Author: Grocott's Mail Contributors

By: CHRIS TOTOBELA The weekend of 21-22 April was a very good weekend for local football fans at the JD Dlepu stadium. There were several games on show throughout the weekend, from both the Makana LFA and SAB Regional League, with every match producing some thrilling soccer action. On Saturday, Newseekers defeated Joza Callies in their Makana LFA clash by 3-1, while Sakhulutsha and Eleven Attackers played a goalless draw in the local derby of SAB regional league. On Sunday Santos came back from 1-3 to level the score against Newtown City in their Makana LFA game which ended at 3-3. In…

Name: Zantedeschia aethiopica (L.) Spreng. Family: Araceae (Arum family) Common names: English: Arum lily, Calla Lily, Egyptian Lily, Florist’s Calla, Garden Calla, Afrikaans:  Aronskelk, Hottentotsblare, Hottentotsbrood, Varkblaar, Varkblom, Varklelie, Varkoor Xhosa: Inyibaba Popular garden plant and cut-flower that tolerates snow. Description Evergreen or deciduous perennial, 60-100cm, often massed with plain green, arrow-shaped leaves, and a large, pure white floral spathe; the fruiting stems remaining erect. Flowers spathe, funnel-shaped, white, upper part withers, lower part turns green through the year, faintly scented. Root stock is a stout and fleshy rhizome. Leaves (about five) clasp at the base. Fruits are numerous on the…

Opuntia ficus-indica (Prickly pear) Walila mntwana Ehlanywa ngameva Ayingomeva yitolofiya That is the song my friends and I used to sing as we grew up in the village. Singing about the succulent Mexican invader with oval, flattish, green pads called cladodes, which grow out of each other to form a tree-like structure. Hard spines grow out of the sides of the cladodes. Flowers are large yellow to dark orange followed by greenish orange to purple, pear-shaped fruit covered in minute barbed bristles called glochids. This invader has found a home here in South Africa and when you are driving on…

It began with a simple question posed to a group of close friends. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

This year, 2018, will bring something to us which might cause a little bit of panic to a lot of people around the globe, and possibly some relief to parents – The World Health Organisation (WHO) is on its way to classifying being addicted to video games as a mental health disorder.

When getting a pet such as a cat or dog, know that it is a 10- to 15-year commitment. Some birds even live to 60 years. Ensure your house is pet friendly, fully fenced, have shelter for your pet and teach your dog where the shallow end of the pool is.  For more information or advice, please contact Grahamstown SPCA. Please remember for any animal related emergencies and or queries please contact the Grahamstown SPCA or one of the vets below: Grahamstown Veterinary Practice on Fitzroy Street, Tel: 046 622 6743 Ikhala Veterinary Practice on Strowan Road, Tel: 046 622…

There has been much debate in recent times in our town about the changing of names, from that of the town itself to Rhodes University. I do not hold a particular candle for either Colonel John Graham or Cecil Rhodes. They now hold little significance for the meaning of either town or University. But I would suggest that instead of wasting further debate and much expense on fiddling with the city’s or the University’s names, there is a much more glaring example of an unacceptable name in our midst that should be expunged as soon as possible. I am referring…

Compiled by Jenny Gon Local golf course development The authorisation for the proposed housing development located on the former Grahamstown golf course by DEDEAT in 2013 was contingent on an upgrade of the town’s waste water treatment works (WWTW), to be undertaken by the developer in partnership with the municipality. While, at the time, there was some skepticism as to the need for this large-scale housing development, the upgrading of Grahamstown’s WWTW was seen to be a positive spin-off that would have benefited the whole town. Environmental watchdogs have been ‘watching this space’. Five years down the line, the developer, LFDGT…

Several Grahamstown athletes and community members took part in the Ironman over the past weekend, while others took part in the Corporate Triathlon Challenge, which is a tenth of the distance of the Ironman. They all enjoyed the physical challenges and approached the races in Port Elizabeth with their full effort and enthusiasm. Here are just a few photos of the Grahamstown locals that took on the Ironman and Ironkids challenge:

Albany bowlers Andrew Sterley and Marlene Mitchener won the Eastern Province mixed pairs final at the Port Alfred bowling club last weekend. The pair had a very good start on Saturday morning (14 April) when they beat Hennie Slabbert and Dalena Muller who have not only won the EP finals before, but have won the SA National mixed pairs finals and came second on another occasion. They followed this up by beating another strong pairing of Eric Kent and Jenny Giles in the afternoon. Sunday morning dawned and they had to face F. van der Merwe and Riana Du Toit from Graaff-Reinet. Once…