MyZA

25 April 2026 by Guest

Collapsing Asbestos Classrooms Force Cradock School Closure

School governing body chairperson Lionel Stevens says that Carinus Primary in Cradock, Eastern Cape, was built 60 years ago using asbestos. Now the ceilings are collapsing. Parents at Carinus Primary School in Cradock, Eastern Cape, say the education department put their children at risk by failing to address damaged asbestos in the classrooms. This week …

School governing body chairperson Lionel Stevens says that Carinus Primary in Cradock, Eastern Cape, was built 60 years ago using asbestos. Now the ceilings are collapsing.

Parents at Carinus Primary School in Cradock, Eastern Cape, say the education department put their children at risk by failing to address damaged asbestos in the classrooms.

This week the department promised to fast-track renovations, but parents are sceptical.

Ceilings have collapsed while learners were inside classrooms, exposing them to dilapidated asbestos roofs.

Parents closed the school in protest, but allowed the school feeding scheme to continue.

After meetings with officials, Principal Neville Fleurs says teaching will resume on Tuesday. Until they get new classrooms, the 1,045 learners in grades R to 7 will rotate through 11 classrooms.

“I hope this time the government will heed our calls,” said school governing body chairperson Lionel Stevens.

He said the school was built 60 years ago using asbestos. “Asbestos was banned by the government due to its health risks. This school needs about R1-million to reconstruct it. We only have an annual budget of R38,000.”

Stevens said learners have narrowly avoided injury. In 2012, a roof collapsed. Officials came to assess the safety of the buildings, but nothing further was done.

On 18 March 2026, a ceiling collapsed in what used to be the grade 1 class.

Despite regular cleaning and disinfectants, Stevens says a heavy stench of urine and excrement from learners’ toilets permeates from rotting chipboard walls.

A parent, who asked not to be named, said there had been “discussion for several years with government officials, but they keep lying to us”.

The parent said, “This is one of the reasons small towns have poor pass rates and high crime rates because children don’t get quality education.”

Democratic Alliance shadow MEC for education Horatio Hendricks said, “These [school] closures mean uncertainty, lost teaching time, and growing anxiety about safety. Children are being denied their constitutional right while teachers are placed in untenable conditions.”

Department spokesperson Mali Mtima confirmed that an inspection was done by an infrastructure team.

“They are facilitating replacement of the asbestos issues. Some roofs are cracked. They made a request for an accelerated procurement for the roofs. Additionally, the district had a meeting with stakeholders, including the mayor, to discuss a way forward. We are awaiting recommendations for the next move,” said Mtima.

The #JusticeForRefugees movement advocates for the rights and protection of refugees and asylum seekers.

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First Published here: MyZA.co.za

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.

Category: Cradock, NewsTag: MyZA, ‘Cradock

23 March 2026 by Guest

Khampepe Commission Should Hear From “Prime Evil”

GOOD Statement by Brett Herron, Unite for Change Leadership Council Member and GOOD Secretary-General: Notorious apartheid-era security police mass murderer Eugene de Kock has information that neither old nor new order political leaders want South Africans to know. The information relates to old-order command structures and the complicity of high-level politicians in human rights violations. …

GOOD Statement by Brett Herron, Unite for Change Leadership Council Member and GOOD Secretary-General:

Notorious apartheid-era security police mass murderer Eugene de Kock has information that neither old nor new order political leaders want South Africans to know.

The information relates to old-order command structures and the complicity of high-level politicians in human rights violations. This information has been suppressed since the dawn of democracy.

Appearing as a witness at the reopened inquest into the killing of the so-called Cradock Four in 1985 today, De Kock said he was not involved in planning or executing the Cradock Four murders but described himself as an accessory after the fact.

His initial evidence on command structures was quickly objected to by lawyers representing parties implicated in the matter. The lawyer leading De Kock’s evidence said his client wanted to tell the truth.

Among the names De Kock mentioned in respect of a separate mass murder, as an adjournment was called, was that of former President FW De Klerk. After the adjournment, the court did not return to this evidence.

Just before his death in November 2021, De Klerk’s foundation issued a statement revealing an alleged agreement between the NP and ANC on no-prosecutions. Former President Thabo Mbeki denies that such an agreement exists.

The Khampepe Commission was appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa to probe whether there had been political interference in prosecutorial decisions not to proceed with cases recommended for further investigation by the TRC. The TRC submitted final recommendations to the Government 23 years ago.

If there was political interference, it directly violated the Truth and Reconciliation Commission process that was established to grant amnesty to perpetrators of human rights violations in exchange for their telling the truth. It points to a layer of secrets and compromising information that has never been revealed.

Former Presidents Mbeki and Jacob Zuma are presently involved in litigation in a bid to force the recusal of Judge Sisi Khampepe from the commission. President Ramaphosa, who appointed her, has asked Khampepe to stand down.

De Kock won’t know much about the ANC’s secrets but does know about many of the cases that the NPA has delayed prosecuting, including the chain of command – information that gets to the heart of the secrets.

Why is this important, now? Because it’s about the fundamentals of our integrity, as a nation, the integrity of those who have been leading us, and that of our dysfunctional criminal justice system.

South Africans agreed to a process of national unity and reconciliation on the foundations of truth and justice, only to see these foundations collapse. It’s important that we understand why and return to the tasks of developing a fairer and more inclusive nation.

*De Kock was sentenced to two life terms plus 212 years for a series of crimes including murder. He was paroled in 2015 after serving nearly 20 years. He is one of a tiny group of apartheid-era State criminals ever convicted for their crimes.

GOOD Manifesto on Transport Infrastructure: Advocating for improvements in public transport systems.

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First Published here: MyZA.co.za

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.

