Eastern Cape

Fairhead case gave judge sleepless nights Killers get 8 life terms
By Adrienne Carlisle PORT ALFRED -- The Port Alfred circuit court erupted yesterday as 22-year-old brothers Bongani and Zolani Tom and a 17-year-old received eight life sentences between them for the kidnap, rape, attempted indecent assault and b...

Pybus: he sank himself
By Matt Ramsden EAST LONDON -- Border and former Pakistan cricket coach Richard Pybus last night said he thought disgraced former national captain Hansie Cronje may have "shipwrecked" himself on purpose to reveal his role in match fixing. Speaki...

Ageing EL needs costly repairs
By Zamuxolo Feni Municipal Reporter EAST LONDON -- Some of the city's ageing electrical and civil infrastructure is in need of repair and it will cost the city millions to bring these up to standard, engineering services director Hamish Forrest s...

'Damage has already been done'
GRAHAMSTOWN -- Tourism East London director Craig Nancarrow said yesterday he supported the tough sentences handed down to the Fairhead killers -- but the damage to the tourism industry had already been done. Nancarrow said: "People are behaving ...

R2m refund for Waverley
EAST LONDON -- Through the intervention of African National Congress MP and Border rugby president Mluleki George, the Department of Trade and Industry is to refund the Waverley Blankets textile group almost R2 million. This is money owed to the ...

Dept earns praise for promoting arts and culture
By Eric Naki Political Correspondent BISHO -- The Eastern Cape Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has been praised for promoting culture and arts in the province. The standing committee for sport, arts and culture found that the department ha...

Fraud cases postponed
GRAHAMSTOWN -- Little disciplinary action has yet been taken against the 13 Eastern Cape justice officials charged with fraud and theft of millions of rands of state funds. Department of Justice spokesperson Terrence Manase said yesterday that fi...

Grim week for Billy Nel
By Matt Ramsden EAST LONDON -- A week may be a long time in politics and perhaps never more so this week for United Democratic Movement legislature chief whip Billy Nel. On Monday a former tenant of his laid a charge of assault against Nel follo...

Bisho allocated R4,5m for Aids
By Patrick Cull CAPE TOWN -- The Eastern Cape is to receive R4,5 million from the Education Department and further allocations from Health and Welfare for children "infected or affected" by HIV/Aids. Speaking during Debate on the Supplementary E...

Chiefs fume at loafing claim
GRAHAMSTOWN -- The Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders (HTL) is livid over the Housing, Local Government and Traditional Affairs Department's allegations that the HTL failed to account for not doing any work since its inception in 1997. HT...

River safety code ignored
PORT ELIZABETH -- An inquiry into the Storms River tubing tragedy has found the victims should have been wearing life jackets. Thirteen blackwater tubers from Port Elizabeth died in a flash flood on March 25. Southern Africa Rivers Association (...

Wounded knee won't be Colonel's Little Big Horn
By Jesse Knott EAST LONDON -- Former Grahamstown police colonel Willie Nel, who has had three knee replacements, is among the entries in tomorrow's Daily Dispatch and Rotary Club of Arcadia's Big Walk. As a man who lived an incredibly active li...

UDM 'won't join the gang'
By Lucas Mati EAST LONDON -- The United Democratic Movement said it would not be party to any attempt to gang up against the African National Congress for the November local government elections. The remarks follow the Democratic Party's invitat...

One year on corruption in EC still rife says DP
GRAHAMSTOWN -- The Democratic Party said yesterday the "windows and doors of opportunity for corruption" remained wide open since the Eastern Cape legislature's first meeting last year following the 1999 election. In a joint statement released by...

Elderly woman robbed
By Matt Ramsden EAST LONDON -- A feisty Amalinda woman last night described how she tried to defend herself with a crutch when two armed robbers burst into her home on Tuesday. Vera Hein, 69, who sells milk from her home, said she was alerted t...

DD reporters honoured
QUEENSTOWN -- Local Daily Dispatch reporters Mkhululi Titi and Sonja Raasch this week received commendation certificates from the police for helping in the war against crime. Area commissioner Niki Mlilwana said the relationship between police an...

Police officers praised at awards ceremony
QUEENSTOWN -- Police area commissioner Niki Mlilwana, this week commended local policemen for their courage and dedication in the war against crime. He said that despite the poor working conditions some policemen experienced daily they had done a...

Official's degree forged - report
By Eric Naki Political Correspondent BISHO -- A Department of Local Government and Housing investigation has found that the Umtata municipality head of human resources forged his qualifications while he was deputy city treasurer. He did not in f...

Payment delays 'costly'
By Mkhululi Titi QUEENSTOWN -- The delays by the provincial Education Department in settling its accounts with smaller municipalities was causing councils financial problems and could result in their incurring huge bank overdrafts, said Maclear m...

New head for EC police body
By Zama Mpondwana EAST LONDON -- Mninawa Cithi of Queenstown is the new chairperson of the Provincial Community Policing Board, the Safety and Security Department announced. He replaces Stanley Bengu, who resigned due to other commitments. Depa...

EC Education Dept 'careless, negligent'
BISHO -- The South African Democratic Teachers' Union lashed out at the provincial Education Department yesterday, calling it "careless" and "negligent". Sadtu provincial secretary Mxolisi Dimaza expressed anger at the department's continued fail...

