You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio that day in 1993 when we rolled into Market Street and were shown to Die Opstal In one of the other houses, pointing to a problem and asking a man to fix it. At the reception in the house across the road, smiling and saying welcome to Die Tuishuise. In the Schreiner Museum around the corner in Cross Street, honouring the writer who lived in the house she restored, with others. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads her shop in town full of the lovely old things she loved The lovely old things that she would fill up 30 houses with when we first arrived in Cradock at the start of an adventure we did not know had begun she owned only six of the houses in Market Street The 2025 edition of the annual Karoo Food Festival in Cradock started last night (Thursday 24 April 2025) with a dinner which I dedicated to the spirit and memory of Sandra Antrobus the Cradock hotelier and Karoo legend who unwittingly changed my life Many members of the Antrobus clan were there and for some of us the spirit of our heroine was plain to see It is as if Sandra’s very essence pulses in the walls and furnishings of the Victoria Manor Hotel and adjacent Tuishuise in Cradock’s Market Street For me it was a searing moment, with a direct line drawn between Sandra and I standing in front of the hotel a year earlier, when she had told me something terrible and sworn to confront it. Knowing her fierce Karoo spirit, I knew the battle would be intense. But even Sandra Antrobus ultimately could not defeat cancer.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Just one day short of a year since that moment in Market Street here’s the latest edition of this lovely little Karoo festival which by rights belongs in the heart of the town rather than the farm 10km or so away where much of the festival has happened for the past few years with food seemingly less and less to do with it It is time to bring it back to town and to make it all about food again Tony Jackman and Ronelle Wright jointly hosted the opening food and wine pairing dinner at the Victoria Manor Hotel in Cradock on Thursday biltong pâté and Van Loveren Christine Chardonnay While my fellow host Ronelle Wright told lovely stories about the Van Loveren wines with which she paired the dinner I told stories about Sandra and my now long friendship with her We smeared my biltong pâté on the hotel’s lovely bread with dabs of pear and sultana relish fortified with hanepoot Skaapstertjies (sheeps’ tails) cooked twice which Sandra Antrobus taught me how to make was turned into individual wildspasteie (game pies) Sandra taught me how to make fynvleis (fine game meat cooked for hours) and then turn it into a game pie (wildspastei) and the crowd loved the individual pies as much as the tails My recipe for the classic Pears Belle Hélène of every small-town hotel menu of the Sixties ended a dinner that had been blessed with pairings of Van Loveren Family Vineyards’ premium Christina range of very fine wines Straight on to a delectable Christina Chardonnay with the biltong pâté the 2022 cabernet sauvignon with the skaapstertjies Christina Shiraz with the main course and finally Gewürtztraminer Cradock’s Market Street during an earlier Karoo Food Festival That first visit turned out to be all about lamb, as well as Die Opstal and its charms. Like all of her Tuishuise in Cradock, which now number 30 or so, Die Opstal was, and is, filled with the ou-Kaapse meubels — traditional Dutch and English furniture from earlier times — and finished with fine fabrics in drapery, bedding and upholstery.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Sandra was a woman of substance and resourcefulness. She had all sorts of local experts on hand, a phone call or raised hand away. A woman who would sew curtains to fit a particular window, a man who was an expert upholsterer, people who knew how to mend, polish or somehow give new life to something most people would discard.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Word has it that she would climb up ladders on to roofs to supervise the nailing down of corrugated iron sheets and waterproofing As she bought one more house and then another until she ultimately owned nearly every house in the street she would pile the kids into the car and drive off to Port Elizabeth and Port Alfred scouring secondhand furniture dealers for beds anything that was part of a traditional home She’d bid at auctions and wait for the goods to turn up in Market Street In her armchair next to the fireplace in the hotel lounge Guests would be assigned to rooms upstairs in the hotel itself or to the tuishuise on both sides of the street They married in Port Elizabeth in 1968 but were to become a part of the very fabric of the Cradock community I came to Olive Schreiner — who was born 100 years and one month before me and with whom I have felt a kinship for half of my life — first via her cottage in Matjiesfontein This was where she wrote many of her now famous letters and several chapters of her Thoughts on South Africa Direct lines between people of past times and ours Tony Jackman’s wildspastei (game pie) made from venison fynvleis photographed on the old stove that belonged to Cradock hotelier Sandra Antrobus as a young bride There’s a bit of the fynvleis in the small bowl If we can draw direct lines between people of past times and our own I can imagine these women having had plenty to discuss to spend just one night in one of the Tuishuise that were going to change my life I had only mild ambitions of writing plays for the stage In the afternoon we visited the Schreiner Museum and my fascination with Schreiner deepened That she had written parts of The Story of an African Farm while living in this house although she did not yet live there at that time But somehow these two women would hold me and In between there would be long roads driven many times — especially between Cape Town and Sutherland and back Then one day we decided to drive that route again skirting the upper Drakensberg and the Malutis we parked outside the Victoria Manor Hotel What once had been a small affair of six period houses had blossomed into much of the street Lion House is still my favourite in Market Street were the terraced houses of another guest house so that Sandra’s view from her hotel reception was of houses she could not own; I always thought it a kind of torment for her That evening we crossed the road and entered the dining room off reception with its red walls and curtains and Karoo buffet I know I’ve told this story many times but it belongs here too the light reflected in rectangular mirrors on which were silver ornaments and salt and pepper cellars A lady in rose-red slowly made her way from table to table She owed me a sheep — I’ve had it in chops arguing that somebody else would have written a story raving about her Tuishuise and am grateful to have played a little part in her life’s work If the words that I write can have an impact and even if she hasn’t actually given me a whole sheep I’ve had it in chops and shanks over the last 15 years Sandra came over to Lion House for a drink the next evening at 6pm always knowing what to ask and never being too shy to ask it she said in that Sandra way of it being almost an order more than a suggestion It was the first edition and was to be held the following weekend But we had to leave the next morning; we demurred leaned forward as if she had a gees about this; a feeling That festival introduced me to all sorts of people who have come to be a part of my Cradock life over those 15 years who is a wonderful friend who recently donated his father’s collection of rare Spode to Sandra gentleman-writer of Afrikaans words and careful thought recreator of battles and friend of reptiles Quietly spoken master interviewer Izak de Vries And the entire Antrobus clan of two and now three generations On the Saturday evening of that first festival Sandra announced that I would be talking to the room about my plays (There’d been a reading of one of my plays Claire Berlain and Darron Araujo played the main roles and in the conversations that followed later that evening with Paul and others the idea was mooted that somehow I should bring something the following year Bloody England was performed — a staged reading — with Lynita Crofford as Schreiner I was told that Sandra wanted to see me in the red dining room I’ve wanted to put Emily Hobhouse on the stage for a long time I came back a week later (this was becoming a habit) and