RISING fuel and food costs are changing the face of the Eastern Cape household as many homeowners can no longer afford to employ domestic workers and gardeners.
As Statistics South Africa announced that for the first quarter of 2012 compared to the first quarter of 2011 a total of 46000 people in the province lost their jobs it has also emerged that employment in private households dropped by 45000 – or 32.4% – from 139000 to 94000 over the same period.
While many residents have suspected the trend, the figures have put a harsh light on just how desperate the situation has become for both homeowners and their employees.
Labour brokers, employers and domestic workers have laid the blame squarely on the escalating cost of living, particularly petrol increases, as the reason people are no longer able to afford to employ home help.
BC Labour Service staffer Debbie Krull said domestic workers who dropped off their CVs with the East London company revealed they were looking for jobs because their “madams” could not afford them anymore.
 “A few have told me the issue is mainly about taxi fares. They say employers haven’t got the money to give them more because taxis have become so expensive. It’s killing a lot of jobs,” Krull said.
The owner of an East London domestic cleaning business who did not want to be named confirmed business had picked up in the past year.
“People say they don’t want the labour-related hassles of having a domestic worker and that a full-time domestic is a luxury these days.”
But while South African Domestic and Allied Workers Union president Hester Stephens said the job losses were “very sad”, she believed some employers “made excuses” when they said they could no longer afford to pay for help.
“The economy of the country would be in tatters if domestic workers decided to strike because South African employers can’t leave their children or their homes alone without us.”

This is a shortened version of an article that first appeared in the print edition of Weekend Post on Saturday May 12, 2012.

THE first routes on the long- awaited Integrated Public Transport System (IPTS) between Motherwell, Njoli Square and Greenacres, and Uitenhage and KwaNobuhle will start running from July 1.
A report to the Nelson Mandela Bay council on Friday said that following a workshop on Wednesday it had been agreed that during peak hours in the morning “express buses” would run directly from Motherwell to Greenacres via the freeway. Others buses would link Njoli Square and the shopping centre.
At peak periods, the buses will operate at 10 minute intervals “so there is no demand for more buses in the Motherwell-Njoli area”.
The buses purchased for the 2010 World Cup will be used and divided between the Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage routes.
The launch of the IPTS follows an agreement between the municipality, Laphu’milanga Secondary Cooperative – which represents the taxi associations – and the Algoa Bus Company.
The report says a “high-level dispute resolution and political structure” has been put in place involving the politicians and the chairman of the secondary cooperative.
Seven work streams have been set up to address outstanding issues that include loading facilities at Motherwell and Greenacres, finalisation of bus stops and removal of speed humps.
The next route on which the IPTS will be rolled out is Cleary Park, from January next year.

This is a version of an article that first appeared in the print edition of Weekend Post on Saturday May 12, 2012.

BAY Stars managing director and businessman Tony Lovegrove has slammed a move by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality – in particular Mayor Zonoxolo Wayile – to buy Premier Soccer League (PSL) team Maritzburg United as a slap in the face for local football development.
An angry Lovegrove said on Friday that politicians and officials “did not care about the great talent in their own back yard” and were demonstrating that they did not think locals were “good enough”.
Municipal spokesman Kupido Baron confirmed the initiative, which insiders told Weekend Post will cost the metro R30-million in relocation costs alone.
“I can confirm that the municipality is in the advanced stages of negotiations with Maritzburg United Football Club. This is towards maintaining the sustainability of the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium,” Baron said.
According to a source close to the deal, Wayile instructed Nelson Mandela Bay Development Agency Pierre Voges to negotiate with Maritzburg United and that the deal had to be closed before May 18 or 19 due to a Safa deadline dictating the cut-off date by which clubs have to declare their home stadiums.
According to another source, the team might not even be permanently based in the region, but would simply be “rented for some PSL games”.
The new development comes as a massive blow to Bay Stars, which was created out of the former Bay Academy Football Club with extensive financial backing from local business and with the aim of representing the metro in the PSL within three years.
 Lovegrove believed a contract signing with Maritzburg was imminent.
He said Bay Stars was formed after Safa contacted local businessmen to assist in the former Bay Academy team. “We looked at the PSL model and we formed a team, which has full technical support, with the aim of getting it into the PSL in three years. We’ve done all the right things; put all the correct structures and support systems in place. We had an MOA [memorandum of agreement] with the mayor, who publicly supported the team and its aims, and we are on track to develop this team, which has great talent,” Lovegrove said.
Lovegrove questioned why tens of millions would potentially be spent on importing a franchise when they had battled to get R4-million worth of repairs done to the team’s home ground, the Wolfson Stadium.

This is a shortened version of an article that first appeared in the print edition of Weekend Post on Saturday May 12, 2012.

* School cyber bullying crisis

* Family’s bus ride from hell

* High living costs putting paid to domestic worker era

* Row over Bay soccer plan

* Win jewellery worth R12 000 from Jenni Collections

MANY of the controversial leases identified in the Kabuso Report were being renegotiated, acting municipal manager Themba Hani said in a report to the Nelson Mandela Bay council today (Friday).

