By Nomalungelo Booi

Eastern Cape Black Fishers’ Association chair Xola Ngcangca was shot dead outside his KwaDwesi home on Wednesday night.

According to police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu, residents heard gunshots at about 7.15pm in Mkwenkwe Street.

When they went out to investigate, they found a man lying a few metres from his car which was parked outside his gate. He was shot in the head.

“It is alleged that before the shooting, the deceased was at a local tavern.”

Naiud said the motive for the killing was unknown. The suspects were also unknown at this stage.

Meanwhile, shots were fired at the house of a former ANC councillor on Monday, just before midnight.

“A 38-year-old man was at his home in Galela Street in KwaNobuhle when shots were fired at his house,” Naidu said.

“No-one was injured in the incident.”

A case of attempted murder is under investigation.

By Nomalungelo Booi

A popular Motherwell entrepreneur died in Livingstone Hospital on Monday night after he was shot a few blocks from his restaurant.

Ulundi Mpulu, 23, a carpenter and owner of popular eatery and tavern The Pallet Doctor, was shot while driving in a car with friends at about 6pm.

Police spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge said the friends were driving down Tyityaba Street in Motherwell when another vehicle drove up behind them and allegedly started shooting at their car.

“The driver lost control of the vehicle and collided with a container on the side of the road, after which the suspects continued to shoot at the vehicle before driving off,” Beetge said.

The driver, Siyabulela Olayi, 29, and Mpulu were rushed to a nearby clinic where Olayi succumbed to several gunshot wounds.

Mpulu was taken to Livingstone Hospital where he later succumbed to a single gunshot wound to the upper body.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Mpulu’s grandfather, Amos, said they were shocked and devastated by the loss.

He was a hard worker and a well-liked guy.

“He has so many ideas and he was the one that had the potential to take this family into the future,” Amos said.

The police are investigating a double murder and called on the community to come forward with any information that could assist with the investigation.

By Phumlani Saul

The Healing Gospel & Afro Soul Explosion, at Sun Boardwalk, on 4 June 2022 

The past two years of inactivity, confined to our homes and unable to fully function in the arts industry thanks to Covid-19, were the hardest to endure.

Not only were they a litmus test of artists’ their character, but they’ve made artists stronger in prayer. They worship God in the only best way they know, song and dance. With the entire country firmly behind them in prayer, they thank God for all the lives that were spared.

One way or another, everyone has been affected by covid-19.  That’s why it’s befitting for Eastern Cape to put the pandemic nightmare behind them, observe the safety protocols and embrace the start of the “new normal” phase. Let the healing journey begin……

The concert is a cultural event that’s meant to unite, heal and strengthen people as we continue to fight to gain stability in our lives. It’s critical to grab this opportunity and make an effort and put a lot of effort into rebuilding the events industry as well as our economy. This concert is the second event to be part of the Ebubeleni Festival Series. It’s in partnership with Sandla Black, an aspiring youth owned events company in Gqberha. They are one of the many up and coming events organisers to be mentored by Ebubeleni through a series of concerts.

The objective is to create a platform, develop and generate income for local, marginalized musicians and service providers in Nelson Mandela Bay as well as the Eastern Cape.  

Sandla Black is one of the fortunate artists from Gqeberha to be funded by the National Department of Sport, Arts & Culture through their Mzansi Golden Economy grant programme.

Headlining the concert, is singer, actress and entrepreneur who has since been honoured as the ‘Vocal Highness’, Kelly Khumalo; Multi-Award winning and platinum selling Afro-Pop duo, Jaziel Brothers; Singer, Farmer, Businessman and Multi-Award-winning gospel artist, Butho Vuthela; young powerful voices from Gqeberha, Legato SA an acapella group will curtain raise this beautiful line-up.

Fans are encouraged to come out in numbers, turn up to the favourite songs and sing along. The event promises to be a night to remember.

The series of these events are a build-up towards the main events of Ebubeleni Festival in December.