was given Etienne’s house (one in the street had been named after him being a novelist with deep Cradock toots) and spent a week writing An Audience with Miss Hobhouse a one-woman play written with Lynita Crofford in mind The play made its debut on the Grahamstown Festival Fringe in 2013 and won an Ovation Award for the production Lynita later won a Fleur du Cap for her role It subsequently had three runs in Cape Town and played at various festivals including KKNK and Aardklop All thanks to Sandra’s firm combination of resolve and expectation she named one of her houses after me — Jackman House is one of the terraced houses alongside that she finally bought and made her own I wonder if she understood how much of an honour this was and is to me when a certain man whose name will not disgrace these pages bought Independent Newspapers leading to both Di and I leaving and moving to Cradock offering us a lease on her Schreiner Tearoom in Market Street at the precise point when we were floundering and needed to move somewhere to make a fresh start Our other connecting point is and was food Sandra has been my Karoo guru for 15 years teaching me all sorts of things and inspiring me to dig deeper into Karoo cuisine finished with quince jelly and then made into wildspastei/game pie and I got a compliment from her for that (they did not come easily Sandra and I developed a friendship of mutual respect and admiration along with Di and of course Sandra’s daughters Cherie and Lisa I felt hugely honoured the first time we were invited for dinner in her home and first stared up at her lounge ceiling and we would arrive for supper in her TV room Sandra was typically strong in the face of her loss and determined to get on with life without Michael she stood in front of me with her back to the hotel I sort of knew but didn’t want to say anything until you were ready to tell me And she looked up at me with the most determined countenance and said Cherie said that mom was finding it difficult to eat — we called her mom as if she was mine too — and she’d heard that bone broth was good for people undergoing chemotherapy ever since the end of that food festival a year ago I’d been wanting to have a go at this restorative clear soup packed with nutrients thanks to 48 hours of cooking with many bones in the pot Deks — those very large shiny aluminium pots — passed between my kitchen and the hotel kitchen for the rest of the year as a new batch of bone broth simmered for two days in my kitchen to then be transferred for the staff to ladle it into tubs to be frozen a tub would be thawed and heated for Sandra’s meals But just not enough to fend off this terrible curse of a disease that takes so many of our best people from us And the hope of the end of last year — doctors had been amazed at her improvement and set new rounds of chemo at half-strength for late January onwards to get rid of what was left — turned to worry and sadness when she grew too weak to take the new season of treatment Sitting writing in the Chart Room lounge on board Cunard’s Queen Anne between Durban and Cape Town I could picture Sandra amid that Cunardian style and pure class when the WhatsApp pinged from Cherie: “We’ve been told to prepare for the worst.” In the early afternoon I lay down in our cabin for a nap I dreamt that Sandra was on the ground next to me and then fell to the ground with her head down I looked down upon her dark permed hair the way it used to be before the chemo That evening Cherie’s WhatsApp pinged: Very sad to let you know that Mom passed away this afternoon Sitting in her red chair near the fireplace in the lounge of the Victoria Manor Thank you for capturing her contribution to Cradock – and enduring Eastern Cape memories caring article celebrating the life of Mrs Sandra Antrobus and example of who and what makes South Africa great This story touches me because my mother’s family came from the Karoo and I grew up on the stories and food of the region I have been following your articles and adventures for many years ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " AVBOB celebrates a milestone by rewarding its members on a large scale CRADOCK - Residents of Cradock in the Eastern Cape are not too happy with Chris Hani District Municipality They say their drive to collect outstanding debt couldn't have come at the worst time The municipality has been disconnecting water to defaulting consumers and is been accused of doing so without considering the devastating impact it's having on businesses This article may contain graphic and/or adult content unsuitable for minors and sensitive readers A Nxuba (formerly Cradock) farmer found guilty of fraud amounting to more than R1m has been sentenced to 36 months of correctional supervision A Regional Court Magistrate sentenced Wentzel Christoffel Lombard to 36 months of correctional supervision on Thursday and has been ordered to compensate the complainant with R100 000 He must also complete 576 hours of community service at a local shelter out of more than R1m in 2017 when he led him to believe that he had 200 heavily pregnant cows to sell The pair met at an auction on 20 July 2017 He attended the auction with his cattle broker to buy heavily pregnant cows to make a profit Lombard approached them and informed them that he had 200 heavily pregnant cows on his farm that he wanted to sell He accompanied the men to his farm and showed them heavily pregnant cows The men were told that the rest of the cows were somewhere else When the complainant specifically asked whether all the cows were heavily pregnant Lombard assured them they were and said they were certified by a Veterinarian from Kwanojoli (formerly Somerset East) Lombard and Steenkamp agreed on a price of R14,000 per heavily pregnant cow the complainant discovered that only half of the said cows were heavily pregnant Magistrate Hannes Claassen determined that Steenkamp suffered a huge financial loss due to the misrepresentation an exclusive podcast on the life of Vicki Terblanche Dive into the expansive world of motoring with Naresh Maharaj Join Mark Marshall as he shares his extraordinary encounters with everything from bees to reptiles i High court case demands inquiry into 1985 Cradock Four killings and ‘constitutional damages’ worth £7.3m Lukhanyo Calata’s first memory of his father was the funeral the earth beneath his feet shaking from the number of people gathered at the graveside and the fear he felt aged three as the red box holding his father Fort Calata was one of four men stopped at a roadblock in June 1985 by security officers. The Cradock Four were beaten, strangled with telephone wire, stabbed and shot to death in one of the most notorious killings of South Africa’s apartheid era the country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) denied six security officers amnesty for their role in the killings They were never prosecuted and have all since died as part of a group of 25 families and survivors of apartheid-era deaths and violence Lukhanyo Calata is suing South Africa’s government for failing to bring his father’s alleged killers to court “Losing my father has impacted every fibre of my being,” Calata said “We were ultimately betrayed by the people that we trusted to lead us into a new society.” filed at the high court in Pretoria this week demands an inquiry to establish why there were no prosecutions It also asks for “constitutional damages” of 167m rand (£7.3m) to fund further investigations A spokesperson for South Africa’s justice minister said: “Our legal section is reviewing the documents and will respond accordingly We will collaborate closely with the National Prosecuting Authority and the presidency on this matter.” The justice ministry reopened an inquest into the Cradock Four killings last year “The TRC cases were deliberately suppressed following a plan or arrangement hatched at the highest levels of government,” Calata alleged in court papers In 2021 a supreme court of appeal judgment found that “from 2003 to 2017 investigations into the TRC cases were stopped as a result of an executive decision” and that “this was indeed interference with the NPA” The court added that there was an “absence of detail as to why it occurred” Thabo Mbeki, who was South Africa’s president from 1999 to 2008, said in a statement in March 2024: “During the years I was in government we never interfered in the work of the NPA the NPA must investigate and prosecute the cases referred to it by the TRC.” Nombuyiselo Mhlauli was reluctant to speak about the