Picture: The North West MEC for Public Works and Roads, Elizabeth Mokua/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
13 August 2026 – The North West MEC for Public Works and Roads, Elizabeth Mokua held a successful stakeholder engagement with the community members of Boskuil and Oersonskraal in the Maquassi Hills on Thursday, to give an update on the planned upgrading of Road D1954 from gravel to a surfaced road. Mokua said the stakeholder engagement provided an opportunity for the department to share details of the planned project, outline the implementation process and engage the community on the anticipated benefits of the road upgrade.
She further said given the length and scale of the project, the department will implement the road upgrade as a multi-year project which is anticipated to be rolled out in two phases with the first one being implemented in the last quarter of the current financial year. Mokua added that the first phase includes a 12.5km road project extending from the N12 to the railway line in Boskuil.
“The upgrade will significantly improve mobility and accessibility for communities in the area, while supporting safer and more reliable movement of people, goods and services. The department has completed the design process and is progressing with preparations for the procurement of a contractor.
“The project will also provide opportunities for local participation through work opportunities, training and the involvement of local enterprises through sub-contracting during implementation,” she said.
Mokua emphasised that the department’s mandate is centred on ensuring that government remains accessible to communities and responds directly to the needs of the people. She said their mandate is to come closer to their communities and ensure that they deliver services to the people.
“As government, we have a responsibility to listen to our communities, understand their challenges and respond by delivering infrastructure that improves their daily lives. Road infrastructure remains central to the functioning and development of communities as it connects people to essential services and economic activity.
“I would like to further emphasise the importance of continued engagement between government and communities throughout the implementation of infrastructure projects. We want our communities to be part of this journey,” said Mokua.
She said they must continue to engage, listen to one another and work together to ensure that this project delivers the impact that the people deserve. Mokua said infrastructure belongs to the communities and they all have a responsibility to protect and preserve it.
“The D1954 road starts from D5655 road north of N12 to D156 road south of N12,” she said.
13 August 2026 – The Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) is proud to announce that 2 x Grammy award-winning global singer and songwriter, Tyla will be honoured with one of the South African Music Awards’ highest accolades at the 32nd South African Music Awards (SAMA32) taking place on 15 August 2026, at the iconic Sun City Superbowl in Rustenburg. At the heart of Tyla’s highly anticipated homecoming is AfriPure, the proudly South African beauty brand whose support is making it possible for one of South Africa’s most celebrated global stars to be honoured on the SAMA stage at home.
Tyla, who first received the International Achievement Award at SAMA30, now returns to the SAMAs to receive further recognition for the extraordinary impact she continues to make on the global music landscape. She follows in the footsteps of Black Coffee, the only other artist to have received the prestigious honour twice.
Backed by a formidable partnership that includes the Motsepe Foundation, the North West Department of Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation, North West Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism (DEDECT), SA Tourism, SABC, IOL, Great Africa Group, the South African Music Performance Rights Association (SAMPRA), the Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO), the Composers, Authors and Publishers Association (CAPASSO), Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA), RiSA Audio Visual (RAV), MNM Funerals, Settlers Media and NX – the SAMA32 has evolved into far more than South Africa’s premier music awards. It has become a dynamic destination- marketing platform placing the North West Province in the international spotlight as a vibrant centre of culture, tourism, creativity and investment.
Entrepreneur and co-founder of AfriPure, Grant Heynes said as the sponsor of the International Achievement Award, their role in making it possible for the SAMA’s to recognize Tyla, reflects the brand’s commitment to celebrating African excellence, confidence and ambition on the world stage. Heynes said more than a sponsor of the moment, AfriPure is helping create a powerful homecoming that connects a globally recognised South African artist with the country and culture that shaped her.
“When we were approached with the opportunity to play a part in recognizing Tyla’s global achievement, here at home, it felt like a natural fit for a beauty brand to align with the biggest A-pop star.
“Tyla represents the confidence, creativity and global ambition that we believe in at AfriPure, and we are proud to support a moment that celebrates her achievements on home soil,” he said.