For a night of high praise please get your tickets for R300 at www.webtickets.co.za, Pick n Pay and Boxer stores. Doors open at 7pm, the show starts at 8pm.

The Healing Gospel & Afro Soul Explosion Concert is brought to you by the Department of Sport, Arts & Culture, Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency, iNkqubela FM, The Sun Boardwalk, Mahambehlala Communications and Sandla Black.

By Phumlani Saul

The National Arts Festival has announced exciting new additions to its 2022 programme with one night only concerts from Amanda Black,Ringo Madlingozi and Bongisizwe Mabandla. The programme, already a feast of theatre, dance, music, jazz, visual art, comedy and more, is now live and open for booking at www.nationalartsfestival.co.za. The countdown to the NAF’s return to live stages and its home town of Makhanda is well underway with the eleven day festival kicking off on 23 June 2022 and running until 3 July.After two years of offering the country’s oldest and most diverse arts festival online, the arts community is looking forward to a real life reunion and the annual winter pilgrimage to the Eastern Cape. CEO Monica Newton says the Festival is looking forward to welcoming the return of the artists and visitors, as is the town of Makhanda, which has missed the R90 million annual boost the Festival has brought to its economy in years gone by. 

 

“A lot has changed in the years since our last live Festival in 2019 and we are mindful that the economic situation in the country may have an impact on the number of visitors to this year’s Festival. We are heartened by the enthusiasm for the live Festival and bookings are starting to come in fast. One of the realities we, along with the performing arts community, face is the 50% capacity rule in our venues. This will mean fewer seats and fewer tickets as well as less revenue for artists and the Festival. It’s going to take a while for us all to get back to ‘normal’ but we are making a strong start,” says Newton.

In addition to the 50% capacity COVID-19 legislation, the Festival has been designed to allow for more time between shows to ensure mask wearing and sanitising protocols are followed precisely. For the first time, ticketing will be paperless and all tickets bought on the Festival’s online ticket platform can be displayed on a phone or tablet to gain entry. 

 

Festival favourites like the Village Green will be a lively meet-up space with plenty of crafters and food stalls, the popular free Sundowner Concerts will be a daily fixture.

The Monument will be abuzz with shows, concerts and exhibitions as well as restaurants and kiosks. The recent upgrades, supported by the National Arts Council administered Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme, have transformed the Power Station venue into a permanent home for creatives and performers. During the Festival, a selection of exhibitions will be happening at the new creative and entrepreneurial hub. 

 

In 2020 and 202, the Festival found a new online audience who supported from around the world. Those who won’t be making the trip this year will still be able to enjoy an online programme again with some of our shows live streamed from Makhanda as well as online shows created for virtual audiences to enjoy. 


For more information about what to expect, what to see and how to book for the 48th National Arts Festival, visit www.nationalartsfestival.co.za

By Zamandulo Malonde

Family, friends, colleagues pay tribute to ‘friendly, fearless and disciplined man’ who was gunned down outside home

He was a selfless leader, a friendly neighbour, a sports fanatic and a visionary.

This was how friends, family and colleagues described murdered Nelson Mandela Bay ANC councillor and regional SA National Taxi Council general secretary Andile “Mayete” Andries when he was laid to rest in Kariega on Saturday. 

Andries’s funeral service was held at a packed Babs Madlakane Hall in KwaNobuhle before the congregation proceeded to the Matanzima Cemetery where he was buried. 

The emotionally charged morning saw those who surrounded him throughout several stages of his life pay tribute to the Ward 43 councillor who was gunned down outside his home last week.Andries was also the taxi council’s Nelson Mandela Bay chair and its national deputy secretary.

Mayor Eugene Johnson said Andries had been a fearless, friendly and disciplined man and ANC regional secretary Luyolo Nqakula said his death was untimely as the ANC, his family and Santaco had all still been looking forward to more of his work. 

