RUSTENBURG HERALD – RUSTENBURG – Whether it be on the radio, in the papers or even in polite dinner conversation, one thing is clear: there is much doubt on whether power utility Eskom’s Medupi Unit 6, which produced its first power on Monday, 2 March, will be enough to save South Africa from loadshedding. “We recognise that this is only the beginning, but I am confident that achieving this significant milestone will sustain the dedication and commitment of the Eskom team as they work towards the completion of the project,” were the words of Minister of Public Enterprises Lynne Brown...

To read the full story, read page 5 of our 6 March 2015 issue.

RUSTENBURG HERALD – RUSTENBURG – Daar word beweer dat dit die grootste vonnis nog in die land is vir veediefstal, maar die 80 jaar tronkstraf vir veedief Tinus Groenewald (37) het vir sommige as geen skok gekom nie. Groenewald het, soos berig in ons susterpublikasie Brits Pos, miljoene rande se beeste in die omgewing van Gauteng, Limpopo en Noordwes gesteel...

To read the full story, read page 7 of our 6 March 2015 issue.

RUSTENBURG HERALD – RUSTENBURG – Eligible South African citizens will soon be able to apply for their Smart ID Cards at Home Affairs kiosks at their nearest participating banks, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has announced. According to the Minister, two banks – namely First National Bank and Standard Bank – have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Home Affairs for the pilot project. “Nedbank has indicated its willingness to sign on the dotted line and Minister Gigaba hopes Absa will also join the partnership.”

To read the full story, read page 2 of our 6 March 2015 issue.

RUSTENBURG HERALD – MOGWASE – A 32-year-old man has been arrested for the murder of a 36-year-old man in Ramokoka Village on Saturday, 28 February, the North West SAPS told the Rustenburg Herald this week. The suspect claims that the victim entered his room holding an unidentified sharp object and attempted to stab him (the suspect) with it. The suspect then produced a spear and proceeded to stab the victim, ending his (the victim’s) life. “The suspect is expected to appear in Mogwase Magistrate’s Court soon,” Colonel Emelda Setlhako, spokesman for the NW SAPS, told the Rustenburg Herald...

To read the full story, read page 7 of our 6 March 2015 issue.

The Rustenburg Herald has once again been inundated with calls from residents who have pointed out that the lights at the Rustenburg Local Municipality’s Main Municipal Building (corner of Nelson Mandela and Beyers Naude Drive) are on throughout the night. It is not difficult to understand why residents are becoming angry when one considers that parts of Rustenburg are plunged into darkness during load shedding whilst it appears as though the municipality is refusing to lead by example and switch off its own lights. This photograph was taken at 19:27 on the night of Saturday night, 28 February. (Photograph: Bennitt Bartl).

RUSTENBURG HERALD – MOGWASE – Three stock theft suspects aged between 18 and 39 have appeared in the Moses Kotane Magistrate’s Court following their arrest at Bapong 2 Village outside Rustenburg on Friday, 27 February, the Rustenburg Herald was told on Monday. According to Constable Kabelo Phetabosigo spokesperson of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Phokeng, Tshepo Nkwe (39), Thabo Moalusi (26) and Tshiamo Botlhole (18) had their vehicle with a trailer containing five cattle roused suspicion with a community member at 03:00 in the morning of Friday... 

To read the full story, read page 5 of our 6 March 2015 issue.

RUSTENBURG HERALD – RUSTENBURG – Royal Bafokeng Platinum (RBPlat) has released its audited Annual Results for the Year ended 31 December 2014 and has, amongst others, attributed a lack of industrial action to the lifting of gross revenue by almost 16% to R3.77-billion. “Our relationship with our labour force has been notably stable and we envisage this continuing,” the company said in a statement on Tuesday, 3 March. RBPlat points out that despite the five-month-long platinum sector strike of 2014, the price of platinum group metals (PGMs) barely responded and have fallen on average by 6% year-on-year...

To read the full story, read page 6 of our 6 March 2015 issue.

RUSTENBURG HERALD – RUSTENBURG – The electricity supply system will remain vulnerable for the rest of the week due to a shortage of generating capacity, says power utility Eskom. “… Several units are currently out of service due to planned and unplanned outages. Due to the unavailability of a reserve margin (spare capacity), any extra load or faults in the system may necessitate the need to go into load shedding. “This being Eskom’s maintenance season, we expect the power grid to remain constrained for the rest of this summer season,” said Eskom on Monday, 23 February, in its state of the power system report...

To read the full story, read page 4 of our 27 February 2015 issue.