new legal case and the impact his loss had had on her and their two children “We were so close to each other,” she said full of laughter all the time,” said Mhlauli “Wherever you find him he is laughing and the other people around him are laughing a lot.” Clockwise from top left: Fort Calata Composite: c/o FamiliesAfter her husband’s killing who would regularly kick down her door at night when Nelson Mandela was released from prison in 1990 before going on to be South Africa’s first black president But the fact that the Cradock Four case has not been prosecuted while Mandela’s African National Congress party has been in government “left us so hurt and bitter” “I wish the government would come forward and tell us: why did they delay the process?” when an inquest into the murders of the Cradock Four finally starts “Justice for me would be that people will come to tell the whole story,” Nomonde Calata, the widow of Fort Calata, said on Monday. “I want to know why they did that to him.”advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The Cradock Four is the collective name given to the anti-apartheid activists Fort Calata They were returning to Cradock from Gqeberha (then known as Port Elizabeth) when they were arrested at a roadblock manned by the Security Branch Read more: Thirty-three years after Fort Calata’s assassination, his widow finally allows herself to mourn her ‘best friend’ There have been two inquests into their deaths concluded that the Cradock Four had been killed by “unknown persons” presided over by the former Judge President of the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court found that the police had caused the Cradock Four’s deaths no individuals were named as being responsible six former police officers involved in the Cradock Four’s arrest and murder appeared before the Amnesty Committee of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) On Tuesday, the third inquest, and one that the families had pinned their hopes on to hear the truth of what had happened to their husbands and fathers, was again postponed because of a delay in fees paid to counsel representing former state security officials and police officers. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads also wants his legal representation paid for by the State said it was agreed in August 2023 that the inquest would be reopened when the inquest was meant to start and continue until 20 September “A toxic mix of political interference incompetence and indifference has shut down virtually all the TRC cases over the last two decades,” said Varney “There are only a handful of cases that can be taken forward Yet we see little sense of urgency on the part of the authorities “It is high time that the NPA [National Prosecuting Authority], State Attorney and the relevant departments, namely the SAPS and the SANDF, came together to work out a seamless approach to the question of legal costs to avoid this wholly unnecessary fiasco from happening again.”advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Read more: My Father Died for This: A history of the Calata family Varney said the postponement was “yet another bitter blow” for the families and had serious consequences for them and the wider Cradock community.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “The hopes of the families for some closure after more than 39 years of waiting have been dashed again,” he said obfuscation and idleness on the part of the authorities All their efforts to see justice done in a criminal court have come to nought when a reopened inquest is finally going to happen He said the postponement might result in a grave miscarriage of justice “We have identified 49 persons who were associated in one form or another with the Cradock Four case Virtually all of them have died,” said Varney “All six members of the police hit squad who murdered the Cradock Four have died,” Varney continued Sergeant Amos Themba Faku and Xolile Shepard Sakati “Most of the masterminds who planned or facilitated the operation against the Cradock Four have died, including Colonel Harold Snyman, Colonel Lourens du Plessis, Major General Nicolaas Jacobus Janse van Rensburg, General Jannie Geldenhuys, Major General Frederick Johannes van Rensburg and Lieutenant Jaap van Jaarsveld.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “Most members of the State Security Council (SSC) between 1984 and 1985 have died Of the 27 persons who attended one or both SSC meetings on 19 March 1984 and 10 June 1985 “The primary reason behind this monumental failure of justice has been political interference which effectively killed off the bulk of cases referred by the TRC to the NPA,” said Varney Read more: Thabo Mbeki’s claim that ‘we never interfered’ in prosecuting TRC cases ignores the facts “Those behind these machinations knew that this would be the outcome He said the “persons of interest” who were still alive were “in the twilight of their lives”.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads a former lieutenant general and head of the Port Elizabeth Security Branch; Major General Krappies Engelbrecht who was head of the police’s Counterintelligence Department; Joffel van der Westhuizen (82) a former lieutenant general in the SADF; Craig Williamson (75) former head of Security Branch Intelligence; and Neil Barnard (75) former director of the National Intelligence Service “Given the advanced ages of these individuals it is highly likely that some will not be available to testify by the time this inquest is eventually held This will be devastating for the families,” said Varney “They will yet again be denied the opportunity to hear from those associated with the Cradock Four case This would amount to another unforgivable miscarriage of justice.” sent a schedule for the hearing setting out the witnesses needed and their time estimates “The schedule was agreed to at a meeting between the families and the NPA on 22 February 2024,” said Varney after they heard nothing from the NPA about the inquest the families’ attorneys sent urgent letters to the NPA and the presiding judge expressing their alarm that the inquest was in danger of collapsing “proved to be prescient since all efforts thereafter to salvage the inquest came to nought “The NPA claims that their hands were tied as they had not received final confirmation of the inquest dates from the presiding judge “There is no reason why the NPA could not have extracted the confirmation of dates even if it meant knocking on doors or camping in the registrar’s office “According to the legal representatives of the former SAPS and the SANDF witnesses they were only advised of the reopened inquest and the hearing dates during June 2024 They complained that it was too late for them to organise funding for their legal costs through the State Attorney which includes seeking the approval of the SAPS and the SANDF This was the primary reason for the collapse of the inquest.”   Read more: The Cradock Four: A son’s quest for justice for Fort Calata and fellow activists said he wanted to make it clear that the State was ready to proceed but they had accepted that all parties must have the opportunity to obtain legal representation appearing on behalf of Goniwe and the greater Cradock community said previous inquests had failed to find the truth “The evidence will reveal a planned assassination,” he said and his case is that he was also a victim.”   He said they had approached Legal Aid South Africa for funding but were turned down for “reasons incompatible with the Constitution Government cannot play dead and silent.”   Advocate Fiona Bosman for the NPA said they had done all they could to get the inquest to court She added the court file went missing and had to be reconstituted Files from the previous inquests also went missing The Cory Library for Historical Research in Makhanda came to their rescue and delivered a digital copy of the inquests the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Eastern Cape said the ideal situation would be to run with the inquest “but there is nothing much that we can do.” “We thought today was the day that we would start to hear the truth.”   