By Phumlani Saul

Eastern Cape Health MEC, Sindiswa Gomba, has confirmed nine COVID19 cases in Nelson Mandela Bay.
She says they are also waiting for confirmation on two others.

The positive cases in the Metro are in Summerstrand, Walmer, Blue Water Bay, Motherwell and one in Uitenhage.

MEC Gomba says there is currently a patient in the ICU at Livingstone Hospital who tested positive for Covid19.

The patient will now be moved to the isolation ward.

As of Friday, there are 17 confirmed cases in the Eastern Cape, this includes two in East London, three in the Sarah Baartman District, one in the Chris Hani Municipality and one in the Amathole district.

Gomba says so far one patient in the Eastern Cape has recovered from Covid19.

By Mzwandile Bhefile

Lockdown meaningless in KwaLanga informal settlements

Joshua Matshidiso, 68, had both legs amputated due to an infection in 2010. On Monday 30 March, he joined other social grant beneficiaries who rose before sunrise to collect their grants at a nearby retailer pay point in KwaLanga, near Uitenhage.

The SA Social Security Agency (SASSA) had made provision to enable grant beneficiaries to access their funds during the nationwide lockdown to disrupt the spread of Covid-19.

Matshidiso arrived at the KwaLanga cash payout point at 9am and by 11:25am he had collected his grant and bought a few essential items – eggs, milk and mielie meal. He wheeled himself to his RDP house about two kilometres from the SASSA pay point. He says that with the pandemic around he wouldn’t dare risk asking someone to push his chair.

“I am trying to keep myself away from the crowds,” he said. He applauded the services at the SASSA payout point, saying the social distancing rule was observed throughout the process.

But outside, Daily kasi news saw many people queueing with no space between them. Some were waiting for their turn to buy essentials and some waiting to cash out their grants. Preference was being given to the elderly and the disabled.

In Uitenhage CBD, people queued closely together to get their social grants.

Sidney Tshibonza, 40, lives in eMahlabathini informal settlement opposite KwaLanga. He lost the use of both legs in 2016 after an accident at work and also uses a wheelchair. He arrived at SASSA grant payout point and was helped in 30 minutes. After buying essentials he wheeled himself back to his one-room shack.

In KwaLanga and surrounding informal settlements there were few taxis on the road, but when DKTeam visited, the streets were still full of residents.

Small groups of people were sharing a bottle of alcohol and also passing around a cigarette. Alcohol prices have shot up. A 750ml beer, which normally cost R22, was being sold for R35.

In eMahlabathini informal settlement, behind KwaLanga.

When DKTeam asked about Covid-19, some said they did not know what it was, though they had heard about the national lockdown from neighbours.

Here over 1,000 families use one communal tap and there are no toilets, according to community leader Keanetse Lesesa, who was washing her clothes at the tap. On the street.

Joshua Matshidiso, who collected his social grant in Uitenhage CBD on Wednesday, says the lockdown rules were obeyed inside the SASSA paypoint. Photo by Mzwandile Bhefile

By Mkhuseli Sizani

Police and soldiers impounded taxis in Enjoli Square taxi rank in KwaZakhele, Port Elizabeth, on Tuesday, after some taxi operators went on a wildcat strike. They were demanding compensation during the national lockdown to disrupt the spread of Covid-19. Hundreds of social grant beneficiaries and shoppers were left stranded.

As early as 5am, taxi drivers blocked roads with their vehicles. They chased informal taxis away, ordering them not to ferry people. The M17 to Motherwell, Daku Road, Enjoli Square, Enjoli and New Brighton roads were blocked.

Police used stun grenades and rubber bullets. The K9 dog unit was called to arrest the protesters. Soldiers and military police arrived in armoured cars and shut down the taxi rank. Taximen and taxi fare collectors were arrested.

Luwezo Fati, a passenger from Wells Estate, was hit by rubber bullets. “This is painful because I only came here to buy food,” he said.

Pensioners Lovey and Nomsa Pike were among many left stranded. Nomsa said, “I came all the way from KwaNoxolo Township to get my [social] grant at Shoprite in Emagaleni township. I arrived here at 6:30am and now is 11:30am, but I can’t go back home because there are no taxis.”

