Mamelodi News

Pretoria, South Africa – Water tanker mafias are exacerbating South Africa’s water crisis, exploiting vulnerable townships like Hammanskraal, Mamelodi, Bronkhorstspruit, Ekangala, and Cullinan by sabotaging infrastructure and profiting from scarce water supplies.  These criminal syndicates vandalize pipelines and treatment facilities to create shortages, forcing communities to rely on tanker deliveries, which they control through corruption and intimidation, charging R600–R800 for a 5,000-liter tank. In Hammanskraal, a 20-year water crisis, marked by contaminated water from the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works and a 2023 cholera outbreak that killed 40, has left residents dependent on tankers. Despite the 2024 completion of the Magalies Klipdrift plant, many areas still lack clean tap water, enabling mafias to thrive. Similarly, Bronkhorstspruit and Ekangala face ongoing water shortages, with reports of deliberate pipe damage to sustain tanker demand. Cullinan, another affected t...

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) stands out among central banks globally due to its distinctive ownership model. Unlike most central banks, which are fully state-owned, the SARB is privately owned, with over 800 shareholders holding approximately two million shares. The SARB was established in 1921 under the Currency and Banking Act of 1920, modeled partly on the Bank of England’s structure at the time, which also had private shareholders.  Today, the SARB’s shareholder base includes a mix of South African and international entities, such as individuals, companies, and institutions. Notable South African shareholders include major financial institutions like Absa Bank, Discovery Limited, FirstRand Bank, and Standard Bank, each holding 10,000 shares.  International shareholders from countries such as Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Norway also hold stakes, reflecting the SARB’s global reach.To prevent concentrated control, the SARB imposes a cap...

The Fall of HM Pitje Stadium: A Tale of Neglect and Wasted Opportunity. In the heart of Mamelodi, Pretoria, once stood HM Pitje Stadium, a revered landmark named after Hezekiel Mothibe Pitje, the township’s first mayor. For decades, this multi-purpose venue, primarily a football stadium, was the spiritual home of Mamelodi Sundowns, one of South Africa’s most celebrated football clubs. With a capacity of approximately 25,000 and a grass pitch, it held the promise of uniting communities through sport. Yet, today, the site lies in ruins—a symbol of mismanagement, squandered funds, and unfulfilled potential. HM Pitje Stadium, located at 113 Kubone Drive, was a hub of activity until the early 2000s. However, by 2005, the stadium had fallen into disuse, its facilities crumbling under neglect. A 2009 renovation, costing the City of Tshwane over R140 million, aimed to restore its glory. The upgrades included modernized infrastructure to meet the standards of the South African Football Associat...

Meyerton Taxi Rank Shooting: A Failure of Public Safety in the Heart of Gauteng. On the morning of May 20, 2025, the Meyerton Taxi Rank, a bustling transport hub north of Vereeniging, Gauteng, became a battleground. A violent shootout involving rival taxi associations and private security companies left a learner from Hoërskool Dr. Malan and a security guard injured, disrupting daily life and exposing deep flaws in public safety infrastructure. The incident, marked by the recovery of 19 high-calibre firearms, including ten AK-47 rifles and nine 9mm pistols, has sparked outrage and raised urgent questions about the management of public spaces in Meyerton. The shooting erupted in Meyerton’s central business district, transforming the taxi rank into what police described as a “war zone.” According to reports, members of two rival security companies, allegedly hired by competing taxi associations, opened fire with high-calibre weapons, including AK-47s.  A learner walking to school was...

Ribane-Laka School: A Beacon of Innovation and Excellence in Mamelodi. In the heart of Mamelodi East, a revolution in education is unfolding. On May 7, 2025, the Ribane-Laka Maths, Science, and ICT School of Specialisation opened its doors as a beacon of innovation, unveiled after a R148 million transformation funded by the Gauteng government.  For the 1,600 students walking through its modern halls, Ribane-Laka is more than a school—it’s a promise of opportunity in a township hungry for change. Nestled at 19558 Maseko Street, Ribane-Laka has long been a pillar of academic excellence. Under Principal MZ Ngoma’s leadership, the school has posted remarkable matric pass rates: 92.1% in 2023, 95.3% in 2022/2023 with 162 bachelor passes, and a near-perfect 99% in 2016. This year, a 98% first-term pass rate underscores its consistency.  Students like Tebatso Raselapi, who earned seven distinctions in 2016, embody the school’s legacy of producing top performers in Mathematics, Scienc...

Trump Stunned as Afrikaner Refugees Arrive Sans Tractors: “Where’s the Farmer Vibe?” WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald J. Trump was left scratching his head this week after the first 59 Afrikaner refugees, welcomed under his “Mission South Africa” initiative, touched down in Washington on May 12, 2025, looking more suited for city life than cornfields.  The program, trumpeted as a rescue for “persecuted white farmers” facing “land grabs” in South Africa, promised to bring grizzled agriculturalists to America’s heartland. Instead, the group includes urbanites who’ve never hoed a row. “They were supposed to be farmers. Big, strong farmers. John Deere-level stuff,” Trump reportedly grumbled while inspecting a Home Depot lawnmower display.  “These folks look like they’ve only planted hashtags.” Launched in February, “Mission South Africa” fast-tracked Afrikaners to Idaho and Iowa, despite South Africa’s government insisting no farmers are being chased off their land. Insiders wh...

Johannesburg Woman Allegedly Staged Kidnapping to Extort Parents, Now Claims She Was Victim. Johannesburg, South Africa – A bizarre case has unfolded in Sandton, where a woman, Tebogo Mokhanda, is at the center of a complex kidnapping saga that has taken an unexpected turn. Initially accused of orchestrating her own abduction to extort R500,000 from her parents, Mokhanda now claims she was genuinely kidnapped and has filed charges against her boyfriend, including allegations of sexual assault. According to reports from the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Sandton, Mokhanda allegedly conspired with her boyfriend to stage a kidnapping. The plan reportedly involved demanding a R500,000 ransom from her parents, with the scheme lasting five days. Sandton SAPS acted swiftly, apprehending the boyfriend during the ransom drop-off, disrupting the alleged plot. However, in a dramatic twist, Mokhanda has since claimed she was not a willing participant in the kidnapping. She alleges that her...