Andries was shot dead alongside his acting branch secretary, Lubabalo Kes,o at midday on May 2.

An eyewitness said the two ANC members had been working on a car when a white minibus taxi stopped and one or more of the occupants opened fire.

Police are investigating two murder cases.

Nqakula said he believed that both the ANC and Santaco — organisations that Andries was actively involved in — had no space for criminals. 

“One reflects and asks oneself many questions, but we must also reiterate that between ourselves as comrades and the leadership of the [taxi] association, I am sure both organisations have no place for violence.

“Criminals must be treated like criminals. Criminals must be jailed,” Nqakula said. 

Santaco provincial secretary Mthuthuzeli Madwarha vowed that Andries would be the last chair to be gunned down without the association responding. 

“We will not take the law into our own hands  [though] nothing is stopping us.

“However, what we will not accept from here on is another murder of our chairmen.

 “This is the last murder of one of our own that we will stomach without responding.

“I promise you, none of our people will die [in this fashion] without a mess in this metro,” Madwarha said. 

Madwarha said Andries had been peaceful and loving and protective of those closest to him, but also short-tempered. 

Speaking on behalf of the Qhagqiwe Football Association, Andile Funani challenged the ANC government to honour Andries’s legacy by supporting local sports. 

Andries was an active leader and supporter of soccer and karate in Kariega.

He was one of the founders of the Qhagqiwe Football Association. 

“If the ANC says it respects [Andries], it must create a legacy for him,” Funani said.

“He was a big supporter of a lot of sporting codes who depended on him.

“Who will they depend on now?

“Build a stadium in his honour and name it the Andile Austin Andries Stadium, so that even when his family cry they can be comforted when they see that he did not die in vain.”

Andries and Keso were the latest in a string of killings of ANC councillors in the metro in 2022. 

By Daily Kasi News Reporter

A bruising battle to lead the ANC in the Eastern Cape came to a head on Monday with Oscar Mabuyane securing a second term as the party’s provincial chair.

Mabuyane and his former ally, Babalo Madikizela, went up against each other in an elective conference that was marred by claims of bogus delegates and manipulated membership.

His victory was announced at East London’s International Convention Centre after voting for the top five positions started just after 1am.

Members broke out into song as they cheered when Mabuyane was announced as the chair. .

Total number of votes cast was 1489, 21 were quarantined in brown envelopes, with 1477 counted, two were spoilt with 812 votes for Mabuyane and 652 for Madikizela.

Finance MEC Mlungisi Mvoko also retained his position as deputy chair while Lulama Ngcukayitobi secured a second-term as secretary.

Speaker in the legislature Helen Sauls-August secured her spot as deputy secretary for another term, while Zolile Williams given the nod for the position of treasurer

This is a developing story

By Siyamthanda Capa

ANC branches still in dispute will take part in the ANC Eastern Cape elective conference but their votes will be “quarantined”.

ANC NEC member Aaron Motsoaledi said if the votes had the potential to swing the outcome of the conference then the national dispute resolution committee would make a decision on the disputes raised. 

He was speaking during a press conference at East London’s International Convention Centre.

Delegate disputes have been a sticking point ahead of the conference with issues raised in the Chris Hani and WB Rubusana regions.
Branches in the two regions picked up discrepancies with its members and the matter was raised with the party’s national office.

But Motsoaledi said the verification report had been signed off, meaning the conference could start.

“The issue around quarantine is not happening for the first time, it happens when there are disputes. The votes will be colour-coded and set aside”.

Motsoaledi said the party was trying to do everything by the book.
The Chris Hani region has 222 delegates and 152 in WB Rubusana.

At least 1,500 delegates will elect the party’s new provincial leadership at East London’s International Convention Centre (ICC).

The provincial conference will see Eastern Cape premier and ANC provincial task team (PTT) convener Oscar Mabuyane up against former ally Babalo Madikizela, who is also MEC for public works, and MPL Mlibo Qoboshiyane for the position of chair.

