See the news highlights for August 2013
Andrew Desmet, section ranger in the Kruger National Park shared his ordeal after being shot during a skirmish with poachers. Also in August, the arrest of a school principal for the possession of child pornography shocked the community.
• August 6: A senior section ranger of the Kruger National Park, Mr Andrew Desmet was discharged from Mediclinic Nelspruit after surviving being shot four times with a high calibre assault rifle. He spoke to Lowvelder about the ordeal. He was involved with a poaching operation at the time of the incident. It was suspected at the time that he was accidentally shot by a South African National Defence Force soldier.
• August 9: Mbombela’s favourite son, Robert Gumede, returned to his home town to celebrate his 50th birthday. The function itself was extravagant to the enth degree and saw international dignitaries and local celebrities all congregate in style at the Nelspruit rugby club. The celebrations lasted three days and were rounded off with a massive free concert on the club’s main field featuring international superstars Rick Ross and Keith Sweat.
• August 13: On the eve of National Women’s Day, a mother was assaulted by two male traffic officials in the Bushbuckridge area. Ms Kraai du Preez and her young daughter Hanelize were on their way to an equestrian event in Hoedspruit when their vehicle was stopped at a roadblock. The two officers broke a key off in the ignition of her vehicle and in the process of trying to pull her from the vehicle, caused serious bruising to her arms and legs. The woman laid charges and the case is still ongoing.
• August 16: Penryn College’s beloved mascot “Swoop” was held hostage after he was abducted by eight masked men from the school grounds. At the time the students were unaware that it was merely a prank by their opposition school, Uplands College, in the run up to their annual Uplands Penryn Derby. The abduction footage went viral and the event became somewhat of a local urban legend.
• August 20: An elderly widow was brutally assaulted in what is believed to have been a farm attack. The 59 year old Ms Isabella Coetzer was kicked, throttled and beaten by two suspects in the late afternoon on her farm in the Sabie Valley area. The suspects were apprehended later that following morning after the quick response by Sabie Valley Security members, Hi-Tech and the SAPS.
• August 23: The local community was shocked at the arrest of a prominent primary school headmaster who was allegedly in possession of child pornography. Police revealed later that they were investigating as many as 50 other people on the same charges and that they believed a syndicate could exist. The case attracted national and international attention and is still ongoing.
• August 27: Two New Zealand citizens died in a plane crash near Graskop. John Walton (47) and Richard Primrose (63) were declared dead on the scene after their aircraft, a Cessna 182 suddenly plummeted to the ground while on a flight safari. Because of the terrain, a massive rescue mission was launched and it took 15 personnel to retrieve the bodies over a period of a few hours.
• August 30: Lowveld Media proudly announced the launch of its new title site www.lowvelder.co.za to the public. The new website drastically expanded the media group’s online presence and made it possible for the locals to read their favourite source of news in it’s digital form. They also unveiled plans for the launch of their other title sites which would digitize all their other publications on sites dedicated solely to that specific product.
