Author: Grocott's Mail Contributors

KEVIN ABRAHAM’S “10 STRINGS AND A BOX” After a sold out 2017 season, with the “Folkify” project in The Eastern Cape, The Garden Route, and Cape Town, [and a full house at Saints in Grahamstown], singer- guitarist Kevin Abraham returns with an updated live show, “10 Strings and a Box”.  Using a collaboration of guitar, violin and percussion, along with fine vocals and engaging story-telling… Kevin delivers a stimulating mix of original songs, plus acoustic interpretations of some great older stuff. Rhodes Honours student, Rain Abraham, will be opening the show with some well-known acoustic favourites. Kevin Abraham is a…

The poet praises South Africa’s first black Nelson R. Mandela. It’s an appreciation of the contribution he made to the lives of New South Africans during his life including the 27 years at Robben Island. The poet does is aware that  Mandela would be 100 years old on 18 July, 2018. Nanko umntwana wenu bahlali ngowase Joza Aha! Tat’uMandela! Fafandini lakwa Sopitsho,ncumo ndini olugoso. Mazinyo amahle ingathi ngawe mboleko, Kwi siqithi sase Robin Island wahlala entolongweni. Iminyaka engamashumi amabini anesixhenxe, Uqamela ngenqindi imihla nezolo. Kuba ucinga ngesizwe sako wethu, Ukuze namhlanje sikhululeke. Sikhululekile ke Nyana ndini ka Nkosi uMphakanyiswa, Mzukulwana ndini…

Clive Barker is South Africa’s most successful national football coach post-1994. He led the national football team in its first and only African Cup of Nations victory in 1996 before coaching Bafana Bafana to World Cup qualification in 1998. He also enjoyed great success with football teams Durban City, Bushbucks and Amazulu in league and cup competitions. Coach: The life and soccer times of Clive Barker is not only an in-depth look at Clive Barker the coach, but also gives insight into Clive Barker the man, the husband, the father and the patriot, who helped shape legends in South African football by working with and coaching talent in…

Dogs and Cats must be must be de-wormed every 1 to 3 months depending on their lifestyle. Worm eggs can be picked up from other animals and the outdoors and can cause your pet to lose weight, have diarrhoea or other health problems.  Contact your vet to discuss your pet’s individual needs. For more information and or advice on animal care, please do not hesitate to contact the Grahamstown SPCA or one of the friendly vets in town. Grahamstown Veterinary Practice on Fitzroy Street, Tel: 046 622 6743 Ikhala Veterinary Practice on Strowan Road, Tel: 046 622 3261 The State…

With festival upon us, please see our advice below to keep your animals safe from the effects of Fireworks during this festival period using our handy advice points below: Ensure all animals have identification. If possible, stay home with them if you suspect fireworks fiends are about. If you can’t be home with them, keep the pets inside and preferably in a room such as the kitchen where  windows are higher (and more difficult to jump through) Attempt to mask any noise by drawing curtains and playing calming music at a reasonable volume. Put familiar and comforting things around them…

Six of St Andrew’s College’s hockey sides travelled to Woodridge College on Saturday 14 July, to play in Port Elizabeth’s freezing, wet weather. Despite the conditions, both colleges showed a positive attitude and gave of their best in their matches. The U16 D had a close encounter with Woodridge U16 C, and scored the equaliser in the second half, after some excellent interplay between Mfundi Leta and Neil Karimba. The St Andrew’s U14 A side had another excellent win, while their U16 C team beat the Woodridge U16 B team. Murray Campbell, Taine Hartzenberg and Tom Harper all made valuable…

Woodridge College and Preparatory schools travelled to Grahamstown on Saturday 14 July to take part in the annual winter sports derby between the two schools. With 18 hockey and 15 netball fixtures played from U10 through to U18 levels, it was a very busy day at Diocesan School for Girls. The day was a cold and wintery affair, but thankfully the rain held off long enough to get all the netball fixtures played, with only the last couple of hockey matches battling through the elements. On the results front, DSG dominated the majority of the fixtures, winning six of the…

Once again there has been an accident at the junction of the road exiting  Grahamstown  where it meets the N2. Cars speeding along the N2 seem unaware of traffic  joining the road from this spot. Traffic lights would be the answer but I understand that these are not put on main roads,  although Worcester in the Cape. has two such sets of lights. At the very least warning signs could be put on the N2 on the approach into Grahamstown. I am appealing to the local traffic Department to have discussions with the National Roads Department  and to take urgent…

This well-known narcotic plant is an annual herb that grows up to four metres in height. It’s originated from Central Asia and spread all over the world. Xhosa people calls it Umya, Intsango, Icuba laBathwa and the legendary Reggae group the Culture calls it International Herb through a song. Some of the lyrics goes like this: Its good for meditation man (the international herb) And it was way from creation man (the international herb) Even the doctors knows about it too (the international herb) Scientists they knows about it man (the international herb) Take a draw and don't you doubt it…