ANC Eastern Cape co-ordinator Lulama Ngcukayitobi said 40 branches in WB Rubusana would not be “quarantined”, along with 97 in Chris Hani.

Ngcukayitobi said 90% of delegates had been registered.

“The dispute resolution mechanisms are still active.”

Motsoaledi said several NEC members had been deployed to the province but would only be guests at the conference.

By Nomalungelo Booi

Shoprite had to close its doors on Monday as the EFF marched to the Greenacres store to hand over a memorandum of demands to mark Workers’ Day.

The contingent of Red Berets, led by EFF MP Natasha Ntlangwini, marched from Parsons  Hill to demand minimum wage for Shoprite employees  and that management take on contract workers on a permanent basis.

Ntlangwini, the central command team commissar,  said they had embarked on the protest action because the store had dragged  its feet in addressing the issues the party had been raising on behalf of its employees.

“We have been getting many issues about Shoprite at our labour desk and we have decided to come here and picket for three demands from the various [employees] we have here,”  Ntlangwini said.

In the memorandum received by Shoprite human resources regional manager Brentin George, the party demanded that:

The supermarket permanently employs all contract workers who have been in its employ  for more than three months;There be more transformation in management; andA trust fund be set up to benefit the communities the chain store operates in.

Ntlangwini expressed dismay at the police contingent, which had a chopper flying overhead at one stage, and the decision by the store to close ahead of the picket action.

“The tellers will be the ones affected by this decision today [Monday], the managers will get their salaries,” she said.
There was also displeasure from the gathered crowd when George said he could not address their demands.

“Unfortunately, I cannot respond to the concerns raised here today. I am not in a position to respond and I have no comment,”  George said.

Ntlangwini said it was unacceptable that the supermarket did not delegate the right authority to address them.

She said they expected their demands to be addressed within 14 days.

“If not, we will mobilise and be here again. They must go ask Clicks if they think we are incapable,” she said.

Ntlangwini was accompanied by EFF regional chair Khanya Ngqisha, along with Mkhuseli Ndlevu from the organisation’s provincial structure.

Meanwhile, provincial DA leader Nqaba Bhanga was at Njoli Square in New Brighton to hear the concerns of informal traders on the public holiday.

Bhanga said the DA was ready to govern and fulfil the promises it made when the party was in local government.

“We are going to build the Njoli complex. The reason it is taking time is that there are people who are not yet ready to move [from where it will be built].”

The former Bay mayor said it was a fundamental pillar of the organisation to support small businesses  and that it was the only way to address unemployment.

“For us to solve unemployment we must build capacity for small business owners so that they can employ people.

“It is not the government that creates opportunities, but business owners,” Bhanga said.

But for 70-year-old Majili Fayi, a vendor who has been trading near the complex since 1983, the promises are taking too long.

“To date, not a single promise has been fulfilled; instead, business is getting harder,” she said.

Sbenga Fast Food owner Malizole Screech,  who was also visited by Bhanga, said real change for small business owners would only happen when those in charge made an effort to understand the challenges of small entrepreneurs.

“One of the biggest challenges we have is because we never seem to know what is needed from us to get funding from the government,” he said.

BY Phumlani Saul

ANC Nelson Mandela Bay Ward 43 councillor Andile Andries and the party’s regional executive committee member and branch secretary Lubabalo Keso were shot dead outside Andries’ home in KwaNobuhle, Kariega, on Monday.

Andries’ uncle and secretary of the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) in the Eastern Cape, Mthuthuzeli Madwara, said the family is still in disbelief and have no words at this moment.

The Eastern Cape police confirmed the pair were gunned down around midday on Monday. The police said they have launched a manhunt for the alleged murderers of Andries, 45, and Keso, 41. 

Whether Andries’ murder is related to a raging taxi war in the Eastern Cape or the ANC ahead of the hotly contested upcoming provincial elective conference is unknown. 


