MASILONYANA NEWS

28/07/2025

The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson has suspended EPWP grant transfer to Matjhabeng Municipality in the Free State after it emerged that ANC leaders are milking the programme to enrich themselves, their relatives and friends.

This follow reports that the fund is now used to pay inflated salaries of former ANC Councillors and other ANC linked figures.

It has been alleged that they receive salaries as high as R30,000 per month while ordinary EPWP workers are paid as little R1500.

25/07/2025

‘MASILONYANA SQUABLES WILL BE DEALT WITH’ – PREMIER LETSOHA-MATHAE

PREMIER TO INITIATE INVESTIGATION INTO TROUBLED MUNICIPALITY

In what will certainly lift up the mood of residents of Masilonyana Local Municipality, Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae has promised an investigation into the affairs of the institution.

Premier Letsoha-Mathae was addressing the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on the second and last day of their oversight visit to the province.

The Premier said she was particularly disturbed by the glaring differences between Mayor Dimakatso Modise and Municipal Manager Mojalefa Matlole which played out in front of the committee members with accusations and counter accusations between the duo.

To put an end to this, Premier Letsoha-Mathae has promised to decisively address the matter as it derails and delays service delivery within the municipality.

“I am worried about the defiance that we see from Masilonyana. I have always told municipalities to make use of our yellow fleet to avoid unnecessary spend of resources, and Masilonyana is one of those municipalities, but there is resistance.

However, I want to assure this committee that I will set foot on the leadership of Masilonyana local municipality and an investigation will be launched. In three months, a report will be handed to you chairperson,” she said to Dr. Zweli Mkhize, the Chairperson of the committee.

Her sentiments were echoed by MEC for Finance and Economic Development Ketso Makume, who said the investigation will seek to get to the bottom of the issues bedevilling the municipality.

“The department (of finance) regularly meets with Masilonyana local municipality because it is one of the distressed municipalities in the province. We regularly meet with the municipality because of the instability at the institution and therefore make a commitment that, we will report back to the committee in three months, particularly on financial mismanagement,”

03/07/2025

URGENT WATER QUALITY NOTICE:

The community of Theunissen and Masilo are informed that the water currently being supplied through the pipeline system does not fully meet the drinking water standards.
This is due to ongoing infrastructure cleaning and maintenance at the Water Treatment Works to improve water quality.

It is advised that residents should not drink the tap water until future notice.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that residents should not use water for cooking, drinking, and brushing of teeth.

However, the water can be used for flushing toilets and general cleaning.

If possible, use an alternative source of drinking water: water provided by municipal trucks or bottled water.

Regular updates will be provided.

The Municipality apologizes as the team works on stabilizing the treatment processes to bring the water quality back to required SANS241 standards

Issued by:

Masilonyana Communications

02/07/2025

02/07/2025

Shout out to my newest followers! Excited to have you onboard! Master Pitso, Mafa Khabele

01/07/2025

Police have arrested two (2) males aged 29 and 27, after a lifeless body of a 30-year-old male was found lying in a pool of blood.

It is alleged that on Monday, 30 June 2025 at about 08:00 police were summoned to a scene at an open field in Makeleketla, Winburg.

On arrival at the scene, members discovered a lifeless body of a male plunged face down in a pool of blood. The deceased was declared dead on the scene by emergency services.

Preliminary investigations were conducted and led members to the location of one of the suspects. The 29-year-old male suspect was arrested for murder. Police confiscated the suspect's clothes found with blood stains for further investigation. The second suspect was allegedly traced and subsequently arrested for murder on Tuesday, 1 July 2025.

The two suspects aged 29 and 27 are facing a charge of murder. They will appear in the Winburg Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, 2 July 2025.

20/06/2025

Police in Theunissen, Free State still seek public assistance in reuniting a man with his family. Mojaki Jacob Tswai, who is reportedly mentally challenged, went missing on 05 November 2024 at about 10:00.

It is reported that Jacob, was last seen by his father when they went to the kraal at about 08:00 that day and both returned home. Efforts by his father to locate him were unsuccessful. The matter was reported to the police on 23 November 2024.