Nobuntu Vungayi, 73, who was left stranded at Kenako Mall, said, “Jikeleza taxi drivers are charging us R30 and R50 to take us to our homes, instead of a normal R11 taxi fee.”

Mawonga Johnson of Uncedo Taxi Association said, “This government treats us as fools. We are not consulted … Our working hours and number of passengers were reduced, why are we not being compensated for that? These taxis are still owned by banks and we have to pay their big instalments.”

“A 15-seater taxi is only allowed to carry seven passengers. A six-seater Avanza taxi has to carry three passengers. We cannot make a living with such a little income,” he said.

“Only the social grant earners are important to this government. Since yesterday our working hours were increased from 5am to 8pm to transport the SASSA beneficiaries. We decided not to work today in order for this government to see the need and importance of our services in this country. We will protest until our demands are met.”

But Kwayiyo Msustwana, spokesperson for Uncedo Taxi Association, distanced the organisation from the taxi drivers’ actions.

“On Wednesday last week a decision was taken and our chairperson, Zamani Rasmeni, ordered us to tell our members to suspend services after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the 21 days of the national lockdown last week.

“Since Friday, we suspended all our operations heeding the President’s call. We took that decision because we did not want our members to have their vehicles impounded. If someone has his vehicle impounded while we suspended our services it’s his own problem.”

“What happened today was a result of the members who did not receive our chairperson’s call that no Uncedo Taxi Association will operate up and until the President makes another call that we can operate again after the lockdown,” he said.

Msustwana said, “It would be better to be compensated during this lockdown … There is no way we can allow our taxis to transport one person from Motherwell for R12. We will be running our business at a loss.”

Songezo Mpanda, Chairperson of the Nelson Mandela Bay Regional Council, which falls under the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO), said, “Money is not more important than our lives. We should heed to the national lockdown. The lockdown is meant to protect us, the drivers, commuters and families.”

“SANTACO is handling this matter with Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula to get compensated,” he said.

Police spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge said he was awaiting final confirmation but about ten taxis were impounded and several arrests were made.

By Phumlani Saul
Community members in Rocklands farm near Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape made a citizen’s arrest on Tuesday following the death of five people in an alleged arson attack.

A police spokesperson Colonel Sibongile Soci says a community member allegedly saw the 32-year-old suspect setting the fire.

The suspect’s 30-year-old girlfriend, her 46-year-old mother, her 24-year-old sister and her five-month-old nephew died in the fire, including a 34-year-old pastor who was in the house at the time.

Colonel Soci says the suspect was handed over to the police and he is expected to appear in the local Magistrates Court soon.

He will be charged with five counts of murder including arson.

Police would not speculate on the motive of the incident.

On Tuesday, a delegation from the provincial government, including two MEC’s and the mayors of Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and Kwaduka Local Council, visited Rocklands farm on Tuesday.

Acting executive Mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay Tshonono Buyeye was part of the delegation urged communities to remain calm and stop abusing alcohol.

He said Government would not tolerate any violence targeting women, children and vulnerable groups during the national lockdown.

By Phumlani Saul

The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Metro Police fired the first salvo to show that the transgression of regulations, imposed to curb the transmission of the novel coronavirus, will be enforced by fining a Central nightclub R 2500 for selling alcohol after 6pm.

Metro Police Chief Yolande Faro said the offense was penalised as part of law enforcement patrols focused on law enforcement on Friday night in Central.

The non-compliance fine is in accordance with regulation 8 as published in Government Gazette 43107 that limits the sale, dispensing or transportation of liquor stating:

8  (1). All on-consumption premises selling liquor, including taverns, restaurants and clubs, must be closed with immediate effect, or accommodate no more than 50 persons at any time…

    (4) All on-consumption premises selling liquor referred to in subregulation (1) must be closed –

      (i) between 18:00 and 09:00 the next morning on weekdays and Saturdays.

Shane Brown, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Director of Disaster Management, said this decisive action is indicative of the stern consequences facing individuals disregarding the regulations published as part of the national disaster proclamation.

“We would like to appeal to clergy and funeral directions and families to ensure that no more than 100 people are present at church or funeral services.

