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Private-sector Suppliers to Help Tackle FMD Vaccine Shortage

Statement by Désirée van der Walt MP – DA Spokesperson on Agriculture: Minister Willie Aucamp’s move to allow qualifying private companies to use the Agricultural Research Council’s (ARC) intellectual property to manufacture its Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine at scale means more vaccines for cattle across the country. This is an important step towards …

Statement by Désirée van der Walt MP – DA Spokesperson on Agriculture:

Minister Willie Aucamp’s move to allow qualifying private companies to use the Agricultural Research Council’s (ARC) intellectual property to manufacture its Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine at scale means more vaccines for cattle across the country.

This is an important step towards getting more vaccines into the hands of farmers and strengthening South Africa’s response to the FMD outbreak.

The Minister’s decision also recognises that government cannot solve this crisis alone. Bringing the private sector into vaccine production will add much-needed manufacturing capacity while the ARC works to rebuild and expand its own production capability.

Related: Foot-and-Mouth disease hits Inxuba Yethemba

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Foot-and-Mouth disease hits Inxuba Yethemba

Statement by Cllr Bettie Lawens – DA Inxuba Yethemba Mayoral Candidate: The Democratic Alliance has written to the Inxuba Yethemba Municipal Manager to demand urgent action regarding the control of stray livestock, following confirmation of Foot-and-Mouth Disease at three local farms. The municipality must explain why livestock are still roaming unchecked when controlling animal movement …

Statement by Cllr Bettie Lawens – DA Inxuba Yethemba Mayoral Candidate:

The Democratic Alliance has written to the Inxuba Yethemba Municipal Manager to demand urgent action regarding the control of stray livestock, following confirmation of Foot-and-Mouth Disease at three local farms.

The municipality must explain why livestock are still roaming unchecked when controlling animal movement is essential to containing this highly contagious disease. Its failure to address stray animals risks undermining efforts to protect local herds and the livelihoods that depend on them.

The State Veterinarian has confirmed that Elandsdrift Dairy, Marlow Dairy, and Elandsvallei Farm have all recently tested positive. All three properties are under quarantine, with vaccine supplies being prioritised for farms closest to the outbreaks.

Farmers are being asked to restrict movement and maintain strict biosecurity.

These precautions become harder to sustain when stray livestock can come into contact with other herds. Uncontrolled movement also makes potentially exposed animals more difficult to trace.

We have demanded an urgent operational plan detailing how the municipality will identify stray livestock, trace their owners, and ensure safe containment in coordination with the State Veterinarian.

The Municipal Manager must also account for the availability of suitable pound facilities, personnel and vehicles assigned to livestock control, and enforcement against owners who allow their animals to roam.

Residents need a clear reporting contact backed by an effective response.

Any collection, transport, or impoundment must follow veterinary instructions and disease-control restrictions. Moving potentially infected animals into a shared pound without these safeguards could make matters worse.

Livestock owners must keep their animals secure and comply with veterinary instructions. The municipality must enforce the rules and support the veterinary teams working to contain the outbreak.

Farmers and farm workers face the consequences when livestock control fails. Inxuba Yethemba must act urgently to protect their livelihoods and prevent stray animals from becoming a route for further infection.

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Municipality Pays R2 780 of R12 Million Monthly Bill

Statement by Cllr Bettie Lawens – DA Mayoral Candidate for Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality: Damning revelations have come to light, exposing how the Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality completely disregarded several payment agreements put in place to curb its spiralling Eskom debt. Despite defaulting on the National Treasury Municipal Debt Relief Programme and then entering into …

Statement by Cllr Bettie Lawens – DA Mayoral Candidate for Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality:

Damning revelations have come to light, exposing how the Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality completely disregarded several payment agreements put in place to curb its spiralling Eskom debt.

Despite defaulting on the National Treasury Municipal Debt Relief Programme and then entering into an additional debt relief agreement, the municipality continued to ignore payments due to the parastatal, racking up an additional R111 million in debt while paying back just over R2 million.

In response to a question submitted in the Eastern Cape Legislature by DA MPL Heinrich Müller, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Zolile Williams revealed that Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality’s Eskom debt had reached approximately R799.8 million by August 2025.

Documents included in Williams’s response show the true extent of IYLM’s culture of non-payment.

An Eskom presentation dated 10 October 2025 shows that, across six billing cycles between April and September, IYLM was billed R111.1 million but paid only R2 million. This amounts to less than 2% of the electricity billed during that period. One month, the municipality’s total repayment amounted to just R2 780.02, against a monthly bill of close to R12.8 million.

This directly breached the April 2025 cooperation agreement, which required IYLM to pay its current Eskom account in full and contribute at least R500,000 a month towards its arrears.

The pattern has continued. Eskom told the NCOP in August 2026 that IYLM’s overdue debt had reached approximately R943 million by the end of June. This was a further increase of more than R143 million in ten months.

Eskom also confirmed that the municipality’s proposed monthly payment was insufficient to cover its current electricity account and that IYLM had not committed to implementing a Distribution Agency Agreement.

In May 2026, Eskom placed IYLM on a bulk prepayment arrangement, limiting the municipality’s electricity supply to the amount it had paid for in advance. Eskom has since warned that it may have no option but to proceed with a PAJA process against the municipality.

