Author: Grocott's Mail Contributors

Martiens Pokbas, one of the Trust Members of St Marks Methodist Church in Alicedale, personally knows Matthys Du Plessis who is one of the co-owners of Pakamiza Trading. After consultation with the other Trust Members – Amin Williams (Chairperson), John Alexander, Donovan Bruintjies and Herbert Bruintjies, they have decided to approached Du Plessis for a sponsor for the Church. Pakamiza Trading did not hesitate in sponsoring the Church with the following equipment: 1.     2 x 15inch speakers = R9000.00 2.    12inch amp                = R8000.00 3.    Keyboard                   = R8000.00 4.     Cordless mic             = R4000.00 5.    Lapel mic                   = R3600.00 6.    Aircon fan                  = R9000.00 Total  = R41600.00 On…

Over the weekend of 1-3 March, Kingswood College played host to the annual U15 A Water Polo Shield tournament, involving schools from all over the Eastern Cape. Schools such as Grey High (PE), Pearson, Woodridge, Alex Road, Glenwood House, York as well as an Albany Invitational team all descended on Kingswood’s pool for the Shield tournament. After a tentative beginning to the boys’ water polo season there was a little bit of uncertainty as to how Kingswood would perform as hosts of the tournament. These doubts were quickly extinguished in the first game against Pearson, where Kingswood played a phenomenal…

James Lawrence is no stranger to feats of ultra-endurance. Known as the Iron Cowboy, Lawrence hails from Calgary, Canada, and holds the world record for the most IRONMAN distance triathlons completed in a calendar year – fifty. Not only did he complete those fifty IRONMAN triathlons in a single year, but he did them back-to-back! In 2015 Lawrence completed fifty IRONMAN distance triathlons, over fifty consecutive days; completing one in each of the United States of America’s fifty states. The feat earned him the nickname, Iron Cowboy. After that the Absa Cape Epic should be easy, right? “Oh man I…

Kingswood College hosted Pearson First team in Kingswood’s final cricket match of the season on Saturday 2 March. Kingswood won the toss opted to bowl first and soon had Pearson under pressure at 24/3. Pearson played well from there and Kingswood missed a few chances that would have allowed them to possibly wrap up the innings sooner then they eventually did. Pearson batted for 72 overs before they were bowled out for 189 runs. Josh von Holdt (4/43) was outstanding again with the ball for Kingswood; he was well supported by Michael Fourie (3/19). In reply, Kingswood had 40 overs left…

The final days play of the Eastern Areas (EA) league took place at the Albany Bowling club in Makhanda (Grahamstown) on Sunday 3 March. In the ladies league, Makhanda went into the final day with a slender two point lead, which they managed to hold on to, to take the title and the pennant which can now proudly hang in their clubhouse. In the men’s first league, Kowie, who shared the points five-all against Kenton in the first round, bounced back the next weekend with a very good 8-2 win against defending champions Albany.  The following weekend, making full use…

By: MZWANELE SIBANDA and STEPHEN KISBEY-GREEN The FNB Varsity Shield came to Makhanda (Grahamstown) for the first time in 2019, when Rhodes University hosted Walter Sisulu University (WSU) in their first of two home matches of the season. The stage was set on Rhodes’ Great Field for an epic clash between the two rivals on Monday 4 March. Rhodes put up a great effort against a formidable WSU side. The first half of the game was very intense as nothing separated the two sides going into half time. The Rhodes rugby supporters cheered on the Stallions as they edged nearer…

The past weekend saw many of South Africa’s most prestigious cricket-playing preparatory schools converge on Kingswood College’s campus for the 2019 Prep Schools Cricket Festival. The regular schools all took part, namely Highbury, Merchiston, The Ridge, St John’s, St Stithian’s, St Andrew’s Prep, Western Province Prep, Clifton, Cordwalles and the hosts Kingswood. In celebration of Kingswood’s 125th year anniversary, Graeme College and Ruzawi (Zimbabwe) we also invited for 2019. Throughout the festival, every team got to play three fixtures – a declaration match; a 50 over match and a T20 match. It was great seeing how the schools all approached…

Ngu: Dudu Saki The poem is about HOPE. According to the imbongi, hope is what sustains us even when we look at our circumstances and find that they are contrary to what we’re going through. Please read and be encouraged. Ithemba Camagwini mabandla ase Makhanda. Ngumsobomvu owandulel’ ilanga emva kwesithoko-thoko esingenanyanga Ngumnyama emva kwesichotho Yinzolo emva koqhwithel’ olumandla Yintsholo yeentaka zibulel’ Ophezukonke Zizingqi zamadoda ngentseni esiya kuxelengel’ inyama Yintliziyo exhuma-xhuma kwisifuba esifumbeth’ uthando ithemba Ngumbulelo usakusindlekwa ngobubele Yintong’ asekhosi kwabathokombisileyo Yinkwenkwezi esemaNtla, isikhokelo kubahambi Lilitha elikukhanyisela sewukwabhadakazi Yingoma ezingileyo usawucand’ iintsunguzi Ngumthuthuzeli okumbhambhazela ngoyolo Ngumfudumezi kumaqhwa angenanceba Ngumondolozi usakufulathelwa zizihlobo…

Five remarkable individuals will be honoured with Honorary Doctorates by Rhodes University during its 2019 annual graduation ceremonies between 11 and 13 April. Professor Emeritus George Ellis, Professor Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, Professor Glenda Gray, and Professor Ian Scott will each be conferred with a Doctor of Laws (LLD) (hc), while Chief Nike Okundaye-Davies will receive a Doctor of Fine Arts (DFA) (hc). Professor Ellis, an internationally-renowned academic, researcher and author, will be honoured for his stellar scholarly contributions in general relativity, cosmology, theoretical physics, and policy. He has authored and co-authored 16 books, including the book The Large Scale Structure of…

Five cyclists left their daily occupation to embark on a 12-day cycle tour in an effort to raise funds and create awareness against child abuse. The extreme cycle tour kickstarted on 27 February 2019 in Johannesburg and is expected to end on 10 March 2019 in Cape Town, after covering a distance of 1009 kilometres. Two members from the five-men team of cyclists have been recruited from within the ranks of SAPS. Colonel Andre Van Rooyen from Graaff-Reinet SAPS Training Academy and Warrant Officer Gert Jonker from Saldanha Bay are part of the 1009km tour from Johannesburg to Cape Town…