By: CHRIS TOTOBELA Over the past week, the country mourned the passing of one of South Africa’s football legends, Philemon “Chippa” Masinga. The Bafana Bafana legend was admitted in hospital in December but finally succumbed to cancer related illness on Sunday 13 January. Masinga started off at Jomo Cosmos and moved to Sundowns before making a dream move to Leeds united in the United Kingdom where he played alongside his Bafana team mate Lucas Radebe. He also played in Italy and Qatar before hanging up his boots in 2002. He scored a memorable goal that booked Bafana Bafana a place in…
Author: Grocott's Mail Reporters
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By SUE MACLENNAN and AZLAN MAKALIMA “We are grateful that we have a learner who is a top achiever and that our results are amazing,” Ntsika Secondary School principal Madeleine Schoeman told Grocott’s Mail as excited matrics flocked to the school to collect their results on Friday 4 January. Victoria Girls’ High remained the top school in the district with a 100% pass rate, closely followed by Graeme College at 96.87%, then Ntsika Secondary (84.94) in the 2018 National Senior Certificate exams. With the biggest Matric 2018 class among local public schools (127 resulted), at 101, Nombulelo Secondary School also…
By: CHRIS TOTOBELA The stage is set for the 3.30pm final of the 2018 New Year’s Cup at JD Dlephu Stadium, with a feast of soccer starting at 9am on 31 December 2018. The tournament started with a big upset when two-time defending champions Makana Rhini United (MARU) were tossed out in the first round, together with last year’s runners up, Queenstown side Amavarara. In this year’s final, the only surviving Makhanda (Grahamstown) side, Grahamstown United, will take on Addo Academy which boasts five of the players who helped MARU win the cup last year. Grahamstown United has bolstered their…
By: CHRIS TOTOBELA The New Year’s Cup 2018 continued on Christmas day (25 December) with the last two quarter final games taking place at a packed JD Dlepu stadium. Zwide Pirates proved to be too strong for Bathurst City tigers as they defeated them by three unanswered goals and proceeded to the semi finals. In the highly anticipated second game, Addo Academy took on Amavarara from Queenstown. The game started well with both teams trying to gain an early advantage, but it was Amavarara who dominated the midfield battle. Addo opened the scoring in the early stages of the first half…
By: CHRIS TOTOBELA In the first of four quarter final games as part of the 2018 New Year’s Cup, Grahamstown United marched on to the semi final with a 5-4 penalties victory over Amakhuze Royals after both teams failed to find the back of the net in regulation time. The Christmas Eve (24 December) encounter took place at JD Dlepu stadium. In the second quarter final game, Manyora FC from Gauteng locked horns with Newbrighton Academy in a very closely contested game. Both teams threw everything at each other, keeping the fans on the edge of their seats. Manyora took…
By: CHRIS TOTOBELA Only one local side is left in this year’s edition of the New Year’s Cup. Grahamstown United is the only team from Makhanda (Grahamstown) left in the competition at this stage, having recently qualified for the quarter finals. The defending champions, Maru, suffered a major shock when they were knocked out in the group stages, together with Jacaranda Aces, Mighty Chiefs, Newseekers, Santos and City Pirates. On Saturday 22 December, Sakhulutsha were thrashed 4-0 by Zwide Pirates from Port Elizabeth, after a good start to the game. The home side seemed to struggle with the pace of the…
It has been another challenging year for Makhanda: paralysed public services, a compromised water supply, proliferating potholes, rivers of sewage, mountains of garbage, toxic dump fires, and threats from Eskom to turn off our power. But, as can be seen from the pictures on these pages, we are a city of active citizens, and there is much to build upon for the year ahead. Grocott’s Mail wishes all our readers a restful and peaceful festive season.
By: CHRIS TOTABELA As the local football clubs gear up for the third edition of the New year’s cup, a major club has is a notable omission from this year’s preparations. Makhanda will be represented in the 2018 New Year’s Cup by Santos, Newseekers, City Pirates, Grahamstown United, Jacaranda Aces, Sakhulutsha, Mighty Chiefs and Maru. The notable absentee is Eleven Attackers, who command a huge following, especially in Joza where they really made their mark in Makhanda’s football history. Attackers is one of the most successful sides in Makhanda, making it even more surprising to see them not be a…
By: CHRIS TOTOBELA Saturday 1 December will likely be one Saturday that the Sophia Stars team will remember and cherish for years to come, as they were crowned both the U13 and U15 Makana LFA League champions. Sophia Stars have become one of the most feared teams in local junior football. The under 13’s had a very good season, losing just one game to Sakhulutsha in the entire season. The u15s have have also enjoyed an excellent season as they finished their campaign without a single defeat. Makana LFA league co-ordinator for juniors, Akhona Heshu handed over trophies to the winners…
NguCHRIS TOTOBELA Ide yafika imini ebikade ixelwa nanjengoko amaqela alapha ekhaya ekuphela kwawo adlala kwi-league yeSAB ebegagene. Ingqatsini yelanga langoMgqibelo ayilithintelanga eloqaqobana labalandeli ebeliyongqina kulomdlalo. IMaru ibihlinzeke abakhaya babo iCity Pirates kumdlalo ububanjelwe kwibala iKings Field eRhodes. Umdlalo uqale kakuhle, omabini lamaqela ezama ukucinezela efuna nokulawula umdlalo. Kwimizuzwana elishumi elinesihlanu yokuqala, iCity Pirates ibonakele iwulawula lomdlalo esazulwini sebala kodwa ayikwazanga ukuvuna nto kwinqwaba yamathuba ewafumeneyo kwaye nonozinti weMaru ebethe qwa ezipalini engahleki nanye ehlekisayo. Udonga lwangasemva lwePirates lubonakele luhexa lungena kuzinza. Akothusanga mntu ukubona iMaru isophisa kuqala ngelihle lona inqaku elifakwe nguInga Madyo emva kwempazamo eyenziwe ngunozinti wePirates ephuncula ibhola…