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Mfundo Piliso

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Mfundo Piliso

NEVER-ENDING TASK: Buffalo City Metro municipal workers assess a newly installed 630kVA distribution transformer at the Dimbaza Industrial Zone on Sunday. Employees expressed frustration, stating they are routinely deployed to replace stolen cables and transformers at the same sites almost weekly. Picture: MFUNDO PILISO

Residents and businesses battle rampant electrical infrastructure theft in Dimbaza

Dimbaza is facing a crisis as repeated cable and transformer thefts, sometimes involving municipal employees and equipment, have left residents and businesses without stable electricity.

Azola Mteto (B-Boy Ranks) captured performing a kickout freeze during his run at the Red Bull BC One Cypher South Africa national finals in Cape Town. Picture: MFUNDO PILISO

Mdantsane breakdancer spins his way into SA elite

Mdantsane breakdancing veteran Azola “B-Boy Ranks” Mteto has achieved his best result yet at the Red Bull BC One SA national final, breaking into the top eight in Cape Town at the weekend.

Nondyebo Sibaya of BuTibo Consulting (left) chats with Yondela Sombalo from Goldspoon Crafts as she displays her handcrafted wood and luxury leather products during the official Eastern Cape launch of Tourism Month 2026 at Asante Estate outside East London on Tuesday. Picture: MFUNDO PILISO
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Intelligent use of AI can change Eastern Cape’s tourism landscape

Artificial intelligence could help the Eastern Cape overcome one of its biggest tourism challenges — getting more international visitors to discover the province and stay longer.

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Ward 25 residents issue ultimatum to BCM over water, power outages

Frustrated residents of Phakamisa and Newtown in Ward 25 have launched an online petition giving the Buffalo City Metro 14 days to address “severe and recurring” water and electricity supply interruptions over the past six months.

Nomgwadla United Cricket Club is making a concerted effort to raise funds to provide decent cricket equipment for its young players

Nomgwadla United in rallying cry for young cricketers

Nomgwadla United Cricket Club, based near Dimbaza, has launched a community appeal to secure essential cricket equipment for its expanding junior division amid resource shortages threatening player safety and retention.

Elderly residents of Montrose, a former retirement home in Southernwood, say rising levies, electricity charges and geyser costs are eating into their already stretched social grants. Picture: MFUNDO PILISO

Bills ‘taking food from our mouths’, say pensioners

Elderly residents at Montrose, a former retirement home in Southernwood, are struggling to afford basic necessities as escalating levies, electricity, and geyser costs consume their limited social grants.

Azola Mteto of Mdantsane won the Eastern Cape leg of the Red Bull Cypher which was held at Hemingways Mall on Saturday. Picture ALAN EASON
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B-Boy Ranks qualifies for Red Bull BC One Cypher SA finals

Mdantsane’s Azola Mteto, known on the circuit as B-Boy Ranks, has earned a spot at the national finals of the Red Bull BC One Cypher competition after clinching victory in the Eastern Cape qualifier held in KuGompo City at the weekend.

Dozens of Zimbabwean nationals huddled outside a local shop near the city library on Saturday as they waited for a bus to take them home. Picture:

Foreign nationals living in fear as fugitives

Fear has spread through parts of the Eastern Cape as undocumented foreign nationals abandon their homes, leave their jobs and, in some cases, pay thousands of rand to return to their home countries amid escalating anti-illegal immigration…

Dr Ranjana Gigi, founder of the Swiss Board of Aid and the driving force behind iThemba Home for vulnerable children, was named the winner of the 11th annual Inspiration Awards hosted by the Border Kei Chamber of Business earlier this year. Picture: AESTHETE CREATIVE AGENCiIES

Zoning dispute could force closure of home for disabled children

A high court review application brought by a local property trust could result in the closure of a coas

The programme featured a variety of sporting codes and indigenous games, including touch rugby, soccer, skipping rope (kgati or ugqaphu), upuca, drie stokkies and breakdancing.

Traditional games put youth on right path

Pefferville HUB Festival uses sport and cultural activities to promote healthy lifestyles

Sheikh Arshad, 41, appeared in court this week on charges of allegedly dealing in Schedule 2 medicines without authorisation. He was granted R2,000 bail.

Man accused of dealing in scheduled drugs gets bail

Authorities have made a breakthrough in the fight against the illegal sale of controlled medication in KuGompo City after a Hawks sting operation led to the arrest of a mini-market shopkeeper allegedly dealing in Schedule 2 medicines…

A pensioner from KuGompo City, who uses Adco-Dol to manage chronic back pain, says the addictive drug is easily available at spaza shops.

Pensioner warns of painkiller abuse in KuGompo City

A pensioner from KuGompo who buys pills labelled as Adco-Dol to manage chronic back pain has warned that the drug has become a scourge in the community.

A mixture of AstraPain syrup, prescribed for children aged six to 12 to relieve mild to moderate pain associated with fever, and cold drink has become a popular cocktail among the youth.

Spaza shops probed over illegal sale of medicines in Eastern Cape

Buying illegal medication in some spaza shops in KuGompo City proved to be as easy as uttering two words: “Ndithenga iyeza (I would like to buy medicine)”.

AstraPain syrup and Adco-Dol tablets are freely available at spaza shops in KuGompo City. AstraPain, mixed with cold drink, has become a popular drink among young people.

Drug abuse is everyone’s problem, warns social worker

A social worker who has worked extensively with drug addicts warns that recreational drug use cuts across the board, affecting young and old of all races.

BEFORE: Anthony Leb from Nahoon Valley says his addiction to 'Lean' and Xanax nearly cost him his life and his family’s businesses. He lost 47kg due to years of substance abuse.

Recovering addict shares warning on dangers of ‘Lean’

A recovering addict from Nahoon Valley who drank “Lean” for six years and at one stage weighed 47kg, says he looted his family’s businesses to feed his addiction.