The past two weeks in the Carletonville and Merafong area have presented a contrast between notable community triumphs and pressing municipal challenges. While local talent received high recognition and community action plans gained momentum, residents continue to grapple with essential service failures and ongoing safety concerns, including a major road collapse and persistent criminal activity.

⚽ Wedela Police Use Soccer to Raise Awareness Against Gender-Based Violence

The Wedela South African Police Service (SAPS) launched a unique initiative for the annual 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign. Instead of a traditional outreach, the police, led by social crime prevention officer Sergeant Zikhona Sifuba, teamed up with local organisations like the Community Safety Officers, CoGTA, GCIS, Correctional Services, the Victim Friendly Room, and Bambisandla Sam to host a soccer tournament. The event, which reached 315 people, featured teams including the SAPS, Kusasalethu Masters, and Happy Strikers. The message against gender-based violence (GBV) was actively passed on to both the players and spectators, with officials from various West Rand SAPS stations watching and distributing pamphlets. The final was won by Kusasalethu Masters (3-2) against the SAPS team, demonstrating a creative and engaging method for spreading this critical social awareness message.

🎬 Local Filmmaker Mahavatar Ascendant Wins Top Writing Award

Local arts saw a significant boost with the honouring of Khutsong filmmaker Thabo Ramaine, widely known as Mahavatar Ascendant. He was recognised at the "From Mind To Page Award Writers Awards," held at the Carletonville Civic Centre on Saturday, November 29. Hosted by Majestic Media Collective, the event saw Mahavatar secure the prestigious Winner for Best Writer in Film award. A well-respected screenwriter, film producer, director, cinematographer, film editor, and Cinema Curator, Mahavatar was praised for his integrated skills, which consistently bring authentic local stories to screens and stages across Merafong and South Africa. His recent work, the local production Game Changers, which promotes local actors and dancers, was launched at the Kine cinema at the Sports Complex. This win solidifies his standing as one of Carletonville’s most gifted filmmakers.

👑 Fochville's Braam Nel Crowned Mr Teen Suid-Afrika 2025

Further elevating the region’s profile, Braam Nel of Fochville achieved national recognition after being crowned Mr Teen Suid-Afrika at a glamorous function at Vodaworld in Midrand on December 7. The matriculant from Potchefstroom Gimnasium, who was encouraged to enter the competition by a model agent a year ago, impressed judges during the runway and question-and-answer sessions despite strong competition. Nel plans to pursue an LLB law degree at North West University next year and hopes to participate in the Mr Teen Universe competition by mid-2026. This victory highlights the impressive talent emerging from the Fochville community.

🚧 Urgent Bypass Built as Sinkhole Damages R500 Near Carletonville

A major infrastructural failure commanded immediate attention this past week. Residents of the Goudvlakte area alerted authorities to a large sinkhole that progressively caved in next to the R500 road, which links Carletonville and the N14, with the final collapse of a road section occurring by Monday, December 8. The initial sinkhole had developed months earlier near the gravel road to Goudvlakte but was left unattended. Due to the seriousness of the situation, the Merafong City Local Municipality, Gauteng Roads Department, and the West Rand District Municipality quickly joined resources to create a gravel bypass around the collapsing section of the road. Motorists must now drive around the sinkhole using the temporary bypass, as it remains unclear when repairs to fill the cluster of dangerous cavities will be completed.

🚨 Armed Robbery Strikes Blyvooruitzicht Filling Station

Criminal activity remains a concern following an armed robbery at the Engen filling station near Blyvooruitzicht on November 25. Staff were on duty around 00:40 when two unknown men wearing balaclavas and armed with firearms stormed the premises. The perpetrators held staff at gunpoint, stealing money from the filling station before proceeding to the fast food café in the same complex, where they again robbed the staff. The robbers subsequently fled the scene on foot. Police in Carletonville are currently investigating the business robbery cases.

⚠️ New Storms Cause Sinkhole Expansion and Sewer Pipe Exposure in Khutsong

The threat of sinkholes continued to loom large in Khutsong South, specifically near the road to Welverdiend. Severe storms that swept through the area on November 25 significantly exacerbated the problem. Stormwater runoff caused the existing sinkhole to expand, with the deepest section now reaching under the adjacent stormwater canal fence. The hole has grown so large that it has exposed an underground sewer pipe, raising serious public health and infrastructural concerns. Furthermore, the gravel road near the sinkhole is actively being washed away. Residents report that the Municipality has been aware of the small sinkhole for months but has consistently ignored the issue, sparking fears that the growing cavity could soon threaten the main road or nearby houses.

🔫 Police Arrest Seven Suspects Linked to West Rand Taxi Violence

In a crucial breakthrough against syndicated crime, police arrested seven suspects believed to be behind the ongoing violence in the local minibus taxi industry. The arrests were made in Khutsong on November 18. Authorities seized eight firearms, including two high-calibre AK-47 rifles, and six pistols, along with ammunition. The suspects, who hail from the Eastern Cape, appeared before the Carletonville Magistrate’s Court on charges of possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition. This investigation continues as police attempt to link the individuals to other crimes in a conflict that has seen over 60 people involved in the local taxi industry murdered in the past five years across Carletonville, Khutsong, and Blybank.

💧 Fochville Organisations Unite as Water Crisis Leaves Communities with Dry Taps

The severe water shortage gripping Fochville and Kokosi, caused by restricted supply from Rand Water due to non-payment by the Merafong City Local Municipality, has sparked unified community action. Three local organisations, the Greater Fochville Water Crisis Committee, the Merafong Rate Payers Association, and Our Town Fochville Cooperative, have joined hands to address the crisis. The groups are exploring several actions, including the possibility of initiating urgent legal proceedings against the Municipality for negligence, organizing peaceful demonstrations using empty buckets, and exploring strategic payment boycotts until water services are adequately restored. A community poll is currently underway to determine residents’ support for these measures.

👮 Alert Klerkskraal Police Intercept Suspected Livestock Thief on N14

Alert policing led to the arrest of a suspected stock thief on November 25. Klerkskraal SAPS officers, acting on a tip-off, intercepted a black double-cab bakkie and trailer at the T-junction on the N14. Authorities, including Sergeant Pappie Maake, Sergeant Dineo Dipadi, and Constable Claas Sereo, searched the trailer and discovered five Bonsmara and Brahman cattle. The suspect was unable to account for the livestock, some of which lacked brand marks, and was arrested for having suspected stolen livestock.

🎄 ‘Christmas Under the Stars’ Unites Community for Park Clean-Up Initiative

In a show of local faith and civic commitment, residents of Carletonville gathered for the ‘Christmas Under the Stars’ worship event at the Civic Centre Park on Tuesday, December 9. The gathering, which required attendees to bring their own seating and lights, also served as a fundraising launch for a new community initiative. The goal is to clean up and restore the park, making it safe for family use once again. This action is envisioned as the first step in a broader plan by residents to collaboratively clean up Carletonville, following the successful model of the Our Town Fochville movement.

Resilient Action and Unfinished Business

The recent period has starkly highlighted the resilience of the Merafong area, which celebrates its local heroes and rallies for positive change even while grappling with critical service failures. While the community champions proactive solutions for local parks and addresses the ongoing threat of sinkholes and crime through vigilance, the failure of the municipal authority to provide basic services and maintain crucial infrastructure, from the R500 collapse to the widespread water crisis, remains the central, unifying challenge. The focus of residents is now firmly on united, proactive engagement to compel accountability and ensure a safer, more stable future for Carletonville.

#TheGoToGuy #CarletonvilleResilience #InfrastructureCrisis #GBVAwareness #LocalSuccess

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