Category: Cradock, NewsTag: MyZA, ‘Cradock

11 March 2026 by Guest

Volunteers Turn Derelict Historic Building into a Thriving Community Centre

A once derelict heritage building in Welcome Glen in Glencairn Valley, Cape Town, has been turned into a thriving community centre through a partnership between government and local volunteers. Welcome Cottage, an early 19th?century Cape Dutch homestead, was declared a national monument in 1985 and is protected by the National Heritage Resources Act. According to …

A once derelict heritage building in Welcome Glen in Glencairn Valley, Cape Town, has been turned into a thriving community centre through a partnership between government and local volunteers.

Welcome Cottage, an early 19th?century Cape Dutch homestead, was declared a national monument in 1985 and is protected by the National Heritage Resources Act.

According to the Welcome Glen Community Voluntary Association (WGCVA), the farmhouse was built between 1810 and 1812. The property was leased to Johannes Henricus Brand by the Cape Government.

The farm has, over the years, produced vegetables, flowers, bark for tanning purposes, dairy produce and corn.

Around 1820, Brand built a watermill on the Else River. This mill was in use until at least 1842, with the local farmers bringing their wheat to make bread for a nearby bakery.

Since 1993, the farmhouse has been in disrepair.

The cottage is now called the Welcome Glen Farmhouse.

WGCVA chairperson Conway Lotter said the building had long been “an eyesore”. About five years ago, the association had approached the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA), the custodian of the building, and developed a proposal to revive it.

“We’ve now been here for nine months,” said Lotter.

As part of the restoration project, the association worked with the Simon’s Town Museum and the Fish Hoek Valley Museum to research the site’s history.

In the entrance to the farmhouse there is now a community notice board for local events and a display where small businesses can advertise. There is a nursery and a small coffee shop.

The farmhouse has been used for book launches, neighbourhood watch meetings, memorials and other community events.

Bridgette Wirth, who hosts workshops for children at the cottage, said, “I think it’s fantastic that this place has turned around to be something that the whole community can access.”

“There are so many derelict buildings all around the country that could be better used.”

SAHRA has leased out several heritage properties to ensure they are maintained. The Old Congregational Church in Cradock, for example, is leased to Hello Cradock in partnership with the local church council.

Ben Mwasinga, a senior manager at SAHRA, said the lease agreement with Welcome Glen Community Voluntary Association is a standard three?year commercial lease. The tenant covers operating costs and maintains the property, and all upgrades must comply with the National Heritage Resources Act.

“SAHRA supports initiatives where a heritage property can shift from disuse to meaningful activity that benefits both the community and the long?term conservation of the site,” he said.

Indigenous plants and herbs are for sale at the nursery.

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Lack of affordable transportation: High cost of transportation.

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First Published here: MyZA.co.za

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.

Category: Community, Cradock, Events, NewsTag: MyZA, ‘Cradock

19 February 2026 by Guest

We Welcome the Renaming of Graaff-Reinet to Robert Sobukwe Town

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) welcomes the decision to rename the town of Graaff-Reinet to Robert Sobukwe Town, a long-overdue act of historical justice arising from a lawful and consultative public participation process concluded through the Eastern Cape Provincial Geographic Names Committee, and relevant statutory bodies. This renaming is a necessary ideological intervention in a …

This renaming is a necessary ideological intervention in a country whose geography still highlights colonial conquest. Colonial names were never neutral but they were instruments used to impose authority, legitimise land theft, and normalise the domination of African people. To retain them is to symbolically prolong colonial violence.

Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe represents the highest ideals of revolutionary integrity. As the founding President of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), Sobukwe articulated an uncompromising vision of African self-determination, land restoration, and total liberation from colonial rule. He played a decisive role in organising the 1960 anti-pass campaign, which exposed the brutality of the apartheid system and altered the course of South African history. For this, Sobukwe was uniquely persecuted by the apartheid state, including years of solitary confinement on Robben Island under a special legislative clause designed solely to silence him. His life stands as a testament to courage, clarity, and sacrifice without compromise.

By contrast, Colonel Cornelis Jacobus van de Graaff, after whom Graaff-Reinet is partially named, was a colonial administrator whose record is neither heroic nor admirable. Historical accounts reflect that his tenure in the Cape colonial administration involved misconduct, including behaviour that led to his removal from office. He represents not excellence, leadership, or moral integrity, but the arrogance of colonial governance. To insist on preserving his name is to elevate an irresponsible colonial official over a revolutionary giant who sacrificed everything for freedom.

The historical impact of Graaff and Reinet does not come remotely close to that of Sobukwe. One advanced liberation at great personal cost; the others benefited from and enforced colonial domination. There is no moral or historical equivalence.

The EFF is therefore not surprised by the hostile reaction of the Freedom Front Plus (FF+), a party whose understanding of “history” begins and ends with white settler experience.

FF+ does not recognise Sobukwe as part of “their history” because they reject African liberation as legitimate history. To them, history is colonisation, settlement, and democracy without Africans at the centre. Sobukwe’s existence, ideas, and legacy fundamentally threaten their worldview, which is why they oppose his recognition. As we have stated before, Afrikaners are more than welcome to preserve their history in museums and archives, but we will reiterate there is no room for the celebration of the likes of Graaff in naming our geography.

The EFF reaffirms that the decolonisation of space must continue relentlessly. Our towns, streets, and institutions must reflect African revolutionaries, freedom fighters, and builders of a liberated society.

The EFF opposes the privatization of state-owned enterprises.

Read More at the Source

First Published here: MyZA.co.za

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.

Category: Cradock, NewsTag: MyZA, ‘Cradock

8 February 2026 by Guest

Graaff-Reinet Will Always Be Graaff-Reinet

Graaff-Reinet will always be Graaff-Reinet – and not Robert Sobukwe Town – to the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus). The party, therefore, calls on the people of Graaff-Reinet, the broader Eastern Cape and the rest of South Africa to ignore the name change. This geographical name change along with 20 others – such as East …

This geographical name change along with 20 others – such as East London to KuGompo City – was recently published in the Government Gazette by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie.

