Esther Mathenjwa (45) was swept away by water near White River on Tuesday evening on her way from work.
According to the deceased’s partner, she usually arrives around 19:00 every evening, but he started getting worried when her arrival time passed.

“When I received the news that she had been swept away by water, we started a search with her colleagues’ husbands and our neighbours. It took us almost the whole night. We stopped and continued at 05:00 until her body was discovered.”

He says what disturbed him the most was the unusual crying of their youngest daughter who shared a bed with her mom.

“I asked why she is crying and she told me she wants her mother because she is not here. I was hoping I would visit her in hospital, not her body being taken away in a mortuary bag. I feel as if I failed her because maybe I should have tried harder, but because it was already dark, I could not find and save her. She’s gone and I am heartbroken because she was the love of my life,” said an emotional Morgan.

READ | Toddler drowns in Msholozi

Morgan, who depended on his wife after he suffered a stroke, pleaded with anyone who wishes to assist the family to contact him on 060 705-0646.

Meanwhile, police confirmed that this is the second incident in Msholozi this week. Lt Col Jabu Ndubane urged communities to avoid flooded areas and crossing streams. Mathenjwa leaves behind her husband and five children.

The post “I failed my sweetheart”- husband of woman swept away by water appeared first on MP Mirror Online.

The accused’s name is withheld to protect the victims’ identities. He pleaded guilty and was convicted for crimes committed between April 2008 and July 2022 in Malelane, White River, Nelspruit, and Elandshoek, involving victims aged 5 to 40, including a close family relative.

In the first incident on 08 April 2008 in Malelane, the accused approached a 5-year-old victim walking behind her house, took her to a nearby bush, raped her, and left her crying. Another incident occurred in July 2022 in Elandshoek, where he exploited his wife’s absence to rape a 17-year-old visitor during school holidays. The victim reported the assault to her mother the next day, prompting police involvement. DNA evidence later linked him to the other crimes.

READ | Teen rapist handed three life sentences

In aggravation, State Prosecutor Leana Jones argued that the guilty plea resulted from overwhelming evidence and highlighted rape’s prevalence in South Africa as a serious violation of human dignity, urging a fitting sentence.

The court sentenced him to 20 years each for two counts of rape and 15 years each for the other two, with sentences to run concurrently, totalling 40 years’ imprisonment. He was declared unfit to possess a firearm, unsuitable to work with children, and his name was ordered entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.

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Standard Bank Private, Africa’s Best Private Bank, is the headline sponsor of South Africa’s premier consumer wine event, held annually in Gauteng. 

“The sponsorship aims to attract the bank’s audience to experience a blend of the Cape’s best wines, and this year we are thrilled to announce the return of the show to one of the original wine and tourist hubs, the Lowveld,” reads a statement.

The Standard Bank WineX Mpumalanga Wine Show will be hosted at the gateway to the Kruger National Park in Mbombela. The show takes place at Emnotweni Arena on Friday and Saturday nights, 1 and 2 August, with the addition of a lunch session on the Saturday afternoon.

Wine enthusiasts from Nelspruit, White River, and the broader Lowveld area are invited to discover new delights and revisit timeless classics at this cherished event. 

Close to 40 exhibitors will present an impressive line-up of nearly 200 wines, including vibrant bubblies, crisp whites, bold reds, and delightful dessert wines

Experience the rich reds of The Nelspruit, White River Road, Rupert and Rothschild and Glen Carlou, the refreshing whites of Klein Constantia and Durbanville Hills, and the effervescent bubblies from Haute Cabrière and Simonsig Wine Estate.

Light meals will be available for purchase, and the Shop@Show facility with Tops at Spar provides an enticing opportunity to buy wines online at show prices, with the added convenience of delivery to your doorstep.

SHOW DETAILS:

Dates: Friday 1 and Saturday, 2 August 2025

Venue: Emnotweni Arena, Riverside Park, Mbombela (Nelspruit)

Time: Friday and Saturday 17h00 – 21h00. No first entry after 20h30. 

Extra session: Saturday 11h00 – 15h00, no first entry after 14h00

Ticket sales: Webtickets

Ticket Prices: R275 (includes tastings and wine tasting glass).

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The association made the call during the provincial education department’s Strategic Planning Workshop held at Premier Hotel The Winkler on 1 April, 2025.

The aim of the workshop was to finalise the department’s Medium Term Development Plans and the 2025/26 Annual Performance Plan. The association’s provincial chairperson, Elphas Maseko stated that everyone should work towards prioritizing the school’s best interests and fostering its growth.

