Eastern Cape

Kidnap saga: police offer big reward
UMTATA -- Police offered a R100000 reward yesterday for the arrest and conviction of the kidnappers of 18-year-old Rena Pitsiladis, daughter of local tycoon and bakery owner John Pitsiladis. Rena was kidnapped here last Wednesday afternoon and t...

City's Super 12 clash gets big fan support
By Brian McLean EAST LONDON -- The biggest crowd to support a sporting function in years packed the Basil Kenyon Stadium like sardines at the weekend to witness the Super 12 match between the Sharks and Wellington Hurricanes. It was the largest...

R7-a-call offer extended
By Zama Mpondwana EAST LONDON -- Telkom is to extend its R7-a- call weekend promotion for a further three months ''due to popular demand", says Telkom corporate communications executive Zeona Mothsabi. She said the special promotion would run un...

Cattle used to rob motorist
GRAHAMSTOWN -- It could only happen in South Africa! Thieves in the Peddie area recently elicited the help of some bovine accomplices when they robbed a Beacon Bay motorist at gunpoint. The cows were used as a roadblock to stop Mr Frankie Rynie...

Agricultural union to hold four conferences
GRAHAMSTOWN -- The Eastern Province Agricultural Union (EPAU) is holding four regional conferences over the next two months to give farmers a chance to discuss agricultural policies before the provincial congress in August. EPAU training manager ...

Six prisoners escape from cells in Tsomo
QUEENSTOWN -- Six awaiting-trial prisoners escaped from Tsomo police holding cells after removing a bar from the cell window on Saturday afternoon, police said yesterday. Police are continuing to search for the six escapees, who were being held o...

7 homes gutted in faction fight
By Stan Mzimba UMTATA -- Seven homesteads were destroyed by fire in renewed faction fighting at Kwa Ngcoya, near Lusikisiki, early on Saturday, police said yesterday. Superintendent Nondumiso Jafta said police suspect the attacks are linked to ...

Eastern Cape to host flyfishing festivals, clinics
By Adrienne Carlisle GRAHAMSTOWN -- There will be an abundance of flyfishing festivals and clinics in the Eastern Cape in the coming months, targeting women, beginners and those adroit at the sport. Flyfishing is estimated to be one of the faste...

Ft Hare council to meet
By Zama Mpondwana EAST LONDON -- The University of Fort Hare council is to meet in Bisho on Wednesday to consider the people who have been named by the university senate to serve on the institution's interim management structure, says council vic...

3 held over guns, ammunition
UMTATA -- Three men were arrested at Tyira near Qumbu for being in possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition yesterday, police said. The men were each found in possession of a 9mm pistol with a total of 31 rounds of ammunition. They will a...

G'town journalist to attend Swedish course
GRAHAMSTOWN -- Development Media Agency (DMA) journalist Voox kaSonandzi, from Grahamstown, and three other media workers from Cape Town are to attend a course on adult education in Sweden. The course aims to enhance the abilities of community me...

Man shoots himself after three killed
QUEENSTOWN -- A Willowvale man allegedly shot three people before turning the gun on himself at Madladleni location over the Easter weekend, police said yesterday. The death of Mr Lizo Dyanti, 59, on Friday, followed the fatal shooting of three p...

Mayatula could face jail on Wednesday
BISHO -- At least one Eastern Cape MEC faces being jailed for contempt of court on Wednesday after a week of legal wrangling in which two MECs battled contempt of court charges against them. Welfare MEC Nomsa Jajula and Education MEC Shepherd May...

R1m M'sane arts centre set to reveal new talent
By Mphumzi Zuzile and Simpiwe Piliso EAST LONDON -- Hundreds of unknown local artists could emerge from all corners of Mdantsane, Development Forum chairman Gilbert Gijana said at a sod-turning ceremony for a R1million arts centre to be built the...

Ngcala back behind bars after shoot-out
PORT ELIZABETH -- The Eastern Cape's most wanted fugitive, Mncedisi Ngcala, is back behind bars -- this time in the ultimate C-Max security unit -- after being arrested by Mpumalanga police who were at first unaware of his true identity. It was o...

Crash pilot 'warned about bad weather'
PORT ELIZABETH -- A Klerksdorp man who was killed instantly when his Beechcraft single-engined aircraft plummeted to the ground at Bridgemead at the weekend was probably flying too low -- to avoid cloud. Mr Fanie Schoeman, 42, was flying alone to...

EL-Umtata rail service to be tested in December
Report and picture by Wilberforce Mdoda EAST LONDON -- A pilot project for the East London to Umtata passenger rail service would be tested in December, Transport MEC Thobile Mhlahlo said here. Speaking at the handing over of the 50th upgraded c...

R10000 for school robbery info
GRAHAMSTOWN -- Police are offering a R10000 reward for information leading to the arrest of two men suspected of robbing the Phandulwazi High School in Alice at gunpoint in January. Police spokesman Tamie Nqai said the reward could be divided bet...

Man stabbed at shebeen in Idutywa
QUEENSTOWN -- A 22-year-old man was stabbed to death following a quarrel at a shebeen in Idutywa at the weekend, police said yesterday. Captain Thembisile Patekile said two men were drinking in the shebeen when a quarrel broke out. One drew a kni...

Teachers in sex dispute told pay will be cut
By Phakamisa Ngani UMTATA -- A top education official here has warned seven Libode teachers that the department will stop paying them as they have not attended school at Ngavungavu village for the past eight months in protest against alleged sexu...

R200000 theft from shop
QUEENSTOWN -- Goods valued at about R200000 were stolen during a break-in at Spargs Supermarket in Butterworth during the Easter weekend, police said. Captain Thembisile Patekile said the store was locked on Thursday night and was closed on Frida...

Seven die violently in T'kei at Easter
UMTATA -- A 21-year-old woman allegedly shot and killed herself with her father's pistol after a quarrel with her mother at Gungululu near Tsolo yesterday. She was Ms Andiswa Nongawuza, Superintendent Nondumiso Jafta said. Her death brought the...