This not only proves that limited public funds are being spent on misguided priorities, but it is also a blatant example of cultural imperialism in which Afrikaner cultural history is annihilated under the pretext of so-called social cohesion.

It has become customary to expect Afrikaners, and only Afrikaners, to sacrifice their heritage on the altar to appease the rest. We refuse to keep doing it.

So, the Freedom Front Plus implores everyone who values the name Graaff-Reinet to remain loyal to the name, which is inextricably part of everyone in the country’s shared heritage and national identity.

More than thirty years have passed since the beginning of the new political dispensation and yet there is still this needless meddling – such as changing names – which benefits no-one.

These steps create division and waste taxpayers’ money, while urgent problems such as job creation, infrastructure and safety are ignored.

The Freedom Front Plus rejects Graaff-Reinet’s name change and will rectify it at the first opportunity that arises.

The name Graaff-Reinet dates to 1786 and honours Cornelis Jacob van de Graaff, a Dutch governor of the Cape Colony under the VOC, and his wife, Cornelia Reynet. In 1795, citizens rid themselves of VOC taxes and established the short-lived Republic of Graaff-Reinet. Much later, in the 1830s, Graaff-Reinet was also the point of departure for the Great Trek.

Afrikaners, and previous dispensations, did not change the name seeing as it forms part of South Africa’s colourful and multifaceted history.

No-one benefits from erasing parts of history that some people may not like. It merely results in a narrowed and distorted image of everyone’s heritage while unnecessarily sowing division.

Freedom Front Plus Name Change: The party changed its name to Freedom Front Plus in 2003.

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First Published here: MyZA.co.za

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.

Category: Cradock, News, SportTag: MyZA, ‘Cradock

2 February 2026 by Guest

Minister McKenzie Misled the People on Eastern Cape Name Changes

Statement by Samantha Graham-Maré MP – DA Dr Beyers Naude Constituency Leader: Minister Gayton McKenzie misled the people of the Eastern Cape when, a year and a half ago, he told the media that he was not approving the name changes for Graaff-Reinet and that there were bigger issues that needed attention. He has now …

Statement by Samantha Graham-Maré MP – DA Dr Beyers Naude Constituency Leader:

Minister Gayton McKenzie misled the people of the Eastern Cape when, a year and a half ago, he told the media that he was not approving the name changes for Graaff-Reinet and that there were bigger issues that needed attention. He has now signed off on the change of 21 names, including Graaff-Reinet to Robert Sobukwe Town, East London to KuGompo City, Aberdeen to Xamdeboo, Adendorp to KwaMseki Bishop Limba and Nieu-Bethesda to Kwa Noheleni.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) recognises the importance of restoring historical dignity and acknowledging the contribution of liberation figures such as Sobukwe and Bishop Limba. South Africa’s past demands honest reflection, and naming can play a role in that process.

However, this must be accompanied by lawful process, meaningful consultation, and transparent decision-making. The DA is deeply concerned about how the latest round of geographical name changes has been handled.

In 2024, Minister McKenzie indicated that he had rejected the application because there was insufficient evidence that the public’s concerns had been considered. The question we are asking is what has changed since then?

While government claims that public consultations were conducted, feedback from residents, business organisations, and community stakeholders suggests otherwise. Many affected parties report feeling sidelined, unheard, or informed only after key decisions had already been made.

Public participation cannot be reduced to a procedural formality. Genuine consultation requires openness about proposals, clarity on motivations, transparency around submissions received, and evidence that community input meaningfully influenced outcomes.

Instead, the chairperson of the South African Geographical Names Council (SAGNC), Johnny Mohlala, has told communities that objections are premature until names are gazetted. This approach undermines democratic accountability and conflicts with the principles of procedural fairness set out in the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act.

These name changes carry operational and economic consequences. Small businesses must rebrand, tourism operators must adjust marketing material, and critical systems such as emergency services, postal networks, mapping platforms, and property records all require updates.

Despite this, there is no evidence of implementation cost projections, timelines, or support measures. This lack of transparency is unacceptable. Transformation should strengthen social cohesion, not create uncertainty or resentment. Historical recognition must be matched by responsible governance.

My colleague in the Provincial Legislature, DA MPL Leander Kruger, has written to the MEC for Sport, Arts, and Culture, Sibulele Ngongo; the Eastern Cape Provincial Geographical Names Committee; and the SAGNC to request the full consultation records and the decision criteria.

He has also asked they release cost estimates and implementation timelines and reopen meaningful engagement with affected communities and business sectors. We need clear, documented evidence of changes since 2024 that could justify reversing the decision.

The DA continues to engage this matter through lawful channels to ensure transparency, accountability, and genuine community involvement. We will assist residents who wish to lodge formal objections once the changes are gazetted and will ensure these submissions are properly tabled within the prescribed period.

Minister McKenzie and his department have underestimated the importance of inclusive governance and the expectation of communities to be heard before decisions of this magnitude are finalised. Residents of Graaff-Reinet, and across the Eastern Cape, deserve clear answers, documented consultation outcomes, and a process that respects both their history and their democratic rights.

First Published here: MyZA.co.za

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.

Category: Cradock, NewsTag: MyZA, ‘Cradock

2 December 2025 by Guest

Justice for Caiphus Nyoka, Finally

GOOD Statement by Brett Herron, Unite for Change Leadership Council Member and GOOD Secretary-General: The GOOD Party applauds the conviction of Abraham Engelbrecht and Pieter Stander for the murder of anti-apartheid activist Caiphus Nyoka in 1987. The two former policemen shot the anti-apartheid student activist at the Nyoka family home in Daveyton. While Engelbrecht gave the …

GOOD Statement by Brett Herron, Unite for Change Leadership Council Member and GOOD Secretary-General:

The GOOD Party applauds the conviction of Abraham Engelbrecht and Pieter Stander for the murder of anti-apartheid activist Caiphus Nyoka in 1987.

The two former policemen shot the anti-apartheid student activist at the Nyoka family home in Daveyton.

