By KATHRYN CLEARY AND STEVEN LANG Democratic Alliance party leader Mmusi Maimane addressed enthusiastic party supporters in Alexandria, Port Alfred and Makhanda on Thursday 3 October. At his first stop, Alexandria, Maimane was joined by Shadow MEC for Health, Jane Cowley and Frontier Constituency Leader, Kevin Mileham on an oversight inspection of Wentzel Park Clinic, which serves up to 200 people a week, with one visiting doctor. Staff at the tiny facility told Cowley their biggest issue was space: the waiting area could hardly hold 10 people. Cowley told Maimane about the Eastern Cape Department of Health’s failures, with a…
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By GEMMA RITCHIE After a severe surgery, scar tissue and the surrounding area is often sore and sensitive to pressure. Certain surgeries require ingenious solutions to prevent discomfort during the healing process. One such solution is being made right here in Makhanda. It is heart-shaped, colourful and in some instances can be tied around your shoulder. It is mastectomy cushion designed to keep pressure off healing scars after a mastectomy operation. Companies can charge anything from R200 to R600 for mastectomy cushions, and because of the high price, some sewing groups have begun making the cushions to donate to women…
By KAMVELIHLE NETJIES Exquisitely delicate shapes and colours embody a deep affinity with the sea and its creatures, in Jocelyn ‘Jos’ Wortley’s solo art exhibition, FRAGILE. The once-off pop-up exhibition is at 6pm on Monday 7 October in the Foyer of the Rhodes Zoology and Entomology Department in African Street. Wortley (then Mullins) went to DSG and Rhodes (BDram Hons) before moving to Joburg to work in film and television. There she became a senior editor in a leading post-production facility for the local film, documentary and corporate television industry and went on to form her own post-production company, jos-online…
NguCHRIS TOTOBELA Imozulu ebizole nasebukhweni bezinja kulempela veki esisuka kuyo inike ithuba lokuqhubekeka kwemidlalo yamakhwenkwana aselula. Kwabo baneminyaka engaphantsi kweshumi elinesithathu, iSakhulutsha ibhaxabule iJoza Callies ngamanqaku amane eqandeni logama yona iCity Pirates ibethe iFingo United ngamanqaku asixhenxe eqandeni. Komnye umdlalo iMaru ibethe iCameroon ngamanqaku amahlanu eqandeni, logama iAfrican Spears ibethe oomakoti iBlack Stars ngenqaku elinye eqandeni kumdlalo obunzima ngeyona ndlela. Onke la alandelayo amaqela aye anikwa onke amanqaku emva kokungafiki kwalawo ebezakudlala nawo. ISophia Stars, Golden Brothers, Young Eagles neLakhenathi. Kwimidlalo yabo baneminyaka engaphantsi kweshumi elinesihlanu, iCity Pirates ibhaxabule iFingo United ngamanqaku alishumi elinesine eqandeni, yaze nayo iSakhulutsha yabetha iJoza…
The proposed Grade 9 exit could be a game changer for vocational education, and South Africa’s economic development, writes Sive Madala Gumenge. The recent announcement by the Basic Education Minister Mam Angie Motshekga, that school learners could be certified to leave high school post Grade 9 if they need to venture into specialised occupations has caused a stir. Perhaps correctly so, because the basic public education landscape has not been the best and even Ministers themselves do not send their children to public schools. However, there is more to understand about the education landscape: its purpose in the development of…
By CHRIS TOTOBELA The Makana LFA pre-season tournament continued last Saturday with two games at JD Dlepu stadium. First up was SAB league outfit City Pirates against Sakhulutsha. Spectators came in numbers to watch this much anticipated clash and the two teams went out for their warm-up routines. They nearly called off, though, as there were no match officials at kick-off time. An hour after the scheduled 1pm starting time, both coaches started to panic with match and Local Football Association (LFA) officials nowhere to be seen. Finally, one of the LFA officials emerged and the two coaches approached him…
By GEMMA RITCHIE Judgment is reserved in a groundbreaking case heard in the High Court in Makhanda (Grahamstown) on 18 September that highlighted the disastrous plight of children who don’t have official documentation. The application was brought by the Centre for Child Law, the governing body of Phakamisa High School and 37 children, with the departments of Education and Home Affairs as respondents. NGO Section27 and the South African Human Rights Commission intervened as amici curiae. The application was heard before a full bench – Judge President Selby Mbenenge, Judge Irma Schoeman and Acting Judge SM Mfenyana. The Department of Education…
By CHRIS TOTOBELA Last Sunday saw the local derby of women’s football when home side African Connection clashed with Rhodes University at the Lower prospect field. Both teams attacked from the word go. The visitors took the lead after a series of attacks via the boot of Nwabisa Jafta who neatly passed the ball into the net after a corner kick. Rhodes pushed forward in search of an equaliser while exposing themselves at back and got caught by a quick counter attack – sealed off by Nosiphosethu Dyantyi, one of the few debutantes. This sparked the home side into action…
By GEMMA RITCHIE Over the past twenty years, the Makana Friends of the Library (FOL) have raised a total of almost R500 000 for the seven libraries in the Municipality. Unlike some other models, where the money raised is used for an exclusive book club, the Makana FOL has used this funding to create opportunities for all residents in Makana to have access to quality library materials. The funding has gone towards books on the wish lists of library users, isiXhosa readers, large print Afrikaans novels and literature for young adults, as well as audiobooks for younger children. Funds from…
By ZAKEELAH JANSEN The Occupational Therapy Association of South Africa (OTASA) is hosting National OT Week which runs from16-20 September. The aim of this initiate is to raise awareness about OT and the role of occupational therapists. This year’s theme is the “power of OT” – attesting to the diversity of the profession and the impact it has on the quality of life. According to local occupational therapist, Jolene Tarr, OT is not a very well known profession particularly in Makhanda (Grahamstown). “It’s a health profession similar to dietetics, physiotherapy, audiology or speech therapy”, said Tarr. Tarr previously worked at Settlers…