DID SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT KNOW?

PRETORIA – National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola has told the Madlanga Commission that suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu claimed President Cyril Ramaphosa had supported the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT).

Masemola testified that when he briefed Ramaphosa on the matter, the President appeared surprised and questioned why the specialised unit was dissolved without proper justification. According to Masemola, Ramaphosa undertook to engage directly with Mchunu on the issue, but the outcome of that discussion was never communicated back to the police leadership.

The PKTT was established in 2018 following the Moerane Commission of Inquiry, which had laid bare the scale of politically motivated killings in KwaZulu-Natal. The unit’s abrupt dissolution earlier this year has drawn sharp criticism from civil society, opposition parties, and security analysts, who argue that the move undermined the fight against political violence.

Masemola emphasised that the decision compromised the independence and operational stability of the South African Police Service (SAPS), noting that the unit had made significant inroads in tackling politically linked crimes in hot-spot regions.

The Commission continues to probe the rationale behind the task team’s disbandment, with mounting concerns over accountability, governance, and the state’s commitment to curbing political violence.

CALVES BORN WITH DOUBLE HEADS

In rare cases, calves are born with two heads, a condition scientifically known as polycephaly. This phenomenon occurs when an organism develops more than one head due to abnormal embryonic growth during the early stages of pregnancy.

Polycephaly is not a hereditary condition, meaning it is not genetically passed down from parent to offspring. Instead, it arises from developmental abnormalities when an embryo only partially separates during gestation. The result is a calf with two distinct heads, often sharing one body.

While fascinating, the condition presents significant challenges. Calves born with polycephaly typically face difficulties in feeding, breathing, and movement, which greatly affects their chances of survival. In most cases, such calves do not live long after birth.

Despite the medical rarity, polycephaly has been recorded across various species, including reptiles, fish, birds, and even humans. For farmers and veterinarians, the birth of a two-headed calf often sparks both scientific curiosity and emotional concern.

Researchers emphasize that such cases highlight the complexity of embryonic development and serve as reminders of the delicate balance required for healthy growth. Though survival rates remain low, each case contributes to veterinary knowledge and deepens our understanding of developmental biology.

SOUTH AFRICA IS A COUNTRY WITH HIGH PROFILE CRIMINALS

 

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ROOTED BEGINNINGS: WENDY MOSHAKGA OF MOLETJIE

In the quiet, unassuming village of Moletjie, Limpopo, Wendy Moshakga is not just farming soil — she is tilling hope, planting opportunity. Raised in Moletjie, she has carried with her the rhythms of rural life from youth; the knowledge that land, weather, seasons, community all craft one’s destiny. 

She is known for Serage Holdings, her agricultural business that has grown from backyard operations to something much larger in vision. Growing vegetables (cabbages, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, onions, green peppers) she supplies local markets in and around Polokwane. 

Also, Wendy is a founding member and the secretary of Sisters in Farming Cooperative, a collective of women farmers in Moletjie. Through this cooperative, she interlinks her farming journey with those of other women — sharing resources, knowledge, market access, and support. 

Features of the Farm & Cooperative Model

What makes Wendy’s farm and her cooperative powerful include:

Diversity of crops: Moving beyond a single crop mindset. Vegetable production is varied. 

Poultry farming: Wendy also works in poultry farming, with capacity for many chickens and even on-site processing. 

Cooperative structure: Sisters in Farming doesn’t just combine efforts; it shares burden, risk, and reward. Market access, scaling up, meeting demand volumes — these are made possible through unity. 

Local employment & food security: The farm contributes to job creation, especially during harvests, and supplies fresh produce into the local value chain. 

Challenges

Wendy’s journey hasn’t been smooth. Here are some of the obstacles:

Weather unpredictability: Climate patterns, rain, droughts etc., affect yields. 

Funding & capital: Access to capital, equipment gaps, and scaling up infrastructure remain tough. 

Market access & scale: To compete well, consistent volumes and quality are required. Cooperatives help, but there are logistical, technical, and regulatory challenges. 

Vision & Expansion

Wendy isn’t resting. Her plans point to growth, sustainability, deeper community impact:

Expanding land and scale: Serage Holdings is slated to scale up to 20 hectares in Polokwane Municipality. 

