By Ovayo Milisa Novukela Rhodes University Sports have been going through a new era in the sporting world, with active recruitment of student athletes and an improvement in bursaries and infrastructure. This is taking place under the guidance of the new Rhodes University Sports Council Chairperson, Sue Smailes. Smailes is the Director: Office of the Vice-Chancellor and Legal Advisor to the Vice-Chancellor at Rhodes University and was voted as the Chairperson of the Sports Council in 2021, a role which she takes very seriously. She has been at the forefront of helping the university’s Sports Administration advocate for facility upgrades…
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By Emihle Nelani Luthando Makhubalo (34) is a Mary Waters High School Learner Support Agent (LSA) who has set up a fundraising drive to secure essential uniform items for the school’s learners, many of whom are going without jerseys, trousers and shoes in the cold winter months. The main items needed are school uniforms and school shoes. Makhubalo says he is not afraid to ‘ukucela’, meaning to ask for something that will benefit people who are really in need of it. Makhubalo moved from Qonce to Makhanda just last month and has already made a huge impact on the learners.…
By Asiphesona Wonqwelo and Emihle Nelani For some, the long trip to Makhanda to sell coats, pancakes, beads, t-shirts, toys, and jackets at this year’s National Arts Festival has barely been worthwhile, with rainy weather keeping customers away. Grocott’s Mail caught up with the Church Square traders on a rainy 27 June at their stalls to find out how business was going. Elizabeth Ngoya, from Cape Town, is originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). She has been selling clothes and other items that she makes herself at the National Arts Festival for many years. Ngoya noted that…
By Staff Reporter Makhanda mother Magda Pieterse would like to thank everyone who contributed to the fundraiser for her son, Fernando’s operation. With the support of the townsfolk and Pieterse’s church, the River of Life Church in Makhanda, all the funds needed for Fernando’s surgery were raised. “We are beyond grateful. He had the operation on Tuesday 20 June and is recovering well. I have no words to describe my gratitude. The love of Jesus in action,” said Pieterse, also thanking Grocott’s Mail for advertising her fundraiser. Grocott’s Mail reported in April this year that Pieterse had no medical aid…
By Chesley Daniels and Neville Botha Captain and hooker, Imaan Pemba, led from the front and set an example for the EP U18 Craven Week Side as they thrashed their counterparts and neighbours, Border U18, in a Craven Week warm-up fixture at City Lords Ground, Kingswood in Makhanda on 24 June. In the main curtain-raiser, the EP U18 Academy side came from behind and clinched the winning spot at the death, narrowly defeating Border U18 by 24-22. As expected, the game started at a very high tempo as the visitors, Border, took the game to hosts, EP. The more physical…
By Staff Reporter The Makana Municipality says its latest water test results show that E.coli has been eliminated from all but one of its testing stations, the Raglan Road Clinic. The municipality and Rhodes University’s RUBIC Water Testing Laboratory have tested water all over Makhanda for the past month after finding that E.coli was present in the town’s water, often at dangerously high levels, for at least four months this year. This occurred after the municipality failed to use industrial strength chlorine to treat the water supply. The February results submitted by the municipality revealed that at Joza Clinic there…
By Fahdia Msaka and Siyamthanda Mnyiwana As we walk down the streets of Makhanda and do our daily errands, we have become accustomed to seeing children, elderly people, and differently-abled individuals living in inhumane conditions. The sight is heartbreaking because these are individuals that are not able to fend for themselves. These are vulnerable members of our society who should be protected from the harshness of this world. Instead, they are begging for their next meal, which has become a normalised sight because of how common it is. Eastern Cape is notorious for poverty because of the high unemployment rate…
By Chesley Daniels and Ethan Goliath A first-half dominance by visitors Trying Stars 1st XV saw the Alexandria outfit record a comfortable 40-6 bonus point win over hosts Lily White in their EPRU Grand Challenge Group A Fixture played at the Lavender Valley Sports Field on 24 June. Trying Stars returned to the Lavender Valley ground for the first time in almost 12 years since they last played there against Universals in the Adams Cup Competition fixture. The bonus point win saw Stars strengthening their position in 2nd place on the overall Log Standings behind leaders Progress from Kariega. Lily…
By Staff Reporter Local school principals and members of the community turned out for the municipality’s meeting about the ongoing water crisis, held at City Hall on 19 June. Diocesan School for Girls (DSG) head Jannie de Villiers, Kingswood College head Leon Grové, St Andrew’s College head Tom Hamilton and the Rhodes University technical manager, Dawid van Wyk were at the meeting along with Amatola Water Board’s chairperson, Pam Yako, the Provincial Head of the Department of Water and Sanitation, Portia Makhanya and Makana’s mayor, Yandiswa Vara. A water leak at the top of African Street on 22 June 2023.…
By Steven Lang About 25 people gathered at Grey Dam for the annual ‘Polar Plunge’ recently. The icy swim is a Makhanda ritual, held every year for the past 23 years to celebrate the winter solstice. Before the plunge started, the organiser, Professor George Euvrard, made his way into the cold water until he was waist-deep, facing the bank. Barely containing his shivering, he gave the swimmers basic instructions and then recited the mantra: “We are gathered here this morning to celebrate the end of the longest night of the year and to welcome back into our lives greater light…