While Engelbrecht gave the order, Stander carried out the killing with his colleague, Johan Marais, who admitted to his role and was sentenced to a 15-year prison term earlier this year.

Nyoka’s murder was among approximately 300 serious human rights violations recommended for prosecution by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission more than 20 years ago. President Ramaphosa recently appointed a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate decades-long delays in addressing the recommendations.

The appointment of the judicial commission followed the launch of a High Court action for damages by several victims’ families.

Under extreme pressure from the families, the State has, of late, shown signs of renewed interest in seeing justice done. It has reopened the Cradock Four and Chief Albert Luthuli inquests – among others – leading to calls last week from the Pan-Africanist Congress for the re-examination of the death of its former leader, the legendary anti-apartheid activist Robert Sobukwe.

The GOOD Party reiterates its call for justice in all 300-plus cases. This is not a matter of vengeance, but of justice. When prosecutors are allowed to act selectively to satisfy their political masters, the integrity of the entire criminal justice system is undermined.

If there was a deal between the ANC and NP to act unlawfully to prevent prosecutions, South Africans have the right to know exactly who took these decisions, and on what authority.

While the wheels of justice often turn painfully slowly, taking 38 years to resolve the Nyoka matter, the fact that they do eventually turn, at least in some cases, offers a measure of hope.

GOOD Political Position: GOOD is a social democratic political party.

Read More at the Source

First Published here: MyZA.co.za

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.

Category: Cradock, NewsTag: MyZA, ‘Cradock

11 September 2025 by Guest

SASSA Says It Has Fixed Most of Its Audit Problems

SASSA has told Parliament it has implemented 98% of the corrective actions the Auditor-General required of it. The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has told Parliament it has implemented 98% of the corrective actions the Auditor-General required of it, but there are still gaps in its systems. Among other issues, about R140?million went to …

SASSA has told Parliament it has implemented 98% of the corrective actions the Auditor-General required of it.

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has told Parliament it has implemented 98% of the corrective actions the Auditor-General required of it, but there are still gaps in its systems.
Among other issues, about R140?million went to deceased beneficiaries over three years.
SASSA is testing a bulk recall system to recover these payments.
MPs questioned whether relying on quarterly data from Home Affairs and on citizens to report deaths is enough to prevent future improper payments.
SASSA said it is digitising manual files and upgrading its Beneficiary Records Management system.

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has told Parliament it has implemented 98% of the corrective actions which the Auditor-General required of it. But there are still gaps in its systems.

On Wednesday, SASSA updated the portfolio committee on social development on its audit action plan. Chief executive officer Themba Matlou said, “We are happy to indicate that out of 177 corrective actions that needed to be implemented, we corrected at least 173.”

There are four outstanding findings stemming from the 2023/24 audit: two IT-related and two grant administration issues.

The most serious case involved 486 beneficiaries being paid disability and old-age grants without files at the Cradock Local Office between 2018 and 2023. A total of R55.6-million was disbursed before the grants were cancelled in January 2024.

Matlou said the case is under investigation by the Hawks. He told MPs, “We admit our systems allowed some of the applications to get through … We’ve already suspended officials who’ve committed fraud. We are working with law enforcement, the Hawks and the Special Investigating Unit on those cases.”

As a preventative measure, he said SASSA has introduced biometrics to its Social Grant Payment System to ensure every official working on applications can be identified.

Another long-running problem flagged by the Auditor-General is grants paid to deceased beneficiaries.

Between the 2021/22 and 2023/24 financial years, SASSA paid about R140-million in grants to 75,000 deceased beneficiaries. The agency blamed this on the late reporting of deaths to the Department of Home Affairs.

SASSA Chief Financial Officer Tsakeriwa Chauke explained that because grant payment instructions are generated days in advance, some beneficiaries die after files have already been processed. This means their accounts are still credited, even though they are no longer entitled to the grant.

To address this, SASSA is developing a “bulk recall” mechanism with Bankserv and the South African Reserve Bank to claw back payments if a death is confirmed after funds have been transferred. The system is in testing and is expected to be comopleted by 30 September 2025.

Chauke added that for deaths reported only after payments were made, the grants would be treated as debts and recovered later.

Incomplete records, outdated systems

The Auditor-General also found that not all beneficiaries who received grants were listed in SASSA’s Beneficiary Records Management system, raising questions about the completeness of its database.

Matlou said the problem arises from pressure at local offices, which prioritise assisting people in the queues over capturing grant applications on the system.

“When people come to the local offices, we must help them … But at the end of the day, there’s back-office work we still need to do, which entails capturing the application on the system,” he said.

SASSA has since launched a digitisation project to deal with incomplete or missing beneficiary records. The project involves scanning all active manual files and uploading them onto the management system, so that grant payments can be properly verified against the payment system.

Matlou said nearly 67% of active files have already been scanned, with the remaining 33% expected to be completed within the year. To speed up the process, SASSA plans to contract temporary staff from October to help with both record-scanning and grant reviews.

The project will also allow officials to capture beneficiary information when people apply, reducing the risk of backlogs and ensuring that records are immediately digitised, Matlou said.

Alexandra Abrahams (DA) pressed the agency on how much of the R55-million lost in the Eastern Cape has been recovered.

ANC MP Kerileng Tlhong asked what escalation mechanisms exist when Home Affairs fails to notify SASSA of deaths on time.

Matlou responded that recoveries in the Eastern Cape case could only be determined once investigations by the Hawks are complete. On relations with Home Affairs, he said SASSA meets quarterly with the department, but stressed that the system depends on citizens reporting deaths of grant beneficiaries.

You may republish this article, so long as you credit the authors and GroundUp, and do not change the text. Please include a link back to the original article.

Lack of internet access: Limited access to internet and digital technologies.

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First Published here: MyZA.co.za

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.

