Event marks skills development success in agriculture and tourism for local youth and farmers Eastern Cape MEC for Transport and Community Safety will today preside over the closing ceremony of the SANRAL Port St Johns Legacy Project celebrating its impact on community upliftment through agriculture and tourism skills development The event will take place at the Port St Johns Sports Field from 10:00 to 14:00 and will include a certificate handover ceremony for beneficiaries of the project’s training programmes Tambo District Executive Mayor Mesuli Ngqondwana Port St Johns Local Municipality Executive Mayor Nomvuzo Mlombile-Cingo The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) launched the Port St Johns Legacy Project as part of its broader commitment to ensuring that road infrastructure investments create long-term socio-economic benefits for communities While SANRAL is known for its road-building mandate the legacy project demonstrates the agency’s commitment to sustainable development through skills training and economic empowerment beyond construction work The initiative also supported local artists and crafters to enhance the quality and market reach of their products Members of the media are invited to attend the ceremony Would you like this article formatted for your print edition or website homepage 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. 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Privacy Policy Parliament will play a crucial oversight role in ensuring that South Africa’s commitments during its G20 presidency are implemented effectively and aligned with national priorities like economic growth jmcgluwa@parliament.gov.za Subscribe to daily business and company news across 19 industries Zikalala will be joined by the Eastern Cape Public Works and Infrastructure MEC Cebisa Mazuza and the Eastern Cape chair of the House of Traditional leaders Port Shepstone in KwaZulu-Natal and Port Nolloth in the Northern Cape have been identified for small harbour development which will create jobs and boost the economy,” the department said on Wednesday Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson and the Mayor of Saldanha Bay committed to working together to redevelop the St Helena Bay and Saldanha Bay small harbours The two small harbours in the Western Cape which are owned and managed by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure have over the years fallen into a state of disrepair often attracting criminal activity and deterring investment in the surrounding communities 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 SAnews.gov.za is a South African government news service published by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) SAnews.gov.za (formerly BuaNews) was established to provide quick and easy access to articles and feature stories aimed at keeping the public informed about the implementation of government mandates Home | South Africa Heavy rains and subsequent floods have left residents of Greens Farm in Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape counting their losses once again Some of their belongings have been badly damaged and the residents want the municipality to move them from their current location Many people were also badly affected by the previous floods earlier this year Nowinile Nombona’s home was flooded in January “My three bedroomed house collapsed in January due to the floods and I had to move next door to rent the spokesperson for the Port St Johns Municipality says they are in consultation with the provincial Human Settlements Department “These disasters are now hitting us every year We are consulting with them for them to train even the local leaders within the space in terms of how they assist people how do they escalate these cases from a local level right up until the provincial level whilst we have the mandate of escalating and applying for them for houses But the reality is the struggle in the escalation of our application has become real and it has become now what we see being the result that you have seen at Greens Farm where you have people that are saying that they are now victims of floods for a second time.” This article may contain graphic and/or adult content unsuitable for minors and sensitive readers A G4S security guard is due to appear before the Port St Johns Magistrates' Court on Monday on allegations of carjacking and kidnapping Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana says two guards were driving a Toyota Etios in Libode servicing Capitec ATM's when a Volkswagen Polo bumped their vehicle He says when the guards got out to check the damage a white Toyota Fortuner appeared with armed men inside who instructed the guards to lie down The men were disarmed and balaclavas placed over their heads before they were kidnapped and dropped off near the Ngqeleni forest the suspects abandoned their vehicle and tried to flee on foot He says one 40-year-old suspect was arrested It has since been established that he is currently employed by G4S Cash solutions based in Gauteng 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 Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio Cape Town resident Alize van der Merwe was kidnapped on her way to the Umngazi Resort in Port St Johns on Friday afternoon Hawks spokesperson Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said they can confirm that a 39-year-old victim was kidnapped on 20 September 2024 at about 1pm. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “It is alleged that the victim was travelling towards the Umngazi Resort driving a Toyota Fortuner where she was accosted by unknown suspects Her vehicle was reportedly found abandoned not far from the resort,” Mhlakuvana said the reports indicated that the family received phone calls from the suspects demanding a ransom The victim has not yet been found at the moment The Hawks are investigating a kidnapping case and the police are working around the clock to rescue the victim unharmed said anyone with information about the incident should call the police immediately Read more: Hundreds of crime victims and community leaders turn up to speak to Minister Mchunu Mike Bolhuis Specialist Investigators are handling the case and said in a statement that the woman had rented a white Toyota Fortuner (Registration LX73KLGP) from Hertz Vehicle Hire in East London and was driving alone on the N2 towards the Umngazi Resort Her last communication with her family had been at about 11.30am when she mentioned she was planning to stop, likely at the Shell Ultra City in Mthatha (N2). advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads the family received a call informing them that Alize had been kidnapped No further details were provided,” the statement said Tracking data indicate that the vehicle was abandoned between Dumasi and the Umngazi Resort spokesperson for an Eastern Cape environmental public interest group and chairperson of the Wild Coast Development Forum said they are deeply concerned about the kidnappings and extortion on the Wild Coast and the severe repercussions these were having on the