He said it would be 40 years next year in June since his dad was murdered and he was hoping to go to his father’s grave to tell him that the truth was out Read more: Lukhanyo Calata called for justice and the NPA answered “It is the month when my husband was killed,” she said She said if there were a political deal regarding the Cradock Four’s murder “We never had time to mourn for our husbands,” she said She said her husband was supposed to come to fetch her in Port Elizabeth when he was killed She said her husband’s killers had cut off one of his hands and it bothered her to this day that they had to bury him without the hand Read more: NPA’s apartheid case shame: State prosecutors have ‘failed’ to investigate crimes exposed by the TRC said he was disappointed in the outcome of the court proceedings a former TRC commissioner from the Foundation for Human Rights said the inquest was supposed to be a watershed moment She said there was political interference and the NPA had been told not to take up these cases “It is shocking that the democratic state is suppressing these cases,” she said The democratic state of SA is no better than the Apartheid state of SA and 30 years ought to be enough time for those aggrieved by this monumental injustice to realise the GNU has ABSOLUTELY no interest in their plight or in setting straight the diabolically pornographic record of history where are the daily maverick Keyboard warriors who usually flood this comment section Alabama was planted (by the KKK) and detonated in 1963 Perpetrators (old men by then) were bought to trial as late as 2002 The prosecutor said “It’s never too late for the truth to be told … It’s never too late for a man to be held accountable for his crimes.” Well you bring cases to court of SAPS and SADF members and guess what suddenly there are even more murdering thugs from the UDF and MK also facing court actions like the current Chief Army as an example who was denied amnesty These were just some components that formed part of a trial against a Nxuba (formerly Cradock) farmer who was found guilty of fraud amounting to more than R1 million was found guilty in the Regional Court in Cradock on Friday The court ruled that Lombard duped Albertus Ebenhaezer Steenkamp out of R1,072,500,00 Lombard assured them that they were and said they were certified by a Veterinarian from Kwanojoli (formerly Somerset East) as heavily pregnant Steenkamp borrowed R3,003 557,42 from Vleissentraal to buy 191 heavily pregnant cows and the money was paid into Lombard's bank account by way of two separate transactions on the 25th and the 26th of July 2017 the complainant discovered that only 105 of the said cows were heavily pregnant Magistrate Hannes Claassen determined that Steenkamp suffered a huge financial loss as a result of the misrepresentation Judgment will be handed down on 2 December “What we should have done is have a big braai to mark 10 years of a huge balls-up,” says Cradock ward councillor Rika Featherstonehaugh The Chris Hani District Municipality managed to get R3.5-million in payment for water bills after disconnecting the water to 35 businesses government departments and offices of the local municipality in Cradock and Middelburg The municipality was recently downgraded by the international credit agency Moody’s mostly because of its appalling collection rate which is 5.89% for Cradock and Middelburg and even lower Chris Hani District Municipality spokesperson Buli Ganyaza said the disconnection programme for water services was launched in Cradock and Middelburg  “following numerous engagements with non-paying businesses and government account holders within the district” She said on Friday that the municipality had disconnected 35 businesses These businesses will now use smart meters for future billing Wilhelm Smit, who heads the Cradock Business Chamber, said not all business owners received notices of the disconnections, although the municipality insisted notices were sent out. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads We have asked for a while for them [the municipality] to sit with us and work with them We said from the start we want to pay for our water and we are in favour of the smart meters It is excellent that they are installing these People are very angry and unhappy about this They took the water [services] over 10 years ago,” he said.” Business owners were required to drive 140km to Komani to pay for water before the service was reconnected But some business owners were happy to receive a smart meter Local business owner Frikkie Coetzee said it will solve all his current billing problems They were going to do a second one but they couldn’t find the pipes.” Executive mayor Lusanda Sizani said the disconnection blitz in the district started on 29 November “Our consumers owe us R541-million in Inxuba Yethemba municipality [Cradock and Middelburg] We can’t do service delivery if they don’t pay We will embark on this programme until June 2025.” Consumers across the district municipality owe a total of R1.6-billion Chris Hani District Municipality is the water services authority for six municipalities in the district and was controversially appointed to manage water services in 2014 The district municipality’s tenure, now 10 years old, has never been accepted by residents, who went as far as approaching Parliament in 2015 to ask the government to reverse the appointment of the district municipality as the water services agent.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Read more : Ground Level Report: Chris Hani Municipality’s rivers of sewage flow freely after years of incompetence and neglect At the time, Parliament heard that neither the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs nor the Department of Water and Sanitation was involved in the decision to delegate the water services function to the district municipality.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Since then the residents and businesses have been plagued by problematic account billing including accounts for properties in the names of previous owners the area is also frequently subject to water outages and shocking sewage spills linked to failures by the municipality the Democratic Alliance councillor for Ward 5 where many of the disconnections were carried out said the town should have held a big braai to mark 10 years of billing chaos since Chris Hani District Municipality took over the provision of water services She said many businesses where water use used to be low were hit by large accounts some accounts were in the names of deceased former owners and some were older than three years She said frequent water outages were causing air pockets in the plumbing The disconnection blitz started in Cradock and Middelburg on Monday and continued through the week Officials from the Chris Hani District Municipality discuss disconnecting water services for defaulting ratepayers A team from the Chris Hani District Municipality engaging with the public on the new smart meters that are being introduced in Cradock The municipality also introduced an onerous application process for ratepayers to pay their accounts which included sending three months of bank statements There is also a requirement for a rates account from a municipality that was dissolved in 2016 the chair of the ratepayers association in Cradock said they have appointed an attorney to collect all complaints Video footage obtained by Daily Maverick shows how the municipality used heavy equipment to break up the road to access water meters for disconnection The underground meters had been covered with tar for streets and parking spots Sizani and members of the mayoral committee were taking part in the disconnections Ganyaza added that the municipality was targeting businesses and sector departments listed on the defaulters register defaulters in Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality owe more than R541-million for water and sanitation services,” Ganyaza said A large portion of the services debt in the municipality belongs to the government, which owes R142-million in outstanding water accounts. Ganyaza said schools, hospitals and the local prison were cut off but restored after the government paid up.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads She said all affected were advised of the planned disconnections “Final pre-termination notices were issued in August encouraging customers to pay off their debts with only a few who responded to the call for payment arrangements Over 543 properties in the area have been put on the priority list for smart meter installations The efforts are part of the municipality’s strategy to enhance its ability to meet its service delivery and development obligations.”  