Go! & Express
Go! community to the rescue
The Go! community has rallied behind Raymond Calder, the elderly pool cleaner who walks kilometres around East London daily carrying heavy equipment on his back. Currently, good Samaritans have managed to raise R14,600 toward a R25,000 motorcycle that...
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Mayor responds to sewage exposé
In a response to GO! & Express's explosive December investigation “Dereliction and Danger,” BCM mayor Princess Faku addressed residents on the state of metro’s wastewater infrastructure, acknowledging vandalism challenges while firmly dispelling fears...
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‘Mermaid’ dreams come true
From the moment she could walk, Caylin MacKenzie, 15, was a water baby, swimming solo at just 18 months old, she’s always craved to be underwater. “I mermaid,” she delightfully declared as a baby. Yet this Hudson Park grade 10 pupil from Beacon Bay...
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DERELICTION AND DANGER
Dereliction and danger. These two words that best sum up our visits to some of Buffalo City’s broken, dysfunctional, ravaged and unsecured sewage treatment plants. We found signs of hardly any or no maintenance, or even municipal presence. Evidence...
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MERRY AND MINDFUL
Joy and terror. This is how the public views the festive season. Now is the season to be merry and mindful. Car smashes are a fact, but traffic and legal experts say that the real crash is in our mental state. As many as 95% of crashes are caused by...
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JONO’S MAYORAL POT OF GOLD FOR CITY KIDS
At the end of Jono Kruger’s 1,050km run, there was the city mayor waiting with a pot of gold. Kruger, a township sports activist and former Selborne College teacher and rugby coach, had run from Cape Town to our City Hall lugging letters from local...
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‘I’M STRONG AS A LION’ SAYS GORED EL VET
“I am strong as a lion,” proclaimed celebrated East London wildlife veterinarian Dr Frank Scholtz, who was horribly gored twice by a buck. But real fight would come later when he had a near-death battle against a mightier foe —a drug-resistant...
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Believe, act, find happiness
“Nothing beats the feeling of making someone else happy. If you have an idea, go for it. Don’t let negativity hold you back. Believe in yourself, and you can accomplish anything.” So said 21-year-old East London resident and university student Carrisa...
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DEAR MAYOR
“Dear mayor, please can you listen to our story…” So go many of the 300 letters all written by Mdantsane children which will be lugged for 1,000km around Buffalo City. After 25 days of ridiculous in-your-face public slogging, a man who really, really...
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How brilliance is baked
“For me, the dux award is proof that consistent effort, late nights and many tears were all worth it. While it’s my name on the trophy, I see it as a shared achievement for my parents, siblings, friends and teachers.” So said Danel Muller, 18,...
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TOURIST TRAP!
Dear festive season guest – look out! Buffalo City’s Eastern Beach sinkholes are giving new meaning to the term “tourist trap”. Our Esplanade is incredible and is cleaned daily by a team paid for by beachfront businesses and organised and supported by...
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Teen from the shacks strives for chess glory
The mind and heart of 14-year-old chess prodigy Khazimla Mjanyana are winning out against the pathological crush of socio-economic poverty and violence. The young teenager lives in a shack with his single and unemployed mother and brother. Yet the...
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Covid terror, God’s love, penned by a child
A little boy trapped in an Amalinda RDP house in lockdown watched his granny die from Covid-19 and his stressed dad have a heart attack. It is unusual to be only seven and feel moved to start writing down the experiences, feelings and the trauma, but...
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Painting a new future
Once a downbeat place marked by peeling paint, neglected buildings, and an unsafe reputation, parts of Quigney are now bursting with colour and renewed pride. East London’s historic seaside and harbour suburb, Quigney, has been transformed through a...
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‘I AM JUST A FISHERMAN’
It was as if Joshua, drifting in his heavenly fish-filled universe, decided to join it, and swam away. This was the refrain at the baggies-and-slip slops funeral in Gonubie on Friday of Joshua Frachet, a brilliant fish academic and angling star who...
