Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • GM Direct publishing break
  • “Makhanda is in shambles,” says Ward Four resident
  • Ward Two residents buy own floodlights to combat cable theft
  • A town without a playground: where do the children play?
  • Women, Politics, Power, Patriachy: A feminist lens
  • Makhanda’s Links Royal House Gaokx’aob (Chief) has died
  • What’s On – 30 March – 6 April
  • Unapologetically queer and Black consciousness approach to live performance
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Grocott's Mail
You are at:Home»Uncategorized»What name-change videos?
Uncategorized

What name-change videos?

Grocott's MailBy Grocott's MailFebruary 14, 2013No Comments3 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

In the past eight months that I have been in Grahamstown, there has been no topic as controversial, emotional and sensitive as the proposed Grahamstown name change.

In the past eight months that I have been in Grahamstown, there has been no topic as controversial, emotional and sensitive as the proposed Grahamstown name change.

Mention the phrase name change and people start going on about why we should or should not change the name.

Well, I understand that it is a very important issue for the residents here.

But I could not believe my eyes when I saw a Makana Municipality advertisement in Grocott's Mail calling on residents to make written submissions on the proposal.

What?

Still shocked, I continued to read and then my attention was drawn to this statement: "Individuals or organisations interested in viewing the recorded sessions of previous public consultations should indicate their interest to the Director: community & social services."

Before I even went to 'indicate' my interest, I saw a notice at the city hall's door that the viewing would be on Tuesday at 2pm.

Tuesday came and I was there, waiting to see the final proof.

First, let me tell you what I expected. As evidence that the people of Grahamstown wanted the name to go, the naming task team had cited hours of footage of a 2008 public participation process.

The videos, they said, were unequivocal.

Here in the newsroom we have been waiting for so long to see these videos.

In fact, the 'waiting' was there even before I arrived at Grocott's.

When I saw these announcements I thought to myself, "Finally we see the proof."

Instead, the video we were given to watch was a generic one, providing a historical and social context for the debate.

It features individuals talking about options for replacement names.

The trouble was, I had watched these generic videos during a workshop for councillors early in January.

I could have spent my time differently.

After Tuesday's no-show the director did, in fact, say they were there and that I could watch them… "although they are very long".

So I went to his office and there they were: eight discs, which he promised would be uploaded on to the Makana website.

That's a relief – but I'm still confused: the deadline for written submissions was on Monday, and the generic video..(which I think was meant to educate people about the options so their opinions could be well-informed) was screened the day after the deadline…

Yes, that is how it happened.

Now I am shocked as you are – but it is like that. I haven't given up on those videos, although I'm waiting again: this time for them to upload them to the website.

Previous ArticleCollege accommodation protest pays off
Next Article New shopping centre plan for Sani Street
Grocott's Mail

Comments are closed.

Tweets by Grocotts
Newsletter



Listen

The Rhodes University Community Engagement Division has launched Engagement in Action, a new podcast which aims to bring to life some of the many ways in which the University interacts with communities around it. Check it out below.

Humans of Makhanda

Humans of Makhanda

Weather    |     About     |     Advertise     |     Subscribe     |     Contact     |     Support Grocott’s Mail

© 2023 Maintained by School of Journalism & Media Studies.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.