economy and the lives of people in the province who rely on tourism for their livelihoods “The impact is starting to be felt in the wider Eastern Cape with holidays being cancelled earlier this month led to people questioning whether they should come to the Wild Coast or head to other provinces,” he said That incident involved three people who were kidnapped for ransom from a restaurant in the area Mhlakuvana said the victims’ family refused to divulge any more details The Hawks have not yet arrested anybody for this crime Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism also expressed its deep concern about “escalating incidents of criminality against tourists” It cautioned that these will have a far-reaching and devastating effect on tourism and those who depend on it for their livelihoods in the province as well as undermine the provincial economy Read more: Police Minister Senzo Mchunu declares war against ‘armies of murderous parasites’ Police reinforcements were sent to Mthatha earlier this month and two weeks ago Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola said he would send more His visit came after members of the National Intervention Unit were attacked and shot at when they arrived for operations in Mthatha A self-styled traditional leader, Dalinzolo “Sakie” Mareke, believed to be behind some of the extortion cases in Mthatha, and two of his men were killed after a violent confrontation with the police on 4 September This and all such crimes are entirely due to your failure to enforce the law and provide a society in which South African citizens are safe Its unsafe for any woman to be travelling alone in rural SA these days…..a defunct police force thanks to bee doesn’t help nor does fraud and corruption perpetrated by the political elite showing that easy money with no consequence pays off even if they catch these pathetic little criminals they know they will be released by our non existent justice system – no consequences for crime in SA mean even cowardly kidnappers get away with it How long shall we continue to live in fear Unless all these talks are translated into concrete actions criminals will continue to run the show What good are police in Mthatha when the kidnappers are on the road to Port St Johns Would it not be better to have more police in Lusikisiki or in Port St Johns its-self the police station seemed to open two hours a week Been going to the Transkei for 40 years on holiday and have put a large amount of aid into educational resources and facilities around our area Sadly have this last week cancelled this years visit and made other plans as just cannot take the chance with girls in our family The judicial system is only as good as the prosecution cases brought before the judges are The prosecution cases are only as good as what evidence the SAPS detectives produce instead of just blaming the judiciary out of hand … It’s the judges who hand down pathetic sentences and put thugs back onto our streets They’re a critical part of the judicial system and they must ensure that I don’t meet the person who broke into my home standing outside it a week later That has nothing to do with the prosecution heart rending crime against a totally innocent human being We rely on private investigators to solve a crime against humanity And the monsters in parliament sip Dom Perignon Johnny Green and Remi Martin wearing their Gucci shoes and Armani suits Last year in October I travelled solo along the Wild Coast between two guided 4×4 tours In Mthatha a lone policeman flagged me from his vehicle and warned me not to stop anywhere or get out of my vehicle and to keep my windows up and doors locked He was clearly worried about me travelling there go and see how the Middle East deals with crime Oh wait the government leaders are criminals ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " 0861 99 00 44    Studio@smile904.fm The Hawks are investigating a case of kidnapping after a 39 year old Cape Town woman was allegedly taken by unknown suspects near Port St Johns on Friday Alize van der Merwe was reportedly on her way to the Umngazi Resort Her family later apparently received calls from the alleged suspects demanding a ransom Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya is appealing to the public if anyone has information regarding to the matter to immediately call the police According to eblockwatch’s Andre Snyman van der Merwe rented the white Toyota Fortuner from Hertz Vehicle Hire and departed from East Londen travelling alone on the N2 towards Port St Johns Her last communication with her family was on Friday around 11:30 when she mentioned she was planning to stop likely at the Shell Ultra City in Mthatha (N2) Snyman says tracking data indicates that the vehicle was abandoned between Dumasi and Port St John’s Snyman says they have mobilised eblockwatch members across the country to assist © Smile904.fm hosted and supported by ImmediaTerms of Use | General Contest Guidelines|Archive|Advertise with us|Privacy Policy|Contact Us Two people have been killed and three others injured in a crash on the R61 between Mthatha and Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape Unathi Binqose says their car overturned near Dangwana Binqose says police have opened a culpable homicide docket we can confirm the death of these two people who died on the R61 near Dangwana village just outside Port Saint Johns to remain extra vigilant at all times as an accident can occur at any given moment and to anyone The MEC for transport in the Eastern Cape Mr Xolile Nqatha is extending his sincere condolences to the families of the deceased in this accident while wishing those in the hospital a speedy recovery.” PORT ST. JOHNS – The Eastern Cape MEC for Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (DSRAC) officially opened the new Tombo Art Centre on September 4 marking a significant step in promoting local creativity in the region The event was a joyous occasion for the Port St who gathered to celebrate the opening of the centre This initiative is part of the department’s broader strategy to refurbish and promote the cultural and creative industries in the Eastern Cape MEC Mngongo outlined the department’s plans to invest in infrastructure and art programs aimed at enhancing the function and accessibility of art centres to serve local communities the department is committed to rebuilding and expanding such centres across the province turning them into accessible cultural hubs with similar projects already completed in eMaxesibeni The renovation of the Tombo Art Centre was a R1.1 million project which began in May 2023 and was completed in January 2024 the department handed over essential arts and crafts equipment demonstrating its commitment to supporting local artists and ensuring the functionality of regional art centres Our purpose here today is to hand over one of the art centres included in the previous financial year we are committed to building this province through the arts We’ve also provided instruments to five other art centres—three in King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality The MEC also announced that 13 schools in the district will receive sports equipment a further sign of the department’s ongoing support for the region expressed her enthusiasm for the initiative describing it as a beacon of hope for local artisans and I hope the attendees will visit my stall and buy a few items The opening of the Tombo Art Centre is expected to stimulate local creativity offering artists a space to showcase their talents and contribute to the cultural richness of the Eastern Cape Sections Trucks loaded with building materials to provide temporary shelters for more than a thousand people displaced by floods in Port St Johns carefully made their way to the flood-ravaged town on Thursday after some roads reopened It has been a week since a second devastating flood hit the popular seaside town and many communities have been cut off after 82 gravel roads and 18 bridges were destroyed.