Zululand Observer - Weekender
Mtuba pastor jailed for murder
JUSTICE has finally been served for a woman who was bludgeoned to death by her former lover in 2020 - but not before the man fled court in December, delaying sentencing by more than a month. Thembelihle Nxumalo (25) died after being beaten with a...
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Grantleigh Schools pupil scores perfect 10
CONSISTENT hard work is what set Arav Surujhlal apart, achieving an outstanding 10 distinctions in the 2025 IEB examinations. The Grantleigh pupil and 2025 deputy head boy soared in maths, English, Afrikaans, life orientation (LO), physical sciences,...
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Zero drownings at city beaches, but eight victims remain missing elsewhere
FOR the first season in many years, no drownings took place at Alkantstrand or the notorious Bay Hall area - but elsewhere the situation was grim. Beyond the city’s borders, tragedy struck hard, with 12 drownings reported across the wider Zululand...
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PRISON RAID
NATIONAL commissioner of Correctional Services Makgothi Thobakgale has issued a strong warning to correctional officials after 165 contraband items were confiscated during a raid at Qalakabusha Prison in Empangeni on Sunday. The raid, prompted by...
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Abandoned
T+( year ends Rn a dismal nRte fRr tens Rf thRusands Rf citi]ens whR were denied critical welfare assistance fRllRwing the abrupt terminatiRn Rf grant funding after the 86$ e[ecutive Rrder issued in )ebruary 3resenting stats at /ife/ine =ululand¶s $*0...
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Pulpit assassins are sentenced
THE family has accepted the sentencing handed down by the Ngwelezane Regional Court to the two hitmen who murdered ACDP Councillor, Reverend John Myaka. Phakamani Khumalo and his co-accused Mthokozisi Mabuyakhulu were given life sentences, plus 10...
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Regional offences steady but key hotspots persist
AS the province prepares for the annual ‘crime season’ spike, crime across the Zululand region appears to be manageable. This after statistics covering the six months from April to September were released recently. Richards Bay remains a hotspot for...
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NO MERCY
T+( road is narrowing for motorists who are yet to change to the µ=N¶ number plates. This as the deadline looms for all .=N-registered vehicles to migrate, as the old numbering system will become invalid as of Monday, December. )ailure to comply...
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Circle of death
7+( horror accident that claiPed the liIe oI a biker on the 5 outside (PSanJeni on 7uesda\ PorninJ Zas literall\ an accident ZaitinJ to haSSen . /indo 1dloYu , Zho Zas IroP 1daba\akhe and ZorkinJ in 5ichards %a\ as a securit\ Juard, Zas crushed Zhen a...
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Lights out!
RAMPANT robot cable theft is draining the City of uMhlathuze’s coffers and endangering motorists, with losses exceeding R1.7-million in recent months. Targeting traffic lights along the busy John Ross highway, thieves have left several intersections...
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Cruise controversy
COINCIDING with last week's official opening of the 2025/26 cruise season, a months old YouTube video is again circulating on social media, calling into question Richards Bay's status as a cruise liner destination. Originally posted seven months ago...
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Building boom
AS construction of Prince Buthelezi Mall outside Empangeni is moving swiftly along, there is also marked progress in the upgrading of the surrounding road network. The R102, which is expected to accommodate increased traffic when the mall officially...
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HOUSE OF DEATH
THREE members of a Mandlakala family including a young boy - were gunned down during a home invasion on Monday night, while a house helper was left in critical condition. The deceased have been identified as Ntombiziningi Khanyile (63), Mjabhazeni...
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Ongoing cable theft an issue
OVER the past few weeks, several areas under Ulundi Municipality experienced prolonged power outages and service interruptions owing to stolen electricity cables and vandalised infrastructure. Ulundi Mayor Wilson Ntshangase said this has not only...
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Stung into action
LIKE a scene from a horror movie, a normal outdoor working day turned into a painful nightmare for a Richards Bay man last Thursday. This as an angry swarm of bees – possibly Africanised honeybees, also known as killer bees – made Nolan Govender (43)...