Category: Cradock, NewsTag: MyZA, ‘Cradock

2 July 2025 by Guest

Cradock Four: Departments of Defence and Justice Compound Injustice

GOOD Statement by Brett Herron, GOOD Secretary-General: If President Cyril Ramaphosa is serious about prosecuting apartheid era operatives accused of heinous crimes, instead of waiting for a judicial commission to investigate the reasons for decades-long delays, he must demand urgent accountability from his Ministers of Justice and Defence for their dithering departments. Because, while it …

GOOD Statement by Brett Herron, GOOD Secretary-General:

If President Cyril Ramaphosa is serious about prosecuting apartheid era operatives accused of heinous crimes, instead of waiting for a judicial commission to investigate the reasons for decades-long delays, he must demand urgent accountability from his Ministers of Justice and Defence for their dithering departments.

Because, while it is usually accused persons who adopt so-called Stalingrad strategies to delay the administration of justice, for nearly 25 years the State has used every power and trick at its disposal to delay and/or avoid acting against murderers who were denied amnesty (or chose not to apply) through the TRC process established for the purpose.

That yesterday’s proceedings in the so-called Cradock Four inquest were derailed again, this time by the South African National Defence Force’s refusal to pay the reasonable legal fees of one of its former operatives, was no surprise.

The fact that two courts have already found that the South African Police must cover the fees of its former members – accused of the 1970s murder in detention of Ahmed Timol, and the 1980s abduction and murder of Nokuthula Simelane – does not appear to matter.

It’s a new opportunity to further delay justice.

With respect to the pursuit of truth and justice in the Cradock Four matter, key witness, 83-year-old retired Lieutenant-General Joffel van der Westhuizen, launched an urgent application in April to order his erstwhile employer to cover his costs. The Department of Defence opposed the urgency of the application, and it was struck off the roll. When it is decided, there will be opportunity for appeals.

Van der Westhuizen will therefore be unlikely to be ready to give evidence when the inquest resumes in October. He is an old man; perhaps he’ll pass on before having to face accountability for his alleged actions – as many other perpetrators already have.

After being subpoenaed to explain its decision to refuse to fund Van der Westhuizen’s legal costs at the inquest, lawyers for the Department of Defence informed Judge Thami Beshe the Department’s hands were tied until the Gauteng High Court had disposed of Van der Westhuizen’s application. The Department furnished the inquest judge with its reasons for declining to pay Van Der Westhuizen’s costs – confidentially – and the judge appeared to accept the explanation.

According to the Department – remember, it opposed the urgency in Van der Westhuizen’s court application – it is in no position to expedite or delay justice. Nor, evidently, are the police, NPA, Chief Justice, or Ministers of Justice or Defence.

The GOOD Party supports President Ramaphosa’s appointment of a judicial commission to investigate why and on whose authority the TRC’s recommendations on further prosecutions were criminally delayed. But waiting for the commission cannot create further delay.

In the meantime, the President must take charge by calling in his Ministers and instructing them to expedite justice as per their Constitutional obligations.

GOOD Skills Training: GOOD emphasizes the importance of skills training for the workforce.

Read More at the Source

First Published here: MyZA.co.za

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.

Category: Cradock, NewsTag: MyZA, ‘Cradock

28 May 2025 by Guest

DBSA Must Be Held Accountable for Tourism Infrastructure Failures

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) is deeply alarmed by the consistent pattern of delays, cost overruns, and governance failures reported in the Development Bank of Southern Africa’s (DBSA) update to the Portfolio Committee on Tourism. Despite R788 million spent and a project pipeline stretching across all nine provinces, the evidence shows that South Africans …

Dear Editor

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is deeply alarmed by the consistent pattern of delays, cost overruns, and governance failures reported in the Development Bank of Southern Africa’s (DBSA) update to the Portfolio Committee on Tourism. Despite R788 million spent and a project pipeline stretching across all nine provinces, the evidence shows that South Africans are not getting value for money.

Every single one of the 10 tourism infrastructure projects currently under construction is behind schedule. Sites like Royal Khalanga Lodge are nearly two years overdue, while the Vredefort Dome project has had not one, but two contractors terminated. To make matters worse, DBSA continues to recycle the same project managers. Penalties for delays appear ineffective, and cost overruns are staggering. The Oaks Lodge project in Limpopo has reached 183% of its original budget, with no clear accountability.

The DA calls for a temporary halt on new DBSA-managed tourism infrastructure projects until existing issues are addressed, audits are complete, and feasibility plans are in place:

Completion and audit of all delayed or over-budget projects, including forensic investigations into those exceeding 50% cost escalation;
Clear and up-to-date feasibility studies must be conducted for all future projects — particularly ones like the Cradock Four Garden and Platfontein Lodge, where there’s no sign of a plan to keep the sites running once built; and
Public-private partnerships (PPPs) must be prioritised, not neglected. The total lack of private-sector involvement, despite R62 million earmarked for projects like the Mafikeng Hotel School, threatens long-term viability and innovation.

The DBSA’s presentation confirmed what the DA has long warned: the Bank is managing billions of rands with insufficient project and contract oversight, minimal intergovernmental coordination, and poor compliance with green building and universal accessibility policies. Why are so many completed projects not operational, not revenue-generating, and still disconnected from basic services like water and electricity?

The DBSA is contracted directly by the Department of Tourism and resides under Treasury.

South Africans deserve well-managed, sustainable, community-owned tourism infrastructure — not ghost lodges, stalled museums, or vanity projects with no long-term benefit.

Regards

Haseena Ismail MP
DA Spokesperson on Tourism

First Published here: MyZA.co.za

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.

Category: Cradock, NewsTag: MyZA, ‘Cradock

20 March 2025 by Guest

SASSA Explains Why It Paid Grants to 75,000 Dead People

SASSA presented its audit action plan to Parliament on Wednesday. A total of R140-million was paid to about 75,000 dead people in 2023/24. SASSA says grants are sometimes paid to deceased beneficiaries because they pass away during the payment cycle and sometimes death registrations with Home Affairs are delayed. Irregular expenditure at SASSA has dropped …

SASSA presented its audit action plan to Parliament on Wednesday.

