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ISOLOMZI
20 000 COPIES WEEKLY
Cala | Dutywa | Butterworth | Centani | Elliotdale | Ngcobo | Tsomo
Nqamakwe | Willowvale | Cofimvaba | Elliot
THURSDAY May 19, 2016 |0 047 050 4430 | www.isoexpress.co.za | Facebook: Mthatha Express | Twitter: @MthathaExpress | [email protected] or [email protected] EDITOR: BETTIE GILIOMEE
#DEBT
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MTHATHA 047 532 3356
BUTTERWORTH 047 491 2610
WhatsApp /Call Back 082 378 3743
X1RDVKGH-190516-TE-ebmcil-debt
SIMBONGILE MDLEDLE
T
HE people of the Mnquma
Local Municipality are
mourning the tragic death
of activist, hero and former
Mnquma mayor William Mabone
Duna (66),whodiedwhenhisvehicle
was swept away as he tried to cross
the Nxaxho River in Centane after
heavy rains recently.
Police spokesperson Captain
Jackson Manatha said Duna had
beenonhiswayhomewhen the acci-
dent took place.
He was driving in his bakkie with
an unknown woman, apparently a
neighbour. The woman died on the
scene.
Pan Africanist Congress (PAC)
deputypresidentMzweneleNyontso
who worked with Duna in the
council of Mnquma for a long time
described him as a leader who was
always cool, calm and collected and
very clear on how to monitor other
political parties in the council.
He said he had learnt a lot from
him because they had usually spent
time together, even after work, as
they lived in the same area.
He said Duna had been amanwho
did not hesitate to share his knowl-
edge, irrespective of which party a
person represented.
Nyotso said that during his time
in the municipality Duna had been
a good listener and had been politi-
cally mature.
He liked to engage other leaders
before taking a final decision, he
said.
Current mayor Baba Ganjana
said: It iswithutter shockandgreat
sadness that we receive the news
about the passing of the formermay-
or.
The municipality would like to
convey its deepest and heartfelt con-
dolences to his family, friends and
loved ones.
We give his family strength dur-
ing this trying time.
He expressed his gratitude for the
role played by Duna during his ten-
ure as the first citizen of Mnquma.
Akuhlanga lungehliyo, he said.
He is expected to be buried this
coming Saturday (May 21) at his
home in Gaqa location in Centane.
) Duna was a political prisoner
on Robben Island from 1981 to 1987.
He served as a member of parlia-
mentunder formerpresidentNelson
Mandela after the elections in 1994.
After thathewasdeployedasmay-
or of Mnquma, until he resigned in
2010 to join the Congress of the Peo-
ple (COPE).
In 2011 he was deployed by COPE
as a councillor in the Amathole Dis-
trict Municipality.
After Duna left COPE, he joined
the United Congress party, led by
Mluleki George.
Exmayor
dies in
freak
accident
Sweet potatoes! That IS a big sweet potato
Sweet potatoes! That IS a big sweet potato
It might not be the biggest sweet potato ever found, but it came as a huge shock and surprise for Gladys
Mambingwa from Ngqeleni. She couldnt believe her eyes when she found the huge, 6kg vegetable in her
garden. She said she had just been digging for sweet potatoes in her garden when this one in particular
grabbed her attention. She said she would give half of the sweet potato to her relatives. PHOTO: BUNTU GOTYWA
BUNTU GOTYWA
CALM has been restored in Duty-
wa, but Mbhashe ratepayers and
residents say they cannot prom-
ise for how long.
Dutywa was chaotic last week
as residents vented their anger
on the streets after themunicipal-
ity failed to meet its deadline for
a petition served last month.
Dutywa residents and ratepay-
ers closed the town, burning tyr-
es, throwing stones and dumping
rubbish in the streets.
They demanded the municipal-
ity address their grievances im-
mediately.
The intervention of Coopera-
tive Governance and Traditional
Affairs MEC Fikile Xasa man-
aged to restore calm.
A meeting of the MEC, mayor
Nonceba Mfecane and residents
representatives lasted until the
early hours of the morning.
