Eastern Cape

Crisis as EC courts face R24m budget cut
By Adrienne Carlisle GRAHAMSTOWN -- The Justice Department's budget for Eastern Cape courts has been slashed by R24 million, sparking fears that regional, magistrate, district and high courts will run out of money by about September. The budget...

45000 apply for 800 jobs
By Zama Mpondwana EAST LONDON -- About 45000 job seekers had applied for 800 jobs at DaimlerChrysler South Africa's plant here by the closing date last Friday, company spokesperson Annelise van der Laan said yesterday. The overwhelming response ...

Moz flood victims to receive clothing
EAST LONDON -- Kidd's Beach Primary pupils have rallied to donate numerous bags of clothing for Mozambique flood victims. Art teacher Lindsay Willis and 17 Grade 4 pupils yesterday dropped off the clothes at the Greenfields Christian Church which...

3 held after beachfront attack
By Matt Ramsden EAST LONDON -- A Quigney marketing consultant and a KwaZulu-Natal security fencing specialist yesterday rela-ted how they aided in the arrest of three alleged robbers who had attacked them early on Sunday. Linda Jackson, 47, and ...

Tuks win 'varsity robo-soccer
GRAHAMSTOWN -- The blood, sweat and tears have been shed and it's all over. The University of Pretoria (Tuks) won the intervarsity robot soccer finals at the Settlers monument yesterday by defeating Rhodes 1-0. In the early stages Tuks striker ...

For the record
The Daily Dispatch on Tuesday reported that Link FM would be closing in 30 days. This is not the case and, according to station manager Anthony Barkhuizen, the station is expected to close within 30 days once it has received reasons from the Inde...

Woods to attend Rhodes ceremony
By Adrienne Carlisle GRAHAMSTOWN -- Former Daily Dispatch editor Donald Woods and his wife Wendy will attend Rhodes University's graduation ceremony on Friday as guests of veteran journalist and author Colin Legum, who will be awarded a Doctor of...

SciFest 2000 a great success
By Adrienne Carlisle GRAHAMSTOWN -- This year's Sasol SciFest, which ended yesterday, has been hailed as a great success by its organi-sers and Sasol has confirmed it will continue to sponsor the science and technology event for the foreseeable f...

ECTB aims at better tourism marketing
BISHO -- The Eastern Cape Tourism Board (ECTB) would help create a tourism environment in the province by focusing on tourism development and marketing, ECTB senior development manager Zilindile Makapela said here yesterday. Speaking during a mee...

Cellphone bill crackdown irks Bisho politicians
By Eric Naki Political Correspondent BISHO -- Members of the Eastern Cape Legislature and staff are up in arms over the decision of the legislature management to make a once-off deduction from their salaries for all the money they owe for exceedi...

Cheque fraud checked
GRAHAMSTOWN -- There had been no cases of cheque fraud in the Office of the Premier during 1998, 1999 or the first few months of this year as all cheques for the entire Eastern Cape had been centralised under the responsibility of the Finance and ...

Cleric to sue Home Affairs for R1m over ID 'mistake'
By Matt Ramsden EAST LONDON -- An Mdantsane clergyman facing bankruptcy is to sue the Department of Home Affairs for over R1 million as he claims a clerical mistake caused his identity document to be handed to an alleged Port Elizabeth con man. ...

Transport Dept hopes to collect R96m via TLCs
BISHO -- The Eastern Cape Transport Department hoped to get a return of R96m from an amount of R82000 invested in revenue collection for the coming 2000/2001 financial year. This was said by Transport Department permanent secretary Dumisani Mafu ...

Heavy rain, hail hit Queenstown again
QUEENSTOWN -- Reports have been received here of damage resulting from a sudden downpour accompanied by hail on Monday afternoon after 49mm of rain fell overnight. The skies opened at 4.30pm, leaving many motorists stranded as sweeping rain and w...

All-out road alert for Easter
By Zama Mpondwana EAST LONDON -- Traffic law enforcement agencies in the Eastern Cape will be out in full force over the Easter weekend to reduce road accidents. Arrive Alive co-ordinator Tsepo Machaea said there would also be random and specif...

Budget cuts for all EC courts
By Adrienne Carlisle GRAHAMSTOWN -- A breakdown of the budget shows that allocations made to the high courts, lower courts, special tribunals, state attorneys, family advocates, administration of estates and the regional justice department office...

'No need to fear demarcation'
KING WILLIAM'S TOWN -- Housing, Local Government and Traditional Affairs MEC Gugile Nkwinti plans to visit the King of AmaXhosa Xolilizwe Sigcawu tomorrow to discuss traditional leaders' concerns about the demarcation process. Spokesperson Mbulel...

