Author: Buhle Andisiwe Made

By Buhle Andisiwe Made Breaking a leg and casting out for the future, MEQOQO Playback Theatre is creating an innovative and educational space for students and theatre. Inspired by Playback Theatre, MEQOQO is a collective housed at the Rhodes University Drama Department and created in 2018 and is led by artistic director Selloane Mokuku. Commonly referred to as Lalu, Mokuku is an experienced theatre maker, storyteller, academic, writer and performer. Chairperson, Nine Magagula, is a creator, artist, and a theatre and performance enthusiast, born and bred in Makhanda. She is currently in her third year at the university. MEQOQO is…

By Buhle Andisiwe Made The final chapter has finally begun, and the matric class of 2023 is well into their final exams. In a press release, the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) spotlighted the anxiety and depression of matriculants as their final exams are underway. Matric is a pivotal moment for high school learners; many emotions can become a burden on a person during their last year of school. Factors such as the present and future can overwhelm youngsters, but Sadag wants to encourage learners to reach out and find assistance. There have been multiple tragic and concerning…

By Buhle Andisiwe Made Grocott’s Mail reported in April this year that Risoso Libi and her family in Phumlani in Extension Two, Makhanda, were living with a giant sewage leak at the bottom of their garden. With a municipal drain unluckily located inside her yard, whenever the sewage pipes in the area become blocked, sewage erupts out of the manhole cover and overflows through Libi’s garden. Seven months later, not much has changed. The Libi family are still suffering as they have been since they moved into their home in 2020. Those elected to serve and assist them are quiet…

By Buhle Andisiwe Made Sive Sotashe, Zamamiya Majola and Nontokozo Mchunu *[1] hosted its first Young Voices event in Joza on Saturday, 11 November, discussing the future of South Africa in connection to the town of Makhanda. Hosted at the Noluthando Community Hall in Ward 2, Khula Tech Solutions, River of Life Church, Ten Cross Street, and Mykhanda Media *[2] sponsored the afternoon. It showcased a screening of the impact documentary Temperature Rising, produced by Reshad Desai and Anita Khanna. Young Voices served as a dialogue between the youth of Makhanda and community activists, who formed a panel consisting of…

By Buhle Andisiwe Made  The Hairitage 2023 exhibition was held at the Black Power Station on 27 & 28 October. The production collaborated with Organic Live for a nightlife experience and was sponsored by the up-and-coming Lewatle Magazine. The event welcomed the audience to express themselves through their hair, and the attendees successfully complied. Guests had many distinctive hairstyles – some had flowers in their hair, and others elevated their hair looks by incorporating beads into their hairstyles. It embodies embrace – embracing our journey with our hair and the meaning of the coils, curls and protective styles to each…

By Buhle Andisiwe Made After six gruelling, personal and emotional weeks, the final-year Journalism and Media Studies students presented their final-year projects to the Rhodes University community, showcasing their work through different mediums. The students exhibited their creativity by styling portfolios, clothing designs, video games, short-form films, and books. Brian Garman, the programme coordinator and lecturer to the group of students, mentioned how proud he had been to see the dedication and effort put into their final work. Garman emphasised that the students put in a lot of effort in creating the projects, which is a great deal, especially considering…

By Buhle Andisiwe Made In response to a letter sent to the constituency by UDM president and Member of Parliament Bantu Holomisa, he highlighted the dismal state of infrastructure in Makhanda, the proposed regulations seeking to regulate the pension benefit of military veterans and the re-employment of resigned teachers. Holomisa also lamented the non-functionality of the police services, as stated by the community of the small town. Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola retorted by focusing on the removal of the High Court in Makhanda, where he mentions the Rationalisation Committee – divisions of the High Court and…

By Buhle Andisiwe Made Rhodes University’s School of Journalism and Media Studies partnered with the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) and hosted a symposium celebrating 100 years of radio in South Africa, marking the beginning of Media Freedom Week on Monday, 16 October 2023. The event commemorated the different institutions of radio and those who have shaped and created radio into the medium it has evolved into. A panel discussion with senior lecturer at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Dr Sisanda Nkoala,  and North-West University Professor Gilbert Motsaathebe, editors of 100 Years in Radio in South Africa, Vol…

By Buhle Andisiwe Made In a meeting held at St Matthew’s Church on 9 October 2023, former civil servants, military veterans,  resigned teachers, and community members of various organisations travelled in the inclemency of the weather from different parts of the province to table their frustrations regarding pension funds and various issues plaguing Makhanda to the President of the United Democratic Alliance (UDM) and member of parliament, Bantu Holomisa. Archbishop Sizwe Ngesi, leader of the Ethiopian Episcopal Church, says that he asked Holomisa to meet with the community since he is a member of parliament who meets regularly with the…

By Buhle Andisiwe Made On the first of what we hope to be many Southern African tours, Bongeziwe Mabandla – a multi-award winning singer and songwriter who has graced national and international stages had his debut act at the 1820 Settlers Monument in Makhanda on Friday, 06 October, after kickstarting the Eastern Cape leg of his tour on his homegrown, East London. Mabandla serenaded his audience with a compilation of his songs from his fourth studio album, amaXesha – meaning “times”. As though he is from the Romantic Period, which emphasises emotion and imagination, Mabandla’s melodies make you want to…