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Damage caused by floods on the R61 in Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the road to assess the damage The province received R13.3-million to repair flood damage in Port St Johns specifically the spokesperson for the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC “Figures continue to escalate as assessments are done daily,” he said “The province has not received the allocation from the previous disaster of 2022 The cumulative results from the previous floods coupled with last week’s disastrous floods “Mop-up operations are under way and 1,000 people who were displaced have been given temporary shelter in the Green Farm Youth Centre in Port St Johns.” So far, disaster management teams have found 112 bridges that have been washed away, 39 roads destroyed, 45 damaged stormwater drainage systems and many pontoons, water treatment works and streets that have been affected.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Government officials led by President Cyril Ramaphosa (centre left) on 28 March 2023 assess the damage caused by the floods on the R61 road in Port St Johns Despite having to look for food and clean drinking water flood victims came out in their hundreds to see President Ramaphosa on Tuesday The President visited the damaged R61 road and displaced communities sheltering at Port St Johns Youth Centre He promised that temporary structures would be erected for communities on land identified by the traditional leadership Mkhosana Sisipho (22) and her four-year-old daughter lost their home in the flood She said it was difficult for her child to sleep at the Youth Centre “The conditions we are living in here with children is difficult… there is no privacy but I have no other option because my home was completely destroyed Everything inside the house was damaged,” she said after heavy rains that left hundreds of people homeless Sisipho, from Green Farm, pleaded with the Port St Johns municipality to provide them with land to build houses, saying they were at risk of losing everything if they continued staying at Green Farm.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads said she was happy that she had a place to sleep “We are not sure what we are going to do because our shack is completely destroyed by floods, but we have hope that the President will fulfil his promise of new shelters,” she said.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Simlindile Liwana (front) and her landlord Ntobeko Mbuthuma (72) try to clean their homestead after floods which damaged all their belongings said he hoped things would change in Port St Johns after the President’s visit “I have a lot of hope because the president has visited the area… maybe now things will change “I will return to Green Farm because that is where my home is… I was born in Green Farm and I grew up there so I do not have another place to go to I will only move out if the government is providing us with vacant land,” he added President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to Port St Johns on 28 March 2023 (Photo: Hoseya Jubase) he was welcomed by a group of cheering residents outside the town hall “Climate change is a reality,” Ramaphosa said Flood victims wait for food outside Port St Johns Youth Centre after their homes were destroyed by floods Ramaphosa said the government would ask the South African Defence Force to assist in rebuilding the bridges because Port St Johns is just the most beautiful municipality in South Africa,” the President said Gift of the Givers members hand out blankets and other items to flood victims at Port St Johns Youth Centre Ali Sablay from Gift of the Givers said they were working around the clock to get aid to flood victims “This is the fourth time in the past year that we are providing assistance in Port St Johns,” he said Businesses can’t reopen because of flood damage.”  He said one of their main concerns was to get drinking water to people as the waterworks had washed away “A large percentage of people have been left without clean drinking water,” Sablay said.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads He said teams were delivering food parcels toiletries and blankets to close to 700 people housed in community halls He said they would also render assistance at a school that had been flooded but that it had not yet been possible to reach the area The town of Port St. Johns in the Eastern Cape has come to a standstill after heavily armed men allegedly invaded the town and fired shots towards taxi operators Shoppers and community members are reportedly running for cover around the town including people wearing security guard uniforms who is on the ground and does not want to be named says the situation is so bad that some people have started torching taxis “Already, some are dead and others are injured while others have been arrested by the police the community and other people are running all over and some are throwing themselves into the river We are looking for [Police Minister] Bheki Cele to come and resolve this mess This massacre is happening here at Port St Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements Hands Over Houses to Destitute Women as Part of 16 Days of Activism Campaign the Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements has handed over houses to destitute women in Port St Johns had been living in poor conditions with her five children and five grandchildren in a mud structure She was overjoyed to receive the keys to her new home The handover ceremony was led by Minister in the Presidency for Women accompanied by Deputy Minister Steve Letsike Acting Premier for the Eastern Cape Nonkqubela Pieters which covers seven villages in Ward 9 under Port St John’s Local Municipality aims to provide safer communities and respond to the housing needs of identified families According to Acting Premier Hon Nonkqubela Pieters “This handover signifies the government’s commitment to protecting the elderly who are the most vulnerable and have been targeted in the OR Tambo district.” The OR Tambo District Municipality has one of the highest rates of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) making it a critical area of focus for interventions and support services JOHANNESBURG - Eastern Cape police nabbed two more suspects concerning a taxi-war-related shooting in Port St Johns bringing the total number of arrests to eleven On Tuesday, three people were killed and six others injured during a shoot-out between members of the Lusikisiki and Port St John’s taxi associations.  