Our list of Top-10 most-read stories for 2023

Date: 22 December 2023 By: Andries van Zyl

Met 2023 byna iets van die verlede het ons besluit om in hierdie laaste uitgawe van die Zoutpansberger vir die jaar te kyk na die Top 10 mees geleesde stories op ons webblad die afgelope jaar. Crime again featured high up the list of most read articles, but a couple of “good-news” stories also stood out.

Top of the list for most-read story during 2023 was the somewhat recent article of Solly’s Discount World closing down in Louis Trichardt. In total, 31,367 readers read the article that appeared on 15 September. The article literally marked the end of an era. After almost 75 years, the Noor family closed their family business at the end of September.  

Solly's Discount World traced its origins to 1949 when Anver Hajee Noor established Mansuli Jewellers in Louis Trichardt, South Africa. His son, Suliman (known as Solly), joined the family business at a young age. Solly's entrepreneurial journey began in 1962 when, at 14, he joined the family business full-time. Shortly afterwards, he opened Solly's Record Bar, swiftly expanding to electronics and appliances. Facing apartheid challenges and supplier boycotts, Solly revolutionised retail by offering discounted prices, eventually establishing Solly's Discount World in Eltivillas in 1980, drawing crowds from across the region. Hindered by property laws, he acquired land through a white nominee, breaking ground with the Noor Centre in 1988, a testament to his rapid rise as a property developer. Political changes in the 1990s enabled direct investments, leading to expansions across South Africa, marked by the opening of new stores in Pietersburg and Louis Trichardt on the corner of Burger and Songozwi Street. Solly's dedication and astute investments resulted in considerable success and further expansion of his business empire.

News that attracted the second-most views (totalling 20,609 reads) was that of the bloodbath that unfolded in Eltivillas on 1 September. A section of Eltivillas in Louis Trichardt resembled a scene straight out of an action movie as a special police task team pounced on the hiding place of a group of heavily armed cash-in-transit robbers. During the shootout, which lasted for roughly 90 minutes, 19 people hiding inside the house were killed, while one police officer was injured. The bloody confrontation followed an intelligence-driven operation by the police, planned weeks in advance. A residential property in Eltivillas was identified as the suspects' "safe house". When the police arrived at the premises, the suspects immediately started shooting, and the police returned fire.

Dat mense daarvan hou om van mense te lees, alhoewel dit nie altyd sulke goeie nuus is nie, het weereens duidelik geword. Die derde mees geleesde berig op die Zoutpansberger se webblad (18,932) was die artikel oor die 48-jarige Frikkie Jansen, plaasbestuurder van Northwich Game Ranch net noord van die Soutpansberg, wat dood is nadat hy deur ‘n kobra gepik is. Die artikel is op 14 April geplaas. Frikkie het op Goeie Vrydag by ‘n vriend op ‘n buurplaas gaan kuier. Beide van hulle is entoesiastiese slangvangers met ‘n bewese kennis en ‘n absolute passie vir die reptiele. Hulle was besig om na van die slange te kyk wat in houers op die plaas aangehou is. Die kobra het uit sy houer uitgeglip. Frikkie se vriend het met sy hanteerstok die slang weer probeer wegdruk, maar nie gesien dat Frikkie intussen nader gestap het om blykbaar te help nie. Toe hy hom wegdruk, het die slang na Frikkie gepik en dié het met sy regterarm probeer keer. Ten spyte van die slangbyt het Frikkie eers sy vriend gehelp om die kobra weer in sy houer te kry. Daarna het hy met sy eie bakkie na Louis Trichardt begin ry vir mediese behandeling. Hy het teengif by hom gehad, maar dit nie toegedien nie, aangesien dit slegs toegedien kan word wanneer ‘n slagoffer op die effek van die gif begin reageer. Hy sou eers ure later ‘n ernstige reaksie begin wys, wat tot sy dood gelei het.

Misdaad is deel van Suid-Afrikaners se daaglikse lewe en so was die 42-jarige Paul Botha se vertelling van hoe hy op 1 April om lewe en dood moes baklei die koerant se vierde mees gelese berig (15,048). Botha-hulle is die oggend van 1 April omstreeks 01:30 in hul plaashuis buite Louis Trichardt oorval waar hy saam met sy 84-jarige ouma (Das) en 14-jarige dogter (Lynn-Marie) bly. Hy het gelê en televisie kyk toe iemand skielik sy deur oopskop en hom aanval. “Toe ek baklei het, het ek nie moeg geraak nie. Al wat ek voor my gesien het, was my dogter Lynn-Marie se gesig ... ek het net vir myself gesê: ‘Daardie kind kan nie sonder ‘n pa grootword nie!’” het Botha ná die tyd vertel. Botha het verskeie steek- en kapwonde met die plat kant van ‘n graaf opgedoen, maar hy kon die drie aanvallers verwilder sonder dat enige iemand anders in die huis seergekry het.

In fifth place for most-read stories (10,812) was the one about the leopard that found its way into Louis Trichardt’s suburbs in March. The Louis Trichardt police issued a warning to New Town residents about a leopard sighting near the N1 north, following a near-collision incident reported by a motorist crossing the N1 from the Komatiland plantation into New Town. The warning, verified by local police spokesperson Sergeant Irene Radzilane, gained traction on social media, sparking debate over its authenticity in an age of misinformation. Despite doubts, Mr Isaac Lukoto from the Department of Economic Development acknowledged the presence of leopards in the Soutpansberg area, their natural habitat, and suggested the likelihood of the leopard’s returning to safer surroundings. Lukoto advised residents to exercise caution, refrain from capturing or harming the animal, and instead report any sightings to local authorities or their office directly.

