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By Paul Vecchiatto
DA national spokesman Mmusi Maimane laid charges against Cosatu on Wednesday (16/05/2012) after a protest by the party turned violent in Johannesburg.
Clegg calls for Eastern Cape stories to be toldSOUTH African music legend Johnny Clegg, the face of government’s new cultural heritage strategy, says “finding the hidden story behind” is the key to unwrapping the Eastern Cape’s tapestry of riches. Clegg was responding to a question during his presentation to media at Tourism Indaba 2012 in Durban, yesterday.
New tourism route has experts gasping in awe Tide turns in Aids warSOUTH Africa is turning the tide in the fight against HIV/Aids, with the rate of mother-to- child transmission dropping an average 20% for the first time in 10 years - meaning that the infection of about 60000 babies a year is being prevented.
More ECape pupils going on to pass matric - studyTEACHERS’ improved understanding and delivery of the curriculum may be behind the massive increase in the number of Eastern Cape pupils who went on to pass matric last year.
Pooch earns his stripes with Seaview tiger cubsWHILE most other dogs of his kind are busy chasing sheep, a Port Elizabeth pooch has struck up an unlikely friendship - with tiger cubs.
Phelophepa health care on the right trackYOUNG and old waited patiently at the train station in Swartkops, Port Elizabeth, yesterday but none of them were going on a trip.
SA’s professionals want to stayTHE majority of South African professionals want to stay in the country and make it work, despite rising concerns about healthcare, crime and education.
Greening the Wild CoastA YOUNG couple have spurned convention, bright lights and big salaries to settle on the Wild Coast, where they are helping a village community forge a sustainable future.
Students close college over bursary fundsSTUDYING at all the Port Elizabeth College campuses came to a standstill yesterday as students continued their protest against the non-payment of National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) bursary money.
Twelve Hawks police in court in connection with murder chargesTwelve police officers appeared on murder and other charges in the Bellville Regional Court on Tuesday (15/05/2012).
Two injured by hurled rocks as police try control Cosatu anti-protestersAt least two DA supporters were injured when rocks were thrown when they marched down Jorissen Street in Braamfontein in Johannesburg on Tuesday (15/05/2012).
View moreTOURISM Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk has called on the tourism industry to embrace environmental responsibility and to reject the path of eco-destruction for short term gain. Addressing delegates hereat Indaba 2012 in Durban on Saturday evening (May 12 2012), the minister identified the issue as a particular challenge for tourism.
Collegiate Girl's High celebrates 138th birthdayCollegiate Girls High School celebrated Founders day on Friday (11/05/2012). The school is One Hundred and Thirty Eight years old. To make the occasion a memorable one they planned a full weekend of festivities.
Ward for ‘the vulnerable’NURSING is not a job, it is a calling, says Matron Elizabeth Moss and her own calling has been so strong that after officially retiring, she is helping to open a new ward at the Provincial Hospital.
Another attack at festering ArlingtonANOTHER knife attack has occurred at Arlington Waste Disposal Site. The attack, which took place on Saturday afternoon, comes amid calls by the DA for an investigation into the chaotic state of the site and questionable swopping of contractors.
Schoenies otter takes fishing lessonsIT’S one of the iconic wild animals of the metro’s open spaces, but it’s not often seen - certainly not clambering onto the rocks right under your feet. But that was the experience of fishing buddies Gavin Curtis and Stuart Duckenfield who were trying their luck with light tackle and pilchards at Schoenies yesterday (August 10 2011).
Cause and effect of climate change explainedSO HOW to communicate the complexity and magnitude of climate change to youngsters from a little school in Zwide? The kids, in grades six and seven at Mzimhlophe Primary School, were given the answer to this question during their visit to the SA Marine Rehabilitation and Education Centre (Samrec) yesterday (August 03 2011).
R1.5-million farming venture will fit Eastern Cape to a teaTHE Eastern Cape government has set aside R1.5-million to kick-start an expanded honeybush tea industry that could be ramped up to produce a turnover of R100-million a year and hundreds of new jobs. The good news follows on the results that have emerged from a study of the honeybush industry, commissioned by the Coega Development Corporation (CDC) on behalf of the provincial economic development and environmental affairs department.