The incident happened at the town’s taxi rank and included in the victims was an 11-year-old boy.  Fifteen firearms, including pistols, AK 47s, shotguns, and rifles, as well as 328 rounds of ammunition have been recovered by police in the Eastern Cape following Tuesday’s deadly Port St Johns shooting.  The 11 suspects arrested in connection with the incident have been charged with murder, attempted murder, malicious property damage, discharging firearms in a built-up municipal area, and public violence. Eastern Cape provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Lillian Mene, said talks to resolve the violence were underway.  “We were also made aware that there are dialogues that are currently underway involving relevant stakeholders and both taxi associations, with the aim of putting an end to this feud.” Meanwhile, parts of the R61 entering Port St Johns have been blocked off by hundreds of taxis.  Home | Business Residents of Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape are calling for government assistance to boost the local economy They want the government to assist in local economic development by making use of the natural resources in the small coastal town Locals believe the various fruit trees that grow in the wild and their gardens could help to alleviate poverty in the area Port St Johns is situated along the Indian Ocean The warm weather in the area promotes the growth of sub-tropical fruit bananas and litchis grow naturally in the forests that surround this small town Locals believe that government intervention will help them maintain their livelihoods while also boosting the local economy “The only way we can get help is through the formation of co-operatives as people who grow fruit so that we can assist each other That way people will know where and how to get hold of us So that is how we can be developed because at the end of the day we don’t have jobs We are dependent on this fruit,” says resident Makhosini Mfiseni While others are blessed with this natural resource in their gardens The R61 road is always busy with street vendors looking to cash in “I have no other income except for the money I make here I go back to struggling because I have nothing else to sell,” says street vendor “I have two grandchildren and I recently bought them tracksuits at R300 for each child because they want expensive stuff like cornflakes I have to buy them because I don’t want them to grow the way I was raised,” explains Resident Poziswa Jebe Many families who are struggling to make ends meet sell the fruits to tourists and locals “At least there’s a change because I use the money I get here to buy food while waiting for my social grant money and then go to the shops to buy a few things so that we can eat,” adds another resident Busiwe Mfiseni But since I’m not writing exams today I decided to come and sell But I will be at school tomorrow because I will be writing exams So I’m trying to make money so I can go to school tomorrow,” says Nolubabalo Nondabula The local government has plans in place to ensure that the informal business is formalised Mayor of Port St Johns municipality Nomvuzo Mlombile-Cingo says “The municipality through the local economic development department is working with them in making sure that they are part of the co-operatives that will assist them in claiming the space for example in the local development that we are talking about because we are saying we need to develop the nodes of Port St John’s but in those nodes we expect to have local people having small shops in those malls that will be done in the outskirts of the town.” With the high rate of unemployment in the country the formalisation of the fruit business in the area could assist to alleviate poverty and create job opportunities Plans are in the pipeline to build a harbour in the tourist-attraction town which might also assist the locals in selling their products Residents of villages around Port St Johns left their homes on Monday amid fears of flooding as heavy rains pelted the area Schools were closed and people began making their way to higher ground as roads and houses started flooding in the afternoon OR Tambo District Municipality executive mayor Mesuli Ngqondwana issued a notice to residents cautioning them to remain vigilant.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “The South African Weather Service has issued a warning of expected disruptive rains that could lead to flooding in various places over the district To ensure that our community members are safe the disaster and risk management teams are on high alert and have already observed high water levels in parts of Coffee Bay in King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality and the Green’s Farm area in Port St Johns Local Municipality,” the notice continued The Green’s Farm area experienced severe flooding earlier this year “The executive mayor is urging communities to avoid crossing flooded rivers and lakes and evacuate to high-lying areas where necessary.” and the town’s waterworks and several bridges and roads were destroyed by flooding Read more in Daily Maverick: Port St Johns flood crisis leaves more than 1,000 displaced and waterworks, bridges destroyed Vehicles and homes were already flooded during a rain storm in Port St Johns Children were sent home as heavy rains fell in Port St Johns On Monday, residents who were hard hit by the previous disaster began evacuating their homes. Schools were also closed early.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads One of the residents of Green’s Farm village said she had already moved out of her house “Our area is already flooded … I am currently staying with my neighbour We will move soon to the Youth Centre because it is not safe here We can’t even walk in all this water,” she said “I was a victim of floods earlier this year It seems like this is happening every year now,” she added “We don’t know what we will do tomorrow,” Wole said Nzamela Ncoyini from the Gandaganda Residents’ Forum in Port St Johns said the rain has even affected villages outside the town Many businesses have closed their doors due to flooding “People have started gathering at the Youth Centre for their safety It’s a bad situation and we don’t know what will happen overnight,” she said On June 19, 2024, the Port St Johns Local Municipality celebrated the launch of Inkciyo at the Caguba Traditional House marked by vibrant cultural displays and traditional ceremonies was blessed by the presence of the Provincial House of Traditional Affairs underscores the municipality’s commitment to preserving and promoting indigenous customs and traditions This significant event drew together community members and leaders in a unified celebration of heritage and cultural