Heynes further said Tyla’s continued international success reflects the growing influence and reach of South African music and culture. He added that she embodies the fearless ambition and creative excellence of a new generation of South African artists.
“Her journey resonates deeply with AfriPure: an African story, rooted at home, confident in its identity, represents beauty and is capable of commanding a place on the global stage. For us, this is about celebrating what is possible when African talent, creativity and ambition are given the space to shine,” said Heynes.
Unati Gwija said: “By bringing together iconic artists, emerging talent, industry leaders and thousands of music lovers from across the country and beyond, SAMA32 stimulates tourism, supports local economic activity and creates opportunities for small businesses, creatives, entrepreneurs and the hospitality sector.”
Picture: Former of Parliament, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
13 August 2026 – The trial against the former Speaker of Parliament, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, has been postponed by the Gauteng Division of the High Court sitting in Pretoria on request of the defence team to 20 August 2026, for the accused to receive the transcribed records of the case for them to file an application in terms of Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act. The accused placed it on record in court that she will be filing for a discharge in the matter.
The Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) spokesperson, Henry Mamothame said the state has closed its case and it will await the heads of arguments from the accused in order to draft a reply. Mamothame said Mapisa-Nqakula is facing 12 counts of corruption and one count of money laundering, wherein she is accused of soliciting R4.5 million, with R2,1 million allegedly received as cash from a service provider.
13 August 2026 – The North West Media Awards Organising Committee and its Board of Directors are delighted to announce that North West University (NWU) has once again partnered with the prestigious North West Media Awards (NWMAs) as the headline sponsor for the 2026 edition, reaffirming its commitment to recognising and celebrating excellence in journalism and media across the province. The organisers said the continued partnership between the NWMAs and NWU marks another important milestone in recognising and celebrating excellence in journalism, broadcasting, digital media and communications across the province.
The founder and convenor of the North West Media Awards, Ananias Ndlovu said the impact of the University’s support has already been evident. Ndlovu said following last year’s successful partnership, the awards have experienced unprecedented growth, with nominations increasing from 109 nominees in 2025, to 180 nominees in 2026, representing media houses and communication professionals from across the North West.
“The 2026 North West Media Awards will take place on 10 December 2026, at the iconic Sun City Resort, following a new partnership with Sun International. The event continues to grow into one of the province’s flagship celebrations of media excellence.
“Hosted under the theme: “Taking North West to Africa”, this year’s awards will welcome ambassadors from various African countries, traditional leaders, including the Bakgatla Ba Kgafela Traditional Authority, government leaders, media executives and communication professionals from across South Africa,” he said.
Ndlovu further said as part of this year’s programme, the North West Media Awards will honour two distinguished former South African Police Service (SAPS) communicators for their outstanding contribution to public communication. He added that they will honour former Rustenburg Police spokesperson, Elsabé Augoustides for 40 years of dedicated service.
“This will include former North West police spokesperson, Sabata Mokgwabone for 36 years of distinguished service. A special posthumous tribute will also be paid to the late Waldie Volschenk, who served the Rustenburg Herald and the people of the North West as a community journalist for 36 years before his passing on 22 December 2025.
“We would like to express our gratitude to North West University for once again investing in media excellence. We are honoured that the University has renewed its partnership as our headline sponsor. Their continued support demonstrates a shared commitment to strengthening ethical journalism, recognising outstanding communicators and investing in the future of the media industry,” said Ndlovu.
He said together, they are building an awards platform that not only celebrates excellence, but also positions the North West on the African media landscape. Ndlovu said the North West Media Awards continue to honour journalists, broadcasters, photographers, videographers, podcasters, community newspapers, radio stations, digital media practitioners and communication professionals who make a meaningful contribution to informing and empowering communities.
“The Organising Committee looks forward to hosting an unforgettable celebration of media excellence at Sun City as the awards continue to grow in stature and impact,” said Ndlovu.
13 August 2026 – More than 20 illegal migrants who were traveling from Musina in Limpopo to Pretoria were arrested by the North West Traffic Officers. They were arrested at 5:30pm during a normal stop and search by law enforcement on R101 at the Maubane off ramp near Hammanskraal.