I will submit a formal question to Council demanding the latest Eskom balance, a full reconciliation of electricity revenue collected and payments made to Eskom, clarity on IYLM’s compliance with the debt-relief programme, and an explanation of why the municipality has not committed to the Distribution Agency Agreement.

Residents who pay for electricity deserve to know what happened to that revenue and why the municipality repeatedly failed to honour its obligations.

A DA-led administration would ring-fence electricity revenue, prioritise the current Eskom account, implement a credible repayment plan, and report monthly to Council and residents on revenue collected and payments made.

IYLM cannot begin reducing its historic debt while it continues creating new debt. The DA will bring the financial discipline and accountability needed to stabilise the municipality and protect residents from further electricity insecurity.

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Three dead after head-on collision on N10 near Nxuba | Komani Karoo Express

… Cradock) in the early hours of 17 September. According to the Eastern Cape Department of Transport, the collision occurred at approximately 02:30 … First Published here: Google News Did You Know? Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly …

… Cradock) in the early hours of 17 September. According to the Eastern Cape Department of Transport, the collision occurred at approximately 02:30 …

First Published here: Google News

Did You Know?

  • Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful area with its excellent grazing, abundant water and healthy climate.
  • Cradock was officially renamed Nxuba on 26 August 2022. This change was officially gazetted by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, and it was part of a broader effort to rename towns with colonial or apartheid legacies in the Eastern Cape.
  • Home to an actual Harry Potter’s grave: A British soldier with the name Harry Potter, who died during the South African War (Anglo-Boer War), is buried in the Cradock cemetery. His grave was discovered in 2002, long before the fictional character became a global phenomenon.
  • Location of the last surrender of arms in the South African War: Cradock was the final place in South Africa where arms were officially laid down at the end of the South African War, with the event occurring four days after the Peace of Vereeniging was signed in 1902.
  • Birthplace of Afrikaans publication: The first-ever article published in the Afrikaans language appeared in the local newspaper, the Cradock News, on December 4, 1868. This was a report on the separation of the Eastern Cape from the Western Cape, and the paper achieved the largest circulation in the country at the time.
  • Second oldest cricket ground and library in South Africa: Cradock’s cricket ground and library are both the second oldest in the entire country, a testament to the town’s early establishment and development of civic amenities.
  • Host to a total solar eclipse viewing by a Prime Minister: In 1942, the South African statesman and Prime Minister Jan Smuts came specifically to Cradock to witness a total eclipse of the sun, as the town was the best location for viewing the celestial event.
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Fish River Canoe Marathon 2026 Cancelled Due to Foot and Mouth Disease in Eastern Cape

The Fish River Canoe Marathon 2026 in Cradock has been cancelled over Eastern Cape FMD concerns; paddlers get full refunds, with the race … First Published here: Google News Did You Know? Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly …

The Fish River Canoe Marathon 2026 in Cradock has been cancelled over Eastern Cape FMD concerns; paddlers get full refunds, with the race …

First Published here: Google News

Did You Know?

  • Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful area with its excellent grazing, abundant water and healthy climate.
  • Cradock was officially renamed Nxuba on 26 August 2022. This change was officially gazetted by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, and it was part of a broader effort to rename towns with colonial or apartheid legacies in the Eastern Cape.
  • Home to an actual Harry Potter’s grave: A British soldier with the name Harry Potter, who died during the South African War (Anglo-Boer War), is buried in the Cradock cemetery. His grave was discovered in 2002, long before the fictional character became a global phenomenon.
  • Location of the last surrender of arms in the South African War: Cradock was the final place in South Africa where arms were officially laid down at the end of the South African War, with the event occurring four days after the Peace of Vereeniging was signed in 1902.
  • Birthplace of Afrikaans publication: The first-ever article published in the Afrikaans language appeared in the local newspaper, the Cradock News, on December 4, 1868. This was a report on the separation of the Eastern Cape from the Western Cape, and the paper achieved the largest circulation in the country at the time.
  • Second oldest cricket ground and library in South Africa: Cradock’s cricket ground and library are both the second oldest in the entire country, a testament to the town’s early establishment and development of civic amenities.
  • Host to a total solar eclipse viewing by a Prime Minister: In 1942, the South African statesman and Prime Minister Jan Smuts came specifically to Cradock to witness a total eclipse of the sun, as the town was the best location for viewing the celestial event.
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Dr Beyers Naudé Ward Councillor Candidates

Statement by Andrew Whitfield MPL – DA EC Provincial Leader: Today, the Democratic Alliance launched our team of ward and proportional representation candidates who will contest the 2026 Local Government Elections in Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality. Led by DA Dr Beyers Naudé Mayoral Candidate Eldrige Ruiters, this team is asking residents to entrust the …

Statement by Andrew Whitfield MPL – DA EC Provincial Leader:

Today, the Democratic Alliance launched our team of ward and proportional representation candidates who will contest the 2026 Local Government Elections in Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality.

Led by DA Dr Beyers Naudé Mayoral Candidate Eldrige Ruiters, this team is asking residents to entrust the DA with five years to restore financial discipline, rebuild municipal services, and get Dr Beyers Naudé working for all.