READ | “Education is headed for better times” – MEC Dlamini

” I call upon all the parents in Mpumalanga to support the SGB’s and SGB’s to do their dues as well more especially when it comes to recruitment and I would appreciate if and only if our circuit managers should not interfere with the recruitment process from the schools because by virtue of that they think we are appointing wrong people in correct positions whilst they are also influencing the same process by making sure that they bring their own people into the space, that cannot be tolerated”

The Head of Department, Lucy Moyane, stated that they are working towards the advancement of teaching and learning.

VIDEO: The HOD Lucy Moyane outlining the outcome of the workshop

Moyane further highlighted that department seeks to strengthen governance by working together with their schools and management.

“We reflected also on our governance issues, our audit outcomes and there is a commitment from everybody that is here to really work very hard for this department to have a better audit opinion. We currently have an unqualified audit opinion but we will be striving towards a clean audit and everybody has committed to making sure that that happens. We know that we are also judged with our matric results, definitely we are moving to 90 percent” Moyane added.

The post Mpumalanga Department of Education’s workshop a success appeared first on MP Mirror Online.

This comes after a multidisciplinary operation that was conducted at a certain storage warehouse in Rocky’s Drift in White River.
Various goods including cosmetics, fireworks, teabags, pills and suspected greenstone with an estimated value of R12-million was confiscated.

READ | Duo bust with dagga worth R1 million

At least seventeen units within the facility were found with these goods. The owner of the facility was nowhere in sight during the operation. Regardless of the absence of the owner, the officials gained access to the premises after producing a search warrant to the security personnel at the warehouse.

VIDEO: Provincial SAPS Spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli speaks at the scene.

Provincial Police Spokesperson, Brigadier Donald Mdluli stated that these ongoing criminal activities cause a damage to the livelihoods of the citizens and pose a serious threat to their health.

READ MORE | Customs bust R29.5 million worth of cocaine

“This issue of illicit goods is very serious. I think if you can recall last year we had incidents where children ate some food items which result into the death of so many hence the government has a taken a step that we need to continue with such operations. This is not the first nor the last, trying the curb this and trying to address such a situation where these items can land, the hands of the community that will purchase these items because some of these items can cause health damage.” Brigadier further stated that these ongoing crisis has got a dire impact on the country’s economy.

“It has got a huge impact on our economy. Hence we have got our counterparts from the South African Revenue Services Custom because they need to ensure that these items are confiscated and at a later stage disposed with the hope to save our economy which is struggling a bit” Mdluli added. No one has been apprehended. The police vowed to continue fighting this scourge of selling of illegal goods in the province.

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Individuals with disabilities frequently face challenges in attending school due to various factors, including physical inaccessibility and insufficient resources and support.

The visually impaired are also impacted as many schools in the province lack essential braille equipment and computers designed for use by individuals with vision impairments.

READ | Sign Language is now one of the official languages

In an effort to address these obstacles, MEC Cathy Dlamini convened a meeting with the Education Sector Disability Forum in White River to discuss the challenges encountered by individuals with disabilities in the education sector and to explore potential solutions.

The Forum highlighted several issues impacting students from Early Childhood Development through to university level. Among the primary concerns raised were the insufficient school infrastructure, resources and financial support for individuals with disabilities.

Nkosinathi Ndlovu, the CEO of the South African Disability Development Organization, stated that the only aspect yet to be addressed from their discussions is the implementation phase.

VIDEO:

Ehlanzeni’s Disability Forum Secretary, Sibusiso Mthembu, appealed to persons with disabilities to utilize the resources made available to them in order to better their lives.

“We also want to encourage people with disabilities to go to the office of the MEC to apply for bursaries. The MEC outlined that bursaries are available, so we are appealing to everyone who passed matric and those who wish to further their studies and are without funding,” Mthembu elaborated.

MEC Dlamini acknowledged that the province faces a lack of special schools. Nevertheless, she mentioned that strategies are being developed to address this issue.

WATCH:

The construction of the school for Deaf and Blind learners in Emalahleni is expected to commence later this year.

The post Mpumalanga aims to enhance teaching and learning for persons with disabilities appeared first on MP Mirror Online.

This is after information was received about the camp two days ago leading to a joint operation and over 90 arrests.

The place, which was initially designated as a training site, appears to have been converted into an illegal military training base. The 95 people taken into custody are all Libyan nationals and were taken in for questioning.

Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi said the police take any threat  to the security and stability of the province and country very seriously.

“This operation demonstrates our commitment to acting swiftly and decisively against any activities that could undermine our national interests and ensure the safety of our citizens because that is our primary mandate,” said Major General Mkhwanazi.