Garth said the municipality’s billing system remains chaotic and residents have been hit with enormous bills that do not take into account the fact that debt is prescribed after three years Some residents were also given an old bank account number but were then told if they use a “special reference” it will still reflect on their bills “There are people who will never be able to pay what they ask,” he said He said the state of the water system in Cradock is also of concern as many residents have leaky water meters the town is riddled with leaky pipes and residents are not given accurate readings with their accounts Garth said the municipality’s own water trucks were sold at an execution auction last year and the businessman who bought them now uses them to provide water to suffering communities for free during the constant water outages ‘I don’t think anybody in town has a problem paying their accounts but since 10 years ago when the Chris Hani District Municipality took over the water billing system it has been in complete chaos,” he said “Even when people pay it is not reflected on the system but only to pay with EFTs [so] that they have proof of payment.” Other business owners described the disconnection blitz as “an all-out attack” Residents and business owners swamped the local stores to panic buy all the water they could find following the start of the disconnection programme The Auditor-General in its latest auditing report for the municipality highlighted that the municipality’s goals to improve the quality of drinking water in its towns are ill-defined and not measurable The report notes that there was no adequate management accounting and information system in place for accounts and debtors and that revenue due to the municipality is not calculated on a monthly basis adding that accounts are not sent out on a monthly basis and that standard rates are not applied when sending out accounts does point out that a “data-cleaning” exercise was performed in March 2023 to improve this situation They should change the name of the district; grossly disrespectful of Chris Hani So glad we built our underground reservoir to harvest and store rainwater keep experiencing chaos and no service delivery No sympathy whatsoever for those who vote for the ANC and its spawn They deserve every little bit of their misery And who will change the batteries on the “smart” meters If they have been “reading” meters which have been under tarmac for years good luck on finding diligent battery changers… What sort of example is it when governments departments don’t pay for services What do these departments do with the money allocated to pay for services The culture of non-payment will always remain if the top can’t get their house in order Another case of gross incompetence matched with bully tactics Everything the muni is doing is against legislation – but as the CoJ points out ‘our muni bylaws protect us’ Would like to meet meter readers – they can see through tar Should be used to find the pipes and leaks underground I thought access to clean drinking water was enshrined in the constitution agreed before 1994 They could reduce the pressure to a trickle Home | Politics The Cradock Four inquest has been postponed to June 2025 was after the Gqeberha High Court in the Eastern Cape heard two applications over who should be responsible for the legal costs for the inquest The inquest which was set to start on Monday and run until September 20 was postponed due to the two applications filed by the State Attorney and Mbulelo Goniwe – the nephew of late anti-apartheid activist and one of the Cradock Four members The start of the inquests will coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Cradock Four deaths There were 49 people of interest at the start of the inquest There are now only five people and all range from the ages of 75 to 88 The families of the victims feel they have been dealt yet another bitter blow with the latest postponement My heart is broken,” says Nomonde Calata – the widow of Fort Calata Nombuyiselo Mhlauli says her husband Sicelo Mhlauli was brutally murdered And now I must wait another nine months to get an answer.” “I was quite disappointed to see that Joffie and Eugene were not in court today. I wanted to shake their hand. To be intentional about greeting them. I think it’s an important thing to do. I mean they are so old. Will they even be alive come June next year?” says Lukhanyo Calata Video: Cradock Four Inquest – Families react to inquest postponement the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is confident that the state will be willing to cover the legal costs “I cannot speak for the state or the minister but I don’t foresee any problems or denial in the granting the covering of the legal costs We are quite disappointed over the postponement Especially for nine months,” says Barry Madolo Easter Cape Director of Public Prosecutions All cases that were referred to the NPA from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) have been further delegated to the Hawks for investigation in each of the various provinces The Cradock 4 case is one of 22 cases that the Hawks in the Eastern Cape are investigating “The challenge for us now is that this case is so old Many of the people have died and it’s hard to find relevant evidence But we believe we have gathered enough evidence and that the NPA has a strong case,” says Yoliswa Mgolodela would just be the truth about what happened the night of June 27 The inquest is set to run from June 2-20 next year The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) has accused the government of failing to act with urgency and commitment regarding the inquest into the murder of the Cradock Four and Sicelo Mhlauli were arrested at a roadblock set by the security branch of the apartheid government in June 1985 while returning to Cradock from Port Elizabeth their families are still waiting for justice expressed disappointment with the Minister of Justice and Correctional Development Mamoloko Kubayi’s response to a question posed by the party’s MP Ndhela argues that instead of providing concrete assurances about ensuring accountability Kubayi has relied on “healing the injustices of the past” while failing to outline a real commitment to prosecution “The question posed was simple: what steps has the minister taken to ensure the inquest is concluded swiftly and that those responsible for these heinous crimes finally face justice the response is littered with vague commitments and lacks a clear plan of action,” said Ndhlela He said Kubayi has set a date for the inquest to begin on June 2 but has failed to provide assurance that it will be conducted with urgency and concluded within a reasonable timeframe He emphasised that after 40 years of waiting the government should ensure justice is no longer delayed “While the minister emphasises the inquest she conveniently avoids the key issue: the perpetrators of this atrocity are known If the state has the political will to prosecute activists from the past why is it hesitant when it comes to apartheid killers?” Ndhlela questioned Ndhela also claimed that the government was giving the families of victims “lip service” He said Kubayi failed to provide details about when the families were last updated apart from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) engaging the families early in 2023 MK Party plans to approach the portfolio committee on justice and constitutional development to request that Kubayi appear before parliament to explain what the party describes as the government’s absence of political will we demand the following: a concrete timeline for the inquest’s completion and the assurance that it will not be subject to further delays a public commitment from the NPA to prosecute those responsible instead of treating this as a mere fact-finding exercise “Transparent and meaningful engagement with the families including regular updates and a clear role for them in the proceedings “A full account of the government’s broader plan to address the many other unresolved TRC cases,” said Ndhlela Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Tel: +27 11 268 6300 Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms & conditions and privacy policy The much-anticipated reopening of the inquest into the murders of the anti-apartheid activists known as the Cradock Four is expected to be postponed when the matter comes before the high court in Gqeberha on Monday who are still seeking justice forty years on This is due to the lawyers of the former police and army witnesses saying they had too little time to prepare and were not able to secure state funding for their clients The "historic" inquest was scheduled