Residents across this vast municipality know what happens when basic local government stops working. Roads and infrastructure deteriorate, refuse and illegal dumping become persistent problems, municipal services become unreliable, and communities are forced to fight repeatedly for services they should be able to take for granted.

At the same time, Dr Beyers Naudé Municipality is under severe financial pressure. Every rand wasted through poor financial management is a rand that cannot be spent repairing infrastructure, maintaining roads, delivering reliable services, or creating an environment in which businesses can invest and create jobs.

The people of Dr Beyers Naudé deserve better.

Under Eldrige Ruiters, a DA government will restore responsible financial management and ensure that municipal resources are directed towards delivering services to residents. We will prioritise reliable basic services, functioning infrastructure, cleaner and safer communities, and a municipality that treats residents and businesses as partners rather than an inconvenience.

We will also work to rebuild confidence in the municipality and create an environment in which local businesses, agriculture, tourism, and entrepreneurs can grow and create employment.

Dr Beyers Naudé stretches across some of the Eastern Cape’s most geographically dispersed communities, from Graaff-Reinet and Aberdeen to Nieu-Bethesda, Jansenville, Klipplaat, Steytlerville, Willowmore, Rietbron, and the surrounding farming areas. Distance cannot be allowed to determine whether a community receives functioning municipal services.

Every resident, regardless of where they live, deserves a municipality that works.

The DA’s campaign remains squarely focused on defeating the ANC and replacing years of weak financial management and declining services with capable, accountable government.

This election presents residents with a clear choice: another five years of decline under an ANC-led government, or a DA government with a plan to stabilise the municipality, restore services, and get Dr Beyers Naudé working for all.

Our candidates have been selected through the DA’s rigorous candidate selection process and are committed to serving their communities with integrity, accountability, and professionalism.

The DA’s ward candidates are:

  • Ward 1: Brenden Flippies
  • Ward 2: Ricardo Smith
  • Ward 3: James Lomberg
  • Ward 4: Joy Williams
  • Ward 5: Pam Du Plessis
  • Ward 6: Mona Sais
  • Ward 7: Johnnika Arries
  • Ward 8: Ewald Loock
  • Ward 9: Anthony Galant
  • Ward 10: Wilton Le Grange
  • Ward 11: Zanthia Cronje
  • Ward 12: Mandy Deyzel

The DA’s proportional representation candidates, in alphabetical order by surname, are:

  • Danie Bezuidenhout
  • Martin Block
  • Dewald Pienaar
  • Eldrige Ruiters
  • Sakkie Van Zyl

Together, this team will take the DA’s offer to every community across Dr Beyers Naudé and ask residents to vote for a government that respects their money, delivers the basics, and puts residents first.

The DA is ready to win Dr Beyers Naudé and get it working for all.

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Blue Crane Route Ward Candidates

Statement by Andrew Whitfield MPL – DA Eastern Cape Provincial Leader: The DA’s Eastern Cape candidate launch roadshow continued today with the successful launch of our Blue Crane Route candidate team in Somerset East. Today, I had the honour of introducing this team alongside DA Blue Crane Route Mayoral Candidate Cllr Lorraine Smith Johnson and …

Statement by Andrew Whitfield MPL – DA Eastern Cape Provincial Leader:

The DA’s Eastern Cape candidate launch roadshow continued today with the successful launch of our Blue Crane Route candidate team in Somerset East.

Today, I had the honour of introducing this team alongside DA Blue Crane Route Mayoral Candidate Cllr Lorraine Smith Johnson and DA Zuurberg Constituency Leader Dr Malcolm Figg MPL.

The DA already holds five of the 11 seats in the current Blue Crane Route Council. By winning Ward 4 from the ANC in the April 2024 by-election, the DA deprived the ANC of its majority and demonstrated that residents are ready for change.

Today, only one Council seat separates Blue Crane Route from an outright DA majority and the stable, accountable government that residents deserve.

The candidates introduced today are:

Ward candidates

  • Ward 1: Requel Lourens
  • Ward 2: Jonathan Martin
  • Ward 3: May Adams
  • Ward 4: Herbert Davenport
  • Ward 5: Lorraine Smith Johnson
  • Ward 6: Hans Hendricks

Proportional representation candidates

  • Deon Besters
  • Chantel de Lange
  • Crecentia Fillis
  • Archer Heynse
  • Godfrey Mintoor
  • Tyrique Petrus
  • Ambruce van Gend
  • Deon Zoeloe

These candidates have undergone the DA’s rigorous selection process and have been chosen to provide the communities of Somerset East, Cookhouse, Pearston, and the surrounding rural areas with capable, accountable, and fit-for-purpose representatives.

Under the leadership of Lorraine Smith Johnson, this team will campaign on a clear commitment to restore the basics across the Blue Crane Route.

The DA’s offer is to build a clean, safe, and corruption-free municipality, restore reliable basic services, protect public money, and create the conditions needed for businesses, agriculture, and local entrepreneurs to grow and create jobs.

It is an offer of honest government that serves every community and a municipality that works for all.

