Elephants in the final. The half-time score was 16-13. The Pumas have only lost two games in their group but were made to fight for their points.