A total of R140-million was paid to about 75,000 dead people in 2023/24.
SASSA says grants are sometimes paid to deceased beneficiaries because they pass away during the payment cycle and sometimes death registrations with Home Affairs are delayed.
Irregular expenditure at SASSA has dropped from R1.8-billion in 2018/19 to R1.1-million in 2024/25, which the agency attributed to improved oversight and training.
The Hawks are investigating potentially fraudulent disability and old-age grant payments made to 486 beneficiaries at the Cradock Local Office between 2018 and 2023.

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has blamed delays in death registrations and system limitations for its payment of R140-million in social grants to about 75,000 deceased beneficiaries.

On Wednesday, SASSA presented its audit action plan to Parliament’s portfolio committee on social development, following a financially unqualified opinion by the Auditor-General for 2023/24.

SASSA Chief Financial Officer Tsakeriwa Chauke explained that the issue stemmed from the timing of payment processing. At the end of each month, SASSA prepares payment files for the next month. But some beneficiaries may pass away between when the payment file is generated and when the payment is made, and they are included in the payment run.

Chauke said the agency is working on a new system, set to be tested in April, which will allow bulk recalls of payments to beneficiaries found to have died based on record of the Department of Home Affairs.

Executive manager for grant operations at SASSA Brenton van Vrede said, “Although we are fully synchronised with Home Affairs, we are still dependent on citizens reporting a death.”

He explained that while most death cases are captured, some fall through the cracks, representing 0.02% of the total grant budget.

SASSA is also investigating potentially fraudulent disability and old-age grant payments made to 486 beneficiaries at the Cradock Local Office between 2018 and 2023. Chauke confirmed that these payments have been suspended and that the Hawks are investigating the officials involved.

“Based on the preliminary assessment, we’ll know whether there’s a need for disciplinary processes, if SASSA officials are involved, and have a full criminal investigation,” Chauke said.

Irregular expenditure has decreased

The agency’s irregular expenditure peaked at R1.8 billion in 2018/19. For 2023/24, it was R34.2-million and for 2024/25 it has dropped to R1.1-million. Chauke attributed the decrease to improved oversight and supply chain management training.

The R1.1-million irregular expenditure for 2024/25 consisted of:

R1-million in the Western Cape for unapproved cleaning services;
R77,000 in the Eastern Cape due to an “unapproved variation order”;
and R49,000 in the Northern Cape paid to a doctor with an expired contract.

The Auditor-General also identified five cases of material irregularities in the 2023/24 financial statements:

R74-million paid to the controversial Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) in 2018 for services that were not rendered;
R316-million overpaid to CPS, which the High Court in Pretoria ruled CPS should pay back to SASSA;
R150-million in R350 SRD grants paid to ineligible applicants;
R7.8-million awarded to a company for photocopy machines in the Eastern Cape;
and R1.7-million in fraudulent social grant payments made by SASSA officials.

Chauke said the material irregularities from 2023/24 were now resolved and will not appear in the 2024/25 audit later this year. The CPS matter is with the company’s liquidators and the other material irregularities are receiving legal attention and being investigated.

“The Auditor-General evaluated all the steps we’ve taken and was satisfied with the way management has handled these cases,” Chauke said.

Insufficient record keeping

The Auditor-General found that not all beneficiaries who received grants were listed in SASSA’s Beneficiary Records Management (BRM) system. SASSA uses two databases – BRM and the Social Grant Payment System (SOCPEN) – which are not fully synchronised.

Chauke said SASSA’s internal audits found discrepancies and missing information in some cases. He said they would do a population analysis to measure records in SOCPEN against BRM. “Whatever exceptions we find, we will resolve,” he said.

The Auditor-General also flagged issues with the manual registers used in local offices. Chauke explained that when someone visits a SASSA office, their details are recorded in a manual register. Auditors found that some of the beneficiaries listed in these registers were not reflected in the agency’s internal control and assurance system.

This raised concerns about the completeness of enquiry records and whether all cases were properly logged in SASSA’s digital systems. Chauke said SASSA is working to address these gaps and is phasing out manual registrations except when systems are down.

MPs react

Committee chair Bridget Masango (DA) questioned whether SASSA gave enough attention to internal auditors. “If we strengthen our internal audits and act on their reports, we won’t have as many findings made by the Auditor-General,” she said.

Stanley Ramila (ANC) commended efforts to curb fraud but warned against officials resigning to avoid disciplinary action. “When this happens, it’s an indication that these officials have judged themselves guilty,” he said, suggesting that pension payouts be withheld until cases are resolved.

But Paulnita Marais (EFF) criticised the slow pace of fraud investigations. “Some of these cases happened in 2018 and still today aren’t sorted out,” she said.

Chauke assured Parliament that progress is being made. Although challenges remain, he said SASSA is taking steps to strengthen financial controls and improve audit outcomes.

You may republish this article, so long as you credit the authors and GroundUp, and do not change the text. Please include a link back to the original article.

Planned Eastern Cape Roadworks for Festive Season

Gqeberha, 11 December 2024 – The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) is advising road users to take note of construction zones that will affect traffic flow on key routes of its Eastern Cape road network during the festive season. “With the festive season approaching and the imminent increase in traffic volumes, we …

“With the festive season approaching and the imminent increase in traffic volumes, we are working hard to ensure that our network is safe and ready to accommodate holiday traffic,” said Mbulelo Peterson, Regional Manager for SANRAL Southern Region.

Peterson said that during this time of year, the N2, N9 and N6 into the province are particularly busy with road users travelling home from the Gauteng and Western Cape. The N2 and R61 inland will see increased outbound traffic towards the coastal areas as holiday makers visit the coast.