“We are working closely with the police to ensure that compliance is enforced. No exceptions will be tolerated,” Brown said.

By Daily Kasi News Reporter

Tough-talking health MEC Sindiswa Gomba, who held a press briefing with the SA Council of Churches on Monday morning, said patient one — who  allegedly claimed to be exercising her right to freedom of movement after testing positive for the virus following her trip from Germany — should not infringe on the rights of others.

The provincial government is scrambling to quarantine Eastern Cape’s Covid-19 patient zero, who has been roaming around East London in defiance of the state’s containment measures.

Gomba said: “[She] places people at unnecessary risk and as such, we want to call on law enforcement agencies to deal decisively with anyone found to be in contravention of the national state of disaster regulations that have been gazetted.

By Mzwandile Bhefile

A couple was completely naked at 8pm when they fell victim to an attack.

A man was shot dead on Monday night in Gunguluza area 11 Park in Uitenhage, allegedly while having sex with a woman in his car.

both were naked at about 8pm, when an unknown man put his hand through the open car window and reached for the keys in the ignition. The car was idling at the time, according to Uitenhage police spokesman Captain Dereck Vijiam.

When the driver struggled with the criminal, he produced a gun and shot the driver in the head. The driver died at the scene but not before he tried to pull off, which resulted in his car striking a low wall.

His companion fled the car through an open back window.

Police have interviewed the female companion and are investigating.

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By Daily Kasi News Reporter

The Department of Health has confirmed the second case of covid-19 in the Eastern Cape.

In the latest report released on Sunday, the Department of Health said that the number of confirmed cases countrywide has now risen to 274, an increase of 34 from Saturday.

The latest confirmed case in the Eastern Cape is a 22-year-old male who had travelled to Austria, Germany and the United Kingdom.

The other one was that of a 28-year-old woman who had travelled to Germany.

According to the Department of Health, Gauteng has the highest number of confirmed cases at 132, Western Cape 88 and Kwazulu Natal 36.

Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation on today on decisions taken at a meeting of the National Command Council. 

Minister in the Presidency, Jackson Mthembu, said the Council was deliberating on a number of issues, including how to mitigate the socio-economic impact of covid-19 on the people, particularly the poor and the vulnerable.

By Mbulelo Stokwe

Protesters torched two trucks during a service delivery protest on the N-2 in the vicinity of Markman Industrial Area near Motherwell in Port Elizabeth on Thursday night.

Police spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge told Daily Kasi News a milk delivery truck, without cargo was set alight on the N2, whilst another truck was stoned and set alight on the M17.

Reports on Friday morning indicate that the protesters were back on the streets.

Commuters at a taxi rank in Motherwell were left stranded on Friday morning as they were unable to board their buses or taxi’s.

Protesters have barricaded the entrance into the township.

It is not yet clear what the community is protesting about but it is alleged that it has to do with electricity.

Police are on the scene monitoring the situation. 

By Nomathamsanqa kefile

Three Primary Schools in Uitenhage have decided to close their doors a week before the end of the term due to safety concerns as a result of shootings in the area.

C.W Hendrikse, Dalrose and Seagull Primary Schools individually issued warnings on their social media platforms on Thursday.

The principal of C.W Hendrikse, Abdul Receit, says the decision to close the school for the rest of the term was made due to their safety concerns for the learners.

He says he made contact with Dalrose and Seagull as they are all in close proximity.

Receit says he also made contact with his Education Development Officer (EDO) who informed him to assess the situation and make a decision.

Meanwhile, Uitenhage police are investigating a case of attempted murder following an incident in which multiple shots were fired at a 35-year-old man on Thursday.

Police spokesperson Captain, Gerda Swart says two unknown men were running, when they suddenly approached the complainant’s Volkswagen Polo in Kamesh Road.

She says they both suddenly took out firearms and fired several shots at the man who was on his way home.

Swarts says he, however, managed to speed off without sustaining any injuries and reported the incident to the police.

“Concerted efforts to effectively fight the proliferation and usage of illegal firearms in the Uitenhage Cluster will continue as SAPS Kamesh detectives are currently investigating a case of attempted murder,” she said.