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Zapped in Zim
IF a former Richards Bay businessman arrested in Zimbabwe for alleged fraud is extradited, he will face a long queue of angry former friends and associates who are reportedly collectively owed millions of rands. Johnny Herman Saaiman was named by...
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Shut store woes
THE sudden closure of the Essenwood Pick n Pay store on Friday has created a huge negative impact on the Arboretum suburb’s more than 3 000 households. In addition, residents from Birdswood, Mandlazini and parts of Veldenvlei who patronised the...
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Court out of order
THE Empangeni Magistrate’s courthouse is an eyesore; however, inside its walls the situation at this vital public amenity is even worse. The front of the building in Union Street has several broken windows from the destructive storm that hit the town...
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Scarred for life
HYENA attack survivor Tim Govender (48) is still suffering flashbacks after he was mauled and bitten while sleeping in his tent at Cape Vidal on 11 August. He has had reconstructive surgery to his partially mutilated nose, and is having to have his...
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Boost for tertiary education
THE official opening of three buildings at the University of Zululand (Unizulu) on Tuesday has been lauded as both a boost for education and a spin-off for the City of uMhlathuze. Keynote speaker Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation,...
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City mayor and deputy summoned to court
A CLOUD is hanging over City of uMhlathuze leadership after both the mayor and his deputy have been summoned to court in Richards Bay. In two separate matters, Deputy Mayor Christo Botha faces a case of intimidation and crimen injuria, registered by...
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Hyena horror
A JOHANNESBURG businessman bravely fought off a hyena that attacked him while he slept in his tent at Cape Vidal in the early hours of Monday morning. He had been part of a group of campers on a fishing excursion. The victim, who asked not to be named...
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“Repair Russian roulette route”!
Tracey Turner WITH more than 400 petition signatories, the public is demanding urgent repairs to the R102 between Empangeni and Felixton. The petition is led by DA King Cetshwayo Constituency’s deputy chairperson Cllr Christo Botha and Cllr Sihle...
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Stadium set to become city game changer
HAVING already contributed substantially to the local economy during construction, the revamped uMhlathuze Central Sports Complex is set to pump millions more into the district’s coffers as PSL soccer returns to the city. Speaking at the official...
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Fraudster runs into trouble
FORMER Richards Bay Athletics Club (RBAC) chairperson Petronella 'Petro' Hardwick (58), who pleaded guilty to 10 counts of fraud, was last week handed her sentence. Hardwick was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years on...
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ROAD CLOSED
THE R102 in the vicinity of the under-construction Prince Buthelezi Mall in Empangeni is set for a complete upgrade ahead of next year’s official opening. And the good news for motorists and residents is that, while it will cause inconvenience, the...
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Tempers flare and waste mounts up amid ongoing strike action
ANGER and uncollected waste mount across the City of uMhlathuze as the municipal workers' strike enters its second week. Ratepayers demand action as refuse bins overflow, causing a major stench across the city, and posing a potential health...
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Wildfire warning
ALL the signs point to a hot, dry few months ahead, with the distinct possibility of huge runaway fires that could claim lives and devastate lands. And it may well be that neglect and disregard on the part of the City of uMhlathuze and King Cetshwayo...
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Mayor charged
CITY Mayor Xolani Ngwezi is expected to appear before Richards Bay Magistrate’s Court tomorrow (Friday), having been charged with crimen injuria on Wednesday. His arrest reportedly emanates from the sentiments he expressed during an interview...
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Severe weather leaves trail of destruction
WHILE our region was spared the heavy rains and flooding that devastated some other areas this week, pounding winds and icy temperatures had locals running for cover and adding layers of clothing. On Tuesday and Wednesday, winds off Richards Bay...
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Classroom clashes
PUPIL safety is being jeopardised by the presence of armed 'turf war' gangs at local schools. The KZN Department of Education has attributed the infighting among high school pupils in KwaMbonambi to irresponsible parenting, and says it is the job of...
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BUDGET SQUEEZE
THE move to absorb hundreds of water service contract workers has led to a R53m increase in costs for King Cetshwayo District Municipality (KCDM). This was revealed by District Mayor Sikhumbuzo Dlamini, who delivered the final multi-year budget at the...