The “interim report” on actions flowing from the release of the report follows resolutions taken by council on December 8 last year with respect to the leases, rental of office accommodation in Kwantu Towers, an investigation of staff misconduct, and the reporting of “prima facie criminal conduct” to the police for further investigation.

Regarding the “prima facie criminal conduct” Hani said these cases were reported to the Hawks on December 9 and he met regularly with the various law enforcement agencies for “reporting purposes”.

The report reveals several leases of municipal facilities are being renegotiated, with compliance notices issued to the companies involved on February 6:

* Madiba Bay – the company proposed that the municipality consider including an addendum to the original lease which had been referred to Council’s legal representatives;

* Willows Resort – Madiba Bay Resorts had indicated willingness to conclude a Facility Management Agreement to regularise their occupation of the resort; this would be put before Council before being referred to the company for its consideration;

* Van Stadens Resort – A revised proposal and addendum to the initial lease had been received and referred to the Council’s legal representatives, with final opinion expected on May 23;

* Beachview Resort – The company wished to conclude a Facility Management Agreement as it was “not in a position financially” to comply with the terms of the lease agreement;

* Motherwell Beach – No proposal had been received from the developer and it was proposed new development proposals should be called for if the developer does not indicate interest by May 25

* Swartkops Power Station – The developer had “indicated a willingness to resolve the matter amicably” and the possibility of housing the desalination plant there had been discussed. An EIA and feasibility study were awaited from the developer.

With regard to Kwantu Towers, Hani said all staff except those on three floors had been relocated. The others were still in Kwantu Towers “pending the finalisation of the tender process for the procurement of office accommodation”.

Hani said the matter relating to misconduct by municipal staff had been referred to Internal audit and labour relations for investigation and advice; disciplinary hearings would be scheduled according to the reports received.

He said issues raised in the Kabuso Report with regard to possible financial irregularities and maladministration were receiving “the necessary attention,” adding that the matter might not be finalised in the current financial year.

A GHOULISH trade in body parts is flourishing in the Eastern Cape and a lengthy investigation has revealed that rogue funeral parlours and staff at mortuaries are illegally removing joints, ligaments and corneas and selling them to “body-part brokers”.
While the researchers involved in the investigation – many of them with years of experience in the funeral and related industries – have yet to confirm the end destination of these remains, it is believed they are being sold to some medical companies which allegedly use them in transplant procedures and for medical research.
Investigators have already managed to secure secret voice recordings of funeral industry workers admitting they are engaged in the lucrative practice.
It has been established body-part brokers are operating freely in East London while recent information suggests Port Elizabeth has also become a hot spot for the trade.
The findings of the researchers into the body-part trafficking – who include Eastern Cape MPL and DA shadow health MEC John Cupido – come six years after the South African Council of Churches (SACC) released a dossier revealing rampant corruption at mortuaries, funeral parlours and crematoriums. According to one source in the investigation team, who has come across the bodyparts trade in various areas of the country, it is based on a “complex network”.
Among those involved are lower-level morgue workers, funeral parlours and medical companies. “It is a horrible practice and it is completely unregulated.
“I have found cases where leg bones are removed and replaced with parts of broomsticks,” the team member said. “Cornea are also in high demand. Because the corpse’s eyes are always closed during a funeral, workers at the funeral parlour or mortuary are able to remove the cornea and cover the socket with a plastic mould.
“It might take years before a health inspector comes round to investigate and so it is easy for them to get away with it. The funeral business is valued at R65-billion a year and it is not hard to see why.”
Researchers believe bodyparts are being sent illegally out of the country to as far as Europe and Asia for transplant and medical research purposes.
Cupido said “this horrendous industry has been allowed to thrive and grow through failure by the Health Department to implement proper security measures, operational policies and screening of qualified employees.
“I will be calling for this in the next sitting of the committee and submitting questions to the Health MEC to confirm this and supply firm deadlines.”
Eastern Cape Health Department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo did not respond to Weekend Post’s questions.

This is a shortened version of an article that first appeared in the print edition of Weekend Post on Saturday May 5, 2012.

Sriking a pose with the floating trophy which Collegiate and Grey High Schools hold jointly are (front) pupils Michelle Zondagh and JP Jooste, and (back) Melita Bagshaw (Collegiate principal) and Ryan Laurie (Grey teacher). Picture: Mike Holmes

