Author: Grocott's Mail Contributors

In a special Ad Clerum (letter to the diocese) issued last week, the Right Reverend Ebenezer Ntlali, stated that the Diocese of Grahamstown totally rejects such behaviour, as it is against everything Christians are called to be. The Bishop called on all parishes in the Anglican diocese to pause during church services last Sunday, to focus on God’s commandment to love; to remember all people who have died through senseless acts of violence; to pray for their families and loved ones who mourn and suffer; and to pray for God’s peace and love in our communities. These horrendously inhuman acts of rape…

By LINDA DYANI The vision of Albany Museum is “to become a museum that is an integral part of the community, contributing to the process of nation building by nurturing a society that is aware of the value of its past, and is constructively engaged in the present to create a better future”. It is against this vision that from time to time the museum is required to go down memory lane and explore the past in order to create a better future for all the citizens of Makhanda and the entire nation, whether it is through exhibitions or talks. The goal is to…

Dear Residents On 31 August, Makana Municipality submitted it’s 2018/19 Annual Financial Statements to the Auditor General of South Africa on 31 August 2019 in accordance with section 122 and 126 of the Municipal Finance Management Act (Act No. 56 of 2003). The financial results for the current year depicts a significant improvements when compared to the previous year. However, there are still huge backlogs of debt and service delivery challenges that need to be addressed. Topping the list achievements is the fact that municipality has overturn a deficit of R40.3 million in the 2017/18 financial year to a surplus…

By SIPHIWE YUZE Do the terms child custody and access sound familiar? These terms were used in any situation regarding children. These terms were replaced in the Children’s Act of 2005 with the terms ‘care’ and ‘contact’ (respectively). The Children’s Act is an important piece of legislation; it governs the laws relating to the care, contact and the protection of children. The best interests of the child is a constitutional right of every child. In all matters concerning a child, the best interests of the child is paramount. Best interests of the child includes but is not limited to: the…

By CHESLEY DANIELS Lily White dominated at the Oval on Saturday 7 September, trouncing Wanderers 55-7. The Blues, as Lily White are known, enjoyed a 41-0 lead at halftime. This was the final round of games of the Eastern Province Rugby Union SEDRU Regional League – and it went down to the wire. Old Collegians had been the log leaders on 60 points and with Lily White at a close 58, last Saturday’s match was a must win for the Blues who are now league champions. The Lily Whites’ speedy back line players scored eight of the team’s nine tries,…

Dean’s Letter – The State of the Nation The cruel and terrible rape and murder of Uyinene Mrwetyana, a UCT first-year student, has shaken us all to the core. We are a nation in mourning and rage, horror and despair. Her death at the hands of a member of our civil service, in the middle of the day, in a suburban post office, has come to represent so much of what is wrong with our country, our society: a man with a criminal record, using his position to lure a young woman into his government office, his place of employment,…

NguCHRIS TOTOBELA Iye yalala inkomo isengwa kwiqela lesizwe lalapha ekhaya iBanyana Banyana. Aphanzile amalinge eliqela okuzama uzibekela indawo kwimidlalo yeeOlympics ezakubanjelwa eTokyo kulonyaka uzayo. IBanyana Banyana idlale ngokulingana neqela laseBotswana ngeqanda macala kumlenze wesibini obubanjelwe kwandonga ziyaduma eGoli. Kumlenze wokuqala owawubanjelwe eBotswana yabayinkwa nenkwa phakathi kwalamaqela mabini. Kuye kwanyanzeleka ukuba ohlulwe ngeepenaliti lamaqela kulo wesibini umlenze, nalapho iBotswana iye yaphumelela yaze ngokwenza njalo yazibeka ethubeni lokuba iye kumlenze olandelayo wokuhluzela lemidlalo. Umqeqeshi weBanyana Banyana uDesiree Ellis uthe akulahlwa mbeleko ngakufelwa kwaye oku kube lilishwa nje eliye lehle nakulo naliphina iqela. Uthe bazakubuyela kwiqonga labo lokuceba iqhinga elilandelayo nalapho khona bazakuhlahla…

Dear Residents Today we present the last part of the Kagiso Trust support to the municipality, namely community engagement.  Kagiso Trust contracted Grounded Media to conduct research on Makana’s communication challenges and to also develop an integrated communication strategy. The research found that clear, open and consistent communication between the municipality and its communities remain the biggest challenge.   It also found that the absence of a communication strategy leads to critical information not getting to stakeholders on time which leads to frustration. This is due to the fact that there are only 2 officials responsible for communication and they are…

By TLAMELO M MOTHUDI On Sunday 4 August 2019, I was woken up to news that a young woman in Makhanda was reported to have survived a rape. Chapter 2, section 3 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 32 of 2007 defines rape as the unlawful and intentional act of sexual penetration towards a complainant, without their consent. The survivor, numb with the trauma that had been forced upon her body, was taken to Settlers Hospital at 4am for medical assistance and to have a rape kit 1 administered. Upon arrival at the hospital, a…

Life insurance, together with associated benefits such as disability cover and dread disease cover, is not a comfortable subject to discuss and is often referred to as a grudge purchase. However, these benefits are often the very foundation upon which a sound financial plan is built. Most of us are aware that we need either life, disability or dread disease cover or a combination thereof, but we often procrastinate until a devastating event occurs, but then it is sometimes too late to qualify for cover. It is especially important to have life insurance if you have debt such as a…