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Stopped in their tracks! Thieves apprehended in minutes thanks to sharp CPF and police response
A TRIO of brazen thieves were taken down within minutes of hitting a popular suburban store late on Monday afternoon. Shop operators at Kildare Superette in Empangeni commended the swift response from the CPF and police, which led to the arrest of the...
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Roll call of grief
THE names of the church members who tragically lost their lived in a horror Mother's Day accident near Empangeni were released on Tuesday by the Department of Transport. Eight victims died on scene and one passed away on Monday at Ngwelezana...
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Human settlements department launches investigation into alleged manipulation of Aquadene Housing Project beneficiary list
THE object of many delays since its launch some years ago, the Aquadene Housing Project is again making headlines for the wrong reasons. Investigations are under way after Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma issued a statement on Tuesday...
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Drones
THE use of high-tech night-vision drones equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) helped intercept 1 143 illegal Mozambican immigrants from crossing into South Africa over the Easter holiday period. During a 10-day operation conducted by the Border...
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Cash crunch
IT is a triple whammy for already financially burdened residents who face rate increases, a pending VAT hike, and electricity tariff inflation. While the 0.5% VAT increase remains a contentious issue among political parties in Parliament, Eskom’s...
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Be warned!
THE message is clear: if you go against the law, you will spend Easter in jail. Determined to address the holiday road carnage death toll, the only eggs the uMhlathuze Traffic Department will be looking for this long weekend are the bad ones. Law...
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CIT vans bombed
THE pothole-riddled R34 route might have contributed to a cash-in-transit (CIT) heist late on Monday afternoon; one of several that seemingly occurred simultaneously in KZN. Reports indicate that a cash vehicle, with two guards, was driving at a slow...
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FIRE GUTS BUSES
BRIGHT orange flames and plumes of black smoke filled the night sky on Monday as 10 buses and at least one truck were engulfed in fire, then totally gutted in the blaze. The incident - shrouded in mystery - occurred at around midnight at a guarded...
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City scoops eight Cogta Excellence Awards
NAMED the best in KZN, the City of uMhlathuze scooped eight awards and a R1-million cash prize at the KZN Cogta Municipal Excellence Awards held in Durban on Tuesday night. The local municipality scored more awards than any other in the province -...
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DEAD COP DRAMA
THE ANC in the Musa Dladla Region demands the immediate suspension of two high-ranking Nkandla municipal officials who were last week arrested and charged with forgery, fraud and corruption. Municipal manager (MM) Nomfundo Phumzile Dlamini and...
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‘Travesty of justice’
PREPARING for the one-year anniversary since they lost their loved one, family of John ‘Matambu’ Dercksen remain without closure. Having agreed to a charter which later proved fraudulent on 16 March 2024, Matambu, as Dercksen is affectionately known,...
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POR THOLES
THE process to repair badly damaged roads within the Port of Richards Bay has officially begun. Despite being delayed by recent heavy rains, construction has commenced, with Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) in Richards Bay targeting repairs to at least...
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ANIMOCITY
ANOTHER controversial allegation against uMhlathuze City Mayor Xolani Ngwezi and acting city manager Phakama Mhlongo has emerged. A damning report from an unknown whistleblower surfaced last year, with serious allegations of fraud and corruption...
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No need to
HAND, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) has reached city schools. This after hundreds of confirmed cases were reported in Durban earlier this week. According to the medical profession, there is no need for panic because, while HFMD is highly contagious,...
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Gas game changer
TIPPED as an 'economic game changer', the Port of Richards Bay is ushering in a new era with the country's first liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal. This after Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) inked two operator agreements this week,...
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Grave discovery
THERE are fears that a suspected eSikhaleni serial killer may have struck again. This after an elderly woman investigating what she thought was a sewage smell on Saturday, was alerted to the decomposing body of a young woman buried in a vegetable...
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HEAVY LOAD on the road
The first of many heavy loads delivering components for a R25-billion commercial wind farm under construction in Mpumalanga left Richards Bay on Wednesday morning. Traffic light poles were dismantled at certain intersections to accommodate the massive...
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CHARCOAL CON
EMPANGENI police caught six suspects red-handed packing stolen copper cables worth millions of rands into charcoal packing bags on Tuesday. Some cables were packed in normal sacks. Police reacted to a Crime Intelligence tipoff, which led them to a...
