FOR BLASTING ON THE N2 BETWEEN MOUNT FRERE AND MOUNT AYLIFF 15th April 2025: The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) would like to notify road users that blasting is scheduled to take place on the N2 national road between Mount Frere and Mount Ayliff on the 29th April 2025 at 12h00 The blasting will take place at approximately 2,9 KM from Mount Frere when travelling towards Mount Ayliff The road will be closed during the blast for a maximum of 30 Minutes Motorists travelling From Kokstad towards Mthatha may consider the following alternative routes: – The shortest alternative route is 69 kilometres longer and may add approximately 50 minutes to your trip between Mthatha and Kokstad consider alternative routes and to use caution when making use of the road,” said Mbulelo Peterson SANRAL apologises for any inconvenience caused Lusikisiki to Port St Johns via the R61 and then re-join the N2 in Mthatha Motorists urged to plan ahead as SANRAL schedules blasting on April 8 between Mount Frere and Mount Ayliff Mount Frere, Eastern Cape – The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) has issued a traffic advisory ahead of scheduled blasting operations on the N2 national road between Mount Frere and Mount Ayliff The blasting is set to take place on Tuesday approximately 1.9 kilometres outside Mount Frere when heading toward Mount Ayliff the road will be temporarily closed for up to 30 minutes to ensure public safety Motorists traveling between Kokstad and Mthatha are advised to consider alternative routes to avoid delays Recommended detours include exiting the N2 via Matatiele to Mount Fletcher or using Flagstaff and Lusikisiki through the R61 to Port St Johns before rejoining the N2 at Mthatha SANRAL warns that the shortest alternative route will add approximately 69 kilometres and 50 minutes to travel time drivers are urged to plan their journeys carefully and exercise caution when using detour routes “Motorists are asked to plan their trips accordingly consider alternative routes and to use caution when making use of the road,” said Kayakazi Mafuta SANRAL’s Acting Eastern Cape Provincial Head The agency extended its apologies for the inconvenience caused and reiterated its commitment to maintaining road safety during critical infrastructure activities For further inquiries or media information, contact: pressoffice@nra.co.za and website in this browser for the next time I comment Add me to your newsletter and keep me updated whenever you publish new blog posts Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" © 2025 Pondoland Times. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy A school governing body (SGB) meeting has been scheduled for Monday following the brutal murder of Zakhele Primary School principal previously Mount Frere in the Eastern Cape The principal was shot inside the school premises The assailant fled on foot into the forest soon after committing the senseless crime This was revealed by the provincial department of education The SGB meeting is to brief everyone about the case and the plan of the department to support the school The incident has been linked to the persistent extortionist gangs who have unleashed a reign of terror by demanding protection fees throughout the province Social workers from the district will visit the school on Monday to provide support to both teachers and learners “The security and justice cluster must appreciate the dire long-term effects of this scourge,” said Gade “We need to go back to the drawing board and review the existing strategy and execution plan for us to yield different results.” He urged the community to work with law-enforcement agencies to bring to book the extortionists and thugs were a serious indictment to the government He said they posed a threat of litigious cases coming up to the government if employees can be killed in this fashion while at work a group of thugs stormed the home of Efata School for the Blind Nurses in Mthatha and demanded extortion The criminals demanded a R50 000 ransom from the school’s nurse; upon his refusal The group sent an SMS to the principal demanding a ransom The department has also strengthened its security system No one has been arrested in both incidents 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 24th March 2025: The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) would like to notify travellers that blasting is scheduled to take place on the N2 between Mount Frere and Mount Ayliff on the 26th of March 2025 at approximately 11h00 The blasting will take place approximately 1,9 KM from Mount Frere when travelling towards Mount Ayliff Motorists travelling From Kokstad towards Mthatha may consider the following alternative routes:- Alternative route no 1 – N2 at Matatiele to Mount Fletcher route to consider alternative routes and to use caution when making use of the road,” said Andrew Van Gruting SANRAL’s Eastern Cape Acting Provincial Head Home | Politics The African National Congress (ANC) in the Eastern Cape has condemned the killing of its members which they