Church protests to continue
QUEENSTOWN -- The interdicted Nonzwakazi Methodist Church congregants here have vowed to continue "hindering" the services of the church until the minister, Reverend Nkululeko Makula, leaves the circuit. The chairman of the church's Young Men's G...

Sparks set to fly over PAC leadership
By Stan Mzimba UMTATA -- Sparks are expected to fly at the national congress of the Pan Africanist Congress in Mpumalanga this weekend following the youth wing's statement yesterday about who should assume the party's leadership. The chairper...

Call for vital preservation of wetlands
By Lulamile Feni KING WILLIAM'S TOWN -- The co-ordinator of the Amatola Wetlands Project (AWP), Eric Qonya, has called for an end to the destruction of wetland areas. The AWP was recently launched by the Department of Economic Affairs, Environme...

Radio licences to help development
GRAHAMSTOWN -- The development possibilities provided by the granting of 11 community radio licences in the Eastern Cape by the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) were enormous, said Development Media Agency (DMA) trustee Rod Amner. The ann...

New postcards highlight EC history
Report and pictures by Glyn Williams EAST LONDON -- The work of Xhosa wire artists has been given a significant boost by the publication of one of eight new colour postcards that are themselves an advance in the pioneering work of the East Londo...

Sanco accuses B'worth town clerk
By Mkhululi Titi QUEENSTOWN -- Butterworth South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) general secretary Ndyebo Skelenge has accused town clerk Mxolisi Waxa of being partly responsible for the town's huge cash flow problems. Skelenge alleg...

EC project to target drug abuse
By Wimpie Heath EAST LONDON -- The Eastern Cape is to benefit from a national sponsorship of about R11,5 million from the United Nations for community-based counselling, treatment and rehabilitation of drug abusers in disadvantaged areas. Paul S...

UDM's Gwadiso to visit USA
EAST LONDON -- United Democratic Movement Eastern Cape leader Dumisani Gwadiso is to visit the United States as a guest of that government this month. UDM MPL Billy Nel said Gwadiso was invited by the US Embassy in South Africa. His itinerary w...

Cosatu to honour heroes
By Zama Mpondwana EAST LONDON -- The Congress of South African Trade Unions and its alliance partners are preparing for the commemoration of political heroes who died during April. Cosatu regional secretary Pinky Ntsangani said activities would ...

King widow, 76, attacked on farm
By Denver Donian KING WILLIAM'S TOWN -- A 76-year old Yellowwoods widow, Jane Nicholson, escaped injury after she was attacked on her farm Plumbago by four men, one of whom was armed, early yesterday, police said. Captain Shannon Kirkhoff said ...

EC artist finally recognised
GRAHAMSTOWN -- An internationally renowned local artist has finally been recognised by his home province. Vusi Khumalo, 48, says being awarded the Premier's Award in the visual arts category is worth more than any international exhibition. Khum...

Teachers warned of fake forms
By Lulamile Feni KING WILLIAM'S TOWN -- Teachers in the province have been warned of a scam promising them access to their pension money if they provide confidential banking and employment information. The provincial secretary of the South Afric...

2 killed in head-on collision
QUEENSTOWN -- The drivers of two vehicles involved in a head-on collision on the road between Butterworth and Idutywa died on the scene yesterday, police said. The names of the dead have not yet been released. Captain Mzoli Kopolo said the accid...

Murder suspects to appear
UMTATA -- Three murder suspects in three separate cases are due in court here today. Police media liaison officer Maphelo Ngame said one suspect allegedly shot dead Ms Nokhumbulele Gosini, 46, and Ms Bholosa Mlozana ,67, at their home in Bityi ...

Toba: EC crime rate still far too high
By Lucas Mati EAST LONDON -- Newly-appointed Eastern Cape police commissioner Wilson Toba has expressed concern at the continued high level of crime in the province. Commenting on the latest crime statistics released by the national Safety and S...

Woman locked in boot after hijacking
By Matt Ramsden EAST LONDON -- The shaken victim of a Southernwood hijacking is to give the police a statement this morning in an attempt to catch the two men who abducted her late on Monday. Captain Shannon Kirkhoff said Andrea Swart, 22, of Ca...

Wife-killer's appeal dismissed
GRAHAMSTOWN -- An appeal against conviction by a Macleantown man who beat his wife to death with a pickaxe handle was dismissed by the high court here yesterday.. Stanford Blayi, 64, was sentenced to seven years' jail by the East London Regional ...

Offices have a brush with the law
QUEENSTOWN -- The donation of 120 litres of paint to the Criminal Investigation Division here by a local home improvement centre has had detectives exchanging their sleuthing skills for painting. Policemen in blue overalls and laden with paintbru...