The Black Sash has called on the Department of Social Development (DSD) and SASSA to reinstate and extend temporary disability grants for three months. This comes after the South African Social Security Agency said the high cost involved, and the need to comply with the law, had forced them to suspend 210 778 disability grants nationally from 31 December 2020. On 6 August 2020, the Minister of Social Development issued amendments which allowed for temporary disability grants, lapsing from July onwards, to be extended to 31 December 2020. The Regulations allowed for a six-month extension of medical approvals for Disability…
Author: Staff Reporter
Gift of the Givers is set to hand over a new 20-bed Covid-19 isolation facility at Settlers Hospital on Tuesday 15 December. This follows Dr Imtiaz Sooliman’s visit to the hospital on 30 November to assess its requirements. Along with hospitals across the Eastern Cape, Settlers is struggling to meet the needs of a growing number of Covid admissions, as cases surge in the Province. During their visit to Settlers Hospital, Gift of the Givers was shown the disused former Netcare private wing and undertook to refurbish it to serve as a 20-bed dedicated Covid-19 isolation facility with High Care…
Plea for government to do the right thing in 22-year land claim struggle In a land-claim saga that has dragged on for twenty two and a half years, the Prudhoe Community will finally get back their land, which includes the Fish River Sun resort. This comes after the Constitutional Court dismissed the appeal filed by rival land claim group, the Mazizini in a ruling handed down this week. This case dates back to 1998 when the Prudhoe Community lodged their claim under the Restitution of Land Rights Act. In 2018, the Land Claims Court (LCC) awarded restitution of 26 farms to…
Two residents concerned about an upsurge of snares set in the commonage in the Somerset Heights area in recent months will lead a snare hunt on Saturday 28 November. Peter Breetzke, who has released two dogs trapped in wire nooses in recent weeks, said, “An animal caught in a snare is condemned to a painful and lingering death, because often the person setting the snares does not check his traps.” Breetzke and fellow Somerset Heights resident, Willem Coetzer, have collected a number of snares – particularly in recent weeks. They will be leading a snare hunt on Saturday 28 November starting at 8am…
The South African Police Service has confirmed the arrest of four police officials attached to Visible Policing at Joza Police Station. Spokesperson Captain Khaya Tonjeni said that on 11 November, a 59-year-old Warrant Officer and a 42-year-old Sergeant were arrested and charged for theft and defeating the ends of justice, as well as corruption and extortion. The pair was arrested and appeared in the Grahamstown Magistrate’s Court on the same day, Tonjeni said. They were released on bail of R500 each and are expected back at court on 14 December 2020. “Today, 13 November 2020, two more suspects, a Sergeant,…
The Electoral Commission of South Africa would like to warn the public about fraudsters using an online job advertisement in the name of their organisation to obtain personal information from unsuspecting job seekers. The Commission warns that the advertisement currently doing the rounds on WhatsApp and other social media which states that an ‘Election Committee’ has announced 50 000 vacancies for young people, is not a legitimate advert. The message goes on to ask people to submit their personal information in order to complete the application process. The email address and logo used in the message is not the Commission’s…
The cumulative number of detected Covid-19 cases in South Africa now stands at 696 414 after 1 877 infections were identified on Wednesday. The death toll has jumped to 18 151 after 123 people succumbed to the respiratory disease since the last report. Of the latest fatalities, 44 are from the Eastern Cape, 35 from Gauteng, 17 from KwaZulu-Natal, 14 from Free State, eight from the North West and five from the Western Cape. According to Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize, 10 of these new deaths occurred in the past 24 to 48 hours. “We extend our condolences to the loved ones…
The Environment Minister, the Eastern Cape’s Environment MEC and the MEC in charge of local government have been named in a High Court application to hold Makana Municipality to account for illegal dumpsites in Makhanda and the alleged poor waste management system that causes them. The Ezihagweni Street Committee, made up of Extension 6 residents, has filed an application in the Grahamstown High Court against Makana Municipality for its failure to eradicate illegal dumpsites and implement a waste management system that meets the needs of residents. Along with the municipality, the affidavit names the Eastern Cape MEC for Finance, Economic…
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) wishes to advise that payment of social grants for the month of October will begin on Monday 5 October 2020 for old age and Tuesday 6 October for disability grants, while child support, foster and care dependency grants will be paid from Wednesday 7 October 2020. Payments at cash pay points will begin on Thursday 8 October 2020. SASSA will continue with payments of Special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant (SRD) grant recipients from 8 October going forward, as such will not be paying this grant on the first three days of…
Three suspects were arrested and drugs worth R15 000 were recovered in Makhanda yesterday. Police spokesperson Captain Khaya Tonjeni said this followed an Intelligence driven operation by Grahamstown Police at around 10am on Friday 18 September 2020. “Crime Intelligence Operational Command Centre and Crime Patrol acted on a search warrant and searched a drug post in Fitzroy Street,” Tonjeni said. The following drugs were found and seized in the room of one of the occupants: A Dixon weighing scale; 16 bankies dagga; one 0,74 g packet of khat powder; 3 packets of tik (6,870g); 7 ecstasy tablets; 13 mushrooms; 5…