Two ANC leaders have been killed in the Eastern Cape.



Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mbuyane said Nelson Mandela Bay was being turned into a gangster city.This is after Ward 43 ANC councillor Andile Andries and REC member Lubabalo Keso were both killed on Monday.Assailants in a Quantum minibus taxi shot the two during a drive-by shooting near Andries’ home. 

ANC Nelson Mandela Bay Ward 43 councillor Andile Andries and the party’s regional executive committee member and branch secretary Lubabalo Keso were shot dead outside Andries’ home in KwaNobuhle, Kariega, on Monday.

Andries’ uncle and secretary of the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) in the Eastern Cape, Mthuthuzeli Madwara, said the family is still in disbelief and have no words at this moment.

The Eastern Cape police confirmed the pair were gunned down around midday on Monday. The police said they have launched a manhunt for the alleged murderers of Andries, 45, and Keso, 41. 

Whether Andries’ murder is related to a raging taxi war in the Eastern Cape or the ANC ahead of the hotly contested upcoming provincial elective conference is unknown. 

READ | ANC devastated by murder of Nelson Mandela Bay ward councillor in second shooting

Besides politics, Andries was also the deputy general-secretary of the Uncedo Taxi Association nationally and a chair of SANTACO in the Nelson Mandela Bay region. 

Asked for comment, the SANTACO chairman in the Eastern Cape Zola Bishop Yolelo said the council has been shocked by the news. 

He, however said that details are still sketchy about the incident. 

“We are still trying to gather details about the incident. We are not sure whether it is taxi-related or it has something to do with the ANC. We will be able to comment further once we have full details,” said Yolelo. 

Police spokesperson Brigadier Thembinkosi Kinana said the pair were coming out of Andries’ house at the time of the shooting. 

Kinana said, “It is further alleged that as they approached their vehicle, a Quantum minibus drove towards them and began firing several shots thereby killing them at the scene. The Quantum vehicle sped off after the incident. The number of the suspects in the drive-by shooting Quantum is not known at this stage.”

He added that the circumstances surrounding the incident are currently under investigation.

Murder cases have been registered and no arrests made at this stage,” Kinana added. 

The SAPS is appealing to anyone who may have information that can lead to the arrest of the suspect(s), to please make contact with the nearest police station or call the Crime Stop number 08600 10111.

Eastern Cape Premier and ANC provincial convenor Oscar Mabuyane said the Nelson Mandela Bay region was being turned into a gangster city and has called on the police to help the party in its renewal agenda to rid itself of “bad elements”.  

Mabuyane, on behalf of the ANC, extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of Andries and Keso.

Unfortunate news, very sad, this issue, of these execution-style killings are worrying us in the province. We have seen people almost reducing Nelson Mandela region into a gangster city ruled by thugs in the past couple of weeks, especially in the northern areas and black townships,” said Mabuyane. 

Mabuyane said some people are making it their profession to kill people in Nelson Mandela Bay. 

“This happens a few months after the murder and attempted murder of ANC members in that region. We condemn these attacks in the strongest possible terms, this should not happen in the free and democratic country, governed by a rule of law,” said Mabuyane. 

Ward 20 councillor Zwelandile Booi was gunned down while driving in Tshawuka Street in Kwazakhele on 13 February.

Mayoral co-ordinator and former councillor Mazwi Mini survived a bullet to the jaw on the same weekend.

Mabuyane urged the public to come forward help the police track the suspects behind the murder of Andries and Keso.  

“We all need to have sleepless nights thinking about ways to remove these bad elements in Nelson Mandela Bay. We can’t co-exist with criminals. We ought to seek the truths and facts from all these incidents,” Mabuyane added.    

Describing the killing of the pair, Mabuyane said it was a clear assassination. 

“It is a clear assassination and whatever [motivated] them, it is a well-orchestrated hit motivated by bad tendencies. Whether it comes [from] within the ANC or elsewhere, we need to work together to end this. We can’t as an organisation harbour criminals,” Mabuyane added.   