The resolution after the meet-
ing was that the municipality
would have seven days to act on
the demands presented in the pe-
tition.
At the time of printing, the sev-
en days given to the municipality
had lapsed.
When asked what would hap-
pen after the seven days, resi-
dents leader Xolani Rhulumeni
said they had to wait until then,
but did not rule out another dem-
onstration.
Speaking about the mayhem
last week, he said he was grateful
for the intervention of the MEC
as the mayor had no idea how
to handle the situation in her
own municipality.
Top of the demands in the peti-
tion is the housing issue.
The protesters claim the mu-
nicipality failed to deliver on the
promised 99 RDP houses in Wil-
lowvale and say the state of RDP
houses in Elliotdale is insulting.
Also high on their list is the is-
sue of drop toilets in Willowvale.
Rhulumeni said with the extra
seven days given to the munici-
pality, they needed to see action
in their respective areas.
Streets of Dutywa calm again for now
The town of Dutywa was chaotic last week during a service delivery protest. PHOTO: BUNTU GOTYWA
2News
May 19, 2016
Isolomzi Express
Mahlubi Mafongasi
SALES EXECUTIVE
82 Blakeway Street, Mthatha
Office: (047) 050 4430
Fax: 086 298 3443
Cell: 079 744 8099
E-mail:
X1RBLG7F-190516-IE-tvaunc-mahlubi
SIMBONGILE MDLEDLE
YINDODA enamashumi amabini ananye (21)
ubudala ethe yaswelekela kufutshane nje em-
veni kokuba ifikile kwisikhululo samapolisa
eLady Frere, emveni kokoqhanywa kanobom
ngabahlali. Ngokwengxelo kuvakala ukuba
amadoda amathathu athe abanjwa ngabahla-
li belali yaseBengu esoyanyaniswa noku-
qhekeza, ukuxhwila kwakunye nokuzama
ukubulala. Emveni kokuba esi sithathu sithe
sabanjwa ngabahlali, sihanjwe kano-bom
ngentonga emveni koko sanikezelwa emapol-
isa sesivuza ligazi.Enyeyalamadodakuvaka-
la ukuba itheukufikakwayokwisikhululo sa-
mapolisa yawa ze yasweleka ngelixa omnye
ugxa wayo ethe waswelekela esibhedlele.
Ngokwesithethi samapolisa ala ngingqi
u-Lieutenant Namhla Mdleleni owesithathu
kula madoda ukwimeko engaginyisimathe
esibhedlele. Lo kaMdleleni udize ukuba
amapolisa kungoku nje aphanda amatyala
amabini okubulala. Lo kaMdleleni uqhube
wathi abafi aba bebengekafaniswa nanjengo-
ko zingekaziwa izizalwane zabo.
Inkumanda kwindawo yaseQueestown,
uBrigadier Pumla Mavuka usigxibhe kabu-
khali isenzo sokuhlaselwa ze kubethwa abat-
yholwa. Ubhenele kumalungu oluntu ukuba
angathatheli umthetho ezindleni, bona bafan-
ele basebenzisane namapolisa ngolwazi
ukuze bancediseke ukulwa nolwaphulo-
mthetho kwiindawo zabo.
Ubhubhelekwisikhululo
samapolisaumtyholwa
SIMBONGILE MDLEDLE
THE police in Ugie have arrested two of
five suspects in an armed robbery at Mor-
ven farm in Ugie recently.
The two men (aged 37 and 47) were ar-
rested on May 10 and four firearms and a
Mahindra SUV were recovered in the Da-
lasile administrative area outside Engco-
bo.
They are facing charges of armed rob-
bery, possession of unlicensed firearms
and ammunition and theft of a motor vehi-
cle. They are expected to appear in theMa-
clear Magistrates Court soon.
The arrests were made after police re-
ceived information about the robbery.
It is alleged that the suspects approached
48-year-oldRayBrownonhis farmMorven
in the Ugie area pretending to be there to
buy cattle from him.
After he took them to the field and they
spoke about the purchase of the cattle, they
allegedly forced him into a vehicle and
went back to his home, where they de-
manded money and firearms from him.
