A look back on stories that made headlines this year

Here are some of the stories that made headlines in the year 2022:

Body of drowned 11-year-old boy found in Apies River

Police divers have retrieved the body of an 11-year-old boy who was reported drowned in the Apies River in Tshwane in November.

Police and Tshwane emergency medical services began their search on Monday, November 14. The boy was certified dead on the scene when the body was retrieved.

The boy and his friends, aged around 11 and 12 from Marokolong, were swimming in the river when he was swept away by the current.

Soshanguve mother welcomes decision to deny rape-accused police officer bail

A Soshanguve mother has welcomed the Pretoria North magistrate’s court’s decision to deny bail to a 38-year-old police officer accused of raping her 15-year-old son.

On Thursday, November 3, the officer appeared in the magistrate’s court for the fourth time in his bail application.

It is alleged that the accused drove the minor to various taverns in Soshanguve, according to NPA regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana.

Prosecutor Nkhagweleni Phanuel Madavhi, however, opposed bail.

Madavhi told the court that the accused is facing a serious offence and releasing him on bail would undermine GBV campaigns.

He also said there were no exceptional circumstances to warrant his release on bail.

Man accused of raping his two-year-old niece denied bail

A man (27) accused of raping his two-year-old niece has been denied bail.

The accused made his third appearance in the Pretoria magistrate’s court on Tuesday, October 25 in his quest to be released on bail.

Political parties, civil movements and gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) activists greeted the news with jubilation.

The accused allegedly raped his niece during load-shedding in Soshanguve in October.

A family spokesperson revealed that this incident has left the victim’s mother distraught and not coping at all.

Soshanguve Automotive learners build solar train

A solar locomotive, anyone? It may sound impossible but Soshanguve learners have shown it can be done.

It’s been three years since Soshanguve technical high school was relaunched as Soshanguve automotive school of specialisation (SOS) and it is already performing beyond expectation with the school recently launching a solar locomotive train prototype.

This innovation comes as a solution to some of South Africa’s biggest problems including load-shedding and cable theft, according to the innovators – a group of 20 Grade 12 learners. It took them less than a year to complete the project, starting work in December 2021.

Meet South Africa’s first Black female hot-air balloon pilot

While some people sit back and complain about unemployment in South Africa, others go out looking for opportunities on the horizon.

After being faced with unemployment like many others, Semakaleng Mathebula of Ga-Rankuwa outside Pretoria, found herself in the skies after becoming South Africa’s first black female hot-air balloon pilot.

This was after Mathebula was appointed as a marketing assistant for a tour operator. The appointment opened doors for more opportunities for her.

Pastor Maroke changes the lives of nine local kids

Pastor Tona Maroke raised funds to take nine kids to Mossel Bay, Western Cape to prepare them for secondary school classes. Nine learners from Ga-Rankuwa and Hammanskraal got the experience of a lifetime, all thanks to a local pastor.

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