Affected routes will include:

N2 between Makhanda (Grahamstown) and Peddie: No blasting is scheduled in December for the N2 upgrade between Makhanda and the Fish River Pass. Partial closures will be in effect between km 84 and km 79 with single-lane traffic flow allowed 24 hours a day until Thursday, 12 December 2024. From 12 December 2024 to 6 January 2025, the road will reopen for two-way traffic.

N2 between Butterworth and East London: Roadworks on the N2 Ndabakazi Interchange will cease on 11 December 2024 and resume on 6 January 2025. Traffic accommodation will continue via a two-way bypass with temporary speed humps to moderate speed.

N2 between KwaBhaca (Mt Frere) and EmaXesibeni (Mt Ayliff): Roadworks will cease on 12 December 2024 and resume on 9 January 2025. The road will be completely open to two-way traffic together with the required traffic accommodation signage.

N6 between Maletswai (Aliwal North) and James Calata (Jamestown): Roadworks will continue throughout the festive season. There will be no stop/go measures in place.

R61 between Port St Johns and Port Edward: Road users traveling on the R61 between Mthatha and Port St Johns must take caution when travelling through the construction zone and must anticipate stop/go closures on this section of the R61. Motorists must please observe the posted construction signs and speed limits.

R63 between Bhisho and the N2 past Qumrha: Operations will cease on Thursday, 12 December 2024 and resume on Monday, 6 January 2025. During this period, there will be no stop/go controls and a two-way traffic system will be implemented.

R390 between Nxuba (Cradock) and Hofmeyr: Operations will stop on Saturday, 14 December 2024 and a two-way traffic system will be in place until Monday, 6 January 2025.

R56 between Matatiele and Kokstad: Operations will cease on Friday, 13 December 2024 to resume on Monday, 6 January 2025 with a two-way traffic system being implemented.

Motorists are advised to take note of the affected routes and to consider this in planning their road trips.

“We appeal to all road users to be extra vigilant on the roads during this busy period. Ensuring safety on our roads is a collective responsibility for all road users including motorists, pedestrians and the general public,” said Peterson.

“As the construction industry prepares to shut down for the holidays, SANRAL’s routine road maintenance (RRM) teams will be on standby to work with road traffic authorities to respond to any incidents that might arise on our network during this time,” said Peterson.

First Published here: MyZA.co.za

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.

Category: Cradock, NewsTag: MyZA, ‘Cradock

29 November 2024 by Guest

Last Minute Reprieve for Zimbabwe Exemption Permit Holders

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber extended the validity of the original Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) to 28 November 2025. The validity of the original ZEP was meant to end on Friday, 29 November 2024. This caused panic among thousands of people trying to remain legally in the country who, frustrated by long queues and challenges …

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber extended the validity of the original Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) to 28 November 2025.
The validity of the original ZEP was meant to end on Friday, 29 November 2024.
This caused panic among thousands of people trying to remain legally in the country who, frustrated by long queues and challenges with the appointment booking system, have been struggling to meet the deadline.
Schreiber stated that during this extension period holders of ZEPs may not be arrested or deported.

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has stepped in at the eleventh hour on Friday morning to extend the validity of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP).

This comes as the ZEP was meant to expire on Friday, causing panic among thousands of people trying to remain legally in the country.

In the government gazette on 29 November, Schreiber said that the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit would remain valid until 28 November 2025 “in order for me to fulfill the duty placed on me by the Gauteng High Court to consult the affected ZEP holders and all other stakeholders on the future of the current dispensation”.

He was referring to a court ruling, previously reported by GroundUp.

Schreiber stated that the Immigration Advisory Board would once again be activated to advise the department on ways to comply with the High Court order on the future of the ZEP.

He further stated that “no holder of a ZEP may be arrested, ordered to depart or be detained for deportation or deported in terms of section 34 of the Immigration Act for any reason related to him or her not having any valid exemption certificate”.

Holders of an exemption certificate will be allowed to travel in and out of the country, “provided that he or she complies with all other requirements for entry into and departure, save for the reason of not having a valid visa endorsed in his or her passport”.

Long queues

As news of the extension broke on Friday, many ZEP holders were still stuck in long queues outside VFS Global offices in Cape Town and Gqeberha in a desperate bid to apply for waivers to remain in South Africa when their ZEPs expire. VFS is the service provider for the Department of Home Affairs.

Outside the office in Cape Town on Thursday, just after 6am the queue was already snaking around the building.

Many people in line told GroundUp they had spent days at VFS offices to collect or query their applications to remain in South Africa. People complained about the functionality of the VFS online booking system.

A sign outside the VFS office said it would be open on Saturday for people to collect their waivers.

At the Gqeberha VFS Global office in Walmer on Friday morning lines remained long with about 80 people still queueing at 10am.

A mother of three, who is a ZEP holder, said she had travelled from Cradock and was told to return on Friday morning.

“I live far away and have no friends here … I am in limbo because I have to ensure I stay legally in this country given the constant arrests by immigration officials,” she said.

A mother and a son from Cleary Park, turned away on Thursday, said they had been trying to book an appointment for the past month without success.

“We did our best to make online appointments. At first, I thought maybe my son did not know the system. Then we went to seek assistance from an internet cafe only to see that it was the same,” she said.

Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Migrants Support Network Chris Mapingure said, “We’re not happy with the way Home Affairs has been treating people wanting to extend their permits through VFS. During the month, desperate people approached us for assistance because they had difficulty booking appointments.”

He said they had pleaded with the Home Affairs to extend the grace period to allow for everyone to be assisted.

Questions sent to VFS Global were not answered at the time of publication.

You may republish this article, so long as you credit the authors and GroundUp, and do not change the text. Please include a link back to the original article.

R117-Million Project Empowers Tarkastad SMMEs

Tarkastad, Eastern Cape, 21 October 2024 – The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) continues to empower small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) through its R117-million special road maintenance project on the National Route R61 in the Eastern Cape. An SMME information-sharing session was held at the Tarkastad Town Hall in the Enoch …

An SMME information-sharing session was held at the Tarkastad Town Hall in the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality to familiarise local businesses of SANRAL’s procurement processes and project opportunities.