In die sesde plek was dit die Soutpansberg se eie Boer soek ‘n vrou inskrywer Rachie van Staden (24) wie se berig oor haar romanse met deelnemer Louis B 7,741 lesers gelok het. Rachie was in Vivo op laerskool en het haar hoërskoolloopbaan by Pietersburg Hoërskool voltooi. Haar ouers, ds. Etienne van Staden (leraar van die NG Kerk Soutpansberg) en ma Sannie-Esther, woon op ‘n plaas naby Vivo waar hulle self ook boer en pendel tussen die plaas en Louis Trichardt. Rachie vertel dat sy na Boer soek ‘n Vrou deelnemer Louis B. se video gekyk het en daar en dan besluit het om in te skryf. “Daar was iets aan hom wat my aangetrek het,” sê sy. Sy was een van 10 meisies wat gekies is om deur Louis B. ontmoet te word. Louis B sou haar later kies om op die plaas agter te bly en die romanse loop nog steeds hoog, met huweliksklokke in die nabye vooruitsig!

In seventh place for the most read article (7,702 views) was the violent unrest that erupted at the Kutama Sinthumule Maximum Security Prison outside Louis Trichardt on 7 August. The prison was enveloped in thick black smoke as a fire broke out, affecting the kitchen, maintenance section, and two blocks—specifically, the Green and Yellow centres. These two centres collectively house a total of 1,892 inmates. While the precise cause of the fire was yet to be determined, the primary focus at that moment was safeguarding lives and fully extinguishing the fire. Steps were also taken to reinforce security measures and ensure  that the situation remained under control. Following the fire, inmates were relocated to other prisons across the country to facilitate repairs to the damaged facility.

Accidents have become common occurrences on our region’s road and, sadly, too many of them take place. In eighth place for most-read article (7,329) was the one about the fatal bus accident near the Hendrik Verwoerd Tunnels on the afternoon of 13 February that claimed the lives of 20 people. The accident occurred just after 17:00. According to a media statement issued at the time by the provincial Department of Transport and Community Safety, a cash-in-transit truck collided head-on with a bus. The bus capsized and rolled down a steep embankment into a nearby river, trapping many of the passengers underneath it. Apart from the 20 passengers who died, ten 10 passengers were reported to have sustained serious injuries. Sixteen passengers escaped with moderate injuries, while 35 sustained minor injuries. Passengers with injuries were transported to the Louis Trichardt, Elim and Siloam hospitals for medical attention.

Die dood van ‘n legende in plaaslike rugbygeledere, Donnie Botha (60), was die negende mees gelese artikel (6,494) vir 2023. Botha is op 14 April oorlede dood ná ‘n botsing wat inwendige beserings tot gevolg gehad het. Deon was ‘n kranige rugbyspeler ‘n klompie jare gelede, wat vir beide Louis Trichardt en die destydse Messina se eerstespanne uitgedraf het. Hy en sy vrou Noëline sou hulle in Messina vestig, waar Deon sy eerste eenmansaak bedryf het. Sy gedrewenheid om sukses te bereik was toe al duidelik. Later het hulle na Louis Trichardt en ook na Levubu verhuis. Deon het sy loopbaan in die motorbedryf by Werda Toyota begin. Sy werk by Werda het deure oopgemaak, sodat die gesin hulle weer in die huidige Musina kon gaan vestig – waar hy verkies het om hulle twee seuns groot te maak. In die 12 jaar wat hy vir Toyota gewerk het, het hy homself bewys as verkoopsman met ‘n passie vir die bedryf. Gedurende 2008 het Deon sy eie handelaarskap begin onder ‘n klein afdak en ‘n houthuisie as kantoor. Binne twee jaar het hy ‘n groter perseel benodig. In 2014 het die lewe vir Deon ‘n harde hou toegedien. Ná ’n beroerte is hy lamgelê en is die lewenslustige, gedrewe man vasgevang in ‘n rolstoel. 

In tenth place for the most-read article is a story that has somewhat dominated the Zoutpansberger’s headlines in recent months, namely that of De Necker van Schalkwyk. The newspaper initially covered Van Schalkwyk's story in June this year under the headline “Financial genius or Ponzi boss?”, which garnered 6,323 views. The article raised serious questions about an investment scheme run by Van Schalkwyk, promising investors extravagant monthly returns, which ultimately turned out to be nothing more than a Ponzi scheme. Van Schalkwyk himself ended the scheme and was apparently in the process of refunding investors when his body was discovered along an isolated road outside Hermanus on 11 October this year. Three suspects were arrested in connection with his death and are currently awaiting trial. Meanwhile, numerous unanswered questions persist regarding the fate of investors’ money. According to court records, the scheme attracted investments totalling R128 million. Shortly before his death, Van Schalkwyk had taken out a life policy valued at R98 million. If Van Schalkwyk’s death is deemed to be the result of suicide or assisted suicide, only R2 million will be paid out.

Viewed: 3514

Andries van Zyl

Andries joined the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror in April 1993 as a darkroom assistant. Within a couple of months he moved over to the production side of the newspaper and eventually doubled as a reporter. In 1995 he left the newspaper group and travelled overseas for a couple of months. In 1996, Andries rejoined the Zoutpansberger as a reporter. In August 2002, he was appointed as News Editor of the Zoutpansberger, a position he holds until today.

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