Residents do not have to accept another term in which the balance of power rests with one councillor and the municipality’s future is determined by political deals. They now have a credible opportunity to elect a stable DA majority with a clear mandate to govern.

The DA has the mayoral candidate, the candidate team, and the plan needed to win Blue Crane Route and get the municipality working for all.

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Dead witnesses, vanished neurosurgeon, missing documents: Biko inquest finally gets under way

Craig Williamson during his testimony in the Cradock Four inquest in the Gqeberha High Court last year. Candice Bezuidenhout/News24. A majority of the … First Published here: Google News Did You Know? Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly …

Craig Williamson during his testimony in the Cradock Four inquest in the Gqeberha High Court last year. Candice Bezuidenhout/News24. A majority of the …

First Published here: Google News

Did You Know?

  • Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful area with its excellent grazing, abundant water and healthy climate.
  • Cradock was officially renamed Nxuba on 26 August 2022. This change was officially gazetted by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, and it was part of a broader effort to rename towns with colonial or apartheid legacies in the Eastern Cape.
  • Home to an actual Harry Potter’s grave: A British soldier with the name Harry Potter, who died during the South African War (Anglo-Boer War), is buried in the Cradock cemetery. His grave was discovered in 2002, long before the fictional character became a global phenomenon.
  • Location of the last surrender of arms in the South African War: Cradock was the final place in South Africa where arms were officially laid down at the end of the South African War, with the event occurring four days after the Peace of Vereeniging was signed in 1902.
  • Birthplace of Afrikaans publication: The first-ever article published in the Afrikaans language appeared in the local newspaper, the Cradock News, on December 4, 1868. This was a report on the separation of the Eastern Cape from the Western Cape, and the paper achieved the largest circulation in the country at the time.
  • Second oldest cricket ground and library in South Africa: Cradock’s cricket ground and library are both the second oldest in the entire country, a testament to the town’s early establishment and development of civic amenities.
  • Host to a total solar eclipse viewing by a Prime Minister: In 1942, the South African statesman and Prime Minister Jan Smuts came specifically to Cradock to witness a total eclipse of the sun, as the town was the best location for viewing the celestial event.
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Steve Biko's family wants former apartheid spy subpoenaed to reopened inquest – EWN

Craig Williamson was a senior figure in the regime's security apparatus and gave evidence at the reopened Cradock Four inquest. First Published here: Google News Did You Know? Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful area with …

Craig Williamson was a senior figure in the regime's security apparatus and gave evidence at the reopened Cradock Four inquest.

First Published here: Google News

Did You Know?

  • Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful area with its excellent grazing, abundant water and healthy climate.
  • Cradock was officially renamed Nxuba on 26 August 2022. This change was officially gazetted by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, and it was part of a broader effort to rename towns with colonial or apartheid legacies in the Eastern Cape.
  • Home to an actual Harry Potter’s grave: A British soldier with the name Harry Potter, who died during the South African War (Anglo-Boer War), is buried in the Cradock cemetery. His grave was discovered in 2002, long before the fictional character became a global phenomenon.
  • Location of the last surrender of arms in the South African War: Cradock was the final place in South Africa where arms were officially laid down at the end of the South African War, with the event occurring four days after the Peace of Vereeniging was signed in 1902.
  • Birthplace of Afrikaans publication: The first-ever article published in the Afrikaans language appeared in the local newspaper, the Cradock News, on December 4, 1868. This was a report on the separation of the Eastern Cape from the Western Cape, and the paper achieved the largest circulation in the country at the time.
  • Second oldest cricket ground and library in South Africa: Cradock’s cricket ground and library are both the second oldest in the entire country, a testament to the town’s early establishment and development of civic amenities.
  • Host to a total solar eclipse viewing by a Prime Minister: In 1942, the South African statesman and Prime Minister Jan Smuts came specifically to Cradock to witness a total eclipse of the sun, as the town was the best location for viewing the celestial event.
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Justice Minister Lamola Applauded for TRC Cases Role – Mail & Guardian

He was referring to several key cases that resulted in landmark judgments, including those involving Ahmed Timol, the Cradock Four, Chief Albert … First Published here: Google News Did You Know? Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful …

He was referring to several key cases that resulted in landmark judgments, including those involving Ahmed Timol, the Cradock Four, Chief Albert …

First Published here: Google News

Did You Know?

  • Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful area with its excellent grazing, abundant water and healthy climate.
  • Cradock was officially renamed Nxuba on 26 August 2022. This change was officially gazetted by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, and it was part of a broader effort to rename towns with colonial or apartheid legacies in the Eastern Cape.
  • Home to an actual Harry Potter’s grave: A British soldier with the name Harry Potter, who died during the South African War (Anglo-Boer War), is buried in the Cradock cemetery. His grave was discovered in 2002, long before the fictional character became a global phenomenon.
  • Location of the last surrender of arms in the South African War: Cradock was the final place in South Africa where arms were officially laid down at the end of the South African War, with the event occurring four days after the Peace of Vereeniging was signed in 1902.
  • Birthplace of Afrikaans publication: The first-ever article published in the Afrikaans language appeared in the local newspaper, the Cradock News, on December 4, 1868. This was a report on the separation of the Eastern Cape from the Western Cape, and the paper achieved the largest circulation in the country at the time.
  • Second oldest cricket ground and library in South Africa: Cradock’s cricket ground and library are both the second oldest in the entire country, a testament to the town’s early establishment and development of civic amenities.
  • Host to a total solar eclipse viewing by a Prime Minister: In 1942, the South African statesman and Prime Minister Jan Smuts came specifically to Cradock to witness a total eclipse of the sun, as the town was the best location for viewing the celestial event.
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Bettie’s Pledges

