Author: Mzwamadoda Makalima

By LINDA DYANI Likhanyise Zonke from Archie Mbolekwa won himself a laptop for his presentation on Nelson Mandela and Albertina Sisulu in a Heritage Month competition at the Albany Museum. Likhanyise was one of 10 Grade 7 learners from different Grahamstown schools presenting their posters based on the theme, “The Life and Legacy of Tata Madiba and Mama Albertina”. The annual heritage event was held at the History Museum, one in the family of Makana’s seven museum buildings, and also home to the Madiba exhibition. Archie Mbolekwa, George Dickerson, SDA, Fikizolo, Samuel Ntsiko, Ntaba Maria, Andrew Moyakhe, CM Vellem, Makana, and NV Cewu participated. Zandisile…

Grocott’s Mail has an exclusive interview with NASA astronaut, Dr Don Thomas Why are you, (Dr. Thomas) coming to South Africa, Grahamstown, Victoria Girls High, Nombulelo Secondary School? This will be my fifth visit to South Africa, and I am coming to work with Living Maths to inspire and excite young learners to pursue careers in the maths, the sciences, and the engineering fields. I was inspired to be an astronaut when I was only six years old and I watched the launch of the first American to space back in 1961. Watching that launch on a small TV at my…

By Ruth Woudstra “Sit up straight! Stop slouching!” Some of us may have nightmares from teachers or parents nagging us as children to correct our posture. And yet, if we are able to overcome negative associations with these reprimands, many benefits may unfold. Making simple adjustments to the way you sit, stand or sleep, can have a profound impact on your wellbeing. As FM Alexander, founder of the Alexander Technique says, “You translate everything, whether physical, mental or spiritual, into muscle tension.” And if we can relieve that tension through postural alignment, all the better for mind and body. Sitting nowadays often involves looking down at…

A BIOGRAPHY OF THE KOWIE RIVER As one of the founding members of the Kowie Catchment Campaign, I was delighted to be able to attend the launch of Prof. Jacklyn Cock’s latest book ´Writing the Ancestral River: A Biography of the Kowie’, this week. How privileged we are to have someone hold a mirror up to the natural, cultural and political history of this locally important catchment which is an integral part of our landscape, and has been so for millennia. Not that the book is a comfortable read. As noted in the press release about the book launch, the iQoyi runs through a…

The gripping crime drama of Ellen Pakkies’s life, which will be released in local cinemas soon, was honoured with three big awards at the annual kykNET Silwerskerm Festival last weekend. Jill Levenberg (Genadekans, Noem my Skollie, Suidooster), who plays the role of Ellen – a mother who killed her drug-addicted son out of sheer desperation, won Best Actress. Jarrid Geduld (A Lucky Man, A Boy Called Twist, Black Sails), who stars as the troubled Abie Pakkies, was awarded Best Actor for his efforts. “There are no words to describe how I feel. Thank you to M-Net, kykNET, Silwerskermfees and everyone involved in this film. Thank…

After a hugely successful start at the Artscape and Baxter  Theatres in April and May 2018, the Shakespeare School Festival (SSF), now in its 8th year, continues to roll out nationally from 22 August, beginning in Grahamstown and ending in Bloemfontein in October. The Shakespeare Schools Festival South Africa (SSFSA) is an education program aimed at improving language and social skills through the Performing Arts. It is Educape’s flagship initiative that was launched in 2010 by Kseniya Filinova-Bruton with the objective of strengthening the link between the arts and education. Since inception, the SSFSA has grown from an event that attracted…

On Thursday 9 August, Joan Valentine and friends organised a Women’s Day at the Antique Centre to appreciate senior citizens of the community. They targeted old women from 80 years and above, and had at least six women over 90. Joan saw a need to create a special event for these women, as she believe some of them are being abused by their grandchildren and end up with nothing for themselves. The idea started off when they raised funds in 2016 and took old people from McKaiser Old Age Home on a picnic. With the money left from the picnic, they…

NguDumisa Mpupha I join the cries of many South Africans about the plight of women’s degradation which is killing our generation. May Yahuah be with the soul of Khensani. We work at unfortunate times where men are the perpetrators of the ruin of women – I mean generally. Siyaliiila ngawe Khensani!!! Ndiniken’ibhuku ndiyabhala Gqiz’eli sulungengekileyo, Gqiz’elisukekileyo Gqiz’elivunyiweyo Ndimbane zabafundi zimanxebanxeba Zibonakalis’uvelwano Zibonakalis’isililo ngawe zimanyene Siyaaaliila ngawe mntana! Ungcungcuthekil’emphefumlweni Wangcaml’uhlukumezo mntan’ase tyhini Kunamhl’amadod’angqukrulekile ngawe Aswel’ukubhunyula obo buthi bugqiba nina Koko ukufa kuse mbizeni Hamba mntwana wethu, ulale kakuhl’emandleni Sohlala sikukhumbula Siyalila ngawe sithi Mbombo zone zehlabathi sithi Eli lizwe lilahlekelwe Lucwambu…

Excerpt 2. Icatshulwe kwisahluko se-4 I-female fear factory, endikwayibiza imanufacture of female fear ixhomekeke kugqithiso lwentsingiselo ngokukhawuleza nangokusebenzayo. Ugrogriso lokudlwengula yindlela esebenzayo ukukhumbuza abafazi ukuba abakhuselekanga nokuba imizimba yabo asiyoyabo ncakasana. Lusetyenzizo mandla olugqithisa umyalezo ukuba indoda engcungcuthekisa abafazi inamandla kumfazi lo imnqolobayo; ikwafundisa abafazi abakhe bayiphila le mpilo, ngokungakhuseleki kwabo, ngokuthi babakhumbuza ngoloyiko lwabo olwadlulayo okanye ukubabonisa ukuba ingehle yenzeke kubo kwakhona. Yindlela esebenzayo ukubonisa abafazi indawo yabo, ngenxa yoko ke iye ibangele abafazi bangahambi zonke iindlela ngeenyawo nangengqondo. Ukwenza uloyiko kumabhinqa kusebenza ngokuvala abafazi umlomo ngokusikhumbuza ngokudlwenguleka kwethu, ngoko lonto isicime ukuze sihlale kwindawo yethu. Ngelinye ixesha isebenza…

South Africa’s brightest scientific minds will compete for their chance to win prizes worth well over R14 million as this year’s Eskom Expo for Young Scientists International Science Fair (ISF) gains momentum. These prizes include university bursaries from Eskom, laptops, gadgets, cash prizes as well as the coveted chance to represent South Africa at prominent international science fairs in the United States, China, Taiwan, Turkey, Zambia and Kenya. July and August will see thousands of young scientists competing at the Eskom Expo regional finals in the nine provinces by presenting their projects to judges and industry experts in different fields…