Author: Grocott's Mail Contributors

Hope, a simple four-letter word that can either make or literally break us. Several years ago researchers performed an experiment to see the effect hope has on those undergoing hardship. Two sets of laboratory rats were placed in separate tubs of water. The researchers left one set in the water and found that within an hour they had all drowned. The other rats were periodically lifted out of the water and then returned. When that happened, the second set of rats swam for over 24 hours. Why? Not because they were given a rest, but because they suddenly had hope!…

By ZONGEZILE MATSHOBA Lockdown Level 4 did not stop the arts festival, and could not deter Amazwi South African Museum of Literature from launching an avalanche of books. Amazwi, known throughout South Africa for hosting book launches, had a full line-up from 8 to 18 July 2021.  Authors who launched and read pieces from their books are:  Liz Gowans – Butterfly Bones (poetry) Nisi Daniels – Washing My Yellow Bones (novel) Dr Amitabh Mitra – Anarchy and the Sea (poetry) Jeannie McKeown – Fall Awake (poetry) Dan Wylie – The Flight of a Bat (novel) Kyle Allan, editor of the…

Don’t keep quiet: there are many ways to act against sexual misconduct that you witness, writes BANATHI MGQOBOKA The act of bystanding during occurrences of sexual misconduct towards women and girls is a deeply problematic social issue. Acts of sexual misconduct which imply harassment, violence, assault or abuse are at a growing in South Africa. Between January and March of 2021, 12 133 sexual offence cases were reported as reflected in the fourth quarter 2020/2021 South African Police Service (SAPS) Crime Statistics. Within this tracking, the Eastern Cape alone recorded 2 024 cases. These sexual offence cases are explained by…

#Your Tax Matters This year, SARS launched the first ever completely virtual Individual Filing Season on 1 July. With branches closed for physical walk-ins until 16 August (this date will be confirmed closer to the time) due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases, SARS has added more features to its digital and online offerings to help taxpayers who may have wanted to come to a branch. Virtual appointments: eBookings can now be made for a video or telephonic appointment and one of our skilled agents will call taxpayers back. There are various ways in which you can do this:…

Outgoing President Javier Martin presented Makhanda resident Helen Holleman with a Paul Harris award at the Rotary Club of Grahamstown Sunset’s Induction and Charter function on 26 June. The award was in recognition of her work cleaning up local rivers. The following is an extract from the award citation. Helen has started an organisation called River Rescue – Uthando womlambo  – which means ‘to love rivers’. Early last year, she began by showing up with a helper or two to clean up the little rivers and ‘driffies’ in Jarvis Street, Evans Street and other areas where there are springs. Often you…

MBULELO DAUSE explains the right to fair, just and reasonable terms and conditions as set out in the Consumer Act, sections 48-52. Zoleka enters into a lay-by agreement with a furniture shop for the purchase of a four-piece couch, valued at R5 000, payable over a period of six months. After concluding the agreement, Zoleka receives a receipt from the shop. On the back is written “no cancellations, no cash refunds, no returns and no exchange”. Zoleka is also required to surrender her identity card to the shop to motivate her to pay. After being hospitalised due to a car…

Why was it so cold last week? Ian Meiklejohn explains. Much of South Africa experienced record or near-record low temperatures between 20 and 25 July 2021. Why was this the case? To understand it fully, we need to examine the normal weather systems in southern Africa. The most direct sun’s rays strike the earth near the equator. The actual position moves north or south, depending on the season. The air near the equator is warmer than that at higher latitudes; it rises and moves towards the poles. When this air cools, it begins to sink at about 30° latitude. That…

The Amazwi South African Museum of Literature is saddened to hear of the passing of the former South Africa minister of Arts and Culture, Dr Ben Ngubane, in the early hours of 12 July 2021. A University of Natal-trained medical doctor and career politician (now UKZN), Ngubane served two tenures as Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology (later Minister of Arts and Culture) from 1994-1996 and 1999-2004. In the intervening years, Ngubane served as Premier of the KwaZulu-Natal Province and later went on to serve as South Africa’s Ambassador to Japan (2004-2008). On January 24, 2000, during his second tenure…

The National Department of Forestry, Fishery and the Environment’s Working on Fire firefighters from Eastern Cape continue to be on the high alert. Since the start of the winter fire season, firefighters across the province have been very busy, dispatched to suppress fires in different areas throughout both the eastern and western parts of the province. More than 50 fires were attended since June 2021 which is the start of the winter fire season, with several fires that continued for more than a day. In June, 46 fires were suppressed with an estimated 4797 hectares burnt and 40.98 hours flown…

Saving during the last few years of your working life could be vital for your pension. Many people are tempted to retire early with the view to enjoying life whilst they are still young. As is the case with most temptations, retiring early comes at a cost. For most people, the cost of retiring five or 10 years earlier than their normal retirement age will have a huge impact on their ability to enjoy a financially secure retirement. The principle of compound interest has a tremendous impact on the final value of your retirement fund. This, together with the likelihood…