Statement by Andrew Whitfield MPL – DA Eastern Cape Provincial Leader Six of the DA’s Eastern Cape Mayoral Candidates for the 2026 Local Government Election launched their pledges to the people today. Retief Odendaal MPL (for Nelson Mandela Bay), Mayor Hattingh Bornman (for Kouga), Cllr Luvuyo Sizani (for Makana), Cllr Bettie Lawens (for Inxuba Yethemba), …

Statement by Andrew Whitfield MPL – DA Eastern Cape Provincial Leader

Six of the DA’s Eastern Cape Mayoral Candidates for the 2026 Local Government Election launched their pledges to the people today.

Retief Odendaal MPL (for Nelson Mandela Bay), Mayor Hattingh Bornman (for Kouga), Cllr Luvuyo Sizani (for Makana), Cllr Bettie Lawens (for Inxuba Yethemba), Cllr Lorraine Smith-Johnson (for Blue Crane Route) and Cllr Eldrige Ruiters (for Dr Beyers Naude) shared their visions for their municipalities.

Bettie Lawens has pledged to the residents of Inxuba Yethemba that the DA will deliver a safe and clean municipality, electricity to every household, attract investment and create jobs, stop corruption and improve infrastructure and housing opportunities.

For Nelson Mandela Bay: Retief Odendaal has pledged to make Nelson Bay safe and clean, deliver water and electricity, attract Investment and jobs, stopping corruption and improve infrastructure and housing opportunities.

Mayor Hattingh Bornman has committed to Keep Kouga Working and has pledged jobs and economic growth, lower electricity costs through innovation, safer communities, advanced by-law enforcement and dignity through informal settlement upgrades. Kouga is a bastion of DA service delivery, in the Eastern Cape, and must remain so after this election.

For Makana: Luvuyo Sizani has pledged a safer Makana, more jobs through a stronger local economy, better basic services, honest government that works for you and a Makana that works for everyone.

For Dr Beyers Naude Municipality: Eldrige Ruiters has pledged to cut waste and restore financial discipline, fix the basics, open the municipality to communities and partnerships, restore accountability, transparency and good governance and put residents at the heart of municipal decision-making.

For Blue Crane Route: Lorraine Smith-Johnson has pledged to build a clean, safe and corruption-free municipality, restore basic services, create jobs and grow the local economy, deliver honest government for all create and municipality that work for all.

These are not only the pledges of six DA mayoral candidates in the Eastern Cape, they form part of the DA’s promise to the people of South Africa made in our 2026 Local Government Manifesto.

The DA’s Manifesto provides DA solutions to deal with corruption, services, crime/safety and jobs/local economy.

For these pledges to become reality the people of Nelson Mandela Bay, Kouga, Dr Beyers Naude, Inxuba Yethemba, Makana and Blue Crane Route have the power to unite behind the DA, and to elect a stable government that is not bound to coalition politics.

The DA will get municipalities working for all.

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Severe weather hits South Africa – major routes to avoid – BusinessTech

South Africans warned to remain cautious until roads are declared safe. The road between Graaff-Reinet and Cradock has been affected, while Penhoek … First Published here: Google News Did You Know? Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful …

South Africans warned to remain cautious until roads are declared safe. The road between Graaff-Reinet and Cradock has been affected, while Penhoek …

First Published here: Google News

Did You Know?

  • Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful area with its excellent grazing, abundant water and healthy climate.
  • Cradock was officially renamed Nxuba on 26 August 2022. This change was officially gazetted by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, and it was part of a broader effort to rename towns with colonial or apartheid legacies in the Eastern Cape.
  • Home to an actual Harry Potter’s grave: A British soldier with the name Harry Potter, who died during the South African War (Anglo-Boer War), is buried in the Cradock cemetery. His grave was discovered in 2002, long before the fictional character became a global phenomenon.
  • Location of the last surrender of arms in the South African War: Cradock was the final place in South Africa where arms were officially laid down at the end of the South African War, with the event occurring four days after the Peace of Vereeniging was signed in 1902.
  • Birthplace of Afrikaans publication: The first-ever article published in the Afrikaans language appeared in the local newspaper, the Cradock News, on December 4, 1868. This was a report on the separation of the Eastern Cape from the Western Cape, and the paper achieved the largest circulation in the country at the time.
  • Second oldest cricket ground and library in South Africa: Cradock’s cricket ground and library are both the second oldest in the entire country, a testament to the town’s early establishment and development of civic amenities.
  • Host to a total solar eclipse viewing by a Prime Minister: In 1942, the South African statesman and Prime Minister Jan Smuts came specifically to Cradock to witness a total eclipse of the sun, as the town was the best location for viewing the celestial event.
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Lootsberg Pass remains closed due to snow – Komani News

The department also confirmed that the R61 between Graaff-Reinet and Cradock is currently drivable. Advertisement. There is no snow on the road … First Published here: Google News Did You Know? Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful …

The department also confirmed that the R61 between Graaff-Reinet and Cradock is currently drivable. Advertisement. There is no snow on the road …

First Published here: Google News

Did You Know?

  • Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful area with its excellent grazing, abundant water and healthy climate.
  • Cradock was officially renamed Nxuba on 26 August 2022. This change was officially gazetted by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, and it was part of a broader effort to rename towns with colonial or apartheid legacies in the Eastern Cape.
  • Home to an actual Harry Potter’s grave: A British soldier with the name Harry Potter, who died during the South African War (Anglo-Boer War), is buried in the Cradock cemetery. His grave was discovered in 2002, long before the fictional character became a global phenomenon.
  • Location of the last surrender of arms in the South African War: Cradock was the final place in South Africa where arms were officially laid down at the end of the South African War, with the event occurring four days after the Peace of Vereeniging was signed in 1902.
  • Birthplace of Afrikaans publication: The first-ever article published in the Afrikaans language appeared in the local newspaper, the Cradock News, on December 4, 1868. This was a report on the separation of the Eastern Cape from the Western Cape, and the paper achieved the largest circulation in the country at the time.
  • Second oldest cricket ground and library in South Africa: Cradock’s cricket ground and library are both the second oldest in the entire country, a testament to the town’s early establishment and development of civic amenities.
  • Host to a total solar eclipse viewing by a Prime Minister: In 1942, the South African statesman and Prime Minister Jan Smuts came specifically to Cradock to witness a total eclipse of the sun, as the town was the best location for viewing the celestial event.
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'No political decision' to halt apartheid prosecutions, former deputy minister Jeffrey tells TRC inquiry

This, he recalled, had been “a punch in the gut”. ThammJeffrey Lukhanyo Calata (son of Fort Calata) attends the Cradock Four inquest at the Gqeberha … First Published here: Google News Did You Know? Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in …

This, he recalled, had been “a punch in the gut”. ThammJeffrey Lukhanyo Calata (son of Fort Calata) attends the Cradock Four inquest at the Gqeberha …

First Published here: Google News

Did You Know?

  • Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful area with its excellent grazing, abundant water and healthy climate.
  • Cradock was officially renamed Nxuba on 26 August 2022. This change was officially gazetted by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, and it was part of a broader effort to rename towns with colonial or apartheid legacies in the Eastern Cape.
  • Home to an actual Harry Potter’s grave: A British soldier with the name Harry Potter, who died during the South African War (Anglo-Boer War), is buried in the Cradock cemetery. His grave was discovered in 2002, long before the fictional character became a global phenomenon.
  • Location of the last surrender of arms in the South African War: Cradock was the final place in South Africa where arms were officially laid down at the end of the South African War, with the event occurring four days after the Peace of Vereeniging was signed in 1902.
  • Birthplace of Afrikaans publication: The first-ever article published in the Afrikaans language appeared in the local newspaper, the Cradock News, on December 4, 1868. This was a report on the separation of the Eastern Cape from the Western Cape, and the paper achieved the largest circulation in the country at the time.
  • Second oldest cricket ground and library in South Africa: Cradock’s cricket ground and library are both the second oldest in the entire country, a testament to the town’s early establishment and development of civic amenities.
  • Host to a total solar eclipse viewing by a Prime Minister: In 1942, the South African statesman and Prime Minister Jan Smuts came specifically to Cradock to witness a total eclipse of the sun, as the town was the best location for viewing the celestial event.
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Cradock burial space shortage sparks concern – eNCA

CRADOCK – A shortage of burial space in Cradock, officially known as Inxuba, is raising concerns among residents. The Inxuba Yethemba Local … First Published here: Google News Did You Know? Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful …

CRADOCK – A shortage of burial space in Cradock, officially known as Inxuba, is raising concerns among residents. The Inxuba Yethemba Local …

First Published here: Google News

Did You Know?

  • Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful area with its excellent grazing, abundant water and healthy climate.
  • Cradock was officially renamed Nxuba on 26 August 2022. This change was officially gazetted by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, and it was part of a broader effort to rename towns with colonial or apartheid legacies in the Eastern Cape.
  • Home to an actual Harry Potter’s grave: A British soldier with the name Harry Potter, who died during the South African War (Anglo-Boer War), is buried in the Cradock cemetery. His grave was discovered in 2002, long before the fictional character became a global phenomenon.
  • Location of the last surrender of arms in the South African War: Cradock was the final place in South Africa where arms were officially laid down at the end of the South African War, with the event occurring four days after the Peace of Vereeniging was signed in 1902.
  • Birthplace of Afrikaans publication: The first-ever article published in the Afrikaans language appeared in the local newspaper, the Cradock News, on December 4, 1868. This was a report on the separation of the Eastern Cape from the Western Cape, and the paper achieved the largest circulation in the country at the time.
  • Second oldest cricket ground and library in South Africa: Cradock’s cricket ground and library are both the second oldest in the entire country, a testament to the town’s early establishment and development of civic amenities.
  • Host to a total solar eclipse viewing by a Prime Minister: In 1942, the South African statesman and Prime Minister Jan Smuts came specifically to Cradock to witness a total eclipse of the sun, as the town was the best location for viewing the celestial event.
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Treasury Withholds Inxuba Yethemba Funds

