With the intense heatwave and temperatures soaring to more than 40º C in some parts of the country, including the Vhembe region, for people, particularly from rural areas, to seek relief in the cool waters of nearby rivers or dams is totally understandable.

Residents of Madombidzha and Tshiozwi, in the Sinthumule area, are so fed-up with theft, robbery, and housebreaking that they are sending out a warning to the culprits to leave their villages or face the consequences.

The community of Magangeni village outside Louis Trichardt is still trying to process a recent event where a dog was found devouring body parts of a newborn baby. According to reports received, a local resident was walking on the gravel road along the Lemana Dam when he saw a dog eating what looked like meat. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that the dog was, in fact, eating parts of a dead infant. The gruesome discovery was made on Thursday morning, 23 November.

In another incident of mob justice, this time in the Nzhelele area, two suspected criminals, accused of terrorising the communities of Biaba, Tshituni, Mawoni, and surrounding areas, died at the hands of members of the Tshituni Tsha Ntha community.

In one of the most unusual cases to happen in the Mphephu policing area, a 40-year-old woman was arrested on charges of murder and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm (GBH) after she had allegedly attacked her two cousins.

Angry Makwarela residents protested outside the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 29 November, during the appearance of the police officer who had allegedly shot his landlord at his rental place in the Makwarela Township on the evening of Monday, 20 November.

On the odd occasion, stories do have a happy ending. This is the case with a Madombidzha-based hawker, Ms Langanani Julian Mamburu, who lost R4,000 when she tried to send money to her daughter by using Checkers’ money- transfer services.

The provincial commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo, Lt-Gen Thembi Hadebe, joined by the MEC for Transport and Community Safety, Ms Florence Radzilani, released the second quarter of the Financial 2023–2024 Crime Statistics during a media briefing held at the provincial head office in Polokwane on Tuesday, 21 November.

The fight for promotion and to escape the relegation axe at the end of the season will continue among the teams campaigning under the auspices of the Motsepe Foundation Championship League this weekend. Three matches will be played on Friday afternoon, with the remaining five scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

This weekend will be a busy one for the teams affiliated to the Limpopo Stream of the ABC Motsepe League. After donating points to their opponents in the opening match against Emmanuel FC, to whom they had lost 0-1 at the Giyani Stadium last Saturday, United Artists will be on the road again this weekend.

After defeating Marumo Gallants 3-2 in their Motsepe Foundation Championship League match at Thohoyandou Stadium last Saturday, Black Leopards aim to add more points to their league account when they face NB La Masia FC at Bidvest Stadium in Johannesburg on Friday afternoon.

The 23^rd edition of the Zama-Zama Sports Challenge was officially launched during a ceremony held at the Xilumani Hotel in Giyani last Sunday morning. Thirty-four teams from Mopani and Vhembe Districts will take part in this year’s tournament. The toss for the opening-round fixtures was conducted during the ceremony.

Black Leopards enhanced their chances for promotion when they beat Marumo Gallants 3-2 in their Motsepe Foundation Championship League match at Thohoyandou Stadium last Saturday. The victory means that Black Leopards have yet to lose a match at home under the guidance of Mr Peter Mponda and his assistant, Solly Luvhengo.

Former Black Leopards FC player Jean Djunga Munganga is desperately searching for a job. The 33-year-old defender last played professional football when his employment contract with Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) expired at the end of the 2019/20 soccer season. His stay at TTM was unpleasant as he featured in only five league games.