Snowed-in guards airlifted to safetyNINETEEN stock-theft guards stationed on the top of the Drakensberg have been plucked to safety as heavy snow presses in on their lonely outposts. The guards are housed alone or in pairs in 10 shipping containers, at key points along the Lesotho border with the north-eastern Eastern Cape, in the Rhodes area.
Algoa Bay the best monitored in all of AfricaALGOA Bay is now “the best monitored bay in Africa” with millions of rands worth of equipment installed below the surface measuring a wide range of environmental conditions. That was the proud revelation yesterday (July 28 2011) from SA Environmental Observation Network (Saeon) co-ordinator Shaun Deyzel, who was speaking at a marine science symposium hosted by SA National Parks, at the Addo Elephant National Parks.
Mantis in new Nigeria dealPORT Elizabeth based tourism group Mantis Collection has announced a bold expansion into West Africa with a landmark, multi-million US dollar deal signed in PE yesterday (July 25 2011) to roll out a sumptuous suite of boutique hotels in Nigeria. Mantis founder Adrian Gardiner signed the deal at Shamwari Townhouse in Summerstrand with highly respected Nigerian businessman Nze Chidi Duru, who is the chairman of Abuja-based Grand Towers Plc. The Nigerian company has interests in the pension, banking, retail, communications, IT and hospitality sectors.
Surf event sets greening benchmarkBILLABONG Pro J-Bay is setting a benchmark for international surfing contests with a comprehensive programme to protect the local environment and combat global climate change.
Karoo farmers take their fracking probe to Jo'burg oil summitA SMALL Karoo farmers’ association is so concerned about fracking, and damning new evidence out of the US, it is funding the R10000 bill demanded for a four-day oil and gas conference in Johannesburg, to allow one of its members to attend.
Swell job for man with decades of experienceWITH the small waves prevailing yesterday (Sunday July 17 2011) for the Billabong Pro J-Bay, all surfing mojos are focused on the second week of the contest and the swell that, it is hoped, will still set things on fire. The man with un-paralleled expertise in this department is contest director Eric Stedman, 54, who has been scanning synoptic charts, fiddling with barometers and assessing wind direction since he was a grommit back in East London in the 1960s. It also helps that he began surfing Jeffreys Bay 43 years ago.
New official whale watching operator launch in the bayALGOA Bay’s first boat-based boat-based whale-watching operation in a decade has been officially launched - and already some exciting sightings are being reported. Lloyd Edwards of Raggy Charters, the company awarded the boat-based whale watching (BBWW) license for Algoa Bay, said yesterday (July 14 2011) he spotted the cow and calf pair of southern right whales off Algorax earlier this week.
Super surf contest starts at J-BayTHE latest edition of one of the great global surfing contests, built around an iconic right-hand point break, was launched in Jeffreys Bay last night (Wednesday July 14 2011).
Unique source of Bay waterHOW many cities in the world can say they get their water from a World Heritage Site? Very few, I bet. Yet, that’s the case with Port Elizabeth and the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and in fact the Gamtoos River Valley vege farmers.
Bayworld raggies returned to the oceanTHE biggest baddest pair from Bayworld’s de-commissioned aquarium, two bulky raggedtooth sharks, were released yesterday (July 26 2011) back into the sea. It was a sad day for the oceanarium, where they have lived for nearly two decades, inspiring awe in hundreds of thousands of visitors - but it is good news for the species, as the pair are now part of a research project aimed at securing our waters as one of the few safe havens in the world for raggies.
Dairy farm could close soonBUSHY Park Dairy Farm, a flagship “proudly Port Elizabeth” business and a much-loved feature of the metro for the past 20 years, is facing closure. The shock news was confirmed yesterday (June 21 2011) by managing trustee Puffer Hartzenberg, who was responding to unconfirmed reports about the matter.
