South Africa|Eastern Cape

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s hometown: no country for old women

Girls from the age of five and women into their 70s fetch water from a river in a town that has never had tap water

High school dropout rate blamed on water crisis in Eastern Cape village

The municipality says a R28 million water project will be completed in March next year

Eastern Cape women abandon vegetable gardens to collect scrap for cash

“Everything here in Qunu has collapsed after Madiba passed away”

SANRAL: Getting the facts right on the N2 toll road through the Wild Coast

Post office, SASSA office, library and community centre have all closed down in Madiba’s hometown

Unpaid electricity bills and armed robberies have collapsed Qunu’s multi-purpose community centre

Attacks, stock theft, shrinking pastures, drought and a lack of vets: Eastern Cape horse owners in dire straits

As government prioritises food production, horse farmers are left out

Taps run dry in the village of Mandela’s childhood home

Municipality failed to pay Eskom so pump station was switched off

There will be no funerals until the sewage system is fixed, residents threaten

“We live in a pigsty”

Mthatha patients wait in the rain at clinics from 3am

“For years we have been treated like this, but it’s worse since Covid.”