dailydispatch.co.za
@dispatchlive 7 hours ago
Today, South Africans must decide
Millions of South Africans take to the polls today for the 2026 local government elections, testing voter turnout against growing apathy as councils face the ultimate test of service delivery.
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dailydispatch.co.za
@dispatchlive 7 hours ago
VOTES SO FAR: More than 431,000 turn out in Eastern Cape
Over 431,000 citizens in the Eastern Cape cast their votes by mid-morning on Wednesday. Despite minor weather and protest disruptions, the IEC reports steady operations across the province.
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@dispatchlive 7 hours ago
DELORIS KOAN | Keep on running, walking, stumbling, raging into this brilliant green spring
I have woken with the sun this morning. I have family asleep, rising and falling with the surf breaking on Gonubie Point beyond their windows. It's Saturday, 6.30am. Some friends are putting on takkies for the parkrun on Orient beach and pier, some are putting on dark glasses and heading down to Border Undersea Club, a most worthy collection point for oceanators.
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@dispatchlive 7 hours ago
Calls for tolerance in highly-contested polls in Mandela's home villages
Residents across Nelson Mandelaâ s ancestral home villages of Mvezo, Mqhekezweni, and Qunu are preparing to vote in what they describe as the most fiercely contested municipal ward elections in their history. Amid intense multi-party campaigning and an unprecedented contest that includes no ANC ward candidate in Qunu, traditional leaders and villagers are urging political tolerance and restraint to honour Madibaâ s legacy. While vibrant campaigning has energised the three communities in the King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality, locals insist that incoming representatives must focus on long-standing grievances, including deteriorating roads, water shortages, and high youth unemployment, rather than abandoning them once the polls conclude.
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@dispatchlive 7 hours ago
INSIGHT | Protecting the ballot starts on your phone screen this election season
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. This year it arrived in the Eastern Cape with a deadline â on November 4 residents vote in local government elections, and advice about suspicious links and stolen PINs carries far more weight. What happens on a phone screen before polling day can shape whether a community trusts the result, and cybersecurity â the work of keeping our money, identity and services safe â now also keeps the truth intact.
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@dispatchlive 7 hours ago
Why local elections matter to your finances
We tend to think of financial planning as decisions made around the dining room table: budgeting, saving for emergencies, settling debt, investing and preparing for retirement. These are personal responsibilities that we have the most control over, but personal finances do not exist in isolation. The conditions that shape your household finances are influenced not only by the decisions you make, but also by decisions made in your municipality.
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@dispatchlive 8 hours ago
Proteas cannot afford to stand still
Following a memorable Test series victory against Australia, Proteas coach Shukri Conrad urges South Africa to build on their squad depth and avoid complacency ahead of Bangladesh's visit.
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@dispatchlive 9 hours ago
Bad weather and protests delay opening of Eastern Cape voting stations
Severe weather and community protests caused delayed openings at 10 Eastern Cape voting stations on election day, though all locations are now open and operational.
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@dispatchlive 11 hours ago
Three arrested after Qumbu business robberies
Three men have been arrested and an unlicensed firearm recovered following two separate business robberies in the Qumbu CBD this week.
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@dispatchlive 13 hours ago
Twelve grassroots changemakers to be honoured at annual Local Heroes gala
The Daily Dispatch Local Heroes Awards, in partnership with Johnsonâ s, will recognise 12 individuals whose work has made a difference in communities across the Eastern Cape at an annual gala dinner. The awards celebrate people who dedicate their time and resources to helping others, often working behind the scenes to address challenges and improve lives in their communities.
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@dispatchlive 12 hours ago
Sardine fishing halted, pending scientific survey after mass die-off
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has halted sardine fishing while reviewing new management measures following a massive die-off linked to pilchard herpesvirus.
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@dispatchlive 12 hours ago
Emthonjeni revival plan sparks community backlash
Plans by the Ngqushwa Municipality to lease the derelict R40m Emthonjeni arts facility to private investors have triggered pushback from Hamburg residents, who claim they have been excluded from decisions regarding community land.
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@dispatchlive 14 hours ago
Defiant Batyi to soldier on despite disputed loss
Former SA featherweight champion Zolisa Batyi has pledged to continue fighting despite suffering his third defeat in a row, losing to Likho Sigaba at the Guild Theatre, in KuGompo City, on Sunday. The outcome was controversial, with some observers lamenting the judges' verdict. Allen Matakane had Batyi losing all the rounds by a margin of 100-90.
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@dispatchlive 14 hours ago
Erasmus defends Moerat selection for Italy
Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus has come out strongly in defence of lock Salmaan Moerat after public debate over his selection to face Italy in Turin. Moerat, who missed earlier fixtures this season through injury, makes his return in the Nations Championship opener. Erasmus emphasised that Moerat delivers essential, unflashy work in the tight phases, from mauling and scrummaging to defensive breakdowns, highlighting that internal team appreciation far outweighs external social media noise.
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@dispatchlive 14 hours ago
Barnabas death highlights struggles of retired fighters
The plight of retired South African fighters has once again come under intense scrutiny following the tragic death of former professional boxer Ayanda Barnabas, who passed away in impoverished conditions in Mdantsane. His family is now facing a desperate struggle to raise sufficient funds to provide him with a dignified burial. Barnabas, who competed during the golden era of the junior flyweight division between 1985 and 1992, was found dead alongside a friend in his vandalised home. With boxing authorities confirming that retired pugilists receive no funeral cover, community advocates and welfare groups have launched an urgent appeal for donations.
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