He was forced to open the safe and they
took fireaarms and anundisclosed amount
of money. The suspects then left the scene
in his Mahindra SUV.
Acting Elliot cluster commander Lieu-
tenant-ColonelDaryl Billson expressedhis
gratitude to the members for following the
information which led to the arrest of the
suspects.
Two arrested for farm robbery
A 33-YEAR-OLD man was sentenced to life
imprisonment by the Mqanduli Regional
Court on Thursday last week for raping his
11-year-old daughter last year.
The incident occurred on the night of Oc-
tober 24 atNewRest Location in the district
of Mqanduli.
The perpetrator cannot be named, to pro-
tect the identity of his daughter.
The man took the girl from the house he
sharedwithhiswife and twoother children
to an unfinished RDP house in their neigh-
bourhood.
His wife, who is the girls stepmother, de-
cided to look for them when they did not
return after a long while.
When she got to the house she found her
husband with his trousers on his ankles
and the young girl lying on her back. The
man had already raped the girl twice.
The followingday, thewifewent to report
the rape to the girls biological mother and
theywent to report thematter to the police.
Pleading guilty only after evidence was
given by the victim and her step-mother,
the man claimed to be drunk, but prosecu-
tor Melikhaya Dyakophu convinced the
court that punishment must fit the crime,
particularly in this case where the person
who was supposed to protect the child, be-
came her violator of the worst kind.
TheNational Prosecuting Authority wel-
comed the sentence, saying it hoped that it
will deter otherwould-be rapists fromprey-
ing on vulnerable children.
SIMBONGILE MDLEDLE
Life sentence for rapinghisowndaughter
Amapolisa aseGcuwa awakawufumani umkhon-
do emva kokufunyanwa kwesidumbu sendoda
eneminyaka engama 60. Umzimba walo mfi sele
uneveki ezimbini ufunyenwe ngamapolisa kwi-
sitrato iGrubb eGcuwa. Amapolisa ebesenza ug-
qogqo ngethuba efumana ingxelo yomfi ongazi-
wayo. Athi umzimba ufunyenwe namanxeba
amabinikumhlabawangasentla.Ukanti amapoli-
sa abongoze uluntu ukuba luncedise ukufumana
abenzi besisehlo. Umzimbausagcinwekwindawo
yezidumbu yoburhulumente. BUNTU GOTYWA
Akukabikhomkhondo
ngesidumbu
esingaziwayo eGcuwa
AYANDA MILLISA MADIKIZELA
A 12-YEAR-OLD boy from Monti Location
in Bizana, suffering from cerebral palsy,
is in dire need of a wheelchair for him to
be able to move around and mostly to go
to school.
Simamkele Mantshongo was born with
this condition, which causes damage to his
central nervous system with symptoms
such as difficulty with balance, impaired
coordination of legs or arms and slurred
speech.
The boys mother works in Durban and
his grandmother is left to look after him.
Grandmother Maqadi Mantshongo (76)
said that if her grandchild can get a wheel-
chair, their lives will change for the bet-
ter.
He came to live with me a few months
after hewas born and I thought hewas just
late in his development, but as the years
went on, I realised that he was disabled.
He could not talk ormove and thatworried
me a lot, said the grandmother.
She said that she took him to the local
hospitals to get help, but nothing helped.
She added that taking him to these places
is a struggle as they hire a bakkie for about
R300 for every visit, because he is getting
too heavy for her to carry him on her back.
Getting a wheelchair will help me a lot
because I will simply push him to themain
road and catch a taxi there and he will also
be able to be admitted to the special
schools because they wont accept him
there without it, she said.
She said that they have been to several
schools around Bizana but he has been
turned away as he has no wheelchair.
Ward 19 councillor, Hopewell Nonqabe,
said that there is a number of disabled chil-
dren and adults who are in need of wheel-
chairs in his ward and added that he is cer-
tain that Simamkele is among those in wait-
ing.
These are some of the challenges that we
face in our areas and we hope that with Op-
eration Masiphathisane being launched
here in our ward last week, all these challen-
ges will be on the priority list to be ad-
dressed, said Nonqabe.
