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	<title>I am Eastern CapeI am Eastern Cape | I am Eastern Cape</title>
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		<title>Mt Frere villager &#8216;will vote&#8217; despite slow service delivery</title>
		<link>http://www.blogs.dispatch.co.za/localelections/2011/05/05/mt-frere-villager-will-vote-despite-slow-service-delivery/</link>
		<comments>http://www.blogs.dispatch.co.za/localelections/2011/05/05/mt-frere-villager-will-vote-despite-slow-service-delivery/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 May 2011 09:57:45 +0000</pubDate>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.blogs.dispatch.co.za/localelections/?p=356</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[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. But the building of RDP houses remains a pipe  dream – two years after Mbeki instructed the  Eastern Cape government to also build the villagers proper homes. The Dispatch visited the village, along the N2  between Mthatha and Kokstad, almost two years  after Mbeki’s visit when he came face to face with  families living in abject poverty. During his visit he handed over seeds, watering cans, spades and rakes to families so they  could start vegetable gardens. The latrine toilets  were built a year later and water tanks were also  delivered. However, Mbeki did not stay long enough in  public office to see the rest of his instructions  carried out because he was fired a week after  visiting the area. “I never thought that there was to be development after the resident visited the village,  (but) toilets (were) built last year,” said villager  Mbuyiselo Mlobeli. Villagers told the Dispatch they were happy  that some of the commitments made in front [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Water a daily crisis in remote Malepelepe</title>
		<link>http://www.blogs.dispatch.co.za/localelections/2011/05/02/water-a-daily-crisis-in-remote-malepelepe/</link>
		<comments>http://www.blogs.dispatch.co.za/localelections/2011/05/02/water-a-daily-crisis-in-remote-malepelepe/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 May 2011 12:06:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Stories]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.blogs.dispatch.co.za/localelections/?p=365</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[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. Women still carry 20 litre containers of water from a fountain down the  hill to the villages in the administrative area near Tsolo . Although several of the villages  have electricity, there are pockets that  are without power. Access roads still need some upgrading while internal roads in many  villages are non-existent. Villagers have to travel about 20km  to the town of Tsolo to access healthcare because construction work at a  clinic that started three years ago has  stalled. The area was plagued by stock theft  and violence after 1994. At the time, huts were burnt down  and homesteads abandoned, and people fled into the mountains . Lower Malepelepe’s Chief Sibusiso  Majangaza, who lost his father Jackson in 1997, said: “In terms of stock  theft, nothing has changed .” Majangaza, who prevented the theft  of 25 sheep last year, said he still  feared for his life. “I have since taken a decision not to  be in the forefront because I do not  have bodyguards,” said Majangaza,  adding that he had received [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<title>Neglected ideals of a struggle hero</title>
		<link>http://www.blogs.dispatch.co.za/localelections/2011/04/21/neglected-ideals-of-a-struggle-hero/</link>
		<comments>http://www.blogs.dispatch.co.za/localelections/2011/04/21/neglected-ideals-of-a-struggle-hero/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Apr 2011 05:53:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Stories]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.blogs.dispatch.co.za/localelections/?p=334</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[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. “This is the one thing that (makes  my) heart break … Yes he fought,  and was killed, for this country, but  his ideals have been betrayed,” 76- year-old Lulama Princess Sidumo  lamented. Seventeen years into democracy,  Sidumo felt the new government  was not representing what her son  gave his life for – youth development – especially in Cala. This year marked the 25th anniversary of Ndondo’s death at the  hands of apartheid police in Cala.  Ndondo was 22 when he was shot  eight times, a few blocks from his  home, and taken to hospital, where  he died. “Our youth is still not educated.  Bathandwa believed in education  because he wanted everyone to get  jobs regardless of political persuasion. He wanted people to improve  their lives, and he gave his life for  that belief. “We do not see and feel freedom  because our youth is uneducated  and most do not have a desire to  even reach matric because of their  circumstances. “Government just cannot seem to  [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Mantashe &#8216;a humble man of the people&#8217;</title>
		<link>http://www.blogs.dispatch.co.za/localelections/2011/04/20/mantashe-a-humble-man-of-the-people/</link>
		<comments>http://www.blogs.dispatch.co.za/localelections/2011/04/20/mantashe-a-humble-man-of-the-people/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 20 Apr 2011 07:15:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Stories]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.blogs.dispatch.co.za/localelections/?p=322</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[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. The Daily Dispatch’s “I am Eastern Cape” road trip team rode to  Cala yesterday to see where Mantashe, a former labour leader, was  born. After driving on some really  mean rural roads in the Chris Hani  district, the road to Lower Cala is  definitely among the kindest. This is thanks to a group of  women tending to potholes as one  of the municipality’s projects. In Cala, most people said there  was no sign Mantashe was from  the village as economic activity  was minimal and there were few  work opportunities . Youths loiter  around with little to do. “It doesn’t  matter whether you’ve got matric  or not,” said Luyanda Nketshane. But in Lower Cala the tune was  different as people galvanised behind Mantashe. Self-employed  Vuyani Mengezeleli, 29, who recently saw Mantashe at a funeral,  said: “He is a very humble person,  a leader, and loves people. When  there’s a function at his home, he  makes sure he chats to everyone  and is willing to listen.” Mengezeleli said there was little  development of sport, despite the  fact [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Small towns, big hearts</title>
		<link>http://www.blogs.dispatch.co.za/localelections/2011/04/20/small-towns-big-hearts/</link>
		<comments>http://www.blogs.dispatch.co.za/localelections/2011/04/20/small-towns-big-hearts/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 20 Apr 2011 07:05:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[On the Road]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.blogs.dispatch.co.za/localelections/?p=313</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[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. But having also travelled through three similar, or a bit bigger, sized towns we came to see that a tarred road through the main road is sufficient, with most side streets being gravel. On a positive note, the friendliness of the people and some of the views towns like Dordrecht, Indwe, Elliot, and Cala – all nestled amongst stunning mountain ranges – makes the distance and discomfort almost worth it. These are people like Vuyiswa (who refused to give us her surname), a young person who despite being unemployed with a child to feed, was still very enthusiastic and positive about the future of Elliot. We met her in the parking lot at the Spar on the main road, exchanged greetings, before we proceeded to have a chat about the town. “Things could be better here, but I’m very happy that opposition parties are making themselves more visible. Even if they don’t win, they will make the ANC [...]]]></description>
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