An ugly leadership war is raging in Phiphidi village between the local royal family and one of the most senior Vhavenda leaders, Mailausumbwa Kennedy Tshivhase. On Saturday, Tshivhase seemingly ignored a High Court order and proceeded to install his own traditional leader at Phiphidi.

A 30-year-old woman, Fortune Rankhododo, was arrested last Thursday (April 25) in Tshikuwi village, Nzhelele, for allegedly discarding her newborn baby in a pit toilet.

A school in the Nzhelele area that allegedly used a vigilante group dressed in camouflage uniforms to “teach a lesson” to unruly pupils has come under severe criticism. From the information that could be gathered about the incident, learners claim they have been assaulted, some for no apparent reason.

Mukovhe Vincent Makhavhu, a 34-year-old self-proclaimed prophet and pastor, was found guilty on four counts of rape, one count of compelled sexual assault, and another count of robbery with aggravated circumstances. He appeared in the High Court in Thohoyandou last Wednesday (24 April).

What if your local newspaper stops appearing? What if next week, when you search for the paper on the supermarket shelf, next to the bread and other essentials, it is not there? Will you miss it?

Ms Luvhengo Musetsho, the wife of slain SAMWU member Timson Musetsho, is very frustrated with the slow progress and the latest postponement in the trial where the Radzuma brothers stand accused of killing her husband.

The family of a man whose body was found on Monday at Phiphidi say they have more questions than answers about his death. The man, identified as Maanda Mulovhedzi (42), was found dead by a passerby in a maize field next to the Phiphidi clinic at about 07:00.

The possible withdrawal of the murder charge against Livhuwani Madadzhe, better known as comedian SABC Livhu, is still on the cards if the state prosecutors cannot get their house in order.

The Makhado Municipality officially opened their smart new vehicle testing and licensing centre in Louis Trichardt on 30 April.

A 33-year-old man, who was on the run after he allegedly fatally stabbed 30-year-old Rinah Malange, handed himself over to the Tshilwavhusiku SAPS on Wednesday afternoon.

The name “Bishop Khorommbi” is trending on social-media platforms such as TikTok, and this all due to a powerful prayer he shared.

A new state-of-the-art clinic was officially opened in Thengwe Thondoni, in the Mutale area, on Monday, 15 April. The new clinic replaces the old clinic, which was built by missionaries in the 1940s but was no longer conducive to being used. The new clinic will deliver medical services to 12 of the adjacent villages, such as Bashasha, Makhwilidza, and Maheni. These villages fall under Thovhele Vudzidzhena Nethengwe. The clinic will be open 24 hours per day, which means that patients will no longer have to travel long distances to access health-care services.

The United States’ ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety, visited the Vhembe region last week and spoke about his country’s projects aimed at alleviating poverty and fostering economic growth. During his trip to the region last Tuesday (16^th), he visited the University of Venda and the Vhembe TVET College.