Operation Masiphathisane was launched
last Wednesday at Monti location by Pre-
mier Phumulo Masualle alongside the MEC
from all the government departments and
ward 19 was identified as the pilot ward for
the established war rooms to fast track ser-
vice delivery.
Disabled boy in dire need of awheelchair
Simamkele Mantshon-
go (12) is struggling
to walk and is in
need of a whellchair
to be able to go to
school. PHOTO:AYANDA
MILLISA MADIKIZELA
Isolomzi Express is a member of the Audit Bureau
of Circulations of South Africa and is managed,
printed and distributed by Media24 Newspapers,
on behalf of the owner, Media24 Limited, 40
Heerengracht, Cape Town. In terms of Art. 12(7)
of the Copyright Act, 1978 no report, article or
photo may be reproduced without the
permission of the owner.
Copyright
3News
May 19, 2016
Isolomzi Express
Ngexesha Lasebusika
Buza ku-Gqirha wakho ngencukacha zolwaluko
olukhusele-kileyo kwisibhedlela
sase Shelly Beach Day Hospital
okanye usifonele ngqo kule mfono-mfono:
039 315 6430
email: [email protected]
UULLWWAALLUUKKOO
SMS THE WORD CIRCUMCISION TO 063 579 8917 and we will call you
X1RE2RUD-190516-IE-ebnnon-shelly
X1RE5HPY-190516-IE-ebnnon-mazdawin
BUNTU GOTYWA
THE Outsourcing must fall movement at
Walter Sisulu University says the struggle
will continue even thoughworkers have been
told to go back to their daily duties.
Workers at WSUs Nelson Mandela Drive
campus continue to show their displeasure
about how their grievances have been dealt
with by the institution.
Last week the movement protested outside
the institution, demanding the university
management act swiftly on their demands.
Outsourcing committee member Lubabalo
Bango said going back to work did not mean
they had given up on their fight to be in-
sourced.
He said they had consented to going back
to their positions, but were unhappy about
the treatment of the protesters.
He said the conditions the protesters were
being forced to endure upon returning to
work were unfair, while some were without
employment because of their involvement in
the campaign.
The protesters claimed they were either
not being paid or sometimes only received a
portion of their salaries.
What doesnt sit well with us is allowing
the company to do as it pleases to those who
have joined the outsourcing movement,
Bango said.
They keep saying the strike is illegal, but
the strike cannot be legal because we cant
follow all the processes.
Theprotesters said theyhadgivenXhobani
Security Services until May 1 to reinstate the
workers in their previous posts.
They also said having the National Educa-
tion, Health and AlliedWorkers Union in the
discussions had not assisted them.
They claimed the workers union was only
keen on ending the strike instead of helping
with their grievances.
They dont even mention outsourcing in
their discussions, Bango said.
The institution could notmeet the outsour-
cing movement last week as it was busy with
graduation ceremonies.
WSUoutsourcing staff told togetback towork
Outsourcing demonstrators outside Walter Sisulu university. PHOTO: BUNTU GOTYWA
SIMBONGILE MDLEDLE
SMALL, Medium and Micro-sized Enter-
prises (SMMEs) have appealed to Pre-
mier Pumullo Masuale and his MECs to
address their concern about a lack of sup-
port for SMMEs by the province.
In a letter they said: We as SMMEs op-
erate under the impression that more
SMMEs would create and sustain more
jobs and (thus) the more poverty will be
eradicated in this province.
We operate under the impression that
our Eastern Cape provincial government
wants to promote SMMEs to create much-
needed jobs.
They stressed that all departments
must distribute fairly to SMMEs, with
specific targets for how many SMMEs
they wanted to create in the province
and howmany jobs theywanted to create
each financial year.
They called on the premier and his
cabinet to ensure that SMMEs benefited
from tenders like distribution of station-
ery, textbooks, school furniture, securi-
ty services, cleaning services, social fa-
cilitation, hotel accommodation and so
forth.