The investigation is still ongoing, and further details will be provided as they become available. The SAPS would like to assure the public that there is no immediate threat to community safety.

Anyone with information about similar or related activities is urged to contact the SAPS Crime Stop number 08600 10111 or submit tips via the MYSAPSAPP. All information will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.

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According to police reports, 37 year-old Mampi Nelisiwe Shiba’s body identified by her family was found near her residential place in Masoyi.

The Police as well as the paramedics were summoned to the scene after the discovery and the woman was unfortunately certified dead at the scene. The other woman identified as Patience Mokoena (37) was found naked and her body was retrieved from the Sand River on Wednesday.

READ|Pregnant woman’s body found in Crocodile River

Anyone with information that may assist in the investigation can call the Crime Stop number at 08600 10111 or send information via MYSAPSAPP. All received information will be treated as confidential and callers may opt to remain anonymous.

The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has indicated that police will thoroughly investigate the cases without fear or favour to ensure that there is justice for the victims.

The post Two bodies of women discovered appeared first on MP Mirror Online.

READ | Mpumalanga Tourism to promote Triland Tour

My recent ‘Shot Left Summer Tour’ was a true reflection that Mpumalanga is where you need to be this summer because it provides a variety of activities to choose from and beautiful accommodation sites, too. We checked in at the Nut Grove Manor in White River, an intimate 5-star boutique hotel right in the heart of Mpumalanga. It’s a true hidden gem with a beautiful garden setting and stunning views.

Why sleep when you’re in Mpumalanga? The Casterbridge Lifestyle Center has museums, an art gallery, a hotel, restaurants, arts and craft shops, clothing stores owned by the locals – it’s the perfect way to start your holiday by getting more knowledge about the town and its people and also tasting some of the food at the restaurants, just to get a feel of what the province is like.

The summer tour took a twist with a visit to the Shabalala Cultural Center in Hazyview.
On the Second Day of the summer tour, we took the Panorama Route to the Blyde River Canyon which is the largest in the world situated in Mpumalanga. From The Three Rondavels, we drove to the Bourke’s Luck Potholes.

After viewing the Potholes we embarked on an adventure at the Graskop Gorge Lift Company. The Graskop Lift Company is situated in Graskop near the Panorama Route – Graskop Lift Company has a variety of activities to choose from such as Zip-lining, the forest trail, the Graskop lift and the big swing.

We spent the evening at Mdluli Safari Lodge situated at the Numbi Gate at Kruger National Park – a 7-star lodge at one of South Africa’s largest game reserves. The lodge has luxury tents, swimming pools, spa facilities and game drives.

The restaurant has a delicious buffet breakfast and dinner, an all-day ala-cart snacks and a lunch menu available. The lodge has an unforgettable game drive with experienced tour guides who informed us about the park and the Big Five.
Make Mpumalanga your next holiday destination.

Here’s what went down:

Heita, Mzansi! Our Mpumalanga adventure kept getting better!

We explored the panorama route, trust us when we say, we were amazed by Bourke's Luck Potholes' natural wonders. The Three Rondavels left us breathless with panoramic perfection. pic.twitter.com/QhbZ5FqAoA

— Sho't Left (@ShotLeft) November 29, 2023

Ekse Mzansi!

The first day of our Shot Left in Mpumalanga was filled with the exploration of what the little town of White River has to offer where we explored the Casterbridge Life-Style Center, From unique boutiques to cozy cafes and cultural museum. pic.twitter.com/9s8wqTbZ4o

— Sho't Left (@ShotLeft) November 27, 2023

Immerse yourself in the living legacy @OfShabalala, where culture🛖🪘, art🎨 and history unite to create an unforgettable cultural experience🤩✨- in the heart of @Mtpatourism . 🇿🇦❤️#GimmeSummerShotLeft #ItsMySouthAfrica #TravelWiseMzansi https://t.co/UJNzsVFODV

— Sho't Left (@ShotLeft) November 24, 2023

The post The perfect holiday is definitely in Mpumalanga! appeared first on MP Mirror Online.

This is after he was arrested for the murder of his 75 year-old grandfather, Albert Sanderson whose body was exhumed at their home in Swalala Trust, near White River on Thursday, November 9.

On November 6, the accused had an argument with his grandfather after he reprimanded him for bringing different girlfriends to the house. It is alleged that he then punched the deceased who fell on the ground.He then buried him in a shallow grave at the back of the house.

READ|Police officer found dead by neighbour

During his appearance, the accused told the court that he will conduct his own defence and that he will not be bringing any application for bail. The matter was postponed to January 30, 2024  for further investigations while the accused remains in custody.

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