What a whirlwind year it was.

Everyone I speak to shares my sentiment: 2025 simply flew by in the blink of an eye.

I’m sitting here now with a warm cup of coffee, finally taking a moment to breathe and sort through my thoughts as I leaf back through the pages of the past year.

It’s been quite a journey.

Looking back at our front pages, a lot of the focus was on the big plans to ‘save’ Emalahleni.

We wrote, rewrote, and wrote about the 1 408km of roads continuously.

It was one of the points on the agenda during the stakeholders’ engagement in February.

The harsh reality is that the aging road infrastructure has seen better days.

Plans are made, they come and go, yet the roads remain the same.

“Forget driving schools – if you can master the roads in eMalahleni, you’ve already completed an advanced driving course,” was the comment from the Engelsman as he poured a shot of Whiskey over the ‘eish’ in his glass.

And it was more than “eish!” each time he hit a pothole. It was more ‘colourful’ words.

Then there was the discussion about our Wastewater Treatment Plants.

It’s perhaps the only area where we saw a real jolt of movement, though it came in the form of the R650m fine for years of neglect.

Eskom, of course, kept its usual spot in the headlines.

It’s a heavy realisation to see our municipality consistently ranked at the top of the list for debt that feels almost impossible to clear.

And as for the water situation… well, I could write volumes on that, but it’s a tired subject we all know too well.

It’s a challenge that feels as though it has no end in sight.

On the sport front

Turning the pages to our sports section, I am reminded of the incredible athletes we have in the City of Coal.

From the top of my head, I think of James Mwangi’s impressive Ice Breaker win and Patrice Gautier’s inspiring prep for Spain.

It was heartbreaking that illness sidelined him, but his talent is undeniable.

And we cannot forget the sheer strength of Manie Clegg, who represented South Africa on the world stage and becoming the WPC World Champion in the Masters 90kg.

He made it look easy as he set four new national records in the squat, bench, deadlift, and total.

Our local football scene also gave us a reason to cheer when the Shining Stars rose to the occasion to win the KwaGuqa Masters.

I had a blast on the sidelines on Sunday afternoons. I will be the first to admit that I had to pull out all my photography skills, as I am still in the learning phase of this game.

There were moments when I found myself standing in awe of the players’ talent, forgetting to click because I was so caught up in the excitement of the game.

Watching the Zalala equastrian riders bring home trophy after trophy, and seeing Belinda Nel reach that Pro Card milestone at the Gentle Giants, were some of the other highlights of this year.

We cry with our community

You will notice I did not mention the hard news we cover week after week.

This is a conscious choice because I have seen how the hearts of the journalists in my office break every time we have to cover a hijacking, senseless murder, rape, crime, or fatal accidents.

These stories are not just headlines; they are the unspoken essays that keep us up at night.

They are the silent prayers we pray over the families caught up in these tragedies.

We carry the weight of the tragedies long after the paper has gone to print.

There are beautiful stories too

Amidst all the sport trophies, the municipal challenges, and the heartbreaking headlines, the most beautiful story is unfolding in our community.

After 12 surgeries and a mountain of challenges, little Ruvé, the little girl who united the community in prayer, is home with her family.

Seeing Emalahleni raising over R900 000 to help with her medical bills warms my heart.

Even when the roads are rough, the taps are empty, and the staggering Eskom debt knocks on our door, Emalahleni has shown the hearts of this community are made of gold.

Something popped up on my social media and it is worth the share, “Enjoy every moment you have. Because in life, there are no rewinds, only flashbacks. Make sure it’s all worth it,” – Anonymous

I leave you with this final thought from our house to yours, “Thank you for a ‘fantamagoriese’ 2025. We hope the coming year is filled with plenty of grace, love, and laughter. Enjoy 2026.

* Zita Goldswain is the news editor of Witbank News. The opinion is her own and do not necessarily reflect those of Witbank News.

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