Simthandile Ford
The Daily Dispatch
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Past articles by Simthandile:
WSU students to finish degree through Durban tech
Nearly 800 Mthatha-based Walter Sisulu University students will have to register for their Bachelor of Science degree in prosthetics and orthotics in Durban if they want to graduate with an accredited qualification. WSU has failed to get its degree accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) since its inception in 2013 due to late submission of documents or missing information on its… → Read More
MISERY AHEAD AS VANDALS RUN AMOK
Buffalo City Metro is battening down the hatches for another week of power and water outages amid a protest that the SA Municipal Workers Union admits has gone rogue. Many BCM residents might have to sit it out for a week without water and lights, BCM manager Andile Sihlahla told the Dispatch. However, the city has employed emergency measures to see that refuse is collected and and city assets… → Read More
No reported disruptions in BCM
South African Police Services say they have received no reports of disruptions in the Buffalo City Metro area, despite the warnings circulating on social media. Late last night social media was populated with warnings of serious disruptions threatened for Monday. The warnings claimed that car drivers would be targeted by BCMM workers who are currently on strike. → Read More
JUST IN | Electricity, water outages as arsonists target BCM infrastructure
Water and electricity supply to parts of the Buffalo City Metro (BCM) have been interrupted after water pumps were destroyed and transformers set alight. Metro spokesman Samkelo Ngwenya confirmed on Saturday morning that water pumps and electricity boxes were damaged in the King William’s Town area while a sub-station was set alight in the Quigney late on Friday. → Read More
Great Kei Municipality retains 3 wards
The ANC has retained its three wards in Great Kei Municipality. The vacancies were created when five ANC councillors resigned in protest at the recall of mayor Loyiso Tshetsha earlier this year. Three of them – Luleka Ndabambi, Nonkosinathi Mevana and Themba Gqomorhoshe – stood as independents against the ANC. → Read More
Access road upgrade stalled
The multimillion-rand upgrade of the Mdantsane main access road was halted on Friday when local SMEs blocked workers from going on site. These companies claim Buffalo City Metro has breached an agreement reached in May that 30% of the work would be subcontracted to local SMEs. They claim they have not been doing any work on the project. → Read More
Experience for entry-level state jobs no longer required
From 2019, job seekers will no longer be required to have work experience for entry-level government jobs. → Read More
Mbizana-born ANC leader joins Bhisho legislature
The Bhisho legislature has a new member, Babalo Madikizela. This after Speaker Noxolo Kiviet officiated the swearing-in ceremony of the Mbizana-born ANC leader on Tuesday. Reacting to his swearing-in Madikizela said the honour of serving the people of the Eastern Cape came with a huge responsibility of making sure that services to all corners of the province. → Read More
WATCH | Pastor Maimane preaches at Buffalo Flats church
A day after acting as a lobola negotiator for his aide Graham Charters, DA leader Mmusi Maimane took time out of his quick trip to the Eastern Cape to preach at the New Life City Church in Buffalo Flats. Pastor Maimane, who admitted that he had not preached in a while, opened the sermon by condemning racism and calling for a unified church. → Read More
Nehawu festive leave protest disrupts meetings
A memo from legislature speaker Noxolo Kiviet announcing that the festive leave period for staff would be cut short by 10 days, caused an uproar in the corridors of Bhisho on Thursday. Staff affiliated to the National Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) gate-crashed and disrupted four portfolio committee meetings in protest. → Read More
Man arrested for Ngcobo woman’s murder
A-27-year-old man has been arrested in relation to the murder of Viwe Dalingozi who was allegedly doused with petrol and set alight by her jealous boyfriend. The Ngcobo-born 31-year-old Dalingozi died on Sunday in hospital after the fire burnt 60% of her body. Police spokesperson Captain Xoli Mbele said the suspect was held at the Johannesburg central police cells and was due to appear in court… → Read More
Three Great Kei councillors take on ANC in by-elections
The ANC announced on Tuesday that three Eastern Cape members who registered with the IEC as independent ward candidates for by-elections in Great Kei municipality next month have automatically expelled themselves from the party. → Read More
Eastern Cape SABC boss axed
The SABC axed its True-FM station manager Thobeka Buswana on Monday. → Read More
Former mayor bares soul in book
A story of humble beginnings, a rise to prominence and back to the beginning again, is how former Amathole District Municipality (ADM) mayor Nomasikizi Konza sums up her life story. Konza made headlines in May 2016 when she was arrested by the Hawks, together with a group of others, for the alleged fraud involving more than R6m which was allegedly wrongly channeled from her municipality coffers… → Read More
EC's Berlin November race track vandalised
With less than four weeks to go before the premier Eastern Cape horse race event of the year, the Berlin November, its organisers woke up to a vandalised race course. → Read More
Fort Hare students record song with legends
Thrilled University of Fort Hare music students have recorded a song with Grammy Award winners Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The group is spending a week at the university and conducting a master class workshops with the music department, exploring the complex origins of African music, especially isicathamiya. → Read More
Calls for state to take kingship seriously
Traditional leaders, scholars, activists and opposition parties gathered at the East London Guild Theatre to talk about the relevance of traditional institutions and kingships in democratic South Africa. The dominant voice from the gathering was that the state seemed to ignore the authority of the kingships. → Read More
Dali Mpofu’s mother dies at home
The EFF mourns the passing of their national chairperson Dali Mpofu's mother. Nozibele Mpofu, who had been ill for some time, passed away peacefully in her sleep in the early hours of Thursday at her son's Johannesburg home. EFF national spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said in a statement that Mpofu was with her son at the time of her passing in Johannesburg due to ill-health. → Read More
Union to march for action on the ‘Sex for Jobs’ scandal
Nehawu will march to the Eastern Cape government provincial headquarters to demand full implementation of recommendations suggested by the legislature on the "Sex for Jobs" scandal that erupted in 2015. Adding to their list of demands it wants is the immediate scrapping of what the union described as an illegitimate provincial coordinating management based at the premier Phumulo Masualle's… → Read More
EFF provincial assembly underway
The EFFs provincial assembly which was meant to start two weeks ago has started in earnest at the East London ICC → Read More