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SECRET SOUL OF SPRING
What makes our city come alive? The Spring Swim had its best ever turnout — more than 250 people arrived at Nahoon Beach Lifesavers’ Shack — in the dark! At first light they started streaming in, with family, significant others, and dogs, so many...
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Love and media collide but it all ends well
David Ruggles had planned his big moment to perfection. He and the love of his life, Melissa Gostling, would take the Southern Cross Cruises Save Achi boat ride out to the open ocean. The moment a whale breached or appeared, he would go down on...
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Stirling pupil qualifies for national piano contest finals
From his first lockdown keyboard notes to a national stage, East London ’ s Gabriel du Toit is striking more than just chords, he’s making history as the only Eastern Cape finalist in the Atterbury National Piano Competition, taking place from October...
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NASA astronaut to get EL girls in space
NASA astronaut Commander Susan Kilrain touches down in East London on September 12 at Merrifield School as part of a mission to advocate for careers in science, maths and technology to bridge the local and national youth unemployment gap. Kilrain is a...
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CULTURAL RENEWAL
Guild Theatre rolls out red carpet as part of its renovations
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Plea for support for boy, 13, to get life-saving transplant
Thirteen-year-old Nyakallo Mazibuko’s life changed dramatically when he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) last year, but with a matching stem cell donor found, his full recovery now depends on the East London community helping his family...
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Phoenix Majorettes restoring East London drummies legacy
East London’s Phoenix Majorette Club has returned from the 2025 SAMCA National Championships, with a huge medal haul — putting an end to a dormant period in the sport that almost marked the end of majorette excellence in East London. The competition...
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New skills centre offers hope for autistic youth
Next month, College Street School in Nahoon will open its new adult skills centre designed to help autistic school leavers break free from the cycle of unemployment that many disabled youth are forced to face. Previously, the school retained pupils...
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Capturing the beauty and legacy of our elders
In an effort to honour and uplift the often-overlooked members of our society, local photographer Roxanne Wentzel has launched a fundraising raffle offering a professional family photoshoot worth R1,500 — all in support of her powerful initiative; the...
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Minors hooked as vape sales remain unchecked
Amonth-long investigation by the GO!&Express has revealed just how easy it is for pupils to get hooked on nicotine as many shops across the city are selling vapes without asking for any form of ID. Vapes, or e-cigarettes, are batteryoperated devices...
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A child’s fight for her future
Twelve-year-old Caeren Adams’ immune system is attacking her brain leaving her hospitalbound and prone to painful seizures and as her condition continues to deteriorate, her family is in need of urgent financial support to fund her care. Throughout...
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SA Navy is coming to town to discover new generation of scientists
East London will host the SA Navy’s 2025 World Hydrography Day celebrations from June 2022, with the navy aiming to fast-track the city’s role as the incubator for the next generation of marine scientists. The event, led by the SA Navy, in partnership...
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Ladies Circle collect glasses to bring sight to the less fortunate
East London Ladies Circle 23 has launched a prescription glasses drive in response to reports of a shortage at Frere Hospital, urging the public to donate their unused pairs. East London Ladies Circle vice chair Kay-Lee Chetty, the convener of the...
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Golf day to raise funds for child’s cochlear operation
When little Mia Kumm was born, she was a healthy baby with no complications or issues. It wasn’t until she started walking at 15 months that her parents noticed something was wrong. The now four-year-old was recently diagnosed with bilateral...
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Organisations team up to tackle underage drinking
Thetha Nathi Counselling Services, Aware.org, Edusport and the Eastern Cape Liquor Board have joined forces to create a powerful new initiative to tackle underage drinking at 20 schools in East London, Buffalo Flats and Mdantsane. Each participating...
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UFH law students head to constitutional court
Two outstanding law students from the University of Fort Hare (UFH), Christiaan Buthelezi and Babalwa Mofokeng, are preparing to take their legal skills to the highest stage; the Constitutional Court, as they compete in the final rounds of the Public...
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Young boy needs stem cell donation
What began as a routine case of measles quickly turned into every parent’s nightmare. After suffering from a series of devastating symptoms, nine-year-old Noah Nel was diagnosed with Fanconi anaemia; a rare and life-threatening genetic blood disorder...