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ATTENTION!
SOARING above cloud 9, Grantleigh Schools' top achiever, Luke Drummond, bagged a massive 10 distinctions in the IEB matric finals. “I did it by taking on three extra subjects,” quipped the cool, calm and collected Luke who admitted he would have been...
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RIVER RESCUES
SEARCH and rescue members are on high alert across the region as numerous rivers are in flood after heavy rains in inland catchment areas. A pensioner is lucky to be alive after she was trapped on a fast-shrinking island in the Ingwavuma River on...
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Farms under siege
FARMERS outside Empangeni are living in fear as robberies escalate to violence, with homes ransacked and cleared of all firearms on Christmas Day. It is further reported that stolen firearms were last week used in a fatal dispute among suspects...
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Father sentenced to life for child rape
A FATHER who raped his daughter (9) 'too many times for her to remember' will spend the rest of his life behind bars. This after Magistrate WJ Schutte handed down the hefty sentence in the Richards Bay Magistrate's Court last Friday. The convict...
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Operation Truck Stop
EFFORTS to minimise truck queues on the N2 and John Ross highway are being stepped up as the region gears up for an influx of trucks destined for the Port of Richards Bay in the coming days. While the temporary closure of Mozambique's Lebombo border...
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Gunned down
JUST two days before she was shot and killed in a botched cash-in-transit (CIT) robbery on Tuesday, Bonisiwe Maphumulo had prayed a lengthy and heartfelt prayer for peace. According to a member of her Mzingazi congregation, last year’s National...
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Road closed!
THE days of the once-pristine Pelican Island being used as a dumping ground are over. Responding to a public petition (see page 6), as well as the ongoing abuse of this natural environment, the City of uMhlathuze (CoU) on Wednesday morning placed...
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Spaza shop owners must comply or close
SPAZA shop owners who have been given a 21-day ultimatum to register their businesses or shut down, are up in arms. Following numerous reports linking food poisonings - some fatal - to these often unregulated businesses, President Cyril Ramaphosa on...
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GOODBYE, John
WITHOUT a body or a coffin, the family of John ‘Matambu’ Dercksen – missing, presumed murdered – held a memorial in his honour on Sunday. There was not a dry eye in the house when the procession entered Sodwana Bay Ski Boat Club, led by Matambu’s...
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Navy IS coming
WHILE a cloud of uncertainty has been cast over the relocation of the SA Navy base to Richards Bay, plans for its crucial move are still on track. This as the pre-feasibility study for the relocation is set to be concluded at the end of the...
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Massive new shopping centre in Empangeni renamed after political icon
THERE is major progress in the construction of the R1-billion shopping mall in Empangeni, which will now be named after the late prime minister to the Zulu monarch and nation, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi. The Prince Buthelezi Mall - formerly known as...
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Local farmers welcome wet weather after long, dry winter
'ONE man's disaster is another man's fortune' has never been more accurate after the region's recent rainfall events. While the rains wreaked havoc in parts of the Zululand region, intensifying on Sunday and bringing a fleeting yet powerful...
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Justice served: Drunk driver jailed
A CONVICTED speedster found guilty of culpable homicide and drunk driving will spend the next seven years behind bars. Ngwelezana Regional Court on Monday handed down the sentence to Samukelo Khuzwayo (41) of Mandeni, after convicting him on both...
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Eye on the storm
AS the slow-moving Hurricane Milton edges relentlessly closer to their Florida, USA home, a former city family has done all they can to be ready - and it’s now a case of waiting and praying. As residents nearer to the cone of what is predicted to grow...
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THE FINAL CURTAIN
THE uThungulu Arts Centre building will finally be demolished. More than a decade since it was commissioned, the building, which has been a vacant eyesore, will soon be razed to the ground without ever having opened its doors to performers or...
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HIGH SEAS DRAMA
A SIGNIFICANT maritime incident played out unnoticed off the coast of Richards Bay over the past week while locals were engrossed in weather-related issues. Only built this year, the giant container vessel Maersk Cincinnati suffered a fire on board...
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