Scaling youth / women's empowerment through agriculture: Through Sisters in Farming, Wendy is working not just for her business but for lifting up other women farmers. 

Sustainability & food security: Her work is rooted in making sure rural communities don’t just survive but thrive: access to healthy food, employment, resilience. 

Reflections & What It All Means

Wendy Moshakga’s farm is more than rows of cabbages and coops of chickens. It’s an expression of resilience, of defiance against limits. She is preserving tradition (rural farming, deep connection with land) while pushing forward: better scale, formal structures, cooperative models.

Her story reminds us that:

The past is foundation: Learning from what elders taught, the rhythms of community life, the necessity of hard work. These are not quaint relics—they are practical, powerful tools in her business.

Innovation comes from necessity: With limited resources, Wendy and her peers are improvising, collaborating, forming cooperatives, sharing know-how.

Community is the asset: Beyond profit, her farm is a social enterprise in many ways: bringing people together, creating shared purpose.

Looking Forward: Potential Areas for Growth

To push Wendy’s farm & cooperative further, these could be next steps:

1.Access to better infrastructure: Cold storage, packaging, transportation — reducing post-harvest losses.

2.Technical training & agronomic support: Soil health, pest management, climate smart techniques.

3.Better access to markets: Maybe formal contracts with retailers, exploring value-added processing.

4.Financial instruments: Micro-finance, grants, government subsidies, or impact investors.

5.Branding and social value narrative: How the farm and cooperative can be marketed not just for produce but for its mission — women empowerment, food security, sustainability.

Conclusion

Wendy Moshakga’s farm in Moletjie is a vivid testament to what grounded vision can do. What starts with a small plot, a few seeds, a bold idea, becomes movement when guided by community, determination, and purpose. Her story says: tradition matters, but so does innovation; that rural does not mean “behind”; that empowerment is not given, it’s grown.

AMANTSI MEAT BUTCHERY: TRADITION ROOTED IN COMMUNITY, DRIVEN BY VISIONARY OWNERS

In the heart of Taung and surrounding communities, Amantsi Meat Butchery has carved a name as more than just a place to buy fresh cuts. It is a story of entrepreneurship, community empowerment, and tradition carried forward with pride.

At the forefront of this journey are its owners, Olerile Clifford Lekgetho and Mmusi Alphons Setlalekgosi Ntsie, who together form the backbone of Amantsi 81 Meat Butchery. Registered as K2025572182 under the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), the butchery operates not only as a business but as a cornerstone of the Amantsi brand, which extends to Amantsi Trading and Amantsi Farming.

Olerile Clifford Lekgetho is no stranger to the Amantsi name. His footprint stretches across multiple Amantsi ventures, from trading to farming, reflecting his dedication to building a sustainable supply chain that benefits both customers and local farmers. His vision is clear: a brand that is not only about profit but about empowering rural communities and sustaining livelihoods through food security and ethical sourcing.

Alongside him stands Mmusi Alphons Setlalekgosi Ntsie, a co-director whose role ensures the smooth running of the butchery’s day-to-day operations and long-term strategy. Together, the two embody resilience, vision, and an unwavering belief in the value of bringing premium-quality meat to the community at affordable prices.

Amantsi Meat Butchery is not an isolated venture. It is part of a wider ecosystem of local enterprise — supporting farmers, employing locals, and ensuring that every cut of meat sold carries with it a story of integrity and tradition. The owners have positioned the business not only as a supplier but also as a builder of trust, with a focus on quality, freshness, and service.

As Amantsi continues to grow, its foundations remain firm: community, tradition, and visionary leadership. With Lekgetho and Ntsie at the helm, the future of Amantsi Meat Butchery looks as rich and flavorful as the products are proudly delivered.

Phone +27 82 393 9505  Also: 078 818 9437 (used sometimes for orders) 

Location Taung, North West, South Africa 

Address (legal for “Amantsi 81 Meat Butchery”) 2082 Polar Section, Ganyesa, Ganyesa, North West, 8613  They are located next to the Taung Licence Department.