By Staff Reporter Holy Cross School has begun the exciting journey of building a school hall. On Monday, honoured guest Cameron McConnachie, a representative of the Holy Cross School Trust, ceremonially broke ground. He was followed by principal Nicci Hayes and the representatives from each class helped dig. Finally, the grade R class showed everyone present how it’s done in the 21st century – because who needs a spade when you have a bulldozer? Andrew Joyce, head of the Holy Cross School Council, thanked all those involved in envisioning and supporting the school’s plan — which stretches back many years…
Author: Gillian Rennie
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There are pink sashes all over town to mark Breast Cancer Awareness month. Preventing breast cancer starts with knowledge but here in the Eastern Cape cancer prevention is hampered by unequal access to the things that make a real difference – screening facilities, awareness programmes and representation in medical research. Boiketlo Lamula talked to a researcher working to change that. Professor Jo-Anne de la Mare is collaborating with other researchers and universities around South Africa seeking a solution to triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). This type of breast cancer is more prevalent among women of African descent, and is a…
By Zongezile Matshoba Ndiculele Ntyiloza imiqolo edida ingqondo yam Xakekisa imilebe yam de ibhude imbudede Loqisa ulwimi lwam lungangqandeki Thuma uvalo ludlale amagubu Cula umvandedwa uzokulinganisa ngokuzolileyo Xelisa imiqhagi ngoqhiza Gquma okwamaza olwandle ekhweba Khonya okwezinja zitshintshiselana ngomkhulungwana ongaxhalabisiyo Cula uxelise iintaka ezintathu ezabonwa nguMarley Ququzelisa usiputsu ndimcel’impinda Yeka iminwe yam idlale isiginci ngeembambo zam Iinyawo zam zingqisha luyolo zisonqena ukombelela Thandondini yenza izandla ziqhwabe iminwe yonqene ukunqakraza Amehlo avalwe mbakra ebona wena wedwa Iingcinga zibesenzonzobileni Yiba ngumsasazi wam undiphindaphindele loo ngoma Apha Naphaya S2P – Songs of lifeApha kunoo gqadambekweni Oondwebilashe Oozanazo Kuthiwa ababuzi mntwini Bavele benze Basuka bathi pahaha Njalo nje kungaphela iyure Maxa wambi ngecala nje Rhoqo ngosuku Bambi ide ibe yiveki Mhlawumbi ide ibe yinyanga yonke Oothand’izinto belindile Bakuphaka bakushiya ubambe ongezantsi Uqhwab’izandla wena Ukhuz’umangal’uhlek’izigigaba Abanye babo bathi ndimamele Bambi bathi sukujonga nje bukelisisa Oophopho bathi fund’uphengulule Umlo Ongendawo Kwavumbuluka umlokazi Kwavuthuza umoya Kwaqhum’ isisi Umlilo wawuphum’ amadangatya Ulatyuza urhawula kwanto Uzibabaza ubunganga Ilanga entla phaya Laligqats’…
Poems from Ornithology, the latest collection by Makhanda poet Jeannie Wallace McKeown. Ornithology will be launched at Amazwi on Thursday 11 September at 5.30pm. Ornithology The women in my family return as birds when they are done being women. Grandmothers and great-grandmothers: bokmakierie, wagtails, hoopoes. My mother didn’t say which bird she would be, although species in numbers held their parliaments in her garden. She did set a forked length of driftwood into the riverbank, a perch on which to sit and wait, before the silent launch of a dusk hunt, and on the night after her death, while I watched…
July is Mental Illness Awareness Month. In June, the awareness spotlight was on men’s mental health. If you are concerned about the mental health of someone close to you, Siyanda Zinyanga offers some practical measures. In a country battling stress, poverty, trauma and stigma, mental health for South Africans has become a silent battle of our time. Yet there is still confusion between mental health and mental illness. They are not the same. What’s the difference? Mental health refers to a person’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It’s about how we think, feel, act, handle stress, relate to others, and make…
LETTER TO THE EDITOR By Masixole Heshu, Makhanda creative As the curtain closed on NAF 2025, I was left with a deep sense of FOMO, not just for the performances I missed, but for the systemic imbalances I witnessed as a director, writer, and producer. The Festival offered a valuable opportunity to engage with the creative works of others, examining not only their content and context but also how they navigate the practical realities of production, casting, crew management, and resource allocation. What became glaringly evident was the stark disparity in access. Some productions thrived with ample funding, rehearsal time,…
By Thami AkaMbongo Manzana, Guest Writer For nearly five decades, the National Arts Festival (NAF) in Makhanda has stood as a vital and enduring cultural institution in South Africa. It is a space where artists, thinkers, dreamers, and doers gather in celebration of creativity, innovation, and the human spirit. It has given us unforgettable performances, launched the careers of many remarkable South African artists, and fostered important national and international cultural dialogues. We must take a moment to salute the visionary curators, producers, and organisers – past and present – who have worked tirelessly to sustain this platform. In the…
Eastern Cape Film Expo Interviews By Rosa-Karoo Loewe Stories rooted in the Eastern Cape took centre stage at the third Eastern Cape Film Expo at the Joza Township Youth Centre this week. The expo opened with a talk by Kariega-born filmmaker Nceba Mqolomba, whose career has spanned television, stage and international productions. His producing credits include All You Need is Love, Khumbulekhaya, The Toasty Show, and music videos for artists such as Ringo Madlingozi, Kabelo Mabalane, Zonke and the late TK. He has also worked on international productions including The Last King of Scotland and The Amazing Race. Speaking to aspiring creatives on Tuesday, Mqolomba shared…
Malo and the Moon-Maiden, Circus Venue: Guy Butler Theatre Next performance: Saturday 5 July 11:00 Review By Rosa-Karoo Loewe Daily Dispatch The circus has come to town with a whirl of red cabaret twirls. Malo and the Moon-Maiden is family-friendly fun with acrobatics, pyrotechnics and an overarching message to stand up to bullies and be kind. As the programme says, it tells the story of Malo the Clown and his eternal devotion to Melodia Luna, the celestial Moon Maiden, set against the backdrop of a once-glorious circus faded by time. Written and directed by Janice Honeyman, the story of the…
Raunchy Renditions, Comedy Venue: Gymnasium Next performance: Saturday July 5 22:00 Review By Tanya Maswaure Last night I shared my most embarrassing intimate story with a group of strangers, and I have no regrets. As someone accustomed to being in the audience, I saw the stage as a somewhat distant place. Now I have learned firsthand that nothing is as thrilling and rewarding as the audible crowd response heard from the spotlight. It was more than affirmation and validation. It was the connection, the vulnerability, the release that comes with allowing a group of strangers into the locked-up, shameful dungeons…