Speaking on behalf of the SMMEs, An-
dile Nontso said: We partner with uni-
versities faculties of commerce to assist
with research on howmany unemployed
we have in the province, how many
SMMEs we must create each financial
year and how many employees each
SMMEs can employ. This could lead to
annual targets, he said.
Nontso said they wanted to meet soon
and come up with a plan of how to force
departments and municipalities to pay
within 30 days and punish those who did
not comply.
How do we ensure that all projects
awarded in this province have compul-
sory 30%-and-above local beneficiation,
stipulated in all terms and conditions?
He said they wanted to know how to
ensure that black locals went back to re-
tail in their shops by promoting a cen-
tral buying system to cut costs by pro-
moting existing programnes fully.
How do we ensure that SMMEs are
deeply involved in the Mzimvubu
project, the Coffee Bay project, the Mag-
wa tea corporation, new industries in
Mthatha and the Port St Johns habour?
How do we ensure SMMEs through their
chamber of business are represented on
all boards of government entities in the
province, for example Coega, the ECDC,
IDT, IDZ, liquor and tourism boards, uni-
versities, TVET colleges, councils and
hospital boards?
How do we use grants and food parcels
to promote SMMEs and create jobs in this
province?
How do we ensure that locally pro-
duced products are bought by govern-
ment agencies without compromising
procurement laws?
How do we push national companies
trading in our towns to source some of
their products from local manufacturers
and locally produced goods?
Which areas of economy in this prov-
ince do not have black representatives to
ensure that our SMMEs venture into all
areas of our provincial economy? Nont-
so said.
To come up with answers to what Nont-
so was asking, a provincial business sum-
mit is expected to take place soon to dis-
cuss these and set up a task team to deal
with the implementation of the resolu-
tions.
At the time of going to print, the office
of the premier had not yet received the
letter from the SMMEs.
SMMEs appeal formore support fromprovince
Mthatha business guru Andile Nontso addresses SMMEs in Mthatha recently. PHOTO: SIM MDLEDLE
SIMBONGILE MDLEDLE
A MULTIBILLION-RAND Mzimvubu water
project in the Eastern Cape is on track and
three districtmunicipalities will benefit aft-
er its completion.
These districts are among the Eastern
Cape municipalities faced with water short-
ages.
The scheme includes bulk distribution
and water treatment infrastructure for the
benefit of 540 000 indigent domestic users in
the OR Tambo, Alfred Nzo and Joe Gqabi
district municipalities, as well as a 2 800-
hectare irrigation development around Tso-
lo.
The government has allocated about R11-
billion for the project, comprising two dams
a large one at Ntabelanga and a smaller
one combined with a hydro-power facility
at Laleni location.
Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula
Mokonyane said the completion of detailed
designs would enable the commencement of
construction, which is scheduled to take
place during the second quarter of the
2016/17 financial year.
EasternCapedistricts set tobenefit frommegawaterproject
In accordance with the editorial
policy of the Isolomzi Express, we
invite readers to comment on
mistakes in the newspaper and
shall correct significant errors as
soon as possible. Send info to the
Ombudsman of Media24s Local
Press, George Claassen, at
call him at 0 021 851 3232.
Readers can also contact the SA
Press Ombudsman at
011 484 3612/8 or e-mail om-
OMBUDSMAN
4News
May 19, 2016
Isolomzi Express
Tel: 039 251 0834
Cell: 071 990 1540
Fax: 086 457 6245
Nelly Nonjovu
Accounts Manager
Email:
X1RBLGDQ-190516-IE-tvnnon-NELInew
DUE to the drastic increase in
the number of needy people who
need help in South Africa, espe-
cially in winter, the Salvation
Army is appealing to the public
to donate blankets, clothing and
food for those in need.
The Salvation Army said the
increase had created a problem
because they did not have
enough clothes or food to donate
to the poor and this is of great
concern especially with winter
fast approaching.
Major Carin Holmes of the Sal-
vation Army said: Every year
we see more and more people
coming for help to our doors.
With unemployment at such
high levels in our country, peo-
ple are finding it ever more diffi-
cult to make ends meet. Your
generous donations really go a
long way towards helping us ful-
fil their needs, Holmes said.