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Local stem cell donor saves overseas stranger
Ayear into the Matches on the Map campaign, which raises awareness about stem cell donation, local mechanic Bradley Peters has become the first successful match, saving the life of a patient on the other side of the world. Peters recently became a...
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Desperate family turns to PI to find missing mother
With no breakthroughs in the case and their hope hanging by a thread, the family of missing Parkside grandmother Eudora Bruintjies is appealing to the East London public to help them raise funds to hire a private investigator to find her. Bruintjies,...
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Wagner-Meyer ready for another shot at Miss SA
Local beauty Laura Wagner-Meyer is back in the Miss SA race for the fourth time, carrying the hopes of thousands even beyond East London who are inspired by her mission to champion beauty in disability. A fashion designer and model, Wagner-Meyer has...
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Coach running Comrades to assist rugby academy
Local sports coach and youth advocate Jono Kruger is taking on the 2025 Comrades Marathon to raise funds for the Cubs Rugby Learning Academy — a lifechanging initiative aimed at uplifting young boys through sport, education, and holistic...
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Sisipho celebrates successful heart transplant
Young Sisipho Yose’s life was changed forever when he underwent a successful heart transplant procedure. The 11-year-old has been discharged from hospital in Johannesburg and is recovering well, with close monitoring by his parents. Not only is he...
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Pupils becoming hooked early as vaping on rise
East London primary school pupils, some as young as grade 4, are vaping — even on school grounds — leaving teachers battling nicotinefueled behavioural issues and a growing addiction crisis. Vapes, or e-cigarettes, are batteryoperated devices that...
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Vincent Park’s rugby mural wins top marketing award
Vincent Park Shopping Centre has once again been recognised for its excellent marketing initiatives, securing three awards at the annual Footprint Marketing Awards, including a silver award for the Rugby World Cup mural, painted by popular East London...
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New EL SPCA GM takes helm amid rising crisis
On April 1, Brent Sanders takes over as general manager of the East London SPCA, filling a months-long vacancy caused by a national shortage of qualified animal welfare inspectors. Sanders steps into the role officially from next month having served...
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BKCOB development programme helps local NGOs to survive latest funding crisis
With NGOs facing a shrinking donor pool following the withdrawal of major funders like USAID, the Border Kei Chamber of Business’s (BKCOB) NGO development programme is stepping in to help. Now in its fourth year, the initiative — run in partnership...
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Hudson Park praised for handling of disease cases
Parents at Hudson Park Primary School have expressed relief and gratitude over the school’s swift and proactive handling of reported cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) among pupils last week. Hudson Park Primary principal Garth Lumb...
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Preschool takes steps to settle its R280k debts
With eight months to go to settle its eye-watering municipal bill, local preschool Tomorrowland Day Care Centre has suspended its school administrator amid an investigation into possible financial mismanagement. The school, one of the oldest and most...
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Voorpos pupil receives miracle heart transplant
Little Sisipho Yose, 11, recently received a real-life miracle when, within just seven days, a donor heart became available, allowing him to undergo a successful transplant surgery. The transplant came as Sisipho was on ECMO life support at a...
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Injured angler tentatively on the long road to recovery
Border angling star and George Randall High School matric pupil Dylan Botha has finally emerged from his coma after a tragic car accident on January 18 on his way home from an angling competition. The details of the accident remain unclear and by...
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RMB dismisses regatta sponsorship rumours
Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) has dismissed rumours of its withdrawal from the 2025 Buffalo Regatta as the headline sponsor which kicks off next week, and will be joined by new local co-sponsor, Slimsy Sports Hydration. The Buffalo Regatta costs an...
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Spinners to rev engines in honour of a life well-lived
The life of renowned East London businessman, car enthusiast, and beloved family man Riaaz Jogie will be celebrated in grand style at the East London racetrack on Saturday January 25. More than a year after Jogie’s tragic passing in a motorcycle...