The North West Community Safety and Transport Management, Oshebeng Koonyaditse said the area is a quadripoint between North West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. Koonyaditse said in the course of their duty, the Traffic Officers stopped a white minibus taxi, bearing Gauteng registration number driven by a South African.
“Upon inspection passengers who are all men, were identified as Ethiopian nationals. Thirteen of them had identification documents that were found to be fraudulent and seven had no documents at all. They were all taken to the Makapanstad Police Station for processing,” he said.
Picture: The Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Andries Nel
By OBAKENG MAJE
13 August 2026 – The Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Andries Nel will officiate the closing event of the 2026 Access to Justice Week campaign at Thulamahashe in Mpumalanga Province on 14 August 2026. Nel said the week-long campaign is intended for empowering the vulnerable and previously disadvantaged communities, particularly women, children and the poor by providing free legal advice, increasing legal literacy and raising awareness around key justice services.
He further said it takes the form of an interactive Services Fair, featuring legal advice desks and primary service stations operated by the DOJ&CD, Legal Aid South Africa, the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Social Development, the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE), and the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). Nel added that certificates of recognition will also be handed out at the event to schools that have fully complied with the requirements of the National Register for Sex Offenders (NRSO).
“The certificates are an acknowledgment of these schools’ commitment to protecting learners. The event will take place at Thulamahashe Community Hall, Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga Province at 9am,” he said.
13 August 2026 – The Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) and the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) on Wednesday called on the City of Matlosana and Ditsobotla Local Municipalities to move beyond corrective plans and demonstrate measurable improvement in governance, financial management and service delivery. This call follows a joint oversight engagement with the two North West municipalities to assess their progress on matters the committees have previously raised through parliamentary oversight, audit findings and investigations.
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on COGTA, Dr Zweli Mkhize said both municipalities were among the 69 municipalities whose July 2026 equitable share transfers were temporarily withheld by National Treasury as part of measures to enforce financial discipline. Mkhize said Parliament’s focus is now on whether corrective measures are producing results.
“What we now require is a report that demonstrates the impact of all the actions that are being taken. The committees acknowledged the efforts of the Matlosana Local Municipality to act on the concerns they raised previously, but stressed that the municipality must now show that interventions are improving conditions in communities.
“The committees directed the municipality’s leadership to provide them with updated and properly reconciled information on outstanding creditor obligations and payment arrangements with Eskom and Midvaal Water,” he said.
Mkhize further said this report must also outline the interest charges on the outstanding debt and whether debt-relief arrangements are making a difference. He added that the committees also want to see evidence of improvement in revenue collection and the resolution of unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure (UIFWE), procurement and contract management.
“The leadership of Matlosana must further provide a report on sewage and water pollution, road maintenance and other service-delivery concerns, as well as outstanding discrepancies relating to infrastructure projects.
“The committees stated that they want to see actions taken against officials or politicians implicated in wrongdoing. Another area of concern for the committees was Matlosana’s reliance on consultants,” said Mkhize.
He indicated that the committees would like to receive from Matlosana a valid strategy to develop its internal capacity as opposed to outsourcing services that fall under the purview of Matlosana’s administration. Mkhize said the 2024/25 municipal audit outcomes indicated that 225 of 257 municipalities used consultants to prepare their financial statements at a total cost of approximately R1.6 billion.
“Ditsobotla has received disclaimer audit opinions for over ten years and is now subject to a national intervention in accordance with Section 139(7) due to ongoing failures related to governance, financial instability and failure to deliver services.
“The municipality is required to submit to Parliament a time-bound financial recovery plan, a programme to end the disclaimer audit outcome, an analysis of its debtor’s book and a clearly defined programme to process and reduce the UIFWE,” he said.
Mkhize said the analysis submitted by the municipality is expected to identify which funds are recoverable and irrecoverable. He said it must also explain how revenue collection will be enhanced.
“The committees directed the municipality to provide a consolidated report on all investigations into allegations of impropriety, including procurement irregularities, which are currently being investigated.