Statement by Cllr Bettie Lawens – DA Inxuba Yethemba Mayoral Candidate: The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for a comprehensive forensic investigation after National Treasury announced its decision to temporarily withhold the Inxuba Yethemba Municipality’s July 2026 equitable share allocation. The municipality currently owes Eskom R930 million, while the latest audited financial statements reveal R53.8 …

Statement by Cllr Bettie Lawens – DA Inxuba Yethemba Mayoral Candidate:

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for a comprehensive forensic investigation after National Treasury announced its decision to temporarily withhold the Inxuba Yethemba Municipality’s July 2026 equitable share allocation.

The municipality currently owes Eskom R930 million, while the latest audited financial statements reveal R53.8 million in irregular expenditure and R68.8 million in fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

These figures represent money taken from basic service delivery for the people of Inxuba Yethemba.

National Treasury has correctly moved to enforce financial discipline. This step shows that National Government will finally take action against failing ANC municipalities and force political accountability. The ANC’s financial delinquency in Inxuba Yethemba must stop, the rot cannot continue as it is the residents who suffer.

However, the DA insists that withholding funds alone is not enough.

We will therefore write to the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Zolile Williams, requesting that he demands the following immediate interventions by the municipality:

  • A full forensic investigation into all irregular, fruitless, and wasteful expenditure, with criminal charges pursued against officials and politicians implicated in the looting.
  • The establishment of a credible Financial Recovery Plan.
  • Full disclosure to Council of all debt repayment schedules and monthly expenditure reports.
  • The suspension of all officials involved in repeat unauthorised, irregular, and wasteful expenditure pending the outcome of disciplinary processes.

While the DA is concerned about the potential short-term impact on service delivery, we place the blame on the ANC leadership that has driven this municipality into financial ruin through cadre deployment, corruption, and incompetence.

The DA will continue to lead the fight for clean governance and will not rest until accountability is enforced and the people of Inxuba Yethemba receive the responsible, transparent local government they deserve.

The residents deserve better and on 4 November they can vote for better. They can vote for a DA government that will get Inxuba Yethemba working.

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Inxuba Yethemba Municipality’s late-night unlawful budget meeting

Statement by Cllr Bettie Lawens – DA Inxuba Yethemba Mayoral Candidate: The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on the Provincial Government to intervene after the Inxuba Yethemba Municipality adopted an unlawful and unfunded budget for the 2026/27 financial year. The municipality has approved spending that it cannot afford, placing service delivery and the municipality’s financial …

Statement by Cllr Bettie Lawens – DA Inxuba Yethemba Mayoral Candidate:

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on the Provincial Government to intervene after the Inxuba Yethemba Municipality adopted an unlawful and unfunded budget for the 2026/27 financial year.

The municipality has approved spending that it cannot afford, placing service delivery and the municipality’s financial sustainability at risk. This is in direct contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA).

The MFMA is clear that a municipal budget must be funded from realistically anticipated revenue, cash-backed reserves, and lawful borrowing for capital projects.

A budget based on unrealistic assumptions, overestimated revenue, or inadequate cash backing does not comply with the law and places the municipality, its residents, and its creditors at risk.

At Tuesday’s Council meeting, the majority of councillors rejected the unfunded budget. Council then resolved to convene a special council meeting on 9 July.

However, later that same night, while most councillors were asleep, the Speaker was summoned by nine ANC councillors to convene a special Council meeting at 22:00. During this late-night meeting, the unfunded budget was unlawfully approved.

The rules of order of Council are very clear that a notice should be sent at least seven days before any ordinary meeting of Council and at least 48 hours before any special council meeting. These rules were clearly simply ignored.

The DA has written to the Speaker, informing her that the late-night special council meeting was unlawful. We have also written to the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Zolile Willams, and Provincial Treasury to report the unlawful adoption of the unfunded budget through procedurally flawed processes.

The Inxuba Yethemba Municipality is a repeat offender, with its 2025/26 annual budget currently subject to ongoing court proceedings. The Speaker of Council is reportedly already in contempt of court for failing to bring the matter back before Council as directed.

The DA has, on numerous occasions, written to the Speaker and raised the issue in Council meetings regarding the court order that instructed the Speaker to convene a special Council meeting within 30 days. However, the ANC-led municipality has failed to comply with the court order, which has effectively been ignored.

The DA believes that the residents of Inxuba Yethemba Municipality deserve an honest, disciplined and responsible government that will get Inxuba Yethemba working.

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Stock Theft Continues to Plague Eastern Cape Farmers

Statement by Heinrich Müller MPL – Shadow MEC for Agriculture: The recent arrest of two suspects in connection with the theft of 21 sheep and two goats near Qumbu is a welcome breakthrough, but it also highlights an important lesson in the fight against stock theft. The animals were successfully returned to their owner because …

Statement by Heinrich Müller MPL – Shadow MEC for Agriculture:

The recent arrest of two suspects in connection with the theft of 21 sheep and two goats near Qumbu is a welcome breakthrough, but it also highlights an important lesson in the fight against stock theft. The animals were successfully returned to their owner because they had been branded, allowing police to identify them quickly.