Jacob is tall and medium-built. He was last seen wearing green check trousers, a blue check shirt and black sneakers.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact Detective Sergeant Nnana Thekiso on 071 442 9749, or call on 0860010111 or drop an anonymous tip-off on .

19/06/2025

SAHRC GIVES MASILONYANA SEVEN DAYS TO PROVIDE RESIDENTS WITH WATER

“Since 2024, we have lodged complaints to the HRC, as well as other towns like Theunissen and Brandfort, which also lodged complaints on water challenges,” said Michael Landsman, Winburg Lesawell NGO founder.

“We, as the community of Makeleketla, decided that we’ve had enough of this neglected municipality and the mismanagement here. The community and animals suffer.

“Currently, we haven’t had water since last Tuesday, despite the court order ordering them to supply water to the community, they still fail to do so,” he said.

The court declared the municipality and the municipal manager’s conduct, of failing to consistently supply the residents of Winburg, Makeleketla, and surrounding informal settlements with safe drinking water, as unlawful and inconsistent with the constitution.

The court further ordered Masilonyana and its manager to immediately provide the residents with safe drinking water using water tankers, if an immediate water supply of potable water is not possible.

Lastly, the municipality and the municipal manager are to issue notices to communities and residents in the event of any planned and unplanned disruptions in the supply of safe drinking water.

“The municipality acknowledges and notes a court order obtained by the SAHRC, ordering the municipality to immediately take necessary steps to ensure there is a supply of safe drinking water to residents of Winburg,” said Zongezile Ntjwabule, municipal spokesperson.

“Our team has been working on a burst main clear water pipeline since Tuesday, and upon completion, the pipeline was pressure-tested, and it burst again.

“Updates will be provided to the community while we’re delivering potable water by trucks,” he said.

/Zenande Mpame /

19/06/2025

19/06/2025

Theunissen SAPS in the Free State requests assistance from the public in locating 19-year-old Vuyo Yeko, who has been reported missing.

Yeko was reportedly last seen at home on 14 March 2024 at approximately 20:00, when he informed his mother that he was going to the shop however, he never returned.

At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing khaki trousers, a green shirt and blue and green "Vans" sneakers.

The missing person is dark in complexion, slender, tall, with short black hair.

Anyone with information that may help bring Vuyo Yeko safely home should contact Detective Sergeant Nnana Thekiso on 071 442 9749 or call Crime Stop on 0860010111 or drop an anonymous tip-off on MySAPS App.

https://www.saps.gov.za/newsroom/msspeechdetail.php?nid=61726

10/06/2025

CONFIRMED NEWS IN

The community is deeply saddened by the tragic passing of 23-year-old pilot Nqobile Biyela, who died in a plane crash near Ladysmith along with two passengers.

The aircraft had gone missing after departing from Virginia Airport on Sunday, and the worst was confirmed when the wreckage was found.

According to confirmed reports the whole team was flying in three small flights from Virginia Airport in Durban. They were supposed to refuel in Ladysmith. However the refueling place in Ladysmith was closed on Sunday 08/06/25.

They opted to divert to Greytown. The first flight got crashed with zero fatalities in Greytown. The second one landed safely and The third one which was Nqobi's disappeared off the radar until it was found in the morning of 09/06/25 with three fatalities. No survivors.

Source: 🦅

10/06/2025

A 40-year-old suspect is set to appear before the Theunissen Magistrates Court on, 22 July 2025, after he was summoned by the Welkom based-Hawks' Serious Commercial Crime Investigation on Sunday, 08 June 2025. He has been secured before court, to answer to a charge of fraud.

It is alleged that during the period between April 2021 and May 2021, the suspect utilised the documents of one of the company service providers, to forge quotations. This resulted in losses of over R1 million. His fraudulent activities came to the attention of the Fraud and Corruption Unit of Sibanye Stillwater Mine where the suspect was an employee.


https://www.saps.gov.za/newsroom/msspeechdetail.php?nid=61503