Estelle Ellis

Thirteen of the Eastern Cape Department of Health's 16 morgues failed recent checks by health inspectors, who discovered shocking conditions, including overpacked refrigeration facilities, fridges with cracked floors, poor management of medical waste, and a lack of pest and rodent control.

Residents tired of rubbish, public drinking and noise at the popular Nahoon Estuary picnic site in East London won a major victory against the Buffalo City Municipality, which was ordered by a court to clean up the mess. But it took a lot of patience and a lot of meetings, the chairperson of the Nahoon River Estuary Management Forum said.

A Grade 9 pupil from a small village in the Wild Coast region tells of the hardship she and other pupils must endure to get to school and back home every day, while politicians refuse to talk about it.

The South African Human Rights Commission has issued a scathing report on the Enyobeni Tavern tragedy, blaming Parliament, the police and the departments of Social Development and Health for the aftermath of the incident that claimed the lives of 21 Scenery Park students in July 2022.

The Eastern Cape Liquor Board has one-third of the inspectors it needs to enforce liquor license regulations, an Eastern Cape MEC has admitted. The admission comes as the South African Human Rights Commission on Thursday proposed a moratorium on liquor licenses in the province until staff shortages have been addressed.

Death figures for 2020, released by Statistics South Africa on Tuesday, reveal the initial devastating impact the pandemic had on the country, especially among the elderly. The report also shows that 347 children died of malnutrition during South Africa's lockdown year.

Young people in a Gqeberha township get help to redo matric, find a job or start a business.

Parts of the N2 remained blockaded on Thursday morning as several scholar transport operators went on strike in the Eastern Cape after the provincial transport department failed to pay their fees on time.

While some people have come down with the flu, the official flu season – based on the number of cases seen – has not yet started. Also, it's been confirmed that there are no new Covid strains around.

Learners, health workers, and patients bore the brunt of a taxi blockade in Buffalo City and other parts of the Central Eastern Cape on Thursday. Nurses were intimidated while clinics and hospitals had to close or run on skeleton staff. Meanwhile, after a long meeting, it is understood that the taxi organisations have ‘suspended' their blockade but will also not transport learners until they are paid by the Eastern Cape Department of Transport.