The Salvation Army assists
people by providing shelter,
food, clothing and blankets to
help them through the cold win-
ter months.
Giving help can be as simple
and easy as sending an SMS mes-
sage to our helpline, 42290, with
the word Winterhelp in the
SMS.
The cost of the SMS is only
R30, the vast majority of which
we receive and which goes to-
wards assisting the needy,
Holmes said. REPORTER
SalvationArmy appeals to public for donations during cold season
REPORTER
THE Nelson Mandela museum,
which is an epitome of the late Presi-
dent Nelson Mandelas values in
Mthatha, were once again among
tourism institutions featuring at the
2016TourismIndaba,andshowcasing
its offerings in Durban recently.
This years participation afforded
NelsonMandelamuseumanopportu-
nity to communicate the anticipated
re-launch and reopening of theBhun-
ga building site in Mthatha.
TherenovatedNelsonMandelamu-
seum Bhunga Building site features
an exhibition booth narrating Nelson
Mandelas story, gifts donated to Nel-
sonMandela,areference library,mul-
timedia centre, childrens room, am-
phitheatre, exhibition halls, orienta-
tion centre and an administration
block.
Ever since its inception on Februa-
ry 11, 2000 the Nelson Mandela Muse-
um has seen a growing trend of both
local, national and international tour-
ists following in the visible footprints
of Nelson Mandela within the King
Sabata Dalindyebo municipality.
The annual tourism indaba has
been providing Nelson Mandela mu-
seum an opportunity to interact with
tourism operators within South Afri-
ca, the SADEC region and the world
at large.
NelsonMandelamuseumunpacks
itsBhungabuildings readiness
Senior Manager Marketing and
Communication, Nokuzola Tetani,
engaging with Tour operators during
the 2016 Tourism Indaba in Durban.
PHOTO:SUPPLIED
REPORTER
THE Financial Services
Board (FSB) has received a
tip-off that a certain Mr Mat-
shaya is operating as a trac-
ing agent in theMdantsane ar-
ea in the Eastern Cape.
He claims to be an agent for
beneficiaries of unclaimed
benefits.
In particular it has been re-
ported to the FSB that:
. He charges a consultation
fee of R250 to any person who
seeks his help in claiming a
benefit;
. He uses forms with the
FSB logo on themwithout FSB
permission to do so; and
. He requires his clients to
sign power of attorney doc-
uments in terms of which they
authorise him to accept pay-
ment of their benefits on their
behalf.
The FSB warns members of
the public in the area to be
cautious when dealing with
him.
While a personwho believes
that he or she is entitled to an
unclaimed benefit or un-
claimed surplus may ask an-
other person to assist him or
her to claim it, the only people
who can legitimately charge
for providing such assistance
are authorised financial ser-
vices providers and attor-
neys. Matshaya is not an au-
thorised financial services
provider.
The FSB again reminds con-
sumers that the Registrar of
Pension Funds office assists
members or beneficiaries in
tracing unclaimed benefits
and unclaimed shares of sur-
plus by liaising with the appli-
cable funds and/or their ad-
ministrators.
The FSB does not charge a
fee for this service.
Pension funds and provi-
dent funds may not charge a
fee for assisting their mem-
bers to claim the amounts due
to them.
A member of the public who
would like FSB to assist him
or her to claim a benefit may
contact them directly. If he or
she has access to the internet,
he or she may visit the FSB
website at www.fsb.co.za,
download and complete the
form, then email it to
FSB.PensionsUn-
[email protected] can al-
so contact the FSB call centre
at 080-020 2087 or 080-011 0443.
FSBwarns public against so-called tracing agent in EC
BUNTU GOTYWA
THE Mthatha Hospital Complex
celebrated International Nursing
Week by rendering free health ser-
vices to the people.
International Nursing Week is
celebrated in honour of Florence
Nightingale, who is recognised as
the founder of modern-day nurs-
ing.
Nelson Mandela Academic Hos-
pital nursing service manager
Ayanda Mjali said the nurses had
decided to take their services to the
community to help those who
struggled to make it to hospitals.
