Latest news with #RekordEast
The Citizen
a day ago
- Climate
- The Citizen
Bootid Meteor Shower: How to see ‘Shooting Stars' tonight
Pretoria skywatchers, get ready — the Bootid meteor shower is expected to peak tonight, and South Africans might be in for a treat just after sunset. Although the June Bootids are known for being unpredictable — with anything from a few to over 100 meteors per hour — the timing works in our favour this year. The best chance to spot 'shooting stars' will be after sunset, once the sky darkens over Gauteng. According to astronomers, the radiant point of the shower lies in the constellation Boötes, which will be high in the western sky just as twilight fades. To find it, look between the bright orange star Arcturus (easily visible in the evening sky) and Alkaid, the star at the end of the Big Dipper's handle. The meteor shower technically peaks around 07:00 SAST on Saturday morning, but with Boötes high overhead on Friday night, your best shot at seeing meteors in South Africa will be from 7pm onwards — especially in dark areas away from city lights. Here are some tips for viewing it tonight: When to watch: Friday night, June, 27, just after 7pm Where to look: High in the western sky, near the bright star Arcturus What to expect: The Bootids are unpredictable — you may see just a few, or a dramatic burst of meteors. So grab a blanket, head somewhere dark, and keep your eyes on the sky — Pretoria might just get lucky with a rare cosmic display this weekend. Also read: Celeste and her dog Shadow found safe Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
2 days ago
- General
- The Citizen
Waterkloof resident beats city to the fix
A fed-up Pretoria east resident this week took matters into his own hands by repairing a pothole right in front of his home on Sidney Street on June 21. Waterkloof resident Bennie Berger said he first reported the pothole on the municipal portal on April 25. He said a response promised repair within 24–48 hours; however, two full months passed. 'Cars drive through it nonstop; you can hear the thud from inside the house,' he said. Frustrated, he took matters into his own hands. Over a single weekend, he purchased 12 bags of asphalt mix (R150 each), a compactor (R400), tools, and even a warning cone, completing the repairs in just a couple of hours. Beger added that the total cost was about R2 200, though he emphasises he shouldn't have to pay at all. 'It looks very decent and problem solved,' Berger said. However, he believes this small gesture underscores how far municipal systems have fallen. He said residents pay rates and taxes, but they are deprived of essential services like road maintenance. 'When basic services are not delivered, it creates frustration,' he said. 'If you report these things, feedback is given; we patiently wait and understand. But nothing gets fixed.' Berger added that he isn't suggesting residents should do municipal services but rather augment capacity in the face of backlogs. He said the Tshwane metro should have open discussions with residents and keep them updated. 'Play open cards with us and give us comfort that the money we are paying is being looked after.' Despite growing community action, Berger warned that goodwill shouldn't degenerate into self-reliance. 'If there's a backlog, let's assist, but we can't be the permanent solution.' For him, this is more than saving cars from tyre damage, but about preserving faith in the social contract that taxes fund essential services. Ward 82 Councillor Siobhan Muller supports Berger's move. She said she reported five potholes on Murray Street between Rupert Street and Brooklyn Road, of which only one was addressed. Meanwhile, some of the residents were complaining about freshly repaired potholes reappearing within weeks in the area. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
3 days ago
- General
- The Citizen
72-hour blackout a hoax
The Tshwane metro is warning residents not to fall victim to misinformation, following the circulation of fake messages of a possible 72-hour blackout in Pretoria. According to Tshwane, the message claims that some of the key areas that will experience a total power cut include Arcadia, Brooklyn, Centurion and Hatfield. 'Tshwane can categorically confirm that no such message was officially issued by the city, and that no such outage is planned,' said metro spokesperson Selby Bokaba. Bokaba said the city is currently dealing with multiple outages affecting regions 3 and 4 and is doing its utmost best to ensure power restoration to the affected areas as quickly as possible. He issued a stern warning to people who spread false information. 'Peddlers of such misinformation, whose aim appears to be to create panic and anxiety among consumers, are cautioned to desist from spreading such misinformation, which borders on spreading propaganda, which is a prosecutable offence,' Bokaba said. LISTEN: Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to editorial@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
3 days ago
- The Citizen
Woman still missing 4 months on, search continues
The search for Bongi Phahlamohlaka, who has been missing for about four months, is still continuing. The 26-year-old from Bridgeview informal settlement, Nellmapius, was last seen on February 28. Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Isaac Mcunu said the investigations were still ongoing, but police required the community's help in locating the woman. Mcunu said she was reported missing by her sister, Phumzile, on March 1. Phumzile said she last saw Bongi returning from a visit with her mother, wearing a long brown dress, a black T-shirt and a sky-blue blazer. She said they called her on her cellphone to check if she arrived home safely, but it was off. Phumzile said at the time she didn't think much of it because Bongi lives in an area prone to power outages. She said she had assumed her cellphone battery had died and she couldn't charge it. 'We were hoping to see her on Sunday when she comes to church, but she never arrived. 'We went to her place to search for her and asked neighbours about her whereabouts, but they last saw her on February 28,' said Phumzile. She said with the help of neighbours, they forced the door open, but Bongi was nowhere to be found, and everything looked fine inside. Mcunu said police have already started investigating leads. The family said they searched almost everywhere for her without luck. Anyone with information can contact the Silverton police on 012 845 4000 or report via the MySAPS App, on 08600 10111 or call Phumzile on 060 717 0602. There is no waiting period to report a missing person. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Menlyn shopping centre evacuated — Here's what you need to know
Menlyn shopping centre evacuated — Here's what you need to know Shoppers at Menlyn Park Shopping Centre were temporarily evacuated from the Grocery Avenue section of the mall on Wednesday morning. Marketing manager Andrea van Schoor said the partial evacuation took place around 9 am as part of the centre's ongoing safety and compliance procedures. She said operations have since returned to normal, with the centre open and trading. 'For your convenience, we will continue to proactively engage our customers of any scheduled compliance efforts in the shopping centre.' Also read: Is there an outbreak of Staphylococcus in Pretoria? Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