Unique study of great whitesA UNIQUE study into the abundance, distribution and movement of great white sharks in Algoa Bay, sponsored by the metro, has been launched. There has never been a fatal shark attack in Algoa Bay, but the metro has committed the R800000 grant as a pro-active step, taken in line with their marketing of Port Elizabeth as “the watersports’ capital of Africa”, researcher Dr Matt Dicken explained yesterday (June 21 2011).
Refurbished Skead book publishedA NEW book aimed at celebrating our natural heritage and guiding sound future conservation policy has been published in Port Elizabeth. Historical Incidence of the Larger Land Mammals in the Broader Western and Northern Cape (including the Eastern Cape as far east as Sundays River) is a complete re-furbishment - with summaries, maps, illustrations and two new chapters - of the original work of the same name by legendary naturalist Dr Jack Skead, who died in 2006.
Co-op sponsors two farmers on US missionTWO Karoo farmers have flown out of PE on a ground-breaking mission to the US, to get the low-down on fracking, in the country where it all began.
Link Refit to electric cars proposalIF WE CAN link Refit with electrical motorcars - then we could really be onto something. Speaking to The Herald yesterday (June 14 2011), department of environmental affairs deputy-director general for climate change, Peter Lukey, said the scheduled launch this month of South Africa’s Renewable Energy Feed-In Tariff (Refit), will likely lead to significant positive change.
Exciting reforestation project underway in TranskeiAN UNUSUAL re-forestation and carbon sequestration project is underway in the heart of the old Transkei, where savage erosion is a common feature. The R7600000 project is being run as a partnership between the Congress of Traditional Leaders’ of South Africa (Contralesa), the national department of environmental affairs and a Johannesburg-based company called Carbon Worx.
EC investment boost to counter climate changeEASTERN Cape economic environment MEC Mcebisi Jonas yesterday announced significant new green economy investment to boost green economy skills in the province.
Branch recalls fascinating careerFOR world-renowned reptile and amphibian expert Dr Bill Branch, who retired this week from Bayworld after 32 years employment there - it all began in 1969, on the shores of a lake in East Africa.
Green electricity programme set to launch this monthGOVERNMENT will this month launch the long-awaited Refit programme that will make funding available to pay private energy entrepreneurs who will generate their own green electricity and sell it to the grid.
EC leads climate change battleTHE Eastern Cape government has declared its intention to lead from the front in the war against climate change, with a landmark multi-benefit project agreement signed at the Eastern Cape Climate Change Conference in East London yesterday (June 08 2011).
Climate change conferenceEVERYONE change - a milestone Eastern Cape climate change conference, featuring senior political leaders and climate change experts, is set to start in East London today (Wednesday May 8). The Eastern Cape Climate Change Conference will focus on the strategy document that has been prepared by local role-players, and will look towards the UN’s Cop17 summit, the international climate change indaba in Durban in December
'Plenty of power for smelter,' says CDCBLACK-out fears notwithstanding, there is more than enough electricity for the megawatt-hungry Coega manganese smelter, according to the Coega Development Corporation (CDC). CDC communications’ chief Senzeni Ndebele was responding this week to concerns expressed about the power demands of the smelter and how this will affect Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality residents and existing businesses.
Motherwell eco-schools big recipientsTWO Motherwell “eco-schools” were the recipients this week of tens of thousands of rands worth of equipment and furniture to help them learn better. The 26 maths and reading software packages, 100 desks and 200 chairs were donated by ABB after the power and automation giant participated last year in a Wessa eco-schools’ workshop in PE.
Pollution plume off the beachfront raises concernsA STRANGE-looking plume of discoloured water has been appearing sporadically in the bay between Shark Rock Pier and Humewood Beach, resulting in a number of calls from concerned residents, Following an initial report on May 20 by Humewood resident Elize Pretorius, and then disappearing for several days, it reappeared again this week, prompting further calls.