have described to be “politically motivated.” ANC Regional Executive Committee member in the Alfred Nzo District Municipality was gunned down outside his home last week ANC councillor Mpho Mahleza was also killed outside his home on Thursday formerly known as Mount Frere in the Eastern Cape on Saturday The late Gijana was described as a family man and community builder It’s alleged he was held hostage by heavily armed assailants wearing balaclavas before he was gunned down on his arrival at his home Mayibongwe Nqeketho says the family was still reeling from shock over the politician’s death “We are very devastated by the passing of our brother Mncedisi He has left many kids that are still young The youngest is two-years-old now and he also left his wife chairperson of the Mthatha Brotherhood Branch “We have lost a member who has played a very prominent role in the upliftment of communities in KwaBhaca He has also assisted us in various branches in terms of advising and how he made it a point that we play a role in our communities by reaching out to those who are victims of violence the ANC in the Alfred Nzo region alleges there is a circulating hit list with the names of nine ANC members The regions’ secretary Polelo Mohale says: “There is a list circulating in the region The author seems to have started penning the list on August 17 as comrade Gijana was shot on the Monday after that The list has some names that are leading in the political space and some are leading in the Council.” Mohale said he and others fall in the category of people who appear to be “frustrating a particular narrative.” He says they have since opened cases with the local police ANC PEC member Ntandokazi Capa says: “We do understand that the issue of crime is prevalent But we all want to condemn this and send our condolences to the family we really need leaders like comrade Mncedisi It is really saddening for us as ANC members.” Another ANC Councillor at Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality was also gunned down outside his house at Bedford the police are investigating cases of murder Four Children have been missing in eMadamini location in Mout Frere The parents are seeking help to anyone who has seen them of heard anything regarding the situation three boys and one girl aged between 4 and 7 years were last around 11 in the morning on 10 November The community is also concerned and is asking anyone with information on locating these children to come forward Caption: Eastern Cape Transport and Community Safety MEC Xolile Nqatha addresseing stakeholders in Mthatha 20 November 2024 – The Eastern Cape MEC for Transport and Community Safety has urged the leadership and community of the Alfred Nzo District to safeguard the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) mega road construction project near KwaBhaca (formerly Mount Frere) MEC Nqatha hosted a stakeholder engagement session at Dan’s Country Lodge near Mthatha recently to address community grievances that threaten the construction of SANRAL’s R1.2 billion rehabilitation of the N2 section between KwaBhaca and Ngcweleni River The project commended in April 2024 and is due for completion in November 2026 The session was intended to resolve issues that have the potential to disrupt the implementation of the project which presents major socio-economic benefits for the Eastern Cape The meeting was attended by political and traditional leadership in the affected areas the contractor Rumdel Construction Cape (Pty) Ltd the Project Liaison Committee (PLC) and SANRAL Central to the dispute is the contractor’s commercial source of crushed material the employment of local labour and packages for small residents from Sugarbush village blockaded the N2 with rocks and burning tyres over the alleged sourcing of illegal materials on the basis that the mining permit used was invalid MEC Nqatha decried the stoppage as they have cost implications for the government “The matter is of great concern to all spheres of government as it is costly to government and the taxpayers themselves The matter is now in the courts and while there is a stoppage Construction manager for Rumdel Construction alleges that people from Bizana were bused to block the N2 despite the existence of a PLC that oversees the employment of local labour “We have employed more than 300 people on the project,” he said “When everyone from the villages wants to be employed More than 70 SMMEs are employed here with over R400 million set aside for them We will employ people for packages still to come as we are still in early project stages.” informed the meeting about the crucial meetings held with the contractor over a mining permit “The community has no problem with Rumdel and employment but the issue is over Rumdel and licence holder mining without consultation with the community We expect judgement on it soon,” said Ximbi He said the permit was invalid on the grounds that there was no consultation and the matter will come before the high court to adjudicate Nqatha noted that no developments should be stopped and