The Boks WILL NOT come to East London
Sorry folks,
All our best lobbying and all the hundreds of messages from fans here have come to naught. Sarfu tell us this afternoon that the Boks will definitely not be coming here as part of their victory tour. We're as dissapointed as you are but hope, like us, you'll keep giving the Boks the fantastic support you always have.
We are still trying to get a clear explanation from Sarfu as to why they will not come here.
Sigh, East London is left out in the cold - again.
Thanks to the hundreds and hundreds of readers who tried to swing the deal - especially those girls from Clarendon High School who really poured their hearts into the campaign.
Scridb filterThe Baysville Car Burning Mystery Grows
More and more evidence is emerging that the Baysville Car Arsonist/s may have been active for at least seven years.
Our graphic artist Rudi Louw and reporter Piet Van Niekerk have plotted these incidents based on calls from our readers and other information - and it really is an astounding picture that is emerging. If all of these cases are linked this could be one of the most perplexing crimes in East London's recent history.
Here is the graphic we are running in Wednesday's paper (click for full size version 160kb).
Check out the incidents and if you know of others let us know. You can post here or mail pietv@dispatch.co.za
Scridb filterA lesson for me
This is a column for the Dispatch for Friday, October 12
News is an unforgiving beast and the names of victims of tragedy are forgotten almost before the ink is dry on the newsprint.
Us journalists can be a cold and cynical lot. The daily grind of horror and scandal can leave you numb. Another story, another day, another headline, another edition, on it goes day after day.
But through this daily churn its easy to forget that often what we write is only a chapter, or even at best a snippet of a chapter, in bigger stories that continue to unfold long after the headlines are forgotten.
I have been reminded of this in a surprising way.
Life in the Eastern Cape II – a broader view
Following the intense debate that the Life in the Eastern Cape post sparked last week, I've put together a slideshow of photographer Masi Losi's work at Second Creek dump - where the last picture was taken - which gives a pretty stark idea of life for these poor people.
Free MySpace slideshows, photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com
School kids and dope tests
We carry a disturbing front page lead today which tells of how a 17-year-old boy from Stirling High School, a respected school here in East London, is alleged to have failed a dope test for a performance-enhancing substance while at Craven Week. He was playing for the Border rugby side.
The school, the boy and local rugby officials are due to attend a formal hearing here later today.
This story is disturbing in that it could potentially confirm what many have suspected for a long time - that use of banned substances is rife in sports even at a school level. If this is so, why should it be? Demanding parents, coaches, schools, or simply kids who are obsessed with winning at all costs?
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