We just wanted to remind peo-
ple that the nursing profession is
still only here to help them.
We wanted people to come and
test for whatever illness theywant-
ed to test without the trouble of
having to go to the hospital, Mjali
said.
The nurses set up stands at three
malls in Mthatha (BT Ngebs, Cir-
cus Triangle and Plaza). People
were tested for diabetes, sugar lev-
els and dental hygiene.
We know there might be people
who have lots of questions about
nurses, but what we can say is that
we are here for them.
Even though we might face
challenges and having people com-
plain about nurses, our main aim
is to be the profession that cares
for people and we take the calling
to serve people seriously, she
said.
Mjali said the celebration was
also a way of reminding nurses of
their role in communities.
She said Florence Nightingale
had been about giving people hope
and this needed to be carried on by
the current nurses in the country.
We give people hope and, more
than themedicines, we provide for
people needing to be healed psy-
chologically, she said.
The hospital complex ended the
celebration by lighting candles to
send a message saying they were
the light of the world.
Mthathahospitals take services to the streets
Mthatha complex nurses at work at Plaza Mall. PHOTO: BUNTU GOTYWA
Send your news to [email protected] or contact 047 050 4430
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5News
May 19, 2016
Isolomzi Express
SIMBONGILE MDLEDLE
ST Johns College, an Eastern Cape school
known for producing good results every
year, will take part in the 2016 SA Institution
of Civil Engineering (SAICE) bridge-build-
ing competition in Gauteng on August 26.
A teamof three pupils from this school beat
teams of five other high schools fromMthat-
ha in a competition held recently.
Each team was given a set of 25 wooden
sticks and some glue.
After a brief explanation of the basic prin-
ciples of construction, they began work on
their model bridges, applying great concen-
tration, dedication and ingenuity to come up
with outstanding bridges.
These were then judged on aesthetic value,
mass and load-bearing capacity.
The aim was for something elegant, sim-
ple, light and strong as is the case in real-
life bridges.
Sive Mbulali, Siyanda Cebisa and Sikhan-
gele Cwayi from St Johns College produced
thewinning bridge, able to bear a load of 71kg
before it buckled and snapped.
Their science teacher, Zolisa Dlamini, was
thrilled about his pupils achievement.
The team will be sent to the SAICE nation-
als in Gauteng, pitting themselves against
the best young engineers in the country.
Tamba Gungu, vice-chair of Mthatha
SAICE, said the aim of the competition was
to stimulate a love of engineering in pupils
and give them a taste of science in action.
Many civil engineers of today acquired
their first taste of civil engineering through
this competition, which has been held in oth-
er branches for more than 25 years, but had
not been held in Mthatha for at least 12
years, he said. As civil engineering is one
of our countrys scarce skills, thiswas a great
opportunity to encourage youngsters to join
the ranks of this exciting profession.
Mthathaschool to compete inbridge-building competition
Asavela Ngesi, Mfundo Mtwa and Anele Kwinana show off their bridge during the competition
held in Mthatha recently. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
BUNTU GOTYWA
WITNESSING the hardship faced by
many children from his village and
former school, Lusanda Gexa made a
promise to himself to change the lives of
as many of them as possible.
He founded Ezakuthi Life Skills and
Sports Development, a company whose
sole mission is to work with underprivi-
leged children.
The company is focused on life skills
and intervention projects for pupils and
finding bursaries for prospective stu-
dents.
The five-year-old company recently do-
nated school shoes to needy pupils at the
Ncedana Junior Secondary School inWil-
lowvale.
Gexa said he planned to go back to the
school with more shoes before the end of
the year to give to those he had not been
able to reach this time around.
Children in grade R were the first bene-
ficiaries of the gesture from the company
and he said the plan was to give back to
each and every grade at his former school
before spreading his wings further.
The situation here is not very nice,
he said. Many parents are struggling to
make ends meet and after witnessing
that I had a conversation with my wife
and we decided we needed to do some-
thing.
We decided to tackle this class by
class to make it more affordable.