they should unite communities rather than be a source of antagonism The parties should leave any dispute to the courts and the police will have to enforce an interdict when granted “It is the communities and workers alike who lose out whenever development is halted Rumdel needs to convene a meeting with business and Speakers of local municipalities to explain the available packages and benefits flowing to labour and targeted enterprises,” said Nqatha The session heard about complaints over damage to houses in villages closer to the quarry with the MEC pleading with the contractor not to distance itself from the queries while SANRAL as a government entity should supervise the process An audio clip with English sound is available here: https://we.tl/t-LMuISEvQSd Temporary road closure of up to 30 minutes expected as SANRAL schedules blasting for roadworks along key Eastern Cape route The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) has announced that a scheduled blasting operation will take place on the N2 national road between Mount Frere and Mount Ayliff on Tuesday This is part of ongoing roadworks aimed at improving transport infrastructure in the Eastern Cape The blast will occur approximately 2.9 kilometres outside of Mount Frere the road will be closed for up to 30 minutes during the operation SANRAL recommends that drivers consider the following alternative routes: However, these detours may add up to 69 kilometres and around 50 minutes of additional travel time between Mthatha and Kokstad and to use caution when making use of the road,” said Mbulelo Peterson SANRAL has apologized for any inconvenience caused and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring road safety and minimizing traffic disruptions during maintenance activities For further information, members of the public may contact SANRAL via email at: pressoffice@nra.co.za "How Can We Feel Safe When Even the Police Are Targets?" A shocking incident has left KwaBhaca residents on edge after police officers were robbed at gunpoint in Mount Frere on Monday The incident occurred at around 22:30 when police stopped to search two African males at a four-way stop the situation took a dire turn when the officers were pointed with a firearm by the two males The robbers managed to take two firearms and the officers’ cellphones before fleeing the scene A vehicle and two cellphones were later found abandoned at Badibanise The incident has raised concerns about the safety of residents in the area “How can we walk freely on KwaBhaca when even the police are victims of robbery?” A case of attack on the police has been opened for investigation The police are urging anyone with information to come forward and assist with the investigation Those with information can contact the SAPS CrimeStop number at 08600 10111 or report to the nearby police station SANRAL advises motorists to expect delays and consider detours on 26 March The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) has issued a traffic advisory announcing that a blasting operation will take place on the N2 between Mount Frere and Mount Ayliff on Wednesday The operation will necessitate a temporary closure of the N2 for up to 30 minutes to ensure public safety during the blast The affected area is approximately 1.9 km from Mount Frere Motorists travelling between Kokstad and Mthatha are advised to consider alternative routes: The shortest alternative route is approximately 69 kilometres longer than the direct path and may result in travel delays of around 50 minutes SANRAL’s Acting Provincial Head for the Eastern Cape SANRAL apologised for any inconvenience caused and urged the public to stay informed about road conditions For further information or media queries, contact SANRAL at pressoffice@nra.co.za approximately 2.9 kilometres outside of Mount Frere when travelling in the direction of Mount Ayliff the road will be closed for a maximum of 30 minutes during the operation Motorists travelling between Kokstad and Mthatha are encouraged to consider alternative routes to avoid delays Recommended detours include exiting the N2 at Matatiele to Mount Fletcher or rerouting via Flagstaff and Lusikisiki to Port St Johns using the R61 motorists travelling in the opposite direction—from Mthatha towards Kokstad—can follow the same alternatives in reverse the shortest alternative route is approximately 69 kilometres longer and may add up to 50 minutes to the overall travel time between Mthatha and Kokstad SANRAL has apologised for any inconvenience caused and has assured the public that the blasting forms part of essential roadworks aimed at improving travel conditions and road safety along this section of the N2 An Eastern Cape attorney and a government official have been arrested for alleged fraud relating to the Road Accident Fund (RAF) the department of justice and constitutional development official appeared at the KwaBhaca magistrate’s court on Monday The accused were released on R5 000 bail each and the case was moved to the Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crime