By Xolani Adams

A 14-day “ceasefire” agreement has been reached between citrus farmers and community leaders in Kirkwood while farmers look into the issues raised by the protesting workers.  

Community leaders met representatives of the Sundays River Valley municipality, SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) and the Farm Forum as well as the departments of labour and rural development and agrarian reform.

An agreement was reached at Tuesday’s meeting that the workers would suspend their weeklong protest — called in support of wage demands and that farmers employ fewer foreign workers — for 14 days.The strike turned violent earlier, resulting in one death, several injuries, a farmhouse, equipment, vehicles and citrus trees worth an estimated R50m being burned and water pipelines being vandalised

On Wednesday, provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana said the situation in Kirkwood, about 82km from Gqeberha, remained tense.

He said youths had hurled stones and petrol bombs at passing motorists on Tuesday afternoon.

No injuries were reported

Police deployment has been beefed up,” he said.

Kinana said 38 cases had been opened over the past week, ranging from public violence and malicious damage to property to assault and murder.

The murder case related to the death of a farmworker, who was shot at close range, allegedly by a security guard.

Protesters shut down Kirkwood on Monday, blockading roads with burning tyres and clashing with armed security guards hired by farmers as well as police.

Benito Moses, 35, was found unconscious and covered in blood on a hill that overlooks the Habata Boerdery farm just after midday.

He was rushed to the Sunday’s Valley Provincial Aided Hospital but died later due to loss of blood.

A senior employee at the farm said the protesters, one of whom was armed, had tried to storm the property.

On top of the hill overlooking the Habata Boerdery, there were running battles between protesters and security guards for most of the morning.

Police fired rubber bullets to quell the protesters.

Vehicles were torched and three people were injured.

Scores of farmworkers, joined by residents, have protested for almost a week in the Kirkwood area, demanding an hourly wage increase of R6.81 and a 30% limit on the hiring of foreigners.

Workers are paid R23.19 an hour but want this increased to R30. 

The Farm Forum was adamant the wage hike was impossible.

Tensions between the workers, represented by Sanco, and affected farm owners escalated on Wednesday after representatives of the forum failed to show up to receive a petition from the protesting workers.

The forum eventually accepted the petition.

Sanco provincial secretary Tony Duba said it had emerged that the cause of the protests was that farmers in the citrus belt were allegedly hiring 95% of foreigners and just 5% of locals.

The locals, Duba claimed, were hired only during the harvesting seasons.

This has been vehemently denied by the farmers.

“The workers also raised the fact that the last time they had received pay increments was in 2018, after the widely reported farm protests,” Duba said.

He said workers also only started work at 10am due to transport issues.

This resulted in them being paid lower wages.

Duba said it had been agreed that farmers would look at all the issues raised by the workers.

Community leader Siyabuleka Qekema said some workers were not happy that the strike had been suspended.

“The minimum wage is R23.19 but it’s not enough.”

Sundays River Valley Citrus Company chief executive Hannes de Waal said it was agreed that workers would suspend their strike for 14 days.

The farmers, in turn, had agreed to look into the workers’ demands because some of the grievances raised did not affect all farm owners.

“We are happy with yesterday’s [Tuesday] meeting and hopefully it will lead to a positive outcome, as farmers of the [Sundays River] Valley always strive for.”

He said farmers understood the effects of the minimum wage but had tried throughout the years to meet the community halfway through development programmes.

“We had explained to the communities of the valley [the effects of]  the minimum wage, and because of the pandemic and the incidents of the Ukraine and Russia war it has brought a negative impact on the industry.”

De Waal said it was concerning that criminal elements had taken advantage of the protest.

“There had been a lot of damage done with actions similar to what transpired in KwaZulu-Natal last year.

“We hope that the police will continue to be co-operative.”

He said the total damage caused during the protest was estimated at R70m.