SANRAL introduced the newly appointed members of the Project Liaison Committee (PLC) for the R61 special road maintenance project to local SMMEs.

Thandile Makwabe, SANRAL’s Acting Transformation Manager, explained the importance of the PLC in maintaining transparency and fostering effective communication between the project’s contractors, local stakeholders and the community.

“The contractor will utilise the PLC as the official communication channel, ensuring transparency and resolving any conflicts that may arise,” he said.

“The special maintenance project – spanning 24.7 kilometers from Tarkastad towards Nxuba (formerly Cradock) – will involve rehabilitation, shoulder widening and strengthening to improve road safety and durability. Currently in the mobilsation phase, the project is scheduled to run until September 2025. The project also includes repairs and resurfacing through reseal,” said SANRAL’s Project Manager, Malesiba Mabe.

Aligned with SANRAL’s goal to support local economic development, 30% of the contract value has been set aside for Contract Participation Goals (CPG) to benefit SMMEs in the targeted area. This initiative underscores SANRAL’s commitment to empowering local businesses and creating sustainable growth in underdeveloped areas, resulting in employment opportunities for local residents.

Makwabe also highlighted the importance of building entrepreneurial capacity in rural areas. “We aim to extend economic opportunities and optimise local resources. This project not only improves infrastructure but also empowers local communities,” he said.

To ensure the success of SMMEs on the project, SANRAL will provide formal training through accredited service providers, while labourers will receive informal training.

Makwabe emphasised the four important stages of the tender processes for targeted enterprises: eligibility, functionality, price and preference, and compliance check.

Local enterprises will also be guided on compliance to enhance their competitiveness in future projects. These efforts highlight SANRAL’s ongoing dedication to infrastructure development and community empowerment.

First Published here: MyZA.co.za

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.

Category: Cradock, NewsTag: MyZA, ‘Cradock

23 September 2024 by Guest

Celebrate Heritage Day at Rosebank Mall: Discover the Richness of African Culture at the Rosebank Art & Craft Market

Heritage Day is fast approaching, and there’s no better way to celebrate South Africa’s diverse cultural tapestry than by visiting the Rosebank Art & Craft Market. Located at Rosebank Mall on Cradock Avenue, this market is a treasure trove rich in African heritage, offering a unique opportunity for locals and tourists alike to immerse themselves in the vibrant traditions of the continent. Far more than just a tourist attraction, the market is a hub for supporting African artisans and bringing the beauty of African craftsmanship into your home.

Rosebank Art & Craft Market: A Showcase of African Craftsmanship

The Rosebank Art & Craft Market is an iconic part of Johannesburg’s cultural scene, brimming with handmade arts and crafts from over a dozen African countries. Here, African culture is on full display, from intricate Zulu beadwork to beautifully carved wooden sculptures of the Shona people, Shona sculpture is Africa’s best-known contemporary art movement. Each stall tells a unique story, showcasing the artistic passion and deep-rooted traditions of African communities.

This market is not just a place to browse and buy; it’s a cultural experience that allows you to connect with Africa in a tangible way. Whether you’re a local looking to bring a piece of heritage into your home, or you’re a visitor from abroad eager to take a meaningful souvenir back home with you, the market offers an array of handcrafted items that embody the spirit of the continent.

Support Local, Buy Local

One of the most rewarding aspects of visiting the Rosebank Art & Craft Market is the opportunity to support local artisans. Every purchase you make directly impacts the lives of small business owners who have dedicated their lives to mastering their craft. By choosing to buy from these talented vendors, you’re not just acquiring a beautiful item — you’re supporting livelihoods and preserving African cultural traditions for future generations.

For locals, the market offers a wonderful chance to shop for unique gifts, home décor, or fashion accessories that carry the authenticity of African culture. Instead of opting for mass-produced items, you can fill your home with one-of-a-kind pieces that reflect the rich artistry of the African continent.

A Cultural Journey for All

The Rosebank Art & Craft Market is a must to see. It’s a space where the stories of Africa come alive, where you can interact with artisans and learn about the skills and traditions passed down through generations. From handwoven textiles to striking jewellery and intricate pottery, each piece is a testament to the vibrant culture of the continent.

For those looking to make their Heritage Day experience even more meaningful, this market is the perfect way to explore African heritage in a way that extends beyond the day’s festivities. It’s about taking a piece of Africa with you — whether it’s for your home or as a gift for someone special.

Celebrate Africa’s Heritage Beyond Heritage Day

While Heritage Day brings an extra dose of energy and celebration to Rosebank Mall, the Rosebank Art & Craft Market is open year-round, offering locals and visitors a permanent gateway to African culture. September also marks Tourism Month in South Africa, making it the perfect time for both locals and international travellers to explore what the market has to offer.

Surrounding the market, you’ll also find an array of trendy boutiques, restaurants, and art galleries, making Rosebank Mall the ideal destination for a full day of shopping, leisure, and cultural exploration.

Event Details:

When: Tuesday, 24 September (Heritage Day)
Where: Rosebank Mall, Cradock Avenue, outside the Rosebank Art & Craft Market
What to Expect: A vibrant celebration of African culture, with live marimba performances, gumboot dancing and an opportunity to explore the market’s stunning handcrafted items from across the continent.
Bring your friends, bring your family, and join us for a day of fun, culture, and celebration at Rosebank Mall this Heritage Day! The Rosebank Art & Craft Market offers a celebration of Africa’s past, present, and future that you won’t want to miss.

The Rosebank Art & Craft Market is open seven days a week and the entrance can be found on Cradock Avenue just outside the Woolworths entrance of Rosebank Mall. It is a ‘Support Small Business’ concept, offering a rich diversity of authentic and proudly African products at affordable local prices.

For more information, visit our website or follow us on social media for the latest updates.

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Author: Rosebank Mall Rosebank Mall from Angelfish PR & Events on behalf of Rosebank Mall.

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