Court on July 23 The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) reported that an elderly complainant asked the department for letters of executorship after her son who had received compensation from the RAF prior to his death She received assistance from Sonia Sibembe who allegedly suggested that she contact Bambalele because she needed legal representation due to the substantial amount involved She further allegedly advised the complainant not to divulge that the deceased had a minor child who was entitled to his estate’s benefits The attorney approached the Mthatha office of the Master of the High Court under the guise that the complainant was entitled to the letters of executorship “In the presence of the accused official and he paid R34 000 to the account of Zodidi Sibembe,” said Luxolo Tyali The attorney and his alleged accomplice further demanded a payment of R150 000 but before the complainant made the payment a bank official blew the whistle and informed the police “The NPA prioritises the prosecution of crime types and criminals that disproportionately undermine South Africans’ safety Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content These trucks offloaded hundreds of food parcels to families that have been economically devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic The work began with the R330 000 raised at Vodacom Super Fan Saturday to purchase the food parcels where each point from the two matches was rewarded with a R2 500 donation by Vodacom It was then carried forward with players from the Vodacom Bulls Emirates Lions and the South African Rugby Legends Association (SARLA) coming together under #RugbyUnites to pack these parcels Ashraful Aid and the Lizo Gqoboka Foundation were the two designated charities for this #RugbyUnites project and they in turn distributed the food parcels in Alexandra and Mount Frere these people will know they at least have food on their tables,” said an overwhelmed Lerato Ndlovu a social worker and Urban Agriculture Manager in Alexandra We work with child-led households who have lost breadwinners Some of these families haven’t seen food for days And with the schools closed during the lockdown the one meal children would get at school was also gone Simthembile Deshe was overjoyed to receive a food parcel for his household I lost my job before COVID and haven’t been able to find work People all over here were crying and celebrating as the trucks offloaded the food,” he said And Ndlovu had a message for the Vodacom Bulls players in particular and they make that noise when they meet – they go ‘Ugh’ I want them to say to themselves just before they push the other team Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote has made several rotational changes to his starting line-up and included four players.. Springbok Sevens head coach Philip Snyman heaped praise on his squad after a commanding weekend of sevens rugby displaye.. The Springbok Sevens team saved their best for last to win the final tournament of the season The Springbok Women's Sevens team's hearts were broken with a late defeat against Kenya in their HSBC SVNS Play-off fina.. The race for those coveted four semi-final spots of the SA Cup – and with that qualification to the Carling Currie Cup P.. A Special General Meeting of the South African Rugby Union (SARU) voted on Tuesday to explore entering four teams into an expanded PRO Rugby competition as well as retaining a place in a revised SANZAAR competition Rugby World Cup-winning Springboks Duane Vermeulen Steven Kitshoff and Herschel Jantjies expressed their excitement for the Castle Lager Springbok showdown saying they were looking forward to a thrilling clash the Springboks scored nine tries as they smashed Namibia by 57-3 in their second Rugby World Cup pool match The domestic rugby season will burst back into life with seven weeks of high-calibre local rugby as Vodacom Super Rugby returns – Unlocked will continue to work remotely to minimise his risk during the pandemic and will therefore not be with Team Green during the build up to the Castle Lager Springbok Showdown Friends will become foes for 80 minutes on Saturday when the Castle Lager Springbok Showdown kicks off at 17h05 at DHL Newlands in Cape Town with two of the forwards in the Green and Gold teams admitting they were relishing the opportunity of playing in his special encounter some of the 16 young guns selected to join the two squads in the build-up to the Castle Lager Springbok Showdown were still at school or playing for the Junior Boks but this week they had the opportunity to learn and experience first-hand from a number of Rugby World Cup-winning Springboks and coaches There may not be any serious silverware at stake in the Castle Lager Springbok Showdown in Cape Town on Saturday but for the captains of the Springbok Green and Gold squads winning will be front of mind when they lead their teams out at DHL Newlands at 17h05 Sikhumbuzo Notshe’s rugby career is enjoying a new lease of life since his move to from Cape Town to the tropical surroundings of