By ROD AMNER
Grocott’s Mail’s eight student reporters are taking a well-earned rest this week in the wake of a long semester topped off by their sterling contributions to a successful relaunch of Cue Daily during the National Arts Festival (NAF).
Consequently, this week’s edition is smaller than usual. But, readers can expect a full-throttle return next week, including the launch of a new feature, Humans of Makana (HOM).
HOM is a series of short portraits exploring the lives, beliefs, attitudes and experiences of the diverse, resilient and talented people whose myriad contributions weave the intricate fabric of our district. HOM is where Makana’s heart is.
Next week also marks the arrival of our new Digital Strategy and Engagement Editor, Linda Mkaza, who joins us from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). Linda, who has deep roots in the Eastern Cape, holds a Master of Education in digital storytelling from the University of the Western Cape and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education from Rhodes.
She hopes the popularisation of digital storytelling will allow us – the humans of Makana – to take charge of telling stories about our individual and shared lived experiences. She will also oversee the development of Grocott’s as a multilingual and multimedia local news organisation. Expect more isiXhosa and Afrikaans content – in print, audio and video formats! We are delighted to have her on board and you will hear more from her next week.
Sadly, our current digital editor, Nyx McLean, is leaving to pursue other research and teaching roles. Nyx has dramatically contributed to developing Grocott’s as a teaching and learning platform in the School of Journalism and Media Studies and as an engaging news platform with considerable reach. For example, Grocott’s Mail’s monthly Facebook reach leapfrogged to a record 230 000 people in May, with around 75 000 ‘engagements’ – no mean feat for a news organisation serving a community of 80 000 people.
We will sorely miss Nyx’s considerable skillset, editorial panache and engaging personality. Happily, they will remain in Makhanda and continue contributing to Grocott’s as a researcher.
The winds of change are evident in the city, too. A group of residents, civil society organisations and local government representatives met in Extension 9 on Wednesday to launch a three-year Action for Accountability (A4A) programme under the auspices of the Public Services Accountability Monitor (PSAM), the Accountability Lab and the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation. The initiative rests on the idea that we need new and innovative ways of thinking about accountability – mobilising and organising to re-ignite people’s power in our communities.
At the meeting of civil society organisations in Ekurhuleni on the weekend, Rev Frank Chikane said corrupt and inept leaders “have become a criminal gang that kill those who stand in their way, including whistle-blowers and potential witnesses. They are prepared to bankrupt the country and destroy its democratic pillars to protect themselves”.
With Jeff Budaza’s assassination still fresh in our memories, we owe it to him and ourselves to throw our support behind initiatives like A4A.
The miraculous rebirth of the NAF under extreme adversity testified to what this city can achieve through cooperative effort.