“The report should indicate which cases have been referred for prosecution or to the Special Investigating Unit for investigation, their status as well as all the disciplinary actions that have been taken so far. The committees agreed that the municipalities must share reports every quarter to all the relevant national, provincial and executive structures tasked with local government,” said Mkhize.
He said this will enable all oversight structures to monitor the corrective programmes and their compliance with set performance indicators. Mkhize said no municipality can turn around on its own.
“We have to do it together. Parliament will not measure progress in terms of plans drawn up or the number of meetings convened but in terms of achievements on the ground.
“In the case of Matlosana, this means revenue collection must be improved, UIFW expenditure must be brought under control and there must be visible improvements in services such as water, sanitation and roads,” he said.
Mkhize said as for Ditsobotla, it means improved governance as well as turnaround in financial management, by sanctioning those found guilty of wrongdoing and finally putting an end to the disclaimer audit.
The Chairperson of SCOPA, Songezo Zibi agreed and said that the joint oversight should ensure that findings and investigations lead to action. Zibi said this joint oversight must ensure that they close the loop between audit findings, investigations and consequence management.
“We cannot in future continue to have poor audit findings and our communities suffering with no action being taken. The committees will be looking into this matter, and we expect to see improvement in audit findings, internal control systems and service delivery.
“The committees will track these commitments and we expect measurable improvement in audit outcomes, financial controls and service delivery,” he said.
13 August 2026 – A man (49) was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment following his conviction for sexual assault against a girl (6) in Jouberton Township, near Klerkskorp. The incident occurred on 8 February 2024, at approximately 6:30pm.
The North West police spokesperson, Colonel Anne Magakoe said the matter was reported to the police after the child disclosed that she had been sexually assaulted by the accused, Sipho Mazatsana. Magakoe said Mazatsana was arrested on 11 February 2024, and remained in custody after being denied bail.
“The matter was investigated by Sergeant Martha Meisie Chosi of the Klerksdorp Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit. Following the trial, Mazatsana was found guilty by the Klerksdorp Regional Court on 11 August 2026 and was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment,” she said.
Meanwhile, the North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Arthur Adams, welcomed the sentence and commended Sergeant Chosi for her thorough and diligent investigation, which contributed to securing the conviction. Adams reiterated that SAPS remains committed to protecting children and ensuring that perpetrators of sexual offences against vulnerable victims are held accountable and brought to justice.
13 August 2026 – A missing person investigation has led to the alleged discovery of the body of a man (19) concealed inside a pit toilet at the R61 Rashoop Informal Settlement. The police said the discovery follows a missing person enquiry registered at Brits on 7 August 2026.
The North West police spokesperson, Colonel Anne Magakoe said the police received a tip-off regarding a person of interest, who was allegedly last seen with the missing teenager. Magakoe said the accused, Johannes Mokoena (46), was apprehended and allegedly volunteered to show police where the missing person could be found.
“At the R61 Rashoop Informal Settlement, Mokoena allegedly pointed out a locked pit toilet behind his shack. Upon opening it, police discovered the body of a boy, whose hands, legs and neck were allegedly bound.
“Two golf clubs suspected to be used in the commission of the crime were also found and seized. Mokoena was arrested and charged with murder, kidnapping and defeating/obstructing the ends of justice. He appeared before the Brits Magistrate’s Court on 11 August 2026 and was remanded in custody until 13 August 2026, for his second court appearance,” she said.
Meanwhile, the North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Arthur Adams, commended the police and supporting role players for their swift response and collaborative efforts.
Picture: The North West MEC for Public Works and Roads, Elizabeth Mokua
By AGISANANG SCUFF
13 August 2026 – The North West MEC for Public Works and Roads, Elizabeth Mokua is set to meet the community of Boskuil in Maquassie to give an update on the planned upgrading of Road D1954 from gravel to tar. Mokua said the project forms part of the department’s efforts to improve rural mobility and infrastructure in the province with Phase 1 covering approximately 12.5km from the N12 to the railway line in Boskuil.
“The stakeholder engagement will be held at Boskuil Community Hall, Maquassie Hills Local Municipality 10am,” she said.
The Guardian 