Durban on the South African east coast Emirates Airline Park has played host to some epic encounters and on Sunday the famous stadium in Doornfontein will provide another fascinating peak into the future of South African rugby when the 2020 SA Rugby Under-21 Championship kicks off in Johannesburg © 2025 SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY | PICTURES © GALLO IMAGES Subscribe to daily business and company news across 19 industries The shopping mall is the first Eastern Cape development by rural retail owner and asset manager Traditionally focusing on the ownership and management of its rural retail and township assets the real estate investment trust broke ground on its first mall development in late 2021 the 18,829m2 double-level mall is the first of two developments undertaken by Exemplar KwaBhaca Mall's tenant mix includes the likes of Woolworths six and five stores respectively forming part of the retail mix KwaBhaca Mall makes use of extensive natural lighting and vast walkways in order to create a sense of comfort The raised roof ensures the space is well-ventilated and addresses the current need for environmentally responsible developments Exemplar owns 60% of the scheme and oversaw the project development of the site “We are no strangers to the development game as McCormick Property Development (MPD) has been building and managing centres in the township space for almost 40 years With current market trends and the so-called formalisation of the township economy we felt the time was right to begin developing within the REIT,” explains CEO of Exemplar “The development of KwaBhaca Mall aligns with our strategy of expansion in the Eastern Cape as we currently own Lusiki Plaza in Lusikisiki and will be opening Bizana Walk the second development within Exemplar in early December of this year.” “We have no doubt that this will be the first of many successful developments within Exemplar as it speaks to our ongoing mission of creating shareholder value while providing our communities with convenient retail a sense of community pride and local based opportunities for all to benefit from,” ends McCormick Choose a topic below and thereafter view all articles on the topic using the "Next >" button or swiping left Choose a topic below and thereafter view all articles on the topic using the "Next >" button or the keyboard right arrow key The owners of Underground Pub in kwaBhaca, previously known as Mount Frere, have expressed their disgust after musician Sandile Msimango left the establishment without performing.– Young Stunna was booked to perform at the pub at the weekend The amapiano artist allegedly refused to share a table with an artist from the Eastern Cape and complained about the mud saying he did not want his expensive sneakers to get dirty the co-owner of the pub Lwazi Nodada said the Adiwele hitmaker was booked weeks before the event on Friday his management informed pub owners that they needed to change the musician’s flight we agreed that he was going to land at King Phalo Airport in East London be driven to kwaBhaca where he was going to perform and go back to Mthatha where we had booked his accommodation,” said Nodada changed on Friday because he had accepted another gig.” Nodada said they had to book another flight for the artist and he landed in Durban where he demanded to be driven in a Mercedes-Benz V-Class “These all meant we were spending extra on him on top of the R60 000 booking fee that we paid upfront  “We had to book him a lodge in kwaBhaca because he wanted to freshen up before he went to perform He started making remarks about our local lodges comparing them to a hostel in Jeppe [downtown Johannesburg],” he added Nodada said when they arrived at the establishment Young Stunna started complaining about the mud because it had rained in the area and the bouncers offered to carry him inside the venue “He said he cannot walk with his expensive sneaker on the mud and refused to share a table with another artist Young Stunna’s management had not responded to Sunday World’s enquiry at the time of publishing The story will be updated with their comment A post shared by MASHAYA (@youngstunna_rsa) Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content Eastern Cape learners taught the joy and benefit of gardening Download Press Kit  are gaining hands-on experience about how to start and manage a food garden “Our school yard was in a bad state before Shoprite came on board seedlings and helped to teach us about raising our beds when we first established the garden.” says that by the end of 2020 the outgoing Grade 9’s had learnt so much from their time spent in the garden “They actually said they never thought that we could use the space for farming They really enjoyed seeing the transformation and got to take some of the harvested vegetables home that some of them wanted to start their own food gardens at home We’re looking forward to involving this year’s Grade 9’s in the garden.”  