A look back at 2016

In the beginning of every new year, the News rounds up the news of the previous year.

Here are the stories that made national headlines, stories that made you cringe, ones that captured your heart and ones that made you wipe away a tear.

Breaking news of 2016 that shocked Krugersdorp:

• On 9 January a destructive hail storm hit Krugersdorp. In terms of damage, it was one of the biggest storms to hit Krugersdorp in years. Golf-ball size hail came down and battered our town. A part of Key West Shopping Centre’s roof collapsed due to the severity of the storm.

• Motocross legend Jannie Stander and his wife were overpowered by four armed intruders who entered their property in Muldersdrift on 15 January. Stander was shot in the chest twice and died on the scene.

• Late in February, 17-year-old Pieter-Schalk Grobbelaar passed away after being hit by a bakkie while riding his motorcycle.

• For the first quarter of the year, the so-called Merc gang terrorised Krugersdorpers. In April they were connected to a house-robbery incident in Silverfields.

• The infamous road of death, the R24 Ventersdorp road, claimed another two lives in April. Two elderly women died in a collision between a bakkie and light motor vehicle.

• Krugersdorp was shocked to its core after three residents were found brutally murdered in May. Anthony Scholefield, 64, Kevin McAlpine, 29, and Hanle Lategan, 52, were found murdered days apart in similar circumstances. Their deaths made it onto numerous national news platforms and it was dubbed the #TripleMurder case.

• In July Krugersdorpers were stunned to learn that two of the four suspects in the #TripleMurder case were siblings.

• Early in August a local teacher was arrested for her involvement in a so-called dead man’s R3,6 million insurance fraud case. The teacher happened to be the mother of the siblings in the #TripleMurder case.

• In October, the ‘dead man’ Zak Valentine who presumably faked his own death for a hefty insurance claim, appeared in court where it was revealed that Valentine was in a relationship with the teacher who is the mother of the #TripleMurder accused siblings.

• Op 21 Oktober is ‘n Graad 4-leerling van Laerskool Kenmare, Kyle Steyn, en sy pa Bertus op slag dood na ‘n gru-ongeluk op pad see toe. Kyle se ma, Karen, is die enigste oorlewende.

• The first images of all the #TripleMurder accused were released in November. Marcel, Cecilia, Marinda and Leroux Steyn together with John Barnard made their media debut. Only one accused was absent due to ill health; the ‘dead man’ Zak Valentine who was also added to the list of accused.

• The 13-year-old JC van Loggerenberg lost his life after falling from a moving train on 7 December. JC was on his way to fetch his school report.

Feel-good reads of 2016:

• Ses maande nadat die News in 2015 ‘n onderhoud met Michael Botha op straat gevoer het, staan die gewese bedelaar en dwelmverslaafde nou stewig op sy eie voete.

• Hoërskool Monument het vroeg in Februarie hul 95ste verjaarsdag gevier.

• Die geliefde inwoner van Krugersdorp-Wes, Louisa Moster, oftewel Tannie Loo, vier in April haar 100ste verjaarsdag saam met vriende en familie, maar is op 28 September na ‘n lang lyding weens kanker oorlede.

• A national celebrity, Alfred Ntombela, also known as the character Shorty in Leon Schuster movies, was spotted helping out at an accident scene in July. Passers-by were pleasantly surprised when they drove by this friendly, famous face.

• In August, Kezia, widow of Kevin McAlpine (one of the victims in the #TripleMurder case), gave birth to a baby boy whom she named Daniel Kevin McAlpine.

• The revamped Krugersdorp West public swimming pool opened its gates in October and it was a splashing success.

• The local stunner, 23-year-old Shelbe Pretorius is chosen as a Miss SA 2017 semi-finalist.

Municipal woes of 2016:

• In January, two mysterious water leaks, one in Munsieville and the other in Muldersdrift, made headlines with residents scratching their heads as to why Mogale City regarding it as serious as they do.

• Talle inwoners van Krugersdorp-Wes wil weet wanneer die publieke swembad gaan oopmaak nadat Mogale City R6-miljoen bestee het om dit op te knap.

• The long-awaited widening of Robert Broom Drive finally kicked off in July, but the budget was cut and residents felt robbed.

• Mogale City’s billing system troubles continued well into July, leaving residents at their wits’ end. As the council conjured up more excuses, the opposition party demanded action.

• The biggest turnout on a municipal election day ever was recorded when thousands turned up at voting stations around town on 3 August to cast their votes.

• The election results showed that the local ANC won the 2016 municipal elections in Mogale City with the DA hot on their heels.

• The new Mayor of Mogale City was the DA’s Lynn Pannall after the DA, the EFF and the FF+ combined their votes.

• Due to health concerns, Mayor Lynn Pannall resigned from her post on 1 December. The DA reported that ill health forced Pannall to cut back on her busy schedule to the point where it was clearly noticeable that she was struggling to fulfil some of her commitments. Two weeks later Michael Holenstein was elected as the new Mayor.

• In a shocking turn of events, one of the #TripleMurder accused, John Barnard, pleaded guilty to eight of the charges against him in the Palm Ridge Magistrates’ Court. On 14 December Barnard entered into a plea bargain with the State and he will also testify against the other co-accused in future court hearings.

Sport stars of 2016:

• Die 17-jarige landloopster, Chery-Lee Schoeman, het SA en Krugersdorp in Maart by die Afrika Landloopkampioenskappe verteenwoordig. Chery-Lee sê sy mik vir ‘n Olimpiese medalje.

• Lebogang Moilwa, better known as Mighty Moilwa in boxing circles, represented Krugersdorp Boxing Club at the SA Boxing Champs and was also part of the Elite Gauteng boxing team.

• Local boytjie, Brad Binder, becomes the first South African to win the 2016 Moto3 World Championship.

• Krugersdorp’s very own Shaun Bryce Keeling made his country proud when he achieved a silver medal in the men’s coxless pairs rowing event at the Rio Olympics in August.

• In October, a proud resident of Krugersdorp, Vossie Voster, beat more than 110 anglers with his excellent fishing skills at the Light Tackle Boat Angling championships.

• Monnas se top atleet, Liza Kellerman, is verkies as Hoofdogter vir Sport vir 2017. Sy het by die SA Ope Kampioenskappe in Bloemfontein eerste plek behaal in die 800m-naelloop, en in April het sy by die senior ASA Kampioenskappe in Stellenbosch tweede geëindig, kort op die hakke van die SA Olimpiese atleet Caster Semenya.

Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at krugersdorpnews@caxton.co.za or phone us on 011 955 1130.

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