Author: Grocott's Mail Contributors

by JUDITH REYNOLDS Last year I wrote a series of pieces for breast cancer awareness month where I described some of my experiences of being diagnosed with and treated for breast cancer. This year I will be writing about cancer again during the month of October but I am shifting the focus this time to cancer prevention. Although the specific cancer I had was breast cancer, I will be writing about preventing cancers rather than any specific type of cancer. And the same things that help to prevent cancer can also help reduce the chances of cancer recurrence for people…

By CHESLEY DANIELS The Rhodes University 1st XI cricket side got off to a perfect start to their Grahamstown Cricket Board’s (GCB) 1st League. Last weekend saw the students record two impressive wins on Saturday and Sunday respectively. 1st League Rhodes vs Manleys Flats (Saturday) Rhodes hosted Manley’s Flats at the Prospect Field on Saturday and managed to pull off a fantastic 24-run win. Rhodes batted first and scored a defendable 204 runs (48.4 overs) and managed to bowled Manleys out for 180 (40.1). Ryan Harley (52), captain David Blenkinsop (29) and Matthew Menear stars with the bat for Rhodes.…

By CATHERINE PARKINSON Grahamstown parkrun celebrated five years of running on Saturday, 28 September. The first parkrun in Grahamstown took place on 27 September 2014. parkrun is a free weekly 5 kilometre run that takes place every Saturday at 8:00. It runs (excuse the pun) solely on the generosity and dedication of volunteers.  Nicola Brown, Event Director, founded the Grahamstown run, with Catherine Parkinson, Sally Price-Smith and Lindsay Webber as the original four Run Directors. The team has changed and grown significantly in the five years into a diverse and energetic group. This year, the birthday run was the route…

Dear Residents During March 2019, Eskom issued a public notice of intention to disrupt the electricity supply to Makana Municipality with effect from 2 April 2019 due to non-payment. Local stakeholders then initiated legal proceedings against Eskom and the municipality among other respondents to prevent the disruption of electricity supply, as it would negatively affect the business economy and livelihoods of our residents. The Grahamstown High Court on 28 March 2019 issued an order that the disruption be held in abeyance until 6 June 2019 on the condition that the National Treasury and Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs…

Rhodes University will fund a Programme Manager to drive an ambitious turnaround plan for Makhanda. This follows a groundbreaking imbizo earlier this year, where representatives of local institutions and organisations resolved to join forces in fixing the city. At a follow-up meeting this month, Rhodes University Vice Chancellor Dr Siizwe Mabizela said, “On 30 July, we gathered at Rhodes University as important role players in Makhanda, to explore the role that we, as significant members of our civil society, might play in reimagining the future of our city and its residents. If we do not take charge of our destiny,…

Dear Residents Last week, the MEC for Human Settlements, Ms Nonkqubela Pieters visited Makana Municipality. The purpose of her visit was twofold. First, the MEC came to hand over a house to the family of the late Nonzima Lizzie Magamle. Ms Magamle passed away on 8 June 2019 at the age of 105, leaving behind her three children. Although she was allocated an erf number, her house was never built. Ms Magamle’s plight was highlighted by one of her grandchildren through social media. Her story was picked up by a Daily Dispatch journalist who published it. At the time of…

Over three years have passed since the residents of Currie Street awoke to the scene of a hit and run. The bodies of two male adolescents were found motionless in the street. The impact of the highspeed motor vehicle had left one of the families without a son, brother and friend. Ashlin Moolman lost his life in the early hours of 19 September 2015. Survivor, Curt Cannon, was able to be recovered from the scene and taken to hospital where they treated him for several injuries. Both families were severely affected by the trauma of this incident. Being one of Moolman’s…

The poem is to say good bye to the heritage moth September. According to the poet it was supposed to bring peace of mind but it left us with so much grief. Mawethu nomntana wakwaNobanda sithi kwanga ukubuya kwakhe anga negalelo elilungileyo kolunye ulutsha. Bazali bakhe imithandazo iyaphendulwa bonanje Ngendiku bethel’uhadi ndithi halalala! Ngendikuhlabelela umrhubhe Ndenz’intsholo yengoma ngawe Ndikuqhwabel’izandla ngokuzilekese Ndiku ncumele ngathi usiphethele okuhle Sala kakuhle nyanga yamagugu Ube mbi kuthi nyangandini Uthe ufika sabe silila sathi sisa jongile Gqabhu gqi izihelegu Ezilandelwa bubuxelegu bobuhagu Izihlahlambisi zezithunywa zobubi Ezingena lusini nakose beleni Sizile kakhulu ngawe nyangandini Ulilile umzali ngawe…

Xenophobia in South Africa: What needs to be done and who should be held accountable? Yet again, South Africa is experiencing xenophobic incidents and attacks. The Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM) have previously spoken out against xenophobia and called upon leaders in communities, government and law enforcement to take action to address this menace within our society On 4 September 2019 the African National Congress (ANC) secretary general, Ace Magashule unconvincingly claimed that recent incidents were not acts of xenophobia, but rather criminality. The founding fathers of the ANC would surely disagree with Magashule’s evasive stance, mindful of the increased…

By ASHLEY WESTAWAY Nicci Hayes took the reins at Nombulelo in late 2015, with the school on its knees. She leaves it four years later, at the end of 2019, with it galloping gallantly to the finishing post. The jockey and horse analogy may have its limitations in this context but it does underlie the incontestable truth that principals are fundamental to the fortunes of schools. This is particularly pertinent in the case of no-fee schools because unlike well-resourced schools, they cannot draw on powerful alumni networks, a proactive parent body, reserves and endowments to take corrective action or to…