Weekend Post Reporter

THE belles and beaus of Nelson Mandela’s ballroom dancing scene will be putting the best foot forward when they compete in this weekend’s annual Dare 2 Dance Studio Inter-schools Social Ballroom Dance Competition.
The cream of the city’s high school talent will be displayed at the Feather Market Centre on Saturday when teams from Alexander Road, DF Malherbe, Framesby, Grey High and Collegiate High (who will compete as one team), St George’s College, Victoria Park High, Westering High and Pearson High vie for the coveted floating trophy.
With the top three teams competing for the gold, silver and bronze medals, reigning champions Grey and Collegiate will have their work cut out as competition is expected to be tough.
Dare 2 Dance teachers Hadrian Roberts, Lesley van Onselen and Shellaine Strydom are once again driving the popular competition, which tests skill levels in disciplines like the rhythm foxtrot, waltz, quickstep, tango and rock ‘n roll, as well as Latin styles like mambo, cha cha and jive.
“The competition is the only one of its kind in South Africa,” Roberts said.
Roberts took over the dance school from veteran instructors Ron Sanderson-Smith and wife Brenda three years ago.
This year will be the first time the competition has included an open category, with organisers asking students from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and Rhodes University to take a turn on the dance floor.
Adjudicators are Neville Letard, Dorothy McFarlane and Dina Marx, while Nigel Hawkins fills the role of scrutineer. All are members of the South African Dance Teachers Association (SADTA).
Registration for dancers is at 4pm and dancing will begin at 5pm. Tickets for the public are R60 and are available from Computicket.

WELL-KNOWN Port Elizabeth-based international jewellery designer Jenni Gault has come up with a show-stopping new “Perfect You” ring that will form part of a stylish stash of Mother’s Day prizes to be won this coming weekend. Gault, of Jenni Collections, said she was excited that the design was finally complete, as it was her most technical piece yet. What made the ring unusual, she said, was that the Swarovski crystal at its centre could be interchanged with crystals in other colours – a design that had required “much experimentation and thought” to refine. Some R11700 in prizes will be up for grabs in our competition on Saturday, with an overall winner and runner-up to be drawn, as well as 15 consolation prizes to be awarded.

Make sure you get your copy of Weekend Post on Saturday May 12 to find out how to enter!

Xolile Sam’s remains were officially handed over to his family on Friday. Picture: Mike Holmes

By Shaun Gillham

TWENTY-FOUR years after his brutal death at the hands of apartheid-era security police the remains of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) special operations commander Xolile Sam were returned to Nelson Mandela Bay.
About 300 people packed the Nangoza Jebe Hall in New Brighton on Friday May 4 to witness the moving ceremony which ended a two-decade wait by surviving family members eager to make peace with his heinous murder and “bury his remains with dignity.”
In attendance were dignitaries like Eastern Cape Human Settlements MEC Helen Sauls-August, chief director of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Unit Dr Mochubela Seekoe and deputy minister of Justice and Constitutional Development MP Andries Nel on behalf of Justice Minister Jeff Radebe.
Born in New Brighton in 1957, Sam, later known as MK Valdez Mbatha or Thabang, became politically aware during the 1976 student uprising and went into exile in 1977. Sam returned to South Africa in 1986 as commander of an MK special operations unit based in what was then East Rand.
In 1988, his activities were discovered by security police, drawing the attention of notorious former Vlakplaas commander Eugene de Kock who had him arrested.
During the arrest Sam attempted to flee, but was shot in the leg. He was put into the back of a police vehicle where he was tortured and suffocated to force him to give up information. He died in the vehicle and was later buried in an unmarked grave in the pauper section of Vosloorus cemetery.
His remains were later exhumed after information on his death emerged during the TRC hearings into apartheid atrocities.
Sam’s nephew Africa Sam said the family was happy to have the remains returned. “We are very pleased. His father, who has died, wanted to make sure his bones could be returned for proper burial. We can now respect his wishes,” Sam said. “His sacrifices have contributed to our freedom and the democracy we enjoy today,” he said.

This is a shortened version of an article that first appeared in the print edition of Weekend Post on Saturday May 5, 2012.

EASTERN Cape residents may have been told by 2010 Fifa World Cup organisers that the spectacle was a “once in a lifetime” event but Friday’s announcement that Port Elizabeth will be a host city for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations is creating almost as much buzz.
Following the announcement by Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula that the city would join Durban, Rustenburg and Mbombela as host cities, soccer fans, tourism authorities and business leaders across the province erupted in celebration.
The tournament is expected to be a massive boost for the region. A total of 16 teams – four of which will be based in Port Elizabeth – will participate in the event that will run from January 19 to February 10.
Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA) chief executive Sybert Liebenberg said the city being chosen as a host was “phenomenal”. He said a tournament like the African Cup of Nations gave tourists every reason to visit the region.
“These people need to stay somewhere, they need to eat and get transport, so the direct and indirect spin-offs are massive. This is also a vote of confidence in the province that it has become a world class-sport destination.”
Although the cost of meeting the city’s obligations in terms of the tournament is expected to be around R30-million, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality economic development and recreational services executive director Zolile Siswana was “confident we will get financial support from both national and provincial government”.
In a report to the local Sport, Recreation, Arts and Cultural Services Committee he said the intention was for the provincial government to foot R20-million of the estimated costs and the municipality R10-million.
A report to parliament on the Sport and Recreation Department budget k said an additional R26-million had been made available for guarantees required for staging the tournament.
 – Additional reporting Sapa

This is a shortened version of an article that first appeared in the print edition of Weekend Post on Saturday May 5, 2012.