The DA commends the South African Police Service (SAPS) members involved in this successful operation. Every recovered animal represents a livelihood protected and a family spared further hardship.

Yet this success cannot distract from the scale of the crisis. Nationally, more than 43,000 livestock animals were reported stolen during the first three months of 2026, while the Eastern Cape remains one of the country’s hardest-hit provinces, with ten police stations ranking among South Africa’s top thirty for stock theft.

For commercial, emerging and subsistence farmers alike, stock theft destroys income, threatens food security, undermines confidence in rural communities and places additional pressure on an agricultural sector that is already battling rising input costs.

This case demonstrates that livestock branding is one of the simplest and most effective tools available to assist investigations and recover stolen animals. More farmers must be supported to brand their livestock correctly, while law enforcement must continue strengthening specialised stock theft investigations and intelligence-driven operations.

I will write to Agriculture MEC Nonceba Kontsiwe requesting the urgent rollout of a provincial livestock identification and branding support programme, coupled with a formal partnership between the Department of Agriculture, the SAPS, organised agriculture and emerging farmer organisations to expand branding, farmer awareness, and coordinated stock theft prevention across the Eastern Cape.

Protecting our livestock means protecting rural jobs, food security and the future of agriculture in the Eastern Cape.

The DA will continue to press for decisive action to protect farmers. The people of this province deserve leadership that prioritises safety, opportunity, and dignity for all.

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Eastern Cape police detain undocumented foreign nationals – EWN

… Cradock. Those arrested are mainly from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, and Bangladesh. ALSO READ: Ramaphosa … First Published here: Google News Did You Know? Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful area with …

… Cradock. Those arrested are mainly from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, and Bangladesh. ALSO READ: Ramaphosa …

First Published here: Google News

Did You Know?

  • Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful area with its excellent grazing, abundant water and healthy climate.
  • Cradock was officially renamed Nxuba on 26 August 2022. This change was officially gazetted by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, and it was part of a broader effort to rename towns with colonial or apartheid legacies in the Eastern Cape.
  • Home to an actual Harry Potter’s grave: A British soldier with the name Harry Potter, who died during the South African War (Anglo-Boer War), is buried in the Cradock cemetery. His grave was discovered in 2002, long before the fictional character became a global phenomenon.
  • Location of the last surrender of arms in the South African War: Cradock was the final place in South Africa where arms were officially laid down at the end of the South African War, with the event occurring four days after the Peace of Vereeniging was signed in 1902.
  • Birthplace of Afrikaans publication: The first-ever article published in the Afrikaans language appeared in the local newspaper, the Cradock News, on December 4, 1868. This was a report on the separation of the Eastern Cape from the Western Cape, and the paper achieved the largest circulation in the country at the time.
  • Second oldest cricket ground and library in South Africa: Cradock’s cricket ground and library are both the second oldest in the entire country, a testament to the town’s early establishment and development of civic amenities.
  • Host to a total solar eclipse viewing by a Prime Minister: In 1942, the South African statesman and Prime Minister Jan Smuts came specifically to Cradock to witness a total eclipse of the sun, as the town was the best location for viewing the celestial event.
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FHR calls for cooperation by all in TRC Case Inquiry after Zuma-Mbeki recusal bid dismissal

Lukhanyo Calata, son of one of the Cradock Four activists killed by the apartheid government's agents in 1985, Fort Calata. He believes that the … First Published here: Google News Did You Know? Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this …

Lukhanyo Calata, son of one of the Cradock Four activists killed by the apartheid government's agents in 1985, Fort Calata. He believes that the …

First Published here: Google News

Did You Know?

  • Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful area with its excellent grazing, abundant water and healthy climate.
  • Cradock was officially renamed Nxuba on 26 August 2022. This change was officially gazetted by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, and it was part of a broader effort to rename towns with colonial or apartheid legacies in the Eastern Cape.
  • Home to an actual Harry Potter’s grave: A British soldier with the name Harry Potter, who died during the South African War (Anglo-Boer War), is buried in the Cradock cemetery. His grave was discovered in 2002, long before the fictional character became a global phenomenon.
  • Location of the last surrender of arms in the South African War: Cradock was the final place in South Africa where arms were officially laid down at the end of the South African War, with the event occurring four days after the Peace of Vereeniging was signed in 1902.
  • Birthplace of Afrikaans publication: The first-ever article published in the Afrikaans language appeared in the local newspaper, the Cradock News, on December 4, 1868. This was a report on the separation of the Eastern Cape from the Western Cape, and the paper achieved the largest circulation in the country at the time.
  • Second oldest cricket ground and library in South Africa: Cradock’s cricket ground and library are both the second oldest in the entire country, a testament to the town’s early establishment and development of civic amenities.
  • Host to a total solar eclipse viewing by a Prime Minister: In 1942, the South African statesman and Prime Minister Jan Smuts came specifically to Cradock to witness a total eclipse of the sun, as the town was the best location for viewing the celestial event.
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