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.

By Phumlani Saul

Several house robbery suspects have been arrested in Kariega. 

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said four suspects, aged between 25 and 30, had been detained in two cases of house robbery.

In the first incident, on Thursday at about 2.20am, a 38-year-old complainant was awoken by a familiar voice calling her.

“Four males entered the house, and one male known to the complainant  pointed a firearm at her.

Two schoolbags, a primus stove and a jacket were taken by the suspects.

“The incident took place in Lawu Street in Greenshields 2 in Kamesh,” she said.

In the second incident, at about 4pm on the same day, another complainant, 36, and his wife were at their Tambo Street home in Mandela Village when five males entered the house through the front door.The suspects were armed with knives.

“A laptop charger, a spade, a hammer, a blue jacket and a cellphone were taken.

“When the complainant resisted, he was stabbed in his left shoulder.

“The complainant’s wife managed to flee.”

Following police investigations, four suspects were arrested at about 1.30am on Monday morning.
The suspects were arrested at separate houses in the Greenshields area.

The schoolbags and the primus stove were recovered.

The other suspects are still at large.

The arrested suspects are expected to appear in the Kariega magistrate’s court on Tuesday.

By Nomalungelo Booi

An unidentified man was found murdered in the bushes behind  Despatch at the weekend. 

Despatch detectives are urgently seeking help in tracing the murder suspects as well as the next of kin of the  man.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said the man was found near San Souci Road between Jagvlakte and the Logistics Park in Despatch.

She said that on Friday morning police were alerted to a body in an open field.

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“Preliminary investigation indicates that on Thursday evening at about 11pm, three unknown males were seen assaulting the man.

“He sustained multiple open wounds and bruises to his body as well as burns on both feet.

“The suspects then drove off in a red taxi.

BY Lawrence Armoed

Pregnant women are made to sleep on floors and chairs at Dora Nginza Hospital as they wait for a spot in theatre, with the waiting list for caesarean sections getting longer and longer.

Each night the pregnant women watch as nurses roll out thin mattresses which often have to be shared. 

Reclining armchairs have also been provided, but there are not enough to go around.

Mothers who have just given birth also sleep on the floor of the hospital’s maternity ward with their babies, using the mattress supplied by the hospital.

On average, doctors working in the maternity ward perform up to 25 C-sections a day.

But the backlog continues to grow as the beleaguered hospital also caters to women living outside Nelson Mandela Bay.

High-risk patients from Humansdorp, Cradock, Graaff-Reinet and Port Alfred are often admitted to the hospital.

Siyolise Davashe of Motherwell started to feel contractions on Wednesday and was rushed to the hospital.

When she arrived, Davashe said, a nurse told her she was close to giving birth and would need a bed.

However, other nurses told her it would not be possible and her name would be added to the waiting list.

It has been terrible. The nurses do provide mattresses for us to sleep on, but we have to share them even though we are all heavily pregnant,” she said.

She said each mattress was shared by at least two women.

“They said we must stay here but with how things are, giving birth at home might be better.”

A woman, whose daughter had just given birth, said even prisoners managed to get their own beds in jail.

I bet they have enough food and beds,” she said.

She said when they arrived at the hospital late on Wednesday night, several women were sleeping in the passageway.

“It is unacceptable that women in such critical condition must do this.”

Provincial health department spokesperson Yonela Dekeda said she was not aware of the issue.

“The matter has not been brought to our attention, but we will investigate the claims,” she said.

A healthcare worker in the maternity ward said there had also been an increase of pregnant women arriving at the hospital.

“The bed issue has been an ongoing problem, but the hospital tried to provide the women with mattresses to sleep on the floor and recliner chairs,” she said.

Another healthcare worker said the hospital often faced backlogs in performing C-sections.

He said the situation was made worse as there were not enough theatre sisters to assist the doctors who performed the operation.

“When a patient has a C-section, they usually spend three days in the hospital.

“This also makes the waiting list for a bed and a scheduled date even longer,” he said. 

He denied that expecting mothers were sleeping on mattresses on the floor.

“Shortly after the Covid-19 pandemic hit, the hospital bought about 10 recliners for each ward so that expectant mothers are somewhat comfortable while waiting for a bed to become available.

“They are monitored just like the other patients. Being in a recliner means that you are next in line for a bed,” he said.

But a reporter spoke to several pregnant women and mothers outside the hospital on Thursday after pictures were sent to Daily Kasi News. They all confirmed having to sleep on the floor with mattresses.