to run from 2 to 20 September 2024 before Justice Nomatamsanqa Beshe following an announcement by former Minister of Justice In January he announced the decision to reopen the inquest into the assassination of Fort Calata and Sparrow Mkonto at the hands of the apartheid regime on 27 June 1985 In a notification on Thursday from the Foundation for Human Rights and legal firm Cliffe which is representing the families of the Cradock 4 they said the inquest "has collapsed" and will not proceed as originally scheduled "The inquest will be formally postponed in Court on Monday "Legal representatives of the former SAP and SADF witnesses complained that they were notified too late to prepare for the inquest and have not been able to secure state funding for their legal costs," they said They added that Judge Beshe issued an order on 12 August the SAPS and SANDF expedite the "payment of the reasonable legal costs" of the former state officials in order to prevent the further delay of the inquest This application is expected to be opposed by the state on Monday when they bring an application for the rescission of Judge Mbeshe's order the son of Fort Calata and founder of the Calata Foundation said it was a bittersweet moment for the families "As the Cradock Four families we are very pleased that on Monday a court in democratic South Africa will sit to hear the matter of the Cradock 4 we are dismayed at the fact that the matter will be delayed yet again for them to finalise their legal matters." he said He said the families find the situation disheartening and our mothers are really getting older and we cannot afford any more delays with finding out the truth around the deaths of our fathers we are saddened that this matter is going to be delayed again then on the other hand this is quite historic because for the first time in democratic South Africa a court is going to sit to hear a matter that relates to the assassinations of the Cradock 4 if only if it wasn't for the delay and the postponement off-course," he told Algoa FM News gmun@george.gov.za MORE CONTACTS George Municipality © 2020 | All rights reserved This sentiment was shared by family members of the anti-apartheid activists known as the Cradock Four in Gqeberha on Monday shortly after being dealt yet another blow in the Gqeberha High Court and Sparrow Mkonto expressed their disappointment at the postponement of the much-anticipated reopening of the inquest into the murders of their loved ones the inquest was postponed to June next year which marks the 40th anniversary since a military signal was sent out calling for their permanent removal from society and Mkonto died at the hands of the apartheid regime on 27 June 1985 The delay in finalising the scheduled three-week inquest is due to the lawyers of the former police and army witnesses saying they had too little time to prepare and were not able to secure state funding for their clients each day that passes brings with it the risk that yet another person involved or associated with the crime could pass away 49 people who were associated in one form or another with the case were identified They include the six members of the police hit squad namely Major Johan Martin "Sakkie" Van Zyl most of the masterminds who planned or facilitated the operation and most of the members who sat on the State Security Council (SSC) between 1984 and 1985 have died Since the families launched a civil application to compel the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the South African Police Service (SAPS) to finalise their investigations in July 2021 Eric Winter (former Cradock Security Branch Commander) Johannes Velde van der Merwe (former SAP Commissioner) Barend du Plessis (former Minister of Black Education) and Hermanus Barend du Plessis (former head of the Security Branch's Black Affairs unit in Port Elizabeth) Leading Human Rights Lawyer and former TRC Commissioner Yasmin Sooka said all of the surviving persons of interest are in the twilight of their lives with the eldest being 88 years old Nomonde said 39 years was a very long time to wait for justice "I thought today we would start to hear the truth "We are getting older and the perpetrators are dying "I am disappointed because it took such a long time to get to where we are now." The families believe that should the question of legal costs for former state officials and Mbulelo Goniwe drag on through litigation in multiple courts it will effectively "kill off" the inquest and indifference has shut down virtually all the TRC cases over the last two decades "There are only a handful of cases that can be taken forward "Yet we see little sense of urgency on the part of the authorities," the families' lawyer said in a court document They are represented by Johannesburg-based Cliffie Decker Hofmeyer (CDH) on a pro bono basis Beshe rescinded a previous judgment which ordered the State Attorney and SANDF to expedite the payment of the reasonable legal costs of the former state officials to prevent further delay on the inquest The inquest has been postponed to 2 - 20 June 2025 JOHANNESBURG - A third inquest into the death of the Cradock Four has been reopened at the Gqeberha High Court Sparrow Mkhonto and Sicelo Mhlauli were tortured assaulted and burned to death on 27 June 1985 WATCH: Cradock 4 | Families believe perpetrators still around The inquest was meant to get underway this week but it has been postponed to June next year over legal delays. It's now 40 years since the four anti-apartheid activist were murdered. This article may contain graphic and/or adult content unsuitable for minors and sensitive readers. One person has died and another escaped unharmed when a Toyota Quantum and a truck collided head-on on the N10 road on Friday morning. Eastern Cape Transport Department spokesman, Makhaya Komisa said the accident happened at around 06:45, on the N10 in Middelburg, 61km towards Cradock. According to Komisa, only the drivers of the vehicles were present when the accident occurred. It is alleged that one of the vehicles was passing a stationary truck. "The driver of the Toyota minibus died instantly as declared by the emergency services. "The driver of the truck escaped unharmed." A case of culpable homicide has been opened at Middelburg SAPS for further investigation. Journey to Justice, an exclusive podcast on the life of Vicki Terblanche, a slain Gqeberha mother. Dive into the expansive world of motoring with Naresh Maharaj. CAPE TOWN - The families and survivors of apartheid crime who are suing the government for R167 million say they won’t take a cent of the money. They said instead it will be put in a trust and used to help survivors pursue any future litigation or research. They also want Ramaphosa to establish an independent commission of inquiry into political interference that resulted in the “suppression” of hundreds of serious crimes committed during the brutal apartheid regime. This week, 25 families and survivors of apartheid-era crime approached the Pretoria High Court to compel the government to pay constitutional damages. They said the payment of constitutional damages by the first respondent is for “purposes of affirming constitutional values, vindicating the rights of the applicants and families and deterring future interference”. But Lukhanyo Calata, the son of the Cradock Four victim, Fort Calata, said the money is not for their individual benefit. “The money that’s going to come isn’t going to come to us as individuals so that we can buy BMWs and Rolls Royces. The money is going to be kept in a trust to allow Tshidiso Motasi if he wants to, if he wants to put up a memorial lecture for his parents.” The families said R115 million of the funds will be used for “enabling families and organisations supporting families to advance truth, justice and closure” over five years to assist them in pursuing investigations, inquests, private prosecutions and related litigation. Sections I recently did an informal audit of our private service providers in our home town of Nxuba (formerly known as Cradock) Then there’s the butcher who makes the best biltong a local farmer’s wife who delivers kudu steaks and mince and a local entrepreneur who sources nuts and seeds the chap at the local car parts shop who has a side hustle in doringhout delivered by the bakkieload just as winter bites And the painter and his son and assistant who come to do touch-ups and to patch up the window putty We also have a quick way of getting hold of the local snake catcher and bee whisperer And the wonderful people who fix appliances like radios and washing machines Look at small towns through a different lens minuscule traffic flows and friendly faces Read more: Random retail revelations in small South African towns Dorps are not miniaturised versions of cities. Things work completely differently here. The economy of a small town generally runs on agriculture.   advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Plumbers and electricians are prized more highly than brain surgeons or actuaries shared knowledge and trust — rare assets in cities Eccentrics cars are welcome in the platteland Living in “Small Town” South Africa can be good for the creative soul Think of the working parts of a small town as pieces of an incomplete jigsaw puzzle Then imagine yourself (potentially) as one of the missing pieces adding to the capital of the social landscape you will live in Will you be the retired MD who resides in the most expensive house keeping his distance from the community while enjoying all the available benefits therein A fire prevention squad jogging through downtown Jansenville Read more: Moving to the Platteland: The magic of small-town living the Cradock Community Forum cleans the streets of litter because the municipality will not they clear the clogged canals carrying water from the Fish River weir to town we would have no water because the municipality doesn’t have the will or the manpower to do that either Those who cannot work contribute food for the workers or money for labourers or machinery but life in Nxuba would be horrible without them it’s not just about doing the jobs that the municipalities should be doing — although keeping your patch of pavement clean is more valuable than you’d imagine Navigating small-town South Africa — tricky at times The platteland is where you give way to the flocks of livestock Goodwill is a valuable currency here, along with gossip.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads It’s also about buying local, supporting the local kerkbasaars that in turn provide for indigent families, going to the local rugby game or tennis matches, and donating regularly to the local animal shelter. And for heaven’s sake, don’t turn your beautiful old Karoo brakdak huisie into a Tuscan palace with sliding doors.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Read more: The ups and occasional downs of learning how to socialise well in a small town and look at your new address with kindness or what needs to be celebrated and preserved the farmer with the best kudu steaks will be at your door the local padstal will be giving you free coffee for the favour you did for someone last week (a cousin) and the local vet or doctor may make a house call If you move to a town with all its jigsaw pieces in place you will pay a fortune for the plug-and-play privilege They are the ones that let you live a bigger life in a small town For an insider’s view on semigration and small town life in South Africa, get Moving to the Karoo and Road Tripper Eastern Cape Karoo (illustrated in black and white) by Julienne du Toit and Chris Marais for only R520, including courier costs in South Africa. For more details, contact Julie at [email protected] Great article. The only one here not about trump and palestine. Thank you for an inspiring article. I grew up in Graaff-Reinet from age 10 to 19 and visited many small towns in the Great Karoo. We enjoyed lunch with farmers, walking through the veld and climbing a few mountains. The golf courses were bare ground with sand greens! Every so often, the brutality of our past returns to haunt us. A harrowing example of the barbarism of the apartheid security forces that has recently resurfaced is the assassination of the Cradock Four. In 1985, anti-apartheid activists Mathew Goniwe, Sparrow Mkonto, Fort Calata and Sicelo Mhlauli – collectively called the Cradock Four – were abducted and murdered. Their mutilated, charred bodies were found days later, scattered in various locations along the Eastern Cape coastline. It is distressing that the unmasking of the details of their murders is being postponed due to the quibbling over legal costs. The initial inquest conducted by the apartheid state in 1987 concluded that the Cradock Four met their demise “at the hands of unknown individuals”, resulting in no prosecutions. A subsequent inquest in 1993 confirmed the culpability of the police in the deaths of the Cradock Four; however, the specific circumstances of their demise and the identities of the perpetrators remained ambiguous, and again, no legal action was taken. In 1999, six former police officers associated with the apprehension and killing of the Cradock Four appeared before the Amnesty Committee of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), yet none of them obtained amnesty as they failed to make full disclosure. Many are asking, however, if it is adequately justifiable that taxpayers finance the legal defence of apartheid-era killers, more particularly those who did not even bother to apply for amnesty. The financial burden emanates from the protection provided by the “Sunset Clauses” agreed to as part of our negotiation settlement. In this regard, Pallo Jordan (1992) stated: “The central components of the state are its coercive arms – the army, police, laws and prisons; and its persuasive arm – the civil administration, civil service and the state ideological apparatus. It is precisely these organs that we are now being told should not be tampered with, so as to enable the liberation movement and the regime to ride blissfully into the sunset together.” The provision of legal financial support for individuals associated with the perpetration of egregious apartheid atrocities is tantamount to denying the apartheid victims the justice they deserve. It places an unfair burden on taxpayers to uncover the truth. In so doing, it neglects to uphold the fundamental principles of justice as the perpetrators are escaping liability. The unfairness is causing many to relive the trauma of our past. The pain is compounded by the travesty emanating from an inadequate process led by the TRC. The TRC held public hearings post the democratic transition as part of a restorative justice effort to give apartheid victims a platform to share their experiences and allow perpetrators to confess and apologise. The cost of revealing the truth was amnesty, which also meant sacrificing justice, and sadly, justice is being sacrificed again. Regrettably, the poor management of the Cradock Four inquest is not an isolated incident. There are numerous cases where justice for victims is delayed due to the legal wrangling over fees. The Cosas 4 case involving Eustice “Bimbo” Madikela, Ntshingo Matabane, Fanyana Nhlapo and Zandisile Musi is another stark example of perpetrators evading accountability by claiming they cannot afford the legal costs. In other instances, such as those related to corruption, the government has adopted a stringent approach towards the settlement of fees. The question arises about why there should be a divergent set of regulations for individuals implicated in apartheid crimes. This is a gross injustice that should stir our collective indignation. Furthermore, the TRC found 300 instances where the security services either killed individuals in custody or illegal detention centres like Vlakplaas or assassinated them in the field through their infamous death squads. It advised the NPA to investigate the 300 cases and prosecute those responsible. Unfortunately, the recommendations have not been fully acted upon, and many perpetrators were never even identified, let alone brought to justice. The Ntsebeza report for NPA on TRC prosecutions (2024) confirms that the NPA “has failed in its mandate“. The unfinished business of the TRC and the arrangements at Codesa place more emphasis on the rights of apartheid criminals than the rights of victims and their families. Frustrations have reached levels whereby family members have resorted to camping outside the Constitutional Court. Certainly, it is time to consider revisiting some of the Codesa arrangements and reviewing the legislation to guarantee justice for victims. It is imperative that the National Dialogue discuss the matters. Only by doing so can our nation fully recover from the deep wounds of our past and reach its full potential. It is unacceptable that 30 years on, justice for the victims is fast fading into the sunset while the perpetrators are getting off scot-free. * Dr Reneva Fourie is a policy analyst specialising in