Mongezi Mata is thinking big
The European 90kg champion from Addo hopes his international success will inspire and help facilitate the next generation of bodybuilders from the Eastern Cape.
Stories by: Sibongile Portia Jonas
Frantic water scramble as Gqeberha’s Day Zero looms
Impoverished residents in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro are spending stressful days trying to get enough water for their households as well as their gardens and livestock.
Eastern Cape healthcare workers stretched too far
In an apparent bid to save money, the province terminated the contracts of thousands of workers and refused to fill vacant posts, leaving clinics woefully understaffed.
‘Day Zero in Nelson Mandela Bay is metro’s fault’
The collapse of water infrastructure in the Eastern Cape’s largest municipality has left residents angry as their taps are dry while water runs down the streets.
Mdantsane residents face uncertain post-flood future
The municipality has provided only a community hall to shelter families whose shacks were swept away by floods, and have said nothing about moving them to new housing.
Small solutions to SA’s big problems
Localised projects such as SaliTuba in KwaZakhele give residents a way to feed themselves and their communities, develop skills and create sustainable livelihoods.
Eastern Cape car factory goes back on its word
Workers on strike for a ninth week at a vehicle manufacturer in Gqeberha have accused the company of flip-flopping during negotiations for better wages and medical aid contributions.
Gqeberha bars new street traders in Korsten
The municipality won’t grant new trading licences for six months while it assesses the Korsten market area for redevelopment. Traders say it has made – and broken – such promises before.
Striking workers reach agreement with South Point
Workers at a student accommodation company, which earns most of its revenue from National Student Financial Aid Scheme funds, have ended their eight-week strike for better conditions.
Coega workers strike for basic needs
With the cost of living soaring, truck assembly plant workers in the Eastern Cape are having to make tough choices on wages that are below industry standard.
Eastern Cape shack dwellers mull over their options
Residents of small settlements say they are not hopeful that their appalling conditions will change after next month’s elections, but many seem willing to cast their vote regardless.
Workers remain determined to get a living wage
Those in the steel and engineering sectors who are on a countrywide strike say they will not back down from their demand to be paid their dues, especially after the many sacrifices they have had to make.
Nowhere to turn for abused bakery workers
After being chased away for asking for minimum wage, Gqeberha bakers who endured racism turned first to the CCMA, then to a political party, then to a union. None helped.
Women master the art of achieving a greener future
Amid crippling unemployment and a degraded environment, the members of a recycling project in the Eastern Cape help to clean a township and provide an income for themselves.
Raining on shack dwellers’ dream of a better life
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality in the Eastern Cape does little to improve the living conditions of those who live in shack settlements in and around Gqeberha, residents say.
Spar workers’ strike passes the five-week mark
With the help of a union that recently expanded its footprint to the Eastern Cape, employees remain steadfast in challenging the retail giant to improve their wages and working conditions.
Education assistants finally get paid
The persistence of more than 150 Eastern Cape education assistants, who resorted to weekly enquiries and protests, is paying off as the department starts honouring its contracts after three months of no pay.
The fall of Eastern Cape public schools
The provincial department has failed to spend its infrastructure budget for years and some schools are literally falling down. This is leading to a loss of learners, school closures, vandalism and robbery.
Eastern Cape’s struggle against Covid-19 continues
Workers in the healthcare and funeral industries continue to face life-threatening situations even as the number of coronavirus infections in the Eastern Cape is dropping.
Concern mounts for Eastern Cape health workers
Nurses and other healthcare providers feel neglected and abused by the government and its representatives, who ignore their pleas for a safe working environment.
The hardships of Eastern Cape homeschooling
Homeschooling should have been a good alternative for Inkqubela Primary School due to its debilitating infrastructure. But the costs and challenges of this route made it harder for parents.