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Missing middle students’ stress
Nearly 4,000 East London tertiary students and their families, now under SIU (Special Investigating Unit) investigation for irregularly receiving NSFAS funds between 2016 and 2022, claim desperation drove them to accept the aid, citing a lack of...
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Local school threatens no enrolment for unpaid fees
As the new school year begins, local school, Buffalo Metro Inner City High School has issued a firm directive to parents: settle outstanding fees, or your child won’t be enrolled for 2025. This tough stance comes after the school threatened to...
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Funding cut to hit service delivery hard in BCM
Buffalo City municipality ’ s cash flow woes means residents will not see a reinstatement of the R1m allocation for wardbased funding in the new year, leaving communities already grappling with five-year backlogs in grass cutting, tree felling, bush...
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Regatta loses big sponsor for 2025
The 2025 Buffalo Regatta has hit turbulent waters with the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) withdrawing its sponsorship — a move that contributes to the pressure of the unresolved lease dispute between East London Boating Association (ELBA)...
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Community groups try to fix derelict sports venues
More than a year after Buffalo City metro (BCM) mayor Princess Faku promised to take control of the city’s sports facilities and secure a larger budget to manage them, these venues remain in a state of neglect and amid this inaction, community groups...
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Family’s agonising wait for missing grandmother
It has been 28 agonising days since East London grandmother Eudora Bruintjies vanished without a trace, and her family is now bracing for the heartbreaking possibility that their search may end with a devastating discovery. The 52-year-old Bruintjies,...
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Search for woman being hampered by false tip-offs
False tip offs, scammers and prank calls are marring attempts to find Parkside grandmother, Eudora Bruintjies, who has been missing for almost two weeks. The 52-two-year-old Bruintjies, who suffers from severe epilepsy, schizophrenia and bipolar...
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Buffalo City set to fight drunk driving incidents
The municipality is stepping up efforts to combat drinking and driving this festive season to protect pedestrians and motorists like 18-year-old Shamele King, who nearly lost mobility in his neck last year after being struck by a drunk driver. King, a...
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East London hosts its first Walk For Freedom event
On Saturday October 19, thousands of people across the globe took to the streets to participate in A21’s 10th annual Walk For Freedom, and for the first time, East London supporters were able to participate. A modest group of supporters braved the...
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Emerging local actor up for prestigious award
Mdantsane-born actor Likhona Mgali has been nominated for best young actor at the upcoming 20th Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) for his role as Fezile Gigaba in the Netflix film, The Queenstown Kings. The popular film has been received a total of...
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Elderly forced to choose between electricity, food
Mandy de Villiers wakes up each day dreading the possibility of finding her 83year-old mother dead from starvation — forced to choose between buying food or paying her electricity bill, which has skyrocketed to more than R3,000 since the implementation...
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Water warriors unite to protect Gonubie estuary
Buffalo City’s aging wastewater treatment infrastructure is crumbling under the weight of rapid development, leading to frequent sewage spills into vital water bodies like the Gonubie estuary. In response, concerned locals are taking action with the...
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New ELSPCA leadership to fight reckless spending
On November 1, a new manager will take the helm of the East London SPCA, and he intends to restore the 110-year-old institution to its former glory in the wake of years of financial mismanagement that nearly led to its closure in 2023. According to...
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Crumbling roads killing local tourism
East Coast resorts and caravan park owners along Schafli Road are on the brink of disaster, facing a fate like Mazeppa Bay Hotel, if the road’s crumbling infrastructure isn’t urgently addressed. In January, the historic Mazeppa Bay Hotel closed due to...
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Clarendon fights to avert death of SA girls rowing
On Tuesday night, Clarendon High School for Girls reversed its decision to suspend its rowing programme – the only public, all-girls school rowing programme in the country – which was set to end on September 20 due to the rental dispute between the...
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Library subsidy increase still far from enough
Running our local libraries demands a budget of R38m to R45m, however, the Buffalo City Metro has only secured R17.7m from the Eastern Cape department of sport, recreation, arts, & culture (DSRAC) for the 2024/25 financial year leaving a significant...
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