Put the environment on agenda of new councils Concerns over Ngqura oil leak 'unfounded'CONCERNS have been raised that the oil and gas exploration rig in Port of Ngqura could be leaking oil into the bay. Both the Norwegian company that owns the ultra-deepwater drilling rig and the harbour authorities have rejected as unfounded the concerns raised by environmental group Ocean Messengers.
Ball of fire not the beginning of the end.Was it a bird? Was it a plane? Was it a comet hurtling to Earth in delayed fulfillment of Harold Campling’s doomsday prophesy? Well, no. In fact, it was the International Space Station (ISS) and space shuttle Endeavour, catching the last rays of the setting sun.
Ngqura a fish magnetTHE Port of Ngqura has become an extraordinary magnet for marine life, and could point the way to an important new role for harbours, according to Bayworld marine biologist and shark specialist Dr Matt Dicken.
Stately emperor pays family a flying visitTHERE are moths and there are moths - and then there is the pine tree emperor, one of the giants of the insect world. Gorgeous yellow in colour and “easily the size of a man’s hand”, one of these moths swooped into a Seaview home the other night.
Endangered forest clearing probedA SWATHE of critically endangered forest and new generation legislation formulated to combat climate change are at the centre of a confrontation in Deer Park. The forestry department has slammed as “reckless and malicious” the clearing of the area, which is over 100m long by on average 4m wide.
Get out the Karoo, farmers tell ShellANGRY residents of the Middleburg area have called for Shell to “get out the Karoo” after the company failed to guarantee the security of their water if fracking goes ahead. Addressing Shell representatives at a hall in Middelburg’s Grootfontein Agricultural College in a hall packed with farmers in T-shirts saying “Don’t Frack with our Karoo,” members of the audience asked repeatedly if the multi-national could “guarantee no risk to our water”.
Nieu Bethesda farmers count flood costsIT COULD take some farmers in Nieu Bethesda a decade to get back to where they were before the flood that hit them Saturday. That’s the word from the mountainous catchment area north of Graaff-Reinet, where well over 100mm of rain fell in 24 hours, flooding the Gats River and all its tributaries, flattening stock fences, stripping roads to bedrock and bursting farm dams.
Well,well! COSATU knew what was coming and spoilt the DA party,it appears democratic rights only apply to the ruling party and it`s allies.The resulting judgement will be interesting seeing who pays t...
dokhotelo 15 May 2012 8:56 pmhe he he he......800 million bucks!!......After all, it seems there are ANC Mafia syndicates running the EC at all levels....ain't it Editrix dear ???....................
Bokkie 15 May 2012 2:01 pmRegarding the "new health fraud shock" I wonder why? let's see... O yes all the people in top positions are without any qualifications, any previous experience, they are incompetant to do their job, ...
thirsty 14 May 2012 12:56 pmThis sounds absolutely STUPID, just think what development could be done for people of Port Elizabeth with that money, LET ALONE GET THE METRO's FINANCES FIXED UP by not doing this....
thirsty 14 May 2012 12:44 pmR800 Million stolen in one department in one year, AND THEY STILL VOTE FOR THE ANC, HOW STUPID. Western Cape gets a clean audit, and puts out more tenders and contracts BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT STOLEN T...
mastermindPE 14 May 2012 10:28 amIS THIS ACCEPTABLE YOU THIEVES FROM THE USELESS ANC-pf ?????...
mastermindPE 14 May 2012 10:22 amYou get the corrupt evil government you deserve when you vote for these clowns in the ANC-pf. All about cadre deployment, pillage, plunder, steal and feel feathers for the voting fodder they USE to st...
alvonhumb 11 May 2012 1:32 pmSurely an honourable man with a democratic conscience would re-consider his position in the light of these developments which indicate that the recent elections were of questionable legitimacy? Mr Fa...
VernE 11 May 2012 1:06 pmNobody would dream of making up a story like this as it would be an obvious case of exaggeration. However... Hope this news doesn't go beyond our borders or we are doomed in the eyes of the internatio...
Bokkie 11 May 2012 10:47 amOh please I cannot believe that our nation would waiste so much time and energy on these two models, they (models) must just grow up and get over it....