At Uloyiso Christian School the Grade 6 learners tend to the food garden while at Mount Frere Community School there is a gardening team which consists of teachers and learners Faced with the challenge of water scarcity in the area Shoprite equipped Victory and Uloyiso Christian Schools with rainwater harvesting systems which consist of two 5 000 litre water tanks which are connected to the schools’ gutters The Shoprite Group has a robust programme in place to address the food security challenges faced by so many people across the continent on a daily basis Through its support of more than 145 community food gardens the Shoprite Group fosters long-term food security and generates livelihood opportunities   Copyright 2025, Shoprite Holdings Ltd. | All rights reserved | Privacy and Web Policies The non-profit organisation (NPO), founded by former Mxit owner Alan Knott-Craig Jnr, says this latest WiFi initiative will empower the youth in the area by giving them free access to information and education. The aim of Project Isizwe is to bring free WiFi to public spaces in low-income communities in South Africa and connect people for education, economic development and social inclusion. The Eastern Cape launch follows Project Isizwe's pilot WiFi network in Tshwane, which was launched in November 2013 and has since grown to over 660 000 users at over 575 sites. As part of the latest rural initiative, Project Isizwe has deployed free WiFi at the Ingwe TVET College's Mount Frere and Lusikisiki campuses, making it possible for Department of Education to deliver Internet access on campus and surrounding areas. Zahir Khan, COO of Project Isizwe, says the Eastern Cape initiative coincides with celebrations around the youth in SA during June. "It is important to remember how important it is for the youth in SA and especially those in rural areas, to connect with the world for training and learning purposes." Khan says, by "opening the doors to the world" through free Internet access, the NPO is giving them opportunities to become employable and contribute to the economic development of the province. "Youth unemployment figures are very high in SA, specifically in the rural areas, due to lack of education and training. The best and quickest way to find information about education and training is the Internet. We are excited to be involved in another free WiFi project that will enable rural communities to connect." Ibrahima Guimba-Saidou, senior VP of SES' African commercial arm, says satellite is a key element to enabling WiFi services to the unconnected, because of its extensive coverage. "Also, building fibre or wireless backhaul infrastructure to connect un-served areas like Lusikisiki is very capital intensive, which is why the satellite link is so competitive. SES has the global infrastructure in place to rapidly deploy these kinds of services." 13-year-old boy from Mount Frere Gqada Kwazi is on the verge of becoming of the best athlete come from Kwa-Bhaca in the Alfred Nzo region The young man is from Njinjini location and he is doing grade 7 in Njinjini SPS He is running Track and field 200 and 800m he couldn’t make it to national level because of financial problems in the Department of Education Gqada is also participating in cross country 4km this year he holds national cross country Schools position 3 (bronze medal ) His coach Luyanda Mgoduka says he has been with him since the first of this month in thier camp till the 16th of December they were practicing keeping their body feet for early next year schools competitions “Kwazi is one of the best young athletes we have that have a bright promising future and we are trying by all means to work with him towards his dream” said Mgoduka Speaking at its recent stakeholder engagement session held in Mount Frere Sanral’s stakeholder coordinator for the Southern Region said “The rehabilitation of the N2 from Mount Frere to Ngcweleni River is expected to be implemented before the end of the year This major project is estimated to be completed within the next 45 months and will entail widening the existing road cross section and construction of three new bridges as well as three new major culverts Other projects in the Umzimvubu Local Municipality some at design phase and some to yet be tendered The Routine Road Maintenance (RRM) project of the N2 Section 18 (km 28.91) to Section 20 (km 17.70) and R61 Section 6 (km 92.78) to Section 7 (km 51.49) It is anticipated that the sub-contractor will be appointed in November this year The estimated budget for the subcontractor packages for the temporary route is R4,628,619.12 for the period of six months until the new contractor is appointed for the route.Phase two of the community development project of the N2 Section 20 from Mount Frere (km 0.00) to Ntabankulu Junction (km 34.3) The scope of work will include the surfacing of the existing 8km gravel road The estimated construction value is R54 million; andPhase two of the community development project of the N2 Section 19 between Mzeke River (km 55.0) to Mount Frere (km 92.2) The project is in the design phase and the contractor is expected to be appointed by the middle of 2022