identity The attendance of high-ranking traditional officials highlighted the importance of the occasion fostering a sense of pride and continuity within the community Eastern Cape MEC for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR), Nonkqubela Pieters, is set to hand over critical fishing gear and equipment to small-scale fishing enterprises in Port St Johns on Wednesday This initiative aims to empower local fishermen and cooperatives enhancing their ability to harvest marine resources and improve their livelihoods have long struggled with inadequate infrastructure the Department has invested R1.7 million in the 2023/24 financial year to support small-scale fishing cooperatives along the province’s coastline This support will benefit 5 cooperatives with 195 fishers in the OR Tambo As custodians of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform programs the Department says it prioritizes supporting previously disadvantaged communities and individuals The fishing enterprises receiving this equipment are small-scale fishing permit holders who obtained their permits through government efforts to ensure they have proper equipment and gear for fishing The equipment includes essential items such as fishing rods This initiative aims to enable subsistence and black fishing cooperatives to derive optimal economic benefit from their agricultural activities MEC Pieters and the Department are driving agricultural development programs and empowering local communities to thrive JOHANNESBURG - The small town of Port Saint John’s in the Eastern Cape is a no-go zone following a brazen shooting between two rival taxi gangs.  At least three people have been killed.  Speaking to Eyewitness News, an eyewitness claimed that several gunmen from a rival taxi gang arrived in four vehicles and began shooting. The scene in Port St John’s is chaotic following a shooting between two rival taxi gangs.  The incident occurred shortly after midday on Tuesday.  A man has gone missing at sea after a yacht was located by a tanker where a 57-year-old man from Cape Town reported his brother had gone overboard in rough seas that morning NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) were alerted by MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) of an EPIRB (emergency position indicating radio beacon) activation approximately 30 nautical miles off-shore of Port St Johns NSRI Port St Johns was placed on alert while Telkom Maritime Radio Services broadcast an all ships alert 4 ships at sea diverted to a search area and searched in an operation coordinated by MRCC NSRI East London and NSRI Port Edward were placed on alert During the late afternoon a yacht was located by a oil/chemical tanker where a survivor man was rescued from the yacht onto the tanker had reportedly gone overboard in the early hours of the morning in rough seas after waves swept over the yacht in deep seas and he was missing at sea The yacht showed signs of damage and remains adrift at sea A search revealed no signs of the missing man The survivor was brought to Durban aboard the tanker where an investigation has been launched by the SA Police Services and SAMSA (South African Maritime Safety Authority).The Captain and crew of the oil/chemical tanker are commended for their assistance Family arranged fixed wing aircraft to conduct a search on Wednesday while a number of vessels including fishing vessels and commercial vessels searched an extensive area off-shore of Port St Johns.NSRI Shelly Beach ASR (Airborne Sea Rescue) rescue swimmers accompanied one of the aircraft A private helicopter searched along the shoreline of the Eastern Cape.NSRI EOC and NSRI operations assisted MRCC with search grid patterns Despite an extensive air and sea search there remains no signs of the missing man NSRI commend everyone that has and is assisting in the search.NSRI commend Telkom Maritime Radio Services for extensive efforts assisting in communications during search efforts Family has respectfully requested privacy at this time Our thoughts are with family and friends of the missing man in this difficult time Tragic Incident after Fishing Boat Capsizes near Soetwater We’re proud to announce that our newly rebuilt NSRI Station 21 in St Francis Bay is now officially open we held a blessing ceremony for two new state-of-the-art rescue vessels: the Spirit of St Francis III .. Gqeberha — The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) today officially celebrated the blessing of its latest state-of-the-art Offshore Rescue Craft (ORC) at a ceremony held at the PE Deep Sea Angling Club building Subscribe today for information about NSRI rescues Work on the R61 to the popular seaside town of Port St Johns was brought to a standstill earlier in November as residents of a nearby village demolished repairs in protest at not being offered jobs on the project Residents from Dangwana village dug up the tarred road near their homes when they were not included in the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) project.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The R61 was badly damaged by heavy flooding after torrential downpours in March Angry at not being given jobs on the flood repair project Dangwana residents dug up sections of the newly tarred road and set tyres alight Dangwana resident Jabulile Patrick Rutsha points out damage on the R61 near Port St Johns after protests by angry residents Some residents told Daily Maverick there were skilled workers among them with experience in road construction but that they were allegedly excluded deliberately workers with safety officer qualifications and security guards The residents also accused the local councillor certain traditional leaders and Sanral officials of not consulting them on the project before hiring workers Residents said that 80% of the hired workers were from villages that fell under the Mrhuleni administration area, while 20% were from the Ntsimbini and Mnatusini administration areas. They claimed that only two people from Dangwana village were given jobs.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Read more in Daily Maverick: Extreme weather warnings renewed for Eastern Cape as efforts to help flood victims continue said there had been a meeting between ward councillors and Sanral and decisions were taken without consulting people from Dangwana “Eighty percent of the workers in this construction project are not from our area Even the 20% that is from here are from the ward councillor’s village,” he said “We demand that more people from our village get employed.” Workers at Dangwana Hardware store assess costs after protesters damaged concrete blocks who was part of the community meeting on Wednesday admitted that the Dangwana village residents had a valid complaint and said he would investigate Ndudu confirmed that only two people from Dangwana were employed on the project Read more in Daily Maverick: Port St Johns residents on high alert after heavy downpours stoke fresh fears of severe flooding One of the young leaders from Dangwana village “We have many skilled people who are qualified to be employed from our village The residents warned that if government officials failed them Irate Dangwana village residents during the meeting between ward councillors and Sanral Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane has condemned the protest.