Mpumalanga Media

  By Luvolwethu Ngani  A 45-year-old foreign national was arrested in Ekulindeni, Mpumalanga, over the weekend after police found him transporting 33kg of dagga. Acting on a tip-off, officers stopped the vehicle on the Steynsdorp–Johannesburg route via Elukwatini.  The dagga has an estimated street value of over R240,000. The suspect was charged with dealing in dagga on Saturday.  Police said the arrest forms part of ongoing intelligence-led efforts to tackle drug crime with community support.

 Writes: RodgerMandhlazi A viral image claiming to show an elephant guarding the body of a fallen ranger in the Kruger National Park has been confirmed as fake by South African National Parks. The emotional false story shared a ranger named Sipho Nkosi died from a heart attack while on patrol and was protected from predators for three days by an elephant named “Mnumzane”. However, SANParks spokesperson Rey Thakhuli dismissed the story as fiction, saying there is no ranger by that name and no such incident ever took place in the park. Thakhuli added Mnumzane was an elephant from Thula Thula Private Game Reserve, not the Kruger National Park.

  Writes: Rodger Mandhlazi    In 2022, An independent panel found there was prima-facie evidence for parliament to examine regarding President Cyril Ramaphosa and the 2020 theft at his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo. The report came before the National Assembly for debate and a vote in 2022, when Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula was the National Assembly Speaker.   According to Mapisa-Nqakula, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula instructed ANC caucus members not to back the Section 89 report. She said Mbalula made it clear to MPs that none of them were expected to vote in favour of its adoption. The ANC’s parliamentary majority was used to stop the adoption of the report. Speaking with Mbuyiseni Ndlozi on the African Renaissance Podcast, Mapisa-Nqakula revisited the process. “I hang my head in shame because we could have done better,” she said. When asked whether the ANC had misused its majority, she responded: “I hate to say this, but we did.”  The Constitutional Cou...

By: Rodger Mandhlazi  The University of the Free State (UFS) has confirmed the death of a student on its Bloemfontein Campus on the afternoon of Friday, 17 April 2026. In a notice sent to students via ‘UFS News’, the university said it was sharing the news with deep sadness. “The university extends its heartfelt condolences to the student’s family, friends, and fellow students, Our thoughts are with them during this difficult time, and we wish them strength as they come to terms with this loss,” UFS stated. The student, who was due to graduate on the afternoon of 17 April, passed away on campus prior to the ceremony. The cause of death has not yet been established.  No further details regarding the student’s identity or the circumstances of the death have been released at this stage.

By: Rodger Mandhlazi  A 36-year-old man was arrested in the early hours of Friday, 17 April 2026, following a high-speed vehicle pursuit in the Nelspruit Central Business District. According to police, members conducting routine patrols along Samora Machel Street near the High Court at around 03:30 noticed a white bakkie entering the road from Kaapsehoop Road. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver failed to comply and sped off, disregarding police instructions. A pursuit ensued through the CBD, during which the suspect allegedly drove at high speed and failed to observe traffic signals. The chase ended near the garage curve when the driver lost control of the vehicle. Subsequent investigation revealed that the vehicle was fitted with false Mpumalanga registration plates. Checks confirmed the original registration belongs to Gauteng Province, and the bakkie had been reported stolen in Nigel. The suspect was arrested at the scene and faces charges relating to possess...

 By: Rodger Mandhlazi At just 20 years old, Bonginkosi Surprise Mkhatshwa, AKA Bony Lee, is emerging as one of Mpumalanga most determined young artists. His journey from school stages to national television encapsulates both the promise and the challenges facing independent musicians in the province today. It has been 13years since Bonny Lee's passion for music.  "I started music in 2013, inspired by my older brother’s passion for the craft", Bonny stated. What started as a childhood interest evolved into live performances by 2015, where he first tested his sound before local audiences. Balancing school and music, he matriculated from Vulindlela Secondary School in 2025 obtaining a Bachelor’s pass. In the same year, he was accepted at The University of Johannesburg to study towards a Bachelor of Arts. However, financial constraints forced a difficult decision. His debut project, _Long Distance Yako Jozi_, released while he was still in high school, marked his entry into...

By: Rodger Mandhlazi  Malema’s legal issues: During the EFF’s 5th anniversary celebrations in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, in 2018, Malema fired several shots into the air with a semi-automatic firearm, reportedly an AK-47 or AR-15.  In court, Malema first claimed that the weapon was a toy. However, he later revised his defence once the firearm was presented, stating it did not belong to him and that he fired the shots to energise the crowd. Afriforum laid criminal charges against him and his bodyguard, Adriaan Snyman, in 2018. Following his conviction today, he may vacate his seat as a Member of Parliament. 2018 video

Julius Mkhwanazi ulindzeleke kutsi avele lomuhla (14 April)  ngaphambi kwekhomishana kaMadlanga ngemuva kwekutsi acela kuhlehliswe bufakazi bakhe ngenyanga ledlule ngenca yokuvelelwa sifo emndenini.

Ubuyela esitokisini Sergeant Fannie Nkosi kulandzela kuhlehliswa kwekulalelwa kwesicelo sakhe sebheyili lokutochubeka ngelisontfo lelitako, ngeMsombuluko, mhla ka-20, njengoba umshushisi wembuso angekho kuleli sontfo lonke.