Many of the women were seen trying to get comfortable in plastic chairs.

Another pregnant woman, who had been at the hospital for three days, said she feared the cold floor would affect her baby’s health once born.

“It’s so cold at night and this must be a health risk for pregnant women,” she said.

Candice Cornelius said she spent eight days at the hospital, alternating between a recliner and mattresses on the floor.

She was booked for a C-section on March 16 and was told to arrive early at the hospital on the day.

“I got to the hospital and there were rows of women sitting on chairs.

“When I asked the doctor on duty, he told me they were all waiting for the same operation,” she said.

She was told the C-section would be done when a bed was free in the maternity ward.

“It was hell for me. I cried so much. I was 40 weeks’ pregnant, and nothing was being done.

“Then every day they told us after 10pm we must not eat [due to the possibility of the operation taking place],” she said.

She said there was no communication and she had to always ask nurses for food.

“Visitors were not allowed inside. I was in pain and had to walk outside to get food from my family.

“Some days I would just sit there and not collect the food.”

Cornelius said the C-section was done on March 22. She was discharged on March 25.

“What I went through I don’t wish upon my worst enemy.”

Another woman, who did not want to be named, said she was admitted on March 17.

She said she was told they were expected to share a mattress.

“I didn’t sleep at all after that as I then had a bad back.

“I was in the hospital for 10 days and had bad experiences with the nurses who think they own that place,” she said

By Phumlani Saul

“Divas concert because we also want to highlight our contribution to the fight against gender-based violencewhich has now been declared the second pandemic in our country.”

The annual cultural flagship picnic themed Ebubeleni Festival is BACK EARLY. The event forms part of the Ebubeleni Festival’s Concert Series as a build-up to the main events in December.

Gqeberha Divas Concert — A Tribute to Women —  is a live music concert dedicated to celebrating, uniting, supporting and empowering women.

Mahambehlala Communications chief executive and event organiser Marc Mahambehlala said:

“this was part of reviving the city’s arts sector and economy after it was severely knocked down by the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown for two years.The past two years of the pandemic have drastically impacted negatively on the arts, culture and events industry, but we’ve continued to keep the fires burning by creating some form of employment, providing a platform for local artist and contributing to the economy of Nelson Mandela Bay,” Mahambehlala said.

Now we are working towards rebuilding the industry.”

The concert will be headlined by Gqeberha-born and bred musician, performer and songwriter Ami Faku, supported by afro-soul singer Thoko Makamba, and vibrant and popular Bay DJs Lorna Targaryen and DJ Zazmoney.

The concert will be hosted by radio and TV presenter Sima Fiyo.

The Gqeberha Divas Concert will be held at The Gallery on Produce on April 29.

Music lovers are encouraged to dress up for the show and enjoy live music in honour of women.

The organisers believe artists will appreciate having some form of activity in the city while also earning a bit of income through the event series, especially as the country is starting afresh and working towards regaining its lost economy.

“We are kicking off the concert series with the Divas concert because we also want to highlight our contribution to the fight against gender-based violence, which has now been declared the second pandemic in our country.

“Women should be celebrated and appreciated every day, not only during the set-aside date in August,” Mahambehlala said. 

For the first time in 2021, the countdown to the city’s biggest festival began in April with the inaugural Ebubeleni Fashion Show, where 10 Eastern Cape designers showed their work  alongside several student designers from Nelson Mandela University. 

Usually held in the last week of December, last year’s four-day festival was held early in the month as SA had anticipated a fourth wave of Covid-19 infections that could potentially have led to harsher lockdown restrictions at the time.

Mahambehlala said the Gqeberha Divas concert was a partnership between Mahambehlala Communications, the National Arts Council of SA, the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency and Nkqubela FM.

Tickets cost R200 for general seats, and R300 for VIP, on Webtickets and at Pick n Pay stores.

Doors will open at 6pm.

By Nomalungelo Booi

A Motherwell teen was struck dead by lightning during the sudden storm that broke in Gqeberha on Tuesday afternoon.

Police spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge said Athinkosi Nofeliti, 17, died instantly when he was struck by lightning in NU29 while returning home after soccer practice in NU30.

Beetge said Nofeliti was struck at about 5.30pm while walking across an open space close to Sisulu Street in NU29.

“He passed away on the scene — he was on his way home to NU29 after a soccer practice.”  

Beetge said Motherwell SAPS had opened an inquest docket.