He said he hoped many businesses
would come forward with funding in sup-
port of the mission he had taken on.
So far the funds come straight from
our pockets, but I am hopeful that we will
get the support, he said.
Principal Mbulelo Magoda said they
were proud of the unexpected gesture
from one of their former pupils.
This place is very disadvantaged and
many are struggling and this gesture will
make these kids feel good about them-
selves and encourage them in their stud-
ies as well, Magoda said.
Pupil gives back to his disadvantaged old school
Pupils at Ncedana JSS with the new shoes given to them by Ezakuthi Life Skills and Sports
Development. PHOTO: BUNTU GOTYWA
Mr Tamba Gungu, Vice Chairperson of Mthatha SAICE, Mr Zolisa Dlamini, Science teacher at St
Johns, Mr Simon Mqamelo, Chairperson of Mthatha SAICE, the three winners (I dont know which
one is which) and Mrs George, HOD from St Johns. PHOTO:SUPPLIED
6News
May 19, 2016
Isolomzi Express
Kenny Mwange
SALES EXECUTIVE
82 Blakeway Street, Mthatha
Office: (047) 050 4430
Fax: (041) 503 6256
E-mail:
X1RBMF3C-190516-IE-bhkmwa-ken
< Thabo Mdukiswa, Pumza Madolo, Nomsa Gadla, Piliswa Maqokolo and
Veliswa Madiza were photographed in Libode. PHOTOS: SIM MDLEDLE
; The traditional group called Abantwana bakaGudla received a sheep from Sizwe Kupelo after a sterling perform-
ance during Kupelos thanksgiving in Mkhankatho location.
Engcobo mayor Lamla Jiyose (far left) with members of the Methodist Church
of Southern Africa during the church convention held in Engcobo last Sunday.A teachers choir singing beautifully at a funeral in Ngqeleni last Saturday.
Absa launched its Private Bank offering
in Mthatha last Thursday, May 12,
hosting the launch at its Mthatha
Central branch. Guests from across the
spectrum of business, government, the
medical fraternity and Absas customer
base were invited to celebrate the
occasion with Absa leadership. Seen
here are Thembi Klaas (Absa provincial
head of public sector), A Nontso
(chairperson of the OR Tambo Business
Chamber), Ntandokazi Chapha
(executive member of the OR Tambo
Municipality), Tshiwela Mhlantla (Absa
managing executive, Eastern Cape),
Tumi Mbiko (Absa Private Bank
relationship banker in Mthatha) and
Khaya Mti (Absa regional manager
Absa Private Bank).
PEOPLE LIKEUS
PEOPLE LIKEUS
REPORTER
A POINT-OF-CARE rapid diagnostic test
for tuberculosis (TB) has been developed
by a multinational team of scientists led
by researchers at Stellenbosch Universi-
ty.
This low-cost screening test has the
potential to significantly speed up TB di-
agnosis in resource-limited settings,
said co-inventor Professor Gerhard
Walzl of Stellenbosch Universitys Facul-
ty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
The test is conducted on blood obtained
from a finger-prick and can make a TB
diagnosis in less than an hour.
Health-care workers with minimal
training will be able use the test at grass-
roots level and get immediate access to
screening test results, Walzl said.
The diagnostic test is a hand-held, bat-
tery-operated instrument that will meas-
ure chemicals in the blood of people with
possible TB.
The device is in the developmental
phase and its accuracy and efficacy will
be tested in five African countries over
the next three years by the ScreenTB
consortium, a team of TB experts from
eight African and European partnering
institutions.
Other recent advances in TB diagnos-
tics have radically improved diagnostic
times, but high costs and the sophisticat-
ed equipment required have made this
technology inaccessible to many.
People in remote areas with high TB
incidence still do not benefit from the
newer developments and face long diag-
nostic delays and often multiple return
visits to clinics before they are diag-
nosed, Walzl said.
The new test will be able to provide
near-immediate results that will enable
a person with TB to be diagnosed and
started on treatment during a single visit
to a health care facility.
Stellenbosch scientists develop rapid TB-screening tool
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May 19, 2016
Isolomzi Express
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