Author: Grocott's Mail Contributors

By ASHLEY WESTAWAY Makhanda schools have bounced back from the disappointing results of 2019 in style and in the process recorded a collective pass rate of 80% for the first time in the city’s history. Whereas both the national and provincial pass rates declined significantly, the city bucked this trend to post an improvement of just over 4 percentage points. To be specific, the national pass rate declined from 81% in 2019 to 76% in 2020 (5 percentage points) and the Eastern Cape from 77% to 68% (9 percentage points), but Makhanda improved from 76% to 80%. This is a…

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has announced dates for social grants payments in March, and cautions against fake news circulating on social media. Social grants for the month of March will begin on Wednesday 3 March for old age and Thursday 4 March for disability grants, while child support, foster and care dependency grants will be paid from Friday 5 March 2021, SASSA announced today. Payments at cash paypoints will begin on 8 March 2020. “The Agency would like to appeal to all social grant beneficiaries to be wary and vigilant of the misleading information in the social…

“My wish for the youth who sit idle at home or on the streets is to receive a chance like I did, to learn how to play golf and receive training from experienced golfers so they can change their lives for the better,” says Belmont Golf Club Caddie Master, Bongani Nkohla. Makana Tourism’s first ever golf tournament, The Makana Sunshine 2 Day Golf Classic, is set to provide a launching pad for other aspirational caddies and golfers. It will be raising funds for the Belmont Caddie Academy and the Royal Port Alfred’s equivalent with the help of golf enthusiasts, who…

Jesus Christ did not walk on the Earth to merely to bring some heartwarming moral teachings. He came to inaugurate His kingdom. The heart of His message was always the Gospel of kingdom of God, which is basically the good news that God has not abandoned us to our devices, but is breaking in to this world. We see Jesus teaching His disciples to seek first the kingdom of God, to make sure that they are instep with God. The kingdom is basically the King’s domain. Wherever God’s will and ways are lived out, you will find the kingdom of…

The Rotary Club of Grahamstown Sunset handed over in excess of R61 000 to the Makhanda Circle of Unity this week, to be used for the community kitchens that have been operating since the start of lockdown. The handover took place at the home of Dianne Oosthuizen at the top end of Currie Street, where a long queue of bemasked children waited patiently in the heat to collect their meal of rice, soya mince and carrots. It was humbling to see the gratitude and disciplined behaviour of the children, who promptly sat down on the lawn to eat, many bowing…

By JULIAN JACOBS The Makhanda Circle of Unity (MCoU), an apolitical, multi-stakeholder civil society coalition, welcomes Mr. Sisesakhe Ntlabezo, as the newly appointed Programme Manager to drive a novel collaborative pact for the advancement of the city’s socio-economic interest. Born in Komani, formerly known as Queenstown, Mr Ntlabezo studied at Rhodes University, where he acquired a Bachelor of Arts with Honours degree in Industrial and Economic Sociology. After studying, he worked briefly in Makhanda before joining Equal Education (EE) in March 2017. In December 2017, he was promoted to the position of Chief of Staff at EE, where he provided…

Makhanda’s independent schools have been up and running for some four weeks already and we asked  principals about the start of their year. Positive energy Kingswood College – College Head Colleen Vassiliou Our pupils are delighted to be back with their friends on campus and to return to some semblance of normalcy. Our Kingswood staff are energised and while parents are cautious, they are supportive of the steps we have taken to safeguard their sons and daughters. There has been a really positive energy on campus. Hopes for 2021? This year we wish to depart from a point of gratitude. …

Makhanda high schools had their own challenges at the start of the new school year. Emotional wellbeing as the effects of Covid-19 and the lockdown sweep through communities and a return to some kind of structure and routine are high on the lists of principals’ priorities.  Seven Grade 8 classes Kutliso Daniels “I don’t know where all these learners are coming from,” said Radio Mcuba, Principal of Kutliso Daniels Secondary School. Across the country there has been a huge influx at the start of primary and high school. Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga in her address last Sunday said 16…

Young people these days are far more conscious about the health of the environment and the wellbeing of the planet than previous generations. One would therefore expect them to be more health conscious in their personal lives and less likely to spend their money on a potentially addictive activity such as smoking.  Unfortunately, this does not appear to be the case.  There are still vast numbers of young people smoking on campuses, in the streets and in the many watering holes in and around our towns and cities. When people start smoking it is unlikely that they are aware of…

Hagar, the Egyptian servant of Abraham and Sarah, is ill-treated by Sarah following her conception of Ishmael. Running away into the wilderness, Hagar has a most unlikely encounter with the angel of the Lord, recorded in Genesis 16. It is from this encounter that we get one of the names of God. Hagar’s depiction of God is El Roi, which literally means ‘the God who sees’. At this meeting, God blesses Hagar and declares that her offspring will become a great nation. In running away from her pain, God also redirects her back to Abraham and Sarah, and she returns.…