governance, development and security. ** The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of The African JOHANNESBURG - The MK Party is speaking out against what they call the government's empty promises regarding the Cradock Four inquest. Sibonelo Nomvalo is an MK Party Member of Parliament and a member of the Department of Justice portfolio committee. Nomvalo shares why the party is rejecting the government's stance, and what they believe should happen moving forward in the pursuit of justice. The inquest into the deaths of these anti-apartheid activists has been stalled for years. CAPE TOWN - Twenty-five families and survivors of apartheid-era crimes have approached the courts to compel the government to pay constitutional damages of R167 million. The families also want President Cyril Ramaphosa to establish an independent commission of inquiry into political interference that resulted in the "suppression" of hundreds of serious crimes committed during the brutal apartheid regime. The applicants are survivors and family members of the Highgate Hotel massacre in East London and the Cradock Four murders among others. The notice of motion by the survivors lists applicants who include Lukhanyo Calata, the son of Fort Calata, one of the Cradock Four victims murdered by the South African police in 1985. It also lists Alegria Nyoka representing the family of the late Caiphus Nyoka.  The survivors and their families want the court to declare the conduct of the respondents to be a violation of their constitutional rights for "unlawfully refraining and obstructing the investigation and or prosecution of apartheid-era cases referred by the TRC to the NPA". Calata addressed a media briefing, saying this was not his favoured course of action. "It's sad for me to be at this point where I have to go to court just to get what was duly mine, justice." Calata added that the money won't go to them as individuals and will instead be kept in a trust. The survivors also say the payment of constitutional damages by the first respondent is for "purposes of affirming constitutional values, vindicating the rights of the applicants and families and deterring future interference". Eastern Cape farmer Wentzel Lombard’s new “farm work” begins in Nxuba where he’ll sweat out 576 hours of community service after his fraudulent cow deal Eastern Cape farmer Wentzel Lombard is now getting more than he bargained for after being found guilty of pulling off a dodgy cow deal that left a fellow farmer 9 January 2025 – Lombard’s 36-month sentence officially began This marked the start of his community service sentence following a conviction in September 2024 for selling 191 cows to Steenkamp under the false pretense that they were heavily pregnant leaving Steenkamp with a financial loss of over R1 million after he borrowed R3 million from Vleissentraal to seal the deal the only thing that was truly “pregnant” was the fraud In addition to paying a hefty R100 000 to Steenkamp within a year Lombard was handed a seven-year prison sentence – suspended for five years – on the condition that he doesn’t get caught doing anything similarly dishonest Lombard’s sentence comes with a full plate of obligations he has been placed under house arrest and is required to perform 576 hours of community service as a general labourer at a local community centre in Nxuba “The court has further declared Lombard unfit to possess a firearm state prosecutor Louise Brink emphasised the severity of Lombard’s actions and the significant financial loss suffered by the complainant Brink submitted that Lombard’s actions were premeditated.” Lombard must complete 16 hours of community service in the first month of his 36-month sentence the Eastern Cape director of public prosecutions said the sentence reflects the National Prosecuting Authority’s commitment to holding perpetrators of economic crimes accountable READ NEXT: Steenhuisen urges unity for Africa’s food security goals This week's agricultural events include Food For Mzansi's Nampo Bothaville lunchtime conversations Deloitte's conversation with agricultural experts With 21 global awards in the first six years of its existence Food For Mzansi is much more than an agriculture publication unashamedly saluting the unsung heroes of South African agriculture We believe in the power of agriculture to promote nation building and social cohesion by telling stories that are often overlooked by broader society Contact usOffice: +27 21 879 1824News: info@foodformzansi.co.zaAdvertising: sales@foodformzansi.co.za Locals say you cry twice when you move to Cradock – once when you arrive and once when you leave he has yet to experience the phenomenon he knows all too well The recently appointed Dealer Principal of Kelston Toyota arrived in the Eastern Cape town five years ago “Kelston and Cradock have both become close to my heart and I cannot think of one without the other,” he says Simon took over the reins of the dealership on 1 June after former DP was appointed to another position within the Group While the Gqeberha native served as New-Vehicle and Automark Manager under Stephen their relationship had been forged decades earlier “I have known Stephen from my first day in the motor trade,” Simon remembers channel and use emotional intelligence to lead from the front and ‘gooi kole’.” He also attributed much of his rise through the ranks to the “McNaughton factor” – the Kelston Motor Group’s founding family taught him to “make sure the small things are right” while current MD Peter and financial director Sally have continued in much the same vein Simon started out as a sales executive for Toyota in Nelson Mandela Bay He later added fleet sales to his skill set which led to a 16-month journey exploring several different makes of vehicles he was tasked with growing that side of the business He was later promoted to new-vehicle sales manager He was “enticed” to play the same role at Kelston Toyota in Cradock by then DP and switched from metro to small-town living in 2019 yet they make one feel right at home,” Simon says They relished every opportunity to get involved with local organisations and sports clubs such as golf The business has also fostered a strong relationship with the Hoër Landbouskool Marlow Simon explained that the town boasted many small businesses that had emerged over generations simply because people in small towns tended to have one another's back it is vital that we reciprocate this within our community.” The new DP's immediate goal for the dealership is to build on the foundation of the One-Team Attitude Creating a good vibe for its 21 staffers and clients alike customer-centricity and service exceeding expectations are also top priorities which traditionally had a big following among the community was expected to continue thanks to the “face-lifted” double cab The town’s brand loyalists are also buzzing about the new-generation Prado and the addition of the 2.8GD-6 to the Land Cruiser stable With one in every four new vehicles sold on these shores manufactured by Toyota it has been South Africa’s market leader for 49 consecutive years Well-known South African racing driver and competitor at the annual Simola Hillclimb died this weekend when his Lotus left the road Mitsubishi Motors South Africa was presented with the Top Performer award in the After-sales – Customer Experience category at the brand’s recent annual global after-sales business excellence awards ceremony in Thailand The South African new-vehicle market showed its resilience yet again during April this year with an 11.9% increase compared to the same month last year This is notwithstanding the number of public holidays that manifested in long weekends with school holidays in between Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous The transition from a career in the OEM environment to the business at dealership level was like chalk and cheese Audi Centre Sandton was named 2024 Dealer of the Year while Hatfield Motor Group walked away with the coveted 2024 Dealer Group of the Year prize during Audi South Africa’s annual Vorsprung Awards For a dealership to make an 180-degree U-turn within two years and then went on to win the overall Volkswagen Dealer of the Year award This dealer-focussed innovation is made possible with the support and endorsement of Absa Vehicle and Asset Finance All content copyright of Panthera Media Pty Ltd 2020 We use cookies to personalise content and ads and to analyse our traffic and improve our service You consent to cookies if you continue to use our website.