Scenery Park killing linked to taxi violence
By Lucas Mati EAST LONDON -- Yet another person has been killed in a taxi-related shooting here on Tuesday night, police said yesterday. The incident happened at Scenery Park at about 9 pm when an unknown number of attackers opened fire on Sindi...

Drivers strike over funeral taxi curbs
By Mthobeli Mxotwa EAST LONDON -- East London Taxi Association (Elta) drivers went on strike this week when the taxi owners objected to their using their vehicles for drivers' funerals without their permission. This was confirmed by the chairman...

Suspected rapists of 9 girls in court
By Stan Mzimba UMTATA -- Two suspects appeared in the district court here yesterday in connection with the rape of nine girls from the Umtata Technical College last month. The suspects are Bathini Funo, 23, of Tsolo, and Malibongwe Njemla, 23, o...

Centane vandalism to be probed
QUEENSTOWN -- Police in Centane are investigating sabotage after plastic water pipes and a circuit box to control the water supply in the area were found burnt at Macibe locality. Captain Thembisile Patekile said police yesterday found the burnt ...

Pensioner jailed for cheque fraud
By Phumlani Mdolomba KING WILLIAM'S TOWN -- A 52-year-old Mdantsane disability grant pensioner, Lungile Mdingi, was sentenced to six months' jail with two months suspended for fraud. Mdingi was arrested at Mini Stores here on February 18 this ye...

Murders: police offer rewards
QUEENSTOWN -- Police have offered a R15 000 reward for information on the killer of Mr Mfobe Ntloko who was shot in the Idutywa area in 1998. Ntloko was shot in his bakkie while travelling between Idutywa and Willowvale near Ngcingwane administra...

Four juveniles found guilty of theft
KING WILLIAM'S TOWN -- The magistrate's court here yesterday found four juveniles aged 13 and 14 guilty on several charges of housebreaking and theft out of motor vehicles of goods valued at R15 000. Two of the boys are out on warning in their par...

Pain of alleged shoplifting continues
Court Reporter EAST LONDON -- The alleged theft of sachets of headache powder is likely to turn into a migraine for a Cambridge woman after a warrant of arrest was authorised yesterday after she failed to appear in court here. Ms René Lil...

ANCYL to honour cadres
By Madoda Dyonana EAST LONDON -- The local branch of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) will celebrate Youth Day tomorrow to honour youths who died during the apartheid era. Zonal ANCYL spokesman Siphelo Mzinyathi said the event in the Gompo Hall woul...

African Renaissance lecture
By Lulamile Feni KING WILLIAM'S TOWN -- A public lecture on the African Renaissance will be held at the Grahamstown City Hall this evening -- the eve of National Youth Day. Deputy Finance Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa, African Institute executive dir...

Ntini, Bungu for youth forum
EAST LONDON -- A human rights conference for pupils will be held at the city hall here on Youth Day tomorrow. Border and national cricketer Makhaya Ntini and boxer Vuyani Bungu will be special guests. Conference organiser Vusumzi Hanisi said th...

S'wood school into the workplace
EAST LONDON -- A group of about 20 Southernwood Primary pupils with special educational needs left their classroom this week and worked for a while at the local Spar shop as part of their exposure to skills and responsibilities in a working enviro...

Sanco plans beach bash tomorrow
EAST LONDON -- The Orient Beach will come alive with cultural and sports festivities on Youth Day tomorrow when the local branch of Sanco stages what will become known as the annual Orient Beach Festival. The day signals an opportunity for Sanco ...

MP helps Waverley recover scam loss
By Eddie Botha, Business Editor EAST LONDON--The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is to refund the Waverley Blankets textile group almost R2 million following the intervention of ANC MP and Border rugby president Mluleki George. The group ...

Repairs to roads take time - Bisho
By Mayibongwe Maqhina UMTATA -- The Department of Roads and Public Works has denied that it is taking too long to repair roads washed away by floods in Matatiele and Mount Fletcher. Permanent secretary Monwabisi Baza responded yesterday to com...

En route to African culture
PORT ST JOHNS -- Community-based tourism here is being aided by two internationally funded projects to develop a cultural tourism route and tours. A project with a Canadian government development body, the International Development Research Centr...

Ex-wannabe priest's pub gives Port St Johns some froth
By Justine Gerardy PORT ST JOHNS -- The Millennium Bar in Mtumbane township provides a perfect setting to crack open a frosty "Transkei dumpy" while enjoying the dramatic coastline. It features a sturdy wooden deck offering a breathtaking view d...

R16m plans passed in May
Municipal Reporter EAST LONDON -- A total of 209 building plans worth an estimated R16million were approved last month by the city's planning and engineering services directorate. There is a difference of R58m between April's approved building p...

Amalinda forum waits
By Zamuxolo Feni Municipal reporter EAST LONDON -- Spiralling crime and development concerns are the fundamental reasons behind the proposed establishment of the Amalinda Development Forum, which is awaiting council approval. Forum chairman Dav...

Rhodes students conned out of cash
GRAHAMSTOWN -- A con artist doing his rounds here has made off with thousands of rands after convincing several Rhodes students that their domestic worker had been involved in a terrible bus accident. The students realised they had been duped whe...

Frere, Cecilia Makiwane join forces to improve service
By Lulamile Feni KING WILLIAM'S TOWN -- Health MEC Bevan Goqwana is happy about the progress of the rationalisation of Frere and Cecilia Makiwane hospitals in the East London area, intended to improve efficiency in the hospital services. The rat...