Mthatha

Chaos erupted in Umtata on Wednesday when police used teargas and rubber bullets to forcibly evict students from the Eastern Cape Technikon. Police took action after an hour-long standoff with a group of students who stood at the main entrance of the institution refusing to leave the premises.

The Eastern Cape Technikon’s Umtata campus has been closed indefinitely after student unrest on the campus on Tuesday. Technikon spokesperson Angela Church said the campus was closed at 5pm in order to ensure the safety of students and staff as well as the institution’s property.

The Eastern Cape provincial health department says the R1-million allocated to awareness-raising programmes on the problems of traditional circumcision practices has been well spent. ”A lot of unnecessary incidents have been avoided,” said departmental spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo.

One more person has died and a hand belonging to a three-year-old child has been found near the scene of Friday’s truck accident on the Main Street in Mount Frere near Umtata, Eastern Cape transport officials said on Saturday. A truck travelling from Umtata collided with 12 vehicles, killing 11 and injuring 28.

It may be considered one of the worst airports in the Eastern Cape, but Umtata airport still attracts a fair share of passengers.

Phase three of the Kei Rail Project gets rolling on Thursday with a special launch by the Eastern Cape government at the Kei Bridge between East London and Umtata.

Five traditional surgeons have been arrested in the Eastern Cape after 20 initiates died following botched circumcisions since the start of the initiation season around early June, the provincial health department said on Monday.

Seven initiates have died from complications, dehydration and assault in the Eastern Cape since the beginning of the circumcision season, the provincial health department said on Thursday.

A total of 145 members from the United Democratic Movement (UDM) have defected to the African National Congress (ANC) in Umtata in the Eastern Cape.

Thousands of people gathered in the University of Transkei stadium near Umtata in the Eastern Cape on Sunday to pay tribute to slain SA Communist Party leader, Chris Hani.

Eight people, including former President Nelson Mandela’s official praise singer, a police officer and a traditional leader, were arrested on Thursday for allegedly defrauding the Eastern Cape government.

A 10-year-old boy was arrested after a five-month-old baby was raped at Elliotdale outside Umtata in the Eastern Cape on Friday, police said on Sunday.

Police and correctional services personnel are still searching for 34 prisoners, who have managed to evade a security dragnet since a mass escape from the Bizana prison in the Eastern Cape on Friday.

The King of the AmaRharhabe Kingdom, Maxhoba Sandile, has invited all chiefs to his Great Place in Mngqesha, Eastern Cape, on June 12 to discuss the controversial play Thuthula — Heart of the Labyrinth.

Umtata came to a standstill on Thursday afternoon when the Zulu royal house motorcade paraded through the streets ahead of a celebrity wedding that will see the royal Zulu and Nelson Mandela’s Thembu houses united.

The four murderers of Payne’s Farm school deputy principal Zingisile Nongoma were on Tuesday sentenced to lengthy jail terms in the Umtata High Court.