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove adsadvertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “It is alleged that some residents from Wards 6 and 7 in the Port St Johns Local Municipality dug trenches on the road near Dangwana village They were allegedly demanding to be part of the locals employed by the South African National Roads Agency which is currently fixing roads that were affected by the recent disasters in the area,” a statement issued by Mabuyane’s office read describing the recent acts as going against the province’s attempts to improve the economy we have invested R390-million in the construction of the R61 between Mthatha and Port St Johns…  “Road infrastructure is central to the economic reconstruction of our province and therefore we must resist the urge to vent our frustrations by demonstrations that lead to the damaging of the roads We must start with protecting our assets.” Mabuyane said Sanral had employed more than 5,000 people in the province confirmed the ongoing disruptions to their efforts to fix the flood-damaged road “The contractor began repair works at the end of August 2023. However, from the start, there have been intermittent disruptions by some community members. They want the contractor to only appoint people from their village. This is contrary to both Sanral policies and the local municipality’s processes.”advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads He said the protests were called off after the situation was “defused”. Work on the road has resumed. DMadvertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads A police task team set up to investigate a string of arson attacks and shootings in Bhuje village in Port St Johns arrested a 57-year-old soldier in Mthatha on Tuesday Makutela Malungile Msikwa (59) shows the damage after the attack on her house in Bhuje village The aftermath of the arson attack in a Bhuje village home after the arson attack which left about 49 houses torched in Port St John’s The Eastern Cape provincial commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nomthetheleli Mene, praised the investigation task team’s work.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “My concern is the root cause of these faction fights We must put a stop to these unwarranted killings and destruction of property… The arrested suspect must point us to more culprits because we believe he could not execute this ugly work alone in those villages,” Mene said Destroyed homes after the arson attack on Bhuje Village clothes and identity documents were torched in the arson attack She is now barefooted as she lost all her shoes in the night-time raid on Bhuje Village Earlier this month, at least 49 homesteads were burnt down in Bhuje village in the Majola district.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads He is expected to appear in the Port St Johns Magistrates’ Court on Thursday Majola Administrative Area leaders (from left) Hlalisile Mdalelwa and Chief Khwezi Bhubesi Khwezi Majali after meeting affected families in Bhuje Village Majola Administrative Area leader Hlalisile Mdalelwa addresses Bhuje Village arson attack victims at Bhuje Junior Secondary School on 18 January 2023 Some Bhuje village residents are hiding in bushes They feel that the government has failed them as the attacks have been continuing in the area for decades with no intervention claiming many lives and leaving thousands homeless A woman who survived Sunday’s attack said the conflict would not end soon “The next generation will hear that their fathers were killed by some villagers and they must take revenge… this thing started many years ago Our children are living in this traumatic situation it’s painful to see your children hiding in bushes.” Another resident, who has been in hiding and asked to remain anonymous, said: “To solve this problem, the government must deploy soldiers, or more police officials to camp here, or open a satellite police station because this will never end now.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Visit Daily Maverick’s home page for more news “I almost lost my life that day,” she said of the attacks on 15 January “I saw [a group of armed men] coming and I immediately blew the whistle and we ran into the bush The woman said the group of about 200 men told her they would not harm women and children but wanted to deal with the men of Bhuje village who lives in the village with her five children said they were too scared to sleep at home with burnt homesteads torched during the arson attack Some residents are now sleeping in the nearby forest “We are sleeping in the forest and only return here in the morning around 7am. We feel safer in the forest than sleeping here.”advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Msikwa said her only wish was for the perpetrators to be arrested “This is not the first time [we have been attacked] Even in 1996 they came and destroyed everything and we started building our houses from scratch Then they came again and destroyed what we had worked so hard to build A group of Bhuje Junior Secondary School learners return from school Ahead of them are some of the torched homesteads School uniforms were burnt in houses set alight by a mob of about 200 men “I don’t know what wrong I did for them to treat my children and me like this. They destroyed everything. The men are never here. It is only me and the children who stay here,” Msikwa said.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads said he lost more than R40,000 in the arson attack said she had lost everything in the attack They made sure that we were going to suffer,” she said mostly women and children have been evacuated from the heavily flooded Green Farm in Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape Flash floods have affected low lying areas as the major Mzimvubu River burst its banks The OR Tambo Municipality Disaster Management team and government officials are working to evacuate those who are still trapped Ayanda Gantsho says high tides in the ocean from the afternoon to midnight usually make life difficult for the coastline inhabitants He says high tides push the volume of river water along the Umzimvubu river banks Gantsho says this is common during this time of the year Dreams of clean water for 40 villages in deeply rural Eastern Cape have been dashed as a key project in the Ntsonyini/Ngqongweni Regional Water Supply Scheme has stalled due to the contractor not being paid by the OR Tambo District Municipality Currently, communities around Ntsonyini and Ngqongweni, near Port St Johns on the Wild Coast, get drinking water from the Mngazana River, the uMzimvubu River and local streams.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads 55.3% of people in Nyandeni had no piped water at their homes at the time of the previous census and only a third had access to toilet facilities The MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs in the province reported to the Eastern Cape legislature that the OR Tambo Municipality had said a new “variation order” (indicating an increase in construction costs over 20%) had to be generated due to extended excavation needed to reach a suitable level for the dam wall The original value of the project was R200-million and R136-million has been spent so far Another R238-million is needed for the project to be completed Nqatha said his department was not involved in the project and it was being managed by the OR Tambo District Municipality He had been informed that the municipality was in the process of cancelling the original construction contract “The department is not happy with the fact that R136-million has been spent to date and the project has been stalled with currently no contractor on site, and there are no penalties.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “The department is of the view that when so much money has been spent there ought to be accountability The department therefore is of the view that the matter requires investigation and a report upon completion of the investigation shall be provided,” he added The project was also hampered by outbreaks of violence in nearby villages in September 2021 Three men were shot dead and 20 homes burned down when clashes broke out over job opportunities at the dam stirring up ongoing conflict over stock theft Many villagers fled their homes and hid in a forest for days to escape the violence The dam construction was originally halted by the Eastern Cape High Court after the contractor was taken on by a local shopkeeper who claimed blasting at the site caused the walls of his building to crack The Eastern Cape MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs said his department is not happy that the Ntsonyini Off-Channel Dam project has stalled (Photo: Gallo Images / Beeld / Werner Hills) Stalling of the project was brought to light when three DA members of the provincial legislature acted on a tip-off and spent hours in a Volkswagen Polo trying to drive to the dam and ended up having to walk part of the way on a very bad road filled with dongas with the project only around 30% complete against the expected completion date of February 2021,” she added Nqatha said the extra R238-million required exceeds the permissible 20% for a variation order and this resulted in the project grinding to a halt “The Democratic Alliance has continuously requested the province to red-flag or blacklist contractors that have been identified as poor performers to ensure that they are not awarded any further contracts Eastern Cape municipalities and provincial departments continue to fall into the same trap “Water and sanitation projects must be prioritised especially in light of the fact that many communities in the Eastern Cape are still without their basic human rights of access to water and sanitation and in terms of the ongoing drought in the Eastern Cape “Monitoring of water projects is essential; this situation could have been avoided if effective monitoring and evaluation processes were in place,” Knoetze added The dam is part of Ntsonyini Ngqongweni Water Supply a multiyear project that started in 2013/14 It was supposed to be completed within three years According to the integrated development plans from the Nyandeni and the OR Tambo District municipalities, the complete project was planned to provide a basic level of water supply for about 41,178 households and 190,037 people.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The uMzimvubu River will be used for abstracting raw water for the regional scheme. The scope of works for the current phase of the project entails source development.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Another big water project commissioned and managed by the OR Tambo District Municipality has left communities without water after it was discovered that no feasibility study was done to confirm that there was water in the area before the project commenced This project has been flagged by the Auditor-General the executive mayor of the OR Tambo District Municipality said the municipality faced serious challenges that included a decision by National Treasury to withhold all funds that were to be transferred to the municipality due to non-compliance with good governance rules and principles “This was caused by the municipality’s non-compliance to the norms and standards as required by legislation… I wish to further highlight that relations between the municipality National Treasury and other sector departments were not that cordial,” said Sokhanyile “The era has been tough and rough [for] the entire municipality; however, as the new leadership we made commitments to improve relations with all state entities with the responsibility to provide support and oversight to the municipality. We also vowed to [install] a culture of compliance.”advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads She said ongoing work to improve the municipality had seen R200-million in funds released from Treasury at the end of 2021 and more was expected as the municipality had managed to put in place the necessary plans and other documentation including a strategy to recover fruitless and wasteful expenditure A spokesperson for the OR Tambo Municipality said the contractor had not abandoned the site but had left after it was not paid when Treasury withheld funding adding that it was not the municipality that was trying to cancel the contract “Due to time lapsed and the issue with the interdict which prevented the contractor from performing the contractor terminated the contract,” explained Macingwana “The municipality plans to complete the work Engineers and contractors are busy finalising the new measurements and after that a new tender will be issued,” he said This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper which is available for R25 at Pick n Pay, Exclusive Books and airport bookstores. For your nearest stockist, please click here Was an expanded wellfield with boreholes over a wide area (ie the 40 or so villages) supplying groundwater considered especially if each community takes ownership and manages their borehole Johns Taxi Association in the Eastern Cape has confirmed that today’s shooting incident is related to recent taxi violence in the area The Port St John’s town has reportedly been brought to a standstill after heavily armed men stormed the taxi rank and fired shots at taxi operators Three people were shot dead while five others sustained gunshot wounds It is reported that businesses were forced to shut down and learners who were on their way to school were forced to go back home due the violence Some taxis have reportedly been torched by community members Last week three people were gunned down in the area The Association’ spokesperson Sakhiwo Lusiba has appealed for government to intervene ” We started with talks before but they did not yield results we thought that if the higher people can come to Port St Johns and solve this problem because if two people are fighting there must be a mediator in that situation we are still staying as if nothing happened That is why we thought the government can send people from different levels so that this thing can be resolved soon.” Provincial police spokesperson Priscilla Naidu says an eleven-year-old boy was among those wounded after he was hit by a stray bullet and was rushed to hospital Naidu says a large police contingency has been deployed to the area to monitor the situation “Multi-disciplinary forces are on the ground Police will remain in the area until the situation stabilises Lt Gen Mene (provincial commissioner) has vehemently condemned such criminal behaviour She says such lawlessness will not be tolerated as innocent lives are at risk We immediately call on all stakeholders to come forward and engage in constructive discussions and urgently find a solution so as to avoid further loss of lives.” Mayor of Port St Johns Nomvuzo Mlombile Cingo has called for calm and peace “We would like to request the taxi industry to please sort the challenges and be able to bring peace in Port St we would like them to make sure that peace is restored in our town.” The Port St Johns municipality has issued repeat warnings since Tuesday afternoon for the public to avoid the town as a taxi feud erupted and rival taxi organisations shot at each other with automatic firearms and set vehicles alight Even on Wednesday morning, as schools reopened, the area was still a no-go. “We continue to plead with road users to refrain from using R61 Lusikisiki coming to Port St Johns. Also we urge people to not use the town if it’s not an emergency,” the notice from the municipality said.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads said she was urging feuding taxi associations operating in the Lusikisiki and Port St Johns areas to work together and find amicable solutions to their ongoing disagreements “These are now culminating in tragic violence where lives are being lost,” she said Preliminary reports indicate that on Tuesday morning (16 January) members of two taxi associations started shooting at each other at the Port St Johns taxi rank Three security officials from one Lusikisiki taxi association were killed and five from the Port St Johns taxi association were injured “Multidisciplinary forces are on the ground Police will remain in the area until the situation stabilises,” Mene added By mid-morning 11 men had been arrested by the police Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said the suspects were detained on charges of murder, attempted murder, malicious damage to property, discharging firearms in a built-up municipal area, and public violence. They would appear in the Port St Johns Magistrates’ Court soon.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads She added that 15 firearms, including pistols, AK-47s, shotguns and rifles, as well as 328 rounds of ammunition, were recovered.  “There is a high density of police officials deployed in the area to ensure stability.” DM Why no charges for possession of unlicenced forearms or amunition? My thought exactly. I would hope it just was not mentioned. That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if this was a strategic oversight to cover up that some are police firearms. CAPE TOWN - Minister of Police Bheki Cele is expected to visit Port St Johns in Eastern Cape on Thursday following deadly taxi-related violence Six people were killed when two warring taxi associations from Port St Johns and Lusikisiki engaged in a gun battle on 16 January ALSO READ: SANTACO apologises to Port St Johns residents following deadly taxi violence The eleven suspects who were arrested for the shooting have since been released due to lack of evidence. It's now believed that the two taxi associations have agreed to end the violence. Police Ministry spokesperson Lirandzu Themba: "The Minister of Police, together with the Minister of Transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga, and the Premier of Eastern Cape, Oscar Mabuyane, will engage the management of the SAPS [South African Police Service] in the province on their responses to the taxi disputes, as well as engage the community and relevant stakeholders in an effort to bring lasting solutions to the taxi-related violence." Home | Politics Chaos is reigning in the Eastern Cape coastal town of Port St Johns due to political upheaval. Numerous protests have erupted across town this past week as stakeholders demand the resignation of the mayor They demand the town must be run by people born in the area But the upheaval took a sinister turn last week with an arson attack on the mayor’s house Trucks are also being used to block the R61 preventing traffic to go through the town The stakeholders in the matter want the African National Congress (ANC) to meet their demands “There in Port St John’s have by all means given a chance to the managers coming out of this area all we are experiencing is the continued collapse of our town Our Port St Johns is just a laughing stock because there is no development Our children are not being recognized even if they qualify but what these people want it’s only people from Lusikisiki,” explains Mzungule The ANC’s chief whip in council was also shot in an attack that left his nephew wounded “We want the resignation letter from mama Cingo A person that will take Port St Johns to another level Tshotsho because we are sick and tired of him they also want to disturb Alize the taxi industry that is why these people are also angry about what is going on here.” says the mayor and councillors are going nowhere “It will be illegal for anybody to remove a seating mayor without utilizing the legislated process and you cannot use a gun to remove a democratically elected leadership it shows the naivity and ignorance of those people that are making such calls so it is an act of criminality That is how we can characterise it and the police must arrest such criminals.” Political parties say the unrest is caused by the ANC’s factional battles The ATM’s Mzwandile Jam Jam says the peace pipe must be smoked all the leadership to make sure that there is peace in Port St Johns and there is stability so that we can take service delivery to the people hence we are saying this thing must come to an end,” says Jam Jam Thembalihle Xhangayi is a Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor in Port St Johns says unrest has disrupted business and social activities in the small town “All that is happening right now is detrimental to the lives of the people shops are closed and this lady came here early in the morning to see the doctor but she has been here without any help and we cannot allow this,” explains Xhangayi The Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs ministry has condemned the violence directed against the public office bearers disgruntled residents of two wards in Port St Johns local municipality in the Eastern Cape say they didn’t recognise their new Councillors They picketed outside the Luxolweni Hall in the small coastal town LGE 2021 | Port St Johns residents unhappy with newly sworn-in Councillors