Arsonists Destroy Family's Mpumalanga Bush Hotel
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MpumalangaW game lodge recently, it Seligman instructed reportedly had to Te surrounding local community not only devasted one Johannesburg his staff to vacate the run for safety as they has expanded in recent years, as has family but affected the lives and premises for their witnessed the horrific unemployment and poverty. Te livelihoods of many in neighbouring own safety while he event unfolding in COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked villages. attempted to call for front of their eyes.” further economic havoc in the area. Te Seligman family of help. While investigations In recent months, Seligman said Johannesburg won’t be spending “Fortunately, a group continue, the there had been a “huge upswing” Passover at their beloved Bongani of guests had departed shareholders are in poaching. He had on several Mountain Lodge in Mpumalanga earlier in the day. I then picking up the pieces occasions warned local authorities of this year like they often do, after a called everyone including after this “senseless the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks gang of thugs set fire to the hotel the police, the riot squad, attack”. Agency about concerns about safety they share and partly own, razing it and local community “Everything that and security. Last Sunday, a week almost to the ground. members,” he said. wasn’t destroyed was after the incident, police discovered Te beautiful, and tranquil Sadly, reinforcements looted, there’s nothing nine carcasses of four different lodge, situated in the 8 000ha didn’t arrive in time to left,” said Seligman, animal species on the reserve, Mthethomusha Game Reserve that assist the police, and “Only 18 years of believed to be the work of poachers, borders the Kruger National Park, is a the gang was able to “do wonderful memories according to police. burnt-out shell. Te hotel is now out what it liked”. Bongani Mountain Lodge after the fire that we have shared Te family and other shareholders of business. Loyal hotel employees Te details are sketchy, with family and were involved in numerous outreach risk losing their jobs and countless but it’s rumoured that the incident appeared before the Kanyamazane friends at the lodge. I feel sad and projects aimed at the upliftment of local community businesses have was sparked by the shooting of a Magistrates Court in Mbombela disappointed. surrounding communities. been affected, from fresh produce suspected poacher whose body was on Tuesday on charges of arson, “It’s a sorrowful indictment of Seligman said these included suppliers to locally-sourced building found in nearby Mpakeni Village. possession of stolen goods, and other our society. Sadly, this incident will education drives, and sponsorship of contractors to laundry and security Members of the community crimes. have a long-term impact on the the local annual sports tournament, vendors. angrily pointed fingers at the He said that before the attack, a local community. Te jobs of 80 an initiative by 702 Talk Radio host Members of a local gang went on local Mpumalanga Tourism and group in a white SUV barricaded the employees, all bread winners, are now John Perlman called Dreamfields. a rampage on Sunday, 31 January, Parks Agency anti-poaching unit, road leading to the lodge using rubble in jeopardy.” During the lockdown, the lodge’s destroying the 40-room hotel. Te which resulted in an alleged act of including stones and branches of He said he hoped this “needless staff distributed food parcels and lodge was one of the late Nelson retaliation. Te gang first attacked trees, so it was difficult to get there. tragedy” would result in the continued to distribute sanitary pads. Mandela’s favourite retreats. He even the barracks just outside the lodge “While police were clearing the government moving to protect “It’s heartbreaking. A lot of people had a special suite named after him which housed the Mpumalanga road, people among the group national assets effectively and to help have been displaced and have lost following one of his visits. security rangers. Te following day, proceeded to the lodge where they are uplift communities who are integral everything. No one is a winner here,” Manty Seligman, one of five they returned around noon making reported to have broken several doors to the growth and sustainability of said Brenda Seligman. partners of the lodge, told the their way to the lodge. and helped themselves to liquor these assets. “Communities need to Te family spent many Shabbos SA Jewish Report he was at home that Police spokesman Brigadier as well as other items belonging benefit from our heritage. We need meals at the lodge as well as special Sunday afternoon when he received Leonard Hlathi told the SA Jewish to the lodge. Tey also damaged to ensure that this type of criminality occasions like Manty’s 50th birthday a telephone call from his lodge Report this week that three suspects some property, torching some of doesn’t happen again elsewhere.” party. manager, Johan Meintjies, telling aged between 28 and 37 had the rooms and other infrastructure If that were to happen, at least Police investigations continue. FULFILL A REALLY BIG MITZVAH THIS PURIM OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTOR OF THE COMMUNITY HELP THOSE LESS FORTUNATE IN OUR COMMUNITY • Brief • Wo in rld s N ew e N w d s 12 – 19 February 2021 2 SA JEWISH REPORT l i r n o B W r i • e f • Shabbat times this week • f Netanyahu pleads not guilty and Impeachment trial no longer delayed e • i r W B Starts Ends o n r i walks out l by Shabbat d s 18:15 19:24 Johannesburg N w e e w N 19:15 20:16 Cape Town s d l Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on 8 February pleaded i Former United States President Donald Trump’s second impeachment r n o B W r i • e f 18:15 19:19 Durban • 18:15 19:37 Bloemfontein not guilty in his ongoing corruption trial, then left the courtroom while trial won’t be delayed by Shabbat now that his Orthodox Jewish lawyer 18:15 19:47 Port Elizabeth the hearing was still taking place. has withdrawn his request for the delay. 18:15 19:36 East London Later on Monday, he dismissed the charges, as he has in the past, as Last week, David Schoen asked for and received permission to delay the “fabricated”. proceedings should they extend into Friday evening and Saturday, as they are Appliance Repairs on Site Netanyahu is on trial for fraud, bribery, and breach of trust – the frst time expected to do. But on Monday, he withdrew the request, saying he had worked rs, ashe a sitting prime minister has stood trial in Israeli history. The investigations of out a solution with the former president’s legal team: Schoen’s role would be ishw s allegedly illicit payments and favours stretch back years. His trial began in May, completed by the time Shabbat begins. , D s, Stove es chine but successive delays due to COVID-19 have drawn out the process. Trump’s Senate trial, which started on 9 February, is for the role he played idg Ma Fr ing Ahead of Monday’s hearing, Netanyahu urged his supporters not to protest in inciting the deadly 6 January mob assault on the US Capitol by protestors ash more W Dryers & outside the courtroom. Hundreds of protestors who oppose the prime minister heeding his call to stop Congress’ validation of his election loss to Joe Biden. ble um Call Jason did show up. The hearing came about six weeks ahead of Israel’s election, the T 082 401 8239 / 076 210 6532 fourth national vote in the span of two years. Rabbis defend congresswoman over FREE QUOTATIONS reference to Hitler British teen youngest- Illinois ever convicted of Republican A freshman congresswoman who said, “Hitler representative, was right on one thing” during a speech just terrorism Mary Miller before the Capitol insurrection, last week met A London court has convicted of right-wing rabbinical group The Coalition for terrorism a 16-year-old boy who Jewish Values which defended her from calls researched producing weapons for what to resign. he described in online chats were for Speaking to a pro-Trump crowd on hanging gays and gassing Jews. 5 January, the day before the deadly The Central Criminal Court of England insurrection at the Capitol, Representative and Wales sentenced the teenager Mary Miller, an Illinois Republican said, from Cornwall, a municipality located “Hitler was right on one thing: he said, about 250 miles (402km) southwest Inc via Getty Images Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Tom Photo: ‘Whoever has the youth has the future’.” of London, to 24 months at a youth rehabilitation Facing criticism from Democrats, some Republicans, and Jewish groups, programme.