“I am Eastern Cape” is part adventure, part documentary as Dispatch Politics set out in teams to gauge the mood of our province and listen to your expectations for the future against the back drop of the municipal elections on May 18.
Mt Frere villager 'will vote' despite slow service delivery

Mt Frere villager ‘will vote’ despite slow service delivery

It was a case of dreams half deferred when  former President Thabo Mbeki kept his part of  his promise and delivered water tanks, gardening tools and pit-latrine toilets to Semeni  villagers in Mount Frere two years ago, writes Mayibongwe Maqhina.
Races get by in Middelburg

Races get by in Middelburg

Like most Karoo towns, Middelburg  is still divided by colour – but as day  turns to night, the race line begins to  fade, reports Michael Kimberley.
‘I am Eastern Cape’ road trip starts

‘I am Eastern Cape’ road trip starts

Starting Monday, the Dispatch will set off across the Eastern Cape for three weeks to meet  readers in towns big and small to  listen to the voices of our people  ahead of local government elections.
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Water a daily crisis in remote Malepelepe

Water a daily crisis in remote Malepelepe

Seventeen years after the dawn of  democracy, the people of Malepelepe  have yet to taste most of the fruits of  democracy in the form of development, reports Mayibongwe Maqhina.
Neglected ideals of a struggle hero

Neglected ideals of a struggle hero

If struggle icon Bathandwa  Ndondo was alive today he would  not be happy with the state of  affairs for youth in the town in  which he lived and loved, said his  mother, reports Sabelo Skiti.
Mantashe 'a humble man of the people'

Mantashe ‘a humble man of the people’

ANC boss Gwede Mantashe’s  home village of Lower Cala is right  behind him – and they want him to  remain ANC secretary-general, reports Sabelo Skiti.
Small towns, big hearts

Small towns, big hearts

After our initial scare in Molteno on Sunday we drove around the town, even visiting Sterkstroom, on the same night. What was shocking for us is the state of the roads in the two towns themselves, which is worse than the national roads.
Cathcart wages a new fight

Cathcart wages a new fight

Veteran Cathcart activist Kenneth  Sigidi is no stranger to uprising and  taking on the system, and he has paid  a taxing price in pursuit of equal  treatment and dignity for his community in the past, reports Sabelo Skiti.
No rooms at the inn

No rooms at the inn

This is the third morning of our trip and thus far we’ve travelled in the region of 500 kilometres, through nine towns, and some of the dodgiest